sewing

DIY Dog Crate Organizer

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated.
All opinions are mine alone. #PedigreeMoments #CollectiveBias

Create a dog crate organizer to keep your dog supplies handy.

Our Cocker Spaniel, Cooper, is a special member of the family! He’s a rescue pet that has been with us for 9 years. He loves us all equally, but he has a very special connection with our middle child. He has helped comfort him through some difficult times my son has experience over the past 15 months. Cooper loves going in the car. He shakes with excitement when he realizes that he’s going somewhere with us. He stays in a dog crate in the back of our vehicle. We take supplies for him, but they are often all over the car. I have created a dog crate caddy organizer to keep everything for Cooper together. Follow these instructions to create one for your pet.

DIY Dog Crate Organizer

Supplies

Fat Quarter of dog print fabric
1/2 yard of contrasting fabric
1/8-1/4″ elastic (not pictured)
one 11″ dowel (I used a 1/4″ dowel, not pictured)
sew-in hook & loop tape
measuring tape
collapsible dog dishes
water
PEDIGREE® Pouches
clean up bags
dog crate

Directions

Cut the following:
Two pieces of fabric 15.5″x12.5″ (back piece)
One piece of interfacing 15.5″x12.5″
Two pieces fabric 15.5″x6.5″ (top pocket)*
Two pieces fabric 15.5″x8.5″ (bottom pocket)*
One piece of fabric 2.5″x20″ (strap)
*There isn’t enough fabric in a fat quarter, so I cut the back of the pocket in the contrasting print.

Sew the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the back pieces. I serged mine.
With right sides together, sew the back pieces as shown. Leave an opening for dowel casing and an opening to turn.
Turn the back right sides out and press.
Top stitch around the edges of the back piece to finish edge and form dowel casings along the top.
Create the straps by folding the strap fabric in half longways and stitching along the open edge. Please note, I had to stitch two 10″ pieces of my dog print together to get one strip.
Turn the strap right side out and press.
Cut three 5-6″ pieces of the strap.
Sew 1″ of hook and loop tape to the ends of each strap piece.
Carefully sew the strap pieces in place along the casing lines. Place one at each end and the other in the middle.
With right sides together, sew around the edge of each pocket piece leaving an opening to turn and casing for elastic.
Turn the pocket right sides out and press.
Top stitch around edge and form elastic casing.

Using an elastic threading tool to pull the elastic through the casing of each pocket.

Sew elastic in place along both side edges of each pocket. Make sure it is well gathered but can be stretched out the entire width of the pocket.

Carefully snip off the extra elastic.

Pin the pockets to the front of the back piece lining up the outside edges.
Stitch along the outside edge of each pocket, making sure you don’t catch any other parts of the pockets or the dowel casing.

Lay your pet supplies on top of the pockets to figure out where to the separator lines are. Mark the sewing lines with pins.

Stitch the pocket separator line, making sure to give extra reinforcement to the top edge.
Gather the bottom edge of each pocket by hand and stitch into place.
Insert the dowel into the casing to complete the caddy organizer.
Attach the organizer to the outside of the dog crate and fill it with dog supplies.
This tutorial can be adjusted to make a different sized dog crate caddy. I’m really pleased with how ours turned out. We will be using it a lot when we travel.

Since we camp frequently, we need simple solutions for taking care of Cooper. We take extra care because Cooper is such a treasured member of the family and he’s getting older. Treating and eating on the go just got a whole lot easier with PEDIGREE® Pouches. They can be served as a treat or as a mix of wet and dry with “treat topping”. Just replace ½ cup of PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition with 1 pouch (1 pouch = 3.5 oz., 1 cup = 8 oz. measuring cup).

PEDIGREE® Pouches come in an 8ct of Beef, Bacon, & Cheese/Hearty Chicken and an 18ct of Meaty Ground Dinner with Beef, Hearty Chicken/Beef, Bacon & Cheese. Find these as well as PEDIGREE® Dry Complete Nutrition Chicken, 50 LB or PEDIGREE® Dry Complete Nutrition Chicken Large Breed, 36.4 LB in the dog food aisle at Walmart.

