How to Alter Colour of Black and White Handprints

One of my most precious momentos from our time with Mila are her hand and footprints, I have created a variety of things using her handprints, such as these ornaments, but I really wanted to be able to have colour versions of her handprints.

This tutorial uses wiidely available basic software and is intended as a guide for those who do not have the relevant experience to use Photoshop, Illustrator or similar software.  There are no doubt many other ways of altering the colour of your child’s black and white handprint, if you know someone who is a graphic designer they may be able to help you do this in a different way.  I use Firefox as my browser, and Windows operating system; this uses the website StencilGram (version as at 18 June 2015).

Follow these simple steps to alter the colour of your child's handprint ...

Remembrance Book Bag Tutorial

This article appeared in a recent edition of the Sands Auckland Central 'Expressions' magazine. 
 

We received remembrance art from Melody Art & Designs and I wanted to do something other than just have it on our wall.  This is one of the things I have done with it – a very simple remembrance book bag.  My finished bag measures approximately 28cm wide x 34cm long.

You will need:

• ½ metre outer fabric (white or light-coloured, 100% cotton -I used bleached calico)
• ½ metre lining fabric (I used different fabrics for lining and straps, but can just use the same fabric for both)
• Electronic remembrance art image
• Iron-on T-shirt transfer paper (I used Avery T-Shirt Transfer Paper from Warehouse Stationery)
• Sewing machine
• Basic sewing supplies (needle, matching thread, scissors, etc). 

What to do:

1.  Print the remembrance art onto the T-Shirt Transfer paper, remembering to print as a mirror image.  Set aside to dry.

2.  Cut the following from both your outer fabric and lining fabric:

·         One 70cm x 30cm piece (for the bag)

·         Two 70cm x 5cm piece (for the straps)

3.  Fold outer bag piece in half right-sides-together, pin and sew along the sides using a 1cm seam allowance.  Repeat for lining bag piece.  Press seams open.

4.  Form a 90^o angle at the base of each seam of the outer bag, so that the seam is running at 45^o angle (take a look at the photo below).  We will be making a gusset by stitching perpendicular to the seam.  Mark 4cm in on each side of the point then stitch across to form a triangle.  Back stitch for extra strength.  Cut off the triangle.  Repeat for both side seams of the outer and the lining.

 The base corners of your outer and lining will now look like this

5.  Turn top raw edge of outer 1cm over to the wrong side of fabric to create a hem and press.  Repeat for lining.

6.  Take one outer strap piece and one lining strap piece and place right sides together.  Pin and sew along each long side using 5mm seam allowance.  Turn right side out (using a chopstick or wooden spoon handle can help).  Press straps flat and topstitch along each edge.  Mark 2cm in from each end of the straps with tailor’s chalk.

7.  Turn outer bag right side out.  Place lining inside outer, matching seams and lining up the pressed hem.  Pin together.  Take one strap and pin strap between outer bag and lining, so the edge of the strap is 4cm in from side seam, the other end of the strap should be 4cm in from the other side seam.  Line up the 2cm line drawn in step 6 with the top of the bag (see photo below).  Starting at one seam, stitch all the way around top of the bag, backstitching at start and end.

8.  Reinforce strap attachment point.  I do this by sewing a square with an X as in the photo below.

 

9.  Trim remembrance art to remove excess white space.  Follow manufacturer’s directions to transfer image to the front of the bag.

You’re finished!  Now fill it with books and wear it with pride – show the world that your baby counts.

 

Linking up with:

Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF hosted this week at Quokka Quilts
Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts 

Handprint ornaments - a Tutorial

I wrote this tutorial, for Christmas ornaments using baby's handprints, for a recent edition of the Sands Auckland Central Expressions Magazine.

Our daughter’s fourth anniversary is coming up and I wanted to make something to give to our family when we celebrate her day, so I made some Christmas ornaments that have her handprint on the front and some bright fabric on the back.  I felt a real connection to Mila while I was making these; when I was holding a finished one in my hand I felt like I was holding Mila’s hand again.

Although I’ve called them Christmas ornaments there’s no reason why they couldn’t be on display all year-round!

To make some of your own you will need:

• Scrap fabric – you will need some white/light coloured fabric for the handprint side of the ornament, as well as brightly coloured scraps for the back. I used calico for the handprint side.
• Scanned image of handprint (or footprint)
• Iron-on T-shirt transfer paper (I used Avery T-Shirt Transfer Paper from Warehouse Stationery)
• Hobby fill
• Ribbon (I used 15cm lengths for each ornament)
• Basic sewing supplies (needle, thread, scissors, etc).  You don’t need a sewing machine if you’re happy to hand-sew.

1. Print the handprints onto the T-Shirt Transfer paper, remembering to print as a mirror image.  I was able to get 12 handprints onto one A4 sheet.  Cut around each handprint.

2. Make a pattern by drawing a very rough outline of the print, about 1.5 - 2 cm wider all around, this will give you a 1cm seam allowance and white space around the handprint.  (The size will depend on the size of your baby’s handprint, the pattern I used for Mila’s handprint is included at the end of this tutorial, and includes markers for ribbon placement and seams.)

3. Using the pattern, cut out one piece from the light coloured fabric (with the template face up) and one piece out of brightly coloured fabric (with the template face down).
Iron the handprint onto the light coloured fabric, following the manufacturer’s direction.

4. Fold ribbon in half and pin to the right side of the back piece, with the ends of the ribbon at the centre top, and the ribbon hanging down (see photo below).  Sew ribbon to back piece, sewing as close to the edge as possible (within the 1cm seam allowance).

5. Place back piece on top of front piece, right sides together, and sew around the edge leaving a 1.5cm - 2cm hole (you need to be able to fit your finger through the hole).

6. Turn the ornament right side out by reaching in through the hole and pulling out the ribbon (see photo below).  Press (don’t iron directly onto the print).

7. Fill with hobby fill to the desired thickness and hand-sew the turning hole.  Yay – you’re finished!  The finished size will depend on how big your baby’s handprints are; my ornaments ended up being approximately 5cm x 6cm.

Pattern for Mila’s handprint ornament: