Staff Tips & Tricks: August 2011 Archives

As I went to toss my garbage at the dumpster, I noticed a small table sitting beside the opening. I had promised myself that I wouldn't follow in my parents' footsteps of finding something at the trash sites and taking it home to redo and refinish (memories of buffet tables, bed frames and planters immediately came to mind). That promise to myself was broken. I picked up the table and carried it home, determined to use my craft imagination on this blank canvas.

First, I spray-painted the table green, but ran out of spray paint. The table looked worse. Then, it hit me - I'd use my newly found picture frame decorating skills to cover the table with fabric from my stash and buttons. I selected a plain piece of pale blue fabric for the top and used decoupage to adhere the fabric to the wood. I painted the entire table with two coats of "primary blue" acrylic paint. Some places on the table even took a third coat of paint.

I've been collecting buttons for years and this seemed like a great project to deplete my supply. I used my trusty hot-glue gun and Arlene's craft glue to adhere the buttons to the table. On both thin sides, I applied buttons in a ROYGBIV pattern, keeping colors together but not worrying about shapes or sizes.

On the end caps, I covered one side with an owl sitting on a tree branch. The brown tree branch mixes in with the black buttons that were the midnight sky. Don't be afraid to do some laying of buttons - I felt like it added more depth to this project. On the other end cap, I put together a mural of a blue sky with a sun beaming down on three red flowers growing in the grass. I like that when you look at the end caps, you see the outline of a mural, but have to stare to appreciate the individual buttons.

This project too several weeks to complete between the labor, waiting for paint and decoupage to dry and creative inspiration to strike. I'm extremely excited with the end results and have even brought it into the office for a few weeks to make sure that I enjoy it each day. Our photography staff took the final photos for me. It's been one of my favorite craft projects since joining the Fabric.com team last year.

Going off to college is not just books and comforter sets, it is also doing a lot of grown up stuff that you previously shared responsibility with your whole family, but now doing it all on your own. This involves grocery shopping and general errands that can't be passed off to other family member that are in that neck of the woods. It is on you now. So you need a good bag that can keep up and be used for all your new trials and the Betty Shopper by Amy Butler is that bag. Available in 2 sizes with the smallest being pretty dang sizable, you can get all your groceries in one while saving plastic bags, or tote all your vintage scores from the local thrift stores or pack snacks for all your pals for the game or spirit rally. This bag can hold it all or can be modified for more specific needs. You can insulate it for cold foods or tailgating. You can make the handles longer or short to suit your size. Pockets can easily be added and it can be made from just about any material to fit your style. Try corduroy with bright piping for fall or a wool tweed with bold pattern handles. From quilting cotton to home dec to medium weight woven apparel, this bag is a must have for all semesters.

I made mine from 2 different prints, one a Free Spirit Print and the lining is Amy Butler. The Betty Shopper went together very easily and quickly for its size. My Betty is jazzed up a bit with some embroidery which you can customize for you or if giving a gift for your loved one. Try a monogram, favorite mascot or nickname. I am working on a second to give as a Christmas gift made from Dwell Studio and I will embroider it with a row of pies and cake along the top and fill it with a picnic blanket and linen napkins. This bag is great for any gift giver since it can be used for anything from yard sale booty to bake sale supplies. 

The weather is really starting to heat up and now that you have probably recovered all your outdoor furniture it is time to give some thought as to how you can sit on it in that scorching sun. Outdoor curtains are the perfect solution to shading your outdoor areas during the day and pulling back in the evening and night to allow the cool breeze through.

My parents have a great outdoor space and we all love to hang out there but certain times of the day it became unbearable until my mom and I made some grommeted outdoor curtains to block the sun as it moves during the day and pull back to allow for the view. These curtains when in use reduce the temperature by 10 degrees. Plus they can be used in the winter to hold in the heat of an outdoor fireplace or fire pit. These curtains are easy to make and easy to install with the handy plumbing pipes my dad purchased from the hardware store which can be cut to fit your needs.

