Baby dribble bibs (including pattern)

Can you ever have enough dribble bibs? There is a possibility I might have gone a bit overboard on the bibs here but personally the answer to this question is no, you definitely can't have too many of these things. I know from the experience of my own little dribbler these things are a must for pretty much any baby (unless you are lucky and manage to get a dribble free one, but I am not convinced they exist). Master Fox was known to go through at least 3 a day some days so unless you want a constant wash on the more the merrier.

The best thing about these though is that they have all been made out of fabric I already had, so not only are they amazing and super useful but they were also free!

But even better than that, I have included my pattern and the instructions for these bibs in this post. Aren't I good to you :)

See below for my instructions as well as the downloadable pattern.

A note about the pattern: I made this pattern by tracing from a shop bought bib left over from when Master Fox was little. I love this size and shape for a bib, but the ones from the shops come in so many different sizes you might find you prefer a different type. In which case, just fold the bib in half, draw around it and add a small seam allowance, it really is as easy as that.

Click here to download my DIY Fox Dibble Bib pattern

Make sure you print the document at 100% size so that you know your final bibs will fit your little ones.

Materials: main fabric, backing fabric, poppers/snaps

I used a variety of different fabrics for these bibs:
For the main fabric I used quilting cotton and knit/jersey (some cotton, some poly). Cottons are easier to sew but are more rigid. Knit/Jersey are harder to sew with but they are nice and soft on babys skin
For the backing I used either flannel or knit/jersey, you could also use toweling, minky, fleece or cotton.
For the poppers I used Kam snaps but you can also use sew in press studs or no sew studs. You could even use velcro if you preferred.

Bibs made from quilting cotton

Instructions:

1. Using the pattern above cut 1 piece main fabric and one piece backing fabric. Make sure to cut the pattern on the fold.
2. With wrong sides together pin the front and back pieces together and sew around the edge leaving a 2 inch gap along one edge to turn the bib the right way around.
3. Trim the seams as close to the stitching as possible
4. Turn the bib so the right sides are now on the outside through the hole you left in the step above
5. Make sure that the seam allowance for the gap you left for turning is folded to the inside of the bib, it helps to iron these seams so that they stay flat
6. Sew all the way around the outside of the bib making sure you catch the seams over the turning hole
7. Attach a snap to the ends of the bib according to your snap instructions. 
8. Admire your work :)

Bibs made from Knit/Jersey

So you see they really are that easy there is little point in buying any at all.

Avert your eyes! Neon tutu tutorial

The brief was 'neon tutu' I think I nailed it don't you!

I love orange and pink together, I think its my favourite garish colour combo. I am desperately trying to decide whether put some orange back in my hair again, last time I got told I reminded people of a tutti frutti! Haha I don't think that's a bad thing do you?

Anyway, why have I made a neon tutu I hear you wondering? Why not? Honestly though there is a reason. I recently went to Leeds for a friends hen do, the theme was 80s and we were told we should be wearing neon and tutus! I did do the obvious and look on ebay for the cheap option but every time I looked at them I couldn't help think 'I'm not paying for that!' I didn't really have a plan beyond that though and by the time it was 3 days to go I realised I was a bit late to order one, there was no fancy dress shop near work and so I was just going to have to make it.

I did a bit of a search on the net for how to make tutu's but most of the results were for the no sew kind, and well I wanted to yes sew kind. I thought being as I just made up a process I would quickly type up how I did it whilst I show off the tutu in all its neon glory!

I bought one meter each of two different coloured cheap fancy dress nets from my local fabric shop (thank you My Fabric Place in Beeston) in these amazingly neon pink and orange colours. I then folder the fabric in half width wise and then in half again width wise and cut along the folds. This gave me 4 x 1 meter long pieces of both colours (8 pieces total).

Please note that I do have a small waist and whilst there is plenty of material here to make larger sizes if you want a bigger tutu, or in fact a fuller tutu you might want to consider buying 1.5 or 2 meters of each fabric colour.

