Think Crafts Blog - Craft Ideas and Projects - CreateForLess

Please welcome guest blogger Tracey from “Imagine That Quilts” and the blog “Peppermint Patcher”.

Have you ever considered using photographs as a means to personalize a quilt?

There are products on the market that allow you to use your own home printer to print directly onto special fabric sheets. You can print any photograph from your computer onto these fabric sheets. Once you’ve done that you can use the fabric like any other and cut it, stitch it into or appliqué it onto a quilt.

There are several points you should consider before printing your photos onto these fabric sheets.

1. Check the size of your photographs. The fabric sheets generally come in the same sizes as paper that can be fed through a printer. Make sure that your photograph is not bigger than this size. You may need to take the photo file into some photo manipulation software to do this.
2. Look at the contrast levels in your photo. If your photo is very dark or very light you may not be able to see it well once it prints onto the fabric sheet. Again using photo manipulation software can help with this. It may also help to make the photograph black and white. This allows you to easily see the contrast.
3. If you plan to stitch the photograph into a patchwork make sure you leave plenty of seam allowance around the photograph. Don’t just leave the traditional quarter inch as this doesn’t leave any room for error. Give yourself at least half an inch, just to be sure.
4. If you are using a fussy, patterned fabric around the photo consider adding a border around your photograph before printing. Most photo manipulation software will allow you to add a border around your photos. You can add a narrow border before printing to give the outline of the photograph definition. It’s easier to do this before printing than it is to stitch a narrow strip of fabric around the photo.

Now don’t just assume that because cameras take rectangular photos that you have to put rectangles into your quilt. Why not think outside the square and unleash your creativity? You can fussy cut around a photo printed onto fabric.  In the same way that you might fussy cut around a print on a quilting fabric to create an appliquéd scene you can create an appliquéd scene around a photo.

I take photos of children’s faces and print those onto fabric. At Imagine That Quilts you can see how I use appliqué those faces onto bodies and create imaginary scenes around them. My nephew becomes a pirate, my niece a fairy. This makes a highly personalized quilt. These quilts are loved and adored by their recipients!

So why not give it a try? Follow the directions provided with the fabric sheets and make some quilts that are truly unique!

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

After building myself (and my daughter) a brand spanking new hair clip holder last week, I set out to fill it with, well, hairclips. And as always, I was astounded by the price of clips in stores. Now I know very well that I could make the clips myself, but I don’t always have the time to carefully wrap each clip with ribbon and embroidered little doo dads to stitch on top. But I do, I realized, have time for hot glue. So with a selection of ribbons, plain hairclips, buttons that match my daughters fall wardrobe (she’s into orange and green at the moment) I set off on a fifteen minute-hair clip extravaganza.

The key to this is to have all your supplies ready. And that doesn’t need to be hard. Next time you’re ordering supplies or shopping at your craft or fabric store, grab a few rolls of inexpensive, sold by the spool ribbon and a few packages of buttons that coordinate with the colors your child wears the most. I generally keep a selection of thin ribbon in a variety of colors around for general pony tail and or braid tying so I’ve gotten into the habit of grabbing a spool here and there when I see it on sale. Another great source is scrapbooking supplies. I picked up a bag of cardboard diecuts for this go round and loved the result.

Likewise, grab a package of plain hairclips of the variety that work best for your child’s hair. Personally I love the look of alligator clips but they do not stay in my daughter’s hair, nor do those cute little dinky bendy barrettes. For my purposes, I have to stick with the full sized bendy clips which, while not the cutest things in the world, offer a lot of surface area for decorations and stay all day and into the night in her hair.

With your glue gun ready, spread your supplies out and go to work. Mix and match and stack and glue the buttons and ribbons in different combinations. If you have a pigtail girl and are making two of each, be sure to flip the clip on one so you have mirror images. At the end of ten minutes or so you should have a nice pile of hairclips that will last you well into the fall months.

A few notes about the project, roughing up the back of the buttons and the tops of the clips with a little sandpaper can help the glue adhere more securely. You can also use a strong craft glue for this project, allowing, of course, for a longer dry time. And speaking of dry times, dont forget to be aware of your work surface when using hot glue. I glued a few clips to the table while pressing the button on. Good thing hot glue scrapes off easily!

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

Every year, as we get ready to host our annual pumpkin carving party, I promise myself that I am going to carve or decorate some really cool pumpkins to have on display before the party. But between menu planning, crafts-for-the-kids planning and all the inevitable last minute details that come when you have your entire neighborhood over for an afternoon, the pumpkins get pushed to the bottom of the list. 

Generally I look around after the party and realize that every family on the block has a newly carved pumpkin except ours. Next year! I tell myself!

Well, next year has come.

