5 Cold Weather Indoor Craft Ideas to Keep your Kids Occupied

Hello everyone! We survived #SeattleSnowmageddon2019 and eventually were able to dig ourselves out of our garage and driveway. It was a doozy of a snow storm, but we had everything we needed to stay warm and keep our tummies way more full than usual for a week (stress eating during an emergency is a real thing).

What I keep hearing from my friends, is while many had enough food to eat, and were lucky enough to have power, they didn't have enough to keep their kids occupied. The stress on parents this past week multiplied as fast as the snowflakes fell and it got me thinking, it might be nice to create a post with activities for kids to do during the cold, and sometimes unexpectedly stormy, winter weather.

I pulled a few of my favorites from the archives that I thought you might like. While being housebound wasn't very fun and cabin fever set in rather quickly, I'm hoping these crafty ideas for cold weather will come in handy for you or your kiddos so no one goes too stark raving mad.

Indoor Craft Ideas for Kids during Cold, Winter Weather

(*affiliate links included in this post. See disclosure below)

Make an Ink Blot T-shirt

Ink blot t-shirts -an easy, cool, indoor kids activity © ShannonSews

All you need is a blank t-shirt, a piece of cardboard (old cereal box works perfectly), and some fabric paint. This link is to an ink blot t-shirt making party I had at school and the kids LOVED it! They wore their t-shirts for years after.

Keep some fabric paint on hand and, in a pinch, you can use an old shirt that has a stain on it that you can cover up with a paint design.





SUPPLY LIST:
FolkArt Brush on Fabric Paint Beginner Set
Gildan Kids' Ultra Cotton Youth T-Shirt, 2-Pack
Youth Cardboard Shirt Form (or just use the cardboard from a cereal box)

Faux water color painting

Faux water color projects for kids © ShannonSews

This craft is SO easy if you have some washable markers and small paint brushes on hand (I used Crayola Washable Markers). If you have access to the internet and a printer, you can print out free coloring pages, clip art or even draw something yourself in a pinch. And it's more fun than just using the regular old kid set of water colors.

This link will take you to my step-by-step instructions (+ a video!) on how to keep anyone occupied for hours (I know, you'll count yourself lucky if your kids focus on this for 20 minutes) but I swear they and you will love it. Even if they knock the water glass over.

SUPPLY LIST:
Crayola Washable Markers
Kids Paint Brushes
White Cardstock
Clip Art (google to find free-bees)
Computer & Printer (or just let them paint their own designs)

Sew easy bean bags or rice bags

Kid friendly sewing- beanbags / rice bags © ShannonSews

I know, the point is not to give your kids ammunition while you're stuck inside the house, but think of all the fun they could have throwing bean bags at targets, downstairs - away from you.

Create a target by cutting out a hole in a box or draw a target and tape it to a box. It can't get more easy than that on a cold, indoor, winter day.

However, for this project you really do need a sewing machine, although, you could use strips of stitch witchery and a hot iron to bind the fabric together, but a sewing machine is the best route. Follow the link to the full tutorial. They are just squares, so even a new little sewer may not have too much trouble with this. I made these as sewing weights, but you follow the same instructions for bean bags the kids can toss and toss and toss - just hopefully not at you or each other.

SUPPLY LIST:
Cotton fabric squares - cut them yourself or buy pre-cut 5" cotton squares
Sewing Machine and thread OR stitch witchery and a hot iron (optional, this method not shown on tutorial)
Dry beans or rice
Old Cardboard box for target practice
Scissors to cut out target hole

Make Paper Roses

Easy paper roses - kid projects for rainy days © ShannonSews

This is a really fun activity for kids that know their way around a pair of scissors and can roll up a strip of paper. And if you don't want to get involved in the making, just let one of your older kids help, that you trust with a hot glue gun. I didn't mean that as a joke.

I made this red rose out of 2 pieces of scrapbook paper, and if I can make it, trust me, you can - or even your elementary school aged child can. This link takes you to another blog's tutorial, who showed it much better than I could. They even embellish their flowers with glitter, but this post is about lowering your stress, not heightening it.

