Tutorial: Baby's Ant Costume Part II: the hat and antennae

Today's time to complete the Ant Costume Tutorial, by showing you how I made the hat for my little ant.

To start I used one of her hats to actually draw a pattern. I chose one in particular, because it had the right shape I was searching for. Just made it a little different.

Once you have your patterns, cut 4 pieces of the longest triangle piece, 2 of the smallest and two of the front  flap.

Sew the smaller two together, on the wrong side. It will look like this on the right side.

Sew the longest round edge of the flap.

Then turn it around to the right side and pin the side you just saw.

Make another stitch line at about 0,5cm from the edge.

Pin the flap to the two pieces you saw before (it is the smallest ones).

I actually had to adjust mine after pinning, since the pattern wasn't quite a perfect match. After you sew, it will look like this on the right side. 

Now, grab the rest of the pieces and sew them, two by two. Always on the wrong side of the fabric.

You'll need to sew those two new pieces together to make it just one.

It will look like this, when you do.

And I guess I was so excited making it, I didn't take any more photos. I'm very, very sorry! But all I did after, was to pin this 4 pieces to the one I had put together before, and then sew a 1cm seam all around. My hat looked like this after I finished:

Oh, and when I put it on G., I had to add an elastic to it. It's optional. 

Now, for the antennae, I used a headband I already had. I took the rose it had on it (and kept it away to glue in place later again). 

For the antennae itself, I wanted to use wire, but I realised I had none at home, and I started a search for anything that would work too. I founf some leftovers from electricity cables and those had to serve. With a thin cord, I attached two pieces to the headband. Make sure you tight them pretty strong... one of mine fell in the Carnival Parade. 

Then cut two circles out of the black fabric, they should be big enough to look proportional to your ant's head. I guess mine had about 8cm of diameter. Start by sewing a 0,5cm seam all around. 

Then pull your threat to create a little ball.

Fill it, Add the wire (or whatever you use... hehe) in the middle. Try to put it as deep as you can.

Then pull the threat as much as you can and sew it all around to close the opening left. Remember: Sew it tight!

Do it for both antennaes, and you've got your costume ready.

I was modeling here, G. fell asleep. =) Oh, and the next day, I decided it would look much prettier to be all black, so I cut a large piece of the black fabric and lined the entire headband.

click here to convert cm into inches!

Tutorial: Baby's Ant Costume, Part I Body

So, I've turned my little princess into a little ant for Carnival. Her first! And as I was making this costume, I was thinking about making a tutorial to share with you. 

So, you'll need: 

fabric - I used 1m of the black flannel; and just a few red flannel scraps I had from G.'s Christmas Dress.  

elastic - I used white for the body (legs) and black for the hat. 

scissors - I used a zig zag one to save me from overcasting the seams, which is fine, since she'll wear it once or twice. And a scissors for paper. 

black and red thread

brackets - I used 8 small ones (or you can get those ready to sew ones).

buttons - I used 3 for the front bodice

paper and pencil - to trace your patterns

your baby's clothes - to copy a pattern

1. So, to start off, grab you child's clothes that you've chosen to copy the pattern pieces. The one I chose, had the next pieces:

1. front bodice - cut 2x

2. back bodice - cut 1x on the fold

3. collar - cut 1x on the black fabric and 1x on the red fabric

4. little piece of the back pants - cut 1x

5- sleeves - cut 2x

6. front pants - cut 1x on the fold

7. back pants - cut 2x

After you trace your pattern, transfer it to your fabric. Add seam allowances (I used 1cm for all, except for legs and arms, I used 2cm seams. In the front pants, I used a 3cm seam in the middle _ fold side. Also in the front bodice, I made it 2cm). Pin it all and cut, like you see in the previous picture. 

For the ant's two extra arms, you'll need to cut a rectangle with 16cm x 52cm. Fold it in order to get a 8cm x 52cm rectangle. Pin it all around, give a round shape to all corners and sew. Find the middle of it and cut it into half. Turn it around, and you have the extra arms ready to fill. Leave a little seam allowance here too. 

To make the front bodice, just fold the 2cm seams in the middle to the inside. On the right one, sew 3 buttons, and on the left side, make the 3 buttons holes. 

Next thing you're gonna do, is lay the back bodice, and on top the front bodice, right sides together. Sew the line on the shoulder. After you do, your piece will look like this (previous picture). 

Pin the sleeves to the arm holes, with the bodice open like in the picture. Then sew it. Then "close" the sleeves, pin it and sew again. 

When you're done, turn it around, button it up, and it will look like this:

Let's get to the bottom now. Fold the 3cm seams and sew it. You should press it with your iron too. I didn't, because I'm lazy and only did that in the end. You might have to cut a straight line right in the middle so every seam goes it's right side. I know there are better ways to make it, but I just made it like this. 

After filling your extra arms, pin them about 6-7 cm from the waist.

Then, put the back pants on top, right sides together and the arms inside. Sew the seams. Turn it around and it'll look like this:

I did not take a picture, but I did sew the two pieces together of the back pants, and added the little piece that stays in between also. Which is that little piece of fabric you see in the picture above. 

Sew top and bottom together. Your ant's body is almost complete, but there's still a little to get done. 

Use the elastic, just slightly smaller then the width of the pants, pin it 2cm from the seams, and sew it with a zig zag stitch. 

Let's make some bias tape, shall we?! 

Cut some strips perpendicular to the fabric's line, which will make your fabric more stretching. I wish I could explain it better. Pin the strips like you see in the picture, right sides together, and sew it. Press the seams open, and cut out the excess fabric. 