I’m making an early start with the pumpkins by venturing into the realms of fake gourds. I’ve seen them for years, heard the craft pundits rave about their versatility, but somehow have never broken down and bought one. But when I got the idea for this pumpkin I decided that the time had come. I was not going to spend all that time decorating a pumpkin that would rot away in a few weeks time.

The inspiration for this came from a magazine I flipped though while in line at the grocery store one day. The pumpkin on the glossy pages was covered in tiny rhinestones which looked great but probably cost more than I was willing to spend. Instead I opted for glossy black puff paint and a few rhinestones accents.

After sketching out the swirls and loops with a pencil, I went to work with the paint, dotting carefully along the lines. It was often easier to start at the end of the swirl and work backwards toward the stem and I did stop at the halfway point to allow the paint to dry before proceeding with the rest. And although the project was definitely time consuming, it was also fairly easy once I got into the dot dot dot rhythm.

Once the entire pumpkin was covered I went back and glued a handful of rhinestone in strategic places. Such as the spot where my son decided to “see if the paint was dry”. The finished project looks elegant and spooky at the same time. The perfect combination for this year’s not so kid like but not scary either decor. In fact, I might just have to make another with that white pumpkin I bought the other day. Because you can never have too many cool looking pumpkins in October!

Please welcome experienced crafter and guest blogger Amy, from the blog “Mod Podge Rocks”.

I like clipboards yes I do, I like clipboards how ’bout you?

I’ve had several people tell me recently that they are working on clipboard projects, either for themselves or for gifts. I decided that I wanted to do one too, so I took a dive into the stash and this is what I came up with.

A little research reveal that clipboards are hot for back-to-school this year - but not the typical brown slab with a silver clip.  This year’s clipboards are fun and funky . . . and easy to personalize.  They are also way easier than you might think.  Just follow this tutorial for fabulous results!

"Hi, I'm a boring brown clipboard. To fix me up, gather the following supplies."

Supplies:

Clipboard
Scrapbook paper - 2 coordinating pieces
Acrylic paint - coordinating color (I used Sky Blue)
Spray paint - coordinating color (I used Apple Green)
Craft Glue
Chipboard letters and/or coordinating embellishments
Ribbon - all from my stash
Mod Podge Gloss, 8oz.
Flat paint brush
Ruler
Craft Knife and Mat
Pencil

Start by removing the clip at the top and set it aside.  Time to paint the board.  Paint one side, allow to dry, flip over and paint the other.  Do this at least twice depending on your paint color - I did mine three times because my paint was a little lighter and I wanted great coverage.  Set aside to dry.

While you are waiting for the paint to dry on the clipboard, spray the clip.  I had this extra paint laying around which happened to coordinate.  Lucky me, right?  Either buy spray paint (there are baby sizes now), or use outdoor paint such as this.  You can also use regular acrylic paint, but you’ll need to seal it with acrylic sealer so that it doesn’t scrape off.

While both the board and clip are drying, measure and cut your paper.  My clipboard is 9″ x 12″, and I decided I wanted two pieces of paper that met in the middle.  Therefore, I measured out two pieces of paper, 9″ wide x 6″ tall.

Cut both sheets of paper with your craft knife.  Lay them out on the clipboard (which should now be painted and dry) and make sure that they fit.

You laid out the papers on the board - remove the top piece and cover the board with Mod Podge.  Put on a medium coat, and make sure to get the corners well.  You’re probably going to put on more than you think.  Lay the top piece of paper down and smooth out with your fingers.

 Okay, so the top piece is down.  Repeat the process with the bottom piece.

Now that both pieces are down, you can use either your fingers or a brayer (like I am above) to smooth both sheets down thoroughly.  If any Mod Podge comes out the sides, wipe it away with your paint brush.  Allow these sheets to dry for 15 - 20 minutes, and then Mod Podge over the top of them.  Allow to dry, flip over and then Mod Podge the back of the clipboard to seal the paint.  Allow to dry for at least an hour.

This is always the fun part for me!  You’ll notice that when the Mod Podge dried, I replaced the clip.  I also laid out some ribbon that I had in my stash, a large brown piece and a thinner orange piece.  I had some chipboard letters to make the “Notes” saying down at the bottom, and I had a sticker to adhere to the clip.  I glued everything down with craft glue and allowed to dry for 24 hours.

Here’s the finished clipboard again.  Notice that I tied some ribbon at the top too - they were about 10″ pieces that I just knotted through the hole.  I call the ribbon the “piece de’la resistance.”  That’s French for something really cool!  Enjoy your clipboard, and as always I encourage you to use papers, colors and embellishments that fit your style.  Don’t forget, above all else, have fun!

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

Every crafter knows October is not too early to start thinking that. Come to think of it, a lot of us know even January isn’t too early. It’s my favorite holiday, my favorite time of year, and puts me into a virtual crafting, cooking, wrapping frenzy, all of which I consider huge fun.