SUPPLY LIST:
Colored Cardstock
Scissors
Hot glue gun

Make Your Own Soothing Lavender Water

Lavender water recipe even for kids © ShannonSews

Did you know they make something called Lavender pillow spray to calm and soothe before bed? Maybe if your kids make this lavender water it will make them really relaxed and they will want to go to bed. What a marvelous idea for a housebound snowy, cold or wintry day, don't you think?

You will need a few ingredients on hand like distilled water, though I'm guessing regular tap water would work in a pinch, Essential Lavender Oil, Witch Hazel (or a pinch of rubbing alcohol instead), a measuring cup & spoon, funnel and empty spray bottle.

Since many people have these items in their house already, it could be an easy go-to project...OR for us crafty types who keep a rainy day activities bin, you're set.



SUPPLY LIST:
Distilled water
Essential Lavender Oil
Witch Hazel (ethyl alcohol, isopropyl or vodka) *acts as an emulsifier & helps spray dry faster
Measuring cup & spoon
Funnel
Spray Bottles




I'd love to hear your cold weather stuck-indoors activity ideas for kids! Share in the comments below! And good luck through the rest of the winter. The groundhog may have been wrong?


*This post contains product links, added for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through Amazon.com. 

6 Summer T-shirt Projects you don't want to miss!

Now that summer is upon us, it's time to get your craft on! 

Check out these 6 Must-have T-shirt Projects and be sure to add them to your summer activity to-do list!

6 Summer T-shirt Decorating Projects you don't want to miss! © ShannonSorensen

Decorating your own t-shirts gives you countless numbers of ways to express yourself and makes a perfect lazy day summer activity.

 DIY Summer T-shirt Tutorials

Follow these links to get right to the tutorials
Happy Summer!

1. Stenciled Arrow T-shirt 

Choose from a simple to complex design. All you need is a t-shirt, fabric paint, freezer paper, an exacto knife and an iron.

2. Ink Blot T-shirt 

This project is addicting! You'll get a unique, symmetrical design simply by swirling and blopping paint, folding your t-shirt over and tada! You've got one-of-a-kind ink blot t-shirt! Watch me create a few designs on my YouTubeChannel! *Ink Blot T-shirt Kits are also available and make a great kids birthday party activity!

3. Sunburst Rings Tie Dyed T-shirt

Who doesn't love a good tie dye t-shirt in the summer? The popular sunburst design is easy to create with your favorite color dye and a few rubber bands. Use one color or go crazy with two! Cool designs in a snap!

4. Painted Dots T-shirt 

This cute Painted Dots T-shirt can be made by using a round make-up sponge and your favorite fabric paint. Use round make-up sponges for the dots, or try wedges for a geometric design. The varieties are endless!

5. Key Imprinted T-shirt 

Making your own imprinted design allows you to capture the detail of an object, and transfer it right onto your t-shirt. Whether you use metal keys, or another interesting object from around the house, you'll be amazed at how cool this design method can be!

6. Black Bean Tie Dye T-shirt

Interested in playing around with natural dyes? Who would have thought black beans could create a cool t-shirt dye? I didn't until I tried it. Not only do black beans work well as an all-natural dye, but so do everyday foods like spinach, onions, berries and deep colored spices like turmeric. Although the process requires a little more preparation, it certainly is fun to try!


Once you try some of these fun summer t-shirt decorating projects - I'd love to hear how they turned out!

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http://alittleclaireification.com/2014/06/20/patriotic-recipes-crafts-best-of-the-weekend-party/
http://www.reasonstoskipthehousework.com/skip-housework-24/
http://too-much-time.com/
http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2014/06/show-tell-saturday-062114.html
http://www.whatscookingwithruthie.com/2014/06/20/super-saturday-49/

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Arrows T-shirt DIY with stencil and fabric paint

{DIY Arrow T-shirt © ShannonSorensen}

I just realized I haven't posted since September. Time has whirled by since school started!

