Hello Tipsy Readers! First, congratulations to Michelle on her new addition!!! Also, thank you to Michelle for allowing me to share my tutorial to her lovely readers – all of you!!

This is my second tutorial for suspenders, when I first started sewing again (after years away) I made this tutorial for suspenders. Now that I’ve sewn some more I decided to rehash it, pretty it up, and re-post it. Here goes:

To start, gather your supplies:

• Tape Measure
• Rotary Cutter
• Scissors
• Thread
• 3/4 or 1 inch elastic x 7 inches (5 inches finished length)
• 3 Suspender Clips
• Fabric:
• 1 piece 3×5
• 2 pieces 2.5 x length needed

Step 1: Measure your child for the suspenders. For this step, I had my husband help, cuz my little guy can be a wiggle worm! We started on the front right, and brought the tape to the middle of his back. I like my elastic to be about 5 inches long, so we measure 5 inches up from his pants line. If you measure straight to the pants line, you will have too much fabric.

Step 2: Cut cut cut. Take your measurement for the suspender fabric and add 2 inches, 1 inch for extra for seams on each side. For my son, we measured 16 – so I cut my fabric 2.5×18.

Step 3: Put your elastic end through the suspender clip. Fold end over the back 1/2 inch.

Stitch once using straight stitch, then I use a zigzag stitch over the raw edge.

Step 4: Iron your 3×5 fabric piece. Fold and iron short ends back.

Fold and iron long ends back.

I did iron both sides, and didn’t realize I didn’t have the picture until I was done. Sorry!

Step 5: Fold 2 1/2 x 18″ fabrics in half long ways – right sides together.

See my pins?

Sew 1/4″ seams along edge and turn right side out.

I use a dowel to help me turn.

Iron with seams in back.

Step 4: Fold raw ends of fabric inside 1/4 inch. Iron, then sew.

Step 5: Attach suspender clips to fabric. Like we did previously with the elastic, insert fabric through suspender clip, and fold back 1/2 inch.

Sew once using straight stitch, and then use the zigzag stitch. Do this for the other fabric strip also.

Step 6: Sew the two fabric strips together. Match up your edges and pin.

Sew in a square for durability.

Step 7: Wrap 3×5 piece over elastic. Leave a small gap at the top of the fabric, where you will connect to the “Y”.

Step 8: Sew “Y” and elastic together.

Step 9: Put them on your little man, and try and get a picture with him holding still! 😀

Hope this tutorial works for you! If you have any questions you can email me here. Also feel free to visit my blog with my lovely sister here, or my quilting blog here.

If you use this tutorial for suspenders, I’d love to see them in the flickr pool here!!!

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for free Tipsy updates via RSS or email.

Hello tipsy readers! I’m Kara from Creations by Kara and I’m thrilled to be here doing a guest post while cute Michelle is busy doing the new baby thing. (Man I’m jealous!)

I’m a stay at home mom to four boys. I love all things creative crafty. I guess you could say I have “Craft ADD”. I can’t stick with just one thing, I like to try everything. . .

To hair accessories:

To trying new recipes:

To remodeling our master bathroom:

Yep, I try it all, and then I blog about it. Fun times baby!!

We are also in the process of trying to adopt a baby girl, so I was excited to come up with a baby project. I decided to do something basic that every mom needs. Baby washcloths. I was never thrilled with the kind from the store, they were always a little on the flimsy side. Plus I thought it would be nice to have a really soft side, and a side that had a little more texture. So I came up with these. Chenille backed baby washcloths.

I love how they turned out, and I can’t wait to use them. Hopefully one day very soon!

Here’s how you can make some of your own. Have fun!

First you need to pick two coordinating fabrics. I used flannel on one side and chenille on the other.

Place the two fabrics right side together and cut a square. I cute mine about 7″.

Pin the squares together. You see that space on the left in between the red and blue pins? You are going to leave that open so you can turn the washcloth right side out.

Now sew the squares together, using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Don’t forget to leave that space I talked about open! When you’re finished sewing, clip the corners.

Now turn it right side out.

Now you’re going to sew a stitch all the way around the edge. This will not only sew the hole closed, it will make the whole thing more sturdy. Before you start stitching, make sure the pieces of fabric at the opening are tucked in to the inside evenly. You can iron the opening if you want, but you don’t have to. I sewed as close to the edge as I could get.

Wouldn’t they be perfect tucked in a cute basket with bath supplies?

————————————————————

Thanks so much Kara! I just bought some baby washcloths last night and was unimpressed with the softness and thickness. These are great! And I hope you get your little girl soon!

P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for free Tipsy updates via RSS or email.