Works in progress:
Mosaic and tile side table
Sunhat
Embroidery project
What's been holding up the posts:
It's summer and we are outside more
Doing home reno stuff instead
Decided to make a craft-supply filled closet into an emergency closet, which required a weeklong craft room clean.
Other stuff for readers to check out instead:
Edmonton's Reuse Centre. This place is cool. There are buckets of yarn, fabric, egg cartons and all kinds of things and you can take a bagful or a carful for only 2$. Guess who's getting a membership? I also unloaded things like sewing thread bobbins, old CDs and baby food jars.
Weeds. My new favourite show. Smart and funny. Third season starts next month.
The Dragonmobile on Craftster.
The Harry Potter Challenge on Instructables.
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Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Banner Tutorial
Stitch. Rip. Repeat has a banner tutoral on her site: Sew a festive banner. I have been meaning to make a Happy Birthday banner for parties.
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Thursday, December 07, 2006
Can't Afford a Christmas Village?
Make your own! The fun part about this is that the kids can help decorate the houses too. I've been saving boxes and for mine I want to cut windows and put tissue paper in them with lights inside and use evergreen branches as little trees. Click link for instructions with templates. If I get mine done I'll post a picture.
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Thursday, November 23, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
It's Official. I'm Starting the Holiday Craft Posts.
We celebrate Christmas (sort of, in a non-religious, trying to be non-commercial-or-materialistic way) so I am now starting the holiday posts.
I am trying to avoid wrapping paper this year as much as I can, so I'll start off with these Santa sacks I saw on hgtv.com. It would be neat to make the santa face an ornament that could be hung on the tree after. Click to go to their site for directions.
I am trying to avoid wrapping paper this year as much as I can, so I'll start off with these Santa sacks I saw on hgtv.com. It would be neat to make the santa face an ornament that could be hung on the tree after. Click to go to their site for directions.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Bib Tutorial
Materials:
Front material (I used a piece of embroidery)
Padding- preferably something absorbent like terrycloth
Back material
Bias tape
Needle and thread or sewing machine
If you are using a piece of embroidery wash it first
Cut out a paper pattern for the size you want your bib to be. I just made one up but you can probably find patterns online or trace a bib you already have.
Pin your paper pattern to the front material, cut it out and then pin and cut out a piece for the padding and the back material.
Here I already cut out the front and padding, and am about to cut some green fleece for backing.
Pin together all 3 layers with the "good" sides of your front and backing together
Sew around the sides and bottom, leaving the neck part open
Turn inside out and pin your bias tape along the neck piece, with long ends extending on both sides to tie around the neck. Sew along length of bias tape, making sure you are sewing through all 3 layers and both sides of the bias tape.
Things I learned making this tutorial:
- don't use a piece of embroidery that took you two weeks to finish when first attempting a project where you are making up directions as you go along.
- fleece and terrycloth makes the bib a bit too thick, better to use just fleece or terrycloth with cotton on the back.
- when using a piece of embroidery it's better to have some fabric framing the piece instead of a close seam as it will look nicer.
Front material (I used a piece of embroidery)
Padding- preferably something absorbent like terrycloth
Back material
Bias tape
Needle and thread or sewing machine
If you are using a piece of embroidery wash it first
Cut out a paper pattern for the size you want your bib to be. I just made one up but you can probably find patterns online or trace a bib you already have.
Pin your paper pattern to the front material, cut it out and then pin and cut out a piece for the padding and the back material.
Here I already cut out the front and padding, and am about to cut some green fleece for backing.
Pin together all 3 layers with the "good" sides of your front and backing together
Sew around the sides and bottom, leaving the neck part open
Turn inside out and pin your bias tape along the neck piece, with long ends extending on both sides to tie around the neck. Sew along length of bias tape, making sure you are sewing through all 3 layers and both sides of the bias tape.
Things I learned making this tutorial:
- don't use a piece of embroidery that took you two weeks to finish when first attempting a project where you are making up directions as you go along.
- fleece and terrycloth makes the bib a bit too thick, better to use just fleece or terrycloth with cotton on the back.
- when using a piece of embroidery it's better to have some fabric framing the piece instead of a close seam as it will look nicer.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Monday, August 14, 2006
Embroidery Tutorial
Time:
Approximately 90 minutes for this design
Materials:
-Onesie or item to be embroidered
-needle
-embroidery thread
-hoop (optional)
-design
-iron-on transfer pencil
-iron
Instructions
Step One: Draw or print your design. I drew one but online clipart can be a good source of designs as well. Some people also trace photos to make their designs
Step Two: Create your transfer pattern.
Transfer pencil- you can buy these at craft or sewing stores and they are inexpensive.
You can directly trace your pattern or you can make a mirror image if you don't want the image to be flipped when you iron it on. I made a mirror image so "harry" wasn't backwards when I ironed it on.
