Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Quick and Easy Hand Sewn Upcycled Denim Storage Basket & Flowers

6:26 AM Gail @Purple Hues and Me Baskets, Denim, Recycle/Upcycle Crafts 52 comments

While getting a bag of old clothes together to donate, I had an aha moment when I came across a pair of denim jeans and remembered a couple of projects I could make out of them. I've been stuck in the house during this extremely cold, snowy and icy weather we're having looking for creative things to do. It's always fun to recycle/upcycle things we have around the house instead of giving them away, don't you think!

First off is the quick and easy hand sewn denim storage baskets made with just three seams.

All you have to do is cut off about twelve inches of the bottom portion legs.

Turn inside out.

Then hand stitch a seam about half inch from cut off edge with needle and thread.

Once done, pull open leg and match center seams together, flatten, creating a triangular shape and hand stitch across about two inches from pointed end. Stitch opposite side, making sure the triangles are even.

There you have it . . . just three seams!

Turn right side out . . .

and fold down outside hem. Ta Da!

Add embellishments, if you want!

Here's how to make denim flowers:

First, we need to make the denim stiff and fray free by brushing scraps with mod podge and allow to dry.

Next, cut out two circles and at least 32 free-hand petals to make two flowers.

Hot glue six petals onto denim circle.

Hot glue additional six petals on top between first layer and continue adding another layer of four petals. Using a thin pen or stick, roll petals under while pushing up. Cut a 1/4 inch wide strip about two inches long and roll up, gluing the ends. Hot glue to center of flower. Use your fingers to fluff up the petals.

Glue finished flower onto cuff of basket.

Now, enjoy using your denim storage baskets!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

Thursday, February 26, 2015

2015 Year of the Sheep Craft

10:44 AM Gail @Purple Hues and Me 36 comments

The Chinese New Year was celebrated last week and 2015 is the year of the sheep, goat and ram. The celebration started on the 19th and lasts for 15 days, ending with a Lantern Festival. There are so many interesting facts about the year of the sheep. People born under this Chinese zodiac sign are polite, shy, frank and honest, are highly creative focusing their energy on artistic hobbies. Their lucky colors include purple, red and brown. You might think that I am one of the sheep people, but I'm not. I am a rooster.

I love watching them. There's a farm a couple of miles from where we live and every time I drive pass it, I make a point of seeing if the sheep are out grazing. They seem so cute, fluffy and cuddly! Watching them inspired me to make these adorable stuffed sheep.

Isn't she precious!

And putting this together was so easy to do!

Here's how:

Start by right-click copying the pattern for the sheep and paste to Word. From there, you can adjust the size you want and trace the pieces onto faux fur and felt or fleece fabric.

1. Cut out the six pieces - one top, two ears, two face, and one body.
2. With right sides together hand or machine stitch around edge of face.
3. Once stitched, separate the center fabric and make a slit opening in back and turn inside out.
4. Stuff face with poly-fil.
5. Hand-stitch opening close.

6.   Insert needle and embroidery thread from the back to make eyes, positioning thread into a slanted line as pictured.

7.   Move the thread into a v shape and push needle through to the back in the same area.

8.    Continue pushing the needle in the same area, under the fabric for the other eye and make the v shape as before.

9.    Move the needle from the back down to the cheek dimples and pull through to the front and back again.

10. Fold the ears together and sew ends onto top of head.

11. Gather the body by weaving the needle and thread over and under.

12.  Pull the threads and fabric together leaving an opening to insert the stuffing.

13. Add stuffing half way to body leaving space.

14. Add decorative filler for weight (optional). add more stuffing for a round full look.

15.  Add more stuffing for a round full look and stitch opening close.

To complete the sheep:
        - Make running stitches in top to close and hot glue between ears.
        - Hot glue head to stitched area of body.
        - Use rouge or pink chalk dust to high-light dimples and inner ears.
        - Add bow embellishments.

I dipped the beige faux fabric in diluted black acrylic paint to make the black sheep on the left. The fabric became very rough with the watered down paint rubbings and dust smearing on my fingers and everywhere else for that matter. I don't recommend doing this.

The Year of the Sheep runs from February 19, 2015 to February 7, 2016.

