Valentine's Day :: DIY embroidered tape and a box

I love Japanese masking tape - I have a small collection of tape in different colors and patterns. The only problem I have with Japanese tape is that it doesn't stick. At first I blamed it on the paper I was using, but I've tried it on several types of paper and every single time the tape was undone by the time I was to give my present. It doesn't exactly leave a good impression at the receiving end - Oh, I'm sorry but I started unwrapping it already for you...hope you don't mind - It makes you look like a toddler at a birthday party!

Now, as you may know, I've been experimenting with Vliesofix lately and fabric, embroidered or not, on paper. Contrary to masking tape, it sticks!  And while I was thinking of a way to wrap my little notebooks for sending them off, I thought why not use the very same technique for wrapping - a piece of embroidered fabric to stay within the theme and to add a little accent to envelopes or to adorn small gift boxes with and wrapping paper. (Mind the idea of fabric tape isn't new. Check out Annekata's tutorial, for instance, which you can find here and la.daridari's fabric tape which you'll find here) So, I embroidered little bits and pieces in the same fashion as the little note books, and it worked out really nicely, if I may say so. I was also lucky to find (in my own closet of all places!) narrow double sided tape from a big tape brand , which made the task even easier.  I've tried it a couple of times now and it works like a charm - the only thing that didn't make it was the button I attached onto an envelope sent across the Atlantic - which was risky, I know. The button didn't survive, but the rest did, as you can see here!

If you want to give this a try, this is what you'll need:

- fabric scraps
- embroidery floss and a needle
- sewing scissors
- scraps of Vliesofix
- double sided tape
- gift boxes, wrapping paper, tissue paper, envelopes, greeting cards...
- buttons


General instructions:

- embroider the little scraps of fabric
- cut a piece of Vliesofix or double sided tape to size and stick it to the back of the fabric strip
- next, stick it onto envelope, wrapping paper, greeting card, gift box, ...

For the box:
- The little box  in the picture is a single chocolate box turned inside out - carefully undo the glued side of the box, turn inside out, and glue the side closed again.
- sew a button onto a strip of fabric
- put tape onto the back of the strip, leaving the button part of the strip, tape-free!
- stick strip to the top of the flap of the box - the button part is loose
- with a needle make a hole centered in the middle of the front of the box and pull through a piece of thread (make sure to tie a knot!)
- close the lid of the box and next twist the thread around the button


A couple of side notes:

1. When to use Vliesofix and when tape?:  use Vliesofix for sticking fabric onto an envelope or greeting card - use tape wherever you would use regular tape (on wrapping paper, gift boxes, etc.).
2. Why use Vliesofix and not glue?  Though glue might also work, I believe you get better results with Vliesofix - it's much neater to work with for one thing (no sticky fingers), dries instantly and doesn't leak through the fabric, blotting it or making it stiff.
3. Make enough of these at once and keep them in a little box, ready for immediate use.

Have fun creating!

Please note, these tutorials are intended for personal use only. Therefore, do not reproduce, sell or commercialize in any form without permission. Thanks for understanding!

If you made something using a tutorial found on this blog or if you got inspired by something you found here, make sure to post your pictures here.

Not giving up!

Hi everyone!

I'm back! - which means I'm not giving up! - but you sort of knew I wouldn't, didn't you!?

I need to thank all of you for the support, the nice comments (is this really about me and my blog?), the e-mails, ... I read them all several times - got all emotional. This more than compensated last week's anger and bad feelings. So, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to ALL of you!! What a strange thing it is, this (blogging) crafting community - even though most us have never met in person there are strong ties. That's a wonderful feeling. And isn't that's what it's all about?

So, what did I do? I sent a friendly and polite letter to the editor, asking to add credits to the article, like many of you suggested. I haven't had a response yet and I'm not sure I ever will. We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

But now, I just want to move on, because there are so many things I still want to share here with you.


Like this cutest moleskine notebook ever, the girls made for daddy's birthday last week. Isn't it lovely? The three of us were actually in a pretty bad mood that day - the girls had been fighting over things all day and I had been grumpy all day. And you know what? - that little notebook saved the day. By the time the girls were finished drawing we were all happy and cheerful again and couldn't wait for daddy to get home. And guess what?! Among all the presents he got he liked the little notebook best!!

I used the same method as for the other fabric covered notebooks, but before ironing the fabric onto the cover I let the girls draw on the fabric with a fine black liner (we used a regular one as I didn't have any fabric markers). Once they were done, I peeled off the Vliesofix's backing, positioned it onto the notebook and ironed it on. With small scissors I trimmed the edges and we had one very, very cute notebook.

I particularly like the frog on the lily pad by big girl M. and little H's cat. If you look carefully you can also see a drum (daddy's a former drummer), a bottle of wine and a glass, a hairy dog (that's a hint from big girl M. who's desperate about having a family dog one day), hiking boots and mountains, because that's what daddy likes to do, and many more things. And then the girls sweet little messages, of courses... Who wouldn't want a little notebook like that? Maybe an nice idea for Valentine's Day...

The first tutorial of 2011!