Do you take your dog with you when you travel? Learn more about PEDIGREE® here.

DIY Dog Heating Pad

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated.
All opinions are mine alone. #PAWsomeGifts #ClausAndPaws #CollectiveBias

Create a dog heating pad for your pooch to keep warm as the weather cools down this fall.
It’s fall, which means that Thanksgiving and cold weather are on their way. It’s time to make sure man’s best friend is ready for the colder weather. I fashioned this homemade dog heating pad for our Cocker Spaniel, Cooper. Here are the instructions for making one for your dog.

DIY Dog Heating Pad Tutorial

Supplies

fleece fabric – I purchased a $3 fleece throw with a dog print on it at Walmart. That 50″ x 60″ throw can be enough to make an entire heating pad. Since I doubled over my top layer, I needed more fleece. I used a contrasting fleece so that you can see how this tutorial is done.
soft heat packs – I purchased twelve that measured 5″ x 7″.
scissors
sewing pins
sewing machine

Directions

Double the fleece over to make the top of the heating pad measuring approximately 32″ x 27″.
Lay the top layer out flat and arrange the heat packs on top. The heating packs were laid out in three rows of four, so I cut out three 32″ x 11″ strips of contrasting fleece.
Fold over just over an inch of the top of each fleece strip and sew it down along the outside edges. This forms a lip in the top of the pocket strips to help hold the heat packs in place.
Use straight pins to pin the pocket strips in place on the underside of the pad.
Sew the pocket strips in place along the sides and bottom of the pad.
With the bottom side up, lay out the rows of heat packs. Mark vertical sewing lines between the heat packs.
Stitch along the marked lines, making sure to catch the folded under top edge of each pocket strip.
The heating pad is complete.
Heat the pads according to directions and place in each pocket of the pad.
Turn in over and lay it out for your dog to enjoy.
We always joke that our dog isn’t very bright, but he sat on the pad right away as if he knew it was his. This nice behavior need to be rewarded!

Thanksgiving Dog Treats

I love my pet and I want to treat him to a happy Thanksgiving season, that is why I created this pad for him. With guests coming and going for big feast, it means a lot of cold air will enter the house as the door opens and closes. This heating pad will help keep Cooper warm. I also picked up some treats for him while I was at the store. These included PEDIGREE® DENTASTIX™ Original Flavor Treats for Small/Medium Dogs, 10 count and PEDIGREE® Marrobone® Mini Beef Flavor Dog Snacks, 15 oz.

You can pick up PEDIGREE® treats in the pet aisle at Walmart. They are perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday. Check out the Stocking Solver tool on Walmart.com.

Cooper loves PEDIGREE® DENTASTIX™! We use them to help train him.

How do you keep your pet warm during cold weather? Visit HappyPetHappyHome.com for more ideas on how to treat your dog to a great Thanksgiving holiday.
posted 17 Nov 2016

DIY Hanging Laundry Bags

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
All opinions are mine alone. #FreeToBe #CollectiveBias

Create these hanging laundry bags to save on space and help keep laundry sorted. They are perfect for small spaces like dorms and apartments.

My oldest son lives in Downtown Madison. He recently moved into his own apartment. It’s a studio, so he’s short on space. He’s taking pride in having his own place but has a few issues. One of the issues is he doesn’t have a place to put his dirty laundry. He’s trying to keep his place clean enough for visitors, so he’d like to keep his laundry out of sight. His closet is small and the floor his stacked with items, but he only has a coat hanging up. That got me thinking that he needs hanging laundry bags that utilize the closet bar. I came up with these Lights and Darks Hanging Laundry Bags for him. Continue the conversation by being an all® free clear connector.

