Make It and Love It



No-Sew Love50 Fun Projects to Make Without a Needle and Thread, Including Clothing, Décor, Kid Items and More!Dedication to come… (a few lines)Acknowledgements to come… (1 page)ContentsIntroduction………….page ??Getting Started………….page ??Supply List (The Basics, The Adhesives, Other Specialty Supplies) Fabric Guide (Woven Fabrics, Knit Fabrics, Grain, Bias, Identifying Woven/Knit Fabrics, Synthetic Fabrics)Helpful TipsResource GuideChapter 1: Home Décor………….page ??Grommet Curtains Reversible Table RunnerRuffle Pillow CoverFabric PlacematsBasket LinerPiped Pillow CoverGrocery Bag HolderTufted HeadboardLamp Shade Cover Simple Window ValanceChapter 2: Kids………….page ??Play Mat/Toy BagFabric MobileSippy Cup LeashFlip-Flop Heel StrapsSun Hat Chin StrapPacifier ClipColored Pencil Roll-UpChapter 3: Accessories………….page ??Woven ClutchBraided Leather Headband Leather Fringe necklace Hairbow Clips: with no-slip grip Basic ToteFabric Key FobBusiness Card HolderFabric FlowerChapter 4: Clothing………….page ??Basic Skirt Little Boy Bowtie Infinity ScarfHalf Apron Fluffy Tu-TuKnit Skirt with SashGraphic T-shirtLittle Girl Ribbon DressFringe ScarfChapter 5: Holiday………….page ??Valentine TableclothFabric Scrap Easter Eggs Fabric Gift BowsHalloween Table Runner Appliqued Nativity on Burlap Christmas Tree Skirt Chapter 6: Re-purposing………….page ??Sweater into CoastersPlacemat into Throw PillowShirt into Girl’s SkirtCloth Napkin into Kid’s Half ApronT-shirt into 5-Strand HeadbandScrap Cardboard into Tissue Box Cover Sweater into Fruit CozyPlastic Bottle into Water Bottle Sling T-shirts into Fringe SkirtRamekin into Pin CushionTemplatesGlossaryIs this necessary? A lot of the items I’m thinking of including are included in the getting started section.IndexIs this necessary? And what’s the best way to include one?IntroductionA whole book packed with projects...and not a single one requires a sewing machine? You got it! I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably trying to figure out if I’m being sneaky and have hidden a few steps that “suggest” using a machine. Or maybe that several projects include at least some sort of hand-sewing, with a needle and thread. Go ahead and leaf through the book, I’ll wait for you…but you won’t find a single thread sewn into any of these projects. Oh, you’re back? See?!! Not one thing. :)In fact, anyone can pick up this book and create the projects inside! And why would they? Because making things with your own two hands carries a great deal of satisfaction, eliciting that lovely “look at what I made!” feeling. More people are returning to crafting, knitting, etc., because it’s fun, and this book will cater to those who are discovering how rewarding it is to make your own stuff, without any sort of sewing involved.And hey, even if you have a sewing machine, maybe it’s a pain to pull out. Or you’re just plain tired of using it. Or maybe it has some setting issues and causes hair-pulling while in use. Grrrr…I know that feeling and have SO been there! So, leave that machine in its storage case and gather a few universal tools, and let me show you how do-able normally sewn items are to make, sans a sewing machine. Oh, but just be prepared for a few impressed looks when you finally share that the new curtain/scarf/pillow you assembled, were indeed made by your two little hands. And then watch for the look of surprise when you further tell them that not one single stitch was involved. Ha…the feeling is priceless! Just do me one favor though. There are projects that cater to different skill levels in this book. Start easy at first, if needs be, but promise me that you won’t limit yourself to an easier project, simply because you don’t consider yourself very skilled at this type of thing. One of my most favorite feelings, is to try something that I feel really intimidated by, and then shocking my socks right off, when I see something actually turn out. No joke, it’s like a natural drug…and you’ll love it! Do we have a deal? :)Now, go and have some fun, share with me your projects, and beautify the people and living spaces around you!-AshleyGetting StartedSupply List:Many of the projects included within this book, use similar tools in order to complete each one. Instead of listing each of the common (and sometimes household type items) for every single project, I’ve put together a master list here, broken down into 3 categories. I’ve also included the types and brands of some of my favorite supplies, which may help you in deciding what you need. You don’t have to purchase (or have on hand) every single item on these lists to begin working on projects…but just keep in mind that the following tools are used pretty often throughout the book.The BasicsRuler- You may want several types. My favorites to have on hand, are a clear ruler of some sort (helps to see what’s going on underneath), a short hem guide ruler (with a slide that adjusts for your desired folded amount of fabric), and a standard 12 inch ruler.Vinyl Measuring Tape- This is a flexible measuring tape, used to measure 3 dimensional objects, like a waist, arms, etc.Fabric Scissors- It’s always best to keep a pair of scissors dedicated to fabric only. This will keep them sharp and will help keep your cutting accurate and less aggravating.Paper Scissors- You will need to be cutting paper at times, so make sure you have a 2nd pair of scissors, separate from the Fabric Scissors.Straight PinsSafety PinsIron/Ironing Board- An iron with steam a steam setting is required for optimal outcome while using fusible adhesive.PenPencilPermanent MarkerTaylor’s Chalk- This type of chalk includes some sort of fine tip to accurately mark fabric but erases easily.Pinking ShearsThe blades on pinking shears are a zig-zag, which cuts the fabric on little mini diagonal lines. And when you cut woven fabric on the diagonal, it minimizes fraying tremendously. Lighter- This will be used to melt ribbon ends. Others prefer using a lit candle, so that the flame is constantly lit. Just be cautious while working with either option.Utility KnifeCutting MatHammerMasking tapeThe AdhesivesEpoxy Glue - My favorite type is Amazing Goop, the “Craft” version. It’s permanent, waterproof, and paintable.Glue Sticks/Glue Gun- I have used many glue guns and I don’t necessarily feel that one brand is better than the other. However, I strongly encourage buying one that has two heat options. Glue sticks that aren’t heated up fully, are sometimes useless and don’t fully bond to the surface you’re working with.Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch and ? inch widths- I have tried many, many brands and my absolute favorite brand (hands down), is Steam-A-Seam 2, Double-Sided Fusible Tape. It’s slightly sticky (like a sticker), helping it to temporarily stay in place until your ready to iron it permanently in place. I use both of these widths pretty often and like having them both on hand. I have this brand available in many fabric stores and several places online.Fusible Adhesive Sheets (or on a roll)-The brand I really like and use the most, is Thermoweb Heat’n Bond, iron on adhesive. It comes in rolls and lasts a long time. Other Specialty SuppliesFreezer PaperThis stuff was designed to wrap around meat before placing in the freezer. However, crafters discovered its usefulness when they figured out that it would iron temporarily to fabric, creating precise templates and pattern pieces. One side is paper, while the other has a glossy finish and adheres quickly to fabric, with the use of a heated iron. Freezer Paper is generally found in the grocery store, near the foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, etc.Grosgrain Ribbon- This type of ribbon is stiffer and holds its shape better. It has little ribbed lines that run across the ribbon. I pick it more often than not, simply because it’s a little more heavy duty than most other options. However, other satin types of fabric are great for aesthetics, if desired.Snap Hammer Tool- This is my preferred method to attach snaps. It’s a long metal shaft that has a round end that fits over one side of the snap pieces. You hit the hammer at the top of the shaft and the round end helps compress your 2 snap pieces together. (It is pictured in all the pictures where a snap tool is needed.)Snap Pliers- If you can’t locate a Snap Hammer Tool, there are also snap pliers available. I find them to be a little finicky but sometimes crafters can’t find anything else to attach their snaps, so this will still work.Vinyl: AKA Faux Leather)- This is a less expensive choice for projects and behaves similarly to leather. However, it Fold over elastic- This type of elastic is really soft and was initially created as the stretchy waistband and leg holes of underwear and bloomers. It has recently been used more and more to create many other crafting projects. Fabric PaintDecoupage- This is a glue/sealant/varnish, all in one. It helps glue things down is also great to apply over things, to give it a nice sealed finish. My favorite brand is Mod Podge, and the variety I use the most and for many surface types, is matte.Polyester fiberfill, stuffingHeavy Duty StaplerPower DrillFabric Guide: (include pics for the following??)Woven Fabric: When a fabric is woven, their fibers are interlaced together in a little criss-cross pattern, horizontally and vertically. Think of weaving strips of paper together while in grade school, when you’d interlace paper in and out of each other, to create one big woven piece of paper. Woven fabric is the same way. When cut, the fibers release and start to unravel, causing fraying along the edges. However, because of this nice weaving method, woven fabrics tend to hold their shape better and don’t really stretch. This can be helpful when trying to keep things precise and perfectly even and straight.Knit Fabric: When a fabric is knit together, there is one continuous thread being looped together back and forth, just like someone that is hand-knitting yarn. Once it’s complete, it almost looks like braiding upon close inspection (but is actually really hard to see). Because of that loopy braided technique, the fabric has a lot more give and stretches a lot more. It also creates a great advantage for the crafter because once cut, the edges don’t fray like wovens do, because it’s only one continuous thread, not a whole bunch of separate threads like woven fabric. And yes, depending on the type of knit fabric, the edges may curl a bit once they’re cut but if the curled edge doesn’t affect the look of the project much, it doesn’t really matter. And for you, the no-sew crafter, this fabric is definitely your friend!Types of Woven and Knit Fabrics: Remember, it’s not the fiber content that distinguishes whether or not a fabric is a woven or knit. Cotton, rayon, wool, polyester, silk, etc., can be both a woven and a knit. Cutting Woven Fabric on the Grain: Many of the projects in the book using woven fabrics, will be cut along the “grain”. The “grain” of the fabric is when you cut parallel to the horizontal or vertical fibers that are interlaced to create woven fabric.Cutting Woven Fabric on the Bias: One way to slow down the fraying of woven fabric, is to cut on the “bias”. This means, that you are cutting at a diagonal (45 degree angle) across the interlaced horizontal and vertical fibers. The bias of woven fabric also has some stretch to it and will hang differently than fabric that has been cut along the grain.How to tell the different between woven vs. knit fabric: Grab your fabric and stretch from side to side and from top to bottom, in the same direction as the “grain”. If it stretches in one of those directions (or both), it is probably a knit. If it doesn’t stretch with the “grain” and only stretches very slightly when pulled diagonally on the “bias”, it’s most likely a woven. The only time woven fabrics will stretch with the “grain”, is if elastic fibers are woven into the fabric.Synthetic Fabrics (i.e. nylon, polyester, rayon, etc.): Synthetic fabrics are pretty sensitive to heat. Stay away from them while constructing items from this book. The fibers are more prone to melting and won’t be able to withstand excessive ironing/steaming while activating the fusible adhesive, which is used frequently in this book.Helpful Tips (read entirely before starting any project)While using adhesive tape to fuse fabric layers together, don’t get frustrated if you don’t achieve a strong adhesion right away. It will take some getting used to, while figuring out how your adhesive reacts with your iron, fabric, etc. Always check your iron heat first and turn it up a bit and see if that helps. If not, try adding a little bit of steam, to help heat up and moisten the adhesive, creating an even stronger bond. After a few seconds of consistent heat, lift up your iron and check your bond, and repeat if necessary. Just be sure to hold consistent heat on your fabric long enough for a good seal.Sometimes when using thicker fabric, your adhesive may have a hard time holding everything in place. You’ll want to first increase the time that you hold the iron on the fabric and then check the fusion. However, you may want to consider adding 2 or 3 layers of your adhesive tape in place of a single layer, and then try ironing again.While ironing fusible tape or sheets, never pull the iron across the fabric. Always press down your iron, lift up, move locations, and press down again.Using Hot Glue can be a little messy. Before using hot glue on any project, practice making even lines and then lifting without dragging long strings of glue from your project. To eliminate strings, it helps to release the glue, then let go of the trigger while still holding the top over the extracted glue. Then move the tip over the hot glue area until most of the excess comes out of the tip of the gun, and then pull away quickly. This will take some practice but it’s worth practicing before messing up a project with messy blobs of glue.If you’ve gotten messy with the glue gun and you see blobs of dried hot glue that have turned white, don’t give up just yet. Use a lighter to heat the glue up and try wiping it away quickly with your finger. If it’s only a small bit that you’re trying to make disappear, you may not even need to wipe it away. But heating it up turns it clear again, making it pretty unnoticeable.All items created with fusible adhesive are considered a little more sensitive to harsh cleaning methods. Clothing made with fusible adhesive should be washed on a gentle cycle (or hand washed, if you’re extra concerned) and then placed flat to air dry. You will also need to iron your fabric and check any of your fusible adhesives for lifting (which can be remedied with re-ironing). Consider clothing items made with fusible adhesive more like specialty items in your wardrobe, not “everyday” clothing that can withstand a beating. But it’s certainly worth having a few things that you’ve made yourself for a special occasion or season, even if that means you have to take a little more time caring for it.While ironing the fusible adhesives, be sure that they don’t come in contact with the iron. Be sure that they are sandwiched between 2 layers of fabric and aren’t poking out anywhere. If it gets on your iron, the adhesive can be transferred to other parts of your project and could ruin your hard work. If you do happen to get some adhesive on your iron face, try rubbing it off with a hand towel, while the iron is still on and hot. There are also iron cleansers available at most fabric stores.Never place your iron over an area that has previously been glued with Hot Glue. This will turn your glue sticky again and will not only make a mess on your iron/work surface, but will loosen up the glue and may ruin the placement of your fabrics, etc.Sometimes it can be tricky to cut a straight line in your fabric. A huge help can be to use a ruler and draw your straight lines right onto your fabric and then cut along the line. Another method is to line up your fabric edge along your table or counter edge and use that as a guide. And one last idea for “woven” fabric is to pull one of the horizontal or vertical fibers that are woven into your fabric and pull on it, creating a puckered line in your fabric. Continue to pull until you’ve pulled it all the way out. Use that line as your straight line, cut along it, and then use that straight line as your guide.The ‘Time Estimate’ listed under each project title, is just that, an estimate. It can vary from one skill level to another and can also be affected by the types of supplies used.In case you are making clothing items for someone other than yourself (or someone nearby that you can measure) here’s a woman and child sizing chart to reference. (Remember, every body size is a little different and won’t fit exactly within this chart. However, the clothing projects in this book are pretty forgiving and don’t have to be perfectly sized or fitted.)2 sizing charts to be added hereResource GuideA few places to consider while shopping for your supplies:Joann FabricHobby Lobby Hancock Fabric Local fabric shops in your , Chapter 1: Home Décor1 Grommet Curtain PanelLuckily, something as easy as switching out curtain panels can really change the look of a room that you’re growing tired of. Making your own curtains gives you the freedom to make them the exact size/shape/color/thickness that you need. And those grommets are such a simple concept that will really make your curtains pop!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60-90 minutesSupplies:Medium Weight Upholstery Fabric, 55-60 inch wide (amount varies, depending on curtain sizes needed)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide1 ? inch Curtain Grommets, (the measurement is the inner dimension)** You’ll need about 6 grommets for each 55-60 inch wide curtain panel.Determine the curtain height that you need and add 7 ? inches to that dimension. Cut a piece of fabric that is that length and if you’d like it more narrow than the fabric width (55-60 inches), trim the width down to the width you need but ADD 2 inches to that, for finishing your side edges. Fold one of your SIDE edges over towards the “wrong” side of the fabric a ? inch, and iron flat. [01NoSew001]Fold it over another ? inch and iron again. [01NoSew002]Lift the folded edge back up and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape along the upper folded edge, all the way across the long edge of folded fabric. [01NoSew003]Fold the flap of fabric back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other SIDE of your curtain. [01NoSew004]Fold the TOP edge of your curtain over a ? inch towards the “wrong” side of the fabric and iron flat. [01NoSew005]Fold it over another 4 ? inches and iron flat again. [01NoSew006]Lift the folded edge back up and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape along the upper folded edge, all the way across the long edge of folded fabric. Fold the flap of fabric back down and iron it in place. [01NoSew007]You will see an opening along the sides, where you folded over the top edge of your fabric. Open up that gap and place a piece of your adhesive on the inside and iron flat, fusing those layers together. [01NoSew008]Keep the curtain in front of you with the “right” side facing down and determine where you’d like to place each grommet along the top of the panel and mark it with a dot. Be sure that you are centering each dot from top to bottom of the folded over 4? inch tall section. Also, the dot for the 2 grommets closest to each end should be marked about 2 inches from each end. The rest of the grommet dots should be evenly spaced between the two end grommet dots. [01NoSew009]Read your grommet packaging and follow your directions for drawing templates for each grommet, centering your template on each of the dots that you marked along the top of your curtain panel. [01NoSew010]Cut out the holes for each grommet. [01NoSew011]Follow your instructions again for placing your front and back grommet pieces where they should go. [01NoSew012]Then snap them together. [01NoSew013]Fold up your bottom edge a ? inch towards the “wrong” side of the fabric, iron it flat, fold it over another 2 inches, and then iron it flat again. Add adhesive tape under the folded flap of fabric to keep it in place, just like you did in steps 3 and 7. [01NoSew014]Tips:Each panel that you make will be the width of your fabric, MINUS two inches. If you need curtains that are wider than your fabric width (55-60 inches or whatever width you’re using), you’ll have to fuse pieces of fabric together to create a wider piece (reference the Valentine Tablecloth page #). However, if your curtains are mostly for decoration, you can just keep them pulled open and it won’t matter that they aren’t technically wide enough to cover your window. And no one will ever know!2 Reversible Table RunnerTable Runner’s make such a pretty addition to table settings, especially when you get to make it the exact color, length, and width that you want. And in case you have a fickle personality, this reversible runner will allow you to change your mind and switch up your look any time you want.Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60-90 minutesSupplies:1 ? yards of Upper Fabric, medium weight cotton1 ? yards of Lower fabric, medium weight cottonDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch widePinking shears**Finished table runner measures 14 inches wide by 102 inches long. If prefer a shorter/longer runner, adjust accordingly.Cut your 1? yards of Upper Fabric into 2 pieces that are 15 inches wide x 54 inches long each. (Don’t cut the length off yet.) Place each strip end to end, with the “right” side facing up. Overlap the two ends, folding the end that overlaps on the top, under a ? inch and press with an iron. Move it around a bit, to match up any sort of print (if applicable). Just be sure to not overlap them too much, making the entire strip of fabric shorter than 103 inches. Once you have a good placement, pin the ends together. Iron the fold of the overlapped fabric flat. [02NoSew001]Lift the top end carefully and add a strip of adhesive tape along the under side of the top fold, right next to the fold. [02NoSew002]Iron in place, fusing the layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. [02NoSew003]Turn to the back side and trim down the extra fabric along the back down to an inch. [02NoSew004]Trim the edge again very minimally, using pinking shears this time, to eliminate any fraying of the raw edges. Repeat all steps with the Lower Fabric. [02NoSew005]Place the Upper Fabric and Lower Fabric together, with “right” sides together. Match up sides and ends and pin in place. Pull back the top fabric at one end and begin placing adhesive tape along the very edge of the end and a few inches along the top and bottom. Place the top fabric back on top, matching up the edges again and iron in place, fusing the layers together. [02NoSew006]Continue down the length of the table runner, fusing the Upper and Lower Fabric strips together, about 15 or so inches at a time. [02NoSew007]Once you reach the end, place adhesive tape around the remaining top and bottom edges and along the end, leaving a 10 inch gap without any adhesive between the two corners (which will be used for turning it right side out). (add arrows) [02NoSew008]Fuse the remaining edges together with your iron, making sure that your gap was left un-fused. [02NoSew009]Trim off all 4 corners, but feel carefully where your adhesive is placed between the layers of fabric. You are just taking away some bulk here before turning it right side out so that your corners will lay flat but you don’t want to cut too much away or you’ll have a hole when you turn your corner right side out. (add arrows or lines to show my point) [02NoSew010]Turn the table runner right side out through the opening, poking each corner out gently with the closed tip of your scissors. (Don’t poke too hard or you’ll create a hole.) Fold the edges of the opening towards the inside a ? inch and iron flat. Iron the rest of the table runner flat as well. [02NoSew011]Place a strip of adhesive tape along the inside edge of the opening, between the Upper and Lower fabric layers. Place the tape as close as you can to the folded edges of the fabrics but hidden enough so that it won’t show from the outside. Iron until sealed completely shut. [02NoSew012]Tips:If you’d rather purchase more fabric so that you don’t have to piece your fabric together (and have to match up patterns together, etc.), purchase 3 yards of each type of fabric and cut each Upper and Lower strip into 15 x 103 inch pieces and then start with step 6. (And then you’ll have enough fabric left over for another identical table runner to gift to a friend!)3 Ruffle Pillow CoverRuffles add such a fun texture to things…especially on a pillow. This Ruffle Pillow Cover has a simple design to it, with several rows of pre-ruffled trim added right to the front. The back has an envelope closure, so your pillow insert can easily be removed for cleaning, etc.Skill Level: IIITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:16 inch square pillow form1 yard of cotton fabric, printed or solid (any fabric weight)4 yards of pre-ruffled trim, 1 ? inch wide (if you use something more narrow or wider, you’ll have to adjust the amount of trim needed)Fusible Webbing Tape (1/2 inch wide)Cut out a front piece that is 17 x 17 inches and two back pieces that are both 12 x 17 inches. [03NoSew001]Place one of your back pieces face down in front of you. Then fold over the top edge (that’s 17 inches wide) a ? inch and iron it flat. Then fold it over another ? inch and iron again. Do the same thing to the bottom edge of the other back piece. (If you’re not using printed fabric, you won’t necessarily have a “top” and “bottom” edge. So you won’t always have to worry about a print being upside-down or not.) [03NoSew002]While one of your back pieces is still facing down, lift up the narrow flap that you just ironed down and place a strip of fusible webbing tape underneath. Be sure that the webbing reaches from one end, all the way to the other. Then fold the flap back down and press with a hot iron. While ironing all the way