The mild temperatures of the last couple of days got me all energized and in an early Spring mood. This was  especially true at the beginning of the week when we had a lovely sun on top. I have been cleaning out closets, laundering sheets and blankets, doing lots of ironing, ... and a  couple of  early Spring crafts, one of which even resulted in this tutorial - the first one of  2011!

So, yesterday when my hands were itching to make something I came up with this very simple, whimsical fabric sausage necklace. I got the idea for this necklace while shopping at COS, one of my new favorite stores - and as it turns out this store might become a favorite of K. too. He found himself a couple of really nice things there last week, but this is totally besides today's topic. The necklaces I saw were at the kids' section and simply lovely - but for kids, in size, I mean. In the woman's section they had similar ones made out of leather - very stylish, very simple, simply  l o v e l y!

I decided to give the fabric ones a try. I'll be honest - it takes a bit of patience to get the wool (or poly-fiber fill) down the tube but I think it is totally worth the effort. You won't need a lot of fabric, this is yet another craft you could use fabric scraps for. Since I have something with gingham lately, I combined two different gingham fabrics, a Japanese flower print and  some stripes. You can go totally crazy combining different colors and prints, or keep it really simple and use only one color. Instead of knotting in between "beads", I combined knots and colorful ribbon ties. You might also use embroidery floss in between beads.


You'll need:

- a couple of fabric strips of different length but same width - I used 4cm wide strips - enough to total (at least) 1m50
- matching thread, sewing machine
- chopstick
- wool roving or fiber fill ( I recommend using wool roving here as it's easier to manipulate down the tube and you'll probably need less to form a firm bead - trust me, I've tried both!)
- optional: narrow ribbon, embroidery floss




Instructions:

1. Sew fabric strips together to make one long strip (pic.2).
2. Attach a safety pin near top on the right side of the fabric - you'll need it for turning the fabric (pic.3).
3. Fold strip in half lengthwise and sew side-seam ( the safety pin will be on the inside), leaving an opening at the bottom  (pic.4).
Note: depending on the length and width you chose you may find it easier to leave an additional opening somewhere halfway the sideseam - this will save you time while stuffing the fabric tube.
4. Turn the tube you obtained inside out by pushing the safety pin all the way down the fabric tube (pic.6). Shape the tube.
5. Using small pieces of wool roving at a time, make the beads, by pushing the filling through the tube with a chopstick (No need to form the beads before you stuff them inside - the chopstick will do that for you). Tie a knot  before and after each bead or use ribbon, embroidery floss to the same effect (pic.8).
6. Close the remaining opening(s) with a whip stitch. Shape and pull and finally tie a knot - Done!

Isn't it lovely!? Pair it up with a simple T-shirt, tank top (I'm thinking Summer here) or a simple white shirt...

Please note, this tutorial is intended for personal use only. Therefore, do not reproduce, sell or commercialize in any form.  Thanks for understanding!

If you made something using a tutorial found on this blog or if you got inspired by something you found here, make sure to post your pictures here.

DIY Gift Ideas # 5:: Fabric covered notebooks...

Believe it or not, but it's only recently that I discovered Vliesofix also known as bondaweb, fusible webbing that sticks on two sides. Also recently, I bought Kasja Wikman's book Scandinavian Stitches. Inspired by the wonderful projects in the book I had to find Vliesofix right away. I was lucky to find some at the mercerie around the corner. The same evening I whipped together a Christmas themed drawstring bag, which didn't make it to the blog because it's simply not me. The girls think it's cute, but I'm not sure I like it.

Anyway, a couple of days after making the bag I saw the most wonderful (and also pricey) fabric covered envelopes at a store here in Paris. Seeing this was immediately followed by another one of my aha-moments which made me rush home. To make a long story short - I had plenty Vliesofix left. I also happened to have a couple of Moleskine notebooks. That combined with pieces of leftover fabric and you have fabric-covered notebooks! I finished them in no time and I think they look totally cute. The possibilities are of course endless. Make a couple in assorted colors and you have a nice teacher's gift, stocking stuffer, or just to keep them in your purse...
Here's a short description of how to make them. I didn't have time to make step-by-step photographs, but I believe it is kind of straightforward. So, here we go:

What you need:

- fabric, big enough to cover a notebook
- Vliesofix
- notebook (Moleskines are great for this)
- good sewing scissors, pencil, ruler
- iron

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of Vliesofix slightly bigger than the notebook you want to cover
2. Iron the Vliesofix onto the wrong side of your fabric, paper side up. Cut fabric to size, along the outlines of the Vliesofix.
3. Peel off paper and place on top of your notebook. If your fabric has a pattern make sure to align perfectly - once the fabric sticks, it sticks! With your iron, press to fuse the fabric onto the cover. Let cool down a bit. Check if it sticks really well everywhere.
4. With small sewing scissors trim the excess fabric around the edges... and done!

Now, don't you think they look awesome!?

If you're into Moleskines also check out this post, from last year!

Please note, this tutorial is intended for personal use only. Therefore, do not reproduce, sell or commercialize in any form. Thanks for understanding!


If you made something using a tutorial found on this blog or if you got inspired by something you found here, make sure to post your pictures here.

DIY Gift Ideas # 4 :: Whimsical Pillows...

