Wrap Up Your Table like a Christmas Present

As I mentioned in my mega post, I got a table runner and a matching table cloth for a combined total of $8 at the Christmas Tree Shop. The table cloth was the perfect size for our old TV stand/upcycled dining room shelf. It looked a little funny with the edges sticking out, so I decided to wrap up the table like a Christmas present.


This is fairly simple: on one side, flatten the center portion of the table cloth and smooth out the edge folded portions. You'll begin to see a bit of a "wrapped present" look already. Attach a clip to one of those edge pieces, just under the fold.


Attach the bottom center portion of the table cloth to the clip, under the first folded edge.


Bring the second folded edge over and clip it into place as well, in front of the folded edge.


This does take some finagling, but once you get the handling down, you'll get nice, neat look. Perfect for a cat to jump on and mess up.

Photo Friday: Milo the Explorer

Who doesn't love adorable animals? A few years ago, my husband and I took a road trip to Ohio for Thanksgiving, bringing our cats along with us. While they were less than thrilled about the trip (Well, Salem was less than thrilled. Milo was annoyed that his brother wouldn't shut up), they were both ecstatic to explore my in-law's home. This is back when we still lived in Boston (where "wildlife" didn't even entail the occasional bird in a tree), so Milo was beside himself with all the squirrels and chipmunks and sparrows...

I'll be heading back to Ohio next week for my sister-in-law's graduation from University of Cincinnati. No cats this time (they'll be happily at home, checked in on from time to time by one of our very kind friends), but plenty of hilarity to be had (which is the only way to describe what happens when my husband, my sister-in-law, my brother-in-law, and my father-in-law are in the same room together. Well, "utter chaos" can also describe it, but that sends a negative connotation.)

Guinea Pig Jailer Costume

We have already met my guinea pig Annabelle. Like any crazy animal person, I adore her and attribute more human characteristics to her than is deemed socially acceptable. And, ever since the South Park episode where giant guinea pigs try to take over the world, I've been dying to get some guinea pig costumes. Unfortunately, those just do not exist for us peasants.

So, I decided it was time to make one. I gathered up some old clothes and my measuring tape and went to it.

First, I measured my guinea pig's length and waist circumference. If you have a snuggly guinea pig like mine, this is actually pretty easy to do. As long as she was on my lap, Annabelle was content with whatever measurements I needed.

I one of the old clothes I grabbed was a black tank top, left over from my t-shirt shag rug, and traced out my design.

I don't know how South Park did it, but the physique of guinea pigs doesn't really lend itself to costumes. For those who have not owned guinea pigs: imagine a hot dog bun with four toothpicks inserted almost completely into the bun, You now know what a guinea pig's body looks like. So sleeves were out. I came up with a pattern that essentially looked like a flattened frog.

And now came my favorite part: the PITS -- or "Pin It To Shit". I don't think I even used this many pins on my cat cape. I ironed and (very carefully) sewed the hem.

Next, using my rotary cutter, I sliced about six or so 1" strips of white cloth (also left over from the t-shirt shag rug). If you want to pin and hem those, go right ahead. I was so sick of pins at that point that I just tugged at the cotton so that the fabric curved inward and pinned the stripes curve-side down. I (begrudgingly) pinned the stripes into place and trimmed the extras.

One by one, I sewed along the inside edge of each stripe, essentially creating a long rectangle with my stitches.

Now, I did the velcro wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong here. The velcro needed to be on the opposite side of the straps from its counterpart. I should've twisted one side's straps so I wouldn't flub up. But, live and learn (and resew one side's velcro).

It all worked out in the end, as I had to do some readjusting anyway. On the first fitting, I realized that the straps were a smidgen too long, making the costume too loose.

One trick I used to put the costume on: in order to keep my usually-docile guinea pig from freaking out, I first just placed the costume on top of Annabelle while she was on my lap, and letting it stay there, as if it were a blanket. Then, before she could protest, I attached the one going under her belly. After a few more snuggles, I then (just as quickly, if not quicker) attached the one around her neck.