Next I cut a piece of elastic which I measured to fit comfortably round my waist where I wanted it to sit (with a bit of stretch) and then added an inch for where it meets at the back. Make sure the elastic is not too stretched its uncomfortable but not so loose its not going to stay sat on your waist where you want it. I then marked the middle of the elastic with a pin.

I then lay 4 of the pieces of fabric on top of each other. I alternated mine so orange pink orange pink (have the colour you want facing out on top). You can of course do this however you like it, play about with the colours and see what works for you. You need to do the same with the remaining 4 pieces but keep these to one side we are going to be working on one half at once.

Next you need to attach the net to the elastic. You do this by making lots of large folds in the net and pinning it to the elastic. You don't need to stretch the elastic, but it might help if you do give it a little stretch as I did find my waistband didn't have much give. You want to put in enough folds that the piece extends just beyond the half way pin so there is a bit of an overlap.

Once you have done this with the first 4 pieces you then need to do the same with the second 4 pieces starting by overlapping where you left off and continuing to fold until the piece reaches the other end.

Finally you can get out your machine and using a zig zag stitch sew that bad boy down! take your time and make sure you catch all the layers.

Once you have done this overlap the two ends of the elastic and sew some tacking stitches to close the waist into a circle and that's it, time to twirl!

I did trim a couple of inches off the bottom of mine after I had stitched it as I preferred the shorter length, but you can choose whether you do this or not after trying it on.

 

It certainly is neon isn't it! I'm pretty sure I'm now at a point in my life where I am getting too old to wear outfits like this but regardless we had an amazing weekend away and had a great laugh (as well as some rather odd looks as we walked the streets in the day dressed in neon tutu's!). 

FYI, the matching bow I made using my Tulle Bow Tutorial

You have to excuse the lack of my face in these photos, I was a bit sleep deprived when I took them and my gaunt baggy eyes really didn't do these pictures any justice!

I hope this was a useful tutorial, or if not then a fun look into a crazy outfit! I do actually love this skirt, and I think its all to do with the colour. If only I had more occasions to dress like this!!

Have you ever made anything like this? Or bought one of those cheap ebay tutus? You should totally try making one, this one cost me £5, which was £1 less than ebay, and much nicer I think.

Now I want you to show me your crazy makes (or tutus) so I don't feel so silly!

Fabric Peg Noticeboard Tutorial - Upcycle and old picture frame

A couple of weeks ago me and my great friend over at Socksy Beasts went out for a little visit to a local craft shop. We were told it was a bit chaotic but crikey it was like an Aladdin's cave for craft!! The problem is I went in without a project in mind and so I was just a bit overwhelmed by the amount of stuff, my mind went completely blank so I walked away with absolutely nothing. That's a bit strange for me but I really am trying to make more room not fill it! Mrs Socksy however didn't find the whole thing as overwhelming and managed to come away with a nice little haul.

So a little dissapointed and uninspired we left and as we drove round the corner we spotted a little kitcsh cafe. As Master Fox needed a feed, and we are never a pair to pass up a cuppa we stopped in while we decided what to do next. Amongst all the second hand kitsch furniture and oddments in this little cafe was a very cute fox themed fabric peg noticeboard. It was lovely and I very nearly bought it, until my age old habit kicked in and we decided we could do it ourselves for less.

So like the looneys we are we finished up our cuppas and cake and went straight back to the craft shop for supplies.

Because it was so simple and fun I wanted to share with you how I went about making one of these up. This is a great little project for a horrible rainy bank holiday like this one! Its also a perfect project for one of your favourite fat quarters.

Supplies:

• An old wooden picture frame the size you want your finished board to be. You can get these really cheap in charity shops
• Some fabric which is just bigger then the frame, a fat quarter will usually suffice unless you have a really big frame. 
• Wool or twine
• Some mini wooden pegs - you can pick these up from most craft or card making suppliers
• Wadding
• Chalk effect furniture paint - we picked up a tester pot of Craig and Ball for a couple of pounds in the local B&Q diy store.
• Scissors
• Glue Gun

First of all remove all the glass and backing from your picture frame. You dont need the glass front so you can discard this or find another use for it (like a pallet for your lino printing inks). You can then paint up your frame with the chalk paint, just be warned it might need a couple of coats.

