Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Craft Celebrity Mark Montano, from the blog Mark Montano’s Big Ass Blog.

I’m always looking for a good way to cover up a stain on a pillow. I finally found one. OK, I’m only half kidding! I just like gluing fabrics together because the bond is just amazing! Hot glue is an amazing fabric bond and did you know that E-6000 is washable? Either glue will work wonders on this project.

Any lace will do for a project like this and if you’re really adventurous, try doing it all over an old ottoman that needs some sprucing up. I think you might really like the results.

YOU’LL NEED:

• E-6000 or hot glue gun and glue sticks
• 1 yard lace that you can cut apart
• Pillow
• Scissors *Fiskars is my brand of choice
• Fray Check
• Straight pins

HERE’S HOW:

1. Cut your lace apart to separate the flowers and leaves.

2. If there is a rough edge or an edge that you think my fray, use Fray Check on it.

3. Carefully remove the stuffing from your pillow (or if you’re making a pillow, do this before you start stuffing it).

4. Lay your pillow flat and start arranging how you want your lace flowers.

5. Pin your lace pieces in place

6. Start gluing them with the hot glue until you’re satisfied.

7. Stuff your pillow and sew the hole closed and you’re done!

For this project and 100 more check out:

THE BIG ASS BOOK OF HOME DECOR!

Also, for 150 terrific projects using items you probably already have, check out

THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS 2

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

For a long, long time, acrylic felt was just what was available to crafters, and in many applications, it’s still a good choice. But now that wool felt is more readily available again, and in so many beautiful colors, it’s everywhere in the craft world.

Sturdier and more versatile, wool felt can be used in applications where more wear will take place or a firmer material is required. It can also be felted further, similar to knitted wool, to create a thick material with a more organic look. It’s also softer to the touch and nicer to work with.

These felt baby slippers are simply adorable, not to mention useful.

Ornaments! Even though the Christmas has come and gone, felt ornaments can be made for all seasons (they are especially cozy for the Christmas tree though!)

As handy as it is simple, these baskets beg to be made in bulk. Craft storage anyone?

Feeling inspired? Check out our Craft Trends Board for more ideas and then tell us what YOU would do with a few squares of wool felt.

By Kid’s Crafts Contributor Stephanie, from the Blog Geek with Glasses.

Traditional yarnbombing is graffiti using knitting or crochet pieces stitched around trees, benches or any other structure that stands still. This is a way to entice the birds to help beautify the world one nest at a time!

The frozen and snow covered ground makes it hard for the birds to find items to make their nests out of. This is a very quick project for the kids to help with and then watch from the window to see the birds come and go. In the spring and summer the children can go in search of the nests made out of their offerings.

I live on a small fiber farm and last year after shearing the sheep and goats, we tossed the dirty bits and short cuttings of wool on to the compost pile. The birds frequented the pile, I thought they were after seeds and worms in the pile, but later on in the summer I started to see nests made of mohair and wool.  The nests were beautiful and hopefully warm for the birds.

This year I thought I would offer some pretty bits for the birds to enjoy and create a little bird area for my daughter to watch. Then in the summer maybe our trees will be filled with rainbow colored nests.  

Supplies:

Suet Bird Feed Holder
Yarn
Wool
Scissors

First cut lengths of yarn, I made them 2″ to 3″ long. All of my yarn was cotton or wool. I used different types of yarn with different thicknesses. Next, pull apart the wool in to little tuffs. I opened the suet holder and started to layer in the yarn and wool. I really packet it in. Then I closed the feeder and pulled some of the yarn out through the holes. I took it outside and hung it in a tree right outside our big picture window. 

We are just helping the birds yarn bomb nature!

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

*This project will work best with a serger, but you can use a zig-zag stitch on a regular machine. The seam intentionally is showing on this scarf so make sure to follow the instructions, making sure your seams are on the RIGHT SIDE!

I had a friend buy me a scarf like this for my birthday and I loved it so much! I had to make one myself. Part of the fun of this project is finding a new way to wear your old stuff. I had a t-shirt that was too big, one that was too small, some extra fabric from making a skirt, and a couple of Goodwill finds that I used to make this gem. You can use any stretchy fabric, which means you could even throw an old polo shirt into the mix to add some texture.

I used 5 different fabrics, but you could use as little as 3; it depends on how big your shirts are, how many patterns you want to play with, and how big you are making your scarf.

Here’s what you do:

1. Cut 28 rectangles measuring 7 ½”H x 6″W (this makes a reasonably long scarf)

2. Divide your rectangles into 2 equal piles of 14 each. One will be for the front of your scarf; one for the back. Choose what order you want to place your fabrics for each side & pin in a line WRONG SIDES TOGETHER.

3. One side at a time, serge or zig-zag the rectangles together straight across. The seam should be seen on the RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR FABRIC!!

4. Once each side of the scarf is complete, pin them WRONG SIDES together. The seam should be showing!

5. Serge or Zig-Zag stitch all the way around the scarf.

Ta-da! Awesome new scarf!

By Guest Blogger, from the blog Serenity’s Musings.

Here’s something you could DIY as a Gift for anyone.

Material Needed:

• Fabric Paint
• A brush for painting ( I used a fine tipped brush)
• A T-shirt
• Cup of water for washing brush between colors

Time: About 20 minutes

Difficulty Level :Easy

Step 1: Place a sheet of paper or book inside the T shirt right beneath where you wish to draw. This helps prevent seeping of colors.

Step 2: Start with white paint. You can always add other colors on top of white, this gives a purer color. Or you could leave it as white.

Step 3: Draw freehand swirls and curved lines. Or you could try for straight lines, but these are harder to do at the start.

 Step 4: Wash your brush. Best to paint on a piece of paper or tissue to get rid of excess water.

Step 5: Choose a darker color similar to the T shirt color. I chose red.

Step 6: Paint some swirls or dots in red.

Inverted colors of the original for a different color combination.

Reminder:

Iron on reverse before washing.

I have used normal detergents and washed in normal machine wash(cold water) and the colors seem to last for quite a while.

For best colors, apply more than one coat of acrylic/fabric paint.

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

You know what I just hate? Losing a favorite earring. I can never let the singleton that’s left go either, because, who knows? Maybe someday I’ll find the lost one.

But probably I won’t. Which is why I’m so happy to have a way to use those lonely left-alones, one that is simplicity itself. You’re just going to move your remaining favorite earring from your ear to your collar!

This is what you do:

Just poke the earring through your collar, near the point, and put the earring back on it to hold it. Now, you may notice there’s a second cap in the photo above, a little white one. That’s one of those rubber stoppers they put on earring wires to keep them from coming off earring cards, or slipping out of your ears. You can use one if the earring post sticks out too far, to keep it from poking you.

That’s it. What was once a favorite earring is now a favorite pin!

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

I love celebrating Valentine’s Day with my daughters and their friends. This year I made a little heart garland using scrap fleece. I think I would work better with felt for stability, but it works!

You Need:

• Felt (but fleece works)
• Heart pattern–I used a stamp I had on hand; a cookie cutter would work!
• Ribbon
• Fabric Pen
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing Machine

 1. Trace heart pattern onto your felt & cut out numerous hearts! I cut 14.

2. Fold top of heart down about 1/3 its size and make 2 slits. Because of the proportion of the heart, I recommend cutting the slits fairly high—higher than pictured!–otherwise they will hang upside-down.

3. Thread the ribbon through the hearts. Pin them where you want them.

4. Sew a straight seam through the middle of the ribbon to hold the hearts and ribbon in place.

Hang & enjoy!