Since I don't have any bias tape machine, I have been looking for an easy way to make my own, and the one you see in the 4th picture, was the most perfect solution I have came up with so far. I use two large pins, and pin it into my ironing board, one down and one up. I then pass the fabric throught it, and iron press it on the other side. You might need to give it a hand sometimes... it's not 100% perfect but it works quite well. 

Once you have pressed it all, fold it in half and press again. 

Pin the bias tape on the wrong side of the fabric - in the back part of the pants. Start in one leg and go all the way through the other. Sew it.  

Then turn it around, fold and sew on the right side. Your bias tape is in the right place now. 

Add the brackets, I sew mine by hand. Fold a 1cm on the bottom seams, and then fold 1cm more. Pin and sew. On both legs. Now close you brackets up and your little ant's body is done. 

PS. I just realised I somehow lost some photos, for example, the ones from when I added the collar to the rest of the pieces. That's missing in this tutorial. Well, I have sewed it somewhere between the process. First sew the red piece right sides together, and then turn the black one to the inside. I personally, hand stitched it. You can use the machine if you prefer. 

click here to convert cm into inches!

When things go wrong 1

Sometimes, for one reason or another, our dear projects don't come out as well as we were hoping to. That has happened to me a few times. Today I decided I should share a little of that too. Maybe you can laugh a little...

Right after G. was born, her father kept bugging me about a new bag he wanted for his mobile phone. He got a new one for his birthday, but it was bigger than the previous. The old bag wasn't good enough anymore. So, one day I was done listening to him, and measured the mobile and started the bag.
When he got home again, he got really upset. It was too small...

Damn it! I still don't know how could I get so wrong with that sewing project. I blame it on the fact that G. was just a few days old, I wasn't sleeping much, and felt as tired as never before.

Obviously, I then made a second one. Which was fine. Luckily enough, the first one was just the perfect fit for my own mobile.

this is the final one for him 

both of them. can you see the different sizes? what was I thinking?

his

back - sorry for the bad picture

and mine. I cheated and used the red trim just because I felt too lazy to change it in the sewing machine

How to: fill with little styrofoam balls

Do you ever come across a project that need those little styrofoam balls for the filling? Since I've been making a lot of breast feeding pillows for sell, I've been working with those a lot. And it trully gets on my nerve. The first time was a disaster and ever since I have been trying to find a way to fill my items with no mess, and in a short time. 

Everytime I had to fill something I would think of an easy way to do it. But it was only until the last one I had to make that I came with the greatest one. If you're struggling with the same problem, here's how to do it. 


You'll need an elastic, and the top of a large water bottle (cut the bottle in half). 

 Wrap the elastic around the bottle's small hole. And then just fill the top with the little balls. They will easily roll into the pillow (in my case), and in no time, it is done. Just make sure you keep your fabric straight!

Nursing in purple

I have been making it bit by bit. The first thing I finished was the protectors for my baby's bed. I first thought of buying it and avoid the whole lot of work, since she was a newborn when I started them, and I had no time at all for sewing then. But, I couldn't find what I wanted, or it was way too expensive for my taste.
I decided I would make it then. And I did, bit by bit as I mentioned before.

I used a tutorial from a magazine I had, full of baby items. But of course, I altered it a little. I only made two pieces, and it was a 4 pieces one in the original.

Here's how they looked like when I finished them. The blanked didn't match at all, so I had to make a new one, of course. It took me another couple of months until I had it done. 

The bigger doll on the bed, was also made by me. It holds her diapers in her room right now. I will surely make a post about it someday. 

For the blanket I wanted to use tthe same pattern but I didn't want the squared to be so small, so I had to adjust the size of them for the next project. 

Here it is:

Looks way better now, doesn't it?

All I needed to have it all done, was a little matching pillow. Once again I had to adjust the size of my squares. I was much easier this time, and much faster to finish this project. So, I guess on the 7th of this month, I had finally finish all the things I needed for G.'s bed. 

And I just love it. She's now sleeping in her own bedroom, since the beginning of this month, and her bedroom has became my very favourite room in the house. 

 Lovely, isn't it?

The little witches were also stitched by me. More about it later. I also, painted the frames to match the room's colours. They were originally white. Her bed was originally brown, and she got it from my sister's kids. Before we brought it homw, my sister painted it the way you see it, also to match. 

Tutorial: Recycled Ribbon Organizer

Have you ever found yourself drawning in lots of ribbons, all messed up?! Did you? And did you wonder how the hell can I organize them all?

Well, that's surely what happened to me, when I found myself bringing home those lovely ribbons. So, I had to come up with an idea to organize them. And after just a little time, I discovered my solution. 

Do you want to try too?!

Here's what you'll need:
1 paper toillet roll
packages card (you can use the ones from your cereal box)
glue tape, any kind

Start by cutting a piece from your roll. Or as many as you want to make. You might want to cut the width according to your ribbons width.

Then fold your card and cut a circle a little bigger than the roll.

 You've got the 2 circles you need for your ribbon organizer.

Add some glue tape all around the roll. You can add one by one too, just like I did.

And start gluing it to one of the circles.

Once you've glued it all around, you can start glueing the other circle. It will give you a little bit more trouble than the first but not much.

Use your scissor's edge to make some holes in the card, both sides of course... 

And the organizer it's done. See how easy it was? Now you can go and make yourself as many as you'd like to.

To start rolling your ribbon into place, you can use a little tape in the edge, so it won't move from its place.

 Fill it with your gorgeous ribbons and display them wherever you can. I still have to find a way to keep mine, but I am thinking about using a shoe box, and wire to keep all my ribbons in place. Of course, I will share if I do so!!!