Valentine's Day :: Crocheted hearts tutorial - part 2

I got really nervous about this particular crocheted heart. After I did the first three-dimensional one, I had to make another one in order to write the tutorial (why didn't I anticipate this?!) and I started panicking I wouldn't be able to replicate. But, as you can see I managed to do so and if you look really carefully, you'll notice this one actually looks better than its fellow over here. That's probably because this time I had to pay attention to what I was doing. Hence, no mistakes in this one. It's perfectly symmetrical and looks much more like a heart than the first one - though anatomically I would say the first one's probably a better match.

Anyway, if you want to make one of these goodies, this is what you'll need:

- a crochet hook
- red yarn
- 2 pieces of thread of different color for marking stitches or stitch markers if you would have any of those
- roving or fiber fill (I was lucky to still have some red roving left from previous needle felting projects)

Stitches used and abbreviations

cs = chain stitch
sc = single crochet
slst = slip stitch
st = stitch

Pattern

round 1: 5cs, close loop with a slst

round 2: 1 cs, 8 sc = 9st

Mark first stitch using one of the colored threads or a stitch marker.

round 3: 1 cs, 1 sc, increase by making 2 sc in every underlying stitch of previous row, finish round with 1 slst = 18 st.

Mark with the other colored thread or a stitch marker after stitch number 9.
Note: make sure to move up the stitch markers as you go - the markers split the work exactly in half which will help you in making the heart perfectly symmetrical.

round 4: 1 cs, 1 sc, 2 sc in every next stitch, 1 slst = 36st

round 5: 1 cs, 1 sc, * 1 sc, increase 2 sc, 1 sc, increase 2 sc *, increase 3 sc, increase 2 sc, increase 3 sc, repeat * * backwards, increase 2 sc, 1 sc, 1 sc = 26 st.
1 cs, * 1 sc 6 times, increase 2 sc, increase 3 sc *, increase 2 sc, repeat * * backwards, 1 sc = 26 st.
Repeat this sequence on the other half of the stitches. You should end this round with 52 st.

round 6: 1cs, * 1 sc 10 times, increase 3 sc in next stitch, 1 sc *, repeat * * backwards. Repeat this sequence on the other half. You should end with 58 st.
1cs, * 1 sc 11 times, increase 2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc *, repeat * * backwards = 29 st. Repeat this sequence on the other half. You should end with 58 st.

round 7: 1 sc 5 times, decrease by making 1 sc every other stitch 9 times, 1 sc 5 times. Repeat this sequence for the other half. You should end with 38 st.

round 8: 1 sc 5 times, decrease by making 1 sc every other stitch 5 times, 1 sc 5 times. Repeat for the other half. You should end with 32 st.

round 9: 1 sc 5 times, decrease by making 1 sc every other stitch 2 times, 1 sc 5 times. Repeat for the other half. You should end with 26 st.

round 10: 1 sc 5 times, decrease by making 1 sc every other stitch 2 times, 1 sc 4 times. Repeat for the other half. You should end with 22 st.

round 11: 1 sc 4 times, decrease by making 1 sc every other stitch 2 times, 1 sc 4 times. Repeat for the other half. You should end with 18 st.

You can start stuffing the heart with the roving or fiber fill and shape if needed. Continue to add as you go.

round 12: 1 sc 2 times, decrease by making 1 sc every other stitch 1 time, 1 sc 3 times. Repeat on remaining stitches.

next rounds: continue to decrease like in previous rows until you have 1 st left. Bind off and hide the remaining end inside the heart with a needle.

Just a final note: the first couple of rounds look kind of weird - ruffled - and I'm sure you'll wonder how this ever could become a heart. Don't worry about this. As you soon as you'll start decreasing stitches the heart shape will come.

Good luck!

Valentine's Day :: Crocheted hearts tutorial - part 1

As promised yesterday, here's the Valentine's heart tutorial - part 1: a flat heart.

Needed: 1 crochet hook and some red yarn. I prefer cotton for this, but any yarn should work.

