Spring Fling Fabric Pinwheels - Tutorial

Finally, the fhubby is home for 6 wks Holiday...WhoRah!
That means a lot of Spring cleaning and organizing can finally get done around my place! Ummmm...yes dear I will move out of the living room, dining room and oh ya...what are those buttons doing in the kitchen?! hehe...uh hehehe oops hehe!

So I thought it was a good time to take a wee break and focus on some Family fun, and the not so fun...cleanup time.
However, I didn't want to leave you all empty handed with nothing to do or read. So I thought I'd venture into my first tutorial, and leave you all something to do whilst I'm out gallivanting with my family.
So in Honor of Spring (I'm trying to coax it out!!!) I decided to make some fabric pinwheels. I just adore pinwheels in the breeze, So after seeing some really cute ones that Sandi Henderson put together for her wall displays at the design fair; I decided to give it a go and make some wee ones for hair clips, hair bands and elastics. Soooo Adorable and pretty quick once you get the finicky sewing figured out.

So just for you here is my quick pic. 20 min tutorial so that you can make your own lovely little tribute to Spring.

Now Scissors up...It's time to work!

First...choose 2 coordinating scraps of Fabric
Cut squares (we'll use 3.5" for starters, which makes a good sized hairband pinwheel)
Cut 1 front, 1 back and 1 piece fusible webbing (eg: wonder under®)

Now Iron (no steam) your fusible webbing to the wrong side of one of your pieces, allow to cool.

Peel the paper backing off and line up your other fabric square exactly.
(both good sides should be showing)

Iron the 2 pieces together.
Eh Voila...your pieces are now glued together.

Trim your edges if they look a bit scruffy.
Now decide which side you would like as front and which as back.
On the 'front' side, using a fabric pen or faint pencil, draw a line from corner to corner.
Starting from the corner and measuring towards the middle, mark 5cm along each of these lines. (ignore my ruler markings as I seem to have an aversion to doing anything the right way!)

Cut along these lines, stopping at the 5 cm mark. (If you forget to stop...just pretend you're making sailboats, go back to the beginning and try again!..Who's gonna know)

And now the sewing...
Use a straight stitch with a coordinating thread.

Just go slow, (I hand turn the wheel on most corners and always keep my needle down when turning around the points) Try to sew as close to the edge as possible.

Begin just below and on the inside of one of the cuts (guess that would be the right side)
Sew up...across...and down one wing, cross the next cut and begin your next wing.
Don't forget to back stitch at the beginning and end to secure your stitches and snip off your threads.





Whew...that is probably harder to write and explain than it is to do!
But with that part out of the way it is time to choose your button!

Yay...I Love Buttons!

Okay...onto the hand sewing.

I'm using 3 strands of embroidery thread, but anything with strength will do fine.
I also like to tie my knot in the middle of my thread, leaving a good length of 'tail'




Push your needle up from the back, however do not pull though.
This will make layering your wheel points much easier.

Which is what you're going to do now...

The pics are pretty self explanatory for this part...
and since you haven't pulled your needle through...
now is your best chance to change your mind about which side is front and which is back!







Add your buttons, pull your thread through to the knot and secure all (I like to go through the button holes at least 2 or 3 times)

Tie off at the back

You should now have a six strand tail which is ready to be sewn, or tied to whatever your heart desires!
Now make heaps more...
I made several in different sizes and really liked the Itsy Bitsy ones

Hurricane Head Jax liked it so much she insisted I sew it immediately to one of her piggles so we could hold her hair in one place!
Unfortunately it couldn't hold her in one place long enough to get a picture...so this will have to do!

I'd love to hear some feedback, if this was helpful and or constructive tips.

And if you've chosen to follow it I'd love to see your creations. I will be getting a public flickr group up on my return, however until then you can email me at choochmagooz@yahoo.com

Hasta La Vista Invierno!!!

Linkin it up:

You feelin L.U.C.K.Y??!

