Challenge: Vinyl Tablecloth Repurposed

I created a fun challenge for myself last week. I purchased a vinyl tablecloth for $3.50 and I wanted to see how many things I could create from my little purchase. (Just remember you can choose any pattern of tablecloth you want. I picked patriotic because it is almost the 4th of July) Challenges help me get my creative juices flowing and they are a great excuse to make some new treasures. The adventure begins...

Here is the tablecloth I purchased at Big Lots. It was oblong and measured 52" x 70".

1. Table Runner: I cut a section off the tablecloth using my rotary cutter to fit over one of my antique buffets.

2. Snack Bag: Cut two rectangles ...x.... Place right sides together and sew around edge leaving 1/4" seam allowance and small opening. Use small opening to turn fabric inside out. Fold over as shown below.

Stitch around three sides leaving the top open. Velcro or a snap makes a great addition.

I was surprised at what a hit the snack bag was. My son asked if he could use it every day.

3. Outdoor Pillows: I sewed two small pillows up and placed them on a red bench on my patio with my cute armadillo. (Armadillo is the Texas State animal)

4. Pennant: Cut triangles out of tablecloth. I kept the finished seam at the top as shown below. I used a hot glue gun to adhere the flags to white rope.

Here are the flags hanging up. I love how crisp they look without any sewing at all! Looks like we are ready to party.

5. Party Favor Music Makers: I wrapped fabric around toilet paper rolls and hot glued it on.

Then we filled them with beans and tied the ends shut. Shake, shake, shake!!

6. Patriotic Cards: I cut some stars out of the extra fabric and made up several 4th of July cards.

7. Hair Band: I cut out several stars and layered them on top of each other. I sewed a button on top and around a hair band.

8. Baby bib: First I traced around an old bib on two separate pieces of fabric. Cut out and place right sides together. I also cut out a small piece of clear vinyl to serve as a pocket. Pin and sew around edges leaving 1/4" seam allowance. I left a small opening to turn the bib inside out. Next, sew around the edges to finish it off. A snap was added at the top. This is one of my favorites!

9. Popsicle Holders: These can be stitched or made using hot glue. There is a great tutorial at Brown Paper Packages for hot glue. Click here. I just sewed around three edges and turned them inside out. I tried them out and they work even better then I expected.

Well,...that is it!! I am officially out of fabric. Thank goodness!!

  9 projects for $3.50

Parties I linked to:

     

Patriotic Ping Pong Ball Game

My son enjoyed the bean bag toss game so much that I started thinking of more fun games to make for our 4th of July party. I came up with this game primarily from supplies at the dollar store. It truly cost me $3 to make the whole game!

Supplies:

Red or Blue Cups

Rectangle of plywood or foam board

Ping Pong Balls

Star stickers

Push Pins

Directions:

I started with a rectangle of plywood and spray painted it blue. I then lined it with cups and used push pins to attach them to the plywood base. (Foam board would work just as easily) I went with ten cups but you may obviously use as many or as little as you choose. Next,  I adhered stars on the cups to jazz them up a bit.

Use push pins to tack the cups to your base



I decorated ping pong balls with star stickers and sewed a little drawstring bag to keep them in.

This is my son trying his luck at the game. I love that kids of any age can play and you may manipulate the difficulty level by choosing where they must stand to throw the balls. Another fun variation would be to assign point values to each row of cups. I have found that kids just love games in general. I hope this is a big hit at the party!

Parties I linked to:

   

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Patriotic Bean Bag Toss for 4th of July

We always have a huge family gathering for 4th of July at my mother-in-laws house. She has a pool and she is great at entertaining large groups. I thought it would be fun for the kids to have some games to play when they take a break from the pool. The adults always have a great game of competitive washers going. If you don't know what washers is...you need to look it up! This is the bean bag toss I created this week.

I started with some scraps of patriotic fabric from the quilt I posted earlier this week. I pieced together 4x4" squares.

Place right sides of fabric together. Leaving a small opening to turn them inside out, sew with 1/4" seam allowance. Turn inside out and fill with rice or beans. Then stitch the small remaining opening together.

Next I cut a star out of plywood with a jigsaw. I did it without a pattern so it is definitely not perfect. A square or a rectangle shape would work just as easily.  I elected to only cut one hole out of the middle to make it fun and easy for children of any age.

Then I taped it off to paint it red, white, and blue. I cut a small piece of wood and screwed it in the back to make it stand up.

I bought an adorable patriotic bucket to keep the beanbags in and our game was ready to go. My son is already enjoying it!

Please check back tomorrow for another fun children's game I am working on. It requires minimal supplies and will be so fast to make!

Parties I linked to:



http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/