Whilst your frame is drying using the back of the picture frame cut your fabric so that it is at least 3 inches wider on all sides.

 Next cut out some wadding to the size of the back of the frame. I used a couple of layers as I had very thin wadding left over from a baby quilt. If you are using thicker wadding you will only need one layer. Use your own judgement, the more you use the more cushion like the board will be.

Now we are going to stick it all together Place the fabric right side down, then the wadding on top of that and finally the back of the picture frame so the hooks are facing outwards. Using the glue gun put a good amount of glue along one edge of the frame back and fold the fabric over sticking it down well.

Repeat with all four sides until the back of your frame looks like the above.

Next you need to fold under the corners which are sticking up and glue them down with a blob from the glue gun. It should look something like the above. I'll admit its not very neat, I am sure you can make a much better go of this but no one is going to see the back once its hung on the wall. Maybe think about the neatness if you are going to give it as a gift though ;)

Then once you flip it over you should have a lovely soft cushioned square like the picture above. See it looks lovely from the front. Do think about pattern placement etc when you are placing your fabric.

Cut a couple of lengths of wool or twine, wrap it all the way around the back of the frame and tie a good knot round the back to secure. You can then add the pegs on and pop the whole thing into your nicely dried frame.

Now you have a lovely new noticeboard to keep reminders/pictures/ keepsakes or business cards. It looks lovely on my craft room wall, it's almost too pretty to hand things one ;) If you make one of these do send me a link, I would love to see it.

Tulle Bow Tutorial

So I did a quick pinterest the other day to see if I could find a tutorial on making little tulle bows which could be used as hair clips/brooches/sewn onto headbands etc and to my surprise there was a distinct lack of them. I decided that the internet deserved one so here you go... your very welcome :)

 

You will need: 

• Some tulle or net fabric. I used some 6inch tulle which came on a roll which was left over from our wedding decorations (like this). You will need one piece approx 55inch by 6inch (enough to wrap around a place mat about 6 times) and one piece which is just 3inch by 6inch.

• A regular coffee mug mat

• Scissors

• Matching thread and needle

• A Pin

 Using your coffee mug mat, starting at the back put the tulle about 2/3 of the way across making sure it crosses the middle of the mat. 

Wrap the tulle all the way around the mat until you have 6 layers of tulle covering the front. Making sure once again that the end of the tulle is 2/3 of the way across the back and passing over the center. 

Ensure you have a hold of all the layers and carefully slide the mat out from the middle.

 Pop a pin into the center through all layers to hold it together (the folds want to be to the side and the open edges to the top/bottom). 

 

Using a basic running stitch and matching thread sew through all layers from one open end to the other. 

Pull the thread to gather the bow in the center and wrap the thread around a couple of times. Secure with a little stitched knot. 

Taking your small piece of tulle, and starting at the back wrap it around the middle of the bow 2 or 3 times. Trim any excess making sure the end is at the back and hidden in the middle. 

Using your needle and tread sew a few stitches to secure the loose end down so that it doesn't unravel.

Finally using your scissors you need to carefully cut through the folded edges at the end of the bows so that they poof out nicely. Do this part carefully and trim any stray bits which might end up sticking out. 

And there you have a pretty finished tulle bow. You can pop a bobby pin through the end and wear it in your hair, a brooch for your coat or it can be sewn onto a garment for a bit of upcycling glamour.

I would love to see what you decide to use these for, so if you use this tutorial to make one for yourself leave me a comment with your picture or instagram me @thediyfox

DIY baby pants tutorial

With the GBSB starting again this week its the perfect opportunity for me to show you how to make a pair of fabulous little boy (or girl) pants from an old t-shirt (or some new jersey fabric, we aren't fussy).

You will need:
A old jersey shirt or fabric
Paper and Pen
Fabric Scissors
Overlocker or Sewing machine with zigzag stitch
A pair of baby trousers to use as a template (I have included my pattern for 0-3m which you can download for free here).

Start by washing an ironing your old shirt, we don't want the pants to include any sweaty pits, or left over baked beans do we.