The week hasn't exactly been going as planned but things seem to have calmed down now. I hope.  I didn't forget about the promise I made earlier this week - the only problem was finding half an hour to get my act together (and half an hour of good light as well). And I did today!

So, here's our most fantastic pillow ever! My girls' very favorite (and mine as well) totally whimsical triangular shaped pillow (this is actually the simpler version of a pillow I made a little while back but which didn't make it to the blog yet, somehow). It's absolutely fun to make and more importantly, it's absolutely easy to make. A perfect beginner's sewing craft. As a matter of fact we each made one. Little H. made the blue with mountain scenery one, big girl M. made the flowered one and I did the striped one. All three fabrics are from IKEA. The felt balls I still had here at home (no, Michelle, we didn't make them, though given all the roving I still have I might give it a try!). So, if you're still looking for a fun handmade present or for something to keep the kids busy during the holidays, keep on reading! All it takes is three seams and some stuffing!

What you'll need: 


- fabric: a 32cm x  64cm piece of heavy cotton, denim, canvas,... (seam allowance included)
- 4 felt beads in assorting colors - pompoms would be nice too, by the way!
- poly-fiber fill to stuff the pillow
- sewing machine
- needle and thread
- scissors

Note: you can make the bigger or smaller, just make sure that the long side of the rectangle is twice the short side in length.



Instructions:

1. Fold the rectangle in half, right sides facing. Close two of the three open sides using a 1cm seam allowance and clip the corner as shown in picture 2.
2. Open up the remaining side and fold as shown in picture 3., i.e. fold the pillow cover such that the seam from step 2, ends up exactly in the middle of the remaining open side (so you will have 15cm of fabric on either side of the seam from step2). Pin and close that side, leaving an opening big enough for turning and stuffing (picture 4.).
3. Turn the cover inside out and shape (corners!). You'll get something that looks as shown in picture 5.
4. Stuff your pillow with the fiber fill to your liking, making sure the stuffing gets well distributed (picture 6).
5. Close the gap with a couple of stitches (picture 7).
6. Sew on the felt beads, one at every tip of the pillow (picture 8). And that's all there is to it (picture 9)!

Make sure to make enough of these for a pillow fight!!
 

Please note, this tutorial is intended for personal use only. Therefore, do not reproduce, sell or commercialize in any form.  Thanks for understanding!

If you made something using a tutorial found on this blog or if you got inspired by something you found here, make sure to post your pictures here.

Advent Calendar :: Oh Yes!

Ok, I'm a procrastinator - you knew that already. But I guess that little bit of pressure is what I need to be inventive. You see, yesterday morning, December 1st, we didn't have an advent calendar yet, though the kids had reminded me several times over the last couple of weeks. And yesterday late afternoon, still on December 1st,  I was ready to present this calendar to my girls. And they loved it!

It's one of those projects again that just happened while I was going. When I started all I knew was that I had to make 50 (well 48 actually) bags somehow, big enough to contain a chocolate coin.  The origami paper I intended to use for this purpose was simply too bright (really it hurt our eyes when we opened the package - the prospect of having to actually look at it for nearly a month made us change our mind). I wanted bags, but I wanted them quickly. So then I came up with this idea: making bags from a long sheet of parchment paper folded in two. With pencil,  I traced a raster of 4 columns by 12 rows. With the sewing machine I first sewed the columns (I sewed down on either side of the pencil line), then cut the paper along the traced line, to obtain 4 long strips. Next, I started inserting coins and as I went, after each coin, I stitched the pocket closed along the horizontal lines  I drew in the first step. It was actually fun doing and overall it didn't take that long. I didn't bother about cutting off threads, just left them on hanging. With stamps I printed on the dates. The only thing left was finding a way to hang the strips - and even that didn't take long. I just took another one of those wire coat hangers (I'm running out of them) and sewed the strips onto the hanger,. Now both girls have their advent calendar strips  hanging sisterly next to each other, and every night after dinner, they'll cut off the corresponding  pocket containing their coin.

Et voilà!! Fast, cheap and easy!!

Say it with flowers... and berries

a sequel to my earlier fabric flower post...

I was getting the glass to be brought to the glass container ready when I came across another of those clear glass juice bottles. I put it aside as it was exactly what I needed for another fabric flower project I 'd been thinking about. So on Friday afternoon, when I was done with all my chores I started on this fabric bottle cover. (I seem to have a penchant for covers on anything lately) Initially I planned on using a different type of fabric but I could immediately tell from the way the fabric draped around the bottle that it wouldn't work out the way I wanted, so I went looking for another type of fabric instead. In the back of a closet, I found some long forgotten sheer cotton fabric I once bought to make blinds for the kitchen windows of a house we no longer live in (no need to add I never made those blinds, I guess). I cut off about 30cm, enough to cover the bottle and make flowers from strips. Then, I simply draped the fabric in a single layer around the bottle and hand stitched the seam, with the bottle still in it for a perfect fit and gathering the fabric here and there to get a ruffled look. With the excess fabric near the top I made a first rose. Next I ripped strips from whatever was left to make the other flowers and I sewed them right onto the bottle cover (I didn't even bother to take the bottle out).

