Make It Yourself Monday

Sorry for the late post today, but I'm getting us ready for our last camping trip of the season. (In fact, we're pulling out in about 15 minutes, so this one needs to be quick!) Also, don't forget to head over to Momstheword to see what she and everyone else is doing for Making Your Home Sing Monday. Even though I'm not participating, I love to be inspired by the ideas to make our homes better. Nan's post this week is about making your actions and stated priorities line up. (Oh, she says it is about time management, but really, to me her post is about consistency with our true priorities.)

Ready for another Make It Yourself Monday gift idea? This one is an idea I used for the first time last year and this year I'm going to do it again. Just remember to think of your recipient. As Sewducky pointed out, not everyone wants things for their homes...so unless you know the person well and know their taste, be cautious in giving gifts for the home. Of course, that isn't stopping me from sharing my gift idea and letting anyone who receives gifts from me know this might very well be part of my gift to you this year!

Last year I made these cool little bar towels (found on the clearance racks!) with seasonal fabric. I liked the idea that they helped add festivity but the recipient could use them, wash them, and put them away until the next year. I like holiday decor, but I like to put it all away, too!


They are super easy, you just cut out a piece of fabric in a band a bit wider than you need and longer than the towel is wide, iron in a fold on each edge, and use your zig zag stitch to sew them on the towels. These towels had weird white striped bands that I covered and the odd colors went beautifully with the holiday fabrics I had.

So, this year I'll be making more of these little bar towels if I can find inexpensive towels to embellish, but I'm also going to make matching oven mitts and hot pads! Confession: I made oven mitts last year, but they ended up being so small, I gave them away to the neighborhood children. Now I know you can use a tutorial or trace an oven mitt you like and add 2+ inches to the tracing! The layers of batting and heat shielding plus the two layers of fabric take up a lot of space when you turn that cute little oven mitt. Then again, if I'm sewing for children, now I know how to get it just right! Good lesson...seriously.

A few questions:

Anybody want or need tutorials?

Someone suggested making this more fun by adding a Mr. Linky on Mondays so we can trade ideas. Will you trade?

P.S. Not all my ideas are sewing...this is just where my head is right now because sewing projects need to be started well in advance of the holiday.