Stitches used and abbreviations:

cs = chain stitch
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
slst = slip stitch
st = stitch

Pattern:

row 1: cs 5 and make a loop with a slst through the first cs

row 2: cs 3 (makes the first stitch of the row), dc 5 through the loop = 6 stitches

row 3: cs 3; * 1 dc in first stitch of previous row, increase by making 2 dc in underlying stitch previous row *; repeat * * once, 1 dc, 1 dc = 9 st

row 4: 3 cs; * 1 dc, 1 dc, increase 2 dc *, repeat * * once, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc = 12 st

row 5: 3 cs, * 1 dc *, repeat * * 4 more times, increase 2dc, repeat * * 5 more times, 1 dc = 14 st

row 6: 3 cs, * 1 dc *, repeat * * 4 more times, + 1 sc +, repeat + + 3 more times, repeat * * 4 times, 1 dc = 15 st

row 7: 1 sc, * 1 sc, 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 sc, 1 sc *, 1 slst, 1slst, repeat * * backwards, 1 sc, 1 slst - cut off yarn and pull end through loop to bind off. And done!


When you think this is complicated try to read it out loud - now, that's complicated!! LOL!

And now I'm off to make another three dimensional heart, because, of course when I made the first one, I just went on and on instead of writing down everything I did... So, wish me good luck and then hopefully you'll find part 2 here tomorrow!

Sewing with kids

I mentioned it in one of my last posts of 2009: Santa brought the girls a real sewing machine - the Janome Sew Mini. At first I felt a little nervous about it. I wasn't sure they would like it. And given their young age (9 and 6), would it be easy enough to operate? I was a bit worried too - was I putting pressure on them to like the same thing I like to do: sewing? Turns out that I worried too much. They just love their little sewing machine, the best proof being the little projects they did.

So far, they each made a heat therapy cherry pit pillow. Big girl M. made the most gorgeous tote, big enough to fit a large sized book in it. And they both made a little linen pouch for their cousins, with their cousins' names embroidered on it - too bad I didn't have time to take pictures as these were REALLY cute. For all of these projects, all I did was provide the fabric, cut the fabric and put the pieces together ready to be stitched on the machine.



Since the bag turned out so lovely and is really easy to make, I decided I might as well provide you with some instructions. My first tutorial for 2010! It makes a nice beginner's project, not just for kids but for anyone who's new at sewing.

All you need is two rectangular pieces of fabric of 42 by 80 cm, one for the outside of the bag and one for lining the bag and some matching thread.

This is how it goes:

1. Cut the fabric - both the lining and outer fabric - as shown in the diagram. Next, fold the 10cm wide strip in half, lengthwise, and cut lengthwise at the fold so you obtain two 5 by 80cm strips. These will be used for the handles.



2. Starting with the outer fabric, fold the bigger piece in half, right sides facing and stitch the side seams. Repeat with the lining, but this time you leave a small opening in one of the side seams, for turning.

3. Take one of each fabrics long handle strips, place on top of each other right sides facing. Stitch both side seams. Attach a safety pin at one end, slip it inside and turn the obtained tube inside out - this makes a nice exercise in fine motor skills for kids. Remove the safety pin. Shape the handle and press flat with an iron (this should be done by an adult). Repeat with the other set of strips.

4. Turn the outer bag inside out, if you haven't done so already and pin the handles to the bag, such that the outer fabric of both the handle and bag is facing. Stitch into place, really close to the edge.



5. Pull the lining over the outer bag with the handles already attached, making sure the handles are squeezed inside, and such that the right side of the outer bag is facing the right side of the lining. Stitch the top seam, about 1.5cm from the edge.

6. Now, turn inside out the bag through the opening you left in the lining. Shape and press flat with an iron (adult!). Close the opening in the side seam of the lining and ... done!

I hope this is clear - if not just let me know!
Just a final note: if you plan on doing this project with kids, or any project on the sewing machine, do not leave them unattended while operating a sewing machine and make sure to keep the working area safe!

And now I'm off to dismantle and get rid of our Christmas tree!

Wishing you a fun first week of the new year!


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!

Last minute DIY gifts :: a Moleskine, decorated

Looking for a last minute stocking stuffer? Keep on reading then, as I might have something for you! This project is fast and easy. A Moleskine decorated with my "signature" squares.

All you need is a Moleskine note book, a small strip of leather (or felt or any other non-fraying material), a ruler and pencil, repositionable tape, glue and a sewing machine.