We had such a beautiful Seattle summer, but last weekend it started raining again. I mean a lot of rain. Buckets.

During our torrential downpour, I decided to put my craft on. Time to give some life to this plain blue t-shirt.

I love all the arrow designs I'm seeing lately, so I decided to create my own.

How to Make a Stenciled Arrow T-shirt:

(*product links included for your convenience.)

PRINT & CUT STENCIL: Find a clip art image online, print it on heavy card stock & cut it out with a craft knife tool

OR Use a this cute pre-made arrows stencil

{Make an Arrow Stencil © ShannonSorensen}

1. PROTECT YOUR FABRIC: I ironed a piece of freezer paper to the inside of my t-shirt so the paint wouldn't go through. You can also use a piece of cardboard.

2. FABRIC PAINT: I like SoSoft fabric paint because it leaves a flexible, soft finish. Put a piece of saran wrap on a plate or surface for easy use and clean up.

3. APPLY PAINT: Hold down stencil and use a foam brush or other applicator and gently blot paint through the stencil on the shirt. Move stencil as needed and repeat.

4. FINISHED DESIGN: Let your painted design dry. SoSoft Paint doesn't require ironing to set the color, but once dried, you can heat set paint with a dry hot iron (using a cover cloth) for 2-3 minutes.

{Instructions for making an arrow painted / stenciled t-shirt © ShannonSorensen}

I love the way it turned out! It's fun by itself and a pair of jeans, with a black long-sleeve t-shirt under it, or paired with a jacket or cardigan.

{DIY Arrow Stenciled T-shirt © ShannonSorensen}

{Painted Arrows T-shirt DIY © ShannonSorensen}

The wheels are still turning as I try to come up with a design for my other plain t-shirt...and speaking of turning wheels, it's time to go for a bike ride. It's been a week or so since I've been able to go because of the rain, but we're getting a break today!

(*This post contains product links, added for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through Amazon.com. )

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Black Bean Tie Dye Shirt: Natural Dyes

{Photo: Tie Dye Blue T-shirt using all-natural Black Bean Dye}

Who knew black beans weren't just for dinner anymore?

I have to say, I'm still in awe at the outcome of this black bean tie-dyed t-shirt. Blue dye. From black beans. Who would have thought??

Well, a bunch of people, actually, because there is a lot of natural dying going on out there that I didn't even know existed. And it's not just with black beans.

Natural dyes are made from pretty much everything in nature. Flowers, fruits, spices, vegetables, herbs, legumes...you name it.

The colors you can get from natural dyes are beautiful, and truth be told, there's just something that feels good about using natural dyes as opposed to chemical ones. Here are a few Natural Dye sites I pinned on Pinterest (one of my favorites is the turmeric tank top).

How to Make Blue Dye from Black Beans

*Soak black beans in a pot of water for 24-36 hours, stirring occasionally. I used 1 bag of dried black beans and about 8 cups of water. I wanted to make sure the beans didn't soak up all the liquid.

*This natural dye tutorial is a great resource for how many beans vs. how much water, along with other details about making dye from black beans.

Several hours in, I checked and my water had turned purpley. Exciting!

{Photo: Make natural blue dye from black beans}

Get your Shirt Black Bean Dye-Ready 

This is where I failed.

{photo: mortant cotton shirt}

In order for the black bean dye to adhere to the cotton shirt, you have to mordant it with Alum and Cream of Tartar. Again, refer to the above link for instructions on this process.

The problem I ran into, is that this chemical process requires you to cook your shirt for 1 hour in a pot you will not use again (toxic). I didn't have an old pot and after scouring a couple thrift shops, didn't want to spend $10 for a used stock pot I would never use again. Call me cheap, but this old white t-shirt wasn't even worth $10. I would take my chances for it to fade away, since it may not even turn out anyway.

