12th Day of Christmas: Bear Hospital Gown and Scrub Set

It's the 12th Day of Christmas and we are super excited about today's free project!  You may remember the free children's hospital gown pattern we shared with you last year.  Well, now we have a similar little outfit you can make for your kiddo's best friend too! 

Isn't this the perfect way to cheer up a child during their hospital stay? I just love that it includes the top, scrubs, and booties. Today's free pattern comes to us from Jeannie who did the original children's gown pattern. She also happens to be our new men's pattern designer too!  

11th Day of Christmas: Rolled Wrapping Paper Wreath

It's the 11th Day of Christmas at CKC and today we have a free pattern from Kara!  Here she is! 

I think this late into the holiday season we can all use a craft that is fun to make, but isn’t really work intensive. With all the Christmas baking, cooking, and sewing I think we could all use a fun little break! This wreath is a pretty little project that you can easily do while kicking back and watching TV. 

10th Day of Christmas: Fleece Ear Warmer Headband

It's the 10th Day of Christmas and today we have the perfect accessory to keep you warm and stylish!  

Yay for cozy headbands!  Our free pattern includes several different styles you're going to love, not just because they're super cute but also because you and your kiddos can stay warm!  It comes in sizing for Doll, Baby, Child, and Adult!

9th Day of Christmas: Snowball Fight in a Bag

It's the 9th Day of Christmas at CKC and we have another free project for you!  I started this one out as a surprise for my kiddos but when they got home from school I realized it would be even better to have them get in on the fun. So they helped me finish it as a surprise for their dad and I know he's going to love it!  

How fun is this?!  All the excitement with none of the brrrr! Today I will show you how to make  baseball-style snowballs out of fleece, plus a cute drawstring bag to store them in. It's the perfect little gift set for the young and young-at-heart!  (I'm pretty sure I'm going to need a bag of my own once my husband gets his hands on these.) In fact, you can take it one step farther and add a few yellow snowballs in there too!  (That was not my idea, but I did bring it up just now...)

Well, are you ready? Let's get to work! 

8th Day of Christmas: Elf Collar Tutorial

It's the 8th Day of Christmas and you're going to love the free tutorial we have for you today!  This one comes to us from our talented designer Ashley, courtesy of her little boy who happens to be the cutest thing ever! 

Seriously!  Those eyes! I can't get over him.  The outfit is super adorable too so let's learn how to do it.  Here's Ashley with our tutorial:

If your kids are anything like mine, they are OBSESSED with their Elf on the Shelf- who ironically does everything but sit nicely on the shelf! This year I decided to make some elf PJ’s for the real mischief makers around the house. Even though this little sweet thing causes the least trouble, trust me, he’s got lots of potential! And after four kids, I can really sniff out trouble! I started with one of my favorite pajama patterns, Baby David’s! I love this pattern for my handsome boy because it sews up so fast and the fit is amazing! Plus, anytime I don’t have to wrangle tiny baby feet into tiny baby socks is a good time. Since my daughter (who puts even the naughtiest elves to shame) has already outgrown baby sizes- le sigh -hers will be made using another favorite PJ pattern, Josh’s! The Elf Collar Add-On works with both David’s and Josh’s and covers sizes from NB-8. Both fab patterns are linked below.

Click here for Baby David's Knit Shirt and Footed Pants pattern

Click here for Josh's Knit Pajamas pattern

7th Day of Christmas: Mini Tree Skirt

It's the 7th Day of Christmas at CKC! Can you believe we're already halfway through?! Today's free pattern comes from one of our pattern designers, Stephanie B. Here's she is: 

Hey! Stephanie Baker here to show you how I made this cute tree skirt. Both of my kiddos get their very own mini trees in their rooms for Christmas. Their elves Tin Tin and Grumpy bring them a new ornament every year, and I let them pick out one new ornament typically around Thanksgiving. Their mini trees are starting to get full, so this year I suggested they pick out a tree skirt! Then I realized I could make that tree skirt myself easily! So, here it goes:

6th Day of Christmas: Yo-Yo Snowman Ornament

It's the 6th Day of Christmas at CKC so I hope you're ready for another free pattern! This one comes to us from one of  our designers, Shannon B., and it's sure to be a fun one to add to your tree.

So cute and festive, right?!  These Yo-Yo Snowman ornaments give that homemade touch that everyone loves and you can even get the kiddos involved if you want.  Our free PDF has the templates for you to print, as well as step-by-step photos to make this an easy project your very first time. 

Plus, you can add all kinds of embellishments to personalize and make them your own. That's why we love handmade, right? 

5th Day of Christmas: Charging Cell Phone Holder

It's the 5th Day of Christmas and the free projects just keep coming!  I'm really excited for today's pattern because it's something I need, need, need!  (My husband will agree.)  This one comes to us from Shannon B. and I just love how perfect it looks, even with such simple steps! 

