Saturday, January 28, 2023

Upcycled Bamboo Placemat Crafts


Hey, it's time for another "Do Over" project - the first for the new year! For this craft, I'm almost too embarrassed to show you how quick and easy it is to update a plain clear glass cylinder vase! It only takes a few minutes to add an adorable bamboo covering from - you guessed it - an old bamboo placemat I've had for years! Plus, as a bonus craft - a lovely DIY frame made with the leftover bamboo slats!

Welcome to our first "Do It Over Designers" projects for the new year! In case you didn't know, the Do It Over Designers is a group of talented bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/DIY, hosted by Anne @The Apple Street Cottage. It happens the 4th Saturday of every other month and it's all about taking something old and/or unused and 'doing it over' into something new. Anything from fabric, old dishes, and decor to dressers and hutches. Items found in closets, cabinets, barns, garages, yard sales, thrift stores, you name it! I hope you'll visit all the super creative bloggers to see their amazing "do over" projects.  The list of participants are at the end of this post.            
 

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Woven Heart Shaped Box


 This adorable woven heart shaped box is a very versatile container for Valentine treats! And when that special day is long gone, use it to store your what-nots and what-evers! And the best part about creating this lovely heart shaped box, you probably have everything in your craft supplies to make it, like I did! Plus it's a great project to do during those dark and chilly days of winter!

Welcome to our very first Creative Craft Hop of the new year, hosted by Sara @ Birdz of a Feather!  

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

DIY Assorted Valentine Crafts

     

It's always fun making your very own handmade Valentine's Day crafts! It's a great way to show off your creativity to the ones you love!  So gather up your craft supplies and be inspired to get crafting by checking out some of my Valentine projects I've made throughout the years. From an assortment of treats - jewelry and decor - you will surely be energized to create!

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Recycled NoSew Pillow Teapot Cozy

 

Welcome to the first ever Sustainable Craft Challenge of 2023 hosted by Julie @ Sum of Their Stories


For this challenge, it's all about sustainable crafting! Each month is themed and all projects must have some sort of a sustainable element to them. This could be an upcycling or recycling element, or something that reduces waste, uses leftovers etc. Our fearless leader, Julie was giving us themes for the entire year and I became amused at some of them, so I started teasing her about what she meant! I don't know if she really thought it was funny or just going along with me but she gave me my idea for this month's theme of "WARM." Actually, her first theme was "COSY!" And for some silly reason, I had a bit of fun with it! I knew it was a UK word meaning warm and snuggly, but I didn't let on. Julie was truly a good sport about my teasing!

Anyway, cosy is also a term for a teapot cover. And it just so happen that my hubby had given me a teapot set for Christmas! Yes, I drink hot tea every morning! So my project for this months' challenge was to make a cover for my gifted teapot to help keep my tea warm!




Materials:

  • Fabric from a decorative pillow
  • Batting
  • Printer paper/poster board
  • Teapot Cozy template 
  • Fabr-Tac Fabric Glue
  • Seam Ripper/Ruler/pencil/scissors
  • Fat quarter fabric for lining
  • Clamps

This is truly an upcycle project, using the fabric from a decorative pillow I no longer use.
I opened one end pf the decorative pillow using a seam ripper and removed the stuffing from the pillow and turned the pillow inside out.
The inside fabric was covered with a thin lining which I kept on the fabric. 


Next, I measured the teapot and drew an outline of the teapot using printer paper and then .  .  .

cut out and drew a template on posterboard.

I cut out the posterboard template and drew the pattern onto the pillow fabric to cut out. I pinned the lining onto the fabric to keep it all together before cutting.

Then laid it on top of the batting to cut out. The batting helps to keep the teapot insulated and warm.


Cutting out two pieces of batting to line each side of the cozy cover.

Next, laid out the fat quarter fabric for the lining .  .  .
Cutting out two pieces of fat quarter fabric for the lining.
Next, cut off about a 1/4" from the edge of the batting to be able to glue the edges of the pillow cover and lining together.


Assembled the lining, batting and cozy cover to begin gluing them together .  .  .
a little bit at a time.
gluing together one side for the back and .  .  .


one side for the front.

Once the two sides were glued together separately, it was time to glue the front and back of the cozy together. Putting right sides together, slowly adding glue to the edges and then clamping the edges together to dry.

I left an opening at the top to add a loop made from the pillow cording.

Once the glue was thoroughly dry, turned the teapot cozy inside out to the right side.
After smoothing the cozy cover out, made a loop and dipped the ends in fabric glue. Then inserted the ends into the opening at the top and clamped the loop until dry. A loop at the top make the cozy easier to remove from the teapot.

And finally, hemmed the covers and lining and glue the two edges together for a finished look!


And this is how the cozy cover looks on the teapot. It's a snug fit as it hugs the teapot closely! Perhaps I should have added a inch or two more.
But I love how it looks. Now, for a cup of tea!

Be sure to stop by all the participants listed below for this month's "Warm" crafts:

Julie | Sum of Their Stories | Swiss Darn Sained Sweater Makeover


T'onna | Sew Crafty Crochet | The Wednesday Inspired Snood

Vicky | Vicky Myers Creations | Super Cozy Fleece Hot Water Bottle Carrier

Mel | Decor Craft Design | DIY Warm Spices Gift Jar

Julie | Treasures Made From Yarn | Cozy Neck Cowl

Gail | Purple Hues and Me | Recycled NoSew Pillow Teapot Cozy 

Niki | Life As a Leo Wife | Winter Door Hanger Without a Cricut