Hanging Laundry Bags Tutorial

Supplies

1 yard of a light fabric
1 yard of a dark fabric
2 wooden hangers with locking bars
2 yards of light ribbon or string
2 yards of dark ribbon or string
embroidery machine with dark and light thread or stencil and supplies

Directions

Fold the fabric in half long ways so that the selvage edges are touching. Cut off 3″ of fabric along the top.
Embroider or stencil Lights on the front of the dark bag and Darks on the front of the light bag.

Serge along the top edge of the bag. No need to serge the selvage edge sides.
Fold the bag with right sides together and serge the bottom edge closed.
Reinforce the bottom seam with a straight stitch.
Stitch the side seam together leaving a one inch opening about an inch down from the top edge. This will be the opening for the drawstring.
Lay the seam around the drawstring flat and stitch it in place.
Make the drawstring casing by turning down one inch of the top seam and stitch.
Leave the 3″ fabric strip folded in half and cut it just short of the width of the locking bar of the hanger.
Serge the open ends together.
Turn that seam right side out and fold the open edges together. Serge along the bottom to form the hanger bar casing.
With the right side of the laundry bag facing out, pin the hanger casing to the middle of the back of the bag.
Stitch that casing in place. I used 2 lines of straight stitching with a zigzag in between. It’s important to reinforce because this stitching will have the weight of the laundry pulling on it.
Feed the drawstring through the casing and knot the end. I used this drawstring threader to pull the ribbon through.
Slide the bag onto the hanger.
Hang the bags back to back and fill with laundry.

DIY Lights & Darks Hanging Laundry Bags

I used lightweight cotton for each bag. The bags themselves can be washed too, although I recommend taking the dirty laundry out of the bag before washing.

Laundry Care Package

Since I won’t be seeing my son until Christmas, I decided to send the bags to him in a care package. I added a bag of all® free clear mighty pacs® to the box. All of my kids have sensitivities to laundry soaps, so I use a detergent that is free of perfumes or dyes.

all® free clear is the #1 detergent recommended by Dermatologists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for Sensitive Skin. Washing with all® free clear removes 99% of the top everyday and seasonal allergens*. *Dog and cat dander, dust mite matter, ragweed pollen, grass/tree pollen. all® free clear is not intended to treat or prevent allergies. I picked up all® free clear at Walmart. all® free clear keeps our family free of sensitive skin worries!
I am very proud of these bags I created. Find more laundry solutions at the Free to Be Social Hub.

This post contains an affiliate link.

posted 26 Oct 2016

DIY Hoodie Pouch Clothespin Apron

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
#TryMembersMark #CollectiveBias

Here is a simple sewing tutorial for an apron pouch that solves a laundry issue. It uses the front pocket from a hoodie sweatshirt.

I love having appliances. They sure help make life easier! Love of these modern conveniences is strongest when they aren’t available or in constant use. Last week we returned from our spring break beach vacation late at night. We just unloaded the essentials from our vehicle and went to bed. When we unloaded the car the next day, it smelled horrible! All those wet towels and bathing suits had really stunk up the van. I started the numerous loads of laundry immediately.I run our front-load washing machine on an eco-cycle. It’s quicker and uses less energy. I also save electricity by drying our laundry using the power of the sun and wind on our clothesline. It’s so gratifying to me to take advantage of these free sources. What drives me nuts about drying clothes on the line is all the bending that takes place. I have to reach down to the basket to pull out a wet item and then reach down to get clothespins. Sometimes I leave the clothespins on the line, but then they are in the way of hanging and the metal parts get rusty in the rain. I’ve seen those clothespin bags that hang on the line, but you have to constantly move them as you move down the line. My solution is to wear a hoodie sweatshirt and keep the clothespins in my front pouch pocket. It’s easy to reach in and pull out the pins that I need as I go down the line and hang up the laundry. The problem with this solution is that hoodies are often too warm to wear. I will get hot and uncomfortable really quickly. That made me realize that an apron with a pocket like a hoodie would work perfectly. I was going to create a pattern for one but then realized that I could just cut up an old hoodie for an even quicker project.

