Dog Collar that is Actually Cute

Dog Collar that is Actually Cute (Martingdale)

I debated for a while whether I was going to post this or not.  This is such a cheap project with amazing results, I contemplated starting a business making these collars and leashes.  There are so many variations and possibilities with these collars I had pages and pages worth of ideas stored up.  I thought about it for a while and decided I had enough going on in my life, and I didn’t want to be in front of the sewing machine all night (more than I would be already).  So anyways, here it is:

Items needed:

3 Yards Nylon Webbing (1 inch thickness) ~can be bought at Joann’s for approx. $3 a yard, or online for WAAAY cheaper if you can stand the wait for shipping!

1 roll (at least 10 ft) pretty ribbon (5/8 inch thickness)

Coordinating thread

3 d-rings (1 inch width)

Band Adjuster (1 inch width)

1 inch clasp for the optional leash

Instructions:

• Pin the ribbon in the center of the nylon webbing and sew as close to the edge of the ribbon as you can get on both sides.
• Cut the webbing
• 24 inches for the band of the collar (your may need more or less depending on the size of the dog you are making this for…I made this one for our 1 and a half year old Viszla)
• 11 inches for the center of the collar
• Remainder will be used for the optional leash
• Place the three d-rings on the 11 inch piece of webbing. Fold one side over about one inch and sew to the opposite side to make a circle with a one and a half inch overlap.  See picture below.  To sew them together with the most strength sew in the shape of a box with an x through it.

• Place one d ring as close as you can into the center of the overlap and the place where you just sewed the circle together.  Again take a look at the pic below.

• Sew the remaining flap shut in the box-x formation.
• Now we have to set up the adjuster strap.  With the 24 inch piece of webbing, loop one end right side facing in, around the center bar of the adjuster with the box-x formation.

• Loop the 24 inch strap through the left d-ring from the back to the front so the right side is now facing out. 
• Now put the strap through the adjuster.  See picture below.

• Lastly, loop the strap through the last d-ring from the front to the back with a 1 and a half inch overlap.  Sew together using the box-x formation
• Trim off any strings

Leash:

• If you can make the collar you can DEFINITELY make the leash.
• Take one end and fold over about one and a half inches.  Make a loop (whatever size you are comfortable with) and sew down the end using the box-x formation.
• Place the clasp on the other end and once again fold over about an inch and a half.  Sew down to the leash using the box-x formation.
• Done.

Total Cost: 

Webbing -$9 (could be around 50 cents a yard if bought on-line)

Ribbon- $2

D-rings- $1

Adjuster- $0.50

Total- $12.50

Cutie Patootie No Bootie Shorts

Cutie Patootie NO-Booty Shorts

I hate too-short shorts.  I have long legs that make short shorts look teeny tiny-and that is not acceptable.  I also hate mom pants in shorts form.  It seems like there is no in-between sometimes.  So I took matters into my own hands and made my own.

In the very back of my jeans drawer I found a pair of ancient capris.  The kind that end just below the knee with a cuff –2002 called they want their clothes back-  As I would not be wearing them ever again as is, but they still fit good I thought I would try a refashion.

First I tried on the jeans and marked with a straight pin what length I wanted them to end up at. (Then I would add at least half an inch to that to account for fraying in the first wash)

I laid the jeans on a flat surface and smoothed out any wrinkles.  Make sure the jeans are lined up so the fold is exactly on the outside seam.  Next you make your cut.  You can be careful and draw with chalk where you want to cut…or you could just wing it like me.  For a little extra flair I curved the cut upwards when I got close to the side seam.  I really like how it turned out.  (For some extra coverage I might add a little lace in the future)

I also wanted to change up the color a little so I put the shorts in with my whites and bleached them.  They kept most of their color, I think because they were very thin denim with a lot of stretch…maybe a weird blend of fibers?

When I washed and dried them, they lost a little length due to fraying, but they are still much longer than anything I can find in stores…so overall I would call it a success!  Lastly I zipped a quick line around the very bottom with my sewing machine.  This will prevent them from fraying any shorter.

Cabled Knit Scarf

A few months ago I posted a crafting bucket list that I wanted to finish before I metaphorically kick the bucket.  Well I am working at whittling that list down little by little.  So far I have already finished one item, learning how to ombre dye.  Whoop Whoop! Yay me!

But that was an easy one.  Now I need to focus on the more daunting items on that list.  Knit a sweater that I would be proud to wear, now that one is a doozie.   Before I can even think about the sweater, I have to learn how to knit.

I might have known how to do a knit stitch when I was like seven, but it took so long to get anywhere in knitting, and it wasn’t so forgiving on mistakes so I gave it up.  I found crochet and never looked back!  But you have to admit to look of knitting is completely different from crochet and I am an absolute fool for cables! So I figured it was time.

