Crochet Flowers & Soldering Copper

I started a little project on the 4th of July.

I love to crochet and have had crocheted flowers on the brain lately. I found this pattern on Pinterest. You can check out the original tutorial here.

I filled my basket with a variety of yarn and got to work.

I am using Debbie Stoller's Alpaca Love. Read all about it here, if you are interested. It's a nice yarn and not too spendy.

You just need a few tools and you are ready to go.

They may become this bag. I really like the looks of that pattern. Or they just might become a simple tote or even a pillow cover. We'll see what happens.

Also on a jewelry-related note my latest post is up on Jewelry Making Daily. It's all about soldering copper, brass and nickel. Read it here. And you can buy the copper solder right in my Etsy Store.

Have a great weekend everybody!

My new tool belt.

So sometimes in class or demo-ing or even just working at my bench I feel like I need a better way to keep a handle on my tools that are in constant use. I wanted a tool belt, but not one that made me look like I was going to a construction site.

One day while trolling the aisles at my local Harbor Freight store, I found this cool leather pouch and thought it would be the perfect thing for my tools. It was just the pouch, though. I needed to add a belt.

No problem! To make the belt for the pouch, I went to my local Tandy Leather and found a 1 1/4" belt blank and dyed it to to match the pouch. (They also sell leather dye and it was easy to paint right on to the unfinished leather.) My sweetheart added the buckle for me since he is handy that way. I bought a few establishments (also from Tandy) and got to work putting my personal style on the whole thing.

Here is the pouch and belt, pre-embellish.

The conchos and harware I bought at Tandy.

I turned one of the conchos into a belt tip. I added a Vintaj brass blank behind it to make a nice, hefty tip for the end of the belt. Kinda has a steampunk vibe which is okay by me. I'd love to pilot an airship.

To add the hanging hardware (for my safety glasses and keys and such) I riveted strips of leather to the belt.

I used a drill to make the holes...

and then I riveted everything together. And I added a key to the pouch for added flair.

See the key on the pocket? And ta dah, here is the finished belt and pouch...

...and here I am striking a pose in my new toolbelt. I love it. Now bring on the tools!

How to Make Fabric Tape

Here is a tutorial on how I make my latest obsession... fabric tape. Super simple and a fun and quick project. You probably have a lot of the supplies you'll need right at home.

This is what you'll need:
1. Parchment Paper (Mine was 15" wide.)
2. Rotary Cutter
3. Rotary Cutting Mat and ruler. (I have old ones that I use for crafts, not for fabric.)
4. Paintbrush 2" wide
5. Mod Podge glue and sealer
6. Kraft Paper Tape (I got mine at my local Ace Hardware Store.)
7. Cotton Fabric (I used Fat Quarters that measure 18" x 21")

Begin by pressing your fabric. I used a couple of sprays of Best Press before I ironed to really make the fabric crisp.

Use a rotary cutter, ruler and mat to cut the fabric into 2" strips to match the width of the Kraft Tape. Using Fat Quarters makes the strips measure 2" x 18".  Cut 6 strips.

Cut a 19" length of parchment paper (it will measure 15" by 19") and tape six 18" strips of Kraft Tape side by side down the length of the paper. (The parchment paper sticks to the tape, but is easily peeled away when you are ready to use the tape.) Use a 2" paintbrush to apply a thin coat of Mod Podge to the surface of the Kraft Tape. (Thin coat is the operative word.)

Lay the fabric on the Mod Podge-covered tape and tap it down using your fingers. Use the edge of a credit card  to smooth the fabric if needed. Don't worry about the edges. They will be trimmed off after drying.

 

Let your strips dry overnight.

 

After drying, use the rotary cutter to trim a straight, clean edge on the tape. Then cut the tape into strips...you choose the width. I cut mine into 1/4" to 1" strips. Remember to keep the parchment paper on the back of the tape. When you are ready to use the tape, cut it into pieces with a pair of sharp scissors, peel away the backing and it's ready to use!

Enjoy!

Fabric Tape!!!

I have been consumed with making this...

Fabric covered tape! I'll show you how to do it next week on the blog. It is my new favorite thing! Tutorial is up and is here.

Pins For My Mom

What do you get someone who has everything?? The answer is simple, make it at home!

My mom's birthday was this past week and since she is an amazing quilter I thought that these would be a perfect gift.

You can never have too many pins when you quilt.

I found the tutorial here and followed the excellent instructions.

 The seed beads are glass, so they survived the heat gun just fine.

I used regular fine-tipped Sharpies to draw the designs and added my own touch by threading size 8 seed beads on about half of the pins before adding the shrink art discs. They reminded me of old fashioned glass head pins and added a nice variation to the design. Then I fired up my heat gun and shrunk 'em! (That part was so, SO fun!)

 They are posing in my pin cushion.

I thought they needed a nice container for traveling to their new home. I found a cute little plastic jar at my local craft store and got out my trusty stamping supplies.

This is the blank I used.

I stamped the blank with the adage "may your bobbin always be full" and highlighted the letters using colored Sharpie markers. I wrapped the jar with a length of yarn and tied one of my jewelry tags to the front. (Always sign your art, kids. You don't want it to end up in a museum next to a sign that reads "Artist Unknown")

I wrapped them up along with a couple of other goodies and popped it in the post. (Along with a gift certificate from Mr. Make It for homemade ice cream of choice and a signed picture of our famous bear.)

When I chatted with my mom yesterday she exclaimed over how much she loved the gift. I am so glad that homemade was the way to go. This is my new go-to gift for all of my sewist friends.

Do you have a favorite homemade gift that you like to make? Share it in the comments. I'd love to hear about it!