Pinewood Derby Award and a tutorial

I volunteer in our church Cub Scout Program.  For our Pinewood Derby I volunteered to make the prizes for the boys.  Our committee chair has seen this on Pinterest and we thought it would be great to make for our boys.  I looked for a tutorial after I made it and found one similar but I thought since I document things anyway that I would try and make a mini tutorial for how to make it.

 

Here is one side.

 

 

 

All twelve together with the  1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in the front.

 

What you will need:

 

• 2x4
• Cars (I bought mine 3 for $1 at Dollar Tree.)
• Spray paint - Blue and Gold
• E6000 or a super strong glue
• Vinyl - I used white and gold

HOW TO:

Cut 2x4 at an angle.  My first idea was to just cut a piece about 3 1/2 inches and then cut it in 1/2 on the diagonal, of course when you let the engineer/woodworker do it, he has his own idea and thinks that that would be to small.  So he cut the diagonal the same, but added about 2 inches to the bottom.  So if you look at it on the side.  It is 5 1/2 inches to the top of the piece of wood and where the slope comes down it is 2 inches.  Does that make any sense?  Just wing it, it will look okay how ever you do it.

 

Next you need to paint the pieces.  We had a nice warm day and so I got to spraying the blocks.

 



 

I used this paint (leftover from my Race car Birthday Party.) It was shiny and perfect for the job.

 

 

Then I painted the cars with Gold Metallic spray paint.

 

It took a couple extra sprays to get all of the nooks and crannies of the cars, so the color wouldn't shine through.

 Here is the paint I used for this part.

Then the gluing began.  You could use any super strong glue.  I used something like E6000.  We had to adapt the cars a little bit by adding a very thin piece of wood underneath and between the wheels so the car would stick.  I didn't get a picture of that part.  We just painted the wood so you wouldn't be able to see it.

 

Next I got out my Silhouette and cut the vinyl for the sides.  I used the font Tan Patty, it looked a lot like the font used on the Official Site from the Boy Scouts of America for Pinewood Derby.

One side had the pack number on it.

 

The other side had Pinewood Derby and the year on it.

We decided to have a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner and so I tried for the first time to layer fonts.  It isn't all that hard when you have something small like this.  But I am sure it would take a little bit more work to do something larger.  Here is a link to the video I used to help me figure out how to LAYER.

Turned out pretty good for my first try.  I am also adding a link to my Pinterest board for my Silhouette helps.  I find sometimes if I have only done something once I can't remember how to do it the next time and so I use Pinterest as my brain.  Hope you enjoy.

Ruffled Notebook Cover Tutorial

Maybe you remember back in  February I made a Ruffled Notebook Cover ?!?!?!  It looked like this.

Oh yeah you say. . . I seem to remember you promising a tutorial . . . Yep, I had more to make and thought I would get to it soon.  Now it is 6 months later and I am getting around to it.  It might look like I was waiting for the notebooks to go on sale, but that would just be me trying to get around the fact that my craft room has been collecting dust for the most part.  Something about a VERY mobile baby and other projects getting in the way.

With all that said I finally finished up the other notebooks I had cut out and so I have no excuse for not getting this posted now.  Here they are in all their beauty!!!

Now for the tutorial.  Drum roll please.  Okay maybe not that much fanfare.  I must put a funny side note on this tutorial - In my haste to finish the one for Liberty earlier this year, I forgot to finish taking pictures and so as you go through the pictures you will notice the fabric changes in most the pictures.  My mistake.  I am kind of spacey most days.
Another side note:  I tend to explain things expecting you to know basic construction techniques.  I am not very detailed, sorry.  If you have questions then email me or leave a comment and I will respond to you.

Materials:

• Composition notebook (good to buy them now when they are under a $1 at some places - they can be over $3 off school season.)
• Main Fabric about 1/2 yard
• Coordinating fabric for ruffle and pocket - 1/4 to 1/3 yard
• Ribbon about 1 yard

Fabric Cutting:

Main fabric: CUT two of each size

• 16 1/2 inch by 4 inch (outside top and bottom)
• 8 inch by 11 inch (inside panel)

Coordinating fabric: CUT one of each size

• 40 inch by 5 inch (ruffle)
• 6 inch by 6 inch (pocket)

Ribbon: CUT two of each

• 12 or 13 inch pieces  for ties
• 4 inch pieces for "binding"

How To:
Begin by taking ruffle piece and doing two rows of gathering stitches on both sides of the fabric.

Next attach ruffle to one of the main front fabrics, matching edges and then middles.

Then pull the threads to gather the material to the top fabric piece.  Then sew along this edge.  It will look like you are making a skirt for a minute now.

Repeat with the bottom piece of fabric.

Next step is to press the piece so the ruffles look more flat.  I tend to pull the top and bottom pieces a little bit as I press.  I also press where the ruffles meet the top pieces towards the non ruffled piece.   It will make it easier to pull the ruffles better and also makes a place where we can top stitch.

