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 ...

Scraps 101 - Be Scrap-ful! (with Serena from Sewgiving)

Hello everyone!  I'm Serena from Sewgiving and I have a confession to make ...

Recently I was contacted by Sarah to see if I would like to contribute to her Scraps 101 Challenge.  I said "Yes" immediately and then sat back and thought to myself - oops I don't have any scraps.  You see, when I finish a project, I, Serena of Sewgiving THROW MY SCRAPS OUT - uuuuuuugh! sharp intake of air from the ENTIRE quilting community.  That's right, this little girl from nothing has grown into a wasteful creature.  I don't like clutter and, well, to me scraps are clutter.  But from reading everyone's blogs I can see that whilst they are the most common cause of storage issues, they are also little rough diamonds just waiting to be polished up and played with.

I usually only buy enough fabric for the job at hand and I.DON'T.HAVE.A.STASH ... are you still with me or have you fainted?

The only scraps or cut-offs that I do keep are the little triangles that are the result of when you trim your binding pieces after joining the strips.  I was hoping to make my future grandchild a baby quilt out of them.  It's going to take a lot of saving, but with daughter's only aged 2 and 3, I've got plenty of time to save!

So without further ado (and because I have no other scraps to speak of) I shall dive into my treasured lot of triangles and prettify my new daggy 2014 diary ... ugly, isn't it?!

I started by pairing solid and patterned triangles together to see how big (or teeny, weeny small!) they would end up.

Then I measured my diary to see how many I would need to sew together to cover the diary.
I added a seam allowance of 1/4" to the final measurements and figured that I would need to add a small strip of fabric to the bottom to round things up.

I have a few layer cake pieces of Aneela Hoey's Posy range left from a recent baby quilt make, so I used these to make the final pieces of the cover.  You see, I'm getting the hang of this scrap business already!

I needed two pockets on the inside of the diary cover for the diary to slip into.  To one side of each pocket I folded and ironed 1/4" twice then top stitched for a neat finish.

I cut a piece of the text print, for the lining, to match the size of the HST front panel.

Now the diary cover needed a bit of substance added to it, so I used a bit of quilt wadding left over from my last quilt (I'm feeling more thrifty by the minute!) and quilted the front HST panel.

After trimming up my newly quilted front panel, I sewed the stripe pockets to the text lining (wrong side of stripe fabric to right side of text fabric) to complete the inside panel.

I then sewed the two panels together (right sides together) leaving a small opening at the bottom so that I could turn it out.

I then pinned and ironed the opening closed and top stitched to finish.

And there we have it.  One scrap-o-licious diary cover for 2014!

Scraps 101 has been such a wonderful series to follow so far and I'm pleased that I've been able to contribute a little to it.  If anything, it has taught me to be more aware of what little pieces of treasure I could be throwing out ... I shall be more grateful or scrap-ful in future!

Thanks for having me Sarah!

Serena xx

Thank you so much, Serena!  If you've never visited Serena's blog then now is the perfect time to pop over and say hello because she's having a GIVEAWAY!  Woohoo, who doesn't love giveaways?

I am simply astounded that there is someone in the quilting world who throws away their scraps!  Does anyone else throw them away?

Linking up to:

Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF hosted this week at Quilty Habit
Can I get a Whoop Whoop?
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Play Bank Card: Scraps 101

A pile of scraps, a plastic takeaway lid, some improv piecing and fussy cutting...

led to this play bank card.  Complete with magnetic strip and signature on the back.  The red and yellow squares are supposed to be the Mastercard logo. (Edit: the name and card number are stitched, using built-in alphabet on my machine)

I cut some plastic from a takeaway lid and sewed it inside the card to give it that bendy plastic feel.  This is project 21 of Scraps 101.

Linking up to:

Made By You Monday at Skip to My Lou
Anything Goes Monday at Stitch by Stitch
Craft-O-Maniac Monday
Monday Funday at Crafting Really Awesome Free Things
Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts 

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 

Grocery bag holder: Scraps 101

Thanks to everyone who took a guess on my last post - it was such a fun way to do a giveaway that you can expect more take-a-guess-and-win type giveaways here in the future.  We had two people guess what it was - the winner is Deborah Gun, check your email Deborah!

This grocery bag holder with a scrappy strip adds a splash of colour and personality to my pantry.  This is project 1 of my new Scraps 101 Series.

To make one of your own, here's an add on to Craftiness is Not Optional's tutorial.  Check out that tutorial for what you need, then find some scraps of varying widths (mine were 1 - 2 inches wide) and 2 and half inches long.

