DIY Game Day Pillows for Football Fans

The DIY Game Day Pillows are the perfect afternoon project to be ready for Thanksgiving Weekend football...or get a jump start on a Christmas gift for your favorite football fan.  Special thanks to Shannon Fabrics and Fairfield World for providing me with product and to Fairfield World for compensating me for this post.

R2-K9 Star Wars Themed DIY Dog Bed

The Star Wars dog-parent in your life is definitely going to want one of these.  Although a dog bed like this can be made for any theme.  Thanks to Shannon Fabrics, Dritz, and Fairfield World for providing me with product for this dog bed and to Fairfield World for compensating me for this post.  All opinions, ideas, enthusiasm and complete geekiness is 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links.

R2-K9 get it?!?  Although K-9SO could make a great dog bed too.  A friend of mine recently became pet-parent to a rescue dog and he wanted a comfy place for his dog to sleep.  Since he is such a Star Wars fan, I thought a punny Star Wars dog joke was in order.  (Free Pattern for Star Wars Quilt-in-a-Day in photos can be found here.)

And because he wanted an extra cover for when the first was in the wash, I made a second with some
Luxe Cuddle® Weave in Silver Heather to match the dog's beautiful coat to minimize visible pet hair.

Materials to make your own:

Zippered Shield Foam Protector

Foam is an amazing material for so many things...but it can be spendy, so you want to protect it regardless of the use.  When I recently made a pet bed for a friend, I wanted it to have an easily removed cover for routine washing that still left the foam protected with a separate cover that could still be removed if a deep clean of the cover was in order.  Fairfield World and Dritz have provided me with product for this project and Fairfield has compensated me for this post.  All opinions, ideas, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.

And I wanted to show you how to make your own zippered Shield Foam Protector, perfect for pet beds, protection under softa cushions and much more.

Cuddle® Squares Quilt - Quilts Kids Can Sew

If you're looking to for a quilt your child can succeed with, this is a Cuddle® Squares Quilt is a great one.  My daughter is a reluctant seamstress, but she REALLY love Cuddle® fabrics, so the right choice in fabric was a huge motivation for her.  Thanks so much to Shannon Fabrics for sending us their amazing Cuddle® fabrics to try and to Fairfield World for supplying the batting and compensating me for this post.  This post contains affiliate links.

Asymmetrical Body Pillow with Cuddle® Fabric - Free Pattern

This asymmetrical body pillow is hip and classic all at once.  You can make your own in under an hour.  Many thanks to Shannon Fabrics for providing me with fabric and to Fairfield World for providing me with product and compensating me for this post.  All ideas, opinions, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

Besides offering support while you sleep, body pillows make great floor pillows, sofa accents, and can work almost like a headboard for beds.  Add some Cuddle® fabric from Shannon Fabrics and you've got your family's new favorite pillow.

The only way to up the awesomeness from there is to add a coordinating Cuddle Quilt.  You can find the free pattern for this Disappearing Nine-Patch Cuddle Quilt on the Shannon Fabrics site here.

Materials:

The Carry-It-All Bag - DIY Reinforced Tote Bag Tutorial

This DIY Reinforced Tote Bag is perfect for all sorts of heavy lifting.  Quilted with Support foam inside the tote as well as inside the extra wide handles, this tote makes the perfect carry-all for everything from rocks to books and everything in between.  Many thanks to Fairfield World for supplying me with product and compensating me for this post all ideas, opinions, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.  This post contains affiliate links to support my blog.

Basic Box Cushion Cover - For Chairs, Bean Bags, and Floor Pillows

Box cushions are easy to make and very versatile.  They can be used to recover chair and sofa cushions or made on their own can make great floor cushions, bean bags cushions, and pet beds.

One of the best things about designing projects for Fairfield World is that they send me free product that I can use to do projects like this to benefit individual classrooms at my kids school.  They sent me bean bag filler, poly-fil, and pillow inserts and compensated me to complete this project.  Dritz also sent me their brilliant Cut-to-Size Upholstery zippers.  All opinions, ideas, enthusiasm, and gratitude are 100% my own.

Depending on the level of support you need, you can fill box cushions covers with support cushion foam, bean bag filler, or poly-fil fiber fill.

And while these cushions found their home in a first grade classroom, these cushions also make for relaxing seating at home as well.

(Bean bag filler inside.)

Get the full tutorial, needed materials, and instructions to make your own Basic Box Cushion Covers on the Fairfield Site here.

Anne of Green Gables Christmas Quilt - Free Pattern

This Anne of Green Gables Quilt is as simple and timeless as the beloved books by L.M. Montgomery.  Make your own with this free pattern.  Big thanks to Riley Blake Designs for sending me fabric from their Anne of Green Gables Christmas collection by Penny Rose Fabrics that's just hitting stores in the last month or so.  And as always, thanks to Fairfield World for providing me with batting and compensating me for this post.  All ideas, opinions, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.  This post contains affiliate links to help support my work.

