Tara Miller Designs

Lining the [wool] hat

 

When I was pregnant I made several hats for my new little one. Two of those hats were knit from wool because being a Sept. baby, Emily was due for some cold days early on and I wanted to make sure that her cuteness not be diminished by some warm hand knits. However, my pregnancy brain didn't trigger that babies don't like to wear  a lot of wool because it can be itchy. This is true for my baby. Two seconds after donning her new hats Emily would imitate our Wednesday Tornado Siren. I quickly decided to line her hats with some nice cotton jersey knit fabric. It was a piece of cake but I wanted to share a quick picture tutorial in case any other babies have moms as forgetful as Emily's. 

First lay out your hat on a big piece of paper and trace all around the hat. 

Remove the hat and add a small seam allowance. It doesn't have to be perfect since this is just the lining. I added 1/4 in. 

Cut out your pattern piece and trace it onto a folded piece of cotton jersey knit fabric. Make sure the stretch is going width wise. Cut out your hat liner- you should have 2 pieces. 

With RS together, serge or zig zag stitch around your hat, leaving the bottom open. 

Fold up the bottom of the hat 1/2 in. toward the wrong side and stitch around the hem. Insert lining into hat and pin in place. Starting on the back of the hat and using a narrow zig zag stitch begin sewing the lining to the hat. Stitch in between rows if you can to hide the stitches. Since my brim was garter stitch, I was able to stitch between purl bumps to hide my stitches- you can barely see them in the bottom picture. Trim your threads. 

Your baby, toddler, or older kid is sure to enjoy their hand knit wool hats much more with a nice smooth lining. I am even considering lining my wool hats for the extra warmth and to prevent itching. I deserve something nice too :)

Chocolate pie!

So Devon has been asking to make chocolate pie for almost a week now but I have been sidetracking her because my MIL brought us a bunch of apples that needed to be dealt with. They were turned into an apple crisp and an apple cobbler. Both yummy and the crisp recipe came off a box of cereal from Kroger!

today Devon and I made the chocolate pie which was just 2 boxes of chocolate pudding and a graham crust, super easy. The best part is the whipped cream topping which I dreamed up: Peanut Butter Whipped Cream. This was also easy to make. Check out my recipe below.

Peanut Butter Whipped Cream
3/4c whipping cream
2tbsp creamy peanut butter

Add peanut butter to chilled metal bowl then add the cream. Start mixer slow and build up speed to prevent splashing. Beat until stiff peaks. Smooth whipped cream on top of chocolate pie, peanut butter pie or even banana cream pie!

Pinterest Pass/Fail

I have been a long time Pinner on Pinterest and I LOVE it but the one thing that really irritates me is the lack of ratings or success rate for many pins. Other than dusting off google and searching for the Pin subject on blogs there is really no way to learn if that DIY, recipe or product is any good. So for my own interests and maybe for those who follow me on Pinterest I have started a Pinterest Pass/Fail board so I, at least, can remember. 

The rules of my board are pretty simple (and may be subject to change later on) but when I try something from Pinterest and it is successful I leave it on its originial board but also pin it to my "Pinterest Pass/Fail" board with the word "pass" in the description along with the subject of the pin and any comments. I might add some suggestions for a recipe, add why it was so good/fun or suggest tips for making the project/DIY a little different. 

Now should the Pin be unsuccessful then I remove it from its original board and just pin it to the Pass/Fail board, add the word "Fail" to the description along with a short snippet on why it failed. 

I am hoping other's might follow suit with their own boards so we can weddle out the bad, unsuccessful pins to keep Pinterest fun and full of worthwhile Pins. 

Let me know if you are intersted in joining my board and I will add you. 

New Etsy Shop: Swaddle . Dwell . Baby

I had alot of time to think creatively while on maternity leave and have opened a new store to sell some of the (hopefully) great ideas I had for baby and kids items that I love. My new store is called: Swaddle . Dwell . Baby. The first and in my opinion, the most important, are several swaddle blankets. 

I am a big proponent of swaddling. It kept me sane with my first baby and had done the same with my newly born second child. I created my double layer swaddle blankets because both my babies were/are wee during the cold months and I love stretchy swaddle blankets much more than woven. Flannel is great and cozy but my babes easily pull out of the wrap because I just can't get the swaddle tight enough. I found with gauze I can get the swaddle nice and tight (the way my babies like it) but cotton gauze just isn't warm enough. By backing the gauze with cotton knit I can keep the stretch and gain the warmth. These blankets are so cozy and my added details really make my swaddle blankets awesome sauce! One blanket is hand stamped and painted with open apple slices. Another features 3 polka dotted polka dots and another shines with a Morrocan style reverse applique in a bright green print. I wish I could keep them all but I already have plenty thanks to all my prototype sewing. I hope they will be a big success so I can make many, many more. 

