I Dare You To Eat It

We’re launching our big stake service project for the local cancer hospitals. The goal is to sew at least 200 chemo caps and 200 skinny scarves. Just let me know if you’re at all interested. I would be happy to mail you a copy of the hat pattern my sister scammed, I mean designed, and some simple instructions. All it takes is about 18 inches of very stretchy light weight knit fabric. Place the pattern piece on the fold.

Cut out and set your sewing machine to a slight zig zag stitch for added stretch and durability.

1. Sew a narrow (1/4″) seam along the cut side being sure to leave a 1 1/2″ opening near one end, for turning the cap right side out.

2. Sew the outside edges (only) together on each of the four points.

3. Turn the cap so that the fold and side seam run down the middle of the front and back. Sew one continuous arched seam across the top and another across the bottom end of the cap.

4. Turn cap right side out by pulling it through the opening left in the original side seam made back in step 1.

Machine stitch the opening closed very close to the edge.

Fold bottom half of fabric up inside the cap so that it becomes a self-lining. Tack both layers together at the top with a few hand stitches.

All done! In basically four steps and almost no time at all, you can make a stylish alternative to the typical turban. The soft and cozy t-shirt weight fabric makes this beanie perfect for the summer months or as an extra layer in the winter.

The skinny scarves are 5″ or 6″ cuts from any light weight cloth.

Then it’s pinned together lengthwise, right sides together, and sewn with about a 1/4″ seam from one selvage end to the other.

Then I add a safety pin to one end and chase it through the tunnel of fabric to turn it right side out.

Next, turn the seam so that it runs down the middle of the scarf and iron.

The skinny scarf is finished except for any decorations that you may want to add.

I love the big bow. It reminds me of the flapper look.

My friend Laurie made this little rose from leftover scraps of knit fabric. I haven’t tried it but she swears it’s just five circles folded in quarters and stitched at the bottom with a couple of leaves added to the sides.

Super cute, don’t you think?

Cancer is a crime. I have three people in my extended family who are currently being robbed.

Yesterday, I met with Blanca Raphael, Coordinator Volunteer Services, at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital. She gave me a brief but inspiring hands-on tour of the beautiful and useful items which have so generously been donated to the Hunstman Cancer Institute.  You’ve never seen so many lovely LOVELY crocheted hats!

My goal in meeting with her was to explain a plan to invite women in our stake/neighborhood, ages 8-180, to sew cotton knit beanies for women who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatments. Blanca especially liked our idea of adding funky, rough-cut, boutique style, decorative headbands to the beanies so that the women can sport a fun, current, scrap-art look, while they battle the beast.

Knowing that I may need to be teaching this simple sewing skill during the next few weeks, I decided to give it a go.

The things I liked best about this project were 1.) no instructions 2.) no expense (using up leftover fabric ends)

and 3.) no limit to the good clean creative fun. The headbands, or demi-scarves, are a make-it-up-as-you-go-along adventure.
The looks evolve as random bits and pieces are added. This is fabric art for the masses.

I’ve enlisted the truly expert help of my sister, Virginia, to figure out how to copy a knit beanie from the Gap. She’s probably unpicking right now. Our hope is to buy $1 t-shirts and reconstruct them into soft, breathable, comfy, caps. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

My favorite part of last month’s visiting teaching message was from Elder Robert D. hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “It is important to understand that self-reliance is a means to an end. Our ulitimate goal is to become like the Savior, and that goal is enhanced by our unselfish service to others. Our ability to serve is increased or diminished by the level of our self-reliance.”  That guidance helps me to understand self-reliance as preparations made in order to have more to give!

D&C 82:18-19  And all this for the benefit of the church of the living God, that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents, yea, even an hundred fold, to be cast into the Lord’s storehouse, to become the common property of the whole church–Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.

My daughter’s wedding was only a week away but I was STILL at a loss for what to wear to her reception. In desperation I bought this sweet little top from Anthropology. I could justify the $118.00.

My plan was to wear it with a vintage beaded cardigan, which I already own, forever thanks to my husband’s grandmother,

and a skirt I found new with tags on, at a second hand clothing store for $9.00.

But the longer I thought about it I began to be annoyed at the dry clean only $118.00. It seemed like throwing good money after bad. Even if I probably can “afford it”, I don’t enjoy burning cash like that.  If it’s not a deal, it’s just not that fun.

So last Saturday, with the wedding clock ticking, I found some plain cream colored t-shirts, in a really nice silky knit, at TJMaxx for only $5.99 each.

Tempted, I remembered learning about reconstructed clothing while attending a Relief Society meeting in Oregon. Heidi at www.franticallysimple.com shared one of her many great SKILLS when she taught the women in her ward how to make play dresses and baby leggings from recycled t-shirts. What I needed was an inexpensive washable copy of the Anthropology shirt, and these Ts felt like the answer.

Now, I sew about as well as I cook, but determined to give it go. Purchasing enough shirts for the reconstruction yardage, I could of sworn I heard dear friends and comrades quietly crying in the distance, “Stop Liesa! Don’t do this! There isn’t time! You’ve never done this before! For the love of that last cranberry cake that ended up in the trash, THIS ISN’T GOING TO WORK!”  

Cha-ching. 

First step was to tighten up the neck of the t-shirt. I grabbed some leftover elastic from the total chaos of my sewing Rubbermaid, and zig-zagged that puppy in place. “Great, now I have a really comfortable pajama top.” But I didn’t give up.

(I warned you about this.)

Slashing a second t-shirt into strips,

I added a slightly less pleated ruffle, sewed the soggy bow-ties together for the front, and finished the neckline with a $3.00 piece of lace.

Don’t get me wrong, it took some time but the finished product wasn’t half bad.

I’ve happily returned the remaining t-shirt and shipped the $118.00 dream top back home where it belongs.

Mother of the bride, for under $25.00. Thanks Heidi!