Archive for the ‘Tutorial’ Category

It's been chilly and gloomy in my part of Canada for the past few days – perfect conditions for catching up on Corrie Street, eating ginger cake with pumpkin cream cheese icing (thank you, Austen!) and doing a bit of handiwork. My husband bought a shirt recently that came with cute little cufflinks that were made of two buttons connected by a length of wrapped thread. I got out the old Jar o' Spare Buttons, a needle and some thread, and set to work.

The original ones are on the left (in white). I made mine pink, just for fun, but had to use four different buttons because I didn't have any matching ones. (My husband said they looked "okay," so I don't expect him to wear them anytime soon.) This is the kind of project that I make up as I go, but here's the basic idea.

• Cut about 60 centimetres of thread, and double it on a needle, knotting the end.
• Loop it through the holes in one button, leaving the knotted end hanging from the underside. Stitch through buttonholes so that button looks as if it's been sewn on.
• Make a knot underneath so the stitches will stay tight. Loop thread through other button, leaving about a centimetre of thread between buttons.
• Stitch on second button and make a knot underneath.
• Use rest of thread to neatly wrap length of thread between buttons. Push needle through thread at one end, make a knot and trim ends.

I used regular all-purpose thread, but a heavy-weight one would have done better. Making your own cufflinks is even easier if you can get your hands on some blank cufflink backs. I picked up a bag at a craft sale last year, and discovered yet another use for googly eyes...I'll let you know if my husband ever finds the appropriate event to wear them to.

As a former tomboy, I am surprisingly fond of pink things. Pink pens, pink shirts, pink wine, pink nail polish – I love them all. Kinda like an 8-year-old might.

So I thought I'd try out an age-old trick for dressing up plain-Jane metal barrettes, like these:

The key to vivid colour and a little glam sparkle? Nail polish.

I stuck with the garish shades I save for toenails: sparkly hot pink, grape-y purple, electric turquoise and cherry red. And I brought in the big guns for a top coat: sparkly glitter clear coat and silver shatter (my new favourite).

I love OPI nail polish, but you can use whatever brand you have on hand. Just channel your inner Katy Perry and you'll be fine.

Here's how you do it:

1. Sand each barrette lightly with rough sandpaper (something around 60 grit should do it). It should look gently scratched when you're done.

2. Lay waxed paper on your work surface. Paint barrette with your favourite shade of nail polish. Let dry well. Some folks advise a full 12 hours for proper "curing," but I think you can do a second coat as soon as the first one feels dry. (Like when you paint your nails.) Make a bunch of barrettes in different shades.

3. Finish with a top coat. I like glitter-infused clear or a fancy shatter – preferably in silver or something really outrageous. If you use the shatter, top with a clear coat at the very end to seal it in.

This craft is great to do with kids who are old enough to handle nail polish. Think birthday parties, sleepovers or holidays when there's nothing on the tube. The barrettes cost about $5 for a pack of 12, so it's a low-investment, high-satisfaction craft.

Happy painting!

My newfound workout regimen has left me with some looser-than-usual waistbands. (Yay!) Rather than shopping for new belts to break up the monotony that is my wardrobe, I thought I might try my hand at making a simple one.

I loved Austen's ribbon belt from last summer, and I love the preppy tie belts that Land's End carries. And my collection of tired old silk ties was just waiting to be transformed into something fun.

A lot of tie-belt tutorials require narrowing the wide side down or doing some sort of sewing gymnastics I just wasn't in the mood for. This belt uses just the skinny ends of two ties, sewn together at the midpoint.

The 20-Minute Recycled Necktie Belt

Supplies

2 silk ties of the same width, in coordinating colours and patterns

Matching thread

Set of 2 metal D rings, large enough to thread narrow end of tie through comfortably

Instructions

1. Thread measuring tape through the belt loops of your favourite, best-fitting jeans to get waist measurement. Add 11.5 inches to waist measurement to get total length. Lay one of the ties on work surface. Starting at narrow point, measure HALF of total length; mark fabric. Cut straight across tie. Repeat with second tie.

2. At cut ends of ties, place ties on top of each other, WRONG sides facing (this is important, as you want the right side of the tab facing out when the belt is done). Pin.

3. Using 1/2-inch seam allowance, sew seam across width of ties. If your ties are thick, try a jeans needle and possibly a walking foot on your machine.

4. Open out belt and press seam allowances outward so ties lie flat. Edge-stitch rough edges so they lie flat on back.

5. At 1 end of belt, press point toward back, RIGHT sides facing. Pin. Sew close to edge where point starts to tack down.

6. Thread D rings over sewn end; fold about 1 inch of fabric over D rings, RIGHT sides facing, to enclose loosely. (Leave enough room so rings move easily back and forth.) Pin.

7. Edge-stitch near sewn edge to enclose D rings.

8. Wear! The belt looks jaunty with the end untucked and hanging down.

If you're looking for cool old ties, check out your local thrift store. Or ask your male relatives to dig a few unloved ties out of their collection. Everyone has a couple!

Hi friends,

Today I'm happy to share a tutorial for a mini quilted place mat – an easy project that goes together in a couple hours and is perfect if you're looking for a fun, self-indulgent afternoon of sewing, a stash-busting project, or even a last-minute Easter dinner hostess gift. It's also an easy project to up- or downsize (think table runner or coasters). Even better: it brings a bit of longed-for spring colour to your table.

Click through for photos and instructions!

(more...)

Hi friends,

Today I'm happy to welcome back guest poster Jeromina Juan. Her Valentine vases and Leprechaun hats were both a big hit, and I think you're going to love these super cute (and unbelievably easy) carrot Easter baskets. Take it away, Jeromina!

Carrot Easter Basket

If you are hunting for hip Easter baskets and have hopped into your local dollar store, you may want to give the hardware aisle some extra consideration. Most dollar stores carry small orange pylons which are perfect for making this fantastically fast carrot Easter basket craft. Three simple steps leave you with plenty of time to focus on the planning of your egg hunt.

You Need:

-a small orange pylon (9" high is sufficient)

-brown acrylic paint

-a wooden coffee stirrer (or popsicle stick or thin paint brush)

-5/8"-wide green ribbon

To Make:

1. Dip coffee stirrer (or popsicle stick) in paint. Press the edge of the stirrer on the pylon to make random horizontal markings. Let dry. You may use a thin paint brush, though it would require a much sturdier hand to make straight marks.

2. Cut four lengths of ribbon, approximately 2 feet each. Thread one length of ribbon through one of the pylon's screw holes. Repeat on all sides.

3. Gather your ribbon above the centre of the pylon's opening, making sure to leave a little bit of slack. Tie into a knot.

Enjoy the egg hunt and have a wonderful Easter holiday!

Jeromina Juan is crazy about containers. She authors Paper, Plate, and Plane, where she shares plenty of original DIY packaging ideas and many more creative crafts.

Two things you should know about me: one, I am terribly cheap; and two, I like to make things up as I go along. Which is why I’ll be out shopping, see something really neat, and think, Hey! I could make that! Quite often I don’t follow through on those thoughts, but sometimes the item in question is so simple that it seems silly not to try to replicate it at home.

Case in point: pacifier clips. These are made of a colourful strip of fabric or ribbon, or string of beads, with snaps or Velcro on one end to attach to a pacifier, and a clip on the other to attach to a baby. I received a cute polka-dotted one as a shower present.

A pacifier clip costs about $10, but if I made one with supplies I already have, then it would be free, right?

I gathered up a few lengths of ribbon and Velcro from my stash, including an adorable puppy-printed one that I was saving for just the right project. I cut the pieces using my original one as a guide, adding a bit of extra length for folding in the ends. I then cut some tiny squares of Velcro (small enough to fit on the ribbon without hanging over the edges). I sewed the Velcro to either end of the ribbons, again following my original for placement.

Voila! I’ve now got enough clips to attach pretty much anything to my baby. If you don't have a baby handy, you could also use these to secure other important items (such as attaching your keys to your purse).

Have a fantastic week, and keep an eye out for things you could make!

I've spent a lot of the last week thinking and reading about the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan. As I've mentioned before, I used to teach English in Japan, so the country and its people are very dear to my heart. The thought – and especially the images – of such devastation is almost unbearable.

But there's one thing I do know, having lived there. The Japanese people will pick themselves up again and go on.

There's a term for that stoic bearing-up in Japanese: ganbaru. The word gets translated many different ways; everything from "hang on" to "do your best." People use it all the time. They tell each other "Ganbatte" (that's the command form of the verb) whenever there's a challenge to face, whether it's studying for an exam or surviving the unthinkable, like the one-two-three punch of a 9.0 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident.

This week, people around the world have been trying their best to encourage Japan to ganbaru. One of the nicest, craft-oriented ways I've seen is Paper Cranes for Japan. Around the globe, people are folding origami cranes, a traditional symbol of peace, hope and healing, and posting their results – pretty or not – on this page as a token of their good wishes and hope for the Japanese people.

I'm not the world's best origami folder (I get my mountain and valley folds backwards more often than not), so I'm not sure I should be the one teaching you. But this video tutorial does a pretty good job. With any luck, you'll make fewer balls of crumpled paper than I will in your journey to create a crane that's pretty enough to post.

However, I do have a great idea for what to do with your perfect cranes (or any other shape you like to fold).

Supplies

• Bamboo barbecue skewers
• Sturdy scissors
• Transparent fishing line
• Small beads, such as seed beads
• Long sharp all-purpose sewing needle
• Even number of origami shapes you've folded

Instructions

1. Using scissors, cut pointed end off each barbecue skewer.

2. Cut lengths of fishing line, 12 to 16 inches, depending on how low you want the cranes to hang. I made eight cranes, so I cut eight pieces (it has to be an even number to balance). Thread each length of fishing line through seed bead and tie securely using several tight overhand knots. I find pulling one end with my teeth and the other with my fingers works well. (I don't think my dentist would agree.)

3. Thread opposite end of beaded fishing line through needle. Push needle through opening underneath crane and up into body. Gently poke with needle until you feel the peak of the back.

4. Push needle and fishing line through. Pull up until bead is secure under body. Repeat with all your cranes and beaded fishing line.

5. Tie one crane about 3/4 inch in from end of one skewer. Tie another crane on opposite end. Adjust so they are balanced. Repeat with remaining pairs.

6. You'll notice there's no picture of this next step – it would have been easier if I were an octopus or had chimpanzee toes. I needed three hands to tie (or rather two hands and my incisors), so there was no way I could hold a camera at the same time. If you like to tie flies for fishing, maybe you have one of those clippy third-arm devices – that would be handy at this juncture. At any rate, cut some more lengths of fishing line. Tie one length in centre of one of the balanced pairs. Then tie the other end to the centre of another balanced pair. Play with the height to ensure that the cranes move freely and don't crash into one another. Repeat with all the pairs. Slide knots around to adjust the balance, if necessary.

7. Hang up your mobile. A cup hook screwed into the ceiling is ideal, but I hung mine from the end of a pretty curtain rod.

Wishing the people of Japan hope and healing. Ganbatte!

Hi friends,

Today I'm pleased to welcome back guest blogger Jeromina Juan of Paper, Plate, and Plane. She brought us the see-through Valentine vases; today she's here with a tutorial for making these fun Leprechaun Hat Favours. This would be a fun craft to make with your kids over March Break, especially if you're hosting a St. Patrick's Day party. Take it away, Jeromina!

These St. Patrick's Day little leprechaun bowler hats are exactly that – bowls. With some dabs of green paint, ribbon, and paper for embellishing, plus a handful of sweet treats, you can turn snack-size plastic bowls into charming party favours this holiday.

You need:

a.  Snack-size plastic bowls.  These came from the grocery store at $3.99 for a pack of 8 -- affordable party packaging at $0.50 a piece!
b. Green acrylic paint, a small paintbrush, and a small square of porous sponge.  You may use spray paint, however, the finish will be smooth, with some sheen.  The method of dabbing paint with a sponge results in a fantastic flocked appearance.
c. To decorate: green and yellow cardstock, 5/8" black ribbon, 1/2" double-sided tape, and a pair of scissors.

1. With your bowl upside down, paint the curved underside of the lip with a small paintbrush. Let dry. Paint a second coat.
2. Using a sponge, dab paint on the outside of the bowl to cover. Let dry; paint a second coat. Do not paint the inside of the bowl, since you will be filling it with food.
3. With the top of the lid facing you, paint the inner edge of the lid with a paintbrush. Let dry. Paint a second coat and let dry again.
4. Using a sponge, dab paint on the top of the lid. Let dry. Paint a second coat. Let dry. Do not paint the inside of the lid, since it may come into contact with food.
5. Measure the length of ribbon required by wrapping it once around the bowl and cutting accordingly. Affix double-sided tape to one side of the ribbon.
6. Remove backing from double-sided tape and adhere the ribbon to the bowl, close to the brim.
7. Using a pair of scissors, create a shamrock shape using green card stock and a 3/4"- x 1"-inch buckle using yellow card stock.
8. Use a little piece of double-sided tape or a dab of glue to adhere the shamrock and buckle.

Don't forget to fill with candy!  Your guests will be filled to the brim with delight and your neighbours green with envy.

If you're looking for unique party ideas for holidays throughout the year, head over to Paper, Plate, and Plane where Jeromina Juan shares countless creative DIY crafting and entertaining ideas.

My dog, Artie, loves tug toys. He's positively addicted to them, whether they're made of rope or any other material. We have piles of them hanging around the house, including his favourite, a well-loved, very grotty one made of fleece. I present to you Exhibit A:

Nasty, isn't it?

Dog toy makers must make serious dough – these things aren't made of expensive materials, but they cost a relative fortune. So why not make some at home from material you have lying around? You could use fleece or pretty much any sturdy fabric, but old T-shirts headed for Goodwill or the garbage are a great source of stretchy material that's perfect for a tug toy. I wanted this to be as simple as possible, so no sewing is required!

Supplies

• Old cotton or cotton-blend T-shirts
• Rotary cutter and ruler
• Self-healing cutting mat

Instructions (and blurry iPod pictures – sorry!)

1. Fold T-shirt in half lengthwise down centre. Place on cutting mat, smoothing out any wrinkles. If possible, ask your cat to supervise the process, as Nestor is doing here. Using rotary cutter and ruler, cut off bottom hem. These shirts had split sides, so I made sure to cut enough off to get rid of those.

2. Cut strips across width of T-shirt. You can make them any width you want; mine were 2-1/2 inches wide. Ask the cat to act as a living paperweight if he's amenable. If he puts his paw on the finished strips, you've got the thumbs-up to go on.

3. Arrange each strip so one of the side seams is at edge; cut off seam to make single long strip.

4. Pick up three strips and tie tight overhand knot at top.

5. Braid strips. Since this is a long braid, it helps to hang the top on something so you can braid tightly all the way to the end. I hung the top of the braid on a small S-hook and hung it on a shelf in my kitchen as I braided.

6. Stop braiding about 4 inches from bottoms of strips. Tie tight overhand knot to finish.

7. Offer your dog his new favourite toy.

Good boy!  Now all you have to do is think of something to do with those extra strips. Perhaps your feline helper would like to play a little game with them?

Too late.

Most crafters I know have a nice stash of "someday" materials. These are the pretty things we can't resist but that aren't immediately useful. I personally have a stash of scrapbooking paper, scissors and punches that I've been saving for a rainy day. Once I finish all the UFOs in my knitting and quilting baskets, I'll surely learn how to scrapbook.

But lately, I found myself with a couple of nice family portraits that didn't fit a standard frame and mat set. I didn't want to pay for custom mats, so I got out my scrapbooking paper and started cutting. This type of paper is acid-free, so it's perfect for use with precious photographs you want to protect from acid damage. Here's how you can make a simple picture mat like I did.

Supplies

• Picture frame with glass
• Acid-free scrapbooking paper
• Rotary cutter (use an old bunged-up blade that's not good for material anymore)
• Photograph
• Pen or pencil
• Ruler
• Utility, craft or X-acto knife
• Acid-free adhesive tape

Instructions

1. Remove backing and glass from frame. Lay scrapbooking paper, right side down, on cutting mat, and lay glass over top.

2. Using rotary cutter, cut paper to same dimensions as glass. As you turn the paper to cut each side, make sure all cut edges of the paper are aligned with the edges of the glass to make a perfect rectangle.

3. Lay photograph, right side down, on paper. Trace around photograph onto paper.

4. Remove photograph. Decide how much mat you want to cover edges of photograph. Using ruler, measure in from already marked line, equal to overlap amount. Mark cutting line on paper.

5. Using craft knife, cut along inner line, being careful not to overcut corners. Set aside cut rectangle for another use.

6. Centre photograph, right side down, over wrong side of paper mat. Tape each corner diagonally to secure.

7. Turn photo over and check to make sure it looks even and centred. Adjust if not.

8. Insert matted photo into frame and replace backing.

9. Admire your handiwork!

FYI, that's my maternal grandmother, Beebee, on the left and my maternal great-grandmother, Tootsie, on the right. Both were fabulous knitters, and I love having them supervise my craft room.