A SEASON OF JOY, a collection of heartfelt creations for the holidays, is my newest boatload of inspiration between book covers treasure. I knew it was going to be good the minute I saw the cover. I needed to make the things in it.

And the book is spiral bound! It lies flat, so you can manipulate materials with both hands, while checking what you’re supposed to do next. I’m not a huge fan of holding books open with whatever heavy object is handy, so that was a big plus for me.

Another Plus: It’s a very attractive book. Each project is beautifully photographed,  the paper the publisher has chosen has a lovely texture, and leafing through, the pages make a rather lovely “scrrtching” noise against the wire spiral.

More To Love: Not only did I find myself wanting, planning, to make all kinds of things in this book, I soon realized that every single one of them was so simple it took only a few lines of text to explain.

The Book Sections: Ornaments, Wreaths & Garlands, Cards & Cardholders, Home Decor, Homemade Gifts, Tags & Wrapping, Children’s Projects, Activities & Parties, Scrapbook Pages.

Several Favorites Projects:

Welcome Returning Guest Blogger, Annie Authier, from the blog “Thriftfulness”.

Charming and wallet-friendly gift: the knit collar. Bulky scarves are so last December. And with this fun, easy to make collar, your friends can celebrate fall without worrying about frostbite.

I made this on my Knifty Knitter, a knitting loom and a wise investment (under $20) for the needle-impaired. You just wrap the yarn around the pegs for an hour or two while you’re watching your favorite medical drama or reality television competition. The yarn I chose has some fun bright colors in it so that it feels warmer-weathery. You could also unravel an old sweater and use that yarn.

Aah. A warm neck on a blustery day. Looks good pulled up around your chin or folded over (see top pic). Haven’t figured out who I’ll give this to yet. I’ll have to keep my eye out for acquaintences with chin hair or unsightly Adam’s apples so I can be sure this gift gets put to use all year round.

Cost: $1.75 ($20-$25 with new knitting loom and new yarn)

Time: 1 and a half hours.

To read more of Annie’s blog, click here.

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

It’s fall. The kids are back in school. Inside the house is breathing in, outside the still-warm breezes are sighing over the last roses. The silence can practically ring in your ears, can’t it?

Ringing…ears? Oooh. Let’s turn it around and make earrings! And since the squiggly-squirmy folk are elsewhere, why don’t we remind ourselves of them with a style I call “Squiggly-Wiggly”?

Here’s what you’ll need:

Pick out your beads

22 or 24 gauge wire

Two teal beads 7mm-8mm

Two matte Capri blue beads 10mm-12mm

Seed beads in matching or coordinating colors

One pair earring wires

Your tools

First cut a length of wire about 3″ long. On one end, bend a very small spiral of about 1 ½ to 2 rounds. Use protected tips on your round nose pliers to prevent little gouges. I personally let the gouges happen, to add an interesting textured look.

Now is a good time to play with the color sequence a bit. You might like to put the blue seed beads next to the Capri blue bead, and the teal seed beads next to the teal bead, or the other way ’round might appeal to you more. Just string the beads onto your 3″ wire and take a look. When you’ve decided, take the beads off the wire, and you’re ready to start.

I opted to match the seed beads to the beads, so I’ll give the directions that way.

The next thing you’re going to do is string on a blue seed bead, the Capri blue bead, and another blue seed bead. Make a wire-wrapped loop at the top, ending with a sharp bend up and then a gentler bend down.

Now bend the wire straight out, away from your bead.

At about the ½” point, bend the wire back in, then back out again, and then back toward the bead another time, decreasing the length of your “squiggle” as you go.

Cut the wire off to the point at about ¼” beyond the last outer loop. You want to have enough left to make a round loop at the bottom. Play with this; yours do not have to look exactly like mine. Use your fingers to mash things this way and that to get the look you want.

Okay! Time for the next part!

With about 3 ½” of wire, begin a wire-wrapped loop, but before you complete it, thread it through the top loop on the Capri blue bead assembly.

Finish the wrap, then string on the teal seed bead, teal round bead, and teal seed bead. Make a wire-wrapped loop at the top, then “squiggle” the wire down the side of the bead. Your bends are going to be much gentler this time. I’ll let the photo speak for itself.

Now repeat what you just did, all those steps above, unless you want only one earring. (Just kidding-I know you know!)

Open the bottom loop of your earring wires, and hang your bead assemblies on them. Be sure to hang them “facing” opposite directions, to make a left and a right.

Finished set:

To show what a difference another choice of beads might make, here’s another set (I did make a whole pair, but couldn’t get the two of them to play nicely together for their portrait).

You’ll notice I finished off the top bead differently, too, by using a tad more wire and wrapping it completely around the bead, to end in a tiny loop against the glass. Use your imagination, and may the Force be with you!   

 Are the kids home yet?