across, lift up the iron and place back down again, avoiding pulling or dragging across the fabric. Repeat with the other back piece of fabric. [03NoSew003]Place both back pieces of fabric face up and overlap the two folded edges until you have a 17 x 17 inch square. [03NoSew004]Lift up the side of the top layer of fabric enough to place a strip of fusible webbing tape along the side edge between the two layers where they overlap. Be sure to line up the webbing tape with the lower edge of the bottom fabric first and then fold the top layer of fabric back down and line up the lower edges of both layers. Then, measure to be sure this side is still 17 inches wide. Iron flat. Repeat on the opposite side, where the edges overlap as well. You now have a front and back piece that are both 17 x 17 inches. [03NoSew005]Begin cutting strips of your ruffled trim, 17 inches wide. [03NoSew006]If you look closely at your trim, most likely there will be a sewn seam or some sort of raw edge that needs to be hidden. [03NoSew007]Arrange your strips of trim down in front of you, overlapping each strip and hiding any seams or edges that you don’t want seen. Lay your front fabric piece next to your arranged trim pieces and determine where the trim pieces will be placed on the fabric. Use pins to mark where the top row of ruffle trim will start and where the last row will end. [03NoSew008]Start with the very bottom row of ruffled trim and place a strip of webbing tape along the under side of the trim, along the top edge. (In the picture, the pillow front is upside down, as well as the trim piece…because it was easier to add the webbing tape and iron it that way.) Iron flat to adhere the strip to the pillow front. Be sure to only iron along the top flat edge of the trim, as to not flatten the ruffles. [03NoSew009]Continue adding the rows of trim, one at a time until all are adhered to the pillow front. [03NoSew010]In order to adhere the pillow front and back pieces together, you’ll need to flatten the edges of the pillow front, where the rows of ruffles end. Place your iron along the sides of the pillow, ironing the edges of ruffles flat, about ? an inch inwards. [03NoSew011]Most likely, this will cause some of the ruffles to flatten and then extend beyond the 17-inch fabric square. Trim those pieces off, keeping the same square shape. [03NoSew012]Place Fusible Webbing Tape around all 4 edges of the pillow front, keeping it exactly even with all 4 outer edges, and overlapping at each corner. [03NoSew013]Place the Pillow Back right on top, face down, making the opening of the Pillow Back lay parallel with the rows of ruffles, rather than perpendicular. [03NoSew014]Iron around all four edges of the pillow. [03NoSew015]Trim off each corner (about ? inch), making sure not to cut all the way through the webbing at each corner, or you’ll have a hole at your corner after turning it right side out. (Cutting the corners partway off will take away some of the bulk, making a prettier corner after you turn it right side out.) [03NoSew016]Turn the pillow cover right side out through the back opening. Gently poke out each corner and then iron along each edge, making sure that none of the webbing is exposed. If a bit of the adhesive pulled loose while you were turning the cover right side out, make sure to iron it again and it will re-adhere again, without any problem. Then stuff your insert (or old pillow) inside of the cover. [03NoSew017]Tips:Any fabric weight works for this project but keep in mind that a thicker weighted fabric is a little sturdier. However, sometimes a lighter weighted fabric offers a softer texture and a slightly different look to your pillow. Go with what suits you best.Using something like a knitting needle or the point of your closed scissors, is helpful to poke out your pillow corners. Be sure to do so gently, so you don’t poke a hole through the fabric.4 Fabric PlacematNeed a perfect housewarming/wedding/neighbor gift? Or maybe you just need a particular placemat color to match your dining room settings… No more fretting while searching every store in town for the perfect color/print, just make your own!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:? yard Outer Fabric (medium to heavier weighted fabrics work best)? yard of Lining Fabric (medium to heavier weighted fabrics work best)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide*Supplies listed are to complete ONE placemat, which measures 14 x 18 inches.Cut a rectangle from your Outer Fabric and your Lining Fabric that both measure 15 x 19 inches. [04NoSew001]Place some Fusible Tape along all the edges of your Outer Fabric Piece, on the “right” side of the fabric. Overlap the tape at each corner, making sure that all edges have adhesive. However, leave about an 8-inch gap along one end without any adhesive (for turning right side out later on), centering the gap between the two corners. (add arrows to demonstrate) [04NoSew002]Place your Lining Fabric (“right” side facing down) directly on top of the Outer fabric, matching up all edges. Be sure that the adhesive tape hasn’t moved and is still lined up with the outer edges of both layers of fabric. [04NoSew003] Iron your 2 layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. All edges should fuse together, except for the gap along one end. [04NoSew004]Trim off all 4 corners, but feel carefully where your adhesive is between the layers of fabric. You are just taking away some bulk here before turning it right side so that your corners will lay flat but you don’t want to cut too much away or you’ll have a hole when you turn your corner right side out. (add arrows or lines to show my point) [04NoSew005]Turn the placemat right side out through the opening at one end, poking each corner out gently with the closed tip of your scissors. (Don’t poke too hard or you’ll create a hole.) Fold the edges of the opening towards the inside a ? inch and iron flat. Iron the rest of the placemat flat as well. [04NoSew006]Place a strip of adhesive tape along the inside edge of the opening, between the Outer and Lining fabric layers. Place the tape as close as you can to the folded edges of the fabrics but hidden enough so that it won’t show from the outside. Iron until sealed completely shut. [04NoSew007]Tips:The supply list says you’ll need a ? yard of each of your fabrics to make one placemat. That’s because you need at least a ? yard for the height dimension of the placemat. However, fabric usually comes in 44-45 inches wide, and sometimes up to 60. So, you can definitely cut 2 placemats out of the ? yard of each the outer and lining fabrics that are required to make the one placemat.5 Basket LinerAdding a liner to a basket isn’t just for aesthetics. The liner will help keep the wicker fibers clean but will also help keep your wicker ends from being snagged by the basket’s contents. However, let’s not ignore that a little splash of color can really perk up a sad ol’ basket! So go on…do some perking!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:Laminated Cotton Fabric (amount depends on basket size)Square/Rectangle Basket, any size8 Metal Eyelet Sets, ? inch (the measurement is the inner dimension)Eyelet Setter Hammer Tool (or other eyelet tool)HammerGrosgrain Ribbon, 3/8 inchFlexible Measuring Tape (vinyl)Begin measuring for the size of your lining by hanging your measuring tape 4 inches below the top edge of the basket, on the outside. Keep one hand on the tape here and then let the tape drop to the inside of the basket. [05NoSew001]Pull the tape straight down to the bottom edge, pull it across the bottom of the basket, up the opposite side, and then up and over the other side, hanging down 4 inches on the other side. This number is your width measurement. Do the same thing with the other measurement of your basket, making sure to include the 4-inch drop on the outside of both ends. This is your length measurement. [05NoSew002]Place your measuring tape down into the very bottom of the basket and just measure the very bottom width of your basket base. [05NoSew003]Then measure the opposite way, and measure the very bottom length of your basket base. [05NoSew004]Cut a piece of Laminate Fabric that is the same measurement as your first Width and length measurements from step 2, and lay it down in front of you, face up. Then, cut a piece of paper that is the same size as your basket base measurements in steps 3-4. Center the paper on top of the laminate and tape it down in place. Double check your placement by measure from the edge of the paper to the outer edge of the fabric, making sure that it corresponds with the side of the baskets’ measurements, including the 4-inch overhang. [05NoSew005]Cut out each corner of fabric, making sure that the width of each flap stays consistent with the measurement of its corresponding side of the paper template. [05NoSew006]Place the fabric down inside of the basket, making sure that if you have a rectangle basket, you have it turned the correct way to cover the entire bottom of the inside basket with the flaps each coming out and overhanging 4 inches. Mark a dot near the edge of both flaps, where you want your eyelets to be. (At least a ? inch away from all edges.) [05NoSew007]For each eyelet that you attach, you will need an Eyelet Front (taller barrel), an Eyelet Back (shorter barrel), a Hammer Plate, and a Hammer Post. (label parts) [05NoSew008]Center an Eyelet Back over the dot you drew on one of the flaps and use it as a template to trace around the inside edge of the barrel. [05NoSew009]Cut out the circle with scissors. [05NoSew010]Turn the fabric over with the “wrong” side facing up. Place the Eyelet Front through the hole from the “right” side, forcing the barrel to poke up through to the “wrong” side of the fabric. Place the Eyelet Back right on top. [05NoSew011]Place the Hammer Plate at the base, underneath the Eyelet Front and then fit the Hammer Post right on top of the Eyelet Back. [05NoSew012]Tap the top of the Hammer Post with a hammer a few times, until both eyelet pieces compress and pinch the fabric in between nice and tight. Repeat with the other 7 eyelets. [05NoSew013]Place the liner back into the basket, fold out each flap evenly, and secure the flaps at each corner with a piece of ribbon. [05NoSew014]Tips:Laminated Fabric is cool stuff! It is coated with a clear vinyl, keeping it from fraying once it’s cut. However, you don’t want to iron this fabric or the coating will melt. (If you have a stubborn wrinkle, try using a hair dryer to loosen up the crease.)Laminated Fabric is becoming more common in local stores but there is a larger variety found online. You can also create your own laminated fabric by purchasing iron-on clear vinyl and fusing it right over the top of your fabric.If you’d like more or less of a lining overhang on the outside of the basket, adjust your measurement accordingly.6 Piped Pillow CoverWho says you can only attach piping with a sewing machine? Ignore the naysayers and create a beautifully trimmed pillow cover, stuff it with a cozy pillow insert, and then toss onto your sofa, bench seat, or bed. And then admire your gorgeous little pop of color!Skill Level: IIITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:1 yard of medium/heavy weight home decor cotton fabricDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide3 yard package of coordinating piping18 inch square pillow form Cut out a front piece that is 19 x 19 inches and two back pieces that are both 13 x 19 inches. Also, gather your piping and fusible webbing tape. [06NoSew001]Place one of your back pieces face down in front of you. Then fold over the top edge (that’s 19 inches wide) and fold it over a 1/2 inch, then iron it flat. Then fold it over another 1/2 inch, then iron again. Do the same thing to the bottom edge of the other back piece. (If you’re not using printed fabric, you won’t necessarily have a “top” and “bottom” edge. So you won’t always have to worry about a print being upside-down or not.) [06NoSew002]While one of your back pieces is still facing down, lift up the narrow flap that you just ironed down and place a strip of fusible webbing tape underneath. Be sure that the webbing reaches from one end, all the way to the other. Then fold the flap back down and press with a hot iron. While ironing all the way across, lift up the iron and place back down again, avoiding pulling or dragging across the fabric. Repeat with the other back piece of fabric. [06NoSew003]Place both back pieces of fabric face down and overlap the two folded edges until you have a 19 x 19 inch square. Then pin the sides together, where the two layers overlap. [06NoSew004]Remove the pins on one side without moving the fabric and then fold up the edge of the top layer just a bit. Then place a strip of fusible webbing tape between the two layers where they overlap. Be sure to line up the webbing tape with the lower edge of the bottom fabric first and then fold the top layer of fabric back down and line up the lower edges of both layers. Then, measure to be sure this side is still 19 inches wide. Iron flat. Repeat on the opposite side, where the edges overlap as well. You now have a front and back piece that are both 19 x 19 inches. [06NoSew005]Starting at one end of your piping, fold the webbing tape in half lengthwise and begin pinning it to the bottom edge of the piping. (Folding it in half will help the webbing to fit better but also adds a double layer of adhesive to the piping.) You will notice that there’s a seam right below the bump of the piping. Line the top edge of the folded webbing right along that seam and then down to the bottom edge of the fabric, but not hanging below the bottom edge. Pin the webbing to the piping every couple of inches. [06NoSew006]Lay your front pillow piece of fabric down in front of you, right side up. (And if applicable, make sure your print is right side up as well.) Starting at the bottom center, begin pinning the piping down to the fabric with the webbing side facing down. Be sure that the bump of the piping is at the top of the piping and the raw edges at the bottom. Then, line up the seam of the piping 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the pillow fabric. Let the very end of the piping gradually curve off the fabric and pin it in place. [06NoSew007]Be sure that while pinning the piping in place, that the seam below the piping bump remains 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the fabric. [06NoSew008]Once you reach the corner, make a cut in the bottom half of the piping (right up to the seam, but not through it) 1/2 inch from the right edge of the fabric. This will help your piping turn the corner. You will cut through the webbing as well and may have to re-pin the webbing in place as you continue pinning the piping in place. (add a bracket to show ? inch) [06NoSew009]Be sure to pin the piping to the fabric really close to the corner cut on both the bottom and right sides, to force a nicely squared piped corner. Then, start pinning your piping along the next side of the pillow fabric. [06NoSew010]Continue all the way around the front pillow piece, keeping everything lined up and 1/2 inch from the edge. Once you make it all the way around, overlap the end of the piping over the first end, letting the 2nd end run off the edge of the fabric, just like you did with the first. Cut off any excess piping and then iron the piping in place, butting the edge of the iron right up against the bump of the piping. Be sure to lift and press with the iron and remove pins as you go and then check to see that the adhesive has completely melted and has adhered to both the fabric and the piping. If not, keep pressing with the iron. Spend some extra time ironing where the two ends overlap, to be sure that the webbing has created a strong hold. [06NoSew011]Place the back piece on top of the front piece, with right sides together, keeping track of your print direction. Use pins to secure the two layers together, all the way around. Then remove the pins from one side and lift up the top fabric edge just a bit. Then place a strip of the webbing tape from one end to the other, lining it up right below the bump of the piping. [06NoSew012]Fold the top piece of fabric back over and iron it down in place, making sure to lift and then place the iron back down, all the way along this side. Repeat with the other 3 sides. And while ironing, be sure and butt the iron right up against the edge of the piping, getting the adhesive between the layers nice and hot. Then check around all the edge and be sure that the adhesive did its job. (Looking from the inside and seeing that the edges adhered to each other properly is also helpful. If it’s not, iron everything again.) [06NoSew013]Clip each of the 4 corners off, making sure not to cut through the bump of the piping but right up against it. (Cutting the corners will take away some of the bulk, making a prettier corner after you turn it right side out.) [06NoSew014]Turn the pillow cover right side out through the back opening. Gently poke out each corner and then iron along each edge, making sure that the fabric is folded right up against the piping. Help it along if necessary. And if a bit of the adhesive pulled loose while you were turning the cover right side out, make sure to iron it again and it will re-adhere again, without any problem. Then stuff your insert (or old pillow) inside of the cover. [06NoSew015]Tips:If you already have an 18-inch throw pillow that no longer matches your décor (or has become tattered), use that as your insert instead of buying an actual insert.7 Grocery Bag HolderDo you have an over-flowing stash of old plastic grocery bags in your pantry/cupboard/closet that has become unruly? How about creating a fabric holder that neatly stores all of those bags, with a stretchy place to insert at the top and easily pull what you need from the bottom. And even more important, it’s much more lovely than just shoving all the bags inside one large plastic bag. Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:? yard of medium weight cotton fabricCord Elastic, 1/8 inch32 Metal Eyelet Sets, ? inch (the measurement is the inside barrel dimension)Eyelet Setter Hammer Tool (or other eyelet tool)14 inches of Grosgrain Ribbon, 5/8 inch wideLighterEpoxy GluePinking Shears**The finished Grocery Sack Holder is approximately 21 inches tall and 19 inches around. (When it’s stuffed with bags, it’s about 6-7 inches wide.)Cut a piece from your fabric that is 24 inches tall and 20 inches wide. [07NoSew001]Fold the top edge (20 inches wide) down a ? inch towards the “wrong” side of the fabric and iron flat. [07NoSew002]Fold it down another inch and iron flat again. [07NoSew003]Lift the folded edge back up and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape along the upper folded edge, all the way across the 20 inches of folded fabric. [07NoSew004]Fold the flap of fabric back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with bottom edge, which is also 20 inches wide. [07NoSew005]Fold your fabric in half lengthwise, with “right” sides together, matching up the two raw (un-finished) sides. Place a piece of adhesive tape between the two side edges and then iron flat, fusing the fabric layers together. [07NoSew006]Trim the very edge of the fused layers with pinking shears, which will keep this edge from fraying. [07NoSew007]Turn the newly created tube of fabric RIGHT SIDE out and iron the fabric open where the two ends were fused together. Make sure to iron the flap of fabric on the under side off to one side, down the entire length. [07NoSew008]Turn the tube INSIDE OUT now and lift up the flap of fabric and place a strip of ? inch adhesive strip under the flap. [07NoSew009]Press the flap back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. [07NoSew010]For each eyelet that you attach, you will need an Eyelet Front (taller barrel), an Eyelet Back (shorter barrel), a Hammer Plate, and a Hammer Post. (label parts) [07NoSew011]Place 16 evenly spaced straight pins along the top edge of your tube, right where each of your 16 eyelets will be attached. Place an Eyelet Back about a ? inch from the top edge of your tube, in line with one of the straight pins. Trace a circle onto the “right” side of the fabric, using the inside barrel of the eyelet as a template. [07NoSew012]Cut out the circle with some sharp and pointy scissors. [07NoSew013]Place the Eyelet Front through the hole from the “right” side, forcing the barrel to poke through to the “wrong” side of the fabric. [07NoSew014]Place the “right” side of the fabric face down and then slide the Hammer Plate underneath the Eyelet Front. Then place the Eyelet Back on top of the Eyelet Front and then fit the Hammer Post right on top of the Eyelet Back. Tap the top of the Hammer Post with a hammer a few times, until both eyelet pieces compress and pinch the fabric in between nice and tight. [07NoSew015]Repeat with the other 15 eyelets around this tube opening. And then repeat again with all 16 eyelets at the other end of the tube. [07NoSew016]Use a lighter to slightly melt and seal both ends of your ribbon, so they won’t fray. [07NoSew017]Then pick one end of your tube to be the “top” end, since they’re identical at this point. Thread one end of your ribbon through an eyelet and fold it over onto itself by 1 inch. Add some epoxy glue and pinch closed. [07NoSew018]Apply pressure and let the glue dry completely. Insert the other end of ribbon through an eyelet across from the first one, creating a handle for your holder. [07NoSew019]Weave a piece of elastic through the eyelets, including the eyelets where the ribbon is looped through. Cinch it in just a bit, so that this top end of your Sack Holder will keep the bags in place but isn’t too small to shove bags through with your hand. Then tie the two elastic ends together. [07NoSew020]Do the same thing at the bottom end of your holder but cinch the elastic in a little tighter because you only have to pull a small portion of the bag to pull it free. [07NoSew021]8 Tufted HeadboardThere’s just something beautiful and grand about crowning a mattress with a headboard. And to then add tufting on top of that? Gorgeous. Customize your own headboard with the fabrics you want and the exact dimensions you need, to fit your bedroom perfectly. Relaxing in your room never felt so good!Skill Level: IIITime Estimate: 3-4+ hoursSupplies5/8 inch Plywood Foam, 1 ? inch thick, Medium weight fabric, Backing Fabric1x2 inch wood pieces1 inch high loft quilt batting Spray Adhesive2 inch bolts with matching lock nuts1 inch washers (the center opening must be smaller than the head of your bolt)Nut Driver (or Ratchet)Long neck screw driver (or awl) Drill/drill bit (same size as your bolt diameter) 1 ? inch flat head screwsStaple Gun1? inch Cover buttons and Kit Epoxy Glue**The amounts of supplies needed above depend on the headboard size you make. Read the instructions below to determine your sizing.