Making the bottle cover took me way less time than finding the right berries. I knew exactly which ones I wanted but I had the hardest time finding them. As a matter of fact I bought two large branches of them and cut of two twigs for the picture. The two big branches are now sitting in big vase on a drawer in our living room and I love it. It gives that winter - Christmas feel ( the outdoor temperatures are flirting with zero degrees Celsius which certainly helps). I like to have flowers in the house, but with the heating on they simple don't last that long. So, I hope the berries will last a little longer than just a couple of days...

And as to the bottle - it would make a nice little present and definitely would add that little something to any dinner table, don't you think?

DIY Gift Ideas # 3 :: The year in scraps...

I briefly mentioned it here and also here, this little project of mine. I didn't feel like going out, but was dying to start on something new. Instead of running to the store for yet another piece of fabric, I started rummaging in my closet.
One of the first things I came across was the bag where I keep my fabric scraps. It's a huge bag, by now. As soon as I pulled it out I knew what I wanted to get started on. A quilted table runner! I have deep admiration for all those quilters out there. The real ones. The ones who make these huge blankets, meticulously, patiently, with no mistakes. I have been willing to make something quilted for the longest time, but I never started because I know that I won't succeed. You see, I'm not good at doing the same thing over and over again, I'm not good with repetition, at sticking to the book. Not when I'm sewing. I get distracted too easily for making these huge patterned blankets. I need immediate gratification, too. Given that and the fact that I had a bag full of scraps, of different sizes, I decided to go for some freestyle instead. And I had fun at it! All afternoon I kept on cutting pieces in smaller pieces, combining them just the way I felt, sewing them together, pressing the seams, cutting some more, adding... until I ended up with this. This table runner is my year in scraps...



It's a bit crooked, I know, but that's part of the free style (lol) and I like it, to the extent that the prospect of tomato sauce being spilled on it made me change my mind! I won't use this as a table runner. I don't know what I'll be using it for instead - maybe I'll just hang it somewhere, until I grow tired of it and use it as a table runner then.

The hardest part, I found to be the quilting itself. I had to start over a couple of times, before getting it 'right' (I know: nothing about this piece of work is 'right'), not satisfied with the chosen pattern. Eventually, I settled for some sort of spirals. Very free style, very me. And that's the interesting part, actually. Those lines add an extra dimension to the piece. Patches, though patched together with other patches to form an new entity, get their own expression, their individuality again, through the lines of the stitches. A revelation to me! To my surprise, I even liked hand stitching the binding at the front. I never thought I would find this a relaxing process.



So, what does this have to do with the holidays? Nothing much, really. Except that making this just made me realize that you can get a long way with just some pieces of scraps. Combine them, cut them and make something personal - be it a table runner, place mats, coasters, a pillow, a throw... make something YOU - give something YOU...

Wishing you a happy Thursday/ Turkey Day!

xo, P.


PS: One thing I might do before hanging it, is washing it to get some shrinkage, which I really like in quilts (the batting is 100% cotton). I'm just worried about the colors bleeding. Any suggestions there?

DIY Gift Ideas #2 :: Say it with (fabric) flowers...

When I saw these fabric flowers in the latest issue of Marie-Claire Idées, I couldn't put down my magazine fast enough to get started. I made a whole bunch of them the same evening and while I was doing so I was thinking of the many different ways I could use them. In the original project they were used to decorate a seat cover.

The flowers are really easy to make. All you do is roll and twist a fabric strip to form a flower and then secure with a couple of stitches. Instead of cutting my fabric strip I ripped it, which gives a nice frayed effect. You can find many different ways to fold flowers online. Just google "fabric roses" and you'll end up with an extensive list. This tutorial is pretty close to the way I did it. Many people use glue or secure the flower with a couple of stitches as they go. I didn't do so, but finished folding my flower first, then put a couple of pins through the back to secure, and finally sewed the "petals" into place with a couple of stitches on the back, making sure to go through all layers. You probably won't be able to go through all layers at once - just work your way around the rosebud making several small stitches. One flower takes approximately 10-15 minutes to make depending on its size. I made mine while watching, or should I say listening, TV and found it very relaxing.



Once you have finished a bunch you can use them to decorate well basically anything. Here are a couple of examples. Of course I had to make a tote. It's a basic tote, in natural linen,  finished with a French seam, and with leather handles. As I liked the selvedges of the fabric - it has the same pale aqua green in it as the flowers -  I didn't even bother to finish the hem. With no lining, no hems and no fabric handles to sew, this bag is a real quick one! But I love the way it turned out - the rough look of  the linen and the frayed edges of the flowers combine really well, I believe. 



And if you thought I ran out of ideas for wire coat hanger make overs... here's just another one in my collection. This one's entirely hand sewn, as I was too lazy to pull out my machine. Fun to make and another fast DIY gift.



Little H. and I also made a cute little purse together, lined with a liberty like printed fabric. She took care of the side seams of both linen and lining and sewed on the snap closure. The result is one to be proud of, little Elf! Well done!

The possibilities for these little flowers are endless. I have a couple more in mind - now I just need to find the time to work on them.