Mom and I made simple panels to fit the openings of her porch from outdoor fabric but made 2 panels for each opening for maximum shade customization. She had the brilliant idea to install ties where the panels meet so when the breeze kicks up the panels don't whip around and let the sun in. She was also the brains behind the tie backs that feature buttons holes so they can easily be released with carabineers and secure the curtains from breezes on that end. The curtains are hung with shower curtain rings and grommets /button holes for ease of movement. We also treated each curtain with tent waterproofing  (also purchased from hardware store)to prevent mildew and discoloration along with weatherproofing. All the brilliant ideas were mom's, I just lent a hand when I could but the results are enjoyed by the whole family. When the sun is out and the fans are on, the whole porch is cool and relaxing!

I am a big fan of Cricut and love all their cartridges! It is just too fun to watch my Cricut make perfect cuts without lifting a finger. I have made some other projects in the past with my Cricut: cutting fabric, making magnets and a Halloween banner. Today I wanted to do something for our Dorm Days series and so focused on cutting vinyl with my Cricut.

Cutting Vinyl with your Cricut is similar to cutting fabric, a little tricky at first but once you get your settings right- no problem. Also you need a fresh blade. I watched this video which was very informative (The video hostess is from the Netherlands so she says ven-al instead of vinyl). She offers some REALLY great tips for applying your vinyl letters and removing them as well. What I used was not Cricut vinyl but contact paper which is cheaper and easier to find than Cricut sticky back vinyl plus in some stores you can purchase it in funky patterns like Faux Bois or in your fave college colors. Vinyl is perfect for decorating dorms or apartments because it is easy to apply and easy to remove without wall damage. You can customize it to your taste or style by choosing the Cricut cartridges you like best. I wanted to incorporate the new funky, vintage inspired letters that are all the rage in home design these days. Instead of hunting and purchasing letters of various sizes, fonts, and colors then hauling them home and hanging them, I cut some from contact paper using my Cricut and different font cartridges. Each letter stands for a family member's name and our last name. It was so easy and a lot of fun to make, plus I get compliments whenever someone pops over for a play date or coffee.

Below you can find some more Cricut+Vinyl (contact paper) wall décor ideas for your Dorm or home. Have fun!

http://emuupagumtree.blogspot.com/2011/07/wall-decor-with-cricut.html

http://www.favecrafts.com/Wall-Decor/Cricut-Inspired-Canvas-Art-from-Consumer-Crafts#

http://www.tammyskinner.com/2011/07/vinyl-wall-art-is-addictive.html

Sometimes it takes a little something out of the ordinary to create some excitement in a familiar hobby. My knitting habit goes in waves, sometime ebbing and sometimes tsunamis of excitement. The bigger waves are created when I discover a new technique, stitch or medium that just gets my juices flowing. This assignment definitely got the juices flowing. This week I was knitting with fabric and it was eye-opening. Not only is it a quick knit (insert eye rolling here) but it was very different. "Oh course", you might say, "you are not knitting with yarn. Duh... that's different"! But it was different in other ways too. #1 Tension was easy so I just let the strand hang loose. It didn't flow through my hand like yarn and the knotted ends caught on my fingers. Even with my massive US 17, the gauge was tight. I think you could even knit with some US 19's. Knitting with fabric is an awesome way to use every last bit of fabric- so waste not, want not. Knitting with fabric is the PERFECT way to round out your Christmas list as well. Not just because it is quick but because you can knit rugs, bath mats, trivets, dog beds, picnic blankets, nap mats and more stout articles that one is always in need of. When using quilting cotton, these projects are very absorbent and cushy. Here's how to get started (tension relief ahead)

Using either remnants or whole pieces of fabric, clip into your selvedges about ½ in. in, in 1 in. increments. Pull apart the strips (the clips just get each strip started). Knot each strip together and roll up into rag balls (you can also purchase rag balls on eBay, but rolling them up is good fun for stray children who would otherwise be making messes). Start knitting!

You can organize your fabric strips into color families to knit project in certain colors to make stripes or a solid piece. If you choose fabric that features a print, your finished piece will have a variegated look but you can still choose dominate colors. Try knitting a lace pattern for an interesting entry way rug or knit it up in muslin for a Christmas snowflake using a doily pattern. Have fun thinking outside the box while creating a one-of-a-kind gift for a loved one! I'm making a bath mat for my little one's bathroom using 3 stripes of quilting cotton, 2 of blue and one of pink. To make one stripe, I cast on 10 sts using my Lantern Moon US 17 needles and am knitting to 24 in. and then bind off. Repeat for the other 2 stripes and then stitch the 3 together using a mattress stitch or crochet them together using a size 17 hook. It will be super cozy on her little toes. 