Next topstitch about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the ruffles.

Now pull out your pocket piece and press about 1/2 inch down on one side.  You should probably finish the edge with serging, zigzag or cut with pinking sheers first.  Once you have pressed it down you can stitch down the top of the pocket.  I ran two stitches along the edge of where I had folded.

Now fold in all the edges about 1/2 inch and press with iron.  Then hold on to this while we get the inside panels ready.



Take the inside panels and on the 11inch side finish the edge then fold over about 1/2 inch, press and stitch.  Repeat for other  piece.



Flip to the right side and pin the pocket on.  I kind of center it top to bottom but put it closer to the sewn edge and then do a double row of stitches like I did on the top.



Here is a close up of what I mean.




Now we are ready to assemble our cover.  Place inside panels with hemmed (sewn) edges in the middle and match sides and top together.  There should be a gap between them.





Cut the ribbons to about 12 or 13 inches. Then pin them in where the seam on the outer edge. Make sure you place the ribbon in the center of the outer side seams. I try and match up the ribbons from the front to back so that they will match when you close the book.

Next take your note book. ( I try and make sure it is the one I am going to use for the end product in case they are a different size. )  I fold the fabric around it and find the center.  Then open up the fabric and place the book on the one side.  I take a pen and trace around the notebook - being generous with the lines.  I carefully put the notebook on the other side and then repeat process.


Here is what I mean.  (A closer view.)



Place the 4 inch piece of ribbon across the gap.  I did this part wrong in this picture.  The next picture shows how they should be.  I put the ribbon across the gap and on the "line" that I have drawn before.  Then you stitch around the entire thing starting and ending near one of the ribbons across the gap.

Now come the hard part.  Before you clip or cut anything it is time to try it on.  This is where I always cringe.  Did I measure it right, did I sew it right.  Make sure you have your friend the seam ripper near by.  It is likely you will need it.

Here is the way I have to put it on.  It always makes me cringe. 

Anyway - once it fits you have one pretty simple step.  I finish my edges by cutting them with the pinking shears.  It makes it really nice when you go around the corners.  You don't have to clip or cut the corners and it gives it a finish that won't unravel.  I am careful to move my ribbon as I cut the fabric underneath.  (see photo where I attached the ribbon above.)




(this has the ribbon wrong, although when I did this I didn't pick it out and it works, just adds a little bit of bulk in the spine area.)

Then you are done, you can go now and write notes in style.  I think these might be fun for a high school or college age kid.  I did give Kirsten one for helping me with cleaning up before Peter's party.  She was a real trooper and I always feel sorry for the kid that doesn't get anything new.



These are fun to make but require a little bit of time to make them look nice.  Always press when possible.  I might suggest not using the stripes. It made it pretty obvious when my center ruffle wasn't exactly straight.  But Kirsten didn't even notice.  I didn't add the pencil/pen holder because I don't like mine and haven't been able to figure out a good method.  I think with Liberty's and others I have just added a looped ribbon piece above where you add the ribbon for the ties.  Just make sure that the ribbon will hold your pencil and is on the back part rather then the front near the pocket.  I have added it after I get all done too, just unpick the area you want it and slip it in and then re sew the area.

I am pretty excited to get these done and now I can work on a new project.  Hope you like it.  Please email me with any questions or comment below.


 

Creche Ornament Tutorial

Creche Ornament Tutorial

This is a very simple ornament to make.  It does require a glue gun and some paint brushes in addition to the items listed in THIS POST

I hope I took pictures of all the steps.

First paint half of the larger clothes pins one color (like blue or green) and the other half a second color (like red) Then paint all the small ones white.  Cover the entire clothes pin with the paint.

White small clothes pins

Blue Large clothes pins

Then paint the stars yellow.

Next paint just the front part of the clothes pin on the two larger ones with a peachy skin color. (You do not need to paint the sides since they will be covered in fabric.)

Next paint the entire top (head) of the white small clothes pins.

With black paint and the end of something small - paint brush or pin - make eyes.  Just two dots per head.  Then add a touch of blush on the cheeks with a Q-tip or something like that.

 Then add fabric to the Mary and Joseph, to cover their heads.  (Sorry this picture is too small.)  Just a thin 1/4 to 1/2 inch strip that is about 2 to 3 inches long.  Do each head a separate color.  I did red for Mary and tan for Joseph - because that is what I had on hand.  I could be anything you have on hand that looks a little rustic.

Next glue Mary and Joseph together with hot glue, making sure Mary is just a little lower then Joseph.

Secure the star with hot glue

Then glue baby Jesus on top of the star.

 Secure a piece of twine on the back with hot glue, making sure you put your tag on first (Not shown in this picture.)

 Then enjoy your hard work and deliver to friends with your Christmas cards or how ever you want to do it.

Edited to add: Here is a link to the tags.  Unto Us Tags