DIY Seasonal Placemat Pillow

 Switching things up and making your place feel new again at the beginning of each season is so fun to me. And who doesn't love a seasonal pillow? How about for about $5?! 

I shared this easy DIY seasonal placemat pillow last year on my Instagram when I wasn't blogging and I had so many people tag me showing me how they did it too and it made my heart happy!

So this year I thought I'd share a more thorough breakdown and some of this year's 

placemats that I think would make the cutest seasonal pillows this fall!

Here's the super-easy steps:

1. Go to Target (or home decor store of your choice)

I'm just saying Target because they are carrying this placemat again and have other cute options for placemats.

2. Get some pillow-fill from the craft store (less than $3 usually)

3. Seam-rip a hole just big enough for your hand to be able to fill the placemat 

with poly-fill (I suggest the bottom right-hand corner)

4. Fill 'er up nice and full.

5. Sew back uptake section you opened

Took me less than 5 minutes by hand.

6. Enjoy your new seasonal pillow! And it's even got fringe!

Tag me on Instagram if you make one! I love to see homes being made cute and cozy on the cheap!

Updated: Super Easy DIY Skinny Jeans

So, when I was looked back at my blog stats after 2 years, I noticed my DIY skinny jeans post had been one of my best viewed. And I was proud of two things 1) my sewing job had withstood over 3.5 years of wearing and washing and 2) those jeans still fit.

I first published this tutorial almost 3.5 years ago so I thought it was time for a little update since I've done this a few more times over the years and really think this is an easy way to update jeans if you know your way around a sewing machine in the slightest. Seriously, if you can turn it on and sew a semi-straight line you can do it!

So here's a little update on an old favorite:

Original post (4/25/13):

I bucked the skinny jeans trend when it first started. I was married to my bootcut jeans and thought skinny jeans only looked good on the extremely skinny which excluded me. 

But ya know what, if a fashion trend is around long enough, it starts to grow on you.

And so did the skinny jeans. And look at me now, I'm cutting up my bootcut jeans and

turning them into skinnies. Guess it wasn't a real committed marriage.

Update: I switched to skinny jeans and never looked back. I can't even imagine wearing other jeans now.

I posted this instagram of my bootcut jeans turned skinnies and got a few requests for

a simple how-to and I am happy to oblige!

Update: At least pretend to make your bed, Shelby.

So, here we go.

Update: I honestly have no idea what happened to these green jeans.

 Step One:

Find a pair of skinnies that you like the way they fit

and line them up on top of the pants you wish to alter.

Step Two:
Turn the pants inside out.

Trace the shape of the skinnies onto the pants you wish to alter.

This will be the line you will sew along.

Be sure to make a gradual line to the knee. It will pucker weird at the knee if you don't.

I have seam ripped enough times to know. Trust.
Update: This really is important. And I hate seam-ripping.

 Tip: If you are altering jeans, be sure to trace along the side that has the simple seam vs. the side that has the professional seam with piping.

Do this side

vs.

Don't do this side  

The seams won't line up right if you do your altering along the professional seam side.

Step Three:

Sew along the line you traced.

Step Four:

Cut off your excess fabric. Cut fairly close to your seam so you don't have

any bulk in your skinnies.

Step Five:

Admire your work and high-five someone because you just

saved yourself some money by making your own skinny jeans!
Update: I've experimented a bit with shortening the length too because I really like my skinnies to land right above my ankle. 

 Step Six: 

Rock your new skinnies!

something simple to make for baby boy

As someone who enjoys creating things, I'm always looking for things to make for my baby boy to wear. But besides bowties, there aren't too many simple things for the average seamstress to make for a baby boy. 

Then I saw this incredibly adorable video by Cotton & Curls.

And I knew I needed to make a slouchy beanie for Grady.

I took the measurement advice from the tutorial and decided to work with a cheap pre-made adult beanie.

Once you figure out your measurements, just follow the shape of the hat and pin where you sew.

Be sure that you are pinning on the wrong side of the hat. (I forgot to take a picture but the right side of my hat is stripes).

Sew along the shape you created.

Trim off excess, flip right-side out and try it on your baby!

10 month olds don't made the best (read: stillest) models.

So let's just call these action shots.

I pretty much love this boy in anything, but a slouchy beanie is heart-melting material.