In the mean time, here are some useful links to tutorials if you'd like to make any of the above:

- Easy tote bag for beginners
- Denim tote (you could use this bag and sew on the handles the traditional way)
- drawstring bag
- Fabric coat hanger cover 
- Fabric flowers found at  Susie Harris' blog here

DIY Gift Ideas # 1:: a polar fleece poncho

November is almost halfway through. The first Christmas decorations are showing up in town, and I try not to see them. Because I'm a procrastinator and it reminds me of all  things still to be done. And because, somehow, the whole holiday craze makes me feel uncomfortable - more and more - every year. "Do we really need to spend that much to get through the holidays and to make everyone happy?" is the question that comes to my mind when I see all this extravaganza. This DIY Gift Ideas series is an attempt to do things a little differently this year - and at low cost. All it takes is a tiny bit of creativity and a little bit of time. I truly hope to inspire at least some of you to craft along!

Ok, I promised I would kick off this series with last weekend's project. It's finished - I like it, but I'm waiting for better light and more time to take a couple of pictures.

So, why don't I get you started with a polar fleece poncho instead! I made this poncho a while ago after seeing a girl wearing a more luxury - hooded - version of it. The weather has gotten too cold and wet here to wear it outside, but little H. likes to cuddle up in it here at home and wears it as that little layer extra in the mornings and evenings. Just like the other poncho's, it is super easy to make. With only a couple of seams and the use of an easy to work with material like polar fleece, this project is accessible to even the most inexperienced sewer - a kid literally could make this. So, maybe this might be a good idea to keep your child busy on a rainy day as well.
About the fringe: I used masking tape to set outlines for cutting - if you want to perfect this you could even make marks on the tape to space them out evenly. I didn't go through the hassle of doing this, I didn't even bother to work myself all the way around with the scissors - I simply folded the poncho such that front and back were perfectly aligned on top of each other and I cut through both layers at once.

What you'll need

- polar fleece: it usually comes in 1.50m width, so half a meter would do for a poncho for an 8-10 year (adjust for bigger sizes)
- matching thread
- masking tape
- good sewing scissors
- sewing machine (note: depending on the machine being used, it might be useful to test the machine on a little swatch first to see how it's behaving in terms of tension and needle.)



Step-by-step instructions

1. Pattern: make a paper pattern of a 63cm x 44cm rectangle. This includes seam allowances. This should fit an 8 – 11 year old. You can adjust the dimensions accordingly for bigger sizes (to check hold the rectangle across your body, the short end being one of the shoulder seams). Make sure to have a difference of at least 18-20cm between the width and length of the rectangle as this will determine the size of the opening of the poncho for the head.
2. Cutting: fold your fabric in two, pin the pattern to both layers of fabric. Next cut your fabric. You obtain two identical rectangles.
3. Assembling: (see also Fig. 1) With the right sides of the fabric facing each other, pin the short side of one rectangle to the longer side of the other. Sew with sewing machine. Do the same with the other two ends. In the middle you’ll have the opening to put your head through.
4. Hemming the collar: With the right side of the poncho facing you, turn  the top 1.5cm of the opening inward and do this all the way around. Pin while you’re going, to secure. Next, topstitch on the machine.
5. Cutting the fringe: place your poncho in front of you such that front and back are perfectly aligned on top of each other. That way, you’ll be able to cut through both layers of fabric. Now, using some masking tape, define the size of the fringe you want (6cm in the poncho shown). Start with an incision at the center tip, and than gradually shift over the next couple of incisions until it becomes perpendicularly upon the tape. Then continue to cut parallel on both sides, left and right from the center tip.
6. Optional: you can further decorate the poncho, using ribbons, buttons, appliqué, sequins, embroidery… Use your imagination!

 Please note, this tutorial is intended for personal use only. Therefore, do not reproduce, sell or commercialize in any form without permission. Thanks for understanding!

Did you make something using a tutorial found on this blog or did you get inspired by something you found here? Then make sure to post your pictures here!

Cinnamon cupcakes

The weather's been really ugly the last couple of days - rain and more rain is what we had! And I have the feeling temperatures dropped quite a bit too today. It makes me feel like staying inside and cuddling up in the sofa with a book and a hot drink. Unfortunately, there's way too much work to be done for that and a lot of running around too!

But last weekend we stayed inside and cuddled up and spent a lot of time in the kitchen which resulted in a batch of yummy cinnamon sugar cupcakes and some really, really good pumpkin soup! And there was even some time left for sewing. Initially, I planned on getting some fabric in Montmartre. Unfortunately - or fortunately - it was pouring by the time I wanted to leave, so I decided to stay home instead and work with what I had. It's actually surprising, the things you can come up with by simply using what you have. The project isn't finished yet, but I'll show you as soon as it is. It will be the first in a row of crafts and DIY ideas I plan on bringing here between now and the holidays - if all goes according to plan that is! It won't necessarily be holiday related crafts, but things you can make anytime and which could make a nice present too. So, if you're still in search of DIY gift ideas, make sure to stop by from time to time and, maybe, there will be something you like!

Oh, and in case you're wondering about the muffin: it's the Joy of Cooking 'Basic yoghurt, buttermilk, or sour cream muffin'  dipped in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. They were divine!