I chose this scarf pattern and found some left over yarn to practice with.  The Lion Brand website has some amazing visuals for learning the knit stitch, the purl stitch and how to cable.  For this particular pattern each set is 8 rows and then you repeat the same 8 rows over and over until the scarf is the length you want it. 

So just to practice, I knit about 3 sets (but I un-knit about 8-10 sets before I could figure out what I was doing). Haha!  My husband, although normally very supportive of my crafting addiction, said I was a mean knitter and wanted me to go back to crocheting!  Unlike crochet, knitting took a while to get used to the counting and precision.  He would ask me a question and I would shush him and say I had 3 more purls and 6 more knits before I could answer him.

Don’t worry though, it got much easier and now I can almost hold a complete conversation while knitting. Plus after doing about 50 sets I ended up memorizing the pattern.

This is a picture of my work in progress:

I am almost out of yarn which means whether I like it or not my scarf will be at its final length.  Next step: a matching hat.  I have a pattern picked out but it is at an intermediate level.  I am not even sure what all the abbreviations mean.  I am calling in for backup on this one:  Grandma Beth – you’re up!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were really easy for a week-night treat!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1/4 Tsp Peppermint Extract
• A Few Drops Green Food coloring
• 1 Egg
• 1 stick softened Butter
• 1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients together, then fold in the chocolate chips
3. Scoop onto a cookie sheet
4. Bake for 9-11 minutes

I never get sick of mint and chocolate. Never! Looking ahead to Christmas I might call these Grinch cookies...

Hand Dyed Canvas Slip-On Shoes

To go along with my new obsession with dyeing clothing I decided to dye a pair of canvas shoes.  As soon as I did this, I saw a commercial for the same shoes in Old Navy with a $15 price tag. I got them beat! My shoes only cost me $7! Woo Hoo!

Materials:

Wal-Mart white canvas shoes $4.50

Liquid RIT Dye $2

Elastic $0.50

Fabric Tac glue or needle and thread (leftover from previous casual crafting)

1 cup salt (who doesn’t have this in their pantry)

• ·         Fill up your stainless steel sink (or large bucket) with steaming hot water.  Fill it up just enough to cover the shoes completely.
• ·         Remove the laces from your shoes.
• ·         Dunk the shoes in the hot water until saturated and set aside.
• ·         Pour in half of the RIT dye and add in one cup of salt. Stir until salt starts to dissolve.
• ·         Put in your shoes! Mine wanted to float right side up, so I used a plastic spatula to keep them in the dye.
• ·         Stir them around for a few minutes until you get the color that you want.
• ·         Drain the sink and run warm water over your shoes until the water runs clear. (make sure to dump out the water in the toes!)
• ·         Put them outside to dry for at least a few hours.  Because it was rainy out this week it took 3 days for mine to dry inside. Sigh. I am not patient enough for that.
• ·         Cut two pieces of elastic for under the tongue of your shoes. My pieces were about 3.5 – 4 inches long.
• ·         I initially wanted to stitch the elastic in, but the canvas is pretty thick and I am lazy so instead I used fabric-tac. Haha.
• ·         Use the fabric-tac to glue the elastic on either side of the tongue. Let dry.
• ·         Show off your awesome shoes!

Total Cost: $7

Natural Garden Markers

Well, mostly natural. All you need are some pretty rocks and a Sharpie Marker. I used the silver metallic color because it is what I had in my junk drawer, but I am sure any color would work just as well.

Find the rocks you like, preferably with one flat side and large enough to stay put where you need them. Wash all of the dirt off and thoroughly dry. Once they are dry you can mark them up! 

Easy Peasy. 

Go easy on this picture, I had been digging in the garden for a few hours by this point!

5 Minute Ombre dye T-Shirt

The first of many I am sure.  This was so easy to do and it only took 5 minutes!  I am seriously going to ombre dye everything I can find this summer.  I might be addicted.

Materials:

$5 Wal-Mart Cotton T-Shirt

RIT liquid Dye

1 Cup Salt

1)  Fill your sink with hot water.  I filled it with steaming hot tap water to about 5-6 inches deep.

2)  Wet your shirt in the water (the one you are dying, not the one you are wearing). Wring it out so it isn’t dripping, and lay it flat on the counter so there are no wrinkles.

3)  Pour in half the bottle of dye and one cup of salt.

4)  Stir until the salt is mixed in with the water.

5)  This part happens quick- dip your shirt in the dye up to the neckline being careful not to splash.  Slowly lift the shirt out of the dye; stopping just below the bust line.  Continue removing the shirt form the dye, pausing at the bottom of the shirt.

6)  Pull the stopper and let the dye drain out of the sink.

7)  Starting at the bottom, run warm water over the shirt moving your way up,  Keep rinsing until the water runs clean.

8)  Lay the shirt outside on a clothesline or flat on a spare towel until thoroughly dried.

Wear with pride!

Total cost: $7.50