I often teach friends and neighbors to knit. Invariably they show up with a ball of worsted weight yarn and 2 ridiculously long straight needles. One of my first recommendations I make if I think they will stick with knitting is to invest in a set of interchangeable cable needles. But even if they are unwilling to take that step, I encourage my students to use cable needles as their default needles as opposed to straight needles. My reasons are thus:

1)      Multipurpose. You can only knit straight on straight needles, while you can knit straight and in the round with cable needles. This means you can change needles less if you have a project that jumps from knitting in the round to straight and back again.

Me knitting straight on cable needles

2)      Weight distribution. Even when working straight on cable needles it is gentler on your wrists because the flexible cables allow knitters to rest most of the weight of a project in their laps or on a table in front of them. This is a good option of those with weak muscles, arthritis or people just getting in the game who haven't built up their knitter's bulk yet.

3)      Odd jobs. Cable needles can serve as stitch holders, can be used in provisional cast-ons and other odd jobs that straight needles can't even dream off.

4)      Lighter. Though not terribly so, over many hours the lighter weight of cable needles over straight needles can reduce fatigue, muscle strain and can speed up your project.

Me knitting in the round with cable needles

But how do you knit straight on cable needles? Easy, it is just like have a string tied to each end of your straight needles. You knit from your left needle to your right and once you get to the end of a row (this is easy to tell) switch your left needle to your right hand and vice versa for the other needle and start your next row. It is easier done than said and will really open your eye, expand your project load and reduce your needle inventory. You can start with one and go from there. I would encourage you as I do my students to invest in an interchangeable needle set; it is worth its weight in yarn!

The classic story begins: So I was surfing the 'net' a few weeks ago when I found this tutorial...

I would say that 50% of my blog projects start with the above sentence, but not all end with this sentence: As soon as I saw this project I had to make it IMMEDIATELY!

Most projects I look forward to, most I love to shop for and some I stay up late to work on. A select few get my heart pumping and my brain spinning. This is one of those projects. I love rugs. I love softness under my toes. I love a block of color, texture or design to make a room. I love how rugs can 'make' a room. Now I can make them too! I knew this would be a great project for our Dorm Days series because it is such an easy project, dorm rugs are often cheap in construction and in design and since you make it, you can make it to size, color and design that fits you.

To make my rug, I followed High-Heeled Foot in Door's awesome DIY Chevron Rug tutorial which calls for:

2 yds of home decor fabric

One 6x9 ft canvas drop cloth

One 5x8 ft rug gripper

Tacky Glue Spray

Size 14 needle

This tutorial was really well done and assembly was easy. You do need a significant area of clean floor space to lay everything out and a heck of a lot of spray starch to get all the wrinkles out of the drop cloth. I would recommend using the more expensive rug gripper that has more gripper surface and less holes and applying the same tacky glue spray trick to attach the gripper to the drop cloth as for attaching the fabric to the drop cloth. Don't flip over or sew until the tacky spray glue has dried. I suggest this because the gripper slips around and bunches a lot when sewing.

I used Valori Wells Wrenly Twill Home Décor weight fabric (2 yds) and this busy pattern lends itself well to piecing should you want as bigger rug. It will also hide spills or dirt which I am counting on since it is beneath my eat-in kitchen table. I like the print so much I am going to make a big rug by ordering 6 yds of fabric, cutting it in half and stitching them side by side to make more of a 9 x 9 rug for my dining room. Also, the amount of rug gripper I cut off would make the perfect size for a runner. This fabric rug is really customizable for any and all sizes. The rug feels nice underfoot with just a little plushness and stays in place very well. I am impressed with how well it turned out and how well it seems to be functioning as a rug. 

Check out all of our Free Spirit fabrics to create your own Design Fabric Rug!

P.s. Of course my kitchen always looks like this and I didn't set the table just for you ;)

Maxi Mania!

Maxi Dresses are still on trend this year! And it has finally made its way into my heart. I resisted and resisted, but they just seem to effortlessly elegant! So I tried it. I couldn't really find one I liked in stores. So naturally, I decided to make one myself. And now I know why this style is so popular amongst women. It is so comfortable, chic and breezy. PERFECT for summer, and I intend to wear into fall time with a jacket or drape-y pullover.

