How to turn an old Jumper into a Bag

I have loved this jumper. I got it for my oldest when she was little and each of my girls have worn it. When my youngest outgrew it, I knew I wanted to make it into a bag.

You will need a jumper and a coordinating shirt, if you want it lined.

Start by cutting down your jumper. I cut it about 8 1/2 inches from the top. You can see that mine is a little crooked. I didn't measure, but probably should have.

Now turn the jumper inside out. I folded the edges under a little so the bottom wouldn't be to wide. Just make a W shape at the sides. 

Then sew along the whole bottom length.

Turn right side out.

You could totally be done at this point, but I had the matching shirt so I did a liner and pockets.

First I cut along the side seam of the shirt to open it up. Then I laid it on the front of the bag and cut around it. Then I did the same thing on the back.  You can see it's not perfect. That's ok.

Next I cut out some pockets out of the excess material from the bottom of the jumper. 

Fold over the sides of the pockets and sew down.

Now sew the pocket to the liner. Sew the bottom seam first with right sides together like shown.

Then fold up the pocket and sew the sides.  The top was already finished. Because of the way the jumper was, the pocket tops are a little angled. I decided I was okay with that. 

Now sew together the sides and bottom of the liner with right sides together. 

Now turn your liner right side out and the bag inside out. Stuff the bag inside the liner. 

Next I pinned the top of the liner under and sewed all the way around the top.

Turn right side out and you're done! 

I'm really pleased with how this turned out. Let me know what you think. Do you have any old jumpers that you can turn into bags?

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Organizing the Game Cabinet

I have been wanting to organize the games for months. Honestly it wasn't that bad, except that the games were in three different areas of the house. In my son's room: 

 My daughters room:

And even the kitchen:

Now that we have the game cabinet, I've put all the games in it. It has freed up so much room in the kids closets that I can get lots of the toys off of the floor now.

Several years ago, I finally figured out that if you place games on their ends you don't have to mess up the whole stack to get one out.

 The bottom section holds all the card games, which have been sorted. We had so many piles of cards that were just shoved in there if they were found after we'd picked them up.

I know that it probably won't stay this organized for too long, but when you shut the door...

You can't see the games much anyway!

Linking up to these parties.

Terrific Tuesdays #30

Do you ever have a week that goes completely off plan? I was planning to organize all the kids rooms this last week, since the kids started school. It's much easier to throw away certain things when they aren't home to see;)

Well, my husband went hunting and came home with an elk. So I spent two days helping cut and wrap that. My husband would cut {or grind} and I wrapped.We got 17 roasts, 22 pkgs of sausage, 8 pkgs of steaks and  6 huge summer sausages. I'm tired just typing it up. We've never done it all ourselves before, and I'm not sure we will do it again;) 

I spent another two days canning picante sauce, pizza sauce, raspberry jam and raspberry syrup.

I like to be busy and I love canning/preserving food, but all that was a little much for one week.

So I'm ready to party!

The most viewed link:

Dressing on a Shoestring Budget by Blissful and Domestic
This post has great tips. While you're there check out some of her other stuff. She's amazing and I always come away inspired when I read her blog.

Some of my favorites this week:

Chevron Backsplash by Pressing On
I'm sure this took a lot of time and patience, but it was sooo worth it. So cute and really adds to the kitchen.

Blueberry Cheesecake Pie by Stella B's Kitchen
Doesn't this look just amazing? It's been so long since I've had cheesecake. I really want to try this recipe soon.

Stencils and Sandpaper by Little House in the Big D
I love the look of this little table. Great job! 



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Check out my posts from last week:

Blog Swap with Nap-Time Creations
Sewing Table Makeover 

and 

Button Necklaces

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Button Necklaces

Today I'm going to show you how to make two types of button necklaces. I got the idea here.

This type of necklace is super easy. 

Start by cutting piece of string {I used crochet thread} double the length you want your necklace to be. Then fold the string in half and tie a knot in the end making a loop like shown in the picture on the left. You want the loop to be big enough to fit over a button, because this is how you will clasp the necklace. 

 I found that if I put a little tacky glue on the ends of the string and let it dry it will help the string not to unravel as you try to string the buttons.

Start stringing your buttons on both pieces of the thread. Go down one hole and up the other {see the middle picture}

Then pull your button all the  way down to the knot or to the previous button.

