Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Sewing Contributor Jessica, from the blog “Life Sew Good”.  

My friend Summer lost her dad a little over a year ago to cancer.  After she heard about a program that is trying to collect 1 million pillowcases to be donated to various hospitals, she jumped on board.  Patients like to have pillowcases that are their own when they are in the hospital for long stays.  I definitely wanted to be a part of this, and I thought it would be a fabulous idea to have our ThinkCrafts.com friends join in!  Summer’s blog, has all the info you need on where to send pillowcases, as well as the story behind her motivation for doing this.  All the pillow cases collected will be sent to St. Jude’s, a children’s hospital.   I’ve provided you with a simple tutorial to make a sweet standard pillowcase.  Please send pictures of the pillow cases you make and I can include them on a future post.

You’ll need:

1- 1 1/3 yd. main fabric—flannel or cotton
¼ yd. coordinating fabric—flannel or cotton
Measuring tape/ruler
Fabric Pen (optional)
Scissors
Thread
Pins

Preshrink your fabric using HOT WATER ONLY (no soap!).  This is important if you are making the pillowcase to send to children in the hospital.

1. Cut  1 piece 27” x 42” main fabric  (piece “A”)
2. Cut 1 piece 8 ½” x 42” main fabric  (piece “B”)
3. Cut 1 piece 5” x 42” coordinating fabric  (piece “C”)
4. Take piece B & C, fold in ½” length-wise and press.
5. Lie piece C on top of piece B, raw edges together

6.  Lie piece A on top of piece C, lining up the raw edges and pin in place.

7. Sew ½” seam along raw edges.  Back track on each end.

8. Serge or zigzag edge. Open so that you can see all right sides.  Press piece C so that it lies on top of piece A.  Turn the case over to the wrong side & press seam up toward piece B.  Top stitch.

9. Fold pillowcase in half, right sides together, finished edges together.  Sew ½ seam along all raw edges.  Sew ½” seam along raw edges.  Back track on each end.

10. Serge or zigzag edge. Open so that you can see all right sides.  Press piece C so that it lies on top of piece A. 

11. Turn the case over to the wrong side & press seam up toward piece B.  Top stitch.

12. Fold pillowcase in ½, right sides together, finished edges together.  Sew ½ seam along all raw edges. 

13. Serge or zigzag edge.

14. Turn right side out.

You did it!!!  Now make a few more & send them to Summer, along with a personal note with a prayer or special message for the unknown recipient.  You will be part of a huge effort to bring specially made pillowcases to children at St. Jude’s!

By Sewing Contributor Jessica, from the blog “Life Sew Good”.  

First off, you should know that I am under no obligation nor do I get paid to write anything for these companies, but love to give you some product review so that you can enjoy the little pleasures in life that I have discovered! 

Valori Wells is not only a fabulous fabric designer, she also creates beautiful patterns.  I ran across the Little Wallet pattern at her store in Sisters, Oregon,  Stitchin’ Post, when I was there in May.  The pattern was so simple and fit on a card the size of greeting card.  Easy to read, easy to follow directions made this pattern so fun that I decided that more people needed to know. 

Last week, I taught a class on how to make the Little Wallet to a group of 17 women, ranging in age from middle school girls to middle-aged moms.  There are literally 5 seams to be sewn, so it is a very simple project for beginners.  In fact, if you don’t own a sewing machine, it would be simple enough to sew by hand. 

One of the best things about the Little Wallet is that you can use your scraps!  Although it indicates using a main fabric and coordinating fabric, you could easily use 5-8 different fabrics and end up with a super cute product.  It’s also a short enough project that you can make quite a few on both little time.  I love that!  Finally, although it doesn’t say so on the pattern, you could embellish your Little Wallet with buttons, flowers, yo-yos , or whatever fits your fancy. 

What would I do if I were you?  Get a pattern for yourself, make a bunch to give away as gifts, and get a bunch of the pattern cards to stick in birthday cards!  I also think it would make a unique and functional gift card holder. 

I would love to see links to wallets you make!

By Kid’s Craft Contributor, Gillian from the blog “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.

Aside from my wedding ring and my grandmother’s screw on (i.e. can’t fall off) diamond earrings, the only jewelry that I wear on any kind of regular basis are bracelets. I love necklaces, but about a week after my first child was born I realized that kids and necklaces don’t mix. Or at least my kids and necklaces don’t mix. Although now that they are 4 and 8 I’m probably safe to wear them again. But I’m out of practice. My jewelry box is full of bracelets.