1. Cut three (or any number of) squares from the leather.
2. With a ruler and pencil measure and mark on the front cover where the squares should come, distributing them evenly.
3. Use the repositionable tape to secure them into place.
4. Draw a line on the tape through the center of the squares - this will be the line you'll be sewing along.
5. On your sewing machine, sew the squares into place, using a large stitch, starting at the very top, all the way down, to the bottom of the cover. (you might want to test on a piece of card stock of comparable thickness first, to determine the correct tension, if your machine doesn't do so automatically - mine unfortunately doesn't...)
6. Tie a double knot in the loose hanging thread ends. Before cutting the loose ends you can put a tiny droplet of white glue on the knot, to make sure it doesn't come loose (I use one end of a paperclip for this, where I've put a tiny bit of glue onto)
7. Depending on how neat the cover looks on the inside (tension!), you can "hide" the stitches with some masking tape and next glue the first page of the notebook to the cover, making use of a glue stick.
8. Finally, remove the repositionable tape from the front.

And that's all there is to it! A perfect stocking stuffer!
Something for daddy, maybe...?

Baker's twine :: fake it

Don't you just love baker's twine? I do! But it's so hard to find around here. I spent quite some time searching for it online, and I did find it but it get's outrageously expensive if you want to have it shipped to Europe. I also found some stores in Paris carrying it, but they charge a ridiculously high price as well, knowing it's hard to find.

That's when I decided to try to make it, with some embroidery floss. I just twisted two strands of embroidery floss and the result you can see in the picture. Not too bad, I believe. This method works ok if you don't need a lot of it, like for putting on gift tags or Christmas tree ornaments. And since embroidery floss comes in all colors and shades imaginable the color combinations are endless.

However, yesterday I mentioned to my mom I was looking for this. About half an hour later she called me (I was twisting embroidery floss at that very moment). She was at her local supermarket and guess what... she found baker's twine! Not just in red and white but in blue/white and green/white as well. To make sure we were talking about the same thing she even took a picture with her cell phone and sent it to me. And sure enough, it was exactly what I was looking for. I placed my order - a lifetime supply of baker's twine. This year, I believe Santa might bring me some baker's twine... Lucky me!

Now, in case you want to have a go at making your own, just cut two strands of embroidery floss of equal length. Make a loop at one end, big enough to fit around a doorknob or any other kind of knob of a fixed object. At the other end, make a smaller loop that fits around a pencil. Now, start twisting the floss by turning the pencil. From time to time, with your fingers, slide over the floss to make sure the twist is evenly distributed. When done, just wind around a piece of card board or a small spool... Et voilà!

For the baker's twine lovers amongst you, check out this. And Martha Stewart has some too.

Messenger bag :: a tutorial

Last Friday, I mentioned there possibly was a tutorial in the works for little H.'s bag. It's been tested now over the weekend and she loves it - and so do I!
So, here's a tutorial for a fancy ruffled messenger bag!

This bag sort of happened. The only requirements were it had to be a messenger bag and the strap needed to be adjustable. And it definitely needed frills of some sort as little H. is a girly girl. Hence, the ruffles. All I used was my imagination and some scissors. I didn't even bother to take out a ruler or measurement tape (well, I did - afterwards, in order to write the how-to). The rounded flap and matching strap "happened" as I went.

In case you want to give it a try, here's a short description. The measurements given are approximate and include seam allowance.

For this bag you'll need:

two sets of fabric, one for the outside of the bag, one for the lining, cut as follows:

in each fabric:
- a 65x30cm rectangle, for the body,
- another 30x25cm rectangle for the flap, (long end determines the height of the flap, while the short end determines the width of the flap. The latter should be slightly less than the width of your bag pieces)
- a 4x15cm rectangle for the loop,
- a 5x105cm strip for the strap.

lining only:
- a long strip measuring roughly 7x140cm, for the ruffles


Step 1: Body of the bag

Fold the fabric in two, pin the sides, and stitch the sides closed.
Next, in order to make the boxed corners at the bottom, fold open the corner so that the side seam matches up with the bottom fabric fold, pin and mark as shown in the picture, about 4cm from the side. Stitch on the line. Repeat with the other corner. Note: it's really important to have side seam and bottom fold coincide perfectly, in order to get perfect 90° corners.



