Sewing tip for easy elastic waist pants

A friend asked me about making kid's pants. We found a pretty good tutorial that helped a lot. First, I make a pattern from a pair of pant that fits well, adding about 1/2" seam allowance, and tracing the pants onto the inside of a paper grocery sack. Add about 1 1/2" to the waist to allow for folding, elastic and stitching. Same for the hem.

Both panels are roughly the same, so I use the one piece, putting the straight edge on the fold of the fabric. It's important to fold the selvedge edges (usually with words on them) together, and use the fold in that direction, so your pattern is running in the same direction as the grain of the fabric. (This is especially important if you are using corduroy or velvet - all patterns should be cut the same way.)

Next, to sew the pants together, you can start with the legs, sewing right sides of the fabric together.

Or you can start with the inseam, sewing the two pieces together. It's a good idea to stitch this again, a little closer to the edge, just to reinforce it.

For the elastic casing, fold over the top about 1/4", and then again about 1/2 or so, press and stitch. Or serge the end, fold and stitch. Leave open about an inch so you can fit the elastic in.

Same thing for the hems.

One big question I keep seeing is about how much elastic you should use in your pants. A rough guide is about 3/4 the measurement of the waistband, maybe a little less if the elastic is quite stretchy. This pair used 1/4" elastic and tends to come down even over a cloth diaper, so I'd use 1/2" or 1" elastic next time.

Put a large safety pin through the elastic (as large as your casing will allow). Thread through casing, remove pin, overlap the ends about an inch and stitch elastic. Stitch casing closed.

Be a Beacon Waldorf inner work program

As my dear, wise Waldorf friends are planning a lantern walk for this weekend, they connected me to a website that has all kinds of great information and stories. I know some of my friends will want to check it out, for the stories, poems and crafty ideas.

I might have mentioned that sometimes I feel like the guy who is spinning plates on a stick in one hand and juggling with the other while riding a bike on a tightrope. Some days I just feel like the tightrope, but since my husband slept with Fyn last night, I had five glorious hours of straight sleep! So, I'm working on the plate spinning first. Focus is essential.

And then I found this amazing program. Looks like we will learn the best of the best and how to balance all the things I'm trying to negotiate. I'll let you know how it goes.

recycled boy's shirts - cowboy style!

After much thought and consideration, I finally decided what to make for Fyn's buddies for their second birthdays. Fyn had an abundance of button up shirts, so I took some of my cool new fabric stash and spread out the graphic goodness!

It was so much fun, I made a few more and posted them on my etsy site!

Anyone know why blogger wants my pictures to be all sideways?

Back to the shirts - I found that cutting the fabric to fit each shirt and leaving it raw was the coolest effect. Serging the edges works too, as long as you remember to leave a little extra when you are cutting it out. Prewashing the fabric might be a good idea, but I didn't find it to be necessary. It does make the fabric fray a little, which looks rough and kinda cool for a boy, don't you think?


Fyn helped me decorate some plain white bags from my crafty stash, and we cut slits with a scissor and threaded some scrap ribbon through, tying it in square knots and trimming the ends. Happy Birthday to our friends!

children's recycled wool sweater jackets!

What's new? Some warm wooly goodness on my etsy site. I made five of these last week, somehow. Fyn played in my studio so patiently while I snipped and stitched to get ready for a show this weekend. One two are left, so I posted them in my etsy shop.

river side cedar



yellow finch

fresh gingerbread

Based on Mollie Katzen's Spicy Gingerbread, this great recipe has been modified a bit to be non-dairy. It was a big success at the halloween potluck!

a little butter for the pan
6 T soy margarine (willow run or earth balance) or canola oil
3 T grated fresh ginger
1/2 c light colored honey
1/2 c light molasses
3/4 c canned pears
1 egg
2 c unbleached flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t dry mustard
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8" square pan.

2. Melt the butter or heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the ginger and saute together over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from heat.

3. Combine honey and molasses in a small mixing bowl, and beat at high speed with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger mixture, pears and egg and beat for a minute more. Set aside.

4. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in the wet mixture. Mix and spread into prepared pan.

5. Bake 30-35 minutes or until the top surface is springy to the touch. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.

I tried this the second time in a glass pan, reducing the oven temp to 325, and I don't recommend it! Stick with a metal pan if you can.

Tastes great even days later when kept in the refrigerator.

glitterchick at mecca

Whenever I head into Benzonia, either to the grocery store (which sells fabric!) or post office, I like to stop by and say hello to my friend, Marcy. She is the first person I met when I moved up here, and she has introduced me to many other wonderful people. Her little shop, mecca, is on the top of the hill and you get there by driving through the alley.

We share a love of paper and of all things vintage. Her desk inspires me every time! She's making cool cake toppers and keepsake boxes now.

custom knitting bag for melissa

Here's how a bag starts... A great mix of new and recycled fabrics, placed together, to see which will be just right for the finished bag. Size, texture, color and pattern are all important.

A. Green denim for the body, flocked brown denim for the base and straps and a sweet velvet print pocket
B. Waxed canvas body, mustard denim for base and straps, with a vintage pillowcase for a pocket