Meet Emily

Hi Ya'll. I'm on maternity leave and bummed to have very limited creative outlet but stoked to discover that since switching from Android to the iPhone I can now blog while caring for my newest addition and her older sister.
I want to introduce Emily. She is one month old and already running things. She has everyone wrapped around her finger especially her sister.
I have ventured into the sewing room a few times as you know if you follow me on twitter. Mostly I have been learning all that my Brother serger can do and finally fitting all the garments made while pregnant for postpartum wear.
I also want to wish you all a belated Happy Halloween and hope you can resist the siren call of candy better than me!

First Quilt

And boy am I proud. I make my daughter's bed every morning just so I can lay it out and touch it. 

I started this back when I was pregnant with Devon in 2008 and then, of course, I had a baby and put it away and forgot about it until we moved recently. I started it up again. I toyed with giving it to #2 since the quilt is approx crib size. However, I started it for Devon so to Devon it would go. After a well-earned pressing I made my quilt sandwich. This is no easy task when you have a 3 yr old moving all her toys from her room to the sewing room, competing for floor space and a 8 mo pregnant belly down on the floor trying to get the wrinkles out. But I did it and then pinned and pinned. It was only after all this pinning and keeping 3 yr old toes away from my pin that I re-read Denyse's book and discovered that I should have used safety pins. This would have also eliminated pins slipping out as I quilted. I just stitched in the ditch around each charm square and it turned out lovely. Next I made my binding, cut to 2.5 '' as instructed by Denyse but I can't figure out why she asks you to cut it so wide. My binding is much wider than I would have liked. It doesn't look bad but just too wide for my taste. I matched my binding to the backside of the quilt (a Flea Market Fancy Pattern) because I had planned to machine stitch my binding on and if there were any imperfections if would blend right it and they did. However, I also threw in a blue Flea Market print just because I love the contrast.  I definitely need more binding practice but I am looking forward to it. 

Oh, I forgot the best part. Right before I made my quilt sandwich, I wrote Devon's name out and embroidered it. I love that is is in my handwriting so she will always recognize it. When I gave her the quilt she said "Oh, Wow!" and my heart melted! I can't wait to get started on #2 small quilt and this time it won't take me 3 years! (I hope)

Coffee Table to Upholstered Ottoman tutorial

We purchased our coffee table at Ikea for our first house and we loved it! It was perfect for that house and that couch. But we moved and bought a new couch. The living room was just too small for our coffee able and with our first child we really needed an ottoman instead. So I tried to quickly convert it by cutting some foam to fit the top and making a slipcover for it. It worked well for a while (we used it as a changing table too) but all in all it was too tall to be really well suited (you can see it here). The 4'' foam on top of an already too tall table just didn't work. But we made it for about 3 years. Until recently, we moved again and I just got tired of it. I told my husband that we had a project for the weekend and here's what he needed to do:

We purchased 4 small (1 5/8'') casters from Ace Hardware for each leg. He cut off about 6 '' from each leg.

I measured the couch height and then the table with the foam (I reused the slip covered piece), and added the height of the caster. I wanted it to be level or slightly below the couch height. Since I rounded to make measuring easier, it is a smidge below couch height.

We also purchased a can of all purpose spray adhesive to attach the foam to the table top. Then I took over.

I purchased this nautical fabric at a local fabric warehouse, Ohco. It is Duralee and I scored it for $3/lb which turned out to be about $8 total! But you can get a similar look with these fabrics. First I covered the foam with a layer of fleece to soften the look and increase durability. Then, I laid the fabric over the foam and decided how I wanted the print to sit. Next, I tacked the fabric at the center on all four sides of the table using upholstery tacks. You can use your stapler if you prefer. Next, I started on one long side, pulling the fabric tight I tacked down the fabric. I stopped about 3-4 '' from the corner. I repeated this process on the opposite side and then on each short end. Be sure you don't move your print too much leaving it off center. Once you have each side tight, then work on the corners.

I pulled up the fabric and trimmed my fleece to reduce bulk. Then I tried several different folds for the corners and decided on this triangle fold toward the short ends. I tacked down the corners once I was happy. 