**The headboard shown in the pictures below was customized for a king bed. The main portion of the headboard (without the legs), measures 35 inches tall and 77 inches wide. Use it as a guide while deciding your own headboard size and how many tufting locations you want.A standard bed height is about 25 inches from the top of the mattress down to the ground. Headboards are generally 50-60 inches tall (from the ground) but if you have an extra high/low bed height, you can customize your headboard to fit your bed. As a guide, headboards generally sit 25-35 inches above the top of the mattress. So, determine what headboard height you’d like (measuring from the top of the mattress on up), measure the width of you mattress or bed frame, and then cut a piece of plywood with those exact measurements. Now, draw horizontal lines right on your wood, dividing the height into even sections. Then draw vertical lines on your wood, dividing the width into even sections. The amount of lines depends on preference and the height/width of your plywood but keep an even free space around the sides of the grid lines you have drawn. (Draw a picture to illustrate.) Along the very top horizontal line, make a mark where all of the horizontal lines intersect this line. You will be drilling a hole at each of these marks. Along the 2nd horizontal row from the top, make a mark exactly BETWEEN the points where the vertical lines intersect. These marks will also be drilled. For the 3rd row from the top, you will go back to marking where this line intersects with the vertical lines. Work you way on down, alternating at the point of intersecting and between the intersection points, until all of your horizontal lines are marked with drill marks. (Draw a picture to illustrate.) Place your plywood up on stilts of some kind (paint cans work great!), to keep it up off the ground as you drill through each of your designated marks on your wood. [08NoSew003]Cut your foam down to size to completely cover your piece of plywood. Using smaller pieces of foam and piecing them together is just fine. [08NoSew004]Lift up your foam, one section at a time, and apply your spray adhesive to give your foam a temporary hold. [08NoSew005]Place one complete piece of quilt batting over the top of the foam and wrap it around to the back of the plywood. Carefully flip the entire thing over (2 people works best) and pull the batting taut as you staple it to the back-side of the plywood, near the edges. [08NoSew006] Flip it over again to the front and spread your fabric onto your headboard (“right" side facing up), letting the excess fabric hang evenly around all edges. (And be sure you have enough fabric to wrap around to the back of the plywood.) Stick some pins through the fabric and into the foam, holding your fabric in place temporarily. [08NoSew007]Stand your plywood up on one side and stick a Phillips screwdriver (or awl) through one of the VERY CENTER HOLES in your plywood from the back-side. Twist the screwdriver through with one hand while you place pressure on the front side with your other hand, compressing the foam a bit to help the screwdriver cut through and make a hole through the foam and batting. [08NoSew008]After your screwdriver passes through the foam/batting and reaches the fabric, use your scissors to snip a little hole. [08NoSew009]Push your screwdriver through the snipped hole in the fabric. [08NoSew010]Slide a washer over one of your 2 inch bolts and place the tip of the bolt onto the tip of the screwdriver. Keep firm pressure on the bolt pointing straight down onto the screwdriver, as you pull out the screwdriver from the back of the plywood and help the bolt find its way through the layers of foam, fabric, etc. (You will have to squeeze the foam and push firmly to help expose the tip of the bolt on the back-side.) [08NoSew011]Once your bolt has pushed all the way through to the back of the headboard, place a nut on the tip and tighten it down with a nut driver (or nut ratchet), while still keeping the foam compressed with your other hand. Your washer on the front will help pull your foam in tight but will also create a nice area for your Cover Button to sit later on. [08NoSew012]Keep poking holes through your foam, through the holes on the back of your plywood, working your way outward in a circular rippling effect (not in a row). Keep the fabric pulling outward and pretty taut as you work your way from hole to hole, but loose enough so that you can sink each bolt. As you move to the next hole diagonally, pull the fabric over to that hole, allowing wrinkles to form in the fabric. You don’t want any fabric wrinkles between each of the holes that are next to each other in their own row, only diagonal fabric wrinkles. [08NoSew013]Use your fingers to smooth the fabric and keep it straight between holes that are directly above and below each other…and then make another hole and add your bolt/nut. (And continually check that you aren’t pulling your fabric too far to one side or diagonally, because you want to ensure there is still enough excess fabric to wrap around to the back of your headboard.) [08NoSew014]Between the diagonal holes, help smooth out your fabric by pinching the wrinkles of fabric with your fingers, creating a distinct crease. [08NoSew015]Once you’re finished placing nuts/bolts at each hole, place your headboard face down onto stilts (or paint cans) again and cut two separate pieces of your 1x2 inch wood that will sit along both sides of your headboard. The length of each piece of wood is the height of your entire headboard height that you determined in step 1. Wrap some Backing Fabric around the bottom half of your 2 pieces of wood, wrapping it a little higher than where the piece of wood meets the headboard, to be sure no wood is exposed. Staple it in place along the back-side of the wood. [08NoSew016]Fold the Backing Fabric around the bottom end of your wood neatly, like you’re wrapping a present, and staple in place. [08NoSew017]Wrap batting around the upper portion of the piece of wood, attaching only to the section of the wood that will be attached directly to the back of the plywood. Staple it in place. Repeat with the other wood piece. [08NoSew018]Place one of your wood pieces flat (on its 2 inch side) on the back of the headboard at one end, making sure that the tops edges and sides of both the wood piece and headboard are flush. Snip little holes through the batting and then drive your 1 ? inch screws into the wood pieces, attaching them to the plywood from the back side (2 screws at each end). Repeat with the other wood piece along the other end of the headboard. [08NoSew019]Cut one more piece of 1x2 inch wood that fits along the very top of the back of the headboard, between the two side wood pieces that are already attached. Wrap this new piece of wood in batting, in the same manner as the two side pieces of wood. Place this 3rd piece right at the very top edge of the headboard (on the back side), making sure that the top edges are flush. Drive your screws into both ends and middle of this piece of wood, the same way you did with the other wood pieces. [08NoSew020]Pull the fabric from the front of the headboard, around and onto the back. Start along the center of the top edge and staple the fabric in place, on the under side of the pieces of 1x2 wood pieces that are now hidden beneath the fabric. [08NoSew021]Keep the fabric pulled tight as you staple it into place along the back. However, because there will be some excess fabric from doing all of that tufting along the front side, the fabric won’t lay flat and will pucker. So, you’ll need to create a little crease above each bolt location, straight up and over to the back side of the headboard. [08NoSew022] Staple each little crease in place, securing them below the 1x4 inch wood that’s hidden on the back. [08NoSew023]Staple all of the sides the same way, starting at the middle and working outward, but ignore each of the 4 corners. When your sides are done, you’ll have some bunched up fabric to deal with at each corner. Fold it as neatly as you can into itself, trying to create a nice crisp corner line. (It may take a little manipulating and patience.) [08NoSew024]Once you get a neat corner, staple it in place. [08NoSew025]Then lift up the fabric and trim away some of the bulky fabric underneath, making sure to not cut away anything that will be seen. [008NoSew026]Then pull the remaining fabric tightly inward and staple these fabric ends below the hidden1x4 inch wood on the back. [08NoSew027]At the two bottom corners, snip the fabric to fit around each leg, tuck under the raw edges, and fold the fabric around the corner of the headboard. Staple in place along the very bottom edge if needed and then pull the remaining fabric to the back and staple it out of the way like you did the upper corners. [08NoSew028]From the front side of the headboard, iron and steam each of the creases. [08NoSew029]The creases from your tufting will create diamond shapes. Keep the insides of the diamond shapes smooth and flat and each of the creases uniform and crisp. [08NoSew030]For each bolt that you attached, you’ll need a Cover Button Set. [08NoSew031]Follow your particular Cover Button Kit instructions and cover enough Buttons to cover each bolt on your headboard. [08NoSew032]If your Cover Button included a shank on the back, bend that over the best you can so that the button can lay flat on the headboard. Place a generous amount of epoxy glue on the back of the Cover Button. [08NoSew033]Place the glue side right down onto the bolt and exposed washer. Lay the headboard down flat so that the glue doesn’t drip down while you’re waiting for it to dry. Also, make sure that there’s enough glue under there to fill the back of the Cover Button and squeeze onto the bolt and washer, creating a tight seal after the glue dries. However, you don’t want too much or it will ooze out around the edges of the Buttons. Press the Cover Buttons firmly onto the headboard as they’re drying, to assure they affix properly. Let dry completely. [08NoSew034]TipsIf you use thicker/thinner foam, you may need longer/shorter bolts to use while tufting.As you’re poking all of your holes through the foam with your screwdriver (or awl), it may be easier to lay the headboard down onto stilts/paint cans and reach under as you work and then place the nuts on temporarily until you can turn the headboard over to really lock those in place. However, do whatever works best for you until you find your rhythm!Once the headboard is in place, the headboard will sit against the wall and your bed will sit right beneath the bottom of the tufted section of your headboard. The two headboard legs will be hidden behind the bed and can be secured to your bed frame for extra security.9 Lamp Shade CoverWho says you have to keep your plain ol’ boring lamp shade? Cover it with some funky fabric and make that little light source pop!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:Fabric (amount depends on lamp size)3/8 inch grosgrain ribbon, enough to go around your lamp shade twiceHot GlueCut a strip of fabric long enough to go all the way around your lampshade, overlapping by an inch at each end. [09NoSew001]Also, cut enough fabric so that you have about an inch extra at the top and bottom as well. [09NoSew002]Hot glue one of the fabric ends (on the back side of the fabric), right down to the lampshade. Make sure that the lampshade is centered on the fabric with the inch overhang at the top and bottom of the shade. [09NoSew003]Wrap the fabric all the way around the shade, and fold over the other end of the fabric an inch, towards the back-side of the fabric. Hot glue the fold down in place if your fabric won’t stay folded. [09NoSew004]Pull the fabric taut around the lampshade and hot glue the folded end down to the lampshade. [09NoSew005]Fold the top edge down towards the inside of the lampshade and hot glue it in place. Repeat with the bottom edge. [09NoSew006]If you have a bar in the way, cut a slit perpendicular to the lampshade and straight out from the bar. [09NoSew007]Fold the edge of fabric towards the inside of the lampshade, placing the slit around the metal bar. [09NoSew008]Hot glue ribbon along the raw edges of fabric inside the lampshade, to hide it and also keep it from fraying any further. [09NoSew009]Once you make your way all the way around the inside of the lampshade with your ribbon, stop about 2 inches from the end. Cut off any excess ribbon but leave enough to fold under the ribbon end and then glue it down. [09NoSew010]Tips:If your lampshade is a perfectly shaped cylinder or cube, a striped or geometric pattern would work fine because you can line up the stripes or patterns. However, if you’re recovering an angled lampshade, it’s best to use plain fabric or a print that doesn’t have a distinguishable pattern (i.e. floral).If you choose a fabric that’s too transparent, you’ll see the glue lines from the outside, so keep that in mind as you’re choosing your fabric.10 Simple Window ValanceWindows need a little love too! So, place a simple little valance along the top and give that lonely window a little splash of color and texture. You’ll be amazed at how polished it will make your room/window look.Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:2 Metal Curved End Standard Curtain Rods (for one valance), 1 inch wide??Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideUpholstery Fabric of choice (amount depends on valance size you make)Mount your top rod to the wall, right above your window. Decide how long you want your valance to hang and then mount your second curtain rod that distance down from the first one. Be sure that both rods are installed at exactly the same width. Then measure your installed rod from one end, all the way to the other end. Your bottom rod should be the exact same length. If not, make necessary adjustments. [10NoSew001](Draw an image) Add 2 inches to your width measurement and 5 inches to your height measurement (to fold under and secure edges). Place the fabric “right” side facing down and fold one of the sides edges over ? inch and iron in place. [10NoSew003]Fold over another ? inch and iron again. [10NoSew004]Place a strip of your adhesive, the exact length of this end of the fabric, and place it beneath the 2nd fold you made. [10NoSew005]Place iron on top and press firmly. Don’t drag the iron across the fabric. Instead, lift your iron and press down in a new location and then repeat until the fabric is sealed closed. Repeat steps 3-6 to the other end of the fabric. [10NoSew006]Keep the fabric facing downward and fold the top edge over ? inch and iron in place. [10NoSew007]Then fold over 2 ? inches and iron in place. [10NoSew008]Place another strip of your adhesive under the flap of fabric, lining it up with the bottom folded edge. Iron in place until the fabric is sealed closed. Repeat steps7-9 to the bottom edge of the fabric. [10NoSew009]Slide your curtain rods inside of the top and bottom casings. [10NoSew010]Adjust the rod widths until the ends are even with the ends of the valance. [10NoSew011]Attach both rods to the mounts previously attached to the wall. [10NoSew012]TipsBe sure to find curtain rods that fit your window opening. The placement of your valance depends on preference. But a good guide is at least an inch (or more) above your window opening and an inch or two from the opening on each side. Of course, this all depends on what surrounds your window and where your windows are placed on your wall. Experiment a bit before placing your curtain rods.Measure as you’re ironing the sides of your valance, to be sure your width is accurate and will still be wide enough to cover your curved curtain rods.Chapter 2: Kids11 Play Mat/Toy BagSkip the toy-clean-up battle with your children by spreading out this play mat and allowing them to scatter their toys on the mat while playing. When they’re through, simply cinch in the cord and gather all the pieces into a neat little Toy Bag. And for simple organization and storage, make separate Mat/Bags for cars, blocks, dolls, etc.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:2 yards of Fleece Fabric (at least 60 inches wide)2 pieces of ? inch cording, 3 yards long eachStraight pinsCotton String, about 35 inches longPermanent marker (or piece of chalk)*Steps 1-4 are a mini version of the actual size, to help demonstrate the process a little easier.Cut out a 60 x 60 inch square from your fleece fabric. [11NoSew001]Tie one end of a piece of string to a straight pin and the other end near the tip of a marker. The string should measure exactly 29 inches between the two when pulled taut. [11NoSew002]Mark the exact middle of the square piece of fleece. Stick the pin on that mark and hold it there firmly with one hand, while you pull the string and marker straight out with your other hand, making sure there’s no slack in the string. Rotate the marker around the center point, marking a curved line on the fabric as you rotate it around the pin. [11NoSew003]Continue all the way around until you complete the circle, which should be 58 inches in diameter. [11NoSew004]Measure 2 inches in from the outer edge of the circle (it doesn’t matter where along the outer curve of the circle you begin). [11NoSew005]Pinch a bit of that fabric between your thumb and forefinger to make it easier to cut. [11NoSew006]Make a ? inch slit, perpendicular to the outer edge of the circle, making sure that it’s about 2 inches from the edge of the circle. [11NoSew007]Continue making ? inch slits all the way around the circle, spacing each slit about 2 inches apart. [11NoSew008]Weave one of your pieces of cording in and out of those slits, all the way around half of the circle. Have the two ends of the cording end coming out on the “right” side of the fleece. (However, if you’re using a solid colored fleece, you may not have a “right” and a “wrong” side to your fabric. Just have the two ends coming out the same side.) [11NoSew009]Repeat with the other piece of cording, weaving in and out of the other half of the circle. At each side of the circle, tie the two ends of cording together, making sure that the knots are both on the top side of the fabric. [11NoSew010]Tips:If you’re using dark fabric, substituting a piece of chalk for the marker (in step 2) can be helpful, so that you can see the line being drawn.12 Fabric MobileMobiles are not only good to calm and entertain small babies but make a lovely decorative focal point. And because you’re making this yourself, you can create a perfect color-match piece of art, for any room or lonely corner in your home.Skill Level: IIITime Estimate: 3-4 hoursSupplies:A 6-inch and 12-inch floral/craft ring, (1 ? inches wide or similar)5 colors of 100% Cotton Fabric, 1/4 yard each (44-45 inch wide fabric)Power DrillAcrylic Craft Paint, any colorSponge brush (or paint brush)Heavy Duty Hand Quilting Thread, 100% CottonClear Beading Wire, size??Double Sided Fusible Adhesive (the type with paper on one side)24 Crystal Beads,1/2 inchEpoxy Craft Glue1 Screw Hook (for hanging the mobile)Place your floral/craft rings down on the table and be sure the small one fits inside the larger one, with room in between. [12NoSew001]Evenly space 8 pencil marks around the 6-inch ring and 16 pencil marks around the 12-inch ring. (You may already have holes in your ring. Use those as a guide and add more if needed.) Use a power drill to make holes directly through the rings, right at each pencil mark. [12NoSew002]Do the same with both rings. [12NoSew003]Paint each of your rings with your sponge brush and craft paint. Let dry and apply a second coat. [12NoSew004]Place the smaller ring inside the larger one and space it evenly. Using either clear beading wire or white quilting thread, tie the two rings together at each quarter section of the rings. Make sure the thread is tight and is keeping the smaller circle securely attached to the larger one. Tie several knots to keep the thread from coming undone. [12NoSew005]Rotate the thread so that the knot is on the inside of the smaller ring and trim the ends. [12NoSew006]Place a dab of glue to keep the thread in place and to keep the knot from coming undone. Repeat with the other 3 knotted thread locations. [12NoSew007]Cut your first color of fabric in half and place it on the ironing board with the “right” side facing down. Cut a piece of double sided adhesive the same size and place the shiny side down onto the fabric and the paper side face up. Iron down, per your adhesive’s instructions. [12NoSew008]Cut out a paper circle pattern (1.75 inch circumference) to use as a pattern or find similar shaped bowl or lid to trace around. Trace 40 circles onto the paper side of your adhesive. [12NoSew009]Cut out each circle. [12NoSew010]If you peel back the paper, you’ll see that the shiny adhesive has adhered to the fabric. [12NoSew011]Trace 40 more circles onto the other half of your 1st color of fabric, without any adhesive on it. [12NoSew012]Cut those circles out as well and then you should have two nice stacks of circles, one with adhesive and one without. [12NoSew013]Repeat steps 9-13 with the other 4 fabric color choices. [12NoSew014]Each string of circles hanging from your mobile can vary from 7 to 10 circles. Decide on how many circles you’d like for this first line and place the back side of the circle in a line with the adhesive face up and space each circle a ? inch apart. Place the matching circle (without the adhesive) right next to its matching fabric mate, with the “right” side of the fabric facing up. Place a piece of quilting thread across the adhesive circles, with at least a 6 inch tail at each end. [12NoSew015]Starting at one end, center the thread down the center of the adhesive circle, place the matching non-adhesive circle right on top, and fuse them together with a hot iron (per your adhesive’s instructions). [12NoSew016]Continue on down the row, fusing all your circles together with a front and back piece, keeping them evenly spaced ? inch apart. Repeat with the other 23 rows of circles. [12NoSew017]Thread your string of circles onto the ring through one of the drilled circles and tie a knot on the under side of the ring. Trim the loose end off and add a dab of glue, just like step 7. Repeat with the other 23 strings of circles. [12NoSew018]Thread a Crystal Bead onto the end of one of the string tails and knot it in place about an inch below the lowest fabric circle. [12NoSew019]Repeat with the other 23 strings. [12NoSew020]Loop a piece of clear beading wire around the larger ring in 3 different locations. Gather all the clear wire ends and make sure hangs evenly from them and then tie the ends into a knot. Loop another long piece of clear wire under the knot you just created and tie those longs ends together. [12NoSew021]Hang from a Screw Hook. [12NoSew022]Tips:If you are unable to locate floral/craft rings, consider using embroidery hoops or something similar.To make the holes in each of the rings with the power drill, either hold the ring straight up in front of you while drilling or press down on something that’s okay to mark or drill through. You can use more or less fabric colors but you’ll need to adjust the amount of circles you cut out.Keep in mind that you have 24 total holes, between the small and large rings, to hang fabric circles from. Before fusing your circles together, consider laying out each of the 24 lines of circles on the table and vary the color choices and number of circles for each line. That way, you can get a visual of your color choices and lengths for each line of your mobile.Don’t drag the iron across the fabric, only lift and press to avoid fabric shifting.If some of the circles happen to come loose from the string while you’re working and putting things together, slide them back into place and iron again.13 Sippy Cup LeashHave you ever been on a walk/in the car/eating a meal and your little one thinks it’s a funny game to keep throwing their sippy cup onto the ground? Yeah, not funny. Create a little leash for their sippy cup, eliminating the pick-up-the-sippy-100-times game. Even if your little one throws it, the cup will just hang from the end of the ribbon, waiting for the next time they’re thirsty and will retrieve it themselves for a drink. Genius.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 20 minutesSupplies:1 inch wide Grosgrain Ribbon, 38 inches1 inch wide elastic, 10-15 inchesEpoxy Craft GlueLighterSippy Cup (narrow at middle, wider at top and bottom)Wrap elastic around the middle of the sippy cup to measure how much you’ll need. Hold the elastic nice and firm and pulled just slightly around the middle of the cup. While still holding the elastic firmly, slide the elastic off the cup and back on again, to be sure the elastic’s not too tight but is still a snug fit. Allow for 1? inches extra at each end of the elastic and cut off any excess beyond that. [13NoSew001]Fold your elastic in half and place glue between the two ends, all the way up to 1? inches from the end. [13NoSew002]Press ends together firmly until it dries completely. (Placing a book on top or securing with clothes pins are helpful for adding pressure while drying.) [13NoSew003]Heat seal both ends of your piece of ribbon with a lighter. (This will keep the ribbon from unraveling.) [13NoSew004]Fold the ribbon in half, matching up the two ends up together. Slide the glued end of the elastic between the two ends of ribbon, overlapping by 1? inches. Place glue on both sides of the 1 ? inch end of the elastic and sandwich the ribbon around it on both sides. Adjust the sides of the ribbon and elastic, making sure they all line up. Apply pressure and let dry. [13NoSew005]Glue along the inside of the folded over ribbon, stopping 4 inches from the folded end. Match up the edges of the ribbon, press firmly closed, and let dry completely before using. [13NoSew006]Tips:If your child (or recipient of this leash) puts things in their mouth pretty often and you’re concerned about them possibly breaking down and digesting part of the dried epoxy glue, use Double Sided fusible Webbing in place of the glue and construct the leash in the same way.14 Flip-Flop Heel StrapsIf you’re thiiiiis close to throwing away your child’s flip-flops because they can’t keep them on their feet (and their feet no longer fit in the flip-flop sizes with the back-strap), take a deep breath, keep them out of the trash can, and create your own stretchy Heel Straps. And then your little one dance, skip, and hop without a their flip-flops flying off their feet.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:24-30 inches of fold-over elastic, 5/8 inch wide4 Metal Snap Sets (3/8 inch)Snap Hammer Tool (or other snap tool)HammerLighter*Keep in mind, the length of elastic you need depends on the size foot you’re making the straps for and the type of elastic you use. (All elastics stretch a little differently.)In order to complete 2 heel straps for both flip-flops, you’ll need 16 total snap pieces and a hammer tool (or other snap tool). 4 Sockets, 4 Studs, and 8 Open Ring Prongs. [14NoSew001]Cut a piece of elastic that’s 12 inches long and heat seal the end with a lighter. (This will melt the end and will keep it from unraveling.) [14NoSew002]Fold the melted end of your elastic towards the back, ? of an inch. [14NoSew003]Place the spikes of one Ring Prong through the front side of the elastic, poking through the 2 layers of folded elastic and coming out the back side. (The Ring Prong sitting to the right is only there to show you what’s being used in this step.) [14NoSew004]Place the Stud Piece right on top of the prongs. [14NoSew005]Place and center the hammer tool right on top of the Stud Piece. Tap your hammer on top of the hammer tool, compressing the two metal pieces together. [14NoSew006]Place the corresponding Socket Piece about one inch away from the Stud Piece, by first placing the Ring Prong through from the “right” side and then setting the Socket piece on the Ring Prong and using the hammer tool to compress them together. [14NoSew007]Loop this end around the side of the flip-flop strap and snap in place. (missing picture for this)Have your subject put the flip-flop on and then pull the other end of the elastic around their ankle and slip it through the other side of the flip-flop strap. Pull the elastic so that it’s snug and will keep the flip-flop in place and then mark where the elastic folds around the flip-flop strap. Let the elastic relax and then measure 2 inches out from where you marked the elastic, and cut off the excess elastic. (add arrow) [14NoSew009]Attach 2 more snap sets, the same way you did at the other end of the elastic. (take another picture of the whole thing, all snaps attached.) [14NoSew010]Tips:Fold-over elastic is soft and won’t irritate skin, that’s why it’s used here. If you can’t find any, look for another type of elastic that’s on the softer side.Fold-over elastic can be purchased in lots of fun prints and designs, however, it is sometimes hard to find in local stores. You may need to call it elastic trim in order to find it. (Or order it online.)If you can’t find 5/8 inch wide elastic, anything between 5/8 inch up to about 1 inch will work well. The spacing of your snaps that fit around the flip-flop strap will vary, depending on the width of the flip-flop strap. Adjust accordingly.15 Sun Hat Chin StrapBaby Sun Hats generally come with a chin strap, to keep baby from yanking their hat off. But how about toddlers or baby’s with larger heads? The larger sizes just aren’t made very often with chin straps. Don’t get frustrated with the lack of options available at the store…and just make your own!