Soak your shirt in Black Bean Dye

After letting the beans soak about 30 hours (*and a couple hours since I last stirred) I removed the liquid from the beans by carefully straining it through a mesh strainer into mason jars. You don't want debris to come up from under the beans and cloud your dye, so do it carefully or ladle it off the top.

I wetted my white t-shirt, folded it in a fan pattern, and rubber-banded it to give it tie-dye stripes.
After adding the black bean dye to my shirt in a small bucket, I set it outside for about 36 hours.

{photo: Tie dye shirt soaking in black bean dye}

The Black Bean Dye T-shirt Reveal

~Mid-way through I checked on it and it was certainly more purple than before it went in! (if you're wondering, I used rocks w/ mason jar lids to weigh down the shirt in the dye)
~By the time 36 hours rolled around (bottom small pictures), it was quite a bit darker and more blue.

~Dump the black bean dye down the sink.
~Remove the rubber bands and rinse shirt thoroughly with cold water. Excitement mounting!

{Photo: Black bean dye turns shirt blue after a 36 hour soak}

And holy moley, that's what the black bean dye fuss is all about! So cool! I love the pattern. Reminds me of bamboo. I love the color. I love that this was made from an all natural dye. And yes, it turned out cool so fingers crossed it doesn't wash out any time soon!

Hanging in the breeze - the colors lightened just a bit as it dried.
I couldn't help myself from glancing at it out the window.
Glorious.

{Photo: Results: Blue tie dyed t-shirt from all natural black bean dye}

 Is it weird to want to dye everything in the house?


Similar projects you might like:
Pink Sunburst Circles Tie Dyed Shirt
Dip Dyed T-shirt
Dip Dyed Kitchen Towels

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Tie Dye Sunburst Rings T-shirt DIY

Although I'm from Seattle, I'm not a hippie. People seem to think those of us from Seattle or Portland all wear tie-dye and hug trees.

On this rare occasion, however, I'll admit I'm mimicking the stereo-type. I decided to make my own tie-dye t-shirt, and although I do like trees, I don't think I've ever hugged one.

I purchased pink Rit dye (*affiliate link) found a perfect white v-neck t-shirt (*see info below) and followed this great tie dye tutorial on Pinterest.

The only problem I found was that because I hadn't pre-wetted my t-shirt, the colors didn't disperse as well. I still love it though. Note for next time.

I love how the pinks gently fade in and out of the white of the shirt and go from shades of faded rose to pedal pink and everything in-between.

*Okay, about the white t-shirt. Are you sitting down? I found the PERFECT white Hanes t-shirt at Walmart for only $5.00 for this project! I'm still in shock. It's medium weight, soft, and perfect to wear as-is or turn into a craft project.

I'll admit, I had to get one in a few different colors. They are so comfortable - not at all what I would expect for 5 bucks! I'm not getting paid by Walmart, I just wanted to share the link so you can see them. Go to your local Walmart and see if they carry them!


Closing thoughts on tie dye: I always had the idea that tie dye was messy and drippy and stainey and I could only do it in the summer on a giant lawn with a hose and gallon sized buckets. But the truth is, making this t-shirt in a pot on the stove (as you can see in my how-to video) made all the difference.

When I made my first dip-dye t-shirt, I had a lot of color running down the sink when I rinsed my shirt. This time around, there was very little to rinse because the color had locked on to the shirt through the use of heat. Just a thought. This project's not as crazy as you think it might be.

{WATCH} the making of my Tie Dye Sunburst Rings T-shirt

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Fix a low neckline: adding a neckline binding to knits

I've had this cute striped dip-dyed t-shirt for a while, but rarely wore it because the neckline was just too low.

I tried wearing a cami under it, but it felt a bit too bulky. A while back, I had even come up with a few different ideas for altering this low neckline, but in the end, nothing seemed right.

In an attempt to find something to wear the other day, I decided I'd take the time to fix the neckline as simply as I could. If I ruined it, it would still just be in the closet anyway, so nothing lost, right??

