Whistle and Ivy

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Hand-Painted Recycled Pillowcase Throw Pillow

April 8, 2015 by Bethany Leave a Comment

 

These hand-painted throw pillows are fun to make, easy to customize and an inexpensive room update!

Sewing Toms-Inspired Baby Shoes

September 2, 2014 by Bethany 18 Comments

Gabbaland Quiet Book – Toodeeland

April 4, 2014 by Bethany 2 Comments

For this next installment page for our Gabbaland quiet book, I did the next easiest one: Toodeeland! Just three colors and lots of nice straight edges to cut.
In case you missed it, my first page was Brobeeland, and The Boy is wondering when the next pages will be done, so I really need to get this finished for him.

 photo yogabbagabbaquietbookwithtoodeeWMpin_zpse6f6f37d.jpg

You can find a printable template HERE.

You need:
Corresponding Embroidery Thread

Felt:
1 Light Gray
1 White
1 Light Blue

This is how the pieces should be placed on your blue felt page.
Make sure to sew the back ones in place first.

 photo yogabbagabbatemplatequietbookphotonumbersWM_zps707aae23.jpg
 photo yogabbagabbaquietbooktoodeelandWM_zps86cca1ee.jpg

And don’t forget to grab the template for all five characters HERE.

Gabbaland Quiet Book – Brobeeland

March 14, 2014 by Bethany Leave a Comment

Maybe some of you remember my Yo Gabba Gabba Felt Magnets from a while back. Well, my son still loves playing with them; not so much on the fridge, but along with his other toys on the floor. So I thought it would be fun to make a Gabbaland quiet book to go with the characters. I figured I would publish each one as I finish it. I am starting with Brobeeland.

Keep in mind, this is an “artistic interpretation” of the scenery from the show. It doesn’t look exactly the same, but I showed it to The Boy this morning, and he knew exactly what it was!

I made a printable template of this page for you! You can find it here: Brobeeland Template

Felt sheets you will need:

1 Orange
1 Gold
1 Tan
3 sheets, each a different shade of brown

The orange is the background and the foundation for the whole page. I took the gold sheet and cut it in half for the foreground, and I just eyeballed a strip of dark brown for the middle piece. It overlaps where the gold lays on the orange. Sew the brown strip in place first. After that, line up each tree piece with its secondary piece and sew them onto the page. I just laid the top piece in place and sewed them both at the same time. Then, finish with the last couple wood pieces.

Don’t forget to go and get all five characters HERE (you can just leave off the magnetic strips).

Happy crafting!

Reversible Baby Skirt

March 5, 2014 by Bethany 2 Comments

I actually shared this tutorial about a year ago, but I had to redo it. The photos were absolutely terrible, and I couldn’t stand to see them!  But don’t let the “reversible” scare you off, this skirt is so easy.

 Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}
 
 

This is my go-to baby gift for baby girls. The new mama gets two skirts for the sewing work of one!

What you need:
2 corresponding fat quarters
Basic sewing supplies
1 pkg extra-wide double-fold bias tape
About 13” of 3/4”  Elastic
Measuring tape
Fabric pencil
Large safety pin

First, hop over to Dana Made It, and grab her pattern for a simple baby circle skirt. So awesome of her to share it with us for free!

Then, fold both your fat quarters in half twice to make a square. Line up the fold corners, and put the inside rounded edge of the pattern in the corner. (cut both of your fabric pieces at the same time) Cut about 2 inches out from the pattern’s outside edge to make the skirt longer.

Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}

Next, unfold your fabric and pin around the inside, right sides together.

Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}

Sew where you pinned and turn your skirt inside-out. To do this, push one side of the skirt through the hole, and iron around the hole to make a nice crease. Using a measuring tape and a fabric pencil, make a few marks around the hole about 3/4″ from the edge to use as a guide.

Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}

Sew around the edge, but leave a 2″ opening so you can put the elastic in the waist.

Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}

Put a safety pin at the top of your elastic and push in through the opening, between your two pieces of fabric, until it comes back out. Sew the ends of your elastic together with a zig-zag. Go back and forth to make sure it’s secure. Then, sew across the 2″ opening in the skirt.

Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}

To finishe the edge, pin your bias tape on the edge ( be careful to catch both pieces of fabric) and sew it in place.

Free Sewing Pattern - Easy Reversible Baby Skirt. This skirt is SO easy to make, and is two skirts in one!  {Tutorial by Whistle and Ivy}

Done!

What did I tell you? so, sew easy! I just wish I had a baby girl to put this on :)

Happy sewing!

Bug Collector Quiet Book Page Template

February 11, 2014 by Bethany 11 Comments

 

Free Quietbook Page - The Bug Collector. A fun quiet book page for toddlers and kids! Find all the bugs, inspect with magnifying glass and keep safe in the mason jar.  

