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Showing posts with label hand stitched. Show all posts
Thursday, July 25, 2013
monster plushie keychains {kids sewing project}
Friday, January 13, 2012
heart-warmer tutorial {and a printable!}
One of my dearest friends, Erin recently moved away. I have been so sad and I miss her! Luckily, her move is only temporary, but I still miss our regular dinners out together and takeout lunches at one of our houses. She is such a great friend and I want to be just like her when I grow up. She has way too much creativity and amazing-ness for one person. She made these adorable heart-warmers on her blog, Lovesome (you must go check it out!) and is sharing them with us today! These are the perfect gift for a friend or someone you love. I will be using this to keep me warm and fuzzy while Erin is away.
i've been seeing the sweetest little hand-warmers surfacing around the web lately. what a sweet idea and a great way to keep your hands and the hands of those you love warm on chilly mornings. all you have to do is heat it up in the microwave and drop it in your pocket or mittens. they are so easy and so much cuter (and cheaper!) than those little warming packets you can buy at the grocery store. plus, they are reusable. cute, easy, practical, and environmentally friendly, what more can you ask for?
making one is so simple, and while a sewing machine makes them faster, it is not necessary to use one. in fact, it was so easy that i didn't even take any pictures during the process.
here's how you do it:
1. cut two of the same shape out felt (two hearts, two stars. etc.). make sure they are the same size.
2. sew the pieces together leaving about half-an-inch open.
3. using a funnel, fill the shape with rice through the unsewn opening.
4. hand-stitch the opening closed.
voila! done! so easy and so sweet, right?
i found that about 25 seconds in the microwave is perfect, but you might want to try out a few different cooking times, depending on the size of your warmer. (make sure no metal accidentally gets shoved in the warmer, you don't want any explosions in the microwave!)
i made a cute little tag to add to mine, turning it into the perfect little gift or party favor.
do you want some, too? download your own here.
enjoy!
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011
how to distress a picture frame {birthday bash guest tutorial}
Can you believe our "bird-day" bash is coming to an end? Are you loving all these amazing guest tutorials? Me too! I'm all moved into my new home in Iowa City, and today I unpacked my craft room, so I'll be back in business soon. Lots of love to Vanessa of Lella Boutique for another fabulous post today--it even features a birdie! You will flip over this tutorial on how to distress a picture frame for an antiqued or shabby chic look. And if you love the birdie in the middle like I do, check out her baby bird stitcherie tutorial, too! Thanks, Vanessa!
Frame in Distress
I totally adore the look of a crusty, old frame with its paint worn away. (And let's not forget my new obsession with oval frames...) The question is, what color to use?
The first thing you'll need is a frame to paint. I found a few on sale at the craft store, but you could use one you already have to give it a new look (or find a real treasure from a thrift shop).
You'll need to set up a work surface in an area that is well-ventilated. (I love my screened-in porch area.) For my work surface, I set a cardboard box atop a canvas drop-cloth.
Unwrap the frame and remove all parts you don't want painted (i.e. the glass, the back insert, etc.). Lay the frame onto the work surface.
Prime the frame. I generally use Krylon-brand spray (white). Spray a light coat of the primer onto the frame and let it dry 10-15 minutes before adding another coat.
After 5-6 coats of primer, the frame will be solid-white and ready for some color!
Occasionally, I will paint the frames a neutral color like white or cream, but I much prefer a bold color like the cherry-red I used below (Krylon-brand). Apply one coat of paint, wait 10 minutes, and repeat. After 3-4 coats, let the frame dry for several hours to overnight.
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Tuesday, November 9, 2010
felted sweater neck warmer and flower tutorial
I've had a stack of felted sweaters sitting around since last winter (you know, wool sweaters that have been sometimes purposely, sometimes not purposely, shrunk for crafting purposes) . I finally got around to doing something with them, and I'm so glad I did, because it's getting chilly outside! Here's an easy tutorial for upcycling a felted wool sweater into a super cute neck warmer with a felted flower accent. So go through your closests or make a quick trip to the thrift shop for a wool sweater and felt it, then join us for this easy project, just in time for the cold weather!
Felted Sweater Neck Warmer Tutorial
Supplies
*Wool sweater (60-100% wool) that has been felted (washed in hot water with high agitation)
*Rotary cutter and mat (or scissors)
*Needle and thread
*Magnet or pin back for flower
1. You're going to use the bottom half of your sweater for your neck warmer. Fold it up so the bottom cuff almost reaches the armpits. Using a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat, cut the top half of the sweater off where it meets the upturned cuff. That's it! Unfold it, then fold it in half with wrong sides together. No need to hem the cut edge. Since it's been felted, it won't fray!
Add a flower accessory to spice things up.
Felted Sweater Peony Flower Tutorial
1. Cut 4-5 free-hand flowers out of your felted sweater (you don't even need a pattern, just cut 5 loose petals). If it has been properly felted, the edges will not fray when you cut them.
2. Fold your first flower in half.
Then in half again.
3. Using a needle and matching thread, sew several stitches through the bottom to secure.
4. Fold another flower like the first, and stitch it to the first flower, using several stitches. Repeat with remaining flowers until your blossom is full and even.
