Thanks to Traci, I was tempted to try using Anna Maria Horner’s technique for this uber-cute faux smocked – elastic gathered skirt that is a FREE tutorial on her blog. And thanks to Crafty Laine I had the perfect fabric at my fingertips: Kate Spain’s Central Park!

Now I don’t think that I have followed a pattern exactly since I was in jr. high, so of course there are a few changes I made. Mostly in the construction because I like feeding elastic through channels as much as I like scooping up pet poop. And, since I decided to do an extra channel of elastic, it became imperative to use a nifty little tool that I guess will have to make my “favorite tools” list: the loop turner.

It can be used for turning loops, but you can get creative. I have customers bying it to feed the beads on a special jewelry that the get at Santa Fe Jewelry , and I use it to pull elastic in a flat situation. Here in lies the problem, a skirt is not. So, I left openings on either side of the waist, used my loop turner to pull all 5 pieces of elastic through one side – secured the end with a pin, then started pulling it through the other side. This is when it really starts to gather, but with patience, it’s a heck of a lot easier than using a safety pin.

If you have attended our gift bag or wine bag making class, we use the same technique putting the ribbon drawstring into the bag!

When we are snowed in – there are a few things on the top of my list:

1) sewing (of course!)

2) cooking

3) napping

Today, I am making (once again) homemade marshmallows from a recipe that I found several years ago – long before I had a stand-up mixer- in a Martha Stewart Living Magazine. I kept the recipe and waited for the mixer, because I had to see it for my own eyes and taste it on my own lips. I mean, who would have ever thought that you could get a marshmallow unless it said “jet-puffed” across the package? If you need to believe – pull out the mixer (but I do recommend it be the stand-up kind or you are going to get one heck of a work out and make a heck of a mess) and try for yourself! Don’t have a stand-up mixer? Join us at Crafty Laine tomorrow (weather permitting) and I will have plenty to share!!

Marshmallows have to firm for 3 hours so plan accordingly. Original recipe says they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, I have frozen them and they seem to keep just fine for a couple of weeks – eventually they get frost bite. I have also poured them into two pans and cut them in one-inch squares or cut them out with a cookie cutter, a two-inch marshmallow is a big one but very dramatic and makes for good presentation!

Cooking spray

4 Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin

3 cups Granulated sugar

1 ¼ cups Light Corn Syrup

¼ tsp Salt

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 ½ cups Confectioner’s sugar

Spray a 9×13 – inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang along the sides. Spray parchment with cooking spray; set aside. Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and ¾ cup water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring until mixture registers 238° on a candy thermometer, about 9

minutes. Meanwhile, put ¾ cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.

Attach bowl with gelatin to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is very stiff, about 12 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared dish, and smooth with an offset spatula. Set aside, uncovered, until firm, about 3 hours. Sift 1-cup confectioners’ sugar onto a work surface. Un-mold marshmallow onto confectioners’ sugar; remove parchment. Lightly spray a sharp knife with cooking spray, then cut marshmallow into 2-inch squares. Sift remaining ½ cup confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl and roll each marshmallow in the sugar to coat. Yields: about 24

Supplies needed:

fabric

zipper

fusible interfacing (optional)

Step 1: Cut out 4 hearts. 2 will be your outer fabric, 2 will be your lining fabric. Cut a 5th heart out of fusible interfacing and fuse to the heart that will be used as the back of the zipper pouch.

Step 2: mark a line on the back side across one of the hearts that are used for lining. Start and end 3/4″ from each edge.

Step 3: Pin 1 outer heart with right sides together to the lining heart that you just drew the line on. Sew 1/8″ around the drawn line – through the two layers. * Click the picture to see the detail.

Then, cut along the line and at angles into the corners, making sure you don’t cut your stitching. Like shown in the diagram below:

Step 4: turn right side out – and press. Your 2 hearts should be wrong sides together. Place and pin the zipper centered into the opening.

Step 5: Using your zipper foot, stitch around the perimeter of the opening – close to the edge – this will secure the zipper in place.