Keep on stringing buttons until it's done. It gives a nice layered look.

The next way is a little more complex but just as cute. 

1. Start with a long length of sting {about 1 1/2 yards}, fold in half and tie a knot in the end to make a loop.
2. This pictures just shows you how long my string is.
3. Next put one string up one button hole.
4. And down the other side.
5. Now, with the other string, go down the hole you first went up.
6. And go up the hole that you first went down.
{Does that make sense? It's kind of hard to write it down. If you're confused, go check out this video, it helps to have a visual sometimes.}
7. Pull the button all the way to the knot.
8. Tie a knot after the button.
 Repeat until your necklace is the length you like and cut off excess string.

Use the loop to  wrap around the end button to make a necklace.

I also made a bracelet. I'm loving these colors. The blue goes perfectly with one of my t-shirts. {Which I just happened to use as my background}

Linking up to these parties.

Sewing Table Makeover

I love to sew. Until recently my sewing table was the kitchen table. I actually love the space that the kitchen table offers. The problem is that my stuff gets in the way when it's time for dinner. Back when we only had two kids, it wasn't a big deal. I would just shove all my stuff to the one end and we'd eat at the other end of our large table. But now we need all the room for eating. So I have to clean up my mess by dinner time, even if I'm not done.

Enter this little table. I grabbed this up several years ago when a neighbor was getting rid of it. We've had it in our bedroom with an old computer on it that we never used. I decided that it was the perfect table for my sewing machine.

It was white, and other than a few nail polish spills, there was nothing wrong with it.  My new craft room/guest room/storage room is painted green and the shelves I've hung are cream. It was time for some color.

I used Rustoleum Painter's Touch French Lilac in Satin.

I did two coats. 

The next day I took some sand paper and distressed it. I love the white popping through.

The drawer is perfect for holding all my extra thread and other sewing accessories.

And it hides all the mismatched colored containers.

I'm so in love with this color against the green walls. It's so pretty.

 What do you think? I know lilac is not really an "in" color. But in this room that is for the most part "mine" I wanted to use colors that I really like and not trendy "in" colors.

Linking up to these parties.

Blog Swap with Nap-Time Creations

Today I'm swapping with Nap-Time Creations. I shared a yummy dessert over on her blog. Be sure to check it out.
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Hi! I'm so excited to be here today! Thanks for the opportunity Rachel!
My name is Emily and I blog over at Nap-Time Creations I hope you will come by and check it out sometime.
I host a weekly recipe and craft party called Tasteful Tuesday, come by and link up sometime!
On Thursdays I post a tutorial of something I have been working on for my kids or house.
And on Saturday I show off something I've done, but just as inspiration, not with a tutorial.
AND...
Next week is going to be my big Master Bedroom Revel week! I'll be posting nearly everyday and have to two big tutorials to share. I hope you will come back and check in out next week!
Today I am sharing a tutorial for a simple frame wall hanging.

 We have this up in our boys room. The top photos are of our families (each side) the second frame is a baby picture of my husband and myself and then our boys are the bottom frames. I love that it only takes one hole in the wall for three frames. I'll show you how I did it.

Gather the frames you want to use. I used lightweight IKEA frames with no glass (makes it lighter). But, I have done this same thing with glass frames and it still work. You probably just can't use heavy metal frames, keep it as light as you can.

Arrange the frames in the order you want them to be, and have a length of ribbon at least as long as double the frames plus some for hanging.

 

Now, flip over the column of frames so you are looking at the back. Use something as a guide to evenly space them. I use a ruler or piece of cardboard to keep them even. Start on the left bottom of the bottom frame and glue a piece of ribbon (don't cut it yet) up the side of the frame. (I used tape to pay this all out before I started gluing) Leave the ribbon over the gap between the frames, and glue again up the side of the next frame. Continue until you are to the top of your column of frames (I have done up to four). Now, make a loop at the top as long as you want the hanger to be and then start gluing the ribbon down the other side. I use hot glue but other strong glue would work (just make sure its completely dry before you hang it up.)

 

Close up of the tape, which I remove as I glue. (Don't you love how my frame is duct taped together, classy!)

 

 If you are doing two columns, make sure to use the same spacing for both, so they look the same.

and you're done! Give yourself a pat on the back, hang these on the wall and stand back and admire your work...

Rachel.... thanks for letting me share today!