Learn How to Make Your Own Jar Opener - Rubber Gripper DIY Kitchen Gadget

Today we'll be learning how to sew handmade decorative fabric and rubber jar grippers to help you open jars, lids, or bottles in the kitchen. These cloth and rubber grip openers whip up pretty darn fast so you can have plenty on hand for cooking, baking, and outdoor gatherings. 

For this project you will need:

• 2 pieces of fabric
• rubber shelf liner
• fabric clips or pins
• sewing machine and matching thread
• Teflon sewing machine foot or painter's tape
• scissors, rotary cutter, cutting mat, cutting ruler
• Optional: magnet

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 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!

Check out some of my other quick and easy kitchen projects:

Then join us as we stitch up our own decorative jar opener!

St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Drink Coaster Set - A Simple March Sewing Project Tutorial

Today we are learning how to make a set of fabric shamrock drink coasters. Celebrate the St. Patrick's Day holiday while adding some color to your table - and protecting it from those green beers! - with this step-by-step tutorial. It's a super simple sewing project for the spring holiday.

For this project you will need:

• fabric
• cotton batting
• fabric clips and pins
• iron
• sewing machine and matching thread
• scissors, rotary cutter, cutting mat, cutting ruler
• pinking shears
• shamrock templates from 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.

Click to get your copy of the downloadable pattern today!

The written pattern contains step-by-step how-to directions, photos, link to the video tutorial, and the printable templates to make a set of 4 fabric drink coasters measuring approximately 6" x 6".

Looking for other fabric coaster projects? Check out some of the others I have available:

And check out how to make your very own St. Patrick's Day shamrock coasters with the video tutorial:

Learn How to Sew a St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Potholder - Holiday Kitchen Tutorial

Looking to decorate your kitchen for the St. Patrick's Day holiday? Today we're learning how to sew a homemade shamrock potholder, hot pad, or trivet with this project's tutorial. Spruce up your kitchen decor just in time for St. Paddy's Day with this cute appliquéd and quilted green clover kitchen accessory idea.

For this project you will need:

• fabric scraps for the applique
• fabric for the front, back, and hanging loop
• cotton batting or Insul-Bright
• 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
• optional: walking foot or free motion foot, tear away stabilizer
• shamrock templates from 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.

Click to get your copy of the downloadable pattern today!

The written pattern contains step-by-step how-to directions, photos, link to the video tutorial, and the printable templates to make a potholder, trivet, or hot pad measuring approximately 8 ½” x 8 ½”. Instructions for an optional hanging loop - and mitered corners - are included.

Looking for more potholders, hot pads, and trivets? Check out some of my other project patterns available:

Otherwise, watch as we make the St. Patrick's Day shamrock potholder:

St. Patrick's Day Sewing & Crafting Projects with Step-by-Step How-to Tutorial Videos

Looking for sewing and crafting projects ideas for St. Patrick's Day with clear step-by-step how-to tutorial videos?

Click below to get started on your own homemade St. Patrick's Day sewing and crafting project!

Click here for even more sewing and crafting projects, patterns, 

and tutorials from DebsDaysDesigns! 

Make Your Own Valentine's Day Heart Bunting - Quick and Easy Holiday Garland Project

If you're looking for a super simple project to decorate a space for your Valentine's Day party or celebration, check out this fabric heart garland. It goes together quickly and will be a decoration to have you ready for the February holiday.

For this project you will need:

• Cotton fabric for the hearts
• Cotton fabric for the 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 template 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.

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 get it now!

Otherwise you can follow along with the tutorial video as we make our own cute handmade Valentine's Day decoration:

Looking for more Valentine's Day projects? Check out some of my other tutorials!

Otherwise, join us as we make this cute Valentine's Day heart bunting!

