nerd alert! if you know anything about me, you know I'm pretty obsessed with Harry Potter. i've read all the books multiple times and subjected my husband and dogs to the movies countless times. i figured i'd showcase some of that nerdiness in the crafting i've done! enjoy!

Harry Potter Apron Tutorial

Craftwhore

This past Saturday one of my best friends had a baby shower for her baby girl. I love baby showers because it's an excuse for me to get crafty, and baby stuff is SO easy! Here's a few things I made for it: Newborn Snow White Tutu, Binky Clips, Hooded Baby Swaddler (tutorial is here), Baby Blanket and some Washcloth 'Cupcakes'.

I also found a few of these photos from our time back in Tampa I never posted. 

Ruffled Baby Blanket:

Owl Nap Mat:

Harry Potter 'Slytherin' Apron:

Minnie Mouse Apron:

 

DIY Grinchmas Stocking - Tutorial

I originally saw something like this on Pinterest, but I'm pretty sure it was a plastic door decal type thing. 

But, being the person I am.. I saw it, loved it, and immediately thought "I can make that!". So after two trips to Joann's Fabric (sign up for their email coupons!!) and one to walmart for the green I had all the supplies I needed. 

(I'll do better from now on to keep the receipts so I can post how much I spent on each) This was less than $25 total.

 

Here is what you'll need:
- 1 1/2 to 2 yards of Neon Green Fabric (it was thiiiiin cotton so I got three yards and doubled the front and back layer - $2.99 @ Walmart)
- 1/2 yard of Red Fabric (I got 1 yard because you can never have too many scraps - On sale for $3.99/yd at Joann's)
- Red Boa (this was full price, but had a 50% off one full priced item coupon for Joann's - regularly $8.99)
- Red Thread
- Green Thread
- Tacky Glue (or fabric glue)
- Fiberfill (pillow stuffing - 40% off at Joann's, don't remember the orig. price)
- Ribbon or a piece of fabric (to be able to hang the stocking)

I folded my green fabric so it was in a long rectangle and 4 layers thick, then hand drew the stocking with just a pencil. I would make it another inch thicker than this if I were to do it over again. Pin inside the stocking you drew so it won't move and cut away the excess.

Since my green fabric was so thin I decided to double up so at this point I just quickly (and messily) basted two pieces of fabric together for the front and two for the back. Make sure you sew fairly close to the edge. If your fabric is thick enough just skip this step.

At this point I took random round things from around our house (different size cups, spools of thread/ribbon and a candle holder thing) and traced them on the red fabric with pencil. (Side note: I know people use actual marking pens/pencils and I have quite a few, but nothing has ever worked quite like a plain pencil for me) Now just cut out the circles you've traced. I had a total of 14 I put on the stocking with 2 or 3 left over.

Now just lay your circles out until you like how it looks. Go through one by one and use the tacky (or fabric) glue on the back and lay them back down. (If you are going to use this for indoors, you could probably get away with just gluing them, but I put this outside so I sewed them as well)

This part is technically optional, but like I said mine was going to go outside so I decided I didn't want the spots falling off. I just put the machine on a zig zag stitch and (what felt like took forever) sewed around each circle.

This is where I got lazy with the pictures and they stopped until I was finished. Oops.

Anyway, now after all your circles are securely in place, put right sides together and sew around the stocking, leaving the top open.

Take your filling and a little at a time start at the curl of the toe and pack it in fairly thick so it holds the curl and keep filling until you're at the top.

This is where I took a piece of ribbon probably 6-7" long (1 1/2" thick), fold it so the right sides were facing out (wrong sides together) and stuck the cut ends down into the top left corner of the stocking to make a loop for hanging it. Now sew the top closed. Doesn't have to be pretty it will be covered by the boa.

This is probably the part I hated the most. I took the boa, a needle and some thread and just messily tacked it to the top and just kept overlapping the boa until I used it all.

And wallah! This is your finished product..

DIY Ornament Wreath - Tutorial

 So this was definitely one of the quicker DIY things lately and best of all?! It was FREEEE!!

What you'll need:

- Metal hanger

- Cheap/plastic or left over ornaments (I have no idea the count maybe 50 or so, just to be safe)

- Ribbon or fabric for bow (I obviously used the left over fabric from the DIY tree skirt from the previous post)

- Hot glue gun

Glue the top (where the hook would go) to the ball of the ornament to make sure it doesn't fall off.

Undo the top of the screw part of the hanger so it isn't connected. Form the hanger into a round shape and start stringing all the ornaments on packing them as closely together as possible.

Once you get to the top, screw the two pieces back together. I left the hook at the top so it would be easier to hang.

I then looped some burlap to cover the upper portion of the hanger and put on some bows to make it pretty.

UPDATE: This was leaning against something so I could take it into work (which I forgot that day) and Bentley (our Dane) let his hatred for Christmas show. :( 

DIY Harry Potter Apron - Tutorial

So I'm sure many people have seen the AWESOME HP apron on Pinterest made by Bakingdom which you can find here.