Or I should say it’s full of lots of broken bracelets and a few hearty specimens that have survived where the others failed. I break bracelets all the time. Part of this I can blame on the kids, but most of it is all me. I spend a lot of time at the computer and I am constantly putting on and taking off my bracelets, and eventually, they break. Recently I moved most of the broken but-I’ll-fix-it-someday bracelets to a bead jar on my desk and in the process I realized that in most cases I don’t have all the bits and bobs from the originals, so returning them back to that state is probably not going to happen. Enter Stretch Magic.

If you are a veteran of jewelry making, you know all about this stuff, but I’d never tried it and I was so excited to get my hands on some and start turning my jar-o-beads back into wearable jewelry again.

Before you start, think about the size of the holes on your beads. Stretch Magic comes in a variety of thicknesses and several colors. Most of my beads had larger holes and since breaking has been an issue in the past, I chose the 1mm clear for my projects.

If you don’t have any broken bracelets or necklaces to start with (lucky you!) you can always peruse the many options that are out there just waiting for you to make something from them. I know I could go absolutely overboard buying different beads and charms in the jewelry making section.

Cut a good four inches longer than your wrist is around and start sliding on the beads, thinner Stretch Magic may require a needle but I had no problem using it straight with my larger holed beads. Once you have arranged your beads the way you want, tie the ends together using an overhand knot or two to secure the two pieces together without slippage. Trim the ends and enjoy your new (old) jewelry!

Enter to win this Plaid Simply Screen Kit!

This kit comes complete with everything you need to make your own screen printed shirts. With Plaid Simply Screen Stencils it’s quick and fun to decorate and personalize all kinds of projects, such as memory books, frames, furniture, tees, tanks, hoodies, and much more! Simply Stencils are precision cut, have a non-slip pebble back and are made of colorful transparent material so you can easily see where to place the design. Designs can be applied in a single color, or with a multi-color effect by masking areas of the pattern. No muss, no fuss, no waiting. Just choose your design, paint color and shirt to begin creating professional quality screen printed garments.

Kit contains:

Plaid Simply Screen Stencil Chandelier
Plaid Simply Screen Stencil Love
Plaid Simply Screen Foil Pack 6pc
Plaid Simply Screen Glitter Fun Fashion 4pc
Plaid Simply Screen Paint 2oz in Oasis, Envy and Pink Pony
Plaid Simply Screen Foil & Glitter Adhesive
Plaid Technique Guide Simply Screen Printing

Every Friday we’ll post a giveaway on Think Crafts and all you have to do is comment on the blog post answering the question of the week. We’ll pick the winner and contact them via email. Deadline is midnight tonight and the winner will be announced Monday. One entry per person please. Contest opened to all US residents, no purchase necessary.

Question of week: What is your favorite cheesy joke?

Here’s Mine!

Q: What do you get when you put 3 ducks in a box?
A: A box of quakers!

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

As a crafter, I have TONS of bags.  Some of the bags I have are merely functional rather than good looking, so I like to embellish them.  Ones of the ways I embellish things are with pins!  Pins can be small or large, and they are easy to make with supplies that you probably already have on hand.  Pins are great scrapbusters!  They can also be made pretty quickly and give as gifts.  As you can see, my pin is inspired by summer.

To make, you’ll need to gather these supplies:

Chipboard shape  – approximately 2″ x 4″
K&Company Berry Sweet Paper and Chipboard Fruit Embellishments 
Mod Podge Matte 
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – Yellow Citron, Hot Pink (or coordinating colors)
Pink Rhinestones  
Wood Letter – initial of your choice
Pin back 
Craft Glue 
Scissors 
Pencil

Take a small piece of scrapbook paper a little larger than your chipboard piece and trace.  Cut the shape out and set aside.

Paint your chipboard shape and letter – since they are so small, I just painted them both on both sides.  Cover completely and allow to dry.

Spread Mod Podge on the top of your chipboard shape.  Grab the paper you cut and smooth down thoroughly.  You can use your hands – I always use a brayer because it works *really* well.  Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

You are now ready to coat the top.  Give a medium layer of Mod Podge and allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.  I also put a coat of Mod Podge onto my letter “A.”

Time to add embellishments!  I used craft glue to add the letter “A,” the strawberry and then one rhinestone in each corner for a little bling.  Allow to dry.

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

I like things that are small, and that includes miniature canvases.  I happened upon these sweet little things and knew I had to Mod Podge them.  I’ve attached magnets to the back, so they are great for your home or office.  Add a little creative flair to your workspace!