Yes!  Awesome!  Finally, a cell phone charger holder that is safe and cute and totally functional! I don't know about you, but I tend to keep my phone near me at night, in case of emergencies. But I don't want it on the floor, and it's not safe to sleep with it (at least according to internet stories), and when I put it on my night stand I always trip on the cord.  Plus, during the day if I plug it in at counter tops, I always worry that it will get something dumped on it. But no more -- problems solved!  This cute little charger pocket keeps your phone and cord tucked in all neatly right by the outlet, away from harm. 

If you feel like maybe a holder is too techy or complicated for you to make, don't be worried at all! You just need fabric scraps, a little ribbon to embellish if you want, and one grommet that fits over the block of your charger. The one Shannon used is 1 9/16 and that size is pretty standard. The easy photo steps in our pattern even show you how to install it! Super easy. 

Are you ready to make a holder? 

4th Day of Christmas: Crochet Ornament

It's the 4th Day of Christmas at CKC and that means another free pattern for you!  This one comes to use from Kara A. and it's for all you crochet lovers out there. I adore the personal touch that handmade ornaments add to a Christmas tree. 

So pretty!  And just think of all the possibilities. Our tutorial below shows you all the steps to creating this awesome ornament. If you're totally new to crochet, we do have a beginner blog post and video that will help you out. It's never too late to start! And now without further ado, here's Kara!

3rd Day of Christmas: Fabric Pinecones

It's the 3rd Day of Christmas at CKC and we have a fabulous new free pattern for you today!  This one comes to us from our pageant wear designer, Brooklyn. I love that this project can range from super elegant home decor to an everyday-fun-with-the-kiddos project.  Here's Brooklyn! 

When I was a little girl, every year as a family we made a Christmas ornament. Every year they were different. We collected them, and now as an adult I have a fun collection of homemade ornaments that mark the years as I was growing up. It is fond to look back on and so I’m going to share with you an ornament that you can make, and maybe it can become a family tradition for you as well! No sewing is required, so even the younger kids can help out.

2nd Day of Christmas: Gift-Style Hair Bows

Oh, how I love the 12 Days of Christmas! We start planning way early for these free projects and I've been so excited for this one to arrive.  Sheri Cata is one of our testers who makes adorable gift-style hair bows out of ribbon and she has agreed to teach us her ways for our Day 2 free project! 

Aren't they adorable?!  My kids always like to stick the plastic gift bows on their heads as they open presents; so how perfect is it that these are made of sturdy ribbon, are attached to clips, and are ready to stay in your girl's hair all day long?!  She can be as pretty as a present long before the gift-opening ever begins.   

1st Day of Christmas: Elf Clothing

One of my favorite traditions at CKC is our 12 Days of Christmas! This is our fourth year doing it and we still have loads of awesome projects to share with you. To start off with a bang, we have something very special for you and the little people in your home! 

That's right! Now you can make some unique little outfits for your Elf on the Shelf. Just think of all the possibilities that just opened up for your little rascal.  So. Stinkin'. Fun. 

You can download the pattern for free and it includes the instructions and pieces for a top, pants, skirt, and dress.  That's all you need for a zillion different combinations on your elf! 

Tiffany V. put these adorable little patterns together and you will be excited to hear that they're just as quick and easy to sew as they are cute! They will be no problem at all to sew up during naptime or school time. Or you could even involve the kiddos if you want! 

"Make an Ugly Sweater" Contest + Tutorial

Are you ready for a fabulous CKC contest?!   If you came to read the rules for our Make an Ugly Sweater contest, you have come to the right place!  

We have been talking about this contest for months and we're so excited it's finally here! It's time to break out your inner tacky and create something awesome!

Detachable Bow Sash

Did you see our new Pamela's dress that just released?  

It's stunning!  I love all the details, from the unique neckline to the princess seam bodice to the gathered twirly skirt.  It's so pretty in solids like this one or even if you use your favorite prints.  And today we have the perfect free accessory to pair with Pamela's -- our Detachable Bow sash!

This bow sash can be used with just about any dress pattern of course, which makes it super versatile too. The bow is securely sewn in place and the sash comes on and off using velcro. No more fussing over tying the perfect bow every time! Plus it's simply adorable. Are you ready to learn? 

Fall Harvest Pillow ~ (Crochet)

Here on the CKC blog we love sharing free projects, and today we have one for those of you who like to crochet.  Kara A. created this project tutorial and it's perfect for Fall:

This Fall Harvest Pillow is so pretty and cozy looking!  You have plenty of time to get it made up before Thanksgiving, plus I'm sure these can be done in other color themes for other holidays and year-round decor. Here's Kara!

