tutorial – Page 3

Mother’s Day Pom Pom Pen Bouquet

May 5, 2015 by Amanda 3 Comments

I can’t believe how fast May is flying by! And Mother’s Day is this weekend! I thought this project would be great for moms or for Teacher Appreciation Week which is also going on here in our schools! It’s pretty simple to make and the kids can get in on the fun!

Have you ever heard of Flower Power Vases? I hadn’t until the cute little company sent me 2 vases to try out. They wanted to see my thoughts – so this is NOT a paid tutorial, just my thoughts and ideas 🙂

First of all, the little vases come in many colors. They all have this special grippy thing in the bottom to hold cut flowers.

Of course they are perfect for cut flowers (and they fit in the cup holder of a car)….I wanted to turn it into a little crafty gift. Here’s what you need:

Pens, yarn, hot glue, small pom pom maker, and the Flower Power Vase. I added a chalkboard label so you can change the word on the vase.

Begin by adding a dot of hot glue to the end of the pen to secure the yarn. Wrap and wrap and wrap until you get to the other end of the pen and add another dot of hot glue.

Take the yarn and make a small pom pom. I love the pom pom makers you can buy at craft stores. My daughter made all of them for me….easy peasy! Hot glue a pom pom to the end of the pen. Continue this process until you have 7 or so pens.

I first wrote the word “Love”, then changed it to “Mom”.

I think they are super fun! And when your mom looses all the pens, she has a cute little vase to keep fresh cut flowers in!!! They would also be super cute sitting on a teacher’s desk! Or in my sewing room! I need one!!!

These also make GREAT cat toys!!!!!

Filed Under: crafts, DIY, FEATURED, gift, mother's day, tutorial, Uncategorized

Sizzix Whale Bookmark Tutorial

April 22, 2015 by Amanda 12 Comments

In celebration of Earth Day, today, I thought I would share this fast and fun tutorial for a whale bookmark using the Sizzix Whale Die. I have loved whales my whole life. I remember as a little girl saving up my money to buy a $5 gold colored whale necklace; I was so excited because a portion of the money would go to the “Save the Whales” fund.

Here’s what you need to make the bookmark:

scrap of aqua, gray dots, and red fabrics

Heat n Bond Fusible Fleece

Sizzix Whale Die

Heat n Bond Lite fusible applique

Grommet or large eyelet

scraps of ribbon/trim

Instructions

Begin by cutting the aqua fabric (2) 4″ x 10″

Cut the Fusible Fleece the same size, 4″ x 10″

(sorry for the photo quality, I do my best work late at night!!!!)

Draw an angle in the upper corners to form the shape of a tag. Notice where I positioned my lines in comparison to the grid:

Iron the fusible fleece to one of the aqua pieces on the wrong side. Plaace right sides of the bookmark pieces together. Sew around the bookmark,using a generous 1/4″ seam. Leave an opening along the side for turning. Trim the edges close to the seam and clip corners. Turn right side out, press. Top stitch.

For the whale and heart appliqué pieces, iron the Heat n Bond Lite to the wrong side of the gray fabric. Cut out a rectangle roughly the size of the Sizzix Whale Die. Run it through the Big Shot or Fabi Machine. For the heart, I cut it freehand. Peel the backing paper off.
Position the appliqué pieces as desired. Iron in place. Top stitch around the whale and the hart.

When you are finished, add a grommet or eyelet and tie ribbons through it.

It also doubles as a cat toy!!!

I think it’s the cutest and I totally needed an new bookmark!!!

Filed Under: appliqué, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, sizzix, Therm O Web, tutorial, whale

5 Minute Kitchen Towel Tutorial

March 27, 2015 by Amanda 3 Comments

I love to give handmade gifts!!!!! Sometimes you just need a cult little somthin’ to give a friend. This is the perfect project!! Literally, 5 minutes!

Supplies:

Kitchen/Tea towel yardage, or purchased tea/kitchen towel

Scrap of fabric for the bunny, mine is from Riley Blake Designs

Piece of ric rac & lace slightly longer than the width of the towel

Piece of Heat n Bond Lite

Sizzix Big Shot (or you can hand cut any shape you want)

I love this towel yardage – it’s hemmed along the sides. All you have to do is cut the desired length and add hems to the ends. It comes in many colors and patterns. You could totally use a white tea towel, or other kitchen towel! I cut mine at about 3/4 yard long,

Iron the Heat n Bond Lite to the back of the fabric. Run it through the Big Shot – or hand cut the shape. Peel off the backing paper. Using spray n bond (or pins) position the lace and the ric rac. I run the edges of my ric rac through a flame to seal the edges. Tuck the ends in or around the back of the towel. Stitch in place. Iron the bunny into place and top stitch 2 times around it.
And it’s done! I want to make a stack of them! Wouldn’t they make cute Easter gifts! I better get sewing!!

Filed Under: easter, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, Riley Blake, Therm O Web, tutorial

Nautical Purse Scarf Tutorial

March 16, 2015 by Amanda 7 Comments

I think Nautical Week turned into Nautical Life! I guess there are many more Nautical-inspired projects to come! I love wearing scarves on my purses, I should first say I love buying purses!! Sometimes the scarves you buy are too bulky for a purse handle. I wanted to add a little “home sewn” feel to my handbag so I came up with these scarves. They can easily be sewn in under 30 minutes which means you can make as many as you want to coordinate with your look or the season, or in my case, obsession 🙂 I love these basics from Riley Blake Designs.

Supplies:

(13) 5″ squares for patchwork scarf

5″ x 60″ light weight fabric such as gauze, raised swiss dot, etc

(2) 5″ x WOF for solid scarf

4 yards trim, I used small pom pom and ric rac

Begin by cutting (13) 5″ squares

Sew them end to end with 1/4″ seams and press seams to one side. Consider placement. If you are making the solid scarf, sew the (2) 5″ strips together and cut to make 60″ in length. Center the seam in the center so it does not show up on the bow. Bast the trim around the edge. Place right sides together and sew along the basting stitch. Leave an opening in the center of the scarf about 3″ for turning. I curved the corners slightly. Turn right side out and press.

Top stitch all the way around. This will close the opening.

Tie on your favorite bag!!!

Filed Under: FEATURED, nautical, Riley Blake, sewing, tutorial

Nautical Zipper Pouch

March 13, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

You knew it was coming! Of course I need a Nautical Zipper pouch to go along with my Sailboat skirt!! I love these fabrics and I am down to only scraps in my stash. It’s called True Blue by Blend Fabrics.

This is a modified version of my original My Favorite Zipper Pouch Pattern version 1.0 and version 2.0. If you would like to make your own zipper pouches here are the instructions:

CUT:

Outer bag anchor print (2) 4″ x 9″

Outer bag red accent (2) 3″ x 9″

Lining (2) 6.5″ x 9″

Heat n Bond Fusible Fleece (2) 6.5″ x 9″

(2) pieces of lace 9″ each

Sew the red fabric to the anchor fabric using 1/4″ seams. Press toward the red. Press these two units to the Heat n Bond Fusible Fleece. Then sew the lace on.

To insert the zipper, follow THIS tutorial. It is from my friend Jennifer. I keep thinking I should write my own, but hers is so perfect. I go to it every time I sew an “open wide” zipper pouch because I can never remember the measurements! Insert the zipper just like she instructs. Once you’re done, it should look like this:

Open the zipper, and place right sides of the outer bag together, and right sides of the lining together, make sure to tuck the end of the zipper in. Match the side seams. Pin all the way around. Sew all the way around using 1/4″ seams, leaving a 3″ opening at the bottom of the lining. Notch all the corners with a 1.5″ square:

Fold out the corners and match the seams. Sew using a scant 1/4″ seam. For more details, visit my post here. Then turn right side out, and top stitch the opening closed. Top stitch all the way around the zipper pouch 1/8″ away from the zipper. To finish the zipper end, cut it at the desired length. Cut a piece of accent fabric 2.5″ x 3″. Fold it like this and press:

You kind of fold it around the zipper and press. Then insert the zipper in and sew around the seams. Careful on the metal zipper!! Here you can see what it looks like. I added a little compass zipper pull. My anchor charms haven’t arrived in the mail yet 🙁

I just love them!!!
Here are a few other of my True Blue Projects:

Filed Under: Blend Fabrics, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, nautical, tutorial, zipper pouch

Nautical Key Fob Tutorial

March 11, 2015 by Amanda 1 Comment

I like to make a statement with my key chains. For Christmas I enjoyed jingling everywhere I went with this keychain. Now that it’s spring, I definitely need to be saying “I love everything Nautcial” with my keychain. These make great gifts and you can sew one in about 20 minutes. I used Riley Blake’s Anchor print for the fabric on the key fob. The gray cotton twill tape I ordered from Everything Ribbons on Etsy. The twill tape and hardware are 1.25″ wide and are available at that shop in a wide variety of colors.

Follow my tutorial here to complete the key fob portion.

To make the anchor tag, you need a few scraps of fabric, cotton batting, and some Therm O Web Heat n Bond Lite EZ print sheets. I used an antique metal grommet to attach it to the key ring.
Cut a piece of navy dot fabric 2.5″ x 3″. Fold in half and cut off an angle like this:

Download the anchor pattern here and print it on the EZ print sheets. Cut out around the anchor, iron it to the wrong side of the anchor fabric. Cut out the anchor and peel off the backing paper.

Cut another piece of navy dot fabric 2.5″ x 3″ but don’t cut the angles. Layer them together like a quilt and sew all the way around the tag shape. Then sew around the anchor.

Cut the excess off around the tag.Attach the grommet and put a split ring on.Attach it to the key fob.
Let me know if you like this project! I love to give handmade gifts and this is a great one to whip up in a short amount of time.

Filed Under: FEATURED, gift, Heat n Bond, nautical, Riley Blake, Therm O Web, tutorial

Ahoy! Nautical Composition Book Tutorial

March 11, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

I am having so much fun with my nautical projects – I hope you are enjoying them. I ready to buy a sailboat!!! (haha) I take a covered composition book with me everywhere I go. I have one in my purse for daily notes, lists, etc. I have one I take to church and keep inspirational thoughts in. I have one as a gratitude journal. I have one for my sewing journal where I write down everything I sew, measurements, etc. I know it’s totally old school – but I love notebooks!!! You can see my other composition book tutorials here, here, and here. I change them up each time I make one. This one has lace, an appliqué anchor and writing that I foiled with Deco Foil!

Here’s how you can make one:

Supplies:

1/3 yard fabric for outside cover

1/3 yard for lining

piece of cotton batting

scrap for applique

11″ piece of navy lace trim

Deco Foil in Red

Deco Foil Transfer Adhesive

Heat n Bond Lite EZ Print Sheets

Anchor pattern, click here

Hair Elastic

Button

You can pin to hold in place, or add a little Spray n Bond basting spray. (You can see my I cut my batting with scissors, I will square it up in a minute.) Fold the cover in half and position the lace as pictured. Use the basting spray or pin to secure. Sew in matching thread along both sides of the lace.

For the anchor, print it on the EZ print sheets, or trace to fusible appliqué paper. Cut out the anchor and iron in place.

Top stitch around the anchor. Cut off any excess batting. Find the center of the left side of the cover. Mark and baste the hair elastic in place:

Lay the flaps on the lining fabric, lining up raw edges. The fold of the flaps should be toward the center.

Place the cover on top of the lining/flap piece, right sides together. Pin all the way around. Sew, using 1/4″ seams all the way around. Leave a 3″ opening at the bottom center. Turn right side out and press. Tuck the opening in, press, and top stitch to secure.

Mark where the button should go and sew the button by hand, careful not to catch the flap. Mufasa was trying his hardest to bite off the button!!

Take the Deco Foil Transfer Adhesive and write Ahoy (or any word you want). This totally brought back memories of cheerleading days in the 90’s – we rocked the puffy paint!!! I was bad at writing with it then, and I’m still not that great at it! Let the adhesive dry until completely clear. I let mine sit for a few hours.

Once the adhesive is dry, rub the wrong side of the foil on the letters. This part feels super magical!! The foil sticks to the adhesive only! This stuff is awesome!!!

Now I am left with shiny foil letters!!

Make more than one and give them to your friends!! I will be giving one away on Instagram later in the week 🙂

Filed Under: appliqué, crafts, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, nautical, Therm O Web, tutorial

Nautical Banner Tutorial

March 10, 2015 by Amanda 22 Comments

It wouldn’t be Nautical Week without a banner! I LOVE Riley Blake Designs. They have come up with the brilliant idea of printing banner triangles on a panel of fabric. For one panel you get 18 triangles – each one a totally different print! You can cut them up and sew them together or you can embellish them. I added a canvas flag with Therm O Web Deco Foil anchors in-between each triangle.

Here’s how you can make one:

Supplies:

Riley Blake Designs banner panal or red white and blue patterned fabric
3/4 yard backing fabric
cotton batting
iCraft® Deco Foil™ – Silver, Red, Silver Star and Blue
Natural canvas
Navy fringe trim
Anchor pattern, click HERE
Spray n Bond®
Scraps of ribbon, lace, ric rac, pom poms and any trim you can round up!

Begin by quilting the banner panel – I quilted mine with loop-de loos.

After quilting the pane, cut the triangles out on the line and top stitch 1/8″ from the edge to prevent the quilting from unraveling.

Now comes the fun part. Run around your house and gather every bit of ribbon, trim, lace, etc. in red, white, blue, gray, and silver. I even ruffled a few pieces of fabric. Use Spray n Bond® to position the trim in place and top stitch on the triangles. This takes a while – I didn’t want any of mine to be the same.

Once the triangles are completed, move on to the flag portion of the banner.

Begin by cutting (16) canvas rectangles in 5.5″ x 6″. Fold the rectangles in half and cut a diagonal line by angling the ruler from the corner to the 1.5″ mark:

Print out the anchors on the EZ print sheets.

Then cut around the anchors and position them on the back of the Deco Foil. Six fit on one piece of foil. Cover with a piece of cotton fabric and press to set. It only takes seconds.

Cut around the anchor and peel off the backing paper.

Position the foil side up, cover with a piece of cotton and press.

Lay out the banner and use navy blue fringe trim to sew the flags together. This mades a long banner – I divided it in half and made two separate ones. It helps if your kitty assists in this process 🙂

Hang around your home and enjoy!!

Here are a few photos of different segments to give you an idea of the different trims and fabrics. It was too long to photograph all together.

I am the Young Women Camp Director at my church and our theme is Anchored in Christ. The banner was a perfect addition to my table scape for our leader meeting!

Filed Under: banner, decorating, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, nautical, Riley Blake, Therm O Web, tutorial

Lucky Pillow – Version 2.0

March 5, 2015 by Amanda 11 Comments

Since I was already in the St. Patrick’s Day sewing mode after sewing a banner, I thought I would whip up a throw pillow! I’m sure you know by now that I love throw pillows! Last year I also made a “Lucky” patchwork pillow, so I am calling this one version 2.0.

Here’s how you can make one!

Supplies

Scraps of green fabric – I used fabric from Blend: Tea Garden, Turkish Delight, and the Makers

blackish/grayish denim or other fabric for lettering

Heat n bond Lite

Heat n bond EZ print sheets

Sizzix Shamrock Die

Lucky words, click HERE – print in reverse

20″ square natural canvas

20″ square green print for back, I used Yuletide Greetings by Anna Griffin

22″ zipper

20″ pillow form

Begin by ironing the Heat n Bond Lite to the wrong side of the green fabrics and the “lucky” fabrics. Run the green fabrics through the Sizzix Big Shot. If you don’t have a Big Shot machine, you can hand cut the shamrocks.

Print off the “lucky” letters and iron them to the wrong side of the fabric. Cut with scissors. This takes a little bit of patience 🙂 Peel off the backing paper and position the word and shamrocks as desired. Outline stitch around each shamrock 2 times in black thread. There was no way I was sewing around the cursive letters more than once!!

Prepare the back of the pillow by cutting a 20″ square. Make a cut at the 2″ mark for the zipper. You can put the zipper where ever you like, or you can insert an invisible zipper.

Sew the zipper in just like you were piecing a strip of fabric in between the two pieces – only use a zipper foot.Cut off the excess zipper ends. Partially open the zipper and place the pillow top and the pillow back, right sides together. matching and pinning all edges. Sew 1/4″ all the way around the pillow.

Turn the pillow right side out and insert the pillow form.I put the zipper in the bottom portion of the pillow. I like that you can see the zipper.

You’re done! Aren’t you LUCKY!!!!!

Filed Under: anna griffin, appliqué, Blend Fabrics, FEATURED, Heat n Bond, pillow, St. Patrick's Day, Therm O Web, tutorial

St. Patrick’s Day Banner

March 4, 2015 by Amanda 8 Comments

I love sewing quick little banners! This one can be made in 1 hour, or less if you’re speedy! It’s the perfect size to hang in a window, on a frame, or a chalkboard. I rummaged through my stash of fabrics and found these darling green prints from 3 different lines of Blend Fabric: Turkish Delight, Tea Garden, and The Makers. I ironed Heat n Bond Lite to the back of the fabric and used my Sizzix Big Shot to cut out the shapes. Here’s how you can make one:

Supplies

1/3 yard burlap

1.5 yards green lace

scraps of green fabric for shamrocks

scraps of lace & white/yellow fabric for flowers.

Heat n Bond Lite

Sizzix Shamrock Die , flower die, and Flower Layers Die

Cut (5) burlap rectangles 8″ x 5.5″

Fold the rectangles in half lengthwise and cut a 1.5″ angle off the bottom.

Iron the Heat n Bond Lite to the back of the appliqué fabric. Then have your cat run it through the Sizzix Big Shot.

Peel off the backing fabric of the shapes and press it to the burlap flags.

Cut the lace out with the flower die cut. Don’t put Heat n Bond on the lace. Put the Heat n Bond on the center flower instead. I was going to put buttons in the center of the flowers but totally forgot!