FIXING A LOW NECKLINE

Fixing a low neckline on a t-shirt is really easy, especially after I stumbled upon the BEST video tutorial on adding a neckline binding to knits, which I promptly pinned to my Pinterest Sewing Tips Board!

She shows you how to pin and stretch your neckline binding at  just the right time to ensure your neckline doesn't bubble or gape. I could seriously hug this woman! She has taken the mystery out of altering t-shirt necklines forever!

To fix this v-neck, I first measured the existing neckline and cut a strip that size (you will end up cutting some off). I ended up just using the bottom hem from a dark blue t-shirt, but it was the equivalent of cutting a 2" strip and folding it over. 

To create the v-shape, I folded the middle of the strip in half (right sides together) and stitched on a diagonal.

When adding binding to your t-shirt neckline, the binding will be smaller than your neckline. Watch the Threads neckline binding tutorial to see how to measure and where to pin and stretch in all the right places! It seriously will change your life.

After pinning and stretching and stitching in all the right ways, my neckline turned out just the way I hoped it would. Shocker!

Now I have one more thing to wear!
{the crowd cheers!}
And it looks like it could have easily been made that way from the beginning.
How's that for an easy breezy neckline?!

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Sew your own T-shirt: Stripes for Spring

Saturday I made the royal mistake of going clothes shopping.
Blah!
I really don't enjoy shopping. It takes me hours upon hours to find anything, and 99.999% of the time I walk out of the store empty handed.
As was the case Saturday.
Boo!

I started wondering, how, out of the thousands of clothes I've tried on in my lifetime, do only about 2% of them fit? And by fit, I mean are acceptable to wear. I have so many "acceptables" in my closet....ho hum.

How do companies come up with patterns that are supposed to fit all shapes and sizes? I don't know who's body they're using, but I'm guessing they don't eat Twinkies.

After all the depressing hoopla, I decided that if I was going to have anything to wear, I'd have to make it myself. And I would make it fit ME, not Millie the Mannequin.

HOW TO SEW YOUR OWN T-SHIRT

The easiest t-shirt to make, in my opinion, is a style with body and sleeves all in one. They call it Dolman.

T-Shirt Style

Dolman sleeves are cut as part of the body of the t-shirt. There are no separate sleeves to cut-out and sew in place. And although not as form fitting, dolman style t-shirts are as simple as it gets.

In-set sleeves create a more natural fit but raise the difficulty level, as compared to dolman sleeves. In-set sleeves aren't incredibly difficult, they just require a bit more time, detail and measurement. I'm not a huge fan of sewing in-set sleeves, but maybe that's just me.

T-shirt Fabric

T-shirts are made with knit fabric. Since knit is soft and stretchy, be sure to use a ballpoint needle. It's much less likely to suck down into your machine and won't leave permanent holes in your fabric.

I found this cute royal and light-blue striped soft knit on clearance a while back; perfect for a spring t-shirt.

T-shirt Pattern

One of the easiest ways to create your own t-shirt pattern is to use an existing t-shirt as a guide.

Fold your fabric in half; fold your t-shirt in half and lay it down on the fold of your fabric. Make extra room for seam allowances and cut, or trace and then cut.

*Make sure to account for both necklines, which are different cuts for front and back.




Once cut, lay your pieces right sides together, and sew all the way around, except for the neck opening. Hem the bottom edge and sleeves. Some people opt to leave them raw, but since knit can stretch out of place, I usually hem them.

For the neckline, I decided to make it a thicker boat neck shape. Here's a good tutorial on how to sew a classic t-shirt neckline.

I decided to add bands to the sleeves to follow the style of the neckline.

Due to the shape of the dolman sleeves, the bands ended up flaring out a bit. To fix it, I folded the excess fabric over and top stitched, which kept the sleeves nice and round and ended up being a cute detail.

For this particular t-shirt, I decided to use two pieces for the back because I like the look of a back seam. I didn't line the lines up. Oops. But I'm totally okay with it.