DIY Hoodie Clothespin Apron

Supplies

old hoodie sweatshirt

scissors

ribbon, twill tape, or similar – 2 yards

sewing machine with matching thread

optional: serger

Directions

Lay your sweatshirt flat and cut out the hoodie pouch pocket. I cut mine with about 2″ around the sides and top of the hoodie. I left the sweatshirt band on the bottom.

Fold the cut edges over about a 1/4″ and turn again around 1/2″ and sew in place. You can also serge the edges and then fold over the 1/2″ and finish the edge.

Finish the ends of the tie band. I used a 1/2″ nylon webbing so I burned the edges to keep them from unraveling.

Sew the band onto the upper edge of the pouch apron. I folded the band in half and centered it onto the pouch apron. I used a zig-zag stitch to hold it in place.

Tie on the apron, fill the pouch with clothespins and hang your laundry.

Isn’t that simple? I was able to whip it up in about 10 minutes. I didn’t cost me anything because I used an old hoodie and webbing I had on hand. My pocket is very utilitarian, but it would be easy to dress it up with some ricrac or pretty trim.

I do quite a bit of laundry, so I get my detergent as Sam’s Club. My detergent of choice is Member’s Mark®. This specially formulated detergent is HE compatible and safe for all washing machine styles, including my front-load. Member’s Mark Ultimate Clean Liquid Laundry Cleaner is a great value that performs as well or better than the national leading brand at just a fraction of the cost. You can purchase Member’s Mark Ultimate Clean Liquid Laundry Cleaner at Sam’s Club or online at samsclub.com.
Do you do wash a lot of clothes like I do? Do you hang your clothes to dry?
posted 6 April 2016

St. Patrick’s Day Quilt

Here is a tie quilt I recently made for a charity auction. I am thinking it’s probably the only St. Patrick’s SpongeBob quilt in existence!

St. Patrick's Day SpongeBob Quilt Project #sew #quilt

Last month I showed you a SpongeBob men’s necktie that I made for a local man to wear to his daughter’s funeral. I met with that family since I posted the tie and they thanked me for making the tie. They were really touched by my gesture. Their daughter was a friend of my oldest child. They loved the necktie so much that the dad got a tattoo of SpongeBob that was in the fabric design. Instead of a thumbs up, he had them put a shamrock in SpongeBob’s hand because their daughter was part Irish and born on St. Patrick’s Day. The mother and several of the girl’s friends got shamrock tattoos.

Since then, I wanted to do more for the family. I tried to put myself in their shoes, and I just could not imagine losing a child like that. I wanted to do everything I could to comfort them. A few weeks ago I saw a notice about a fundraiser that the family was putting together to raise money for disease awareness and research. They were looking for donations for a silent auction and I knew I had to sew something. I immediately knew it had to be something that had both SpongeBob and St. Patrick fabrics.

I contacted the friend who had requested the necktie in the first place and she said she’d go back to the fabric store and get more SpongeBob fabric. She got a yard of the same SpongeBob design that was used for the necktie and a yard of flannel for the backing. I had several St. Patrick’s Day fabrics on hand and sat down to create a quilt design. I decided to make a small version of the quilt for the family to keep.

I washed and ironed the fabrics, cut out the pieces, and got stitching. The quilt tops stitched together quickly. I decided to sandwich the layers together with knots of embroidery floss because I had a limited amount of backing fabric. I bound each quilt with binding using the original SpongeBob fabric. I used this tutorial for the binding.

I’m very pleased with how these quilts turned out. I took them over to the family last week and they were very appreciative. Nearly two months later and they are still very overwhelmed from losing their daughter. I had a conflict and was unable to attend the auction, but my friend who purchased the fabric did. She texted me asking what I thought a fair price for the quilt was. I suggested $50. She bought it for $100 and gave it to the family. She is such a sweet person and I was glad to have her as my partner in their project. I am going to keep my eye out for some SpongeBob fleece because I know the mother wants a tie blanket.

This was such a satisfying project. I want to find more causes to create for.