I made this bag for Candace’s son’s birthday. I am always trying to think up gifts for little boys that are not another toy, so I came up with this scaled down backpack to hold their toys. I chose corduroy for the outside of the bag which I wanted to be able to withstand a little boys’ abuse. The inside fabric is a cute print of wild animals. You could go in so many directions with this by choosing different fabrics or embellishments for a boy or girl.

1. Decide what size you want the bag to be taking into consideration the height of your child. I made this according to the length of my son’s jacket. Cut your lining fabric 2-3 inches longer than your outer fabric. I thought the corduroy might be too stiff for the drawstring so I made the top part out of the cotton print. I thought this was cute too, adding the colorful border.

2. Line up the longer and shorter piece of fabric evenly, place the right sides together of the two fabrics, and sew the seam up to the drawstring strip. Leave this open so the drawstring can be inserted. Then flip the lining fabric over, fold allowing for the width of the strap or ribbon you want to use for the drawstring/arm straps. Iron along the top edge to make a crease. Be sure to take into consideration that the lengths of the fabrics match at the bottom.

3. Line up right sides again and sew a seam along one long side. Center this seam just sewn and sew along the bottom of the bag.

4. Turn bag inside out. I cut the fabric at a slight angle where my drawstring opening was left unsewn and finished the holes off by sewing a blanket stitch around the edge. You could also use a button-holer to make finished holes.

5. Measure your straps by calculating the width of your bag X 2 plus the length needed to reach from the drawstring hole to the bottom of the bag. I folded the corduroy with wrong sides together, turned the edge over, ironed my hem and sewed on top of the fabric. I ran this strap through and attached in the bottom corners with a button but this could be done in many different ways. The second bag I make like this will be much easier than this first one now that I have it figured out. I would make the strap of cotton fabric or heavy ribbon next time and perhaps embroider a name on before sewing the 2 fabrics together to personalize, but I still think it turned out cute!

As an avid scrapbooker, I’m always buying scrapbook albums on sale or receiving them as gifts. In the end, I always end up with lots of empty albums and I can never decide to just keep them for future layouts or use them for other things. I came up with a great idea to use a scrapbook album for CD storage, that keeps the CDs out of sight, and the scrapbook looks great sitting on a bookshelf or entertainment unit.

Closed…it looks just like a regular scrapbook album:

Opened…its a storage secret - lots and lots of CDs:

I started with an empty scrapbook album, an empty page protector and 2 pieces of scrapbook paper (for each page of CDs). I folded each of the 12×12 papers into quarters and then opened up. I put the papers into the page protector with the right sides facing out, and I sewed along the folds using my sewing machine. This separates the page into 4 pockets. I then used a ruler and a scalpel to cut about a half inch below the horizontal stitching, creating pockets to slide the CDs into. And there you have it - quick and easy CD storage that matches your decor, takes about 5 mins to make (per page) and holds 8 CDs.

This is a great project to get rid of some scrapbook paper you have laying around, as well as embellishments if you want. I chose to keep mine simple, but you could jazz the pockets up using embellishments, ribbon, colored thread…the options are endless!

I enjoy making this simple and inexpensive baby gift for the dozen showers I attend each year. I stole the idea from a costlier version in a local store. Inevitably, instead of enjoying his teddy bear’s cute face, my son turns the bear upside down and clings to the label. So I decided to indulge him with a small blankie of only labels.

1. I choose 2 fabrics of different texture, honestly with the mom’s taste in mind, since little one can’t say yet. I like flannel, corduroy, fleece, bright prints in fabrics that can take many washings. Or I like to pick a theme that would go with the family, like my son has a “Let’s Build It” taggie covered with tools in honor of my carpentry-skilled husband. Once you have stock-piled some fun fabrics and ribbon, the cost will feel next to nothing, literally like $1-2. The discount section of your fabric store is a great place to look.

2. Cut a 12 inch square out of your 2 fabrics. I made a cardboard template that I just lay down and draw the lines with a pencil for cutting.

3. Choose your ribbons and cut out in different lengths, usually 3-5″. Fold over to picture how long you want the ribbons to stick out. Line up right sides of fabric together. Fold the ribbon in half and tuck the folded end inside the 2 fabrics. I stagger the lengths a little and vary the width and texture of ribbon around the fabric.

4. I leave one corner unpinned where I sew a long, wide ribbon, for a handle, caddy-corner after the other sides are sewn. Sew the other 3 sides up to the handle corner, removing each pin as you get to it and making sure the ribbons are straight.