Expandable Quietbook Binding

January 4, 2014 by Bethany 1 Comment

I know that I have been saying that I will get my son’s quiet book done for a while, (a few cute pages are here, here and here) but the main reason I haven’t bound it together is because I still have some fun quiet book ideas rattling around in my head. I didn’t want to bind it all together and not have the chance to make some more pages for it.

Then I decided I just needed a binding method that allowed me to add more pages as I create them.

Expandable quiet book binding DIY sewing

It’s very simple. I just sewed three strips of fabric on the inside spine of the cover and left the ends un-sewn. Then, I fished 3 binder rings through the holes. That’s it! To attach your pages, sew corresponding buttonholes, and place your pages in your binder.

Expandable quiet book binding DIY sewing

I am so happy to have a way to keep creating pages! Now, off to get buttonholes sewn onto each page.

Happy sewing :)

Easy Duffle Bag

September 26, 2013 by Bethany 5 Comments

For a while now, I have been keeping The Boy’s foam blocks in the vinyl bag they came in; the zipper had broken a while ago, and it was kind of a pain. When my friend gave me this awesome helicopter fabric, I knew just what to do with it!

Helicopter Fabric Easy  Draw string Duffle Bag Tutorial Toys Oraganization

I made a very simple duffle bag for his blocks. It’s so easy, I didn’t even use a pattern.

First, figure out how big you want the bottom of your bag to be. I used a large mixing bowl and traced around it. Then, to cut the side, you need to figure out the circumference. There is an easy way to find the circumference: diameter x Pi.

Helicopter Fabric Easy  Draw string Duffle Bag Tutorial Toys Organization Circumference

 After you find the width of your bag, then simply make it as tall as you need it to be. Make sure to leave a seam allowance.

Helicopter Fabric Easy  Draw string Duffle Bag Tutorial Toys Organization

Start by folding under the top of your bag twice, hiding the raw edge. Iron it in place, but don’t sew it.

Helicopter Fabric Easy  Draw string Duffle Bag Tutorial Toys Organization

I decided to use button holes for the drawstring. Unfortunately, I started by sewing my fold down before I sewed the button holes, which DOES NOT work, so make sure to iron this part in place so it makes a nice crease, then unfold it and sew your button holes below your crease. 
Next, sew the ends of your bag together to you make a tube, RIGHT sides together. Remember, your top piece shouldn’t be sewn down yet!
After than, pin and sew your bottom circle, RIGHT sides together. 
Helicopter Fabric Easy  Draw string Duffle Bag Tutorial Toys Organization
For the last part, sew down your top piece. The reason it is sewn last is because you need a tube all around the top of your bag to push a drawstring through. 
To make the drawstring, cut a piece a few inches wide, and twice as long at your body piece. Fold and iron both sides in, and then fold the whole piece in half. Then, simply sew along the edge to keep everything in place. Put a large safety pin at the end, and insert it through the button holes. 
Finished!
Helicopter Fabric Easy  Draw string Duffle Bag Tutorial Toys Organization

Incredibly Easy Lined Camera Bag with Upcycled Crib Bumpers and Facebook Contest!

September 3, 2013 by Bethany 14 Comments

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Jo-ann Fabric and Craft Stores.

In celebration of Waverly’s 90th anniversary AND September as National Sewing Month, I was given an ah-mazing opportunity to work with some Waverly fabric from Jo-Ann.  This stuff is so cute! I love the vintage look it has, and it’s thick and sturdy, so it works for a variety of projects.  Right when I saw  it, I knew what I was going to make: a new camera bag!

 
Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy 

I have held on to my crib bumpers for a while, but I didn’t know what to do with them. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. And I am glad I didn’t because they worked out perfectly for this project. As I have mentioned before, I am not an amazing sewer. This bag is so easy, I feel like anyone can do it. I didn’t use a pattern, but I made a diagram of what my my cut fabric looked like.

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy
uh, not to scale!

Once you have your piece cut, fold right sides together and begin sew the sides together, like you have two bags, connected by one side. Since the diagram looks like a flattened box, take the side pieces and fold them up and create the box shape. Your “two bags” should look like this:

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy

Also, leave your  corners unsewn until you get all the sides sewn. I think there is an easier way to do corners, I am just not sure how to do it.

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy

Once you have that sewn, sew the top flap sides, and across the top corners. Be careful to leave a big gap at the very top of the flap.

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy

Once this is finished, turn your entire piece inside-out, and tuck one bag into the other. You now have a lined bag!

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy

Make sure to sew up the unsewn edge of the flap.

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy

I sewed all around the top to give it a finished look. I also made a strip of fabric for the handle, but you could buy a piece of belting for a stronger strap.

From here, I got my crib bumpers out and ready to go.

Oops! I made my bag too small to fit them the way they were. I had to cut them down bit.