Place Mat with Silverware Holder

Thanksgiving is coming up and the main event for many families is the big meal. When I was young that was one of the few times each year when my mom would have us get out the fancy dishes and silverware to dress up the table for the occasion.  It was always so exciting! 

Today we have a free project that will help dress up your table for this Thanksgiving or any occasion. Tiffany A. put this tutorial together for us and I absolutely love how it turned out: 

Isn't that cool?!  I love how there's even a place for the silverware, tied back with a button. The OCD in me wants to give Tiffany a big hug for doing that!  The place mat is also quilted and the seams are fully enclosed, making it a classy piece for your home. The steps look like they're pretty straightforward, so no stress even if you're a beginner! Here's Tiffany with the full tutorial: 

Roll Hem Flowers and More!

Just like there are thousands of different kinds of flowers in the world, there are also that many different ways to make them with fabric! Today we have a guest here with us to show some fun techniques for making fabric flowers using a rolled hem; plus she threw in some others that are just as adorable! 

Aren't they pretty? Erica Watt from MikMak Bowtique is one of our fabulous pattern testers and I just adore the whimsical touch she created with these. The flowers can be used on dresses, tops, headbands, hair clips, backpacks, leg warmers, and more.  Each one above is a little unique and if you have a favorite then you're in luck because they are all demonstrated below!  You can learn different techniques from each one and then mix and match them to make your own versions.  Here's Erica: 

Reversible Stripwork Table Runner

If you're starting to decorate for the holidays, we have a perfect project to dress up your table.  You don't even have to decide which holiday to work on right now -- this pattern is reversible so you can create for two at the same time!

Amazing, right?!  Melissa put this pattern together for you and it turned out fabulous! I'm always a sucker for stripwork (so much to see!), I love that it's reversible, and the pattern even shows how to mark and machine quilt it if you want! Here's Melissa:

Tips for Sewing with Fur

Fur is as cozy as it gets when it comes to cool-weather clothing. Plus it's just so darn cute!  You may have wanted to sew with fur in the past but weren't sure where to start.  Today we will show you some tips that will make it a breeze! 

The great thing about sewing with fur (or faux fur, of course) is that it can be used on a variety of patterns. You don't have to use a fur-based pattern! Tosha made the adorable Winnie's above by using the fleece pattern as written and replacing some of the pieces with faux fur. Super adorable and oh-so-cozy!

Karlene's is another pattern that works great in fur.  Suze Vinton made this one for her cutie. The perfect winter accessory! Don't limit yourself to just these patterns though -- there are soooo many to choose from. How fun would it be to make a fur coat using Oakley's, Finn's, or Bristol's?! 

Now that you're all excited, let's get started with some tips! Read through the suggestions below and then we'll show you some photos to help too. 

Newborn Mermaid Set

We have a variety of free patterns here on the blog that we have shared over the years, and today's design definitely comes in high on the list of favorites for me! I set out to create this newborn prop outfit awhile back and was blown away by how it came together:

 

Photo courtesy of Cherish Me Studios, used with permission.

Isn't she perfect?!  When my photographer friend asked me to make this newborn set true to the movie -- my absolute favorite childhood movie, by the way -- I couldn't have been happier! We wanted it to be comfy yet perfect. And I even made a little prince set to match:

 

Eeek!  For the prince set, I used Baby Noah's pattern for the pants, and Baby Charles' for the jacket, mashed slightly with Baby Finn's to get the bling just right. And for the mermaid set... well, for that I created the following pattern, which you can use absolutely free!

 I'm super happy to share it with you, first of all because it was so much fun and we love our fans, and also to give you an idea of how fun it is to sew using our CKC patterns. They all include step-by-step photos and instructions, along with neatly printed pieces. You can use regular paper to print so even if you're new to pdf patterns, you're all set and ready to go!  

Let's get started!

Day 13: Jack-o-Lantern Faces Cut Files

It's Day 13 of our free projects!  I hate to say it, but this one wraps up our 13 Days of Halloween series.  And what better way to do it than with a twist on one of the most popular Halloween traditions there is?!  I'm going to turn you over to Nikki for this fabulous project: 

So who’s up for another fun halloween project today?! Today we have some fun face cut files to use on pumpkins, shirts, bags, etc. These cut files are made to be used on Cricut Explore and Silhouette Cameo machines. 

Day 12: Shoe Covers for Costumes

It's Day 12 and we're getting close to the end!  But don't worry yet; we have an awesome costume tutorial for you today! This one comes to use from Stephanie, and it's the perfect finishing touch for so many different characters. 

