All About Decorative Stitches + Project. Maddie Kertay from Domestic Anarchy is back! She shared the Sweet Dreams Nap Mat in our Back to School series, and today she fills us in on the worlds of possibility in all of those decorative stitches you might just have on your sewing machine. Learn more about Maddie in her introduction, and be sure to stop by Domestic Anarchy where she writes about her “obsessive love of sewing and crafting” and how to homeschool several kids while working from home, all while keeping sane and happy! Today even the simplest mechanical sewing machine comes with at least a few decorative stitches built in; these are sometimes erroneously called “embroidery stitches.” These fancy stitches might include a nice blanket stitch or perhaps even a scallop or honeycomb stitch.
More expensive machines come with perhaps 60 or more such stitches and possibly even multiple width options depending on the features included. You will need: Start by marking the fabric with a circle a bit bigger than your hoop size. Messenger bag. 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. In case you want to give it a try, here's a short description. 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.
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. Step 2: Flap 2a. 2b. 2c. 2d. How to make boxes from paint swatches. If you've got paint chips sitting around begging to be made into something, try folding them into boxes for paperclips, thumbtacks, party favor candies, or tiny gifts. I made these from Behr swatches, available at Home Depot. You'll need paint swatches, double-stick tape, an X-acto knife, ruler, and cutting mat. For the box bottom, cut a 1/2" strip off each of the two rounded ends of the swatch.
You should be left with a 5" x 5" square. The box lid is constructed the same way. Fold each sheet on the scored lines, bending flaps inward and securing them with double-stick tape. Ribbon Watchband. Plantable Seeded Paper Flowers. DIY: envelopes. Any kind of paper you like (I've used an old poster, kraft paper, neon paper, a page from a Japanese kid's book, magazine pages, newspaper, scraps of wallpaper, maps, and wrapping paper) ruler (optional for folding) Take the old boring envelope and unfold it by lifting the glued corners apart.
Be very careful not to rip any of the edges. This now becomes your pattern. Place the unfolded envelope pattern flat down on your paper and carefully trace around it. Cut out the shape by following your trace lines. Use the envelope template as a guide to where you should glue or tape the new pretty envelope closed and you're done! {examples and ideas} On simple kraft paper like this, you can add interest by closing it up with masking tape. You can also get creative with how you cut the edges. You can also glue/tape your envelope shut any way you'd like to once you've cut it out. And you can fold patterned paper backwards so the pattern is a pretty surprise on the inside once it's opened again. {also} Tutorial: Summer Time Chime. My husband set aside a few days last week to clean the garage. He's a truly great man. Had you seen our garage before the clean-up you'd think so too. It was a colossal mess before he swooped in. He wrangled that eyesore into shape, and while he was at it, he managed to dig up a few goodies, namely a few old stakes of bamboo that were still in decent shape.
Now I know how clever you are. Tutorial: Summer Time Chime You will need: A bamboo stake or twoA stick (like, from a tree)A drill with small drill bitA handsaw (I tried the miter saw but it shredded the ends of the bamboo so I used a handsaw which worked like a dream.)StringNeedleAcrylic paints and paintbrushSharpieVarnish Using a handsaw, cut up your bamboo into progressively longer pieces. Paint 'em! Drill holes every 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) in the stick to accomodate the string hangers. Now drill holes through one end of each bamboo piece as well.
Use a large needle to facilitate the stringing process. And that, as they say, is that! Twiggy Christmas Trees in July! I wish you a Merry Christmas in July! Sing it with me! Are you singing? I can't hear youuuuu! And a Happy New... um... cough...er... Lovely. Let's make some trees, man. Tutorial: Twiggy Christmas Trees You will need: a few twigshandsawdrill with small bitribbonscissorslarge needlesandpaperliquid acrylic paints (optional) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
See? But you may like it "au naturel" if that's the sort of thing you go for... Me?... Merry Christmas in July! Edited to Add: Visit Be Different Act Normal today!