Wow...It must be true that if you give...so also you will receive.
So the day after our giveaway, the abundance was rolling in!

First, I received notice that I was also a WINNER!
I took a stab in the dark guess at what Beatrix over at Kindershop Online, had used to make two very cute little skirts. And I was right!!! WhoooHooo...that means one of those cutey patootie skirts is on its way to Jax as we speak!

Then we went to the aquarium...usually a 20€ adventure, but not only did they finally let me in as a resident (15€)...but they stamped my ticket valid for 1 week...so we can come again and again! It's cold..it's wet off and on, and it's windy..what a perfect week to spend with the fishies.

And then just to top off my day, a lovely little package was waiting at the gate!
I won't say what it was...I'll be composing a completely separate post just for it..but let's just say that it was perfect, made me laugh, and came with lots of love! Thank you Mz. Luckey!!!

So let's just keep the love and luck going!

Jaime over at the Dress-up drawer is hosting a very cool give-away, bringing to you her reader favorites. There's some very cool loot up for grabs! She's adding new items and shops who are participating daily, so be sure to check back with her.

Maybe we can pass this horseshoe around a bit!

And The Winners Are...

First of all Let me just say...THANK YOU...

for participating, celebrating with us, and for all of your lovely heartfelt comments and great tunes. Jax and I have spent the entire 2 weeks dancing and I must say she has some stellar moves!

Just to play along I've compiled a very random (I'm an Artist not a DJ!) compilation from all of your favorites and a few of my own. (apologies if your selection was missed...some where hard to find through the mixpod) Some of the versions I found are classic...The boyz who preform 'Cecilia' are brilliant, and Mum..I so thought you'd love 'Jungle Drum' Cracks me up!!!

So you'll notice that the music doesn't start as soon as you've logged in!!! YAY...I finally figured out how to change that...so now if your cruising the blog whilst the wee ones are napping or shhhh...at work..you won't be caught out!

Just Press play on the MixPod and away we go....(I'll resume regular programming next week, but for now...)

LET'S DANCE!!!

So here's how we did it...I needed a bit of a kick in the butt to start a new project I've been putting off...So what better excuse to cut out many, many..squares
(I could have used the random # thinga-ma-jiggy, but thought this WAY more fun!)

I then printed out your comments and assigned each of you a number, and multiplied your chances based on your participation.

And the numbering began...

Jax and I then hit play on the music and played
SCRAMBLE!!!

She then got down to work turning all of the squares number side down...

Very proud of her work!!!
Can you tell what that project will be!...

And the games continue..
Enter the Bean Bag...

And TOSS
(take 10...as she kept overthrowing the mark...
Finally aimed for the ceiling and perfect shots...)

Drum Roll Please.....

And the Winner is.....1st place...

Congratulations Megan!
Megan confessed: " 'Mr. Roboto' by STYX is among the many songs that make chores more enjoyable at my house."

And toss number 2...

2nd place goes to...

Congratulations Erika!
Erika confessed: "I just cut a rug to the old Fatboy Slim song 'praise you' and it was awesome up in my living room!"

And finally...

3rd place is...

Congratulations Lilly (AKA Mz. K!)
Lilly's mum confessed: "Your entry rules inspired me to throw on some Bruce Springsteen (dancing in the dark)...because how can a woman alone resist that whole "middle-America, jeans and white t-shirt" genre? Get's me every time."

I'll be in touch regarding your winnings!

Congratulations and thank you to each and every one of you!
We had a blast!

Now Back to the Boogie!

Guilt Free Shopping...Gimme some of That!

Looking for my Giveaway...click here
(though I encourage you to come on back to this post to learn about Craft Hope)

Ahhhhh shopping, a favorite pass time for so many of us.
Well now you can SHOP and HELP all at the same time!
How great is that!

If you haven't already checked out the Craft Hope for Haiti button on my side bar here's a little bit about them.

The good folks over at Craft Hope started their project as a way for crafters to come together and help those in need. Everything from dresses for children in Mexico, dolls for orphans in Nicaragua, sock monkeys for a childrens burn camp and many more....

They are now on project 6, knitting scarves in aid of the orphan foundation for foster care teens.

And in the midst of project 6...
Along comes Haiti.

There isn't much more to be said about the devistation in Haiti that has not already been said or felt. So I won't even try.

Instead I encourage you to shop...

Because the Gals and their husbands and their neighbors and anyone else they could rope in...have been exhausting themselves listing donated handmade goodies in their shop. All proceeds are dedicated to Doctors without borders.

So normally I would encourage you to run --- not walk --- to the shop...
But hey your sitting down, you're reading this blurb...already on your computer...

Well hey ho you're halfway there!

Now all you need to do is click on that there Craft Hope for Haiti button on the side bar

and you're on your way to guilt free shopping!

To read more on Craft Hope follow the links above or click here
And If you can Knit, I encourage you to join in on Project 6!
(after you've gone shopping of course!)

Show me your goods Neptune!

If you're searching for the Giveaway post click here.
Just 5 more days to submit your entry...keep them coming I'm digging the new groovie tunes!

...................................................................

It's been a sewing fest at mine this month.
Buntings, buntings and more buntings, Pirate shirts and a special pirate birthday gift complete with hat, eye patch and treasure bag (which I forgot to take a photo of before gifting it.)
And these little yummies...



I've been wanting to do these for so long and just never got around to it. However as Spring is rapidly approaching and the 1st anniversary of the launch of Choochmagooz (which although successful, got seriously squashed by the OBB - One Bad Boob!) I thought I had better up my stocks and get ready for a relaunch!

But today, although I heard my machine calling...I decided to take a day off!
The house cleaning was calling...I plugged my ears and stepped over the doll furniture.
Even the fridge was calling to be restocked...sod it..I still have peanut butter in the cupboard somewhere!

But the beach calling...
That's a cry I couldn't ignore.
After days of miserable cold rainy January weather, I can actually count the number of clouds on 1 hand, Ahhhhhhh Lovely!
And jostling with the kids (Another Spanish holiday today) for beach combed treasure...Priceless!
(okay...actually no one got hurt..the kids prefer shells and I go for the beach glass and ceramics, so it's more of a cooperated effort)



Ahhhhh Treasure from the Sea...
I might just have to end this day off and start a new project!

A Time to Share... {Giveaway}

Comments Now Closed...
Stand By for Winners!

So are you ready for a GIVEAWAY!!!!
'Cause By Crikey...THAT was a crap year!!!

Between the Global economic downfall, the Loss of Michael Jackson and Patrick Swayze, and my 9 months of Cancer treatments I have to truly say, it was the Year the music died and the dancing stopped!

All right who bumped the record player!.......scraaaaaaaaaatch!

So I'm picturing a wack-a-mole game with 2009 popping out of the holes and I'm beating the snot outta it! WELCOME 2010!!! Take a good look at poor 2009 here and take fair warning...I'm done playing nicey nice.

So the first thing on the agenda for 2010....

Dance like no one is watching!

Okay...Confession...actually I will make sure no one is watching, as Fhubby will be back in Barcelona and I'll wait until lil' Chooch is in bed...Then I'm pluggin in the ipod, crankin up the volume and burning a hole in my carpet. Bonnie Tyler can do that to ya!

So it's time to celebrate and it's time to dance;

No more Nausea
No more Bone pain
No more Chemo hangovers
My Eyebrows are returning
I have 3mm of fuzz on my head
I can take Jax on Bike rides
I can play hopscotch
I can plan our vacation
and I can drink a Mojito
and slowly...but surely...my brain cells are re-aligning

So in celebration I'm giving a few Choochmagooz goodies away.

The rules are as follows:

for 1 entry: Leave a comment below, and for fun let me know what your all time favorite song to boogie to is (you know the one...no ones home, you crank the volume, grab the spatula (I've hidden all our hairbrushes!) and you pull out your best Tina Turner moves) That's the confession I'm looking for. Be sure to leave an email address so I may contact you if you are not linked to Blogger.

For 3 additional entries: Share this link on your Blog, or via facebook, or if you have neither you can just email the friends you think would be interested. (be sure to cc: choochmagooz@yahoo.com - email addresses WILL NOT be recorded...I have no time or patience for that!!)

and of course followers will automatically get an extra entry.

No need to post several comments in order to gain the extra entries...I'll be picking the winners the old school way with a pen, some paper and a hat!

So now what's up for grabs!!!

1st place will have 1st pick of the prizes
2nd place will get 2nd choice
and of course 3rd place, will just get whatever I send them ..hehe.

And the goodies are....

Your choice of either a Princess Tiara or Kings Crown

Little girl Blue...will fit sz 16mo's to 4 or 5 yrs.
1st as a dress and then as a shirt over leggings or jeans

and finally,

Your choice of Shabby Chic Boutique Bunting
(I'll get some photo's up in flickr soon...) but think, French Laundry, Rockin Robots,
Blooms and Butterflies, Circus Tent...and more!

Flickr photo's up!!! : Click Here
(warning...I took advantage of the sun...but buntings not quite complete..
I will complete your choice and ship within 1 week)

Good luck everyone....
I'll be drawing the winners on the 24th of January
until then...

Happy Dancing!

Is it 2010 Yet?!?!

It has to be said that the Spanish really know how to party!
After Christmas, New Years and finally Three Kings...we may just be able to get this year started!!!

I must say I tried to go out fighting...
Started my Christmas shopping and baking just 3 days before and at the same time decided I wanted to make Jax a very special heirloom stocking. Oh ya...and throw my Final Chemo treatment into that mix on the 23rd.

So even though the Fhubby still reckons I'm crazy he certainly wasn't complaining. He couldn't really, his mouth was stuffed with a butter tart which he'd never tried before, then a whipped shortbread cookie and just for good measure a toffee marshmallow roll. Hard to talk when you're drooling.

Okay...maybe I did go a bit overboard on her elf stocking...another project sans pattern, that got carried away. The cream flower was from Amy Butler and intended 3 times the size for a pillow project..but hey, if there's a way to make it more complicated and fiddly..I'm your gal. Que flashbacks of Mermaid scales....errrrrrrrrrrg.

But Sooooo worth it!!!

It seems I got the flower pattern just in time as I just checked the link and Amy has put up wonderful new free patterns for 2010, but alas removed the Flower pillow. If you'd like it send me a message and I can email it to you. otherwise you can check out Ms. Butlers 2010 scrumptious offerings here.

So my treatment ended rather uneventfully and Christmas was spent on the couch for the most part. We then all packed up and headed to Barcelona to spend New Years on the boat. (I know that just sounded pretentious and glamorous..but in fact we bunked in the crew quarters with Jax and I on the top and Fhubby in the bunk below) I know I know....why didn't we get a hotel?!?! Well...Hotels just aren't much fun if Mummy is sick in bed, there's no cartoon channel and the room service is crap so we didn't want to risk it. And sick I did get, Just in time for New Years eve festivities. So even New Years was spent pretty much on the couch, in the crew mess this time. Oh well...I'll say it just one last time.... Next Year!

And Next Year it is! WhoooooooHooooooooo!
Jumped on the bike and rode Jax and I into town for the 3 Kings parade, still in recovery as we speak (oops...perhaps a bit of muscle atrophy after 9 months)

However, All festivities in the can, it is time to get back to work and get 2010 started.
Today I'm cutting, cutting and cutting some more, and making a great dent in my fabric stash...Too many projects in the ol' noggin screaming to get out!

I'll be posting my Celebratory Giveaway this weekend, so if your interested in winning some choochmagooz goodies...be sure to check back and tell all your friends.

See you then...I'm off to ice my thighs!