Take a pair of trousers that you already own for your little monkey and fold them in half. Lay the half on top of a piece of paper and draw around the outside but stop where the waistband and ankle sections are as we need to make separate pieces for these. you will need to add seam allowance to all sides except the outside leg which you will cut on the fold so no seam is required here.

Do the same thing again for the waistband and ankle sections. You will then need to double the height of these pieces as they will be folded in half. For the waist section add a seam allowance to all sides once you have doubled it. For the ankle sections add a seam allowance to the top, bottom and right sides but not the left, you will cut the left piece on the fold.

Cut your t-shirt open along the seam lines so you have a flat section of fabric. Cut 2 leg sections on the fold, 2 ankle bands on the fold and then cut 2 waistbands. The waistband is not cut on the fold because I found that a t-shirt did not have enough fabric left to enable you to do this. Instead cut two and we will join at both sides.

Open up the two leg pieces and with right sides together. Pin the outer top sections only and sew these together. I used an overlocker for neat edges but you can do this just as easily on a regular sewing machine, just make sure to use a zigzag stitch to allow for some stretch when you pull these on and off your baby.

Open up the leg sections again and lay right sides together with the two seams on top of each other in the centre, they should now look like a pair of trousers. Pin the inside leg sections and sew a continuous line from the bottom of one leg to the bottom of the other.

Now you are going to make the waist and ankle sections. With right sides together place the two waistband sections together and pin at either end, sew the two ends together. For the ankle sections, with the fabric still folded as cut sew the open edge together as you did with the waistband.

Now fold all these sections in half hight wise with the wrong sides together so the join seams are on the inside and press.

With the leg sections still right side together place the waistband section inside the top of the leg section with the raw edge at the top and pin all the way around. Sew round this top raw edge making sure you have placed your side seams sensibly and be careful not to get the bottom of the band stuck in the machine. I placed my seams at the sides, but you can line them up with the seams on the leg sections if you prefer.

Using the same technique as for the waistband do the same for the ankle sections.

Now you can turn you pants the right side out and press.

And your done :) These awesome little pants only take about 30 minutes if not less once you have the hang of them. Your little ones will have a new wardrobe in no time!

Christmas wreath from your garden

A very quick post from me to show you how you can make your own inexpensive Christmas wreath from your very own garden (or the local park if you don't have a garden).

I think I got this idea handed down to me from my mum who I always remember doing this every Christmas. Ever since having my own home I have just always done the same thing and never really thought about doing anything different. She even had to send me pictures of hers this year in order to make me get round to this! Baby has not really given me much time to think about anything for the last 10 days.

The only thing you really need to make this wreath is a wreath form of some sort. Now you can use an oasis wreath which will keep your foliage fresh, but I have always found that it stays fresh for long enough without, and if you use an oasis one you will need to replace every year. My alternative is to use this fake berry wreath which I bought many years ago. The advantage here is I don't have any berries in my garden so it adds some colour, but you can also use willow wreaths or anything else you find in the sales after Christmas which you can re-use year after year.

Now all you need to do is go out into your garden with a pair of snippers or scissors and find yourself some appropriate Christmas foliage. My personal favourites are conifer (like real Christmas trees), ivy (especially if you can get some white and green variegated) and holly, though of course be careful with the holly as it will be sharp, you may need gloves to handle. Essentially you are looking for anything that is still green at this time of year.

Once you have gathered lots of this luscious greenery bring it into the house and start to feed it into your wreath following a directional pattern. I find that this stays in without having to be tied at all as long as you push it into the form far enough. Keep going until your wreath looks lovely and full and there are no gaps.

If you have managed to find something with berries then great, if not you might want to think about tying a couple of baubles on by wrapping wire around the section which you hang on the tree and tying it to the wreath. If you wish, you can add some battery powered fairy lights to the wreath by wrapping them around. You will need to secure the battery pack to the back, but you can do this with wire, or tuck it behind the ribbon used for stringing.

Finally loop a piece of ribbon around your wreath and hang it from your door so everyone can marvel in your festive cheer.