Finding a pattern for a modern floor length casual dress, AKA- Maxi Dress, was a bit difficult. But no biggie, I just altered a dress/skirt pattern I already had! I make my patterns out of craft paper- you can find large rolls at Home Depot for under $10. I traced a knee-length gathered skirt pattern I liked. Starting from the hips, I extended the lines down and out so that the hem would be about 1'' above ground.

In case you are not into altering patterns, here are some great maxi dress patterns I could find:

Simplicity Misses Day To Evening Dresses

Joel Dewberry Empire Maxi Dress

Butterick Misses Dresses

This style of dress is as easy to make as it is to wear!  It has definitely become my go-to garment when I don't know what else to wear. I feel fashionable, comfortable and feminine all at the same time.  And so versatile- dress it up or down.

For the silver number, I also used a stretch ITY knit with a vertical border print. Since the waist was gathered, using the fabric against the grain worked out just fine!

For this printed black one, I used a stretch jersey ITY knit with a large vertically repeating print. Styled for all seasons!

Once you get past the basics of knit, purl, increase and decrease, you will probably start branching out to more challenging or more interesting techniques. One of the most beautiful is Entrelac: a knitting technique that gives the impression of patchwork or basket woven knitted fabric. I particularly love entrelac because there is a definite starting and stopping points and it is easy to find where you put it down even years after you last knitted your project. Entrelac is created by a beginning row of knitted triangles, then of knitted squares. Each previous square is knitted together with the next while picking up stitches from the previous row. It is this process that allows each square to be diagonal from the row below. It is a lot of fun once you get used to it and is easy to learn. You can practice with just a few triangles and squares till you have it. Entrelac is an excellent intro to color work since each row or block could be knit with a different color and you don't need to worry about bobbins or stranding. Or you can choose an awesome painted yarn (like Lion Brand Amazing Yarn or Berroco Origami) that changes colors gradually to give the appearance of color work when really you are using the same yarn throughout.

 Here is a simple entrelac practice pattern by Knittyotter that only uses 18 Sts. Try experimenting with Entrelac with different weights of yarn (lace weight for a drapy shawl or chunky for a cozy lap blanket), colors (diagonal stripes, each block a different color using 4 different colors, or knit one color till you run out and then adding another till it runs out or until you reach the size you like) or textures. Entrelac is a great way to try new yarns, use up yarn balls or as a stash buster since each block uses just a little bit of yarn. Make a Boho Chic scarf but combining any and all yarns, from mohair to wool to cotton, giving heed only to coordinating colors instead of fiber. Entrelac of any kind makes a perfect gift since it looks like it took a great deal of work or time when neither is true.

A concrete cube is what awaits many collegiates this fall and nothing distracts more from studying than a blank canvas. Given the various rules and contrasts on decorating dorms is it tricky to put your signature on a room that you will spend the next 4 years (5, 6 or 7 years, who am I to judge a major-a-semester student). It may be necessary to break the rules or at least work around them.

One of my favorite mediums to use as wall art is plates. I understand that ceramic plates and college students may not jive; you can pick them up cheap at a thrift store or use this technique on another solid surface it will create a project just as fun. What you need is a cool plate, some equally cool lightweight fabric, a silhouette (I use coloring sheets because of their big, detail less shapes are great for negative art), and some decoupage medium. Trace the silhouette onto your fabric and carefully cut it out. Use some decoupage medium to glue the fabric onto the plate and then slather more medium over the entire surface of the plate. Allow to dry and then use a plate hanger to hang (you can try some 3M hooks for concrete walls). You might also try the decoupage medium right on the walls. In a small spot out-of-view, test to make sure but I am reasonably certain that the medium will peel off of concrete. This project will add some spicy details to a dorm fridge, microwave, book covers, trash cans or storage containers.

There are many other awesome fabric wall art projects out on the web to try in conjunction with my fabric art project. Anna Maria Horner on the Martha Stewart Show used fabric, canvas and paint to create trendy hip wall art. Here is another tutorial using embroidery hoops and quilting cotton. Or you can just cover canvas frames with your favorite fabrics for big, bold color accents.