DIY :: Last minute Halloween fix - a witch's cloak

The Toussaint vacation has started here and as always on the last school day before the break, they celebrated Halloween at little H's school. For weeks she'd been debating about what to wear and then on Thursday she finally made a decision. She wanted to be a witch. Only problem: her witch hat was nowhere to be found! On Thursday afternoon, 5:00 p.m., I promised I would fix her something for the next day and off I ran to the mercerie around the corner. Their selection of fabric is limited but they had black lining - just what I needed for a quick fix, last minute witch's cloak! 45 minutes later, I had a happy little witch running around the house. A black shirt and skirt and matching tights and she was all set! I also promised her I would put on some face painting in the morning, so she would look like a real witch.
She was too excited to sleep and woke up in the middle of the night a couple of times. In the morning, too excited for being tired, she got dressed in no time, even thought of brushing her teeth without me having to remind her, and had a final look at the wrinkles and witch's warts I drew on her face. She looked like a real witch, she said approvingly.
As we walked to school she kept on rattling about how great this day would be and about all the candy they would get and what everybody else would be wearing. Right before we reached school, she took off her winter coat, I messed up her hair a bit with my fingers so it would look a bit more witch like, we adjusted her cape and off she went... as happy as could be, my little witch...!
Though they do this every year at school, and you'd expect I got used to it by now, it gets me all sentimental over and over again. Seeing that little girl, who still likes to dress up, her sérieux when doing so, disappear in the crowd, swallowed by the other monsters, witch's, sons and daughters of Frankenstein, gave me a warm feeling inside.
Her Halloween day at school went really well - she got plenty of candy, even got some for her sister, and at night, that little witch of mine, fell asleep on my lap before we could even take care of the wrinkles and warts still on her little face...



If you are as desperate as we were last Thursday about finding a real witch's outfit, below there's a rough sketch of how you could make a witch's cloak in no time. I hope you don't mind my rather poor drawing skills. Since I had to rush it a little bit, there was no time for the usual step-by-step pictures ...

I'm wishing you all a happy Halloween!

Finding leather

Part of my stash. I can't wait to cut little H's boots from last year to pieces - i like the little belts on them. M's boots have met my scissors already...

Often I'm asked where I find the leather I'm using in my crafts. I consider myself lucky to be living in Paris for many reasons. One of them is that I have easy access to everything imaginable related to making and creating. I have a couple of addresses at the Marché Saint-Pierre where they sell leather in any size going from full skins to just pieces of  scraps. I've been told these skins and scraps are actually leftovers from big labels like Hermès, Chanel, ... I'm not sure if this is actually true, but I like the thought that I do carry a Hermès bag after all! The department store BHV also carries a nice selection in its hardware department, near the shoe repair supplies. Knowing that this information doesn't help a single bit if you don't live in the Paris area, I have come up with a couple of alternatives. The good thing about these is that they might turn out to be a lot cheaper as well because chances are you might own them already.

1. Leather boots: Did you grow tired of  last year's boots? Are they beyond repair? Did your kids outgrow their favorite boots? Don't throw them out yet! Just cut off the shafts and you'll end up with two nice pieces of leather. 
2. Leather jackets: Having an outdated jacket you don't know what to do with? Cut it to pieces. If you don't own an old jacket try to find one at a thrift store. You'll have plenty of leather to work with. The same applies to leather skirts and pants. Get out those scissors!
3. Purses and bags: You might be done with that old purse or book bag but before you throw it out, check if there aren't any parts you could still use. I'm not only thinking of pieces of leather but also of possible straps,  belts and buckles which might come in handy.
4. Belts: by nature perfect as a strap, the buckle being a nice detail.
5. Sandals (and shoes): because of the straps and often also because of their decoration. They could be transformed in some nice accessories like a bracelet, a brooch, a hair clip, or could be used to add detail to a plain bag.

I'm sure you can add a couple more to the list. Now, if working with leather scares you but you do like the idea of recycling leather, then check out this site for quite some stunning bags and purses made from recycled leather jackets. You can find a selection of recycled leather bags on Etsy as well. I especially like this one here.

And now, go check out your closets!

And yet another clothes hanger tutorial...

You might start wondering if all is well with me...
Another clothes hanger tutorial?! Really!?
What's so interesting about a clothes hanger, you'd want to decorate it anyways?


I know, I know! Just one more to add to the list and then I'll stop, I promise... (hmm - I'm no so sure about the last part...)
But to be honest - I like these wire clothes hangers. Because of what they are, because of their simplicity, the bareness, the fact they're reduced to the essential. And yet they have so much potential. To hold clothes for one thing. But it's also a perfect frame to work around and to play with.

A couple of nights ago, my hands were itching - I felt the need for something creative but something slow (it'd been an eventful day - I'll spare you the details, but eventful it was). How about some embroidery with that hand dyed wool floss I got myself, I thought. I've been fascinated by Sachiko embroidery lately (for a nice tutorial, check out this post at the Purl Bee). I like the contrast between the little stitches and the fabric, the combination of simple straight lines into stunning patterns. I just wanted to give it a try. The clothes hanger cover that I had still in the back of my head seemed perfectly adequate for that matter.

You've probably seen these clothes hanger covers before. They are easy to make and I think they are useful for hanging slippery shirts or dresses. So, that's what I have for you today. Turns out that I'm not the kind of person for large symmetric pattern embroidery, so my Sachiko embroidery experiment soon became an exercise in free style embroidery. But it still was fun and definitely asks for more.