Now repeat with the lining, but leaving an opening in one of the sideseams, for turning in the last step. You should end up with two bag pieces looking like this:




Step 2: Flap

2a. Take the flap and cut curvature going from the left hand side lower corner to the right hand side upper corner.



2b. Ruffles: Fold the strip in two and iron flat. Next, on your sewing machine sew two parallel seams in a not too small stitch. Knot the four thread ends at one end to secure. At the other end take the two upper threads and start pulling on them, while pushing the fabric down. Your fabric will start ruffling. Keep going until you've reached the desired length, being the length of the curved side of the flap.

2c. Pin the ruffles to the outer fabric, such that the ruffles face inward (see picture). Secure by stitching them together really close to the side.

2d. Put the lining on top of the outer fabric, right sides facing, sandwiching the ruffles inside. Pin and next stitch the seams all the way around except for at the top (for turning). Clip the corner, turn inside out, press flat with an iron. It will look like this:




Step 3: Loop and strap

3a. Put the two strips you cut for the loop on top of each other right sides facing and stitch together. Next, turn inside out and press flat.



3b. Do the same with the strips you cut for the strap. Note: As I wanted the strip to match with the rounded flap I cut a slight curve at one end.



Step 4: Putting the bag together

4a. Pin the flap to the outer bag right sides facing while making sure to have it perfectly in the middle of the back of your bag.



4b. Fold the strip for the loop in two and pin to the left side of the bag, right sides facing and having the loop face downwards (it will face up once the bag is turned in the last step).

4c. Pin the strap to the bag at the opposite side, right sides facing.

4d. Secure everything, by stitching close to the sides.



4e. Pin the lining to the outer bag, right sides facing, and keeping the flap, the loop and the strap sandwiched inside. Stitch closed, about 1cm from the edge.

4f. Turn the bag inside out, through the opening you left in the lining. Press all seams flat. Close the gap in the lining, pull the strap through the loop and tie a knot at the desired length... and done!





I hope I made myself clear, if not just let me know!

Good luck!

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!

Sew, Mama, Sew! 3rd Annual Handmade Holidays

I just had to let you know: Sew, Mama, Sew! is having a great series going on right now: The Handmade Holidays. Tutorial galore, lots of printables, plenty of prizes to win, and much, much more... So, if you want to be prepared and ready for the holidays, head over to Sew, Mama, Sew! now!

... and yes, one of my projects has been featured, which made at least one girl happy! Thank you Sew, Mama, Sew!

A new tutorial, at last ...

I'd been planning on this tutorial for quite a while, but somehow never came to it... But here it is at last!

Some of you might remember my linen shopping bag with my signature leather squares from a wile ago. You also might remember how I said I found an elegant way to line the bag and piece things together with no more seams than needed. No cutting and sewing of the handles separately with this bag!

It's quite possible it's been described elsewhere (and better) already. In that case I apologize. I didn't check, I didn't Google it - I just wanted to find out on my own. More than the sewing as such, I like to find out how things are made, how I can put things together in a simple, yet effective way. Sewing is a mental process to me. It's all about techniques, and seeing through whatever I try to make. That probably explains why I don't like to make the exact same thing twice. Also, I like things to be as minimal as possible. Whatever can be left out I leave out. So, I actually felt quite pleased with myself when I figured this one out.

But enough bla-bla - here, at last, finally, a little how-to for lining that bag, keeping it all in one piece...


You'll need:

- two types of fabric, one for the outer bag (in my case oatmeal colored linen - what else...?) and one for the lining
- thread, pins, safety pin...
- sewing machine
- iron


1. Pattern




This is a sketch of the upper part of the bag - just to give you an idea. Feel free to use it. Just print it with 0 margins to its full size and add a rectangular to obtain the full size bag pattern. Alternatively, you could trace a bag you already have (which is actually what I did to obtain this one).

2. Cutting the fabric

Cut out the pattern twice from each fabric, so you obtain four identical pieces.

3. Take one of each fabric and pin the handles together, right sides facing. Sew the curved parts, but leaving the handles open at the very top (so you sew the two side curves and the middle U-curve).


4. Make small cuts around the curved edges, perpendicularly to the seam. This will result in a smooth curved edge when turning the fabric.



5. Attach a safety pin to the top of one of the handles an turn it inside out by sliding the pin inwards.



Next, with an iron press flat, shaping the handle.