To make it, you’ll need to gather these supplies:

2″ x 2″ canvases
FolkArt Acrylic colors – I used Sky Blue, Coffee Bean and Buttercup
Wood circle
Scrapbook paper in various patterns (you can use scraps)
Cardstock in various colors to match your scrapbook paper
Die cut machine, punch or scissors – whatever you have to make shapes
Mod Podge Gloss
Craft Magnets
Hot Glue Gun
Flat Paint Brush 

Here are the baby canvases – aren’t they cute?

I always measure and cut my paper first.  These are 2” x 2” canvases, so I cut three squares of decorative paper and set aside.  I actually trimmed them just slightly within the 2” mark so that I could leave a little color showing around the edges.

Paint the canvases.  This is very easy!  Just choose FolkArt paint colors that coordinate with your scrapbook papers.  Paint the edges of all three canvases.  Give a few coats until you have full coverage and allow to dry.

At this time also paint any embellishments you want to add to your mini canvases.  You’ll notice that I painted a small wood circle.  Make sure to paint enough coats to cover and allow to dry.

Note to self: move cell phone and TV remote control for tutorial pictures.

Paint Mod Podge onto your canvases, using a medium layer.  Add the paper on top and SMOOTH SMOOTH SMOOTH!  Wipe away any excess Mod Podge that comes out with a brush, and set aside your canvases to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

Once dry, apply Mod Podge over the top of the paper.  Allow to dry and then coat all canvases with a few more layers of Mod Podge.  Allow to dry.

This is your chance to add embellishments!  You’ll notice that I used some die cut shapes and a few punches with some cardstock to make shapes and designs for the tops of my canvases.  Mod Podge them down and then allow the canvas to dry.

Your final step is to hot glue any embellishments (like my wood circle) onto the front of your canvases, and then hot glue the magnets onto the back.  Wait until the hot glue is dry for awhile to hang.

By Recycled Crafts Contributor, Anitra from the blog “Coffee Pot People”. 

There’s not a lot to like about smoking, given its effect on a person’s health, but when my friend Buddy gifted me with his empty cigar boxes, I was selfish enough to be glad he’d been a cigar smoker! They’ve been so much fun to work with I thought I’d share my techniques and ideas for turning a cigar box into a purse.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A cigar box, either the oval or rectangular kind
• Scraps of fabric
• Braid, lace, bits of trim, ribbon, old jewelry, etc.
• 4 washers (mine are black plastic, but metal is fine)
• About a yard of heavy cord 
• Adhesives, glue gun, etc.

The first thing you’ll want to do is take off any labels that won’t be covered by fabric. Take a blow dryer, and blast that stream of hot air at the label, then gently peel the label off. It’s pretty easy to do, but be careful not to burn your fingers!

Measure the circumference and width of the cigar box and cut a piece of fabric about 1” (2.5cm) longer than the circumference and about 1/4” (.6cm) narrower than the width. Turn a very narrow hem on each end, and either glue or sew it. No need to hem the sides, as they’re going to be covered by trim. Wrap the box, gluing along the edges, and across the indentation where the lid is hinged, and turning the ends of the fabric piece to the inside of the box.

Cut two pieces of trim just the length of the box’s circumference. (You’ll want something like braid or velvet ribbon so that no glue shows through.) If you’re using a trim that will fray, run a line of glue across the underside of each end.

Glue the trim to the edges of the box, covering the edges of the fabric wrap completely.

It’s time now to do the handles. With the oval boxes, the lid hinge will be at the top of the purse; with the rectangular style, the hinge is at the bottom. Measure about an inch down from the top of the purse on each uncovered side, and drill or punch a hole large enough for the handle cord to pass through.

Cut a piece of cord about 36” (1m) long, and tape each end to keep it from unraveling while you work. Tie a knot as close to one end as you can, and thread on the first washer. From the inside of the cigar box, push the unknotted end through the hole you made, and pull through. Put a bit of glue all around the edges of the hole, inside and out, and thread on another washer, pulling the knot and both washers tight against the box. Thread on another washer, and run the other end of the cord through the other hole. Thread on the last washer. Knot the cord, put glue around the edges of the hole, and pull the knot and both washers flush. Trim off the taped ends of the cord close to the knots. Wipe off any excess glue, and hang the bag from a doorknob, to keep pressure on the knots and washers while the glue dries.

When the glue is dry, decorate your purse with lace, old jewelry, etc., covering any glue boo-boos. The oval boxes have a magnetic clasp built in; for a “regular” box, affix the clasp of your choice—a button and elastic loop will work well.

Front of the cigar purses

...and the back!