My original design and the transfer pencil mirrored image:
Step Three: Iron on Your Transfer- Pin the design, transfer side down. Use a hot iron (wool setting) but no steam. Lift up a corner occasionally to check your progress. If it isn't marking as clearly as you would like, go over it with the iron a little longer. Be careful not to scorch your fabric.
Me peeking to make sure my transfer is copied
Step Four (Optional): Place item into an embroidery hoop to keep fabric tight for stitching. I did needlework for years without using hoops but some people find it easier to use them.
Remember to only put the front part of the onesie in the hoop so you aren't sewing the front and back together (it's been done. I've also sewed things onto my pants accidentally. I'm so cool that way).
Step Five: Thread Your Needle
Embroidery needles have elongated eyes (the hole in the top of the needle). You could use a regular sewing needle but they are harder to thread with embroidery floss.
Embroidery floss comes in six strands. The standard is to use two strands for embroidery and cross-stitch. For daintier work, use one strand and more a thicker look use three or more. Cut a length of thread and separate the strands. Tip: if you hold the end of the threads you can pull them apart more easily, or just remove one thread at a time to prevent tangles.
The thread is numbered for kits or fancy patterns. For this kind of embroidery just use whatever colours you like. In a pinch or for fun you can substitute other threads instead of embroidery floss. I pulled apart a cloth napkin once when I ran out of white thread for a project and used the threads for embroidery. In this project I also pulled apart some yarn and used that for Harry's hair.
In embroidery you usually don't knot your thread but since I want to throw this onesie into the wash I knotted the end of my thread.
Step Six: Stitching
I began with a basic backstitch for Harry's face.
At the end I want another knot to make sure my thread isn't going to come out in the wash. To make a knot at the end it's easiest to go under a stitch or two you've done and then go through the loop to secure it to the fabric.
Twenty minutes after I started stitching I have this- Harry's face, mouth and scar
I wanted Harry's wand and glasses to be thicker so I used three threads instead of two and I did a split stitch
I did an algerian eye stitch in metallic thread for the tip of the wand.
I wanted his hair to be textured so I used threads I pulled from yarn. Harry's hair
Step Seven: Wash the onesie to remove the transfer pencil.
Ta-da!!
Approximately 90 minutes for this design
Materials:
-Onesie or item to be embroidered
-needle
-embroidery thread
-hoop (optional)
-design
-iron-on transfer pencil
-iron
Instructions
Step One: Draw or print your design. I drew one but online clipart can be a good source of designs as well. Some people also trace photos to make their designs
Step Two: Create your transfer pattern.
Transfer pencil- you can buy these at craft or sewing stores and they are inexpensive.
You can directly trace your pattern or you can make a mirror image if you don't want the image to be flipped when you iron it on. I made a mirror image so "harry" wasn't backwards when I ironed it on.
My original design and the transfer pencil mirrored image:
Step Three: Iron on Your Transfer- Pin the design, transfer side down. Use a hot iron (wool setting) but no steam. Lift up a corner occasionally to check your progress. If it isn't marking as clearly as you would like, go over it with the iron a little longer. Be careful not to scorch your fabric.
Me peeking to make sure my transfer is copied
Step Four (Optional): Place item into an embroidery hoop to keep fabric tight for stitching. I did needlework for years without using hoops but some people find it easier to use them.
Remember to only put the front part of the onesie in the hoop so you aren't sewing the front and back together (it's been done. I've also sewed things onto my pants accidentally. I'm so cool that way).
Step Five: Thread Your Needle
Embroidery needles have elongated eyes (the hole in the top of the needle). You could use a regular sewing needle but they are harder to thread with embroidery floss.
Embroidery floss comes in six strands. The standard is to use two strands for embroidery and cross-stitch. For daintier work, use one strand and more a thicker look use three or more. Cut a length of thread and separate the strands. Tip: if you hold the end of the threads you can pull them apart more easily, or just remove one thread at a time to prevent tangles.
The thread is numbered for kits or fancy patterns. For this kind of embroidery just use whatever colours you like. In a pinch or for fun you can substitute other threads instead of embroidery floss. I pulled apart a cloth napkin once when I ran out of white thread for a project and used the threads for embroidery. In this project I also pulled apart some yarn and used that for Harry's hair.
In embroidery you usually don't knot your thread but since I want to throw this onesie into the wash I knotted the end of my thread.
Step Six: Stitching
I began with a basic backstitch for Harry's face.
At the end I want another knot to make sure my thread isn't going to come out in the wash. To make a knot at the end it's easiest to go under a stitch or two you've done and then go through the loop to secure it to the fabric.
Twenty minutes after I started stitching I have this- Harry's face, mouth and scar
I wanted Harry's wand and glasses to be thicker so I used three threads instead of two and I did a split stitch
I did an algerian eye stitch in metallic thread for the tip of the wand.
I wanted his hair to be textured so I used threads I pulled from yarn. Harry's hair
Step Seven: Wash the onesie to remove the transfer pencil.
Ta-da!!
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