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Monday, June 7, 2010
reader submission - derby hat headband tutorial
I was lucky enough to meet reader Michelle Hartley when I worked for Lasting Memories. She came to my flower demo and asked if by chance I was one of the Little Birdies. We struck up a conversation and this guest post was born! I thought it sounded so cute and hilarious I couldn't resist. Plus the whole thing cost less than $3 to make! The even more hilarious thing is that shortly after seeing her pictures, I saw a QVC segment featuring these mini derby hats for grown women! Ha! Michelle's little girl is the cutest thing ever, and she wants you to know that this is not a "costume," it's "normal clothes." You gotta love a little girl with her own unique fashion sense!
Michelle was inspired to make this by the return of the cocktail hat and some feathers she saw contestants wearing on American Idol. So without further ado, here are Michelle's simple instructions for a derby hat headband!
I bought the headband (plain white plastic for $.59) and wrapped it in black grosgrain ribbon. I decorated a doll's hat (found it at a craft store for about $.79) with ribbon, rhinestones, and feathers. Then, thinking that a glue gun may actually lose a battle to a two year old I actually stitched the hat to the headband. So far it has proven far more durable than I expected - having even survived the might steps of a 5 year old big brother!
We love the sense of community that our blog is creating. If you have a project you'd like to share with our readers and the crafting community, send us an e-mail with the instructions and pictures, or a link to your blog with the tutorial.
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Sunday, May 9, 2010
i craft, therefore i am
We hope you're all having a wonderful Mother's Day! My favorite part (besides my husband fixing dinner!) was the handmade gifts from my boys. My kindergartener made a book called, My Amazing Mom, and one page said, "My mom is really good at_________." He filled in the blank with "crafting."
Recently I made this mini book to celebrate just that. I don't usually take the time to scrapbook myself, but I got a design team assignment to use this mini album and coordinating die-cut pages from Little Yellow Bicycle. I LOVE this line, Fresh Print Clothesline, but it's rather girlie, and I have boys. So I was it.
I decided to record my love of crafting. It brings a richness to my life, it makes me happy. Okay, I'm obsessed. I love that my kids recognize that this is a part of who I am. But I hope they always know that being their mom is the most important thing in my life. I hope this book inspires you to take some time to document who you are, what makes you happy. It's like giving yourself a little Mother's Day gift. Enjoy!
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
how to make a felt needle book
In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, I've been slowly organizing my craft stash, even down to my little needles. For Christmas I got something I've been wishing for for a long time. "Left-handed pinking shears!" Well, they're not actually left-handed, but my husband says that line every time he sees them out. (You'll know the voice he's using if you're a Simpson's fan.) ANYWAY, I wanted to try them out on my felt stash, so I put together a simple needle book with pinked edges (there are several optional steps that you can cut out to make it even easier). Now I look for reasons to hand-stitch just so I can pull my book out!
Felt Needle Book Tutorial
Supplies:
*Felt for the cover
*Matching felt piece for button tab
*Coordinating felt for pages (1 or 2, depending on how many needles you have)
*Rotary cutter or scissors, pinking shears (optional)
*Button
*Matching thread and sewing machine
*Additional felt for embellishing cover
*Fabric glue for embellishments
1. Cut a piece of felt 8" x 4" for the cover. Cut 1-2 pieces 7.5" x 3.5" for the pages. I cut mine with pinking shears, but that's optional, of course.
2. Cut a matching piece of felt for the button tab 1" x 1.5". This part is really optional, too. You don't have to have a button closure. I rounded one edge with scissors for extra cuteness. If you don't dare cut it free-hand, trace half of a soda bottle lid.
3. Pin the tab to the short, right side of your cover. Stitch around the entire cover piece, attaching the tab and creating a cute decorative edge.
4. Lay your pages in the middle of the inside your cover. Using a ruler, measure to the middle draw a line with chalk or a fabric pen.
5. Pin the pages to the cover and stitch down the middle to secure.
6. If you have any blunt-edge needles (for yarn), you can create a little pocket to hold them in as well. Cut a piece of felt 1.5" x 2" and pin near the bottom edge of one of the pages.
7. Stitch around three edges, then stitch parallel vertical lines about 1/4" apart. Slip blunt-edge needles inside.
8. If you decide to do a tab closure, wrap it around to the front and lay your button where you want it. Mark it with a fabric pen. Using scissors, snip it open. Be sure to make it snug so it stays buttoned.
9. Stitch your button in place on the front of the cover directly beneath the buttonhole.
10. You could call it good now, but if you're like me, you love to play with felt! So let's add a little felt embellishment to the front cover.
I had just cut a little butterfly out with my Slice machine, so I used the negative of the die cut to trace a butterfly on my coordinating felt. Then I hand-stitched it in place with a little embroidery thread. You could also glue it with fabric glue.
For the red book I cut two felt flowers, layered them, and attached them together with a fancy brad. I also hand-cut leaves and added a little stitching, then glued the flowers and leaves on the cover with fabric glue.
That's it! Now get organized by sticking your needles in the felt pages. Don't they look cute all lined up?
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