Make a Cute Appliquéd Scarecrow Mini Placemat with Napkin - Fun Fall Sewing Project

Ready for another fun fall sewing project? Use up your fabric scraps and some of your festive fabrics to make coffee, tea, and snack time more fun with this cute scarecrow mini placemat sewing pattern. You could even make your child's lunchtime more special by sending it to school with them in their lunchbox for a holiday treat. You'll even get the directions on how to make the cute little 7" x 7" reversible cloth napkin! With the snack mat measuring 8 1/2" x 12" it's just the right size for all those fun fall snacks and beverages. 

For this project you will need:

• fabric scraps for the applique
• fabric for the front, back, pocket, and napkin
• cotton batting
• paper-backed fusible web like HeatnBond light
• pencil
• fabric clips or pins
• iron
• sewing machine and matching thread
• basting spray or powder
• scissors, rotary cutter, cutting mat, cutting ruler
• walking foot or free motion foot
• scarecrow templates from the pattern

Click to get your copy of the pattern today!

The written pattern contains step-by-step how-to directions, photos, link to the video tutorial, and the printable scarecrow template to make a snack mat measuring approximately 8 ½” x 12” with a 7” x 7” reversible cloth napkin. 

Looking for more holiday mug rug/snack mat ideas? Check out these other projects!

Be sure to watch the scarecrow video tutorial to see how it's done:

DIY Individual Cutlery Holders from Fabric - Quick and Easy Sewing Project

Today we're learning how to make our own handmade cutlery pouches from fabric with this quick and easy sewing tutorial. Get ready to spruce up your dining room and kitchen table for summer, spring, fall, winter or even your holiday season by making your own homemade decorative (and reusable!) fabric utensil holders. It's a great project for beginners with only straight stitching required and makes a nice gift, too.

Along with your regular sewing supplies, to make four cutlery holders measuring approximately 4 1⁄2” x 11” you'll need:

• 2 contrasting fat quarters 
• cotton batting

Now available in my Etsy shop as a digital download with the written directions, step-by-step photos, printable templates, and link to the tutorial video. Click to find out more!

Looking for something else? Check out some of my other kitchen sewing and crafting projects!

Be sure to watch the cutlery holders video tutorial to before you get started:

Happy sewing!

Handmade Quilted Christmas Tree Ornaments from Fabric Scraps - Quick and Easy DIY Holiday Decor

Need a way to use up fabric scraps AND make something for your Christmas tree? Whip up these quick and easy homemade decorative Christmas tree ornaments in no time at all! These simple handmade quilted Christmas tree ornaments are made from fabric scraps and strips and felt or batting. It's a great easy holiday sewing project for beginners and the #1 sewing tutorial on debsdays.com three years in a row!

Along with your regular sewing supplies, for this project you will need:

• fabric scraps
• backing fabric
• felt or cotton batting
• pinking shears
• ribbon
• Christmas tree templates

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Click to get your copy of the pattern today!

You'll be able to make handmade Christmas tree ornaments in no time at all with the step-by-step how-to directions, photos and printable templates in this instantly downloadable PDF sewing pattern.  

Looking for something else? 

Check out some of my other Christmas sewing and crafting projects!

Be sure to watch the Scrap Fabric Christmas Tree Ornaments video tutorial to see how quickly we whip up these cute ornaments:

Make Your Own Homemade Pumpkin Bunting Banner - Decorate with Fabric Pumpkins

If you're looking for another fun fall project to decorate your home, try this quick and easy project. It's a fabric pumpkin bunting! These cute pumpkin wall decorations are a perfect craft project for your Halloween and Thanksgiving home, too. The bunting measures 3 - 4 yards so you can quickly make your home look like it's ready for the fall season.

For this project you will need:

• Cotton fabric for the pumpkins and loops
• Cotton batting for the filling
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors and pinking shears
• Fabric clips or pins
• Clothesline cord or jute
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting ruler
• Cutting mat
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Printable templates from the pattern

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Lin C. used the pattern to make her own pumpkin bunting. Adorable!

Quilt shops even use my pattern to make a bunting for themselves!

Click to get your copy of the pattern today!

You'll be able to make a stylish hanging garland with fabric pumpkins in no time at all with the step-by-step how-to directions, photos and printable templates in this instantly downloadable PDF sewing pattern. 

Looking for other holiday and seasonal buntings and garlands? Check out some of my other tutorials:

Be sure to watch the Pumpkin Bunting video tutorial:

How to Make an Appliquéd Jack-O'-Lantern Snack Mat/ Mug Rug with Cloth Napkin

Ready for a fun Halloween sewing project? Use up your fabric scraps and some of your festive fabrics to make coffee, tea, and snack time more fun with this cute Halloween mini placemat sewing pattern. You could even make your child's lunchtime more special by sending it to school with them in their lunchbox for a holiday treat. You'll even get the directions on how to make the cute little 7" x 7" reversible cloth napkin!