What you'll need:

- wire coat hanger
- piece of cotton or linen
- embroidery floss + needle
- sewing machine
- iron
- pins, scissors, ...


Steps:

1. Trace your clothes hanger on a piece of paper and cut out (pic. 1.).
2. Transfer pattern to double folded fabric and cut fabric taking into account a 1-1.5 cm seam allowance (pic. 2-3).
3. Pin the bottom hem of both pieces (pic. 4.) and sew on sewing machine(pic. 5).
4. Pin the two pieces together and sew on your machine leaving an opening at the top (pic. 6-7). Make small cuts at the rounded parts, perpendicularly to the seam (pic. 8). Turn and press with iron (pic. 9)
5. Using some embroidery floss decorate the cover. Add a little button, if you like. And done.



You could of course decorate the cover in many different ways, embroider or applique names on it, have your kids draw on them with fabric markers or paint with fabric paint, tie dye, ... Or why not transfer one of your kid's drawings onto the cover and (have them) embroider the outlines. This could make a nice and easy, personalized gift for the holidays (holidays!? already?)...

I mentioned the new Flickr pool already a couple of times. If you made something with the help of a // Between the lines // tutorial or got inspired by something you found on this blog, don't be shy, and show us what you made! Check out this luxury version, for instance, of the clothes hanger covered with fabric strips, made by Cindy.Aren't these lovely/! And I think the hangers covered with Japanese masking tape are really clever! Thanks for adding these, girls!

Free style crochet and a wire coat hanger :: a tutorial

Some of you might remember my free style crochet experiment from earlier this year. If not, just head over to this post (but make sure to come back after!). At that time I already played with the idea of decorating a coat hanger that way. I even tried, but I wasn't patient enough at that time and it didn't work out too well, so I tore the whole thing down and put the idea and the hanger on hold. Until some of you mentioned their crochet-decorated coat hangers in the comments on my last tutorial, that is! As a matter of fact, I used to have one of those when I was a kid - with a red and blue pattern if remember well. So, you had me going again! Thank you so much! Only this time I wanted it to work out. And it did!
Sure, it took me a fair part of my Friday afternoon (the other part I took the kids to the local pool) but I do like the result a lot - and so do my girls "Can I have it mommy?".

What did I do different this time to make it work, you wonder? I guess I was less time-constrained (even though we went to the pool) and the tying of some string as a guide-line made a huge difference. And here is a - very - short description in case you want to give this a try as well.

What you'll need:

- a wire coat hanger
- yarn, string or... kitchen twine, aka butcher's twine. Since I couldn't find any yarn that I found suited for this project, I used the latter. It was the first thing that I could find that came close enough to yarn and its slightly rough texture with pieces sticking out here and there is just perfect for this project.
- crochet hook
- optional: buttons, ribbons, beads, colored thread



Steps:

1. Attach the end of the twine to the hanger and now start going criss cross with it, wrapping and tying as shown in picture II. This net will form the structure for your free style crochet. Don't over do it as you will need "space" to work around and add detail.
2. Stop knotting somewhere on the wire, make a loop, slip your crochet hook through it and start crocheting around the wire using a simple crochet stitch (picture III). You don't need to go all around the hanger at once - this project is a little wild and crazy. Consider it like a road trip where you take little side roads whenever you grow tired of using the high way. So, start to work around the net that you created inside the wire, using the different stitches you know (chain stitches, single crochet, double crochet, ...), and alternate by doing parts on the wire and on the inside of the hanger.
3. Optional: As you can see in picture IV (and the many other pictures below), I didn't cover all of the wire nor the entire net. I wanted to keep it "airy" and it left me some room to further adorn it with little treasures. I used little buttons - I intentionally didn't cut off the end of the twine but attached a mother of pearl button to it instead - a silk ribbon, a tag with my blog's name on it which I found lying around, a bead, some red thread... You could add many other things like pieces of wood or sticks, shells, dried flowers... I found this to be the fun and relaxing part.

I hope I made myself somewhat clear. If not, let me know.

I clearly couldn't get enough of my new clothes hanger as I kept on photographing it from different angles... So, here are some more pictures.

Note: Did you make something with the help of a // Between the lines // tutorial? Post your pictures here! I'd love to see your creations!

DIY : colorful wire clothes hanger

We're still in summer mode here, though for K. today is the last day of his summer vacation, unfortunately. This year's summer vacation has been very relaxing - Carpe Diem (seize the day) has been our motto. We've been doing plenty of things but only because we wanted to. And today I really wanted to do something crafty! So I did. It took me a while before I came up with something, though. I made a big mess as I kept pulling things out. But then eventually pieces fell into place when I found a wire clothes hanger (check out this article if you'd like to find out more about the origin of the wire clothes hanger - the drawings are great!).

The result of my crafty afternoon is this enhanced, colorful wire clothes hanger... with a short description in 16 photographs. Again, it's an easy craft you could have your kids do or help you with on a rainy afternoon.