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy
 
 
 I folded down the edges,  pinned and sewed them together. This one is going in the bottom, so I wasn’t super concerned with how the edges looked. 
 
Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy
Clearly not concerned
Then, I just made the compartments that fit my specific needs. I have enough bumpers left over to make another bumper insert, in case I get more accessories or a completely different camera. 
 
 
Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy
 
 
 

To get my bumpers to bend easier, I sewed a straight light across it. It kind of cuts through the batting inside, and makes it more manageable.  The left edge and middle are separate pieces that I ended up hot glueing in place. I couldn’t figure out a good way to sew it, but the glue has held quite well, and was very easy. Then, I just bought some chunky buttons and sewed two button holes. You could use Velcro or attach ties instead.

Reuse those crib bumpers as a soft liner for this easy DIY Camera Bag! | Whistle and Ivy
 

I hope it keeps my camera safe! I am known to be a bit irresponsible with my expensive things..
Happy sewing!
Signature

Yo Gabba Gabba Felt Magnets

August 29, 2013 by Bethany 10 Comments

Since the Boy has just loved his Transportation Magnets, I decided to make him another set. He loves the TV show Yo Gabba Gabba(I have posted about it earlier), so I made him a magnet of each character from the show.

Yo Gabba Gabba Felt Magnets - Perfect little fridge magnets for your Yo Gabba Gabba fan! {Free Sewing Pattern by Whistle and Ivy}

 
 

I took the liberty of posting my patterns. Keep in mind, these are hand-drawn so they aren’t perfect (observe Foofa’s ginormous swollen right leg and skinny left leg, oops!)

What you need:

1 Tomato Red Felt
1 White Felt
1 Yellow Felt
1 Gray Felt
1 Blue Felt
1 Baby Blue Felt
1 Pink Felt
1 Baby Pink Felt
1 Black Felt
1 Light Green Felt
1 Dark Green Felt
Corresponding Embroidery Thread (You don’t necessarily need each color)
Magnet Strips

 
 
 

To print this template, click here: Yo Gabba Gabba Characters

 

Honestly, you could probably just hot glue these together if you are aversive to hand-sewing (it’s not difficult, but can be a bit time-consuming).

Yo Gabba Gabba Felt Magnets - Perfect little fridge magnets for your Yo Gabba Gabba fan! {Free Sewing Pattern by Whistle and Ivy}

Happy sewing :)

Felt Aviator Sleep Mask

August 1, 2013 by Bethany 6 Comments

So recently, I have been trying to adopt some ways to get better sleep. It’s actually a little embarrassing. My son is an amazing sleeper, like ridiculously amazing. He usually sleeps 11-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours in the afternoon. I should be the most well-rested mom on the planet! But for some reason, I wake up in the morning totally exhausted, complete with “sandy” eyes. It’s getting rather frustrating, so I am trying anything( short of medication). One thing I read was to start wearing a sleep mask.

I’ll try it.

 
Sleep in style with these this classy aviator-style sleep mask.  
 
I found this awesome template from Gina @ Kleinworth & Co. 
 
Then, I just eyeballed some aviator “lenses” and added the connector pieces. Gina’s tutorial is no-sew, so if you want to avoid sewing, definitely check out how she did it! 
I hand-sewed the lenses and connector pieces to the purple top piece first, then machine-sewed the top piece to the gray back piece. 
 
 
I made the head band by sewing two pieces of ribbon together, using it as an elastic casing, then inserting a thin piece of elastic. 
 
 
 
 
 
Here’s to hopefully getting a better night’s rest…

Felt Magnet Transportation

July 5, 2013 by Bethany 14 Comments

Vegetable Garden Quietbook Template

June 14, 2013 by Bethany 33 Comments

I actually finished this page several months ago, but I never posted a template, so I decided to get one made up!

This one is my own pattern but I got inspiration for this page at Leafy Treetop Spot. Tricia’s page is so cute! I just loved her idea for a vegetable garden so much, I had to try it.

Vegetable Garden Felt Quiet Book Page Template Pattern

 

 

You can find a printable template here:Veggie Garden Template

 
 

I cut the garden rows piece in dark brown, and sewed it onto a sky-blue piece of felt. I just eyeballed the holes. They aren’t perfect, but oh well!  I also left the bottom unsewn. If a veggie or two gets pushed down through the holes, it can be easily retrieved.

To make the veggies, I sewed the green parts together first. Make sure to do any embroidery work before sewing the pieces together (on the veggies and the signs). Then, I took my sewn greenery,  sandwiched it between the two veggie pieces, and sewed the whole thing together. I hand-sew all of the small pieces. It may seem to take longer, but I have a hard time sewing small pieces of felt effectively on the machine.