Sew your scraps together to form a scrappy strip 22 inches long and 2 and a half inches wide.

Measure 2 inches from the long edge of your main fabric and pin your scrappy strip lengthways, 2 inches from the edge all the way down, right sides together.  Sew scrap to main fabric using a 1/4 inch seam, then press scrap strip so that the unsewn edge now sits flush with the edge of your main fabric.  You could baste it down an eighth of an inch from the raw edge, or just pin it like I did and treat it like one layer of fabric.

Now go back to Jess's tutorial and continue on from the start.  Instead of cotton tape I used a scrap piece measuring 2 inches x 7.5 inches, which I folded right sides together along the long edge, then turned right side out.  The main fabric of my holder was a thin polyester white fabric I found in an op shop (someone else's scraps), I'm glad I've found a way to put some of it to good use.

See you back here in a few days for some more scrappy goodness!

 

Linking up to:

Sew Cute Tuesday at Blossom Heart Quilts

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest 

Sewing Card-Inspired Activity

Recently I blogged that I was keen to find ways to sew with Ruby and a couple of people mentioned using sewing cards when they were young.  Instead of a sewing card, I had the idea to use a cheap canvas I had and punched a series of holes using the needle to form the outline of a house.  I grabbed some embroidery floss in a range of colours and a thick blunt needle from my craft room, not sure what type of needle it is.

Ruby really wasn't keen to use the needle so I ended up being the one to do the sewing, but she was intrigued by the needle pulling the thread through the holes and watched intently.  She selected the colours to use and was also in charge of trimming the thread.  She also suggested additional detail in the design (the door handle).  It didn't quite turn out how I hoped, in that Ruby wouldn't use the needle, but she was really interested in the activity, so we will try this again another day and perhaps she'll have a go with the needle. 

How to make a 3D digger cake [Excavator cake]

We call them diggers, some people call them excavators, Richard Scarry called them power shovels.  Whatever you call them, if you want to make a cake like the one below then you're at the right place.

Scrapbuster Bow Hairtie

I saw this cute Oliver + S Bow Hair Tie but wanted something that was a bit more scrap friendly, especially if you've got surplus 2 1/2 inch strips, so I made some similar but different:

Read on if you want to make some yourself.

5 Ways with Milk Bottle Tops

Wheels for a cart* ...

Christmas Decorations ...

  

Stick figures ...

Foam stamps ...

Boats ...

 

Linking up to:

The Weekly Kids Co-op at B-Inspired Mama

* Adapted from project in "Working with Paper", 1971 

Recycled lunchbox

My girls needed lunchboxes and I didn't want to add more plastic to our house so this is what I came up with - an up-cycled ice-cream container.  These are easy to make and better for the environment than buying a new lunchbox. 

To make one (or a few) of your own, you will need:

• ice-cream container* (or other suitable sized container)
• scrap of fabric (mine measured about 6 1/2 inches square)
• mod podge 

* If your container's label is printed onto the plastic and your fabric is light coloured you may need to give it a coat of white paint first, so that the label doesn't show through the fabric.

Linking up to:

Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

Strut Your Stuff at Six Sister's Stuff
You Inspired at Girl, Inspired

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:

Envelope Templates

Things have been a bit barren on the blogging front for me over the last week or so.  I've been preoccupied with other things, one of which was making the invitations for Ruby's first birthday party.  For some invitations I made my own envelopes and thought I'd make some templates available for anyone else who wants to make their own envelopes.

There's all sorts of things you can make custom envelopes out of: scrapbooking paper, coloured paper, foreign newspapers, magazines, old childrens books, old encyclopedias, old music scores ... the list is endless.  Yes, this isn't new, lots of people do it, I know.  Here are a couple I've made recently:

The one above is from an edition of El Pais (Spanish newspaper) from a couple of years ago.  The one below is from a Brothers Grimm storybook I got from an op shop, this is from the Iron John story.

If you are going to use the templates there are a couple of important points:

• please first measure inside the fold lines (the dashed lines) to make sure it has printed out the correct size, I wrote the dimensions on two of them (if you can read my scribble), for the one without measurements maybe check an A6 piece of paper fits within the dashed lines.
• you'll need your margins to be as narrow as possible for the C6 templates.

I'd love to see some photos of any you make!

• Oblong C6 Envelope Tempate
• Kite shaped C6 Envelope Template
• C7 Envelope Template