What you'll need:

- wire coat hanger (the ones you get at the dry cleaner's)
- bias tape, ribbon, or a piece of fabric
- a piece of (masking) tape
- white glue
- optional: ribbon, rivet punch + rivets




Steps:

1. If you don't have ribbon or bias tape at hand, make your own (pic. 4 & 5) by cutting a long strip from a piece of fabric. Don't bother about cutting in bias, we want the ribbon to fray! Yes, fray! Although I had only a small piece of fabric, I cut one long strip from it. This is how: start cutting a strip lengthwise from one side to the other, BUT WITHOUT CUTTING THROUGH TO THE VERY END! Repeat, alternating sides as shown in the diagram below.



2. Attach the ribbon to the wire coat hanger as shown in pic. 6 and wind the ribbon around a couple of times to hide the tape.

3. Next, start twisting the ribbon around the wire all the way around. Don't be afraid of the fabric fraying - we like the effect! To make sure the ribbon is everywhere tightly twisted around the wire, check once in a while and twist the ribbon between your fingers as you work your way back to where you stopped.

4. At the bottom of the hook twist the ribbon around both wires and work your way up the hook (pic. 9 & 10).

5. Cut off the ribbon leaving a 1 inch end. Put on some white glue and next continue twisting the ribbon, smearing the glue in and over the fabric and such way that the tip is completely covered and there are no loose ends left (pic. 11-13).

6. Optional: Decorate with a tag. I used stamps for this and the motto of our summer "Carpe diem". Make one for every family member and have their names on it, or if you plan for a summer party make one for every guest. The possibilities obviously are endless. Use the rivet punch to attach a rivet and tie to the hanger with a piece of ribbon. All done!

Announcement: a new Flickr pool

I've been thinking about this for a while and given the huge response on the last tutorial posted here, through your comments, e-mail, on other blogs, with pictures... (THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!) I decided why not - I made a special Flickr pool where YOU can post YOUR creations made with the help of a tutorial found here.

So, if you made something with the help of a // Between the lines // tutorial or if you got inspired by something you found on this blog, feel free to post your pictures at Made with // Between the lines //!

I'm really looking forward to seeing all of your creations!

Summer bracelets DIY

When M. came home from her camp with school, she showed me this yellow bracelet she made with 'scoubidoo' strings. One of her friends taught her how to make these and of course I wanted to have a go at it too. Instead of scoubidou string I used strips of fabric for one and leather - what did you think?!- shoelaces in offsetting colors for another one. I believe both resulting bracelets look really nice. The possibilities in terms of material to braid with are endless. How about tall beach grass or just hemp cord?

So, in case you 're in need of a fun summer project here's a how-to in 16 pictures with a short description below. I could probably have done with less photos - it's just that I had fun taking pictures...



This is what you'll need for an adult size leather bracelet. (You might have to adjust depending on the material you use, so make sure to do a try-out before cutting ends.):

- a 52cm long strip of fabric or leather shoe lace
- a second strip of fabric or leather shoe lace of approximately 95 cm
- a big-eyed  needle
- a cylindrical object to hold the loop so your project stays put while braiding (the neck of an Elmer's glue bottle works just fine; when out on the beach, the finger of a helper's hand might do the trick as well)



Steps:

1. Fold both strands in half and place the shorter one on top of the longer one as shown in picture 2.
2. Start braiding as shown in pictures 3 through 8, making sure to pull the strings evenly - I made my bracelet really tight but you could make a looser version by pulling less on the strings you braid with.
3. Continue like this until you reach the end of the strands you're braiding with.
4. Hide the loose ends in the braid as shown in pictures 10-11, using a big-eyed needle.
5. Tie a overhand knot in both remaining loose ends as shown in pictures 12-14 and here.
6. Put it around your wrist, pull one of the ends through the loop and  (have someone help you to) make a double knot and your bracelet is ready to wear!

This is the kind of craft you could easily do with kids - have them cut strips of fabric, no need to worry about the strips being straight and regular, and teach them how to braid. It's a good exercise for fine motor skills, and because it's repetitive it's very relaxing too. Use the resulting braid as a bracelet, anklet, key chain, headband... Once you've got the hang of it, or if you want to take this project to the next level, slip some beads on the longest one of your strings before you start and braid them in by slipping them down one by one as you go.

With special thanks to my little girl M. for teaching me how to make these...

All new!

A new prototype has rolled from under my presser foot! And I like this one a lot - to the extent that I might do a tutorial for a light version if there's enough interest (and if I can find a spare couple of hours, that is).

I started this bag two nights ago, with no particular plan in mind. I cut a piece of fabric - I didn't even bother to take out a ruler or measuring tape, I just cut! And the rest just happened...

What I like most about this bag are definitely the handles. I saw this very minimalistic approach to handles - unfortunately, I can't remember where - a while a go and I decided I wanted to try a version of my own. Hence, I punched a couple of holes in the leather straps (with my new 4 EUR hole puncher, my new best friend) and sewed them on by hand (so much easier than sewing them on with my stubborn machine, it turns out). I added the little leather patches on the inside to give the tote a finished look there as well, and to add some extra support to the fabric - I must say that I really, really like this little detail.

All that remains to be done now is putting the bag to the test. I just need to make sure the handles will hold up well enough before I take this bag to the next level...