Again I saw this and since I'm a HUGE HP nerd said, "I'm sure I can make that!" (plus she posted a semi photo tutorial)

_________________________________________________________________________________

What You'll Need:

- 2 yards grey fabric (you could probably get away with 1, but I get 2 of everything just in case - $2.99/yd @ Joann's)

- 1 yard of black fabric ($2.99/yd @ Joann's)

- 1/4 of a yard red and gold (or whatever HP colors you desire) glittery Tulle/Mesh type fabric

- Thin red and gold (or whatever colors you are doing) ribbon

- 3 packs of 2.75m Bias Tape

- HP patch ordered from here ($6.95 from Universal Studios web store)

_________________________________________________________________________________

If you already have an apron around your house this step is super simple, just lay down your fabric then your apron on top and trace away. Since I didn't have an apron already I kept my fabric folded in half (like it comes from the store) and hand drew an outline. Now cut along the line you've drawn/traced.

 Sorry it's so light and my picture quality is so crappy. These are iPhone pics - I can't find my charger for my DSLR anywhere! (and my point and shoot got stolen at the Harry Potter theme park - go figure) Hopefully I'll get a new camera for Christmas!! :)

ETA: This was the original outline I drew, I ended up cutting off quite a bit from the bottom to make it a bit more round and not so 'boatish'.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Now I laid down my cut out grey portion (still folded) onto my folded black fabric and traced the curve and then free-handed the bottom (which later on was cut to make it curve more). Here I wish I would have made it longer to ruffle the black bottom part when attached to the grey.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Now this feels a little 'odd' because in your mind it's not going to fit. Put right sides together (so your seem will be facing backwards - your curves will be opposite) and start with the 'point' on one side of the black and sew it all the way around so the other 'point' is attached to the grey.

(You can see below how different the shape of the bottom is compared to what I free-handed up top and where I rounded the grey instead of having a corner.)

_________________________________________________________________________________

Now on some left over grey draw/trace two pockets.

______________________________________________________________________________

You can either glue or sew the ribbon horizontally across the top. Then pin and sew your bias tape around the pocket as a border.

This is where I wasn't thinking (or I was just rushing) and didn't sew close to the inside edge of the bias tape. It will look better, but be careful you're getting the front layer and back layer of the tape while sewing.

If you don't sew on the inside edge it will end up like this when you sew it onto your apron..

_________________________________________________________________________________

Now pin your pockets to your apron and sew around the edges leaving the top open to make the actual pocket (obviously).

_________________________________________________________________________________

After your pockets are attached pin the bias tape around the whole apron and sew it down. Remember what I said about sewing close to the inside edge.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Here I had extra grey left over so I made the neck 'string' thick by taking two 3 or 4" strips of fabric folded right sides together and sewing one end and the long raw edge. Flip it right side out and pin and sew the raw (non sewn) end to the top corners of your apron.

__________________________________________________________________________________

I didn't want to make thick strings to go around the waist so I used left over bias tape and sewed the opening together with a zigzag stitch and attached them to where the apron falls on my waist.

________________________________________________________________________________

Take your tulle/mesh and cut little rectangle pieces (maybe 2"x3" - doesn't need to be perfect) of both colors.

Then I kind of 'accordianed' one end...

laid it onto the bottom, back side of the apron..

and pinned it down alternating the colors..

After it was all pinned down I just sewed a line as close to the inner edge of the bias tape that I could get.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Now I had to wait 6 days for my patch to come in, once it did I ironed it on to the upper left corner of the apron. I know most people also sew it, but I don't think it's going anywhere. If it does then I'll sew it back on.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Now you have your finished product!

ETA: You can see here I made some bows and glued them on. If you want to sew them, make sure you either do it by hand so your pocket will still be functional, or do it before you sew the pocket onto the apron!

Hooded Baby Swaddler - Tutorial

I found this on Pinterest (duh). It was originally made a car seat swaddler, but it was for a friend so I just made it a regular one. You can find the original tutorial and fab blog here.

_________________________________________________________________________________

What you'll need: (I got everything at walmart and spent less than $15)

1 yd of fabric for outside - usually patterned (the original tutorial says flannel - I wish I would have gotten something really fuzzy and soft)

1 yd of fabric for inside - usually solid color (same as above)

1 yd of batting

_________________________________________________________________________________

Lay your fabric out with right sides together and fold it twice so it'll be a quarter of what it was before.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Take a pen or fabric marker and freehand a design like this. You can tell the raw edges are the ones that will be cut off.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Then cut along the line you made.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Lay your two pieces of fabric (with right sides still facing each other) out on your batting and pin down.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Cut around the fabric so you now have two layers of fabric and a layer of batting all pinned together.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sewing around the perimeter with the batting on the bottom leaving one big round corner open and turn the blankie right side out.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Now lay out the blankie flat and fold the open corner with the outside pattern facing together. I didn't get a picture so I drew on this one of where you'd fold it (on the grey line).

_________________________________________________________________________________

Now that it's right side out and folded with right sides facing each other you'll draw a line (yellow line below) and sewing along basically cutting off the rounded corner and making a hood.

After you've sewn along that yellow line cut off the excess and I did a zigzag stitch (unless you have a nifty serger) to make the edges in the hood look better and not so sharp.

_________________________________________________________________________________

I then sew around the blankie to give it a more finished look.

_________________________________________________________________________________

And wallah!

Like I said, if I were to do this again I would definitely gone with a nice really plush (minky type) fabric, at least for the inside. Overall it was a super simple craft and it took me less than an hour.