Next, I made my piping using 1/4'' cotton cording covered in bias tape made from my fabric. Once finished, I tacked this in place under the edge of the table top leaving the ends for the corner. 

For the skirt, I measured from the piping to the floor. To this measurement I added 2.5'' for the bottom hem (Fold down 1/2'' and press, then fold another 2'' and press. Topstitch in place) and another 1'' for tacking to the table. I cut my skirt right on the selvedge so I could just turn and press the white of the selvedge. It made it pretty easy. Next, I pinned the skirt into place using skewers, making sure to hide my seam in one of the box pleats. I used the skewers to help me fit the pleats just right before I tacked them into place. You can use long sewing pins too!

You can either tack/staple the skirt right on under the piping or you can use a tacking strip to make a nice clean line. It depends on how confident you are in your tacking ablilities. 

You don't need upholstery supplies or tools to turn your coffee table into a skirted ottoman. You can use a heavy duty stapler, foam from Joann's and cardboard strips cut from a box (for tacking strips) just cut them about 1/2'' wide and as long as each side of the table. Add box pleats like me or leave plain. Good Luck and let me know if you have any questions!

Making for baby!

I have been feeling the 2nd trimester energy surge and thus have been making all kinds of goodies for babe #2. First, we watch a good bit of Bones here so when I saw those cute top knot knit baby hats on Brennen's baby, I had to make some for my own little one. I need to invest in some funky knits so I just started off with a really great heather blue so see how the pattern from Prudent Baby worked out.

Umm, the hat turned out Amazing and I am really pumped to make some more. The hat took maybe 10 min to make and it is exactly what I am looking for. 

I have started what I hope will be a collection of chevron stripe hand towels for the girls bathroom. First up is green and I hope to follow with blue, teal, red and maybe a yellow. 

Then I created a knit hat inspired by the Chickadee Hat found on Land of Nod but based on the Kim's Hat of LMKG. I am pretty sure this will look awesome on the new baby. 

 

Lastly, I was inspired by some pricey muslin baby blankets I saw at a boutique in Charleston so I set out on the Fabric.com blog to make some of my own. Needless to say I can wait to swaddle my new baby in these new blankets!

Published- Updated with Sew News Tank Tops

I have been busy y'all and I want to share my projects that have been published lately (by lately I mean since I stopped seriously blogging here):

Stitch Magazine Summer 2012 was great to work with and I love the layout in which they featured my drawstring linen summer shorts. I am seriously in love with these shorts and still wear them even though I am getting big with babe #2. I am planning a modification coming soon to turn them into maternity shorts with a knit band and all but I am still wishy-washy over the pockets. So hopefully next week. 

2 of my tank top modifications were published in Sew New June/July 2012 and I love the model they choose. She is gorgeous and her skin really works well with both tops. These were both fun to make and I wore them all last summer before I had to send them in. Super comfy and they look great on many body types. I stole my inspiration from J.Crew summer catalog 2007. 

Lastly, My knit shawlette pattern, Ironwork Lace Shawl was published in Interweave Knits in Spring 2012. I could not believe it when I received my acceptance. I was over the moon. Interweave Knits has been my goal for a LONG time and when I first started knitting back in 2004ish I never would have believed it was possible. I remember driving 45 min during my lunch break to purchase my first copy and have been a subscriber ever since!

 

Getting ready for baby...

If you don't read me over at Fabric.com's Blog, you may not know that I am expecting baby #2 in Sept so I am busy getting everything ready for our new little girl! I have been washing and folding, sewing and knitting for the new babe and made some time to share 2 of my finished onesies so far. I found a whole pile of tiny white tees that never made it onto Devon so I am working hard to revamp them for #2. First, I appliqued my favorite apple design from Jen at BeeBee Mod (no longer available) in some Heather Bailey Nicey Jane and micro dot Red. The letters were too tiny to cut out the centers of some of the letters so I embroidered the letters in green to give definition and highlight the little letters. I love it!

My second is 12 mo tee that I tried a reverse applique by cutting a 4 in circle from heat n bond and then cut a 3 in. circle out of the middle, leaving just a ring of transfer paper. I applied this to the RS of the cotton and ironed it onto the WS of the tee. Then I stitched around the circle and then cut out the knit fabric from the front. lastly, I wrote "Love" with tailors chalk in the circle and embroidered it. It is just perfect for my soon-to-be cutie and can't wait for her to wear it! I included a shot of the shirt inside out to give you a better idea.