Where is Your Bonnet?

As a mother of a daughter, who has long curly hair, the aforementioned question is part of my nightly bedtime routine. It goes something like, “put your pajamas on, brush your teeth, put on your bonnet, and get in the bed.” After my daughter gets three of the four steps right, I usually find her in bed with her hair sprawled across the Hello Kitty on her pillow. Inevitably we have the same Q&A. “Where is your bonnet?” “Did you look in the bathroom?” Sometimes I just let her use mine.

When you have curly hair or fine hair a satin sleep bonnet is part of the protective line of defense against breakage and dryness. Satin lined bonnets can be expensive, as most things marketed toward curly hair are. This is extremely frustrating if you have to replace them due to wear or loss.

Recently I found a tutorial that showed how to make a diy satin lined bonnet with 1/2 a yard of your favorite fabric and 1/2 yard of satin. In my stash I had 3/4 of a yard of this remnant fabric from Hancock’s Going Out of Business Sale.

My rationale was if I make a bonnet she loves maybe she’ll keep up with it. I followed the tutorial by Kandra, Easy DIY Reversible Hair Bonnet Tutorial (African Print). The instructions were really easy. I used a 22 X 22 rectangle fold because I was sewing for a child. I cut an 11 inch semi circle cut on the quarter fold.

I then used that cotton fabric to cut the blue satin static free liner. I pinned it right on top, making sure to line up corners, selvedges, and folds.

When opened you have two circles. Sew them right sides together and your in the home stretch.

I used a serger marking my stopping point, an opening marked by two red pins crossed in an X. I turned the circles right sides out and created the 1/2 inch wide sleeve with my sewing machine. I used my bodkin +safety pin technique to thread the elastic.

I closed the seam and stretched the elastic to shape the bonnet. Voila! Here is the finished product.

It took me less time to make it than it would if I would have ran to the local Walmart and been “peer pressured” into self checkout. She loves it! My hope is that she’ll wear it and keep up with it. Keep me in prayer. Only time will tell.

Steal that Look: Simplicity 2369 Pants

Spring is finally here but based on the 55 degrees outside I have not yet pulled out the Spring Wardrobe. I did want to make something spring like despite the wet and cold weather. When I came across this polyknit fabric at my local Walmart, I knew immediately they would make a beautiful pair of palazzo pants. It also seems like flowers on pants is back in fashion this spring.

I had this pattern in my stash but had never sown the pants. After reading the reviews I decided to make the finished size based on my hip measurements. The pattern was easy to cut; it was two pieces, one front and one back.

The steps to sew the pattern were exactly the same as the steps for the pattern for the Simplicity pajama pants. The back piece is slightly wider than the front, which gives you good seat room. With right sides together I assembled each leg at the inner seam.

The next part of the directions was written very poorly. I rewrote it on my pattern to say, “Open each leg and put one on top of the other, right sides together.) I then serged the u shape.

They were finally coming together! This is the halfway mark! I flipped the pants so that they looked like a pair turned inside out. I then serged the two side seams.

I followed the instructions to finish the waistband using a tool called a bodkin to thread my 1 1/2 inch elastic. I chose a wide elastic that wouldn’t roll. I also topstitched the casing with a red thread to add a decorative detail.

When all was said and done the pants looked so good! They weren’t as wide as palazzo pants, but they were wide enough. I saw a similar pair of pants at Macy’s.

They retail at 125.00!

Here is my version.

Mine cost me a whopping 8.00.

What do you think? Have you stole a look lately and saved yourself major money? Comment below. Thanks for reading.

How I put Build-A-Bear on the Back Burner

Each year for either Valentine's Day Or Christmas, I take my youngest two children to Build-A-Bear (BAB) workshop to pick out a friend. My daughter also likes to collect Beanie Boos. Each time she gets a stuffed friend its a different animal. My son is an Avid Star Wars fan, a true lover of the Dark Side. He always gets the Star Wars Edition related bears. Recently, they hinted around at going to BAB for summer family fun day time. Honestly, it's been averaging 91 degrees here; Mama feels like going nowhere. The heat and humidity just drain me. My solution…sew a bear.

I already had this pattern from some 99 cent pattern sale. Plus I needed to practice sewing darts on something small. This pattern has plenty of darts, despite only having only two pieces.

I cut out the pattern onto some remnant fabric I picked up at Hancock's (please come back!) before they went out of business. My daughter's rabbit required a little over a yard. The dog only required a yard.
After sewing the animals I allowed the kids to stuff them. I had to leave a section of the back open for that. They stuffed them quite full.

I then attached the eyes, sewed up the back–I learned how to ladder stitch to do this.

I then decided to satin stitch a quirky little nose on each. Here is how they turned out: Dotty and Kylo Pup.

The kids loved them just as much as the BAB ones. Score one point for Mom! For now, I managed to keep the trip to Build-A-Bear at bay.