Step 6: Trim the zipper tape.

Step 7: Pin the outer hearts with right sides together – sew with 1/4″ seam allowance. Repeat this process with the lining hearts  - sew with a slightly larger seam allowance (this will give it room to fit into the outer heart), leaving a 2″ opening on a straight edge for turning later. Trim seam allowances with picking shears – clip the deep v’s.

Step 8: Start turning the lining right side out through the 2″ opening, poking the curves and corners with a blunt object (we use a bone folder) as you go. Pin the opening and topstitch closed.

Step 9: Turn the pouch right side out through the zipper and press.

* we used Central Park fabric designed by Kate Spain

You can view our February Class Schedule on facebook under “NOTES”:http://www.facebook.com/CraftyLaine

or on our website: http://craftylaine.com/calendar/

In addition, We are collecting Valentines for children who are seriously ill.

Put a Valentine in our mailbox and you will have a chance to draw from our prize bag!

{Prizes include discounts on merchandise and FREE stuff}

All donations will be given to children in the Starlight Foundation

{http://www.starlight-colorado.org/}

*please, one prize per customer, but share as many Valentines as you would likenow – February 12th!

HOLIDAY CLOSURES

We will be enjoying Christmas with our family and friends; we hope you will be doing the same!

Crafty Laine will be closed:

December 19^th – December 27^th

&

December 31^st and January 1^st

NEW STORE HOURS

EFFETIVE JANUARY 5TH, WE WILL BE CLOSING AT 4PM ON WEDNESDAYS!

SUNDAY & MONDAY: CLOSED

TUESDAY: 10am – 6pm

WEDNESDAY: 10am – 4pm

THURSDAY: 10am – 6pm

FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 10am – 4pm

We’ve been cutting away

for a 2-day

Fat Quarter Frenzy!

Our bins are filled and we will be offering

10 Fat Quarters for $20

Tuesday, November 23^rd 10am-6pm

Closed in between to enjoy Thanksgiving with friends & family

Saturday, November 27^th 10am-4pm

*pre-cut fat quarters only, don’t worry there are plenty to choose from!

273 Washington Street * 719-375-3961 * www.craftylaine.com

Since belting sweaters are all the rage these days, I thought I would share this fabric/ribbon belt with you. There are so many things you could do with this – but here is the basic idea:

Materials needed:

1/4 yard fabric (or choose 1/8 yard of 2 for reversible belt)

Ribbon (2 pieces, 1 yard or more depending on size of belt and desired length of ribbon)

1/8 yard ultrafirm (non-woven stabilizer)

Tools: loop turner, fray-check, scissors, pins

Step 1: determine the length and width of  the fabric portion of your belt and how long the ribbon portion will need to be in order to tie it. (you don’t want your fabric to touch when the ribbon is tied)

Step 2: create a pattern using something you already have. You want to use something with a little bit of a curve (ex. a leather belt that you have worn a lot or the bottom hem of a skirt)

Step 3: make a pattern and cut it out. I used the bottom hem of a skirt, and traced it onto Swedish Tracing paper (if you haven’t used it – you will love it), then used my ruler to mark 3″ from my curved line (since I want a finished belt that is 2″ wide and I am using a 1/2″ seam allowance).

Step 4: cut a piece of Ultrafirm slightly shorter and about 1 1/4″ less than your fabric pieces (if you are using a 1/2″ seam allowance).

Step 5: fold ends of fabric under about 1/2″ and pin right sides of fabric together – sew using 1/2″ seam allowance.

Step 6: using a loop turner – turn fabric right side out. Press fabric flat. Using loop turner – pull piece of ultrafirm through the belt.

Step 7: Pin ribbon in place on each end, tucking it between fabric layers. Top-stitch around perimeter of belt, going through layers of fabric, ribbon and ultrafirm so it doesn’t shift as you wear it.

Step 8: trim edges of ribbon at desired angle and apply fray-check so your ribbon doesn’t fray!

IMG_4473

Step 9: belt your sweater!