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:5/8 inch grosgrain ribbon, (amount depends on head size)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide5 Metal Snap Sets (3/8 inch)Snap Hammer Tool (or other snap tool)Lighter**Every child’s head size is a little different, so measurements will differ. So, cut your ribbon longer than you think you’ll need and then after trying it on and before adding snaps, trim off excess.The straps that come under the chin will fasten off to one side. The longer section that goes under the chin is about twice the length of the shorter side. Remember to cut the ribbon longer than you think you will need. You can always trim it down. If you’re unsure where to even start, for toddler size, cut 2 ribbons that are 7 inches long and 2 ribbons that are 14 inches long. If they’re too long (which they most likely will be), you can trim later. (add a pic of all 4 ribbons)Lay the two shorter ribbons down in front of you and place a strip of adhesive tape along the entire length of one of the ribbons. (If your ribbon has a print on it, place the adhesive on the BACK side.) [15NoSew002]Place the other ribbon on top (right side facing up, if applicable), keeping sides and ends even. Iron layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the 2 longer ribbons. [15NoSew003]Heat seal all the ends of the ribbon with a lighter. (This will slightly melt the ends of the ribbon, keeping them from unraveling.) [15NoSew004]Gather your snap pieces and tools for the attaching the straps. You’ll need a hammer tool (or other snap tool) and 12 total snap pieces: 5 Sockets, 1 Stud, and 6 Open Ring Prongs. [15NoSew005]Find the two exact sides of the hat and place your fused ribbon on the inside, at one of those side points. Hold your ribbon there with your finger, just to see exactly where you’d like it to be attached. [15NoSew006] At that exact location from the outside, place one of your Open Ring Prongs, with the prongs facing down. [15NoSew007]Push the prongs through the fabric (this will take some wiggling and maneuvering), until the poke through on the other side. [15NoSew008]Grab your shorter ribbon strap and fold over one end 5/8 of an inch. (Folding the end under will give it a polished look but will also keep the possibly irritating melted end away from the face.) Place the hat on your subject to see if the ribbon is a good length. Trim if necessary and then re-seal the ends of the ribbon. [15NoSew009]Place this end of the ribbon down onto the prongs that are poking up through the hat, making sure that the folded end of the ribbon is facing down. Center it over the prongs and press the ribbon down onto the prongs, the best you can. [15NoSew010]Place a Socket Piece on top of the ribbon and prongs and set the Hammer Tool on top of the Socket Piece. Tap your hammer on top of the hammer tool, compressing the two metal pieces together. [15NoSew011]Fold the other end of the ribbon (towards the inside of the hat) over 5/8 of an inch. [15NoSew012]Attach the Stud Piece to this end of the ribbon, making sure that you press the Prong Piece through the side that’s folded over, so that the Socket piece will end up on the outside of the ribbon (and facing the outside of the hat) when the hat is being worn. [15NoSew013]Place the longer ribbon on the exact other side of the inside of the hat, attaching it to the hat with your snap pieces just like you did with the shorter ribbon. Place the hat back on your subject and see if the ribbon is a good length, keeping in mind you’ll be folding under the end 5/8 of an inch. Trim if necessary. Fold the end of your ribbon under 5/8 of an inch, towards the inside of the hat. Then add a Socket Piece to the end, with the Socket facing towards the inside of the hat. Add two more Socket pieces to the ribbon, spacing them about a ? inch apart. [15NoSew014]Tips:5 Metal Snap Sets are listed in the Supply List but not all parts will be used. Snaps generally come in sets and you need at least five of one part of the sets, which is why it’s listed as needing 5 sets. If you are having hard time getting the snaps through your hat and ribbon, consider leaving the end of ribbon unfolded, eliminating some bulk. 16 Pacifier ClipIf you know babies, you know they drop their pacifier out of their mouth approximately 47 times a day. To keep that little pacifier from falling onto the ground or losing it completely, secure it to a clip and attach that to their clothing. Crisis averted! Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 20 minutesSupplies:8 inch piece of Grosgrain Ribbon (between ? and 7/8 inch wide)1 Suspender Clip, 1 inch wide opening2 Metal Snap Sets (3/8 inch)Snap Hammer Tool (or other snap tool)LighterIn order to complete one Pacifier Clip, you’ll need 8 total snap pieces and a hammer tool (or other snap tool). 2 Sockets, 2 Studs, and 4 Open Ring Prongs. [16NoSew001]Heat seal the 2 ends of your piece of ribbon with a lighter. (This will keep the ribbon from fraying.) [16NoSew002]Place the spikes of one Ring prong through the printed side (if you have one) of the ribbon end, poking out the back of the ribbon. Place it about 1/8 of an inch from the end of the ribbon. [16NoSew003]Place the Socket Piece right on top of the prongs. [16NoSew004]Place and center the hammer tool right on top of the Socket Piece. [16NoSew005]Tap your hammer on top of the hammer tool, compressing the two metal pieces together. [16NoSew006]Fold the ribbon end over 1 inch and mark where you’ll need to attach the corresponding Stud Piece, so that both snap pieces line up together. [16NoSew007]Repeat with the other end of the ribbon. [16NoSew008]Slide the Suspender Clip through one end of the ribbon and fasten the snap closed. Loop the other end through your pacifier. [16NoSew009]Tips:If you pacifier doesn’t have a handle or slot to thread the ribbon through, consider tying some narrow cotton cord through one of the holes on the pacifier and then thread the ribbon through the cord.There are heavier duty snap pliers available for purchase to attach snaps, but I have found better success using a Hammer Tool. They are generally located right next to Metal Snaps at fabric stores or in a kit with Snap Sets.17 Colored Pencil Roll-UpWhen colored pencils (or any other writing utensil) have a designated “home”, they will less likely end up on the floor or in the junk drawer. So, make a few slits into piece of vinyl, slide your pencils inside their individual slots, roll the whole thing up, tie it closed…and then thank me later for a little less clutter in your life! ;)Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 60-90 minutesSupplies:? yard of faux leather (aka: vinyl)1? inch wide Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 yardEpoxy glueUtility KnifeCutting MatWhite colored pencil/chalkLighter**This colored pencil Roll-Up is designed to fit standard 7-inch long colored pencils, that are a ? inch in diameter. If you’d rather create a Roll-Up for crayons or pens, make adjustments accordingly.Cut your piece of faux leather down to 8? x 23 inches. [17NoSew001]Use chalk or a white colored pencil to draw two lines down the length of the piece of faux leather on the back side, splitting the 8? inch width of the faux leather into exact thirds. (The lines will be spaced 2? inches apart and will be 2? inches from each side.) [17NoSew002]Turn the piece of faux leather so that those white lines are laying horizontally and place on top of a cutting mat. Measure in from the left side 1? inches from the bottom white line and then make a ? inch slit with your utility knife, right along the white line. Make another identical ? inch slit, a ? inch below the first one. [17NoSew003]Continue making ? inch slits along the white line that are spaced a ? inch apart and also continue making their identical slits right below them, a ? inch down. You will make a total of 20 sets of slits along (and below) the white line, stopping 1? inches from the other end. [17NoSew004]Those sets of slits will create a snug home for one end of your colored pencils to go. [17NoSew005]Repeat the same process with the upper white line, creating slits right along the line but make its identical slit above the white line this time, rather than below. [17NoSew006]The slits along both the upper and lower white lines should match up evenly, so that there is a place for each end of your colored pencil. [17NoSew007]Cut a piece of ribbon that is 1 yard long and heat seal both ends with a lighter. (This will melt them and keep them from fraying.) [17NoSew008]Along the back side of the very middle of the ribbon, apply a generous amount of epoxy glue, in a 1? x 1? inch square. [17NoSew009]Lay the faux leather down in front of you horizontally, with the “right” side facing up. Place the glued section of the ribbon face down, at one end of the rectangle faux leather, centering it from top to bottom. Press firmly and let dry completely before using. (Needs an arrow) [17NoSew010]Tips:If you have some real leather and prefer to use it for this project, go right ahead! Faux leather is just less expensive, is easier to find in bigger pieces, and comes in a variety of colors!Chapter 3: Accessories18 Woven ClutchFor the times when all you have are a few items to carry with you, skip the big bulky purse and carry around this darling Woven Clutch. It has a simple Velcro closure and fits nicely in your hand, keeping your keys, phone, and money at your fingertips. No one will believe you made it yourself…without a single strand of thread!Skill Level: IIITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:5/8 inch Jute Ribbon, 11 yards ? yard Cotton Fabric3/8 inch grosgrain ribbonFusible Adhesive SheetVelcroEpoxy GlueMasking TapeHot Glue Gun/Glue Sticks**Finished clutch measures approximately 8 inches wide and 5 inches tall.Cut 11 strips of your Jute Ribbon, 15 inches long each. Lay them right next to each other vertically, lining up each of the top edges, and place a piece of tape along the top ? inch of each piece of ribbon. [18NoSew001]Weave some of the same Jute Ribbon horizontally through the 11 strips, starting by going over and then going under. Repeat until the entire row has been woven. [18NoSew002]Let the ends of this horizontal piece extend a ? inch beyond the vertical ribbons, at both ends. Cut off excess ribbon. Place a piece of tape at each end to hold the ribbon in place. [18NoSew003]Begin weaving your next row of ribbon, starting under and then going over. Cut off the excess ribbon and add tape to both ? inch ends, just like you did with the first row. [18NoSew004]As you weave each row of ribbon, you’ll need to help butt each row right next to the row above it, by pushing it with your finger. [18NoSew005]Continue adding row by row, making sure each row is nice and snug against the row above it. [18NoSew006]After you’ve added 16 horizontal rows of ribbon…stop. Cut a piece of your fabric that’s 2 ? x 9 inches. Fold it in half lengthwise and iron flat. [18NoSew007]Open it up and fold both long edges in towards the center (using that ironed line as a guide) and iron both sides inward. Fold back in half along the original fold that you ironed, and iron the whole strip flat again. (The folded fabric should measure about 5/8 of an inch wide.) [18NoSew008]Use this strip of fabric as your next horizontal row of weaving. Tape both ends down, just like you did with the ribbon. [18NoSew009]Add one more row of Jute Ribbon, below the row of fabric, checking to be sure the height of your weaving section is about 13 inches tall. (It can be a little more/less, depending on how tight/loose you weaved your ribbon.) [18NoSew010]Place a long strip of tape along the bottom edges of all the ribbon ends, securing them in place. [18NoSew011]Peel up the tape edges, trying to keep them all connected as one piece, and then flip the whole woven piece over. Begin hot gluing your 3/8 inch grosgrain ribbon along one side of the woven rectangle, right along the inside edges of the tape lines. [18NoSew012]Continue along 4 sides of the rectangle shape. [18NoSew013]Flip it back over and trim off excess edges of ribbon and tape, right along the inner edges of the tape lines. [18NoSew014]Cut a piece of your fabric, that is exactly the same size as your woven piece. [18NoSew015]Use your fabric piece as a template, as you cut a piece of Fusible Adhesive, the same size as your fabric. [18NoSew016]Place the fabric piece in front of you with the “wrong” side facing UP and then place the adhesive with the bubbly side facing DOWN, right on top of the fabric. Match up the sides and edges of these two pieces and then fuse them together, per your adhesive’s instructions. [18NoSew017]Peel the backing of the adhesive right off the fabric. (If the paper backing is not separating from the adhesive, you need to repeat the last step and iron it a little longer.) [18NoSew018]Place the adhesive side of the fabric onto the BACK side of the woven rectangle, matching up sides and edges. [18NoSew019]Fuse layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. [18NoSew020]You should now have one layer of material with woven ribbon on the front and fabric on the back. [18NoSew021]Cut a piece of Jute Ribbon that’s slightly longer than the bottom edge of your rectangle. (Opposite the end that has the fabric woven through it.) Hot Glue the ribbon down along the bottom edge of the rectangle, only overlapping half of the ribbon width along the rectangle piece. [18NoSew022]Fold the other half of the ribbon width to the back-side of the rectangle piece, hot gluing this edge down along the back side. Trim off the excess ribbon from both ends, if applicable. [18NoSew023]With the rectangle piece still face down in front of you, fold the bottom edge (that you just covered with a strip of ribbon) up 4 ? inches. Press flat with your fingers, trying to create a fold along the bottom. Place a thin line of hot glue along both side edges, in between the two layers that you just folded onto each other. [18NoSew024]Cut a piece of Jute Ribbon, that’s 10 inches long and fold over one end about a ? inch and glue in place. [18NoSew025]Place the folded end face down onto the side of your rectangle piece, lining up the folded end with the bottom edge. Be sure to only overlap half of the ribbon width along the rectangle piece, hot gluing it down as you go. Trim off the excess length from the other end of ribbon. [18NoSew026]Fold the other half of the ribbon width to the back-side of the rectangle piece, hot gluing this edge down along the back side. Be sure that the ribbon is evenly wrapped around the front and back of the rectangle piece. Repeat steps 26-27 with the other side of the rectangle piece. [18NoSew027]Sandwich one last piece of Jute Ribbon around the final edge of your rectangle piece, making sure both ends of the ribbon are folded under a ? inch (refer to step 25). [18NoSew028]Fold the top end down as far as it can go, before meeting the folded section beneath it. Iron it gently in place, avoiding the areas with hot glue. [18NoSew029]Cut 2 inch pieces of Velcro and attach them to the back-side of the top flap of the pouch with Epoxy Glue. Attach their corresponding Velcro pieces to the pouch, right where they would meet with the flap closed. [18NoSew030]Cut a piece from your fabric that is 7 inches long and 4 inches wide. Fold the two long 7 inch sides towards the center, overlapping them by about an inch (making it about 1? inches wide). Press flat with your fingers. [18NoSew031]Fold both ends in towards the center, overlapping by a ? inch (making it about 3 ? inches wide). Press flat with your fingers. (Add a dot of glue to hold flaps in place, if needed.) [18NoSew032]With the overlapped edges towards the back, pinch the middle with your fingers, creating a bow shape. Set aside. [18NoSew033]Cut another piece of fabric that is 1 ? inches wide and 4 inches long. Fold the two long 4 inch sides towards the center, overlapping them by about a ? inch (making it about ? inches wide). Iron flat. [18NoSew034]Pick up your bow again and pinch the middle in like you did previously. Glue one end of this new strip of fabric (with the folds facing down) to the back side of the bow. [18NoSew035]Add a little more glue to the back side of the strip as you wrap it around the front of the bow. [18NoSew036]Cut off the excess fabric from the strip and glue the end to the back of the bow. [18NoSew037]Attach your bow to the front of the clutch with a generous amount of hot glue, without letting it ooze into sight. [18NoSew038]Tips:If you can’t find Jute Ribbon, you can make this clutch with any ribbon type. Be careful when ironing any parts of this clutch that have been hot glued. The glue will melt again under a hot iron…and that equals a sticky mess!19 Braided Leather HeadbandDo you tire of hair fly-aways? Fix that problem lickety-split with some braided leather. Okay, even if you don’t have fly-aways…these braided headbands are the perfect little hair accessory!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:90 inches of leather cord, 1/8 of an inch thickFold-Over Elastic, 3 ? inches2 pieces of 1-inch wide Grosgrain Ribbon, 2 ? inches long eachCotton stringHot Glue Gun/Glue SticksLighterMasking Tape Cut 3 pieces of your leather cord, each 30 inches long. [19NoSew001]Tie the leather cords tightly together at one end, with some cotton string. Leave about an inch of loose ends above the tied string. [19NoSew002]Tape the short loose ends down to the table in front of you with some masking tape. Begin braiding, trying to keep the leather pieces as flat and uniform as you can while braiding. [19NoSew003]Continue braiding until you reach the necessary length of braid that you need and then tie the ends tightly together with more string. Now, the length of braid will differ, depending on the size of your subject’s head. To determine a proper fit, measure around the head where a headband sits. Subtract 4 inches from that and that’s how long you want the actual braid to be. After tying off the end of the braid, cut off the excess cord, leaving only a ? inch of extra cord below the tied string. Take the tape off the top excess cords and cut those down to a ? inch too. [19NoSew004]Heat seal the ends of your fold-over elastic. (This will melt the end and will keep it from unraveling.) [19NoSew005]Place your elastic down on the table vertically. Place your braid on the table above the elastic and overlap the bottom end of the braid onto to the elastic, overlapping by 7/8 of an inch. Place a 2 ? inch piece of ribbon perpendicular to the overlapped cord and elastic, making sure that the overlap isn’t longer than the width of the ribbon. You’ll be wrapping the ribbon around this section and you want all to be hidden. Tie more cotton string around the elastic and cording, securing them together nice and tight. Trim off the excess cotton string. THIS WILL BE THE BACK SIDE OF THE HEADBAND. [19NoSew006]Add a generous dot of hot glue between the ends of the cording and the elastic. [19NoSew007]Pinch the elastic around the cord ends and let the glue cool completely. [19NoSew008]Apply a line of glue to one end of your ribbon piece… [19NoSew009]…and place the glue side down onto where the cording and elastic meet on the BACK SIDE. Be sure that the ribbon is covering all cord and elastic ends. [19NoSew010]Wrap the ribbon around the cording and elastic, as tightly as you can. You want enough extra ribbon to overlap the start of the ribbon on the BACK SIDE of the headband, by about a ? inch. Cut off any excess ribbon. [19NoSew011]Let the ribbon go and heat seal this second end of the ribbon. [19NoSew012]Re-wrap the ribbon around the headband and glue the end in place this time, with some hot glue. Repeat with the other ends of the elastic and braid, making sure they aren’t twisted before securing the ends together. [19NoSew013]Tips:Sometimes it’s difficult to find leather cording in a variety of colors in local stores. Try looking online, the selection is huge!All elastics behave a little differently. Some stretch more and some less. For this reason, you may need to adjust the length of elastic used. Make necessary adjustments, if needed. If you prefer to not use hot glue, epoxy glue would work great for this as well. It just takes longer to dry and requires more pinching and holding while the glue dries.20 Fabric FlowersAdding a flower can turn a “cute” project into an “oh-my-word-that’s-ADORABLE” project. And these flowers can be made from new fabric, or from cut scraps of old Tshirts, past projects, etc.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:1/8 yard of cotton knit fabricWhite feltHot GlueJewel/button/etc. for center of flowerOptional Supplies:Cover Button Kit, 1 inchElastic headbandCut out 8 circles from your knit fabric: 4 circles that are 2 ? inches in diameter and 4 circles that are 2 ? inches in diameter. Also, cut a circle from felt that is 1 ? inches in diameter. [20NoSew001]Place a small dot of glue in the center of one of the circles (either size). [20NoSew002]Fold in half and press down in the center where the glue dot is, to keep the circle folded in half. [20NoSew003]Place another dot at the center of the folded side of your circle. [20NoSew004]Fold in half again, pressing down on the glue dot to keep the fabric folded in place. [20NoSew005]Repeat with the other 7 circles. [20NoSew006]Arrange the 4 larger quartered circles onto the felt circle, only occupying a quarter of the felt circle with each knit piece. [20NoSew007]Repeat with the other 3 larger quartered circles until you created a full circle. [20NoSew008]Arrange the smaller quartered circle pieces on top, centering them along the line where two of the larger quartered circles meet. [20NoSew009]With each quartered piece you glue down, be sure to add enough glue so that it will stay in place, but not so much that it oozes out or becomes too bulky. [20NoSew010]Continue adding the other 3 quartered circle pieces and then add some sort of center embellishment to the flower. [20NoSew011]Additional Instructions:For extra dimension (and before adding the embellishment to the center of the flower), you can add another layer of 4 circles that are cut at 1 ? inches in diameter. [20NoSew012]Fold and glue them into quarters the same way as the others and then arrange them on top of the other layers of the flower. [20NoSew013]If you’d like to add a cover button to the center of the flower, set out the pieces to your kit and follow the instruction on the packaging of your particular kit. [20NoSew014]If your Cover Button included a shank on the back, bend that over the best you can so that it can lay flat on the flower. [20NoSew015]Attach the Cover Button to the center of the flower with hot glue. [20NoSew016]If you’d like to attach the flower to a headband, hot glue your headband to the back side of the flower. Then glue a felt circle to the back of the flower, sandwiching the headband in between the two felt circles. [20NoSew017]Tips:Knit fabric is used for these flowers because knit fabric is cool like that and won’t fray!You can also make these from regular woven cotton though and they should only fray minimally since they are cut into circles. (Circular cuts are like bias cuts, and keeps fraying to a minimum.) If you like a shabbier flowers, using a woven cotton is adorable!When you cut your circles, they don’t have to be exact or perfectly round. In fact, uneven edges give the flower petals a little more dimension and shape. 21 Leather Fringe NecklaceIt’s crazy how something as simple as a little leather detail can really do so much for your wardrobe. This Leather Fringe Necklace can be made in minutes and will instantly dress an outfit up or down. Go on, give it a try!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 15 minutesSupplies:Leather Scraps (a piece that’s at least 1 ? x 5 inches in size)Necklace Chain (color and length depend on personal preference)Epoxy GlueCut a piece of leather from your scraps that is 1 ? x 5 inches. [21NoSew001]Cut off the corners at each end of your rectangle, creating a triangle tip at each end. [21NoSew002]Place the leather face down in front of you and drape your necklace across the middle of the leather piece. Fold the leather in half (just about), letting the back half hang down a little longer than the front. Open it back up and add a line of glue across the leather, right below where the necklace will be. (Just don’t add too much glue or it will ooze onto the necklace and make the necklace un-adjustable.) [21NoSew003]Fold the top half of the leather back down apply pressure to the glue (with clothes pins or a heavy book) until it dries. [21NoSew004]Cut slits in the leather along the front layer of the leather, making sure that you don’t cut through the line of glue that’s underneath. [21NoSew005]Repeat with the back layer of leather, cutting them the same width as the front side. [21NoSew006]Another variation of this is to keep your rectangle leather piece as a rectangle and add glue the same way. [21NoSew007]Fold it down onto itself the same way, with the back a little longer than the front and let the glue dry. Then cut fringes your fringes, one layer at a time. [21NoSew008]Tips:Stretching and pulling on your leather fringes will help give the leather some shape and dimension. But don’t use your super hero muscles or you’ll rip the fringes right off! If you can’t find any leather to purchase, check out the thrift store (or your closet) for old leather purses, jackets, etc. All you need is a little bit, so it can be cut from anything.22 Hairbow Clips (with no-slip grip)No more cursing at those darn baby hair bows for falling out of your baby’s silky fine hair. Make your own hairbows with a bit of non-slip grip, and let others make no mistake that your baby is indeed a girl. Great for bigger girls too!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:3 pieces of 3/8 inch wide ribbon, 4 inches long each1 piece of ribbon, at least 5 more inches1 double prong hair clip, 1 ? inch long1 rectangle piece of white felt, 1 ? x 1/3 inch1 rectangle piece of shelf liner, 1 ? x 1/3 inchhot glue gunlighterGather your supplies for making 1 simple hair bow. [22NoSew001]Grab your spool of ribbon and heat seal the very end of your ribbon, by holding the flame on the raw edge for a brief moment. This will melt the end just a bit and will keep it from fraying. [22NoSew002]Add a bit of glue to the back side of the ribbon end and place it on the bottom edge of the clip, overlapping by about 3/8 of an inch. Press firmly. [22NoSew003]Add another line of glue (an inch or so) to the next section of the back side of the ribbon. [22NoSew004]Press firmly against the contour of the pinch end of the clip. [22NoSew005]Measure how much more ribbon you’ll need to finish off the clip by stretching the ribbon to the tip of the clip prongs, and then folding it back up the length of the prongs. Cut off the excess. [22NoSew006]Heat seal the end of the ribbon. [22NoSew007]Add another line of hot glue down the back side of the rest of the ribbon. [22NoSew008]Finish placing the ribbon in place on top of the prongs and back underneath. Press firmly in place. [22NoSew009]Grab your 2 of your 4-inch pieces of ribbon and tie a single knot in the center of the 3rd piece of ribbon. Try to make it a neat little knot and keep the two ends flat and laying in the same direction as you pull.? Heat seal the ends of the 2 un-tied pieces. [22NoSew010]With each of the 2 un-knotted pieces of ribbon, loop them into a circle, overlap the ends by 3/8 of an inch and glue them together with more hot glue. [22NoSew011]Pinch one of the circles right in the center and add a little dot of hot glue to the inside center to keep it pinched together. Repeat with the other circle of ribbon. [22NoSew012]Cross the two pieces together……not into an actual “X” but more like a squashed one. Add a dot of hot glue between the two, to keep them together. [22NoSew013]Place the piece of ribbon with the knot in the middle, right in the center of the squashed “X”, the right side of the ribbon facing up. Place a dot of hot glue right under the knot, so it doesn’t move around.?[22NoSew014]Turn the bow over and cut off the long ends of the knotted ribbon just a bit and glue them down to the back side of the bow. [22NoSew015]To make your hair clip “no-slip”, glue the shelf liner piece to the felt piece and squeeze them together so they become one piece. (Caution: This can burn. Wait until the glue has cooled from HOT to WARM and then test carefully with your fingers because the glue will most likely ooze out. If it’s just warm, it won’t hurt and you can peel it off your fingers when you’re through.) Cut off uneven edges. [22NoSew016]Place some glue on the felt side and attach to the top prongs of the clip and press firmly in place. [22NoSew017]Glue the back side of the bow right to the top of the clip, centering the bow in place. [22NoSew018]If you decide to use another hair clip choice, you can still use ribbon to cover some of the clip before attaching the bow. Just heat seal the ends and glue it right down. [22NoSew019]TIPS:Grosgrain ribbon works best for these boys.Shelf liner comes in different thicknesses. Choose one that isn’t too thick and crowds the clips but is thick enough to make the clip grip the hair.To make these clips “no-slip”, using a small piece of shelf liner offers the perfect grippy solution. These clips can be made with or without the “no-slip” feature but adding in this little secret is especially nice for fine or wispy hair. These basic bows can be added to any sort of clip or barrette but my preference (for little girls with very little or fine hair) is to use a 2-prong metal hair clip.23 Basic ToteWho doesn’t need another tote? I have a whole stash of them but when I find a new print of fabric that I just “have” to have, I always find myself making another tote to carry with me to the lake, the library, a last minute weekend trip, etc. However, giving a tote away as a gift, with other goodies stuffed inside, is one of my favorite reasons to make a new one!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:? yard Outer Fabric (cotton), medium weight1 yard Lining Fabric(cotton), medium weight Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide4 Metal Eyelet Sets, ? inch (the measurement is the inner dimension)Eyelet Setter Hammer Tool (or other eyelet tool)HammerEpoxy GlueFabric Flower Supplies (optional…and found on page ??)Epoxy Glue (only needed if you create the optional Fabric Flower)**This tote measure approximately 15 inches tall and 17 inches wide.Cut 2 pieces of your Outer Fabric and 2 pieces of your Lining Fabric that are all 19 ? inches tall and 18 inches wide. Cut 2 handle pieces out of your Lining Fabric 4 inches wide and 30 inches long. [23NoSew001]Place one of your Outer Fabric pieces in front of you, “right” side facing up, and longer sides on the left and right. Place a piece of adhesive tape along both sides and the bottom, lining it exactly up with the outer edge. (May need arrows) [23NoSew002]Place the other Outer fabric piece on top, “right” side facing down. Match up all sides, making sure that the adhesive tape is sandwiched between the two layers, right along the side and bottom edges. Iron in place, activating the adhesive strips per your adhesive’s instructions. [23NoSew003]Grab one of the bottom corners and pull the front fabric away from the back fabric and fold it flat in the opposite direction.? [23NoSew004]Make the tip nice and pointy while lining up the fused edges that are now running along the center front, even with the fused edges that are running along the center back.? Just feel it the best you can with your fingers and make adjustments as necessary. [23NoSew005]Iron it flat to help keep it in place for the next step. [23NoSew006]Then, measure in 2 inches from the pointy corner (not the excess fabric but the corner inside there that isn’t fused with adhesive) and draw a line perpendicular with the line of excess fabric that is running horizontally in the image. [23NoSew007]Cut the fabric off, right along the line. [23NoSew008]Keep the fabric folded the same way, as best as you can, while lifting up the opening just a bit. Slide a piece of adhesive tape between those 2 layers of fabric, lining it up with the cut edge. Fold it closed again and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other corner. [23NoSew009]Turn the bag right side out, revealing your new boxed-out corners. [23NoSew010]Fold each corner flat, right along the seam where you fused the corner together and press it flat. (This will help it keep its shape a little better.) [23NoSew011]However, you may notice that each end has a little gap where the adhesive didn’t reach. This is because the cut was at an angle. [23NoSew012]Add a little Epoxy Glue to those gaps and pinch shut. [23NoSew013]Press flat and let dry. [23NoSew014]Iron the bag open, along each of the side seams and the bottom seam that is fused together. [23NoSew015]Repeat steps 2-15 with the Lining Fabric pieces. [23NoSew016]Fold the upper edge of the Outer Fabric down (towards the inside of the bag), 2 inches. Pin in place. [23NoSew017]Do the same with the Lining Fabric but then turn it inside OUT. Press each of the upper edges flat with your iron. [23NoSew018]Slide the Lining Fabric inside of the Outer of Fabric. [23NoSew019]Line up the upper edges and pin, making sure that the two side seam are matched up at each side. [23NoSew020]Carefully un-pin one side of the upper edge of the tote and place 2 strips of your adhesive tape between the 2 fabric types. Place one line of tape along the very top folded edge and the other about an inch below that. Pin the two layers back into place and repeat with the back side of the back, placing adhesive between the Outer and Lining fabrics, right along the top edges. Pin back in place. Make sure that the tape is applied all the way around the top edge of the bag, and then iron the layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. May need arrows – hard to see [23NoSew021]For each of the 4 eyelets that you attach, you will need an Eyelet Front (taller barrel), an Eyelet Back (shorter barrel), a Hammer Plate, and a Hammer Post. (label parts) [23NoSew022]Lay your bag in front of you, with the open side at the top and the two side seams directly at both sides. Measure in from the right side seam 4 inches over to the left and then 1 inch from the top, and make a mark with your pen. Do the same thing, but measuring from the left side. Repeat with the back side of the bag. Definitely needs arrows [23NoSew023]Center an Eyelet Back over one of the dots you drew and use it as a template to trace around the inside edge of the barrel. [23NoSew024]Cut out the circle with scissors. [23NoSew025]Place the Eyelet Front through the hole from the “right” side of the tote. [23NoSew026]Place the tote face down onto your work space and then place the Eyelet Back over the back of the Eyelet Front, which is on the inside of the tote. Place the Hammer Plate below the Eyelet Front, on the front side of the tote. Place the Hammer Post on top of the Eyelet Back piece. [23NoSew027] Tap the Hammer Post a few times with a hammer, until both eyelet pieces compress and pinch the fabric in between nice and tight. [23NoSew028]The back side of your eyelet should look somewhat similar. [23NoSew029]Place one of your handle pieces in front of you, with the “right” side facing down. Fold each long edge over a ? inch towards the middle of the “wrong” side of the fabric and iron flat. [23NoSew030]Fold one of the short ends over a ? inch towards the “wrong” side of the fabric as well. Place a piece of ? inch adhesive tape under the flap and iron it back down to activate the adhesive, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other short end of your fabric strip. [23NoSew030] Fold the strip in half lengthwise, “wrong” sides of fabric together. Press flat. Open it up and slide 2 strips of adhesive tape between the two folded layers; one along the inner fold and the other between the two folded sides that are pressed together. Close it up again and iron flat, per your adhesive’s instructions. [23NoSew032]Bunch up one end of your strap and thread it through one of the eyelets at the front of the bag, coming from the inside of the bag and coming out the front. [23NoSew033]Tie a knot close to the very end of the strap and pull snug. Thread the other strap end through the other eyelet at the front of the bag. Tie a knot in this end as well. [23NoSew034]If desired, create a Fabric Flower (from page ??) and attach to the front of the bag with some Epoxy Glue. [23NoSew035]24 Fabric Wristlet Key FobWhip up a Key Fob for you and everyone one you know……and they’ll thank you for making their keys easier to find, freeing up their busy hands, and creating an easier way to hang their keys while not in use.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:Cotton Fabric, light/medium weightDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideKey Fob Hardware, 1 ? inch wideCut a piece of fabric that is 4 ? inches wide by 12 inches long. Fold the strip of fabric in half, lengthwise. Iron flat. [24NoSew001]Open up the fabric and fold both long edges in towards that center fold. [24NoSew002]Iron both new folds flat. [24NoSew003]Fold it back in half again, along the original ironed fold, and iron one more time. [24NoSew004]Open it up again and place 2 strips of adhesive tape along one side of the fabric, placing the them side by side. Fold the fabric closed again, sandwiching the adhesive between the fold. Iron to activate the adhesive, per your adhesive’s instructions. [24NoSew005]Fold the long strip in half, lining up the two raw ends. Place the two ends inside the teeth of your Key Fob Hardware. [24NoSew006]Hammer the hardware closed, compressing the fabric in between the metal teeth and edges. [24NoSew007]Attach the key ring. [24NoSew008]Tips:You can lengthen the Key Fob (to wear around your neck) by lengthening the 12-inch measurement of fabric to about 36 (or more) inches.25 Business Card HolderIt’s always nice to have a spot for your business cards, ready to be handed out at any moment. However, if you don’t have your own business cards, you could use this to house a few credit cards while out shopping OR as a home for the 17 random business cards that are filling up your junk drawer!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 45 minutesSupplies:Piece of scrap leather, at least 6 x 8 inches in sizeEpoxy gluePen or thin tipped markerCut a piece from your leather that is 4 x 7 ? inches. [25NoSew001]Fold this strip of leather into equal thirds, making some temporary lines in the leather that will help you in future steps. [25NoSew002]Open back up (with the “right” side facing down) and place a pin at the top edge of your rectangle of leather, that is 2 ? inches from the upper left corner of the leather. Place another pin that is 2 ? inches from the upper right corner of the leather. Both pins should now automatically be 2 ? inches from each other and also right about at the same place that those temporary folds were made. Use a ruler and draw a line from each pin down to its closest lower corner. [25NoSew003]Cut the excess leather away from the two upper corners (along the line) and set aside. Apply a line of epoxy glue along the lower edge of the rectangle that was left un-cut. Only apply glue to the right third (or 2 ? inches) of this lower edge. [25NoSew004]Fold the right side of the leather 2 ? inches over to the left, right where that temporary fold was made (see step 2). Apply pressure while the glue dries completely. (Using clothes pins or a heavy book will help with this.) [25NoSew004]Add more glue to the lower section of the leather, in a triangle shape, but only where the left flap will cover. You don’t want glue to leak into the inside of the card holder but you also don’t want it to ooze out to the right side of the flap. (Tip: Before adding the glue, fold over the left flap and see where it will cover and apply glue accordingly.) [25NoSew006]Fold the left flap over to the right and add clothes pins (or a heavy book) for pressure while the glue dries. [25NoSew007]Cut a piece of leather from your scraps that is 1 x 2 ? inches. (Tip: In case your folded business card is slightly wider or more narrow than the 2 ? inches that it should be, line up this narrow rectangle below the bottom edge of the card holder. It should be exactly the same width. Adjust accordingly.) [25NoSew008]Apply glue to the “wrong” side of this strip of leather and sandwich it securely around the bottom edge of the card holder, creating a nice finished edge. Pinch clothes pins around the leather strip (or place a book on top) until the glue dries. [25NoSew009]You can leave the card holder as is or add a little flower to the front. Cut out two flower sizes and a center circle piece. [25NoSew010]Stack the flowers and circle piece and glue them all together. [25NoSew011]Glue to the front of the card holder, making sure that none of the glue leaks onto the inside of the card holder. [25NoSew012]Tips:If you can’t locate any leather, you can use faux leather, which is a vinyl material. Sometimes it can be a little trickier to manipulate but keep at it, it will give in eventually!If you don’t like the flower on the front, consider cutting a plain circle and gluing that down in place of the flower. And then cut out a letter initial (that represents the business) and glue that on top of the circle. Or get creative and add only ol’ thing to the front! Chapter 4: Clothing26 Basic SkirtNeed something new to wear this weekend? Whip up a quick little skirt, in the color you’ve been trying to pair with those shoes you adore! Dress it up, dress it down…this skirt is perfect for any occasion, and for girls/ladies of all sizes.Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 45 minutesSupplies:1-2 yards cotton fabric (more or less, depending on size)1 inch wide elastic, amount depends on sizeDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch widePinking ShearsMeasure your subject’s waist and add one inch to that number…that’s your fabric width measurement. Determine how long you’d like to make the skirt and add 3? inches…and that’s your fabric height measurement. Cut two pieces of fabric that are your new width measurement by your new height measurement. [26NoSew001]Place your two pieces of fabric together, with “right” sides together, matching up sides with sides, top with top, and bottom with bottom. Fold back the top piece of fabric a few inches along one side. Place a piece of ? inch adhesive tape between the two layers, right up against the side edges. Fold the top piece back on top, lining up the edges again. Iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with side of the skirt, fusing the two layers together the same way. [26NoSew002]Trim the very edges of the fused layers with pinking shears, which will help keep these edges from fraying. [26NoSew003]Open up the fabric to the “right” side and iron the fabric open where the two ends were fused together, along both sides of the dress. Make sure to iron the flaps of fabric on the under side off to one side, down the entire length of each flap. [26NoSew004]Turn your newly created tube of fabric inside out and lift up one of the side flaps and place a strip of ? inch adhesive under the flap. [26NoSew005]Press the flap back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other flap of fabric, along the other side of the skirt. [26NoSew006]Make sure your fabric is inside out and fold the bottom edge of the skirt up a ? inch and iron flat. [26NoSew007]Fold it up another 1 inch and iron flat again. [26NoSew008]Lift the edge back up and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape under there, lining it up with the upper folded edge, all the way around the bottom of the skirt. [26NoSew009]Iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. [26NoSew010]With the skirt still inside out, fold the upper edge of the dress down a ? inch and iron flat. [26NoSew011]Fold it down again another 1? inches and iron flat. [26NoSew012]Lift up the flap of fabric and place a piece of ? inch adhesive tape up along the under side of the bottom of the fold, right near the edge. Attach the adhesive all the way around the skirt, leaving a 2-inch gap along the back (to insert elastic). Iron flat, per your adhesive’s instructions. [26NoSew013]Cut a piece of elastic, that is the waist measurement of your subject, PLUS one inch. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and insert that through the opening of the casing you just created. [26NoSew014]Inch the elastic through the casing bit by bit, pulling the elastic right along with it, until you find your way through the entire casing. [26NoSew015]Make sure the elastic isn’t twisted at all and then overlap the two elastic ends by two inches. [26NoSew016]Places 2 rows of ? inch adhesive tape side by side, between the 2 layers of overlapped elastic ends. Iron the layers to activate the adhesive. [26NoSew017]Manipulate the fused elastic ends back into the casing and then add a strip of adhesive tape between the layers of fabric, to finish off the casing. [26NoSew018]Iron it closed, per your adhesive’s instructions. [26NoSew019]Evenly distribute the elastic throughout the casing and then gently steam the gathers to keep them in place a little better. (Don’t iron them flat and create severe creases, just gentle steam so they lay a little flatter.) [26NoSew020]Tips:You can use these directions to make this skirt for tiny babies all the way to grown adults….it works the same! :)27 Little Boy BowtieWhat’s cuter than a little boy in a mini bowtie? Not much. They are perfect for special occasions or to just add some fun to any ol’ outfit. And by making them adjustable, they will grow with your little guy while he struts his stuff for years to come!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:? yard Cotton Fabric, lightweightBow Tie Hardware Set, ? inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideEpoxy Glue**This bowtie is made to fit sizes 2T to 8 years old. The finished size of the actual bow is about 4 inches wide and 2 ? inches tall, at its tallest point.Cut a piece of fabric 6 ? inches wide by 8 ? inches long. Fold the two long 8 ? inch sides towards the center, overlapping them by a ? inch (making the fabric about 3 inches wide). Press flat with your iron. [27NoSew001]Lift up the top flap of fabric and place a strip of adhesive tape along the under side of the upper edge. Fold it closed again and iron flat, per your adhesive’s instructions. [27NoSew002]Fold both ends in towards the center, overlapping by a ? inch (making it about 4 inches wide). [27NoSew003]Lift up the top flap of fabric and place a strip of adhesive tape along the under side of this top flap, next to the raw edge. Fold it closed again and iron flat to fuse the layers together. Set aside. [27NoSew004]Cut another piece of fabric 1? inches wide by 3 inches. Fold each of the 3- inch long sides over ? of an inch, towards the center. [27NoSew005]Open the flaps and place a piece of adhesive tape down the center of the fabric, beneath the two flaps. Place the flaps back down and iron flat, activating the adhesive. Set aside. [27NoSew006]Grab the bigger piece of fabric that you finished folding in step 4 and hold it in front of you with the adhered ends along the back and the folds on the left and right side. Make little accordion folds along the very center of the fabric and pinch it between your thumb and finger, creating a bow shape. [27NoSew007]Place a blob of glue at the very center, right on top of the folds you just created. [27NoSew008]Place the center of smaller strip (that you created in step 6) with the folded edges face down onto the glue and perpendicular to the bow width. [27NoSew009]Wrap the two ends of the strip around the center of the bow and towards the back side of the bow. Pinch the two ends together until the glue dries. [27NoSew010]For one bowtie, you will need 1 Hook, 1 Loop, and 1 Slide Adjuster. (label parts) [27NoSew011]Cut another piece of fabric 17 inches long by 2 ? inches wide, to make your neck strap. Fold it in half lengthwise (“wrong” sides together) and iron flat. [27NoSew012]Open it back up and fold one of the 17-inch sides in towards the ironed crease. Iron flat. [27NoSew013]Fold the other edge in towards the crease and iron as well. Fold the entire strip in half again, along the original crease and iron flat. [27NoSew014]Open the strip again and place a piece of adhesive tape between the two folds that extends all the way down the strip. Fold closed again and iron flat to activate the adhesive. [27NoSew015]Thread one end of your fabric strip through the opening of the Loop piece. Fold the fabric end over 1 ? inches onto itself, making sure that the Loop piece is pulled out of the way. [27NoSew016]Fold the very end of the folded over section, under a ? inch, to hide the raw edge of fabric. [27NoSew017]Lift up the folded edge very carefully as you add some adhesive tape to the under side of the fold, making sure to keep your folds in place. [27NoSew018]Fold it back down and iron in place, to activate the adhesive. [27NoSew019]Place the neck strap in front of you, “right” side facing up. Thread your Slide Adjuster onto the other end of your fabric strip, opposite of the Loop piece. Make sure to thread from the bottom of the Slide Adjuster, up through the top and then back down, like shown in the picture. [27NoSew020] Scoot the Slide Adjuster down the strip of fabric, creating a loop of fabric coming out the top. [27NoSew021] Slide the Hook onto the same end of the fabric (the neck strap still laying “wrong” side facing down) with the actual hook piece on top of the fabric, facing away from the Slide Adjuster. [27NoSew022]Don’t move any of the hardware but lay the fabric down on its side, as shown in the image. [27NoSew023]Take the one raw end of your fabric and loop it around and into the right slot of the Slide Adjuster. [27NoSew024]Pull the end through the Slide Adjuster just a bit and then fold it back into the other slot of the Slide Adjuster. [27NoSew025]Pull and adjust the fabric strip so that you have enough slack at the end of your fabric to now fold it under ? inch. Place a bit of adhesive tape under the folded end and then slide the hardware away from this end as much as possible. Manipulate the fabric away from this end the best you can, to give some room for ironing. [27NoSew026]Iron flat and activate the adhesive. [27NoSew027]Adjust the Slide Adjuster and hook the hardware together to be sure it was constructed correctly. [27NoSew028]Un-hook the hardware and place the neck strap “right” side facing down onto the back-side of the bow tie. Wrap the ends of the center bow strip around the neck strap and glue one end down first. Then fold the other end down, tucking the raw ends under enough so that the fold is centered on the back of the bow. Glue in place and hold firmly until dry. [27NoSew029]Tips:When gluing the neck strap to the back of the bow, be sure to leave enough room on the side of the strap with the Slide Adjuster, so that you have plenty of room to adjust the size of the bowtie.Bowtie hardware (or something similar) can usually be found at larger fabric stores but there’s a larger selection online.28 Infinity ScarfAhhhh, the infinity scarf! Such a great little accessory to turn that plain ol’ outfit into something darling! Wear it long, loop it around twice, intertwine it with another color, etc. Nice and simple and perfect all year long!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 45 minutesSupplies:2 yards lightweight cotton fabric (something sheer like Voile works great)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, 1/4 inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, 1/2 inch wide*Finished scarf measures 21 inches wide and 62 inches in circumference.Cut a large rectangle of fabric that measures 22 x 65 inches. [28NoSew001]Fold over one of the long edges (that are 65 inches) ? inch towards the “wrong” side of the fabric. Iron flat. Fold it over again, another ? inch towards the “wrong” again, and iron flat as well. [28NoSew002]Lift up the top fold and then place a piece of adhesive tape along the folded edge. Press this fold back down and iron it in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other side (that is also 65 inches long). [28NoSew003]Fold your scarf in half width-wise (with “right” sides together) and match up the raw edges of your two ends. Fold back the raw edge of the top half a few inches. Measure in 1? inches from the raw edge of the bottom half and place a line of adhesive tape parallel to the raw edge, making sure that it is evenly spaced 1 ? inches away. Fold the top raw edge back down into place and match up both raw ends again. Make sure the that the top and bottom folded edges are lined up as well and then fuse the layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. [28NoSew004]Turn your newly constructed tube “right” side out. Slip the circle over the ironing board and iron where the two ends joined, placing both loose ends on the back-side over to one side or the other. [28NoSew005]Turn the fabric over, with the “wrong” side facing up. Fold the raw edges under a ? inch and iron flat. [28NoSew006]Lift up the top fold and then place a piece of adhesive tape along the folded edge, reaching from end of the scarf, all the way to the other. [28NoSew007]Press this fold back down and iron it in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. [28NoSew008]Tips:The reason 2 adhesive widths are used in this project is because adhesive will stiffen up the fabric and you want to keep that to a minimum around the circumference of the scarf. If you’d prefer to not purchase 2 widths, rather than purchasing the ? inch tape and cutting in half when needed, it would be easier to purchase the ? inch and then use two strips of it side by side when needed. It’s easier to have a nice straight edge when using the adhesive tape on projects and cutting it can be a bit frustrating to keep even. 29 Half ApronAre you in need of a quick apron to throw on while baking, crafting, cleaning, etc…without worrying about where you’re going to wipe those messy hands/fingers? Well, look no more...because this super simple apron will fix that problem right up for you.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 45 minutesSupplies:? yard of fabric (medium weight cotton fabric)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide3 yards of Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 ? inches wideCut your piece of fabric 25 inches wide and 22 inches tall. Fold over one of your side edges (that are 22 inches long) ? inch towards the back of the fabric, iron it flat, fold it over another ? inch and iron again. [29NoSew001]Lift up the top fold and then place a piece of adhesive tape along the folded edge. Press this fold back down and iron it in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other side (that is also 22 inches long). [29NoSew002]Fold the bottom edge of the apron over ? inch towards the back of the fabric, then another half inch, and iron flat, just like you did with the two sides. [29NoSew003]Place adhesive under the first fold and iron it to activate the adhesive, just like you did with the sides. [29NoSew004]Fold the top edge down ? inch towards the back of the fabric and iron flat. [29NoSew005]Fold the top down again, but 1 ? inches this time. Iron flat. [29NoSew006]Lift up the folded edge and place 3 strips of adhesive tape onto the apron, (NEEDS AN ARROW – HARD TO SEE) making it a 1 ? inch thick strip of adhesive, that extends the full width of the apron. (Be sure that once you fold that flap of fabric back down, the adhesive will be completely covered.) Mark the center of the upper edge of the apron and then fold your piece of ribbon in half and mark the middle of that too. Then place your ribbon right on top of the wide strip of adhesive you just pieced together, matching up the middle of the ribbon with the center of the top edge of the apron. Press the ribbon down on top of the adhesive tape, completely covering it up. [29NoSew007]Then place 3 more strips of adhesive tape right on top of the ribbon, only extending from one side of the actual apron to the other. [29NoSew008]Fold the flap of fabric down on top of this layer of adhesive tape, hiding the ribbon and adhesive completely, and then iron it flat, per your adhesive’s instructions. [29NoSew009](add a picture of the apron, showing the two apron strings coming out equally on each side)Tips:If you’d like to make the apron bigger or smaller, go for it! That’s the nice thing about making things from scratch…you decide! This finished apron is 23 inches wide and 19 inches tall. Adjust accordingly.While attaching the ribbon to the top edge of the apron, be patient as you’re ironing all of those layers together. It may take more time for the adhesive to heat up and adhere to the fabric. 30 Fluffy TutuFor some reason, once your little girl steps into a full and fluffy tutu, the magic of twirling, spinning, and leaping across the floor begins immediately. However, these aren’t just for little girls…the magic works equally well for girls of all sizes. Promise. :)Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:5-6 Yards of Tulle, Cord Elastic (amount depends on waist measurement)Cut the tulle into 2 inch wide pieces. As for the length of each strip, determine the length of tutu you’d like and then double that number and add 2 inches. (For example, if you want a 10 inch long tutu, cut strips that are 22 inches long and 2 inches wide.) To save time while cutting, cut through several layers of tulle at once. [30NoSew001]Cut a piece of elastic that’s the same measurement as the waist measurement PLUS 1 inch. Knot the two ends together, leaving an inch free at each end. Slide the elastic around the back of a chair. [30NoSew002]Grab two strips of tulle at a time and fold them in half. Slide the folded end behind the elastic from the top. Grab the two ends from above and fold them down over the elastic and then through and under the loop of tulle that’s hanging below the elastic. [30NoSew003]Pull the ends downward, tightening up the knot just a bit. [30NoSew004]Continue pulling gently downward, creating a neat knot around the elastic. [30NoSew005]Repeat again and again, until you fill your circle of elastic. [30NoSew006]Once you make it all the way around the elastic, be sure that the tutu fits correctly and then pull the elastic ends nice and snug. [30NoSew007]Then tie a few more strips of tulle onto the elastic band, covering the elastic ends beneath the knots of tulle. [30NoSew008]Tips:The Tulle yardage recommended above is for little girl’s, ages 2-6. Add another couple yards or so for older children and adult sizes.If your tutu isn’t fluffy enough, add more strips of tulle. Easy as that!If you’re unsure how the tutu will fit, add a few inches to the elastic waistband and only tie it loosely. Re-size it after all the tulle is attached to the elastic for a custom fit.31 Knit Skirt with SashSome girls love skirts and need one of every shape and variety. This skirt with sash will not disappoint skirt lovers big and small. It’s made of a comfy knit, has plenty of movement, and the darling little sash adds such a great detail. However, don’t blame me if this skirt becomes the new favorite!Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies: ? yard or more of jersey knit fabric (amount depends on skirt size)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide1? inch wide elastic (length depends on skirt size)Measure the waist of your subject. Add an inch to that number and that will be the width of your two main pieces. For the height, decide the on the desired length of the skirt, and then add 2 1/4 inches to that measurement. For the sash, you will need two strips that are 4 inches wide. For the length measurement of each sash, multiply the waist measurement by 1.5. (For example: if you are making a skirt for a girl who has a 20 inch waist and wants the skirt to be 12 inches long, you would cut out 2 main pieces that are 21 x 14 1/4 inches and two sash strips that are 4 x 30 inches.) Cut a piece of elastic that is 1 inch longer than the waist measurement. [31NoSew001]Grab one of your sash pieces with the wrong side facing up and lay a 4 inch long piece of fusible webbing tape along the very end. [31NoSew002]While keeping the webbing tape in place, fold the sides of the sash in towards the wrong side of the fabric, until they meet in the middle. All you need is a few inches of the sash end to be folded in. [31NoSew003]Press with an iron. Repeat with one end of the other sash strip. [31NoSew004]Place one of your main skirt pieces in front of you, with the right side facing up. Then lay each strip down horizontally on top of the main skirt piece. Match up each folded strip end up with the sides of the main skirt piece near the top, with the folded side facing down. [31NoSew005]From the top edge of the main skirt, each sash piece should be placed 2 1/4 inches from the top edge. Without disturbing the placement of the sash, fold back the very end and place two strips of the webbing tape side-by-side, right next to the skirt edge. Lay the sash end back down and iron in place. Repeat with the other sash on the other side of the main skirt piece. [31NoSew006]Place the other main skirt piece face down on top of the first piece and match up all the sides. Without disturbing the placement of the 2 main pieces placed together, fold back the side edge of the piece on top, just a few inches. Then, lay a long piece of webbing tape along the very side edge of the bottom main piece. (Be sure that the 2 sash pieces are out of the way.) Fold the top main piece back in place and line up the side edges again. Press with iron to activate the webbing but press and lift and then press again. Don’t pull and drag as you iron. Repeat along the other side edge of the 2 main skirt pieces. Take a peek at your adhered edges and be sure that the webbing has melted and secured the fabric together properly. [31NoSew007]Turn the skirt right side out and then press open the side seams you just created, folding the raw seams on the inside toward the back of the skirt. [31NoSew008]Turn the tube inside out again and then fold over the top edge 2 1/4 inches. Pin in place. [31NoSew009]On the back-side of the skirt, remove a few pins from the center back. Then lift up the bottom edge of the fabric just a bit and begin placing your webbing tape right along the wrong side of the skirt, right where the bottom edge of the folded over portion would lay. After folding the fabric back down, you want the webbing tape to sit just under the very bottom edge of the folded over fabric so that after it’s ironed in place, there will still be a casing wide enough for your 1 1/2 inch wide elastic to slide through. Re-pin this section back into place. (And be sure to pin through the webbing to hold it in place as well.) [31NoSew010]Continue all the way around the skirt, unpinning a small section at a time, and continuing to lay your long piece of webbing tape down. Stop a few inches before you make it all the way around (to leave an opening to insert the elastic ) and cut off the webbing tape. Now, iron seal all of that webbing in place, removing pins as you go. Once you’re done, you’re casing will be in place, with a nice gap in the back. [31NoSew011]Grab your piece of elastic and place a safety pin through one end. Thread the elastic all the way around the inside of the casing and pull it out the other end. Make sure that you have both ends out and that your elastic is laying flat. [31NoSew012]Overlap the ends of the elastic by 2 inches. (Overlapping this much will allow for extra surface to adhere the webbing tape.) Place a few strips of webbing tape, side-by-side, in between the two layers where the ends overlap. Iron together. [31NoSew013]Place a strip of webbing tape that is just long enough to fill the bottom edge of the gap that is still open. Then iron the opening closed. Be sure to check all of your ironed seams to assure that all your adhesive was heated up properly. [31NoSew014]Adjust the elastic so that it is evenly distributed throughout the casing and then tie your sash ends into a bow. (Cut off any excess sash length.) [31NoSew015]Tips:The cool thing about knit fabric is that it doesn’t fray, so you can leave the edges un-hemmed. However, if you’d prefer to finish off the edges of this skirt, add a little extra fabric to your dimensions and adjust accordingly (just like the Basic Skirt on page??).32 Graphic T-shirtTurn your artwork designs into something that can actually be worn by kids, adults, team members, family reunions, etc. So go on….create any ol’ design you want and then mix colors, add different layers, insert names, etc. Skill Level: IIITime Estimate: 60 minutesSuppliesFreezer PaperPrinterScotch tapeFabric paintBlunt edge paint brushUtility knifeCutting MatScrap piece of cardboardFreezer Paper is used to wrap and protect food that will be frozen. It is wax coated on one side and it shiny and smooth to the touch. Once heated, the waxy side adheres very slightly to whatever it’s touching but will come off completely once it’s pulled away. [32NoSew001]Decide on the image you’d like by either drawing it (by hand or by using a computer program) or find a computer image that you’d like and place it in a document that you can then print. Add text if you’d like, but be sure it’s the size you need…then print. Tape your image to a window that has light coming through from the outside. [32NoSew002]Tape a similarly sized piece of wax paper over the top of your image with the shiny side facing the image. [32NoSew003]Trace around your image, drawing right onto the paper side of the Freezer Paper. [32NoSew004]Cut out your image, piece by piece, making sure to start with the inner most shapes first. [32NoSew005]You will need the negative space pieces, so don’t throw the small pieces away. [32NoSew006]Once all your pieces are out, lay the freezer paper down on the shirt (shiny side facing down onto the shirt) and center it just where you’d like it. Taping down the edges while you find placement can be really helpful. [32NoSew007]Turn your iron onto medium heat and begin pressing the freezer paper onto the shirt. Make sure to iron around the tape pieces (if you used them) and then remove them completely once the Freezer Paper has begun to adhere to the shirt. (If you try and lift the Freezer paper with your finger nail, it should stay in place. If it doesn’t, try again. However, if you use an iron that is too hot or if you iron for too long...the wax finish may melt off completely and you’d have to re-cut your image. So be careful and work slowly.) [32NoSew008]Grab the inner negative pieces and place them where they need to go, to finish off your shapes. Iron in place. [32NoSew009]Carefully slide a piece of scrap cardboard between the two layers of T-shirt, making sure that it’s larger than the image area where you’ll be painting. [32NoSew010]Select a Fabric Paint color. [32NoSew011]Start with small amounts of paint on your paintbrush tip and dab it into the open area of you image. You don’t want to overwhelm the area with paint or cause it to leak, so start with a small amount of paint and increase as needed. [32NoSew012]You may want to switch colors but if they overlap at all, make sure the first layer dries completely and then proceed. [32NoSew013]Allow the paint to dry completely. (Using a hairdryer to help speed up the process, works really well.) Then peel the freezer paper away from the shirt. [32NoSew014]The tiny pieces that were ironed on will need a little extra help. Use the pointy tip of your utility knife. [32NoSew015]Use a thin towel or piece of fabric to cover your painted area and apply heat to the newly created image. This will help set the paint, making it permanent. [32NoSew016]Admire and enjoy. [32NoSew017]33 Little Girl Ribbon DressMaybe you have a little girl who’s obsessed with little dresses (like mine is!). If so, add another to her collection that’s comfy, breezy, and is perfect for the warmer months. Oh, and those little ribbons tied together into bows at the shoulder? Love.Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:1-2 yards of lightweight cotton fabric (more or less, depending on size)1 inch wide elastic, amount depends on dress size6-7 feet of ribbon, ? to 1 inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wide4 Metal Eyelet Sets, ? inchEyelet Setter Hammer Tool (or other eyelet tool)Pinking ShearsLighterMeasure the chest circumference of your subject. Multiply that number by 2.5…and that’s your width dimension. Measure from the top of the chest of your subject (right at the arm pit), down to the desired length, add 4 ? inches….and that’s your height dimension. Cut a piece of fabric using those dimensions. [33NoSew001]Fold your fabric in half width-wise(with “right” sides together), matching up the two shorter ends. [33NoSew002]Place a piece of ? inch adhesive tape between the two layers, right up against the side edges. Iron to fuse the layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. [33NoSew003]Trim the very edge of the fused layers with pinking shears, which will keep this edge from fraying. [33NoSew004]Open up the fabric to the “right” side and iron the fabric open where the two ends were fused together. Make sure to iron the flap of fabric on the under side off to one side, down the entire length. [33NoSew005]Turn the dress inside out again and lift up the flap of fabric and place a strip of ? inch adhesive under the flap. [33NoSew006]Press the flap back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. [33NoSew007]Make sure your fabric is inside out and fold the bottom edge of the dress up a ? inch and iron flat. [33NoSew008]Fold the bottom edge up another 1 inch and iron flat again. [33NoSew009]Lift the edge back up and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape under there, lining it up with the upper folded edge, all the way around the bottom of the dress. [33NoSew010]Iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. [33NoSew011]With the dress still inside out, fold the upper edge of the dress down a ? inch and iron flat. Fold it down again another 2 ? inches and iron flat. [33NoSew012]Lift up the flap of fabric and place a piece of ? inch adhesive tape up along the very upper fold, along the very top of the dress, all the way around the dress. (Add arrows) Iron flat, per your adhesive’s instructions, making sure the adhesive stays right up inside of that fold. [33NoSew013]Lift the flap again and add another strip of adhesive tape, lined up with the edge of the bottom of the fold. [33NoSew014]Attach the adhesive all the way around the dress, leaving a 2 inch gap along the back (to insert elastic). Iron flat, per your adhesive’s instructions, making sure the adhesive stays lined up with the very bottom of the fold, without sneaking out beneath. [33NoSew015]Cut a piece of elastic, that is the upper chest measurement of your subject, PLUS one inch. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and insert that through the opening of the casing you just created. [33NoSew016]Inch the elastic through the casing bit by bit, pulling the elastic right along with it, until you find your way through the entire casing. [33NoSew017]Make sure the elastic isn’t twisted at all and then overlap the two elastic ends by two inches. [33NoSew018]Places 2 rows of ? inch adhesive tape side by side, between the 2 layers of overlapped elastic. Iron the layers to activate the adhesive. [33NoSew019]Manipulate the fused elastic ends back into the casing and then add a strip of adhesive tape to the lower fold of the opening. Iron it closed. [33NoSew020]Evenly distribute the elastic throughout the casing and then gently steam the gathers to keep them in place a little better. (Don’t iron them flat and add creases, just gentle steam so they lay a little flatter.) [33NoSew021]With the vertical seam along the center back, lay the dress down in front of you. Place a pin at the exact center in the front and then another pin on either side of the center pin, dividing the dress front into even quarters. The side pins will be where your straps attach at the front. Place 2 pins along the back side of the dress, directly behind these two side pins, marking where your straps will attach in the back. [33NoSew022]For each eyelet that you attach, you will need an Eyelet Front (taller barrel), an Eyelet Back (shorter barrel), a Hammer Plate, and a Hammer Post. (label parts) [33NoSew023]Where each of your straps are marked with a pin, use the Eyelet Back as a template to draw a circle where your eyelet will be attached. Be sure to mark each circle about a ? inch from the top edge of the dress. [33NoSew024]Cut out each circle with scissors. [33NoSew025]Place the Eyelet Front through the hole from the “right” side of the dress. [33NoSew026]Place the Eyelet Back over the back of the Eyelet Front, which is on the inside of the dress. Place the Hammer Plate below the Eyelet Front, on the front side of the dress. [33NoSew027]Place the Hammer Post on top of the Eyelet Back piece and tap it a few times with a hammer, until both eyelet pieces compress and pinch the fabric in between nice and tight. [33NoSew028]The back side of your eyelet should look somewhat similar. [33NoSew029]Repeat with all 4 eyelet locations. [33NoSew030]Cut 4 pieces of ribbon, about 20 inches long each. (More or less, depending on your subject’s size and preference.) Heat seal both ends with a lighter. (This will melt the ribbon ends and keep them from fraying.) [33NoSew031]Thread one end of your ribbon through one of the eyelet’s, entering from the “right” side of the dress. Fold the end of the ribbon over onto itself (on the “wrong” side of the ribbon) about 2 inches. Place a few pieces of adhesive tape between the layers of ribbon. [33NoSew032]Iron the ribbon down in place, fusing the ribbon layers together, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the 3 other eyelets and pieces of ribbon. [33NoSew033]34 Fringe ScarfTurn a boring outfit into something a little more sassy and fun, with this breathable knit scarf. And go on, wear it any ol’ time of year! Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 15 minutesSupplies:2 yards jersey knitSharp scissorsCut your piece of knit, down to 15 inches wide and 72 inches long. [34NoSew001]Fold your strip in half lengthwise. [34NoSew002]Starting one inch from the end, make 6.5 inch long cuts (or one inch from the other side) along the folded side of the strip, spacing each cut about an inch apart. [34NoSew003]Continue all the way down the length of the folded strip, stopping about an inch from the end. [34NoSew004]If you open up the strip, you’ll see a bunch of slits along your fabric. [34NoSew005]Tips:There are different types of jersey knit. Some are more stretchy and slinky than others. Some have an equal stretch both left to right and top to bottom...while others stretch more going one direction than the other. This variation in knit fabrics will give your scarf different looks, but don’t worry, all will look great!If your cuts aren’t completely even or vary slightly in width, don’t stress! You’ll never even notice once the scarf is worn.While cutting, be sure to keep the edges lined up so that the fabric doesn’t shift and create uneven strips at the end.Try folding the scarf in half lengthwise and wrap it around your neck...letting all the fringes hang in separate folded pieces. Or, open it up completely, revealing all the slits, and wrap it around your neck for a different look.Chapter 5: Holiday35 Valentine TableclothCreate a whimsical Valentine holiday spread with this simple Stenciled Heart Tablecloth. And since Valentine’s Day is only once a year, store it away and enjoy it year after year. Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60-90 minutesSupplies:5 yards of cotton woven fabric, lightweightDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch widePinking ShearsFabric PaintSpongeFreezer PaperUtility knifeCutting Mat*The finished tablecloth is approximately 85 inches long and 60 inches wide.Cut two pieces from your fabric that are 87 inches long and 31 ? inches wide. Place them together with right sides together, matching up sides and ends evenly. Along one of the long sides (that’s 87 inches) lift up and fold back the edge of the top piece of fabric and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape along the edge of the bottom piece. Return the top piece of fabric back down onto the bottom fabric and line up the edges again. Iron to activate the adhesive, per your adhesive’s instructions. May need arrows – hard to see tape [35NoSew001]Trim the very edge of the fused layers with pinking shears, which will keep this edge from fraying. [35NoSew002]Open up the fabric to the “right” side and iron the fabric open where the two ends were fused together. Make sure to iron the flap of fabric on the under side off to one side, down the entire length. [35NoSew003]Turn the tablecloth over to the “wrong” side of the fabric and place a strip of ? inch adhesive strip beneath the flap. Press the flap back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Now you have one big piece of fabric to use as your tablecloth. [35NoSew004]Along one of the long (87 inch) sides, fold over the edge a ? inch towards the “wrong” side of the fabric, iron it flat, fold it over another ? inch, and then iron it flat one more time. [35NoSew005]Lift the folded edge back up and place a strip of ? inch adhesive tape along the upper folded edge, all the way across the 87 inches of folded fabric. [35NoSew006]Fold the flap of fabric back down and iron in place, per your adhesive’s instructions. Repeat with the other 87 inch side. [35NoSew007]Now, repeat the same process (steps 6-8) with the two shorter ends, completing the edges all the way around your tablecloth. [35NoSew008]Cut a piece of Freezer Paper that is 75 inches long and 10 inches tall. Cut a 5 ? x 5 ? inch heart shape (should I make a template??) out of paper to use as your template. Trace the heart onto the strip of Freezer Paper (on the paper side, not the shiny side), spacing them about 4 inches apart and about 1? inches from the bottom edge of the Freezer Paper. (You should be able to fit 7 or so hearts along your strip of Freezer Paper, depending on how many hearts you’d like along your tablecloth.) [35NoSew009]Cut out each heart from your strip of Freezer Paper. [35NoSew010]Place your Freezer Paper with the shiny side facing down, onto the “right” side of your fabric. Line up the bottom edge of the Freezer Paper with the bottom edge of your fabric (on one of the long sides). [35NoSew011]Iron your freezer paper down onto the fabric on medium low heat, only ironing long enough to adhere the paper to the fabric. [35NoSew012]Dip your sponge into some of your Fabric Paint and blot out the excess onto a plate. [35NoSew013]Dab your sponge onto the fabric over and over again, inside each heart cut out, creating a textured look. Add more paint to your sponge and repeat. (Be sure to place extra paper or cardboard behind the fabric where you’re painting, so the paint doesn’t leak through onto your work surface.) [35NoSew014]Let the paint dry completely (blowing air from a hair dryer can help speed this up) and then peel the Freezer Paper off the fabric. [35NoSew015]Place a thin piece of fabric over top the dried paint and heat seal with an iron. Repeat with all painted hearts. [35NoSew016]Tips:Freezer paper or “grease proof paper” in the UK, is a paper with a waxy finish on one side, generally used to wrap and protect food. Crafters and quilters figured out they could cut patterns out of the paper and lightly iron it to fabric. It’s fantastic stuff and very inexpensive! Freezer Paper is generally found in the grocery store, near the foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, etc.If you prefer solid hearts, add more paint as you’re blotting with your sponge, until it’s a solid color.If you prefer a smaller/larger tablecloth, shorten/lengthen the 87-inch fabric dimension.36 Fabric Scrap Easter EggsCreate the perfect addition to your spring décor by adding these little eggs to a basket/bowl on your table, placing them up on a mantel, or hidden in and around your other spring décor. Also, a great way to use up all those little scraps of fabric (I know you have a pile) that you can’t seem to get rid of!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:4-inch Smooth Styrofoam EggsCotton Fabric Scraps, separated into color tonesFabric Decoupage Foam brushWax paper Spray Gloss FinishCut your fabric scraps into strips, varying from ? - 1 inch wide and anywhere from 2 – 4 inches long. Really, most dimensions work, so don’t bother measuring. Just eyeball it and start cutting. Divide them into color piles. [36NoSew001]Grab your first pile of scrap colors and apply just a bit of decoupage to the back of one of the strips of fabric. [36NoSew002]Press this strip down onto the egg and smooth it down with your fingers. Then paint another layer of decoupage on the front side of the fabric, overlapping onto the egg, and smooth out any bubbles or excess decoupage with your sponge brush. [36NoSew003]Continue to add strips of fabric, making sure that there is a layer of decoupage on both sides of the fabric strips. Add more and more strips to the egg, placing them this way and that way…creating a nice random look to their placement. After a while, there will be plenty of decoupage on the egg that you don’t need to add a layer to the back side of each fabric strip. Just lay the fabric on top of the decoupage that’s already on the egg. [36NoSew004]Continue adding strips until the egg is completely covered. [36NoSew005]Repeat with your other eggs and fabric strips. Allow the eggs to dry completely on a piece of wax paper and then spray each egg on all sides, with a spray gloss sealer. [36NoSew006]Tips:There are two different types of 3D foam shapes that I’ve seen for purchase. One type of Styrofoam is pretty rough and porous. The other is a smooth and paintable foam and works best for this project.If all you have is regular decoupage (and not the fabric variety), go ahead and use it. I’ve used it for fabric projects and it also works well37 Fabric Gift BowMaking your own gift bows is truly a great way to add a little love to your gifts, any time of year. And even better, is that these little guys will help shrink down your random scrap pile that you’re unsure what to do with.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:Strips of cotton fabric and/or burlapPinking sheersHot Glue Gun/Glue SticksUse your pinking shears to cut 10 strips of 1-inch wide fabric. Cut 3 strips that are 11 inches long, 3 strips that are 10 inches long, 3 strips that are 9 inches long, and 1 strip that is 4.5 inches long. [37NoSew001]Grab one of the longest strips of fabric and lay it face down in front of you. Then, take one end and loop it around back onto itself and hot glue it face down onto about the middle of the back side of this strip of fabric. [37NoSew002]Loop the other end onto itself in the same way and glue it down (with a small dot of hot glue), creating a symmetrical figure 8 shape. The ends will overlap about 1 inch. (It may help to create your figure 8 shape without gluing, to get a feel for where to glue and overlap, etc.) [37NoSew003]Repeat with the other 8 longer strips of fabric. Save the 4.5 inch long strip of fabric for later. [37NoSew004]Grab two of the 11-inch figure 8’s and cross them in the center, creating an X shape (not a plus shape). Glue them together with a small dab of glue. [37NoSew005]Add the 3rd larger figure 8 shape on top, creating a symmetrical bow base, with 6 equally spaced points. [37NoSew006]Grab one of the 10-inch figure 8’s and place it on top, allowing the points to fit evenly between the points of the base points below. (add an arrow, showing the newest addition) [37NoSew007]Add the other two 10-inch figure 8’s, keeping the spacing the same as the base layer but placing each of the points in between 2 of the points from the base layer below. [37NoSew008]Grab your 9-inch figure 8’s and create a third layer of points, spacing them between the points of the 2nd layers of points. [37NoSew009]Loop your 4.5-inch long strip of fabric into a circle, overlapping the ends by 1 inch and gluing them in place. [37NoSew010]Place the loop in the center of the bow. [37NoSew011]If you decide to make burlap bows, use the same strip dimensions as above but instead of using pinking shears to cut the strips(they won’t have the same effect on burlap), measure out your 1 inch width and then tug on one of the woven strings of the burlap, that runs parallel to where you would need to cut it. [37NoSew012]Pull the string all the way out, leaving a wider and straight area to cut your strips from. Trust me, this will save you some burlap headache! [37NoSew013]Tips:Will these bows fray? Very, very minimally. And hey, if they do, it just gives a slight shabby look to your bows.If you’d like to make a smaller bow (like the one pictured), cut the strips ? of an inch wide and cut 3 strips each of the following lengths: 9, 8, and 7 inches. Cut the smallest strip for the center loop at 2.5 inches. Construct them the same way as the larger ones above.When using the hot glue, only use small dots between each layer. Otherwise, your center will become too thick and heavy, with all those dried layers of glue.38 Halloween Table RunnerKeep Halloween fun and quirky by creating a simple table runner, with dangling spiders hanging from small strands of “web” at each end. The spiders add to the charm of the holiday and can be removed while the runner is cleaned, and then re-attached if needed. Perfect. Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies3 yards cotton fabric (Halloween print optional)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch widePinking shears6 Metal Eyelet Sets, ? inch (the measurement is the inner dimension)Eyelet Setter Hammer Tool (or other eyelet tool)White Quilting Thread6 Black Plastic Spiders (Spider Rings work well)Black Permanent MarkerEpoxy Glue**Finished table runner measures 14 inches wide by 102 inches long. If prefer a shorter/longer runner, adjust accordingly.Cut 2 pieces of fabric 15 x 103 inches. Place both pieces together with “right” sides together. Match up sides and ends and pin in place. Pull back the top fabric at one end and begin placing adhesive tape along the very edge of the bottom piece (at the end) and a few inches along the top and bottom. Place the top fabric back on top, matching up the edges again and iron in place, fusing the layers together per your adhesive’s instructions. [38NoSew001]Continue down the length of the table runner, fusing the 2 layers together along the raw edges, about 15 or so inches at a time. [38NoSew002]Once you reach the end, place adhesive tape around the remaining top and bottom edges and along the end, leaving a 10 inch gap without any adhesive between the two corners (which will be used for turning it right side out). (add arrows). [38NoSew003]Fuse the remaining edges together with your iron, making sure that your gap was left un-fused. [38NoSew004]Trim off all 4 corners, but feel carefully where your adhesive is placed between the layers of fabric. You are just taking away some bulk here before turning it right side out so that your corners will lay flat but you don’t want to cut too much away or you’ll have a hole when you turn your corner right side out. (add arrows or lines to show my point) [38NoSew005]Turn the table runner right side out through the opening, poking each corner out gently with the closed tip of your scissors. (Don’t poke too hard or you’ll create a hole.) Fold the edges of the opening towards the inside a ? inch and iron flat. Iron the rest of the table runner flat as well. [38NoSew006]Place a strip of adhesive tape along the inside edge of the opening, between the layers of fabric. Place the tape as close as you can to the folded edges of the fabrics but hidden enough so that it won’t show from the outside. Iron until sealed completely shut. [38NoSew007]For each eyelet that you attach to your table runner, you will need an Eyelet Front (taller barrel), an Eyelet Back (shorter barrel), a Hammer Plate, and a Hammer Post. (label parts) [38NoSew008]Lay a measuring tape along one of the 14-inch wide ends, to mark the placement of each eyelet. One will be placed at the 2 inch mark, the next at the 7 inch mark and the last one at the 12 inch mark. All will be placed about a ? inch from the bottom edge. [38NoSew009]Place an Eyelet Back at each location and use it as a template to trace around the inside edge of the barrel. [38NoSew010]Cut out the circle with scissors. [38NoSew011]Place the Eyelet Front through the hole from the “right” side, forcing the barrel to poke up through to the “wrong” side of the fabric. [38NoSew012]Turn the table runner to the back-side and fit an Eyelet Back around the barrel of the Eyelet Front piece. [38NoSew013]Slide the Hammer Plate underneath the Eyelet Front and then fit the Hammer Post right on top of the Eyelet Back. Tap the top of the Hammer Post with a hammer a few times, until both eyelet pieces compress and pinch the fabric in between nice and tight. Repeat with the other 2 eyelets on this end of the table runner. And then repeat steps 9-14 at the other end of the table runner. [38NoSew014]If your spider is a plastic ring, cut the ring portion of the ring off. [38NoSew015]Tie some quilting thread around the middle of the spider, knotting it several times on the belly side of the spider. Leave one end of the thread longer (12-14 inches). [38NoSew016]Trim the shorter end of the thread down to about an 1/8 of an inch and then use the marker to color the thread around the spider black, so that the only white thread you can see, looks like it’s the spider web coming out of the spider. [38NoSew017]Add a dot of glue on the belly of the spider, securing the thread and knot in place. [38NoSew018]Tie the other end of the thread to the table runner, through one of the eyelets. [38NoSew019]Rotate the knot to the back side of the table runner, trimming down the shorter end of the thread. Attach the other 5 spiders to the table runner the same way, staggering the lengths of each spider. [38NoSew020]TipsIf you can’t find any Halloween type fabric in your local store, be sure to look online…there’s so much more to choose from!39 Appliqued Nativity on BurlapSometimes simple is best…especially when it comes to making a holiday decoration. And you know, there’s something beautiful about mixing the raw texture of burlap with a simple Nativity silhouette. Makes me smile.Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:Picture Frame, size can varyBurlap, 2 inches larger than all sides of the frame openingBlack cotton woven fabricManger TemplateFusible Adhesive, 2-sidedHot Glue Gun/ Glue SticksScotch or Masking TapeDetermine what nativity template enlargement/reduction will work best for your frame size. Print the nativity on standard printer paper and tape your image to a window during daylight. (Tape the paper mirror-image to how you want it to end up looking.) [39NoSew001]Cut a piece of Fusible Adhesive that is slightly larger than the printed image and tape it over top the image that’s taped to your window. Be sure that the bubbly adhesive side is facing the window and the paper side is facing you. [39NoSew002]Trace around the image with your pencil, drawing right on the paper side of the Fusible Adhesive. [39NoSew003]Place the Fusible Adhesive down onto the “wrong” side of your black fabric, with your drawn image facing up. Be sure to follow the instructions of your particular Fusible Adhesive and fuse your image onto the fabric. (Don’t overheat or the adhesive will burn and will be useless.) [39NoSew004]Cut around each of the figures in the image, cutting through the Fusible Adhesive and fabric together. [39NoSew005]Peel the paper backing of the adhesive from the fabric. [39NoSew006]Cut a piece of burlap that’s 2 inches larger than your frame opening, around all sides. Arrange your manger scene onto the burlap, with the adhesive side facing down. Hold your frame over top to check your placement, adjust, and check again. Iron your manger scene in place, per your Fusible Adhesive’s instructions. [39NoSew007]Cut a piece of cardboard that is the same size as your frame opening. Center the cardboard onto the back side of your burlap and then fold each of the edges around onto the back of the cardboard, securing with hot glue. [39NoSew008]Place the cardboard/burlap into the frame and close it up like normal. [39NoSew009]Tips:Whether or not you keep the glass in the frame, is total preference. I like the look without the glass to eliminate glare and to make it look more custom and raw.40 Christmas Tree SkirtDon’t let your tree sit there bare naked! Cover up her unmentionables (aka: the tree stand), with a simple tree skirt adorned with large snowflakes. Go on…add to your décor and create a tree skirt that can be used year after year!Skill Level: II Time Estimate: 90 minutesSupplies:Red Felt (polyester or wool), 1 ? yards of 51+ inch wideWhite Felt (polyester or wool), ? yard of 51+ inch wide1 ? inch wide velcro, 4 ? inches totalEpoxy Craft GlueCotton StringStraight PinsPermanent Marker*Steps 1-7 are a mini version of the actual size, to help demonstrate the process a little easier.Cut out a 51 x 51 inch square of red felt. [40NoSew001]Tie one end of a piece of string to a straight pin and the other end near the tip of a marker. The string should measure exactly 25 inches between the two when pulled taut. [40NoSew002]Mark the exact middle of the square piece of felt. Stick the pin on that mark and hold it there firmly with one hand, while you pull the string and marker straight out with your other hand, making sure there’s no slack in the string. Rotate the marker around the center point, marking a curved line on the fabric as you rotate it around the pin. [40NoSew003]Continue all the way around until you complete the circle, which should be 50 inches in diameter. [40NoSew004]Draw another smaller circle (5 inches in diameter) at the exact center of the larger circle. If you can find a cup or small bowl that’s 5 inches in diameter, use that as your template. Otherwise, cut one out of paper and trace around it on your felt. [40NoSew005]Use a ruler to draw a straight line from the smaller circle to the larger one. [40NoSew006]Cut out the larger circle and set aside the outer felt scraps. Then, cut up the straight line and cut out the smaller circle as well. [40NoSew007]Cut 3 rectangles from your red felt scraps, 3? x 1? inches each. Cut 3 pieces of the soft side of your Velcro, 1? x 1? inches each. [40NoSew008]Glue a Velcro piece (fuzzy side up) to one end of the felt rectangle piece. Repeat with the other 2 felt and Velcro pieces. [40NoSew009]Turn each of the rectangle pieces face down and place the non-velcro end onto the straight edge of the circle opening, overlapping by about 1? inches. Space them evenly along this straight edge and glue in place. [40NoSew010]Glue the corresponding scratchy Velcro pieces to the other straight edge of the circle opening. [40NoSew011]Fasten the flaps to be sure that the Velcro is positioned just right, so that the circle closes completely. Make any adjustments you need before the glue dries. Then apply pressure as the glue sets. [40NoSew012]Cut out the paper snowflake templates and trace them onto white felt with a permanent marker. Cut out 3 snowflakes from each of the 3 templates, making 9 total snowflakes. (As you cut, remove the marker lines as much as you can.) [40NoSew013]Arrange all 9 snowflakes evenly around the tree skirt, about 1? inches from the outer edge. Place the marker side of the snowflakes face down (in case there are little marks remaining) and then pick up one snowflake at a time and add glue to the underneath side. Press firmly back onto the tree skirt and apply pressure as it dries. [40NoSew014]Tips:When using epoxy glue, it helps to apply pressure as it’s drying. Place something heavy, like a book, on top of the felt and Velcro pieces while the glue dries completely.Chapter 6: Re-Purposing41 Sweater into CoastersWait! Don’t get rid of that old wool sweater…felt it! And then turn it into cozy and simple little coasters. Your mug (and wallet) will thank you! Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 20 minutesSupplies:100% wool sweater (one with a wide ribbed cuff)Circle Cork Coaster Bases, 4 inch in diameterHot Glue Gun/Glue SticksWashing Machine/DryerA sweater in its normal state (before it is felted) has a variety of strands, from very loose to very tightly woven, depending on the sweater style. If you cut it, the fibers will unravel. “Felt”-ing a wool sweater will tighten up the fibers of the woven wool, entangling them so tightly, that when cut, it won’t unravel. Then you can use it for whatever you want, without worrying about the edges coming undone. [41NoSew001]To “felt” your sweater, throw you sweater in the washing machine, using hot water. Make sure your machine is set for free motion (not a delicate cycle), because the more agitation, the better. In fact, if you have other things to wash, throw those in there to give the wool extra items to rub against, speeding up the felting process. [41NoSew002]Dry the sweater on high heat, which will tighten the fibers up even more. Once you removed from the dryer, you should see a noticeable difference in the size of your sweater and the fibers should look more entangled and fuzzy, like felt fabric. If not, repeat the washing/drying as many times as it takes to “felt” it. [41NoSew003]If you’re unsure whether your sweater has properly felted, cut into and test it. You should be able to pull at the cut edges and not see any unraveling occur. If you do, repeat the washing/drying again. (And consider yourself lucky that you’re getting extra laundry done with it!) [41NoSew004]Once your sweater has properly felted, us a coaster as a guide to cut a circle out of your sweater. Don’t worry about getting it perfect because you will trim the sweater down more later on. [41NoSew005]Place a generous amount of hot glue onto a small section of one side of your coaster, being careful to keep it from oozing over the edge. [41NoSew006]Center the felted sweater on top of the coaster, pressing it down firmly where the glue has already been placed down below. Lift up the sweater and continue to add small section of glue, press firmly, and repeat. [41NoSew007]Trim off any excess sweater, nice and even with the edges of the coaster. [41NoSew008]Repeat with as many coasters you’d like/have felt for. [41NoSew009]Tips: Having a top-loader washer vs. a front loader may affect the number of times you have to wash the sweater to get it to felt but I have felted sweaters in both types of machines…so don’t let that deter you!My favorite place to find wool sweater to felt, is the thrift store. You can find some serious treasures there!42 Placemat into PillowOne of the fastest and least expensive ways to change your home décor, is to change your throw pillows. And to continue with the whole “simple” (and cheap) thing, how about grabbing one of your old placemats (especially if you have a set that you no longer use because a few of them are stained) and turn it into a fun new throw pillow. Or, go out and buy a few new placemats in the exact colors you want...I won’t tell! :)Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 20 minutesSupplies:1 fabric placemat (that’s safe to iron)Fusible Webbing Tape, ? inch widePolyester Fiberfill (pillow stuffing)Iron your placemat flat, releasing any wrinkles. [42NoSew001]Fold your placemat in half (widthwise), with right sides together. Iron this fold flat. [42NoSew002]Open up and place a strip of webbing tape along the fold, making sure it reaching all the way from one side of the placemat to the other. [42NoSew003]Fold the placemat in half again (along the original fold) and iron again until the webbing adheres. [42NoSew004]Open the placemat up again and place webbing tape along the sides of the half of the placemat that’s closest to you (on the “right” side of the placemat). Also, place webbing along the bottom edge but leave about a 5 inch gap (at the center of the bottom edge) without any webbing. (add arrows) [42NoSew005]Fold the placemat closed again, line up all the edges, and be sure that webbing is lined up with the edges as well. Iron until the webbing has adhered the layers together. [42NoSew006]Open up the 5 inch gap and stuff with fiberfill. You’ll need enough to plump up the pillow but not too much or you won’t be able to close the pillow. [42NoSew007]Push all of the stuffing away from the opening the best you can and then place a 5 inch strip of Fusible Webbing along the inside edge of the opening. Pinch the two layers closed and iron flat. [42NoSew008]Tips:Be sure to check the placemat material and verify that it can be ironed.Fold your placemat in half and check to see if all edges and corners match up pretty well before beginning. If not, your pillow will be uneven.43 Shirt into Girl SkirtDo you have troubles finding cute knit fabric in the stores? Cut up an old knit T-shirt instead (in any ol’ color/print you can get your hands on) and turn it into a darling little skirt for girl’s. Don’t you just love turning old into new?! Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 20 minutesSupplies:An old knit T-shirt1 inch wide elastic (amount depends on waist measurement)Double-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideSafety Pin*Measure your subject, having a waist measurement and desired skirt length ready.To find a shirt that will work well for this skirt project, make sure that the measurement of usable fabric (generally below the sleeves and down to the bottom of the shirt) is at least the length that you’d like your skirt to be, PLUS 2 inches. And the width (or measurement all the way around the shirt) should be at least 1? to 2 TIMES the waist measurement. This will give the skirt a sufficient gather but can also be a little more or less if needed. [43NoSew001]Cut off the bottom portion of the shirt, 2 inches more than the desired skirt length. [43NoSew002]Turn the skirt inside out and fold the upper cut edge over ? of an inch. Iron in place. [43NoSew003]Fold the upper edge over again but 1? inches this time. Iron your fold flat. [43NoSew004]Lift up the second fold you made and start lining your adhesive tape right along the very upper edge of the fold. [43NoSew005]Continue placing adhesive tape all the way around the upper fold, except for a 3-inch gap in the back (where you’ll insert your elastic). Then re-fold the fabric back down in place, right on the original fold. Pin your fold in place, all the way around. [43NoSew006]Be sure that your gap in the back of the skirt doesn’t have any adhesive in the way. [43NoSew007]Iron your adhesive in place (per your adhesive’s instructions), making sure that you have a firm hold and an adhesive-free opening in the back. [43NoSew008]Cut a piece of elastic that is the waist measurement PLUS one inch. Insert a safety pin into one end of your elastic and place it into the opening of the casing you just created. You may have to wiggle it around a bit, but try and get the elastic up inside of the folds of fabric. [43NoSew009]Inch the safety pin along inside of the casing, pulling the elastic with it as you go, making sure that the other end of elastic remains on the outside of the skirt. [43NoSew010]Once you reach the end, make sure your elastic isn’t twisted and that both ends are coming out of the casing. [43NoSew011]Pull the elastic ends out as far as they can, and overlap the two ends by 2 inches. [43NoSew012]Place strips of your adhesive tape between the elastic, where they overlap. For an even better hold, double up on the adhesive and place two layers of it between the elastic. [43NoSew013]Iron the overlapped elastic in place per your adhesive’s instructions. [43NoSew014]Adjust the waist band and elastic, until the elastic is completely enclosed within the casing. Find the opening of the casing, smooth the fabric out of the way, and the place a piece of adhesive tape along the bottom fold of the opening, from one end of the opening to the other. [43NoSew015]Close the opening and iron it closed, making sure that the fabric of the casing is laying flat and isn’t bunched up at all from the elastic. [43NoSew016]Distribute the fabric evenly around the elastic. [43NoSew017]Tips:Knit shirts all hang and feel a little different. While deciding on which shirt to cut up, hold it up and notice how it drapes and decide if it would hang well as a skirt or not. (Ladies shirts tend to work better for projects such as these. Try looking for something other than a stiff old T-shirt you’d mow the lawn in…something a little more stretchy and soft works better.)The larger the shirt, the more you have to gather it in, which means a fuller skirt. However, you don’t want to gather in so much that you’re forcing a lot of fabric to fit on the amount of elastic that you need, resulting in a really bulky waistband. If you’d like a more professional look, lightly steam around the gathers of the waistband. This will help it lay a little flatter and will look less homemade! 44 Cloth Napkin into Kid ApronKids are messy little creatures. Instead of fretting about them leaning over the mixing bowl and messing up their clothes or getting messy while helping out in the garage, turn a few old Cloth Napkins into the fastest little aprons you’ll ever make. But even more important than keeping them clean, is how special they’ll feel with their “work” apron on, ready to help with whatever task you’ve given them. Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:Cloth Napkin, 18 x 18 inches or largerGrosgrain Ribbon, 1? inches wideDouble-Sided Fusible Adhesive Tape, ? inch wideSafety PinGrab one of your old/mismatched napkins or buy a new funky print to transform into an apron. [44NoSew001]Open up the napkin and place it face down on the table in front of you. Fold down the top edge 2 ? inches. Iron flat. [44NoSew002]Open up the top flap and place some of your adhesive tape along the very top edge of the napkin. (add an arrow, pointing to where the adhesive is placed) Fold the flap back down, keeping the adhesive tape in place, and iron in the fabrics together, per your adhesive’s instructions. [44NoSew003]Cut a piece of ribbon that is 70 inches long (or more/less, depending on the size of child) and heat seal the ends of the ribbon with a lighter. This will melt the ends and keep them from fraying. [44NoSew004]Place a safety pin through one end of ribbon and slide it through the casing that you just created at the top of the napkin. Slide the safety pin all the way through, dragging the ribbon with it, until you reach the other end of the casing. [44NoSew005]Pull the ribbon all the way through, until both ribbon ends are the same length. Place the apron face up in front of you. At one end of the casing, lift up the fabric just a bit and slide a piece of 2 inch long Adhesive Tape between the fabric and the ribbon, lining the adhesive up with the outer edge of the fabric. Iron until adhesive is set. Repeat on other side. [44NoSew006]45 T-shirt into 5 Strand HeadbandI know you’re hoarding a few old stained T-shirts in the bottom of your dresser drawer, that you think you’ll find a use for “someday”. Well guess what? That “someday” is here! Pull them out and let them do you some good, keeping that hair out of your face!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 45 minutesSupplies:Jersey Knit T-shirts, solid or a variety of colorsCotton StringEpoxy GlueMasking TapeGrab an old T-shirt and take note of how it stretches. Usually Tshirts stretch more from side to side and not as much (if at all) from top to bottom. Each headband strip needs some stretch, so first cut off the bottom hem around the shirt bottom and then begin cutting horizontal strips from the shirt, which will still allow for some stretch. [45NoSew001]Cut each strip about 2 inches wide and the length is variable, depending on the size of head and how much your fabric stretches. A good guide is to make the strip length twice the length of the head circumference measurement and then you can trim later if needed. [45NoSew002]Pull each strip at both ends in opposite directions, to release some of the stretch. The edges will most likely curl but if they don’t, that’s okay. [45NoSew003]Tie the ends of each of the 5 strips together with some string, about an inch from the ends. [45NoSew004]Tape the strands onto a table above the tied string. Separate your strands into 2 groups; 3 strands on the left and 2 on the right. (For clarity’s sake, I used 5 different colors of knit to demonstrate the 5-strand braid and will call each strand by their color.) [45NoSew005]Grab the yellow strand all the way to the left… [45NoSew006]…and cross it over the grey strand next to it on its right. [45NoSew007]Grab the blue strand… [45NoSew008]…and cross it over the yellow strip on its left. [45NoSew009]Pull the yellow strand from this left group and add it to the right side group. [45NoSew010]You still have 2 groups but now there are 2 strands on the left and 3 on the right. [45NoSew011]Now, it’s time to do the same to the right side group, but in mirror image. Grab the pink strand all the way to the right… [45NoSew012]…and cross it over the green one to its left. [45NoSew013]Grab the yellow strand… [45NoSew014]…and cross it over the pink strand to its right. [45NoSew015]Pull the pink strand from this right group and add it to the left side group. [45NoSew016]Now there are 3 groups on the left and 2 on the right, just like at the beginning. [45NoSew017]Repeat over and over again (though the colors will change) until your braid takes shape. As you braid, be sure to keep each strand pulled snug but not too tight that it takes all the stretch out of it. [45NoSew018]Once you reach the end (or as long as you need it), tie another string at the ends to secure the strands and keep them from unraveling. [45NoSew019]Join the 2 ends of the braid together (creating a braided circle) and tie them together with more string. Trim off the ends. [45NoSew020] To hide this tied section, cut a rectangle of fabric from the Tshirt that is wide enough to cover the tied ends of your braid and long enough to wrap around the braid about 1.5 times. Slide under the tied ends and add a line of Epoxy Glue to one end of your piece of fabric. [45NoSew021]Fold the end up onto the braid and press firmly to adhere to the fabric. [45NoSew022]Wrap the other end of the fabric piece around the loose ends and fold the end in enough to overlap the first end. Add another line of glue. [45NoSew023]Press firmly and let dry before wearing. [45NoSew024]TIPS: Most T-shirts and fitted women’s stretchy shirts, are made from knit fabric. If you’re cutting up an old knit shirt, find a T-shirt that has a little more stretch to it. If you don’t have a shirt to cut up, you can purchase knit from the fabric store. Jersey Knit works great for this project. Be sure that you’re cutting with the stretch so that each strip stretches if you pull from each end.When deciding how long to make the headband, you will want the finished braid about an inch less than the head measurement. It will stretch a bit when worn, and you want it to fit snug around the head.46 Scrap Cardboard into Tissue Box CoverWe have almost year-round allergy sufferers in our home, so tissue boxes sit in every room. Instead of cringing when I see the newest obnoxious tissue box packaging, I decided to create a re-usable cover to slide right over top, allowing the tissues to become part of home décor. Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 60 minutesSupplies:Scrap pieces of cardboardUtility KnifeSquare Tissue BoxQuilting Cotton in any color or print, ? yardFelt (100% polyester) ? yardDecoupage Sponge BrushHot Glue Gun/Glue SticksGather pieces of cardboard that are larger than the sides of your tissue box. [46NoSew001]Since you’ll be doubling the cardboard layers to make it sturdier, hold up two pieces of the cardboard along one side of the tissue box and then measure the width of the tissue box with the two layers of cardboard included. This is the width you need for your cardboard pieces. (The one pictured measures 4 ? inches.) [46NoSew002]Measure the height of the tissue box. This is the height you need for your cardboard pieces. (The one pictured measures 5 inches.) [46NoSew003]Use a ruler to measure out and draw 8 of these square (ish) pieces on the cardboard. (The ones pictured measure 4.5 x 5 inches) [46NoSew004]Use your utility knife to carefully cut out all 8 squares. [46NoSew005]Apply hot glue to one side of one square. [46NoSew006]Place another square on top and sandwich the two pieces together. Repeat with the other squares, making 4 total square pieces for the 4 sides of the cover. [46NoSew007]Hot glue two of the squares together, along their sides (making sure it’s the side you’re gluing together, not the top or bottom) at a 90 degree angle, butting one end up to the other. [46NoSew008]Add another line of hot glue on the inside only, to offer extra stability. [46NoSew009](add arrows diagram) Continue hot gluing the rest of the sides together by having one end overlap the other, making it symmetrical all the way around. Add a line of hot glue to the inside of the other three locations where the cardboard meets. [46NoSew010]Trace the top of the tissue box cover with a pen and cut it out with your utility knife. [46NoSew011]Find the exact center of this top piece, mark with a dot, and then decide how large you’d like your tissue box opening. This can vary, depending on how large or small the original tissue box opening is and preference. (The opening pictured is 2 x 3 inches.) Measure out from the center dot. [46NoSew012]Cut out the opening and then use that as a template to cut out an identical piece from more cardboard and then cut that one as well. [46NoSew013]Add hot glue to a side of one of the top pieces and then sandwich them together. [46NoSew014]Hot glue the top piece to the cube structure. [46NoSew015]Cut out a piece of felt that is the same size as the top (including the opening) and hot glue it in place. [46NoSew016]Cut a strip of felt that is the exact height of the tissue box cover, and long enough to wrap all the way around. Use hot glue to attach it to the box. [46NoSew017]Once you glue all the way around, trim off any excess felt if necessary, so that the ends meet up, without overlapping. [46NoSew018]Cut out a square piece of your cotton fabric to cover the top of the tissue box cover, that’s about an inch larger on all sides. Place the fabric face down and then place the tissue box top side facing down, right on top of the fabric. Center the box on the fabric and then trace the rectangle opening right onto the fabric, with fabric chalk or a pen. [46NoSew019]Cut a diagonal line from one corner of the rectangle to the opposite one. Repeat with the opposite corners and be sure to not cut through the traced line. [46NoSew020]Place the fabric right on top of the box, centering the ‘X’ on top of the box opening. [46NoSew021]Apply a bit of hot glue to each of the triangle flaps (on the back side of the fabric) and then wrap them to the inside of the box and press firmly in place. [46NoSew022]Be sure that each flap was pulled smoothly into place. [46NoSew023]Cut a square out of each corner of fabric, cutting right up to the corner of the box but not through it. (The lines of the cutout should parallel the edges of the box.) [46NoSew024]Smooth down each side, creating a nice sharp corner. Repeat with the other 3 corners and hot glue all the sides down. [46NoSew025]Measure all the way around the sides of your felt covered box and then measure the height. Cut a piece of fabric that is 1 inch wider and 2 inches taller than those measurements. (The fabric pictured is 23 x 7 ? inches.) Verify the fabric strip is the right size by wrapping it all the way around the box and see if it overlaps by an inch. Then fold over one of the long sides of your piece of fabric, a ? inch. Iron in place. [46NoSew026]Place the box on its side and line up its upper edge box along the folded edge of fabric, starting a ? inch from the raw end of the fabric strip. [46NoSew027]Fold that extra ? inch of fabric up onto the side of the box and hot glue in place. [46NoSew028]Continue adding hot glue liberally all over the wrong side of the fabric, especially along the top folded edge. (Be careful to not let it ooze above the top edge.) Add glue in small sections at a time, pressing in place, and then adding more glue, etc. [46NoSew029]Be sure to match up the fold of the fabric strip with the upper edge of the box, paying close attention to the corners. You want to cover the felt and any slits made in the fabric underneath. [46NoSew030]Once you have almost covered the entire box, stop about 2 inches before you reach the spot where you started gluing. You should have about a ? inch of excess fabric hanging past the first corner. If you have a little more than that from pulling your fabric as you were gluing it around, trim it down so that there’s only a ? inch of excess remaining. [46NoSew031]Fold that ? inch towards the inside, matching the fold with the corner of the box. [46NoSew032]Hot glue the fold in place, keeping the glue hidden and towards the inside. [46NoSew033]Cut a slit at each of the bottom corners, perpendicular to the bottom edge of the box. Cut right up to the box’s corner, but not through it. [46NoSew034]Fold each flap up into the inside of the box and hot glue in place. [46NoSew035]Repeat with the other 3 flaps, keeping the fabric pulled taut. [46NoSew036]Cut 4 rectangles of felt that fit on the inner sides of the box. Hot glue the in place. [46NoSew037]Cut another square of felt with a rectangle opening that fits on the under side of the top of the box. Hot glue in place. [46NoSew038]To prevent the fabric on the inner corners of the box opening from fraying, add little dabs of decoupage to any raw edges of fabric that you see. (These cuts were made on the diagonal and so fraying should be minimal but adding a bit of decoupage will help keep them stiff.) [46NoSew039]Tips:Sometimes the width measurement on one side of a square tissue box is wider than the other sides. Use the widest width for your measurements and then you’ll be sure the cover fits.If you’d prefer to make a rectangle Tissue Box Cover, you’ll need to adjust the measurements and make long sections for the two longer sides but the process is still the same.If you are using really thick and sturdy pieces of cardboard, you won’t need to double the layers. Just use a single layer of cardboard.The purpose of lining the inside of the box with felt is to cover the raw ends of fabric but it also creates a snug fit over the actual tissue box.47 Sweater into Fruit CozyHave you ever thrown an apple/pear in your bag, for a mid-day snack? If so, you know that the odds of your fruit coming out unscathed, is near impossible. Avoid bruised fruit by creating a felted sweater cuff and slide it around your fruit. And then marvel at how much use you’re getting from that sweater’s second life. :)Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 10 minutesSupplies:100% wool sweater (one with a wide ribbed cuff)washing machine/dryerBefore a sweater is felted, it has a variety of loose to tighter woven strands, depending on the sweater style. If you cut it, the fibers will unravel. “Felt”-ing a wool sweater will tighten up the fibers of the woven wool, entangling them so tightly, that when cut, it won’t unravel. Then you can use it for whatever you want, without worrying about the edges coming undone. [47NoSew001]To “felt” your sweater, throw you sweater in the washing machine, using hot water. Make sure your machine is set for free motion (not a delicate cycle), because the more agitation, the better. In fact, if you have other things to wash, throw those in there to give the wool extra items to rub against, speeding up the felting process. [47NoSew002]Dry the sweater on high heat, which will tighten the fibers up even more. Once you removed from the dryer, you should see a noticeable difference in the size of your sweater and the fibers should look more entangled and fuzzy, like felt fabric. If not, repeat the washing/drying as many times as it takes to “felt” it. [47NoSew003]If you’re unsure whether your sweater has properly felted, cut into the sweater and test it. You should be able to pull at the cut edges and not see any unraveling occur. If you do, repeat the washing/drying again. (And consider yourself lucky that you’re getting extra laundry done with it!) (add pic of cut up purple/grey sweater)Now you’re ready to create your fruit cozy. Cut the ribbed cuff off, right where the weaving of the fibers changes and becomes less bulky on the sleeve. See? Isn’t that great? No unraveling! [47NoSew005]Tips: Having a top-loader washer vs a front loader may affect the number of times you have to wash the sweater to get it to felt but I have felted sweaters in both types of machines…so don’t let that deter you!My favorite place to find wool sweater to felt, is the thrift store. You can find some serious treasures there!You don’t have to have a ribbed cuff to use as the cozy. You could felt a sweater and use a section of the sleeve that has felted down small enough to use around your fruit. The ribbing does, however, add a little more padding. Just something to consider… :)48 Plastic Bottle into Water Bottle SlingHow many times have you thrown away an old plastic bottle/container and wondered if you could’ve gotten any other use out of it. Well, save some space in your garbage (and free up your hands) by turning them into water bottle holders. This is useful for all ages but especially helpful for kiddos to keep track of their own water bottle on long walks/hikes. Ahhhh…Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 30 minutesSuppliesEmpty Plastic Container, large enough to fit a water bottleGrosgrain Ribbon (length depends on size of person)Permanent MarkerKitchen Scissors (or heavy duty scissors)LighterEpoxy glueClothes pins (optional)Peel away any wrappers/labels from the container. [48NoSew001]Decide how tall you’d like your holder to be. The one pictured is 5 inches tall. Use a permanent marker and a ruler to draw a straight line where you’ll make your cut. [48NoSew002]Cut below the line so the marker line will never be seen. [48NoSew003]If you’re having a hard time cutting the curved container, trim it down in smaller pieces. [48NoSew004]Draw a very narrow rectangle shape on both sides of your container (about 1 inch below top), where your ribbon will slide through. Be sure that it’s slightly wider than the ribbon width. [48NoSew005]To cut the rectangle shaped slit, poke the tip of your scissors through first. [48NoSew006]Cut around the outside edge of the marker lines, to remove them completely from the container. [48NoSew007]Make an identical narrow slit in the opposite side of the container, the same distance down from the top. [48NoSew008]Measure your subject, to see how long the strap needs to be and then add 3 inches to that measurement. Heat seal both ends of your ribbon with a lighter, by holding the flame on the raw edge for a brief moment. This will melt the ends just a bit and will keep it from fraying. [48NoSew009]Slide one end of the ribbon through the container on the outside. Pull the end of the ribbon from the inside and overlap back on itself 1.5 inches. Lay the container down on it’s side and add glue between the ribbon where it overlaps. [48NoSew010]Press down firmly and consider adding something like clothes pins (or a heavy book) to help keep the ribbon pieces pressed firmly together while the glue dries. [48NoSew011]Repeat with the other end of ribbon, making sure the ribbon isn’t twisted. [48NoSew012]TipsIf your container has images or type printed right onto it, consider spray painting it before adding your ribbon.49 T-shirts into Fringe SkirtDig through your clothing donation pile and give some old knit T-shirts a second life, by turning them into a flouncy little Fringe Skirt. The texture of the skirt will bounce and twirl as your little girl moves, giving her outfit a unique twist. And hey, just think, it didn’t cost you a thing!Skill Level: ITime Estimate: 60 minutesSuppliesOld Knit T-shirtsCord Elastic(Not Pictured) Decide on the skirt length you need. Double that number and add one inch. Also, measure the waist of your subject and add an inch.Cut off the bottom hem and the side seams of the shirt. [49NoSew002]Cut sections out of the shirt (vertically) that are the correct length measurement you need (see step 1). [49NoSew003]Cut each of these sections into strips of varying widths, between 1-2 inches. [49NoSew004]If the sleeves are long enough, use those as well. [49NoSew005]Continue cutting up a variety of different shirt colors, if desired. [49NoSew006]Gather enough 1-2 inch wide strips for your skirt. The amount needed could vary anywhere from 30 to 50 or so strips but will depend on your strip width and the size of skirt you’re making. [49NoSew007]Cut a piece of cord elastic the length you need for the waist (see step 1). Tie the ends of your elastic together leaving an inch free at each end. Slide the elastic over the curved back of a chair, so that there’s a gap for you to slide your strips through. [49NoSew008]Grab a strip and fold it in half. [49NoSew009]Drape the ends over the back of the chair and bring the loop end behind and under the elastic. [49NoSew010]Grab the two ends and bring them up and over the elastic and put them through the loop end. [49NoSew011]Pull the ends through gently, until a knot forms around the elastic. [49NoSew012]Continue with each strip fabric, alternating color choices. Be sure to tie each knot the same way so they all look uniform. [49NoSew013]To hide the elastic ends, tie a strip directly over one of the elastic ends….. [49NoSew014]….and then tie another strip over the other elastic end. This will help the elastic lay flat and stay hidden. [49NoSew015]Continue all the way around the elastic, adjusting the elastic on the chair as needed. If your elastic is pulled pretty taut, you won’t want to actually fill every inch of it with fabric strips. So remove from the chair and evaluate. You still want your elastic to pull back in and have some stretch to it for a comfortable fit on your subject. [49NoSew016]Tips:You will be cutting vertical strips from the shirt because there is generally less stretch when you pull a shirt from the top and bottom in different directions, vs. pulling it from the left and right. And less stretch means the strips on your skirt will stretch a little less after it’s constructed. If you’re making this for an older child and can’t find T-shirts long enough for the measurements you need, consider buying jersey knit fabric. Then find the stretch of the fabric (if there’s a difference vertically and horizontally) and cut against the stretch so that each strip will be less stretchy from one end to the other.If you add too many strips of fabric, it will stretch the elastic too much and won’t stay on your subject’s waist.50 Ramekin into Pin CushionStraight pins come in handy for so many reasons; sewing, craft projects, office use, etc. Give them their own little home, made from an old ramekin, tea cup, candle holder, etc. I promise, you’ll love having them perched and ready for use.Skill Level: IITime Estimate: 30 minutesSupplies:Pin Cushion Base, (ramekin, candle holder, small mug, mini bowl, etc.)Cotton fabricBatting for StuffingGlue Gun/Glue SticksVinyl Measuring Tape (or other type of flexible measuring tape)Place your measuring tape over the top of your Pin Cushion Base, creating a dome that’s the same size as you’d like your cushion to be. (A good rise is about 1 inch high.) Take note of the length of the dome, from one side of the base to the other. [50NoSew001]Add 2 inches to this number and create a square out of your fabric, using that dimension. (For example, if your desired dome length is 5 inches across, add 2 inches, and then make a square that is 7 x 7 inches.) [50NoSew002]Round off each of your corners, creating a circle shape. (It doesn’t have to be perfect.) [50NoSew003]Add a line of glue along the inner edge of your cushion base, near the top edge. [50NoSew004]Place one edge of your circle onto this glue, allowing one inch of the fabric to drop below the rim of the base. Be sure that the “right” side of the fabric is facing the glue. [50NoSew005]Glue the opposite edge of your fabric circle to the opposite inside edge of your base, also allowing the edge to drop one inch below the rim. [50NoSew006]Grab one of the sections of fabric that’s still outside of the base and add some glue to the fabric, about halfway between the sections that are already glued down. Make a line of glue that’s about ? of an inch from the circle’s edge. [50NoSew007]Tuck this fabric/glue inside of the top edge of the base, pressing it firmly against the inside of the base. Don’t worry about the edges looking smooth and perfectly tucked in yet. [50NoSew008]Stuff batting into the dome of fabric, through the remaining side that hasn’t been glued shut yet. Stuff it with enough batting to help it start to take shape. [50NoSew009]Begin evening out the sides that you’ve already glued, adding more glue to the gaps that haven’t been glued. Try to create a smooth domed look, gluing down the fabric evenly all the way around. Stuffing more batting in a little at a time can help push out the fabric more, showing you where you may need to glue your fabric a little better. It also helps to use your fingers to pull away the fabric a bit from the base, making more room to add glue to the inside edge of the base. [50NoSew010]Stuff more batting under the fabric until your dome is nice and firm and your fabric taut. Then use your fingers to tuck the remaining fabric inside of the base and then add a line of glue to inner edge of the base. Press the fabric against the glue. [50NoSew011]Add glue where needed to create an even and rounded dome atop your base. [50NoSew012]TemplatesNativity (for Appliqued Nativity on Burlap, page ??)Snowflakes (for Christmas Tree Skirt, page ??)Flower (for Business Card Holder, page ??)Heart (for Valentine Tablecloth, page ??)Airplane (for Graphic T-shirt, page ??)Glossary“right” side of fabric“wrong” side of fabricGrainBiasPressGrainBiasHemRaw edgeAppliqueGrommetEyeletSnapKnit fabricWoven fabricFabric weightIndex ................
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