I know it's a bit early for working on Christmas projects...but let's be serious.  Starting now, is the only way I get Christmas sewing done before the mad rush.

Anne of Green Gables was one of my favorite book series in middle school, and Gilbert Blythe from the first two Anne of Green Gables movies was my first celebrity crush.  So I was SUPER excited to hear about this year's Anne of Green Gables Christmas fabric collection, and new I needed to make a quilt...but not just any quilt...a quilt worthy of Anne herself and one that I could imagine on her bed at Green Gables or in her cozy House of Dreams.

After looking through some vintage quilt inspiration, I came across this quilt made by Jane Austen and the other women in her family.  I thought even though Anne herself did not like patchwork...she might have been willing to make a quilt fashioned after a pioneer of English women's literature.

DIY Pygmy Puffs - Pygmy Puff Worry Pets

Pygmy Puffs are among the most adorably cute magical creatures in Harry Potter's magical world, and now you can make one of your own.  (Thanks to Fairfield World for providing product and compensating me for this post and to Shannon Fabrics for providing the fur.  This post may contain affiliate links.  All opinions, ideas, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.)

This project is also part of the this year's Happy Harry Potter series at Raegun Ramblings.  Be sure to check in there for lots of other fun Harry Potter themed projects.  And read to the end to enter this year's amazing giveaway.

Dementor Attack Emergency Pouch - Happy Harry Potter 2017

We all have days when we can feel the dementors lurking...And for those days having a Dementor Attack Emergency Pouch at the ready is just what Madam Pomfrey ordered.  (I'm sharing this as part of Happy Harry Potter at Raegun Ramblings.  Click over to Raegun Ramblings for more Harry Potter inspired projects and read to the end of the post to enter to win some awesome prizes.)  This post contains affiliate links to help support my blog. I used product given by Fairfield World in this post.  all opinions, ideas, and enthusiasm are my own.

These also make great gifts for any friends or loved ones who may struggle with dementors as well.

Giant Floor Bean Bags

Giant Floor Bean Bags are easy to make and perfect seating for TV rooms, reading corners, and kids' bedrooms.  I'm super grateful to Fairfield World and Shannon Fabrics for compensating me for this post and sending the materials so I could donate these to one of the new teachers at my kids' school for her reading corner.  All opinions, ideas, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.

Whether your looking for comfortable classroom reading space, or a relaxing place to do homework or watch TV, these giant floor bean bags will be the perfect fit.  The Shannon Cuddle fabrics on the outside makes them snuggly soft and you'll love that the 60" wide fabric makes it easy to make nearly 30" large bean bags.

Jumbo Zipper Pouch Tutorial

This easy Jumbo Zipper Pouch is the perfect pencil case to send your kids back to school with.  (I don't know about you...but the little ones they sell at the store never seem to fit the huge list of supplies the kids are asked to bring.)

They also make great gifts for teacher and if you choose the right novelty fabric they can be personalized to anyone's taste.  Disclaimer: Thanks as always to Fairfield World for providing the support foam and batting as well as compensating me for this project.  All opinions, ideas, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.  This post also contains affiliate links to help support my blog.

We also love to use these as Thank You gifts for our kids' teachers at the end of the year.  A good zipper pouch is a universally appreciated gift if you choose the right fabric and colors.

And once you get the hang of them, they are SO fast and easy.

All White Cuddle Quilt - Baptism Quilt - Wedding Quilt - Baby Blessing

As a quilter one of my favorite ways to commemorate a milestone event is with a quilt.  So when our daughter turned 8 years old and chose to be baptized a member of the LDS Church  a couple months ago, I made her this All White Cuddle Quilt to help her remember the special day.  (Note: Fairfield World and Shannon Fabrics sent me supplies and compensated me to make this quilt and write about it on the Fairfield website here.  This personal blog post is entirely my own.)

In the LDS Church we believe that the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) is a member of the Godhead and helps lead, guide, and prompt our decisions.  He also acts as a Comforter in times of grief, pain, and/or anxiety.  Since this special girl suffers from severe social anxiety (selective mutism), I thought this physical reminder of comfort would help her remember that the Holy Ghost can also help comfort her soul.

Stair Step Quilt - Cuddle Quilt-in-a-Day - Men's Quilt - Teen Quilt

It's about time I shared a men's quilt.  This is the perfect fast quilt to whip up in time for a Father's Day quilt or as a graduation quilt for the favorite teen boy in your life.  Big thanks to Fairfield World for providing me with product and compensating me for this post as well as to Shannon Fabrics for providing me with the fabric.  This pattern was designed using EQ7.  All opinions, ideas, an enthusiasm are 100% my own.  This post may contain affiliate links to help support my blog and bring you more fun projects.