6. Using the safety pin again, insert the handle you just turned and pressed flat into the other handle making sure outer fabric is facing outer fabric, and lining is facing lining, like shown in the pictures, and pull it all the way up, through the handle, and out again.





7. Secure by stitching back and forth a couple of times.



Remove the safety pin and pull the handle out again. It should look like this.



With the iron, now press the other side as well. You'll get something which looks like this:



8. Repeat with the other set of fabric and lining.

9. Fold open each set and put both sets on top of each other, right sides facing and lining facing lining, outer fabric facing outer fabric. Stitch the side and bottom seams together now, but leaving a small opening in the lining somewhere to turn inside out. Sorry, I have no pictures of this part - I knew I forgot something... But I'm sure you can figure this one out!

10. Turn the bag inside out through the opening you left, shape and iron flat all seams. Close the opening in the lining... and done!



As you can tell from the picture, I finished my bag slightly differently than described in steps 9 and 10, in adding a rectangular (leather) bottom and making the bag slightly wider. The description does correspond however to the bag in my earlier post.
In terms of bag shape and size the possibilities are of course endless.
All I wanted to show with this tutorial, is how to line a bag in a very simple way. I hope I made myself somewhat clear. If not, let me know!

So now, I'm the happy owner of a new shopping bag, which matches last winter's boots perfectly.
I'm ready for the new season!


This post is dedicated to my grandmother. She was incredibly good at sewing and never sent me to the store without a shopping bag...


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

A new tutorial in the making....

I've been working on something today.
And the good news is: I love how it turned out!
The even better news is: I'll whip a tutorial together!
There are still a couple of pictures missing. But I think I should be able to have my act together by Monday the latest. So, make sure to come back. If you like tutorials, that is!

Also, there might be a little suprise next Wednesday...

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Cheers,

P.

A flower for my jacket

I used to have a favorite jeans jacket. I bought it many years ago from GAP. It had the perfect fit, the perfect color, the perfect everything. The kind of jacket I would wear on top of everything (except for a pair of jeans - somehow I don't like the look of denim on top of denim), on any occasion. But as I said - I used to have ... and I lost it. I'm still feeling miserable when I think of it. It happened on a trip to Brussels when I went to see my parents. I remember putting it on top of my weekend bag. And somehow, it must have slipped off on my way from the car to the front door, only to get noticed the next day. Gone favorite jacket... We looked everywhere. My mom even went to the lost and found at the local police station. But alas: no jacket...

Not only did I loose my absolutely favorite jacket ever, but also the very nice flower pin that was on it. A crocheted flower pin in soft vanilla and rusty orange tones, which I found here in Paris at Nice Day Nice Things.

It took me a while before I bought a replacement jacket. I checked at every GAP store around hoping to find the exact same one. I waited for the new collection to come in a couple of times. And after more than a year I decided it was time to move on and to buy just another jacket from whatever brand, which I eventually did. It's not as perfect as the lost one, however, far from. And until last weekend it didn't have a nice pin on it either. But it does have now!

The idea for making the flower pin came after reading the latest issue of Marie-Claire Idées which featured a fabric flower wall ornament (among lots of other really fun stuff). Instead of making the wall ornament, I used the template for a pin.

It's fairly easy to make, actually, even without the pattern. All you need to do is cut a flower twice from a piece of fabric. Sew the two layers together (I did it by hand) making sure to leave an opening for turning. Turn over, fill with some stuffing (I used wool roving which I still have plenty of from my needle felting phase, but any fiber fill will do). Top stitch the petals the way you like. You could even add some beads or sequins... Make the little heart by cutting out a circle from a different type of fabric and stuffing it too and sew it onto the flower. Since I didn't have a pin for the back (and it was Sunday, which means all shops closed) but plenty of buttons, instead I used a button of the same size as the button holes in my jacket. Et voilà! A nouveau flower pin for my jacket.

Now, if you're into flowers like me, make sure to check out "My Mama Made it", where you'll find not only a great flower pin tutorial, but many examples and lots of inspiration for garment alterations. That flower pin definitely is on my to do list! A girl likes to change, right?!

Note: It's hard to tell from the picture, but the fabric I used has oak leaves printed on it. In perfect sync with the season, I thought.
Just a matter of details, really...

Water bottle holder :: a tutorial...

Yesterday, it was back to school day for both of my girls. Slightly nervous and way too early we headed to school, their back packs full with their (new) school supplies. The sidewalks were crowded with parents and kids catching up again after not having seen each other for two months. All went well - they both ended up with their best friends in class and great teachers. I was really glad to see their happy faces when I picked them up from school and all the way back home the two of them were talking and talking enthusiastically about their first school day - little H. feeling all grown up now because she's started first grade and M. just grown up, because that's exactly what she is!

Back to school means school supplies and in M.'s case even more school supplies than we already took to school yesterday. She came home with another long list of things needed. It will be a busy year from what I see on that list! One of the things she'll be needing is a water bottle with bag, to hang the bottle from a hook at her desk. M. easy going as always just wanted to take a plastic bag. But I thought, I could do better: "Would you like me to sew you a water bottle holder?". "Are you sure, mommy? 'Cause I don't want to give you more work than you already have..." That's my sweet little girl! Always worried to ask for too much...

I didn't do any sewing for the entire summer (that is if I don't count the folding curtains I made - but that was a necessity rather than a fun project), and felt really happy about this new "assignment". Off I went to my sewing machine...

So, here's the water bottle holder for my little girl - made out of some linen (what else?!) I still had and some left over fabric from the folding curtains. Oh, and I used an old t-shirt of mine for the padding. I didn't intend on writing a tutorial at first so I didn't take any pictures of the in-between steps - something I really regretted this morning when I had another look at the finished product.

This project is rather simple, however. Therefore, I decided to just write down the steps so you can make a bottle holder of your own for school, for work or for the gym. Or you could use it as a comb and brush holder for the bathroom, I just came to realize, or as a kitchen utensils holder, pen holder, paint brushes holder...

This is what you'll need for this project:

- two pieces of fabric (outer fabric and lining)
- some cotton batting, or just a piece of an old t-shirt, the way I did
- thread, scissors, pins, sewing machine, iron...


1. On a piece of paper trace the circumference of your water bottle. Cut out. Next, measure height (H) and circumference (W) of the bottle and draw a rectangle measuring H by W on a piece of paper. Cut out.

2. Cut both pattern pieces out of each fabric, adding a 1cm seam allowance on all sides. From the outer fabric cut an additional strip of fabric measuring 10cm by 22cm, which you'll be needing for the loop. If you're planning on padding the holder, cut out an H by W piece from the t-shirt or batting, as well.

3. Optional: I top stitched the outer fabric with thread of different colors, stitching the outer fabric and padding together. I got the idea for the topstitching here and here (very nice projects - both of them!!). Make sure the two layers are pinned together really well so the bottom layer doesn't start shifting!

4. Sew the side seam of the outer fabric - do the same for the lining but leave a small opening half way (for turning the bottle holder, later). You have two tubes now.

5. Pin the circle to the bottom of the tube. To make this easier, what I usually do is fold the circle in half and mark the fold with my finger by going over it a couple of times and then fold it again, perpendicularly to the first fold. That way you obtain a circle divided in quarters. Do the same thing with the tube. These imaginary lines will help you to distribute the fabric of the circle evenly over the tubing fabric, by matching the folds on the circle with the folds on the tube. Use plenty of pins to keep everything together. Next, sew circle and tube together with your sewing machine. Do the same thing for the lining.

6. Loop: fold the strip lengthwise in half and press with an iron. Next fold each half lengthwise in half again by folding the selvages towards the first fold and press (the selvages are facing each other and the first fold now, sandwiched in the middle of the strip). If you don't get this, let me know! (There must be a better way to formulate this...) Now, sew the strip closed.
Note: you can also make a loop consisting out of two strips held together with a scratch closure, in order to hang the bottle holder from a stroller, shopping cart, ...

7. Pin both tubes together, right sides facing and sandwich the loop in between the two layers while doing so. Sew everything together.

8. Turn inside out through the side opening you left in the lining. Close the opening with a few stitches. Shape the bottle holder and press the top seam and loop flat.

Et voilà! Fini! A bottle holder or whatever-holder!
You know what? I really feel happy I wrote this down. I'm back on track!


Note: As always, let me know if something's not clear! I'm there to help!