Aren't they perfect?!  This little pirate is totally adorable and his "boots" are super snazzy.  With our free tutorial, you can make these shoe covers for any costume and in any size!  It's easy to customize them. The shoe covers are made of felt and they simply slide on over the shoes, where they're held in place with elastic on the bottoms.  They're just like the cool boots that come with storebought costumes, except even better because you're going to make them! Here's Stephanie to get us started: 

Day 11: Thread Art Pumpkin

It's Day 11 and we have another FREE decorating project for you! This one is from Tiffany A. and it's totally fun! 

How cool is that?!  These thread art decorations are a pretty big deal right now, partly because they look awesome and partly because they're so fun to make.  It won't require your sewing machine at all, but you do get to use thread... and a hammer!

Day 10: Fall Felt Pumpkins

It's Day 10 and time for another free project! We've been sharing lots of costume tutorials this week, so how about we do a fun decoration now? This tutorial comes to us from Shannon B. and I personally can't wait to try it out!

How cute are these felt pumpkins?!  They have a unique whimsical look to them, plus they're Fall themed rather than just Halloween, so they can be displayed from now and all the way on to Thanksgiving!  Even better!  

Day 9: Vampire Paci

It's already Day 9. Can you believe it?!  We're having so much fun that the time is flying by. For today's free project we have Leah here with an accessory that's perfect for babies!

How adorable is this?  Your baby won't even realize that his/her beloved pacifier is part of his/her costume! We all know how fun it is to try to steal baby's pacifier to get that perfect photo. Well now there's no reason to take it out!  Baby's even better with it in.  Here's Leah with the tutorial: 

Day 8: Mummy Costume

It's Day 8 and time for another great costume tutorial!  Yesterday we showed you how to make a big ol' pumpkin costume.  Today we're going to stick with the traditional Halloween theme again. Are you ready for it? 

You can't have Halloween without at least one mummy at the party, right?  My kiddo wanted to be a mummy this year, and while part of me thought, "Hey great, I'll just show up at the school with a big roll of gauze when it's time for the parade", I also realized how much better it would be for my son and his teacher (any myself, to be honest), if his costume was all self-contained and easy to put on and off all by himself!  Really, there's no comparison when you think about it that way.  So today you're going to learn how to make a mummy costume that is just as easy to wear as any other costume.  It can be taken on and off and on and off, without any stressing over potty breaks and such. 

We also love that the strips are all sewn right into the seams so they stay in place. Plus they can be all hang-y and creepy without falling off.  Super cool!    Let's get started. 

Day 7: Pumpkin Costume

It's Day 7 and time for another free tutorial!  This one comes to you from... myself!  My kiddo wanted to be a "fat pumpkin" for Halloween this year.  He kept emphasizing that it needed to be a fat pumpkin, not just any pumpkin. A really, really fat pumpkin.  So ladies and gentlemen, today we give you...

A very fat pumpkin costume!  

My boy didn't leave my side the entire time and he's beyond happy with his costume. If you want to make a pumpkin costume like this, you're about to learn how! Yours doesn't need to be this wide, of course. And this tutorial can be used for other poofy costumes as well. In fact I first used this technique a couple years ago when my older son wanted to be the blue Angry Bird. 

Day 6: Spooky Bag Upcycled from a T-Shirt

Are you ready for another week of Halloween freebies?! It's Day 6 and today we have Nikki here to teach us a project that is not only useful and fun, but also basically free to make! Here's Nikki! 

 Today we want to show you an awesome way to upcycle those old t-shirts we all have hanging in our closet into bags! These make perfect trick or treat bags, gym clothes bags, or even grocery bags! We like to wear our clothes until they look like they need to have been thrown away about 40 washes ago in our house. Haha! I’m sure some of you can relate to that. Anyway, I had to find a way to upcycle some of our favorite t-shirts so we could keep using them. My kids even use these to carry art supplies in for road trips. 

Day 5: Lace Crowns

Are you ready for another free project?!  Today's tutorial comes to us from our fabulous designer Elizabeth! There's nothing spooky about this one, but we know there are lots of little girls out there who are going to love it as they dress up as princesses and fairies this year!  

Isn't it gorgeous?!  These lace crowns are a hit in Elizabeth's boutique, and they can be made to wear around the forehead as shown here, or smaller to fit right on top of the head. Her free tutorial works for a variety of laces and looks and sizes. Here are just a few of her samples: 

Day 4: DIY Witch's Broom for Dolls

It's Day 4 and we know you're ready for another free tutorial! On Monday, we showed you how to make a mini witch's hat. Well today, Sarah has another mini accessory for you to make!

Isn't it tiny and adorable?!  This mini witch's broom can be cute on all kinds of Halloween decor, plus it's perfectly sized for your 18" dolls. 

Time for our mini broom tutorial!  Here's Sarah: