Sewing Daisies

3M: Made By You - Party Lanterns

 

 

 

 

 

The project feature 3M

is back!

 

If you missed this feature at the beginning of the year.

Here's a quick recap:

 

3M stands for

Made by Martha Stewart,

Made by Mollie Makes &  

Made by You.

 

 

The original plan with this feature was to try projects

from each of these great sources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I managed to complete a project

from Martha Stewart & Mollie Makes, but I never tried one 

MADE by YOU.

 

That is until now,

thanks to Pinterest and Rebecca over at

 

Rebecca's DIY,

the originator of this lovely

little project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Now I know

you are looking at these lanterns, & thinking

how nice

 they would be for a picnic/party/baby shower,

but I think the Christmas tree is

where they belong.

 

Thats right, the CHRISTMAS TREE.

 

 

 

Which is why I chose

to make my lanterns using shot glasses,

rather than the standard size

party cup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmm,

I am now sensing you are not convinced

by this idea.

 

Something about pastels

not being Christmassy

enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay,

here's a quick recap about my new feature

 

Jul.Christmas.Noel

 

 

Sydney (Australia) gets super hot at Christmas.

I would like to be super cool this year.

 

Not Fonzie cool, but as in

'I want to wear more than my bikini,

when I eat my turkey dinner'

 

kind of cool!

 

 

So I am making white & pastel Christmas decorations,

they're cool, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Anyways,

I have made some lanterns.

I haven't written a tutorial for them because,

 

a) they are so easy to make  

Plastic cups 

Modge Podge type glue

Paint Brush or sponge

Fabric

Thin Card (to draw template on)

Lights (from the Dollar shop)

& something to punch a hole in the top of the cups

(I used a drill).

and 

 

b) Taylor has written a fantastic tutorial on her gorgeous blog

TAYLORMADE

(Check out the drilling photo!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you fancy making your party/Christmas special, 

why not try making your own lanterns?

 They really are easy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun today!

 

 

 

Quick & Easy - Mini Me Bunting

 

 

 

 

 Quick & Easy Mini Me Bunting is the first project

in my new series

 

Jul.Christmas.Noel

 

As there are only 12 weeks until Christmas,

I am  getting a head start on with  my decorations.

 

This year, I am going to try something new  - no more red!

I will be using pastels, a few brights & white.

 

 

Which is where the Mini Me Bunting comes in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It's a really Quick & Easy project.

Inspired in part by the fabric bunting I made last November

for a lovely picnic in the park,

 

 

& all of the lovely Paper & Washi tape mini bunting

that I keep seeing on Pinterest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using up some of

the leftover fabric from last years bunting

this is what I did...

 

 

Materials:  

Modge Podge (Fabric)  

String e.g. Divine Twine  

Small paint brush (for glue)  

Scissors (or pinking shears) 

Fabric leftovers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bunting Flags:

a) Fold over your fabric (wrong side to wrong side)

b) Finger Press along the fold line

c) Cut a triangle shape - start both cuts from the folded side of the fabric

 

 

• When you unfold the fabric, you should end up with a diamond shape

•  My flags measure 3cm across all sides. 

 

 N.B

To keep the folded shape, lay out all of your flags & iron them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assembly:

a) Lay your string (1x meter) out on a flat surface.

b) Slide your flags over & onto your string at 2 cm intervals.

c) Spread a thin layer of Modge Podge onto the bottom triangle layer & string.

d) Gently press the top triangle layer down - repeat.

 

 

• When the string is full, hang to dry.

 

 

N.B

I found working in batches of 10 flags worked best for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It really is that easy.

 

How quick the project takes is entirely up to you.

I got a little carried away when I was cutting my flags,

and had to spend 'some time' making up

approx 10 meters of bunting.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

P.S How are you getting ready for 'Chrummer Time'?

 

 

 

Sewing: Zakka Coasters

 

 

 

 

Zakka Coasters

 

are

this week's

Quick & Easy

project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Blink and you will miss them.

 

 

 

How do you make yours? Easter Egg Mats

 

 

How do you make yours?

Easter Egg mats

 

 

 

 Is another little

Quick & Easy project just in time

for Easter.

 

 

 

 (chirp!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cute chicks!

 

 

Aren't they. 

I found a whole box of them unopened

in my craft cupboard.

Their yellow matches my Easter Egg perfectly.

 

 

So I see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell me more about your

Easter Eggs.

 

 

 

Well, the egg pattern is from  

Jens Funder-Nielsen's paper-cut book.

 

All I did was trace the pattern onto the back of some

Bondaweb backed fabric, 

cut the design out with a scalpel,

& then iron the egg onto

my tablemat.

 

Quick & Easy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You cut out the egg yourself...

are you sure about that?

 

 

 

 

Pttthpp!!

Yes.

 

I was going to show you some

'progress' shots,

 

 

but

I have been having all kinds of techie nightmares

in the past week

and I lost a whole bunch of photos.

 

 

(arrgh)

 

So all I have got to show you is the end product

& the Chick Fest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tadah!

Happy Easter.

 

 

 

Tutorial: Quick & Easy Bunny Mats

 

 

 

Tutorial: Quick & Easy Bunny Mats

The chocolate alternative?

 

 

 

Materials:

• Fabric  - top & bottom circles (enough to make large dinner plate sized mats)
• Fabric for bunny
• Thread
• Bondaweb
• Needle & Pins
• Embroidery floss
• Sewing machine
• Ric Rac(enough to edge your chosen mat size)
  
• Card
• Pencil/fabric pen
• Bunny Template
• Glue
• Scissors
• Iron
  
• Dinner plate (to make mat circles)
  

 

Click for Bunny Template

 

 

Preparation:

a) Print off Bunny template, glue to card and cut out

b) Using your largest dinner plate, draw & cut out 2x circles (top & bottom of mat)

c) Iron on your Bondaweb to the wrong side of your Bunny fabric

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 1.

a) Using your template, draw your bunny onto the back of your

Bondaweb (paper side)

b) Scissor cut bunny out

 

N.B

Do not remove the Bondaweb paper until after you have

cut out your bunny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Step 2.

a) Remove the Bondaweb paper

b) Iron the Bunny onto your circle (top half)

c) Hand/machine sew the bunny onto the circle to secure.

 

 

 N.B

If you wish to furth embellish your mat,

this is the time to do it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3.

a) Pin your Ric Rac inside of the edge of your top circle

(fabric right side facing)

 

 

 

N.B

For best results, pin

your ric rac securely all around the edge with a small overlap

at the start & finish ends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4.

 

a) Machine sew your Ric Rac using a 0.5 mm seam

allowance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Step 5.

With your Ric Rac now securely sewn onto the top half of your mat

a) Place your bottom circle (right side facing up)

b) Place your top half over the bottom circle (right side facing down)

c) Pin together leaving a small gap

 

 

N.B

You need the small gap to turn your circle (mat)

right side out after sewing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6.

a) Machine sew your circles together using 1cm seam allowance

b) Turn the mat right side out through gap

 

 

 N.B

If your have sewn your mats correctly,

you should have top & bottom fabric right side out with the Ric Rac

jutting out between the two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 7.

a) Iron your Bunny Mat to anchor your fabric

b) Top stitch the mat with a 0.5mm seam allowance.

 

c) Shout Happy Easter!

 

 

N.B

Topstitching helps the fabrics stay in place after washing.