Go ahead and add this to your list of "simple things to make for baby boys".

Easy DIY Skinny Jeans

I bucked the skinny jeans trend when it first started. I was married to my bootcut jeans and thought skinny jeans only looked good on the extremely skinny which excluded me. 

But ya know what, if a fashion trend is around long enough, it starts to grow on you.

And so did the skinny jeans. And look at me now, I'm cutting up my bootcut jeans and

turning them into skinnies. Guess it wasn't a real committed marriage.

I posted this instagram of my bootcut jeans turned skinnies and got a few requests for

a simple how-to and I am happy to oblige!

So, here we go.

 Step One:

Find a pair of skinnies that you like the way they fit

and line them up on top of the pants you wish to alter.

Step Two:

Trace the shape of the skinnies onto the pants you wish to alter.

This will be the line you will sew along.

Be sure to make a gradual line to the knee. It will pucker weird at the knee if you don't.

I have seam ripped enough times to know. Trust.

 Tip: If you are altering jeans, be sure to trace along the side that has the simple seam vs. the side that has the professional seam with piping.

Do this side

vs.

Don't do this side  

The seams won't line up right if you do your altering along the professional seam side.

Step Three:

Sew along the line you traced.

Step Four:

Cut off your excess fabric. Cut fairly close to your seam so you don't have

any bulk in your skinnies.

Step Five:

Admire your work and high-five someone because you just

saved yourself some money by making your own skinny jeans!

 Step Six: 

Rock your new skinnies!

operation upgrade all the pillows

I'm too embarrassed to show you what my pillows used to look like.

I'd had them since we got married almost 5 years ago. They were green and brown and stained despite repeated washing.

You know it's bad when your husband starts to complain that they're ugly.

So when I went to Target to check out my options, I realized it would cost me a small fortune to upgrade all the pillows as just one cute pillow was $25. Not gonna happen.

It took a few weeks of hunting and diy-ing, but I was able to upgrade all of my pillows for less than the price of one full-price pillow. I could do this because I used my old pillow forms which were still in good shape.

So, eventually Target did pull through with some good clearance.

Pom-Pom Pillow: $5

Gray Felted Pillow: $7

Gray Napkins: 2 for $3

Napkins are a great option for upgrading pillow covers because they are a perfect square.

Sew three sides, stuff in your pillow and then sew the fourth size shut. Easy as pie.

 I added my own fabric ruffles for a bit of flair.

Cream Rosette Pillow 

Sears Going-out-of-business Sale: $5

Vintage placemat Pillow

Placemats are another great option for easy pillow covering.

This placemat was a quarter yard sale find that I had stashed away and all I had to do was seam rip one of the sides, stuff in a pillow and then sew it shut again.

 Vintage Bed Sheet Pillow

It's always best to think outside the box for fabric. Making this pillow

out of a bedsheet took a bit of measuring and a bit more sewing but

I love the fabric more than anything I could have found at the store.

Vintage Fabric Pillow

Easily my new favorite pillow (I did stuff it with my softest pillow form though).

But I love this vintage fabric. I've had it for so long but could never find the right

thing to use it for. Makes for a great statement pillow.

There are lots of fun vintage fabric options on etsy!

 

Striped Fabric Pillow

I ordered this striped fabric (1/2 yard for $5) from a seller on etsy.

I knew I wanted to add some stripes in with all my floral.

The best thing about making this pillow was this new-to-me envelope cover

technique that my friend Kerry told me about.

Less sewing and you can take off the cover to wash it!

Next time you need a pillow upgrade - try one of these easy and affordable options!

Totes adorable

In my new life as a mom, I'm finding I have a lot more things I have to carry around.

There's the baby.

And the baby gear.

And the baby bag.

And there always seems to be a few more random things I need to throw in a bag just in case.

So I picked up a tote for $1 at the thrift store and gave it a facelift.

 

For mine, I used a lace table runner I had in my fabric drawer and then used a piece of my favorite vintage fabric to make it all my own.

Just cut to size and sew a straight line. Pretty snappy.

This is such a simple and inexpensive way to get yourself some extra carrying room.

Or a great way to give a gift to someone.

Or to be eco-friendly and use it at the grocery store.

Totes adorable, wouldn't you say? :)