I'd say the costume stayed on her for about 30 seconds before she just slid out of it. Again, I don't know how South Park did it. Maybe they drugged the hell out of their guinea pigs. PETA would have a field day.

Recycling Old Clothes, Part 1 (Technically 2): Kitty Superhero Cape

I’ve reached that age where my parents want my childhood bedroom back. Although I can’t take everything until I own a home, I have been bringing a few things back with each visit: some old books here, a out-of-tune guitar there. After Christmas, I came home with a garbage bag filled with old clothing. And by old, I mean old -- middle school old. Junior high old (and yes, I did go to both a middle school and junior high).

I got to thinking about what I wanted to do with these clothes. Since I had such a history with them, I didn’t want to just donate them or throw them out (because, as we’ve already established, I’m a pack rat).

Thankfully, I got a sewing machine for Christmas. I quickly decided that I could both practice my sewing skills (which are about 10 years out of practice) and find a use for my old clothing by creating something new with my old clothing.

Thanks to this website, my first sewing project was making a tote bag out of an old tank top:

I posted it on Twitter, to which my sister-in-law replied, “Epic cape for Salem?”

I have two cats, Salem & Milo, one of whom you've already met. Now, suddenly, a tote made out of a tank top seemed pathetic compared to a superhero cape for my cats, which inspired my next sewing project:

A superhero cape for my cats.

Sadly, I don’t wear much red to begin with, and I squandered my one red shirt on the tote. After some thought, I decided – hey, I’m making a cape for my cats, I might as well go big or go home.

The result?

Pink flowered shorts as my cape material.

Salem already sensed a disturbance in the force and decided he need to hang out by my sewing machine.

I started by cutting off the elastic and setting it to the side. You never know when you might need an elastic.

You’ll be amazed how hard it is to find a cape pattern online, especially one meant for cats. I managed to find this site and based my design off of their pattern.

Since I’m still starting out, I don’t have many of the sewing essentials, like fabric markers or sheers. So, crayola marker and paper scissors will have to do.

Milo decided to join in on the madness soon after.

I free-handed one half of the cape on the front side of the shorts and pinned the fabric, keeping it from shifting all over the place while cutting.

I realized after a few snips that I needed to cut at least an inch around the border so I would have some sort of a hem. Eh, live and learn.

After cutting came the pining of the outer hem. As can be imagined, the side without the marker was the hardest to pin, as I had to eyeball the hem the entire way.

I learned the hard way how important it is to iron your hem before sewing it. Before the cape, I tried making straps for a bag, only to end up with a curved and sloppy mess. Again, live and learn (and iron your hems).

Already Milo is getting nervous.

I sewed the outer hem into place. I was actually excited with how straight my stitches were. I couldn’t control the path of my stitch for the life of me at first, and I was worried the same would happen here. Aside from my backstitch going a little crooked, I’m very happy with how this came out.

After the outer hem was in place, I pinned, ironed, and stitched the inner hem.

After all this pinning and ironing and hemming, I got a little antsy, and just folded over the top edge and sewed it in place for the top hem. I then pinned the two halves together and sewed them in place.

I decided against sewing the top portion together and opted for Velcro instead. Most animals go a little nutty when you try to slip something over their head. They tend to be a bit calmer, however, if something is placed on their back and around their neck instead.

Sticky-back Velcro is honestly my crack. I use it by the metric ton as a teacher. I also love it because the Velcro stays in place when you sew it on.

I must stress, though: the adhesive is great if you’re putting Velcro on a wall, but it will come off within the first use on fabric. The Velcro must be sewed on.

I also cannot stress the focus on the Velcro’s placement enough. To avoid placing the Velcro on the wrong side, I placed the cape face down on the carpet and folded over the right strap.

The finished result:
(I realized quite quickly that one side was completed faded. That's what I get for sitting around all day.)


The cats were not exactly thrilled about the cape, but they certainly did not act negatively like I expected. It helped that I gave them plenty of treats before, during, and after.