Foster Kitten Friday - First Day of Kindergarten

As any parent knows, the first day of Kindergarten can be a hard one. As a former teacher I can tell you it usually goes one of two ways:

1. The child screams and cries and won't let go of the parent. 
2. The child runs off into the room without even saying goodbye to mom. Sometimes dad - but mostly mom - is left standing there all alone, not sure of what to do with herself. The little one has been her world for the last 5 years and now she's not needed anymore. She will be worried all day long, wondering if kiddo is doing okay on the first day of Kindergarten, hoping friends are being made and kiddo is happy. (It's not much different from the feeling you get when you drop the same kid off at college many years later.) 

If you're a parent you may know those feelings. As it has been a long while since I've experienced the drop-kiddo-at-Kindergarten I-hope-she's-doing-ok feeling, I was quite surprised when the feelings arose again this week. 

All because of Mr. Hans Solo. 

Having just one foster kitten in the house this time around made for a different experience. And when he headed to the adoption floor this week I wondered - and worried - if he would make other kitty cat friends. I may not have been ready for him to leave me, but he was quite ready for the first-day-of-Kindergarten adventure.

*He wanted to be confident climbing the jungle gym at school Simply Cats so he practiced by climbing between the chair and end table again and again.

 

*He said goodbye to his security blanket.

*He double checked to make sure he had all his supplies in his Simply Cats bag.

*He promised he would make sure he wouldn't be a messy eater at snack time. Shh..don't tell him he left food on his face.

*His teacher made a home visit to meet him. (Not really. I caught a black cat on our security camera and couldn't think of any other way to work it into the story!)

*And bless little Hans Solo's heart, he climbed up and onto the school bus all by himself.

He had a great first day at Kindergarten. He made a new kitty cat friend and smiled big for his school picture.

Photo courtesy of Simply Cats

And exciting news - he's already been adopted and he and his new kitty cat friend are going home together! 

After looking at where he started:

November 16
Photo courtesy of Simply Cats

to where he is now:

January 12
Photo courtesy of Simply Cats

I say forget Kindergarten - bring on first grade!

Foster Kitten Friday - Heredity Versus Environment

While last week with Hans Solo reminded me of an episode of Hoarders, this week had me thinking more of the movie Trading Places. A rich Dan Aykroyd and poor Eddie Murphy wind up having their positions in life swapped as part of a bet. The fellows who are pulling the strings on their lives were debating the whole heredity versus environment thing. One particular line from the movie ran through my head this week when dealing with Hans Solo:

Given the right surroundings and encouragement...

So how and why does this apply to a foster kitten? As a parent to a foster kitten you are responsible for helping them not only grow big and strong, but well socialized and loving and kind. And when you are raising kitties from the very beginning (like bottle baby stage) you do have the opportunity to provide the right surroundings and encouragement to make it work. Except when it feels like it doesn't.

This was the week the little guy turned into no-more-loving kitty and into the bite-your-hands and climb-your-legs-when-you're-walking boy. Even though I continued to redirect his energy into all those hoarding toys we saw last week, he seemed to want my hands more. 

Any time my hands were near Hans Solo
this was my view.

We continued to help get those wiggles out with the wand toys. I tell ya, the boy hasn't met one he hasn't liked. 

Here's my best attempt at getting a photo of the
crazy wand toy sessions. The boy's too fast for the camera.

So as I pondered why, despite the typical fostering techniques used, Hans Solo has a wild streak in him I've wondered if it's because he was abandoned so early. If it's because he was so sick at the beginning and didn't get medical care immediately. Maybe because several milestones were delayed. Perhaps because his siblings passed away. And while I know it's not necessarily a bad thing that he's a rough and tumble boy instead of a lovey-dovey one, I still have to look inward at the quality of care (surroundings and encouragement, perhaps?) I provided and why he hasn't turned out like the others I've fostered. 

The sweet face after we get all the wiggles out.

Then as I was uploading pictures, it hit me. The boy has a wild hair. While it's not a wild hair up his b---, it's three wild hairs on top of his head. 

Wild hairs so long they can't fit in the picture!