 
 
 
 
 
 
I really hope those little vegetable don’t get lost.  I had a reader suggest attaching a ribbon to each vegetable so they don’t get misplaced, and I think I will do that. They were a bit tedious to work up, I would be a shame to have to keep making more to replace the lost pieces.
 
Happy sewing!

Signature

 

Mr. Potato Head Quietbook Page Template

May 23, 2013 by Bethany 15 Comments

A few weeks ago I posted my Mr. Potatohead Quietbook page, but then I had some requests for a pattern.

 

pirate

 I should have thought to post it with the first post! Anyway, here is the template: Mr. Potatohead Template
After you have all your pieces cut, sew the head piece to your page. Then, sew the two pieces of each accessory together. For the mouth, embroider the teeth before you sew the two pieces together. For the eyepiece, sew on the pupils before sewing the two pieces together, and for the bow tie, sew on the knot to the top piece before sewing the two together.
Hope you enjoy it!
Signature

 

Tutorial for Sewing a Jogging Armband

May 16, 2013 by Bethany 16 Comments

I have been meaning to make one of these for while. I have been using a handkerchief, and I usually take about 5 minutes finagling it with my teeth and other hand.

Well, no more!

 
 
 

 
Materials:
Fabric – this is such a small project, you could probably just use scraps  
Fusible Interfacing
Velcro
Basic Sewing Supplies
 
Start by measuring the back piece. Make sure you leave a seam allowance. Leave as much as you are comfortable with. You will sew and turn this piece inside out, plus sew the pieces together. I tend to sew quite near the edge. 
 
Your piece needs to be doubled, so measure it on the fold to save yourself some sewing later. 
 
 
 
Once you have it measured, cut your fusible interfacing (same size as one half of your whole back piece) and iron it to one side, on the wrong side of the fabric. 
 
 
 
 
 
Fold in half again, right sides together and sew around it, leaving a space for you to turn the piece inside out. Your interfacing will be on the outside. 
 
 
 
 
 
Turn the piece inside out through the hole, iron it flat, and sew around the edge, taking care to catch both sides of the unsewn part. 
 
 
 
 
 
To the sew the front pocket, measure your device across the front, including the thickness as well. Take that number and add your seam allowance, plus a little extra so it can be sewn together. Don’t go overboard, the pocket needs to be snug. You need two again, so cut so the fold is on top of the pocket. Fold so the right sides are together, just like the back piece and sew around the edge, leaving a space. I added a small pleat (about 1/4 inch) to the bottom so it would line up better later. This is optional, though. 
 
 
 
 
 
Turn the pocket inside out and iron it. Sew across the fold (the top), but don’t sew it onto the back piece yet. 
 
Now, measure your arm for the armband. Make sure you do about 4 extra inches, so the ends can velcro together. I also eyeballed the thickness. Mine is about 2 inches finished, so probably 2 1/4 cut. 
 
Again, cut so one of the long sides in the on the fold, and cut a matching piece of interfacing. Iron it to one of the sides, wrong side of the fabric. 
 
 
 
 
Fold in half, right sides together, and sew all around, leaving an unsewn part. Turn it inside out through the hole and sew around the edges. Make sure you catch both sides of the hole that you left unsewn. 
 
 
 
 
 
Now, to sew all the pieces together, put the pocket to the front of your back piece. The pocket is wider, so make sure you are sewing the edges together. Pin the pocket in place, and then pin the whole thing to the band. You should be able to sew the whole thing together at once. 
 
 
 
 
Finish with two pieces of velcro. Don’t ask me why royal blue was the only color of velcro I had on hand!
 
 
 
 
 
All ready for my next jog!
 
 
 
Tutorial for sewing a jogging music armband
 
 
 
Signature
 
 

 

Mr. Potato Head Quiet Book Page

April 21, 2013 by Bethany 16 Comments

I am still slowly finishing up The Boy’s quiet book…and I got another page done! I have seen many people do this one, and I thought it looked like so much fun. There are so many fun accessories that you could continue to make for this one, I just thought it was too cute. You can find a printable template for this page HERE.

I also made up pirate accessories. 
Mr. Potatohead Felt Quiet Book Template and Pattern Pirate
And this one. Hipster maybe?( haha! ) Although, his glasses ended up looking more like goggles or a bandit mask!

I also made a “closet” to keep all of his stuff in, for the opposite page.

Mr. Potatohead Felt Quiet Book Template and Pattern Closet

This was a super fun one to make. Plus, because the whole thing is relatively simple,  I just drew everything and didn’t have to waste printer ink. And I am NO artist, so that tells you how easy it is to just draw up cute things for this guy.

Do you have ideas for other accessories?

Four Seasons and Kite Puzzle Quiet Book Pages

March 13, 2013 by Bethany 24 Comments

DIY Collegiate Sweats

March 1, 2013 by Bethany 20 Comments

Simple Elastic Hair Ribbon

January 8, 2013 by Bethany 2 Comments

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