5. Turn the fabric inside out, tuck in the 4th corner, insert the final ribbon and sew on top of the fabric. You can also embroider the child’s name to personalize it, or I usually sew a large, colorful button on top -just something else for them to play with.
This is a great way to use up any scrap fabric and scrap ribbon from other projects!

OTHER EXAMPLES:

I love making something new from something old. We found this dress in Jen’s attic in her husbands costume collection. I loved the green and said it would make a great bag. Donnie (her husband) just mentioned joking that her birthday was coming up. So I decided to make her a bag.

I just love the detail in the top part of the dress. I decided to use the elastic section at the top of the dress and just detach the sleeves. The dress was so long i used the rest of it to line the bag and one of the sleeves for a pocket on the inside. It turned out pretty cool. I loved it. I’ve got some of the dress left over I might just make one for myself. It seems all i want to make from old clothes are bags. What have you made from old clothes?

My fabulously amazing husband and his parents got me an iPod this year for Christmas. However, what’s a fantastic piece of equipment like that without an equally fantastic cozy to keep it in? So I fashioned a felt (are you surprised?) iPod cozy that only cost about $.60 to make, and only took two hours from start to finish.

First, you’ll measure out how much felt you’ll need. Then you’ll cut a front and a back piece, making sure the back piece is longer than the front (so it will fold over and close).

Next, you’ll decide on whatever shape you want (a flower, an animal, or just shapes of any kind) and pick your embroidery floss.

Cut out your shape, and adhere it to the felt with a needle (to keep it in place while stitching) and then using the backstitch you’ll sew it to the felt. You could also use a blanket stitch if you like as well. You can place your shape anywhere you like, but make sure you don’t place it too close to the edge - you’ll need to allow some room there for the seam.

Next, add any other imbelishments you like, (buttons, more embroidery or other shapes) and then attach the snaps to the tops of the two pieces, making sure they line up correctly so it will close correctly.

To finish up the cozy, stich together the front and back pieces (using either a blanket stitch or a running stitch), and voila, a fabulous and functional iPod cozy.

Felting has been the perfect discovery for me as a knitter. It hides your mistakes and holds the element of surprise. I normally am afraid of patterns and love to knit mindlessly, so I don’t enjoy it if I have to concentrate too much. Now that I have gained a little confidence and the knowledge of a few techniques I am brave enough to try and make up my own patterns. Felting seems to be a great method when you are winging it, especially if you are like me and don’t really mind what size it turns out. The mystery is all part of the fun!

This pattern is loosely written because you can adjust to make it any size you want. One of the reasons I like felting and making up my own pattern, is that I love throwing it into the washing machine and waiting expectantly for the buzzer to sound! So knit this pattern as long and wide as you like, fold it over and picture what it will look like, keeping in mind that it may lose about 1/3 of its original size.

So here’s what I did: Cast On 40 stitches, double stranded, size 11 needles (straight or circular, but do not knit in the round). You will need wool, feltable yarn.

1. Stockinette stitch (knit row, purl row, repeat) about 88 rows, fold from the bottom up to decide what size you want the body of the bag to be.

2. When you get the body the size that you desire, tie a piece of scrap yarn in the end of your row to mark your place, and knit, purl a few more rows. This will allow more room to cover your contents when you fold the flap over.

3. To begin the triangular flap, start on a knit row, knit two onto the second needle and then bind off the first stitch as if you are finishing your knitting. Knit the rest of the row and bind off last stitch.

Purl the next row, without any decreasing. Repeat directions until the flap is as narrow as you desire. (I stopped when there was only 4 left.)

4. With a large needle, sew up the sides of the bag and tuck in any ends. Fold as if you are making your own envelope.

5. Knit an I-Cord for the strap. Using same size double pointed needles, knit 3, slide stitches to end and knit 3 until desired length. Do not turn over your knitting. I love this simple method and the results. Keep in mind when you throw the cord over you shoulder to preview how it will look, that the strap will be quite shorter after you felt it. Sew strap inside the bag along your side seams and tuck in ends.

6. Felting, finally! Wash in hot water with another sturdy item (I use jeans). Bite your nails and wait anxiously…then take out and lay flat to dry. If you are not happy with the size, you may repeat. My final product was 12″ wide, 6″ deep (with flap folded) so I thought it was a perfect small bag. You may also want to clip off the fuzz with scissors.