The water bottle holder put to a different use... Just an example.
I think I might have to make some more...

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

Message Board: a tutorial - part two

Here's as promised part two of the message board tutorial.

This is what you'll need:

- a cork message board framed with wood - they come in several sizes and can be found in most crafts, office supplies or hardware stores. My message board measured 40cm x 60cm.
- fabric to cover the board with: roughly 60cm x 80cm (this is the size of the board + 10cm on all four sides - it's important to have enough "excess fabric" to make the pulling and stretching easy once covering the board)
- another rectangular piece of fabric for the pockets; in my case this was about 20-25cm x 60cm; roughly you'll need:

(the desired height of the pockets + 5cm) by (the width of your board + ((the overlap of the pockets times two) times the number of pockets) + seam allowance for both sides)

I know this looks a bit like a math equation... If this is not entirely clear to you right now, don't worry and just keep on reading - I'm sure you'll get what I mean later on!
- thread, pins, sewing machine
- metal hooks + screws; I used four of them
- a stapler
- a drill
- painter's tape or any other strong but re-positionable tape
- ruler + pencil




1. Seam the pockets: On the smaller piece of fabric, fold in the seam allowance of what will be the top of your pockets and pin with needles as shown in the picture. Next, sew on your sewing machine. Iron flat.




2. Fold the strip according to the width of the board, taking into account the number of pockets you want and the desired pocket size - the size of the overlap will determine the depth of your pocket. If you don't want "deep" pockets you can skip this step (note: in that case the width of your fabric strip should equal the width of your board + seam allowance on both sides, only). I did this step quite intuitively and just folded as I went, making sure, however, that every fold had the same size. I chose to have two deeper pockets and one flat pocket (see picture of the finished board, if this is not entirely clear). Fold in the seam allowances on the sides as well. Iron everything flat.




3. Place the now folded strip on what will be the cover of your message board - right sides together (!!) and such that the top seam of your pocket strip faces down - and the unfinished side about 3-4cm above what will be the bottom line of your board - keep in mind the hooks will be coming underneath, onto the wooden frame) . Secure with pins, as shown in the picture.



Sew, about 1cm from the side over the entire length. It will look like this:





4. Flip over the pocket strip so the right side faces up and such that the sewing line is about 1cm inside the pocket (this creates depth). Secure with needles. Also, mark where the dividing lines of your pockets should come. I used painter's tape for this purpose (see picture). Sew along the sides and sew the dividing lines with your sewing machine.



Done? Congratulations! You've just finished the sewing part!


5. Drill holes: With a pencil, mark on the bottom part of the frame where you want the hooks to come. Next, drill holes in the frame, but make sure to use a smaller diameter drill than the diameter of the screws you'll use (you don't want the screws to come out).




6. Covering the message board: Place your fabric (with the pockets sewn on already) over the message board. Make sure to position it well, taking into account fabric designs and pockets seams. Flip over and, with some painter's tape, attach to the back. Note: Unfortunately, I have no picture of this step - simply forgot to take one, busy as I was with the pulling and stretching...
Turn over again, to check for the tension of the fabric, and adjust by pulling and stretching the fabric as good as you can. You don't want any ripples. Don't worry too much about the corners yet. Also, check the pocket lines again as you want them to be perfectly straight. When satisfied, start securing with the stapler (just a couple on every side, but stay clear from the corners, for now). Keep on pulling that fabric as you go! And be careful with that stapler for hands and fingers!!
When sufficiently secured for the fabric not to move any more, start "packing" the corners - just the way you would do when wrapping a present. Use tape, and when satisfied staple. Now, you can add some more staples on all four the sides and corners.

7. Adding the hooks: With a pin or needle, start searching for the holes in the frame, which are now hidden under the fabric, and mark them with pencil. This shouldn't be to difficult as you know approximately where they are. Place a hook over the mark and screw it into place (through the fabric). Repeat for all 4 (or any number) of hooks.



And that's it!!

Now, for the perfectionists among you, you can finish off the board by cutting some of the excess fabric - you could even line the back. I did trim the excess in the back but didn't add the lining, not on this one...

I'm not sure all this is clear.
I hope it is. Let me know if not!