This FREE downloadable pattern has step-by-step how-to directions, photos, the printable template, and link to a video tutorial. With the snack mat measuring 8 1/2" x 12" it's just the right size for all those fun fall snacks and beverages.

For this project you will need:

• Fabric scraps for the appliqué
• 8½” x 8½” front fabric
• 4” x 8 ½” pocket fabric, cut 2
• 11” x 14 ½” backing fabric
• 11” x 14 ½” batting
• 8” x 10” paper-backed fusible web (like HeatnBond Lite)
• Pencil
• Fabric clips or pins
• Iron 
• Sewing machine and thread
• Basting spray or powder
• Optional: Walking foot or free motion foot
• Two 7 ½” x 7 ½” contrasting fabrics for napkin
• Always helpful for sewing: Rotary cutter, cutting mat, and cutting ruler

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Click here to get the pattern with printable templates - for FREE!

Looking for other mug rug/snack mat ideas? Check out our other projects!

And be sure to watch the Halloween Jack-O'Lantern Snack Mat video tutorial:

Looking for more snack mat patterns? Be sure to favorite my Etsy shop as I have many more coming in the next few weeks!

Shop even more instantly downloadable sewing and crafting patterns at www.etsy.com/shop/debsdaysdesigns

 Need specific product recommendations? Find the supplies I keep in my sewing room at www.debsdays.com/2018/04/sewing-and-crafting-supplies.html

A Little Cabin in the Woods

 So here was my thinking on how best to clear my head and brighten my attitude…

• Get out of town and hunker down in a cabin in the mountains.
• Work, work, work and sleep, sleep, sleep.
• Keep uber safe by bringing my own of everything - food, dishes, towels, and pillow. And lots and lots of Lysol spray and Clorox wipes.
• Stay away from everyone at all times - see no one and speak to no one.

As with all plans, pieces didn’t come together perfectly…

• Mountains? Mountain tourist town will have to do.
• Work, work, work? Frustratingly yes. With sucky wifi it took twice as long 10 times as long to do anything.
• Sleep, sleep, sleep? From hours upon hours a day sitting in a hard wooden chair huddled over the computer my back and hips said no way.
• Keep uber safe? Yep. 
• Stay totally away from people? Yep. Only left to drop Etsy orders at the post office which required no human interaction. 

Welcome to my little cabin in the woods in the tourist town in the mountains.

Unfortunately, the week is already over and it’s time to go back home…with a mind just as cloudy as the skies.

A Second Home So Far Away

As I mentioned the other day, when we get our sprinklers blown out we know it’s time to go on a cruise. But for the second year in a row here we are, still sitting at home. I shouldn’t be so mopey about it but I am. With 88 cruises under our belt and over 600 days at sea, the ship has been our second home and the crew our family. And we miss it. And them.

So the other day on our cold and cloudy day I tried to keep myself busy - and my mind occupied - by working on Christmas projects. Even played some Christmas music. But in my mind it was just too early so I had to switch to something else.

Fall projects. Unfortunately, even fall sewing hasn’t gotten me out of the missing-my-second-home funk.

Appliqué didn’t cure my ills.

Time to try something else.

Living in Two Seasons Instead of Four

We used to have two seasons in this house, Christmas and not Christmas. I realized this morning when my mind was spinning at about 4 AM those seasons have changed. We now have sprinkler season and non-sprinkler season. 

Sprinkler season means we stay home, garden, and tend to the lawn (and the weeds). Non-sprinkler season means it's time to bring out the suitcases, the passports, and get ready to head out for a long cruising adventure. Get those sprinklers blown out and we are outta here! Even though the sprinklers did their part yesterday, we won't be doing ours. Because of the health of us, the country, and the world we'll have to wait a bit longer. Thanks to Princess Cruises' easy-to-initiate COVID cancellation policy we have a nice chunk of money just waiting for us when we're healthy and strong enough to use it. (During non-sprinkler season, of course.)

So on this cold and cloudy forty degree day instead of dreaming of snorkeling I guess I'll be moving into the non-sprinkler season Christmas season. 

Christmas projects, here I come.

Soon-to-be snowman and Santa mug rugs.

Carry Your Vaccine Card in Style with a Fabric Cardholder

If you've had your Covid vaccination somewhere in the United States, you know they issue you a paper card with all the information on it. Nothing laminated, nothing sturdy, and certainly nothing small enough to fit in your wallet. As important as the vaccine card is becoming, and with many places requiring original proof of vaccination to just get in the door, you need to keep the card on hand and safe. You want to be able to quickly find the card inside your bag or purse and have it protected in a vinyl pocket so you can show it without needing to take it out of the case. And you want a cardholder to be stylish and fit your personality.