The t-shirt turned out to be a little on the roomy side, my husband called it "loose". I may do a few alterations or just leave it as-is. I'll take loose over tight any day.

Do you have a stash of cute knit calling out for you to make a t-shirt?  Making your own t-shirt is easier than you think. AND best of all? Instead of making it to fit some random percent of the population, you'll make it to fit YOU! J

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Dip Dye T-shirt Tutorial

On my day off Monday, I was feeling a little crafty and decided to try my hand at dip dyeing a t-shirt.

Honestly, I'd been putting it off because I was afraid of ruining a perfectly good aqua t-shirt!

I created a how-to video (see the end of this post) but I'll also include detailed directions here, should you want to try your hand at dip dying a t-shirt too! It's not as intimidating as it seems. And if I can do it, you can certainly do it!

The color didn't turn out as I expected, but it's growing on me.  I was trying for more of an intense aqua or turquoise, but the green clearly took over. Mixing dyes can be tricky. Next time I may opt for just one color so there won't be any surprises. (wink)

How to Dip Dye a T-shirt

Dip Dye supplies

• Rit Dye
• Clothes to dye
• Bucket or stainless steel sink
• Rubber gloves
• Stir stick or stainless steel spoon
• Rags
• Newspaper to protect surface
• Hot water
• Disposable container to mix dye
• Salt
• Detergent
• Hanger
• Water source

Dip Dye Instructions and Tips

• Lay down newspaper to protect your working surface.
• Use a stainless steel sink or large bucket. Dye will seep into anything else (porcelin sinks, bathtubs, counter tops, linoleum).
• You will also need a water supply and place to rinse out your dyed shirt.
• Make sure you read the instructions on the Rit Dye package.
• I put 3 gallons of hot water in a stainless steel sink.
• Added 1 Tbsp detergent (to evenly disperse the dye) & 1 cup salt (helps intensify dye color)
• Put on rubber gloves!
• Dissolved the dye (1 box blue with 1/2 box green) in 2 c hot water in a disposable container and added it to the water in the sink
• Make sure you wet your shirt first and wring it out/smooth it out before putting in the dye
• Immerse your shirt in the dye (I put pin markers in the shirt to show me where I wanted the line level to be.)
• I swished my shirt in the dye a little so there wouldn't be a distinct line mark.
• Make sure to keep dye off the top part of the shirt.
• The longer you leave your shirt in, the darker it will be. *If you're opting for all-over color, leave it in for about 30 minutes and stir to evenly distribute color.
• Remove shirt from dye and carefully ring out excess dye
• Rinse the dyed shirt - 1st with hot water, then cold, until the water runs clear.
• Next, either hang your shirt to dry (be sure to have something under it since it will still drip colored water) OR throw it in the washing machine with detergent, on cold (that's what I did).
• Then hang or machine dry (I threw mine in the dryer).

And it's ready to wear!

Against the aqua, it's kind of a sea green...I call it "where the sea meets the sky"...if I'm waxing poetic.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'm certainly not an expert at dip dying (yet!) but I'm happy to help!

{WATCH} how easy dip dyeing a t-shirt can be!

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New Ink Blot T-shirts in the shop

I couldn't resist making a few more Ink Blot T-shirts for my shop. A couple for adults and a handful for kids.

I'm always anxious to see how each paint "splatter" will turn out and love to hear what people see in each design.

Here's my 2 cents.

This one I call the Cave Man

(size Adult Medium)

Available here

This one's a flying frog, wingspan out.
(size Young Adult XL or Adult M-L)
Available here

I can't be the only one who sees a wittow mouse, now am I? Clear as day.

(size Child M)
Available here

Creature with electricity shooting out the sides. Clearly.
(size Child M)
Available here

Wings of angels

(size Adult Small)

Available here

It's all about imagination people! 
You should have heard all the ideas the kids came up with as they saw each shirt when we did our 50 ink blot t-shirts project at school! I learned a thing or two about what real imagination is!

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