Wouldn't this be a fun project to make with kids? Imagine the possibilities! Don’t ever be afraid to get creative or to try something new. From making simple birthday cards on Shutterfly, to sculpting clay from Michael’s, start small and work your way up if this is a new realm for you or your kids! You never know what idea will turn into a lasting keepsake for the house, or a nice gift for a loved one. These DIY sheep are easy enough that any of you can give it a try!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

Friday, February 20, 2015

Hand Laced Chalk Cloth & Jute Twine Tote Bag

4:09 PM Gail @Purple Hues and Me 14 comments

It's so cold outside that I'm staying indoors and shopping my stash to come up with things to make. A few years ago I saw a video where a craftsman made a leather bag primarily by lacing the main body and straps together through punched holes. Unfortunately, I didn't bookmark the video to give him credit and now I've been unable to locate it in my search. Since I don't have leather anyway I decided to use a piece of chalk cloth remnant leftover from when I made a chalk cloth table runner here.

You know how you can visualize something in your head but when you attempt to put it together, it doesn't quite go as you planned. This might be the project that almost got scrapped. I thought using chalk cloth to make a no-sew bag a terrific idea. Chalkboard this and chalkboard that are very popular and trendy right now. And when I did a google search I found just a "lunch" bag tutorial using the material. Now I know why. But I want you to be the judge of this project . . . as always. No sewing was involved and I liked that!

Materials Used:

Chalk cloth
Jute twine
Ruler
Hole punch
Scissors
Chalk
Mode podge

Instructions:

Cutout the following from chalk cloth
Main body - 12"x27"
Side gussets (2) - 12"x6"
Handles (2) - 44"x2"
Jute twine - Lacing handles (4) 36", Gussets (2) 36"

The surface of the chalk cloth must be primed before writing on the cloth by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk over the entire surface from top to bottom and side to side. Next, take a soft cloth to wipe off the chalk. The fabric is now ready to write on.

Main body:
Punch 26 holes one inch from the sides of the chalk cloth and one inch from the top edge of the main body piece on each side.

Gussets:
Punch eleven holes on each side of the gussets and four holes on the bottom, 1/2 inch from the sides and 1 inch from the top edge.
For a better fit, round off the bottom edges of the gussets.

Straps:
Punch six holes on each side of the straps, 1/2" from edge, lining up with the holes on the main body. Round off ends of straps as pictured.

Jute twine:
Wrapping straps:
Place a drop of glue two inches on the wrong side of chalk cloth from the last holes and place twine inside and close. Begin wrapping twine around the chalk cloth strap pressing the cloth together as you wrap . . .

until you reach two inches from the holes on the opposite end. Glue as before.

Next, saturate the ends of the twine (cut to apply handles & main body) with mod podge and let dry. The stiff ends wrapped with clear tape will make it easy to lace through the holes.

Position handles on the main body of chalk cloth two inches from edge and 7 1/2 inches down from top edge lining holes up with the main body holes. Starting at the back bottom, push ends of twine through holes, crisscrossing the twine as you go up. Reaching the top, tie off excess twine and insert ends into crossed twine. Repeat for both sides, front and back, lacing on both handles.

Adding Gussets:

*Gussets should be placed on the inside next to the main body, but after lacing them, there was too much cloth showing (wrong side) and bulking on the bottom so I laced them on the outside of the main body which looked a bit better.

Match up the holes on the gusset with the ones on the main body and start lacing at the top hole going in and out of the holes, all the way around.

Finish lacing the gusset to the main body by tying off the twine and inserting the ends into some of the inside loops.

Have fun writing on the chalk cloth bag:

What do you think?

I need to find some real leather, suede or pleather and make more!

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Valentine 3D Heart Within A Heart

4:00 PM Gail @Purple Hues and Me 20 comments

Thinking about a quick and easy way to decorate for Valentine's . . . one that's different and catches the eye of your loved ones? How about making a hanging 3D heart within a heart?

Materials needed:

cardboard
glittered cardstock
pencil
scissors
glue stick
decorative beads
twine

All you have to do is:

Draw two 1/2 heart images (smaller heart in center) on a 5 1/2"x8 1/2" cardboard and cut out.

Fold six or more* - 8 1/2"x11" sheets of glittered cardstock in half and using the cutout cardboard heart image, draw the hearts on the plain side of the cardstock, on the folded edge and cut out. Make sure all the edges match perfectly. * You can cut out as many as twelve hearts for a nice full, twirly look. Also, save the middle hearts, glue together same way for cute little ornaments!