Which is why I've been sewing vaccine card holders these last six months. I'm getting close to the 3,000th card holder sewn (whew!) so you aren't the only one wanting a fun and stylish way to keep the vaccine card on hand. 

If you need a vaccine card holder, or

you know someone else who could use a card holder, or

you're looking for a way to encourage someone to get vaccinated, or

you need a cute gift idea, or

you are looking for items to sell at holiday bazaars,

the time is now.

5 star rated? Check.

Over 100 fabric choices available for men, women, teens, and kids? Check.

Coupon code just for my blog readers? Check. 

Use coupon code DEB15 at checkout to receive 15% off my handmade vaccination card covers or vaccine card holder sewing patterns in my Etsy shop. 

Click on the photo or use this link to buy your stylish vaccination card holder today!

How to Make Handmade Bookmarks from Fabric Scraps - Great Last Minute Gift Ideas Sewing Pattern

If you are looking for quick and easy ways to use your fabric scraps, or need a quick little gift for a book lover, check out this week's 20% off sewing pattern. It's a four pack pattern bundle of some of my most popular bookmark patterns! 

You'll get written step-by-step directions, photos, templates, and links to the tutorial videos. Remember to add NEW20 to get an extra 20% off the pattern this week.

Click this link or on the image below to get your instantly downloadable patterns now! 

Sewing My Way Through Life

The last you heard from me I was in the middle of trying to get little foster kitties healthy and ready for adoption. From when I got the three boys as one day old kitties way back on May 7 until the time they left my home, it was a rough go for all of us. For them it was a life of oral antibiotics, antibiotic ointments, three separate rounds of oral anti-fungal medications, and never getting to leave the isolation room (AKA my bathroom). For me it was a whirlwind of multiple changes of clothes a day, boxes and boxes of disposable gloves, gallons of bleach, and containers of laundry detergent. When we finally got the ringworm at bay, they headed to Simply Cats' adoption floor. Unfortunately, two of the three have still not been adopted. So they sit - and play and run and climb - at Simply Cats as they continue to wait for a loving forever home. A bit of a bummer situation.

Only one thing to do to keep my mind off those kinds of things I have no control over...

Sew. Well, sew and write. And goodness, have I been doing a lot of both!

As for sewing, the popularity of the vaccination card holders I've been making has exceeded anything I could have ever imagined. As of today, I have sewn - and sold - 1,283 of them. Wow.

Sew, sew, and sew some more!

If you're interested in getting your own vaccination card cover, I have 100+ fabrics available over several listings:

• Dozens of fabrics here
• Dozens more here
• Animal fabrics
• Cats and dogs
• Pinks and purples are here
• Blues are here
• Kids and teens novelty fabrics are here
• Slim holders are here

It has been fulfilling being able to provide something to support the health and safety of individuals and the community.

I also have been writing sewing patterns. Lots and lots of patterns. I have several styles of vaccination card holder sewing patterns (notice a theme here?) but right now the most popular is this one right here:

But I'm not just all about vaccine card holders. I've also written:

• Kitchen sewing patterns
• Holiday sewing patterns
• Kids and kittens sewing patterns
• Summer sewing patterns
• Travel accessory sewing patterns
• Bookmark sewing patterns

I'm publishing new patterns weekly so I've been a busy gal. I also have a quilt shop picking up my patterns and selling them along with beautiful fabrics. Check out The Quilt Cow's Party in Your PJ's Facebook Lives on Wednesday evenings. So fun! They even have some other live shopping parties throughout the week. For me it's been fun to watch someone else working with my patterns.

Clearly this attempt-at-retirement thing isn't working for me!

All of the Work and None of the Fun - Foster Kitten Friday

One of the biggest benefits to being a foster parent to bottle baby kitties is they think you're their mama. They love on you and snuggle with you and follow you wherever you go. You have a constant companion and a constant source of entertainment. 

But not so with these little fellas.

With the boys still in the isolation room (also know as my bathroom) I don't get to see them all that much. With their ringworm - and since they aren't bottle babies anymore - the contact I have with them is limited. Feed them, clean their litter and blankets and tub and floors, and give them a bit of loving. Each time I step in there I have to change my clothes, get gloves on, and have bleach water on hand and washing machine at the ready. It's a lot of work without a lot of payoff for the foster parent.

But the payoff for the kitties will be huge. They'll be ringworm free (hopefully) and ready to go into their forever home someday. They are just so darn cute someone will be thrilled to snap them up.