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

Message Board: a tutorial - part one

Last Thursday, I mentioned I would write down a tutorial for the message board I made for M.'s birthday. Well, I decided not to procrastinate on this one - better to write it down while it's still fresh in my mind.
So, here is part one: getting the fabric ready - if you want to paint your own design, that is.

You will need:

- a piece of fabric, slightly bigger than the message board you want to cover (read step 1 before cutting the fabric, though). In my case, the message board measured 40cm x 60cm, so I added 10cm on all four sides. Though this might seem like wasting a lot of fabric, you'll notice this will make things a lot easier near the end when you have to pull and stretch the fabric around the board.
- if you intend on making pockets the way I did, you'll need another strip of fabric of about 20-25cm x 60cm (change the dimensions according to the size of your board and depending on the orientation of the board)
- fabric paint
- stenciling brushes
- freezer paper or stencils
- painter's tape
- small recipients for the paint (one for every color)
- water and a cloth, just in case
- something to protect your working surface (I usually cut open a big size plastic trash bag for this purpose)

1. Wash the fabric - very annoying if you're of the impatient type like me, but a very important step. I did this before cutting my fabric, to avoid having to deal with shrinkage... It's very important you wash the fabric if you want to get the best results out of your paint. You need to get rid of all the residue from the production process still in the fabric and of any loose fibers. This will allow for the paint to adhere well to the fabric and to get absorbed. I used linen for my message board, and I can tell you there sure was a lot of loose fiber in there, telling from cleaning the filter of the dryer afterward. The fabric also felt much softer (do not use fabric softener, however!).
After washing, let the fabric dry (line dry or dryer - depending on how patient you are) and next iron it - you don't want any wrinkles! And finally, cut your fabric to size, if you didn't do so already.

2: Design your stencil. Since you have to wait anyway for the fabric in the washer/dryer to be ready, you can start on your design. I made a rough sketch on a piece of paper first. Transfer you design onto the freezer paper, which you cut to the size of your message board. If you don't want to waste your precious - and here, hard to find - freezer paper you can work with smaller pieces (but make sure you leave a big enough margin around your design to avoid unwanted spilling onto the fabric). In this case, however, use painter's tape to outline the size of your message board on the fabric. I'm an absolute beginner in terms of fabric design, so I kept the design really simple: ovals and circles. When out of inspiration for a design, I highly recommend Lotta Jansdotter's book, where you can not only find fun projects, but also some really cool yet simple designs in the back. When happy with your design cut out your shapes.


3. Iron the freezer paper onto the washed, dried and ironed fabric. Make sure the freezer paper adheres well at the edges of your design as you don't want the paint to leak underneath. This is exactly what happened with the striped fabric. For that one, I used Scotch-Blue painter's tape, which wasn't the best choice for this purpose (but it has proven to be a very useful product in many other projects of mine).

4. Painting your design: You're about ready to start painting! First, however, with some painter's tape, tape your fabric to your working surface - paint will leak through the fabric no matter what, and if you move your fabric around, you might end up with some nasty surprises - read: some unintended "designs" on your fabric. So, make sure your fabric stays put! Also, to avoid any disappointment, read the manufacturer's instructions on your paint first! Most fabric paints need to get heat set. I used Raphaël - Iden'ko fabric paint, and I'm actually very pleased with how it turned out. I know Dharma Trading Co. has a huge selection of fabric paint - I used to order Dyna-flow silk paint from them, but for this particular project I believe Jacquard would be a very good brand (we've used this one with M.'s preschool class, to make handprinted aprons for the teachers as an end-of-year gift, picture here)
Unlike when painting on paper, dab the paint onto the fabric, using small amounts of paint at a time - do not rub as this will loosen up the fibers (especially when painting on linen). Also, make sure the paint is well spread at the edges, in order to get a clear outline. When done painting, allow the paint to dry, leaving the freezer paper on the fabric until completely dry. (Note:I added this last sentence mainly for myself, as I wasn't patient enough to wait and so peeled the paper off way before the paint being dry - nothing happened, but anyway, waiting is better!!). If your paint needs to be heat set, iron the fabric on both sides or throw it in the dryer (check the instructions on your paint first, though!!).

And that's it for part one!
I'll have part two - assembling the message board - up hopefully by tomorrow!
Please, let me know if something's not clear or if you have questions or suggestions!