Of course this pattern can work just as well for girls and women if you choose fabrics to their interest and taste.

Dad's appreciate soft snuggly blankets as much as the rest of us even if they're a bit too manly to let us know.  My husband's favorite use for blankets is to keep warm on chilly nights out star-gazing.  (He has as many telescopes as I have sewing machines...and this one is his smallest by far.)  He's even been known to fall asleep in the yard on occasion while watching the stars. (You'll have to forgive us for the daytime shot...night-time pics just can't show off the quilt well.)  Even summer nights can get chilly.

And the Vintage Automobile Cuddle from Shannon Fabrics is the perfect print to include fort he car enthusiast.

Star Wars Quilt-in-a-Day

You're going to love this simple Star Wars Quilt-in-a-Day Pattern.  Don't feel limited to Star Wars though...this is a great pattern for any theme.  We'll use easy strip-piecing so that you could put this whole quilt together in a day, start to finish.  Thanks to Fairfield World for their continued support of my creativity and for their help bringing you this pattern.  They provided me with batting and have compensated me for this post.  All thoughts, opinions, patterns, ideas, and enthusiasm are 100% my own.

My daughter is a Fan Girl to the core in several fandoms, but one of her newest loves is Star Wars.  She's been asking for a Star Wars quilt for a while, so she was happy to get this one.

But it's also perfect for your favorite Storm Trooper to lounge on while reading a good book.

Ella Elephant Shirt Pattern - KOTLC - Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities Fans will be familiar with Sophie Foster's Ella the Elephant.  This free pattern can be used to make Ella's characteristic Hawaiian shirt.

Thanks to Fairfield World for providing me product and compensating me for this post. All ideas, patterns, opinions, and enthusiasm are entirely my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

My oldest daughter was introduced to the Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger a year or so ago and they quickly became her favorite books (even surpassing Harry Potter for her.)  She's been sharing them with her friends ever since discovering them and asked for a Keeper of the Lost Cities theme for her recent birthday party.  The Keeper of the Lost Cities books have interesting girl and boy characters and Harry Potter fans looking for a similar (and yet very different) series will love these books.  I can definitely see more Keeper of the Lost Cities projects in our future.

This is the author's rendition of Sophie and Ella.  (Lots of Shannon Messanger's Keeper of the Lost Cities Character Art can be found on her blog here.)

An Ella the Elephant is a great gift for Keeper of the Lost Cities Fan or is a great way to introduce a child to the series.

Regular blog readers will know I can't pass up an opportunity to give encourage reading and give bookish gifts, so I made her and Ella Elephant.  Ella is Sophie's (the main character) stuffed elephant that is one of the only possessions she brings when she has to leave her human family to join the Elvish world to which she really belongs.  Ella is described as a bright blue elephant with a Hawaiian shirt and she shows up in multiple books as a comfort to Sophie, and Sophie has a hard time sleeping without her.

Not being able to find any Ella patterns or Ella ready to buy, we made our own.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 Yard bright Hawaiian Fabric
• 1/8 yard Structure One Sided Fusible Interfacing from Fairfield World
• 1 Blue Elephant - This pattern is made to particularly fit this elephant.
• 2 Copies of Each Pattern Piece - Ella Shirt Pattern 1 - Ella Shirt Pattern 2
• Buttons (optional)
• Sewing machine, thread, pins, and an iron

Directions:

Print out your pattern. (2 each of Ella Elephant KOTLC Shirt Pattern 1 and Ella Elephant KOTLC Shirt Pattern 2) Be sure your print settings are set to ACTUAL size to make sure your shirt fits.

You'll need to print two copies of each piece.  Cut one copy out.  Flip it over, and tape to the second piece at the blue lines.

Fold your fabric and line the pattern up with the RED line lined up with the fold.  Do NOT cut the red line side.  Cut around your pattern.

Cut Structure One Sided Fusible Interfacing to go inside color.  Iron in place to WRONG SIDE of fabric according to manufacturer's instructions.  You should end up with pieces that looks like this.

With RIGHT SIDES together, stitch the two ends of your collar with 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Clip corner.  Turn right side out and iron.

Fold over the raw edges of the sleeves 1/4 inch twice and iron.

Topstitch to hold in place.  You should now have two pieces that look like this.  With RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, pin shirt together at sides.

Stitch with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.  Clip arm pit corner.

Matching centers, sew collar to the neckline of the shirt with 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Fold seam allowance under and topstitch so collar will lie flat.

The finished shape of the shirt will seam a bit odd, but it should fit your elephant well.

Hem the bottom of the shirt by folding under 1/4 inch twice and stop stitching.  Repeat with the two front openings of the shirt.

If desired you can embellish with buttons and if you really want to go the extra mile, you could add button holes.  I add a couple of buttons for looks, but didn't bother with button holes.

                                                                   
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