Just like most weeks, I'm only taking my phone in (and sterilizing it afterwards of course) one day a week to get some photos. Today's pictures are pretty representative of what I see every day when I'm in there.

Face full of food? Yep.

Trying to find a way out again? Yep.

Boxes are the best play toy.

Foster mama just can't keep my white fur white!
But I'm still a cutie, right?

Party in Your PJs Tonight!

Remember, tonight is the Quilted Cow's Party in Your PJs Facebook Live Party. Fun fabrics and patterns for sale - including my most popular vaccine card holder pattern - and giveaways as well! 

Get registered and be ready at 7 PM CST (6PM for those of us in Idaho). I don't have Facebook or I'd share it properly, but you can find them right here: www.facebook.com/thequiltedcowmo

Happy shopping (and sewing)!

Make a Decorative Pocket Tissue & Hand Sanitizer Holder - Tutorial Tuesday

For today's Tutorial Tuesday we are making a decorative pocket tissue holder with a pocket for your hand sanitizer and lip balm. A quick and easy three in one sewing project!

 For this project you will need:

• main fabric
•  lining fabric
• pocket fabric
• pocket tissues
• hand sanitizer
• Pins or Clover Wonder Clips
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting ruler
• Cutting mat

Disclosure: Deb's Days is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to affiliated sites. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you new sewing and crafting content.

Now available in my Etsy store as a digital download with the written directions, step-by-step photos, and link to the tutorial video. Click to find out more!

Looking for more quick and easy projects? Check out these ideas!

Otherwise, you can just watch the  tutorial to make these homemade fabric pocket tissue holders with a pocket for your hand sanitizer and lip balm right here:

Foster Kitten Friday - Movin' on Up

Despite the week being full of the words like continued isolation (kitties) and quarantine (me) and of new eye infections (kitties) and hospitalizations and in-home antibody infusions (inner family circle), we made it through. Made it through and then some.

For this week was the one bottle baby foster parents dream of. The week the 'round the clock every-two-hour feedings seemed so far long ago. Yep, the kitties are growing up. And are WEANED. No more bottle babies here!

While they are self sufficient in the litter box and with eating off the plate, they are not so self sufficient in eating neatly. Or in cleaning up after themselves. 

What's the best way to eat off a plate? Curled up in the middle, of course.

Naptime, perhaps?

Does someone need their face wiped?

Yes, please.

Someone need help washing their hands paws?

Most definitely!

A messy week for all of us in so many ways, but the cuteness factor the kitties brought to the table made it a good one.

Foster Kitten Friday - The Ups and Downs

It was almost three years ago when I made the 10 Reasons You Should Foster a Cat video. 

At that point in my foster-parent-to-kittens life things were relatively easy going. But these last few years have taught me that fostering is full of ups but is also full of just as many downs. While it's fun and exciting to play with cute little kitties all day, it's also work. And this bunch of babies are work. 

I left off last week's post with some new terminology - foster home biosecurity. With Dewey having come down with ringworm, foster home biosecurity had to kick into high gear. Anything and everything now is about treatment and a decontaminated environment. Which really means kitties being isolated in the bathroom. Gloves. Multiple changes of my clothes day and night. Constant laundry. Pill popping. (For the kitties, not me.) And bleach. Lots of bleach. We need to cure the kitties, keep them from getting reinfected, and keep the adults from catching it and the only way to do it takes work. Making sure there is no cross-contamination while feeding bottle baby kittens day and night is hard.

How serious and contagious is this ringworm business? While the kitties will be just fine in the long run, they will have to remain in the bathroom the whole time they are here and I won't be able to have any more kitties coming in the house until a month after these kiddos are gone and a subsequent deep cleaning of my home happens. 

Despite the work and exhaustion (did I mention fostering ringworm kittens is hard?) we had so many exciting things happening with them this week. I have to keep my phone out of the isolation room but I made an exception for one day so I could grab some photos. I had to thoroughly disinfect the phone afterwards but it was worth it.

Litter box users? YES! 

They always use the litter box at
the exact same time!

Climbers and jumpers? YES! They almost can get out of the tub on their own.

Paws over the side. He's oh-so-close!

Kitties who are excited to tell us how proud they are about weaning off their milk and are happy to show off their gruel eating faces? YES! (Gruel is how we transition them to more solid foods and is a mixture of kitty formula, canned baby food, and canned cat food.)

Huey is ready for his closeup.

Dewey wants you to know the harder you chew,
the more that comes out. And he wants you to see his baby teeth.

Louie wants you to know a gruel face, a pink nose, and
baby blue eyes are a great color combination.

With these kinds of pictures the ups outweigh the downs, don't ya think?