This only took a little more than a 3 1/2 oz. skein and a weekend (and I have a busy one year old!) Hope you are happy with your results!

*You could also make this bag with a straight flap instead of triangular. It would look just like knitting a wide scarf and sewing up the sides. Too easy!! Any other ideas on how to modify this? Also, I haven’t decided yet if I should add a button loop and button at the end of the flap to finish it off. Any suggestions?

We just moved into a new place, and my decorating is pretty much non-existent. I’ve always had the “poor-student- misc-junk-thrown-together” look but now that I’m an adult and we have a nice place, I want that to change. One of the things that I wanted to do was frame and hang up some professional photos that we got taken when Elizabeth was a newborn. However, I cannot find the perfect frames that would go with our color scheme and look unique at the same time. So why not make them?

I found unfinished wooden frames at Ikea for super cheap (3 frames for $1.99), the fact that they are unfinished allows someone to finish them as they want. I dug through my scrapbooking supplies and found some beautiful paper that was the style I was looking for, plus it was quite unique. I cut strips of the paper to match the width of the front of the frame, plus allowed extra to wrap around the sides of the frame. I then folded the bottoms of the strips to match the angles of the frame’s corners. My next step was to adhere the paper to the frame using Modge Podge.

I found the Modge Podge worked great for adhering the paper to the wood, and it adhered really fast. To make the picture frame unique, I found some coordinating embellishments and adhered them to the frame. I added some buttons and ribbon for a 3D additions, which looks very different but beautiful at the same time. One last thin coat of Modge Podge over the entire frame for protection, and I ended up with a beautiful frame that you’ll never find in stores, matches our decor and taste perfectly, and took only 45 minutes to complete from start to finish.

I have really been into using felt lately. It’s like the wonder material - you can make so much with it, it’s inexpensive and so easy to use. I had bought some little boys shirts for cheap ($3 at Walmart, and they are nice, too) and decided to use them to stitch some felt applique’s on. So I decided on a catepillar and a lion. Once I cut out the shapes I needed in the colors I wanted, I added any embellishments (like eyes, mouths, ears, etc) and then just secured them on the shirt using a blanket stitch.

I finished up with a few other accents and voila - cute (and boyish) felt applique shirts. Each one cost approx $4 and about an hour to make from start to finish.

I love to combine crafts when I can. This idea has worked best for me to create embroidery patterns using my rubber stamps. Here I made a travel pillow for my son’s first birthday with a cowboy theme.

1. Use washable ink and press the rubber stamp firmly to make sure it shows up dark on the fabric. It needs to be dark because through the process, and because your hoop and hands will rub it, your pattern may disappear before you can finish embroidering it. (hence why my cowboy’s gloves are a little unclear) Also, I wouldn’t choose a stamp that was really tiny or detailed. The good side of using washable ink is that it will fade by the time you are done or you can wipe it off with a damp cloth. I like using this method because I can also alter the pattern, like I chose not the stitch the cowboys’ mustache.

2. Cut the fabric in the shape/size that you want if making a pillowcase, center the design and stamp. Then embroider the pattern Before sewing the pillowcase together.

3. I left the ends of my pillow case open so it could be removed and washed. The cowboy print side is flannel and the brown side that I embroidered on was a light-weight, suede-like material. This is the first time that I used fringe trim but it will not be the last! I thought it was so easy and cute and I have been looking around the house for what else I can sew it on to with the extra I had leftover.

4. The actual pillow I made using cheap white fabric and good old poly-fil, since I could not find the shape I wanted at the store. In total the whole project cost me less than $4.

Using rubber stamps for your embroidery pattern is also great because you can make things to match. For his party, for example, I made the pillow, cowboy birthday thank you cards, and gift bags for the other children.

This method has opened up tons of options for me since I often want to embroider but don’t trust myself to draw the pattern and don’t often like what there is for iron-ons (and I have hundreds of stamps).

I have this bare spot above our patio door that I couldn’t decide what I wanted there. When I was cleaning out a spare closet, I found a new canvas I had never used and thought I would paint it and place it there.

So I gathered my paints, painted the base layer on the canvas, and then applied the other colors I wanted, using my fingers to swirl and paint and make my designs.

From start to finish it only took 30 minutes, and the total cost was about $7. And it doesn’t take a super-artsy person to pull this off, just someone who doesn’t mind getting a little paint on their hands.