Snapshot Friday!

Mmmmmmmm, felt.  What more can I say?!

(Well actually, it's Eco-Felt, made from recycled plastic bottles.  Pretty and recycled- Yay for green crafters!)

Sewing Case Tutorial!

The little case I showed you guys last time is pretty easy to make, so now I'll show you how!  Oh, and I'll just go ahead and apologize right now for the terrible photos.  I'm not sure if my photography skills have improved in the last few months or it's the new camera we recently acquired, either way these shots aren't so hot.
 

Materials you'll need:

* Plastic container- this can really be any type of container.  Even the clear deli take-out kind will work, (although I have a different method for that kind, I'll share with you later.) you just have to be more conscious of your jump stitches.

*Embroidery Patterns-  I used Sublime Stitching's Dress Up patterns. I also used a photocopy since I would be chopping it up and writing on it.

*Embroidery Floss and normal stitching stuff like needles- Duh, you already knew that!

*Drill- with a 1/16 drill bit (teeny tiny!)

* Tape- for your pattern and reinforcing your container if it's on the flimsy side.

*Scissors

*Pen/Sharpie

Optional Stuff:
*Beads

*Rotary Tool- Sandpaper will probably work just as well.

*Transfer Paper

*Felt (with hot glue)

*Scrapbook Paper (with glue stick)


Let's get started!
I wrapped the whole jar with masking tape to reinforce it while I was drilling.  I wasn't sure if the plastic would take it well.  It was probably unnecessary, however, it also helped with the transfer method so it wasn't a total bust.  I also taped my lid down so it was more secure when drilling. 

To transfer the pattern I used a scrap of Saral Transfer Paper.  (Most of my fellow stitchers know how much I love this stuff.  I carry on about it in our forums all of the time!)  I tape the pattern onto it and traced it with a ballpoint pen.  Easy Peasy.

 

*Tip- If you have a particularly sturdy container or lack transfer paper, you can probably just tape your pattern to the jar and drill right through it.  I just like to plot out my holes first.  You'll see.... 

Okay, so at this point I plotted out where the hole for each stitch would go.  I find this part helpful so that I can make sure that two holes aren't to close together.  (Notice how I crossed one out?)  Plus, I would probably just start drilling, willy-nilly, that usually doesn't end well around here.

 Notice on this one, I had to adapt the pattern a wee bit based on what the plastic would allow.  Keep that in mind when you're plotting out your stitches.

 

Now it's time to drill, baby, drill.  (Ewwww, did I just quote Sarah Palin?  Gross.  I'm sorry, it won't happen again.)  I didn't take a picture of this step, but I think you can handle it ;)  Just be sure to be safe- wear those silly looking goggles!  Also, hold the container securely, taking special notice to the placement of your fingers so you don't drill yourself.  You want those fingers to be ready for stitching in just a few minutes.

Here's where the rotary tool comes in.  On the inside, where the holes are, there were lots of little plastic burrs.  I sanded them down with the rotary tool so that it wouldn't snag my floss.

  *Tip- if your container is completely clear or you don't have a rotary tool, snip the burrs as close as possible with sharp, pointy scissors.  I don't think the snags will actually cut your floss, just makes it irritating.

 Since my container was frosted, my sand marks on the inside were visible.  So I did the outside too.  It's most evident in this photo.

Now, stitch!  I used all six strands of floss for the designs and just knotted it at the end.  When it was time to finish off a color or design, I simply ran the needle with floss back through a few existing stitches on the inside.  Since I was using the back stitch there is enough floss in the back side to keep it nice and secure.

 As for the optional stuff, it's really just to gussy it up.  I added beads to some of the designs.

To cover the stitches, I added felt and scrapbook paper.  

For the paper, I just made 2 tubes, one with the design on the inside.  The other with the design on the outside.  (The outer one is so there is a pinkish tone showing through the frosted plastic.  It looked better with the sanding.)  I put one inside the other, squished it up and let it open back up once it was in the jar.  Since I didn't glue the paper into the jar itself, since the glue would have shown on the sides, I added a circle of felt at the bottom.  This keeps the paper from moving around too much.

That's it!  Lots of little steps, but pretty easy.  I hope that this tutorial is clear, if not, please let me know.  Don't hesitate to ask me questions, I don't mind at all.  

So now that you know the secrets, I hope that you can find even more stuff to stitch around your house.  This ability is especially helpful when you're broke...trust me.   If you make something with the tips I've shared, I'd love to see.  Crafty geeks....unite!

Enjoy a craftastic day!  And don't forget to recycle :)

Upcycled Sewing Case

Hey there, guys!  Remember the other day when I said I was at least a month behind with sharing projects with you?  Well, holy smokes, I just found something from all the way back in June!  Shameful.  Well, despite being little bit behind the times, I think that you will like this project.  A little bit of everything went into it- stitching, upcycling, felt, pretty paper, beads, power tools!  Fun all around.

You guys know that I love to recycle.  So when I find a product that I like and it also has nice, sturdy packaging, it's like a bonus!  Silly, I know, but something has to excite me.  (Fun Fact:  I hoard glass jars...it's true.)  Over the summer, before we went camping, I decided I need a little something to store my embroidery projects in.  I whipped up a little case made from the packaging of face wash wipes.

TA DA!!

 It's pretty big too, considering the jar was excessively large for the product.  (Sorry, Aveeno, it's true.  I love you, but you went overboard on this one.)  Which is one of the main reasons I decided to reuse it instead of just tossing it in the recycling.

The inside of the lid and jar.  That had to be pretty too!

Want to see more photos of it?

You'll noticed I used a set of Sublime Stitching patterns and of course, metallic floss.  (I'm an addict.)  It's certainly not my prettiest stitching but I'm happy with it.  And I think Mother Earth would be too.  

What do you think? If anyone is interested I can throw together a tutorial.  Just let me know.  Hope you are having a craftastic day!

A 12-Pack of 6-Packs.

Ok, so just because I live in California does not mean that I surf all day.  Or that I'm super tan.  Or that I lounge around looking svelte, with 6-pack Abs.  My lack of 6-pack Abs may or may not have something to do with my love of 6-packs.

I made some pocket sized notebooks with old beer packaging and some random paper I had lying around.

Dillon has been doing a lot of small one minute sketches lately and I figured these would be perfect.  Plus, I always like to have paper to write on- you know me and my quotes.  

I like that they aren't too special.  That way we can doodle, be rough with them, lose them.  All of that good stuff and not feel like we are wasting our fancy schmancy journals that we've actually paid big bucks for.

Like I said, it was random paper.  Way random.  Some of them have pink pages, some have green.  I spruced up the inside covers just a wee bit so they aren't so ugly to look at.  Besides scrapbook paper, I used some of the marbleized paper that we made awhile back.

After I was sick of the pink and green, I used some white unlined index cards for a few of them. Perfect for ink washes and watercolors.  Who knows, even a bit of collage perhaps.  Maybe I'll turn one of those ones into a mini art journal.

Yeah, just another crazy craft I made with my trash.  Just doing my part to help Mother Earth.  Man, I love when garbage transforms into greatness.  Made anything "trashy" lately? 

Thanks for looking, go make something great!

Junk aka Rubbish aka Waste aka Scrap.

More junk mail ATCs.

Bath Time.

Made with decorative paper, junk mail, netting, cotton, and plastic duck on Bristol.

This one was a bit sentimental.  I gave it to an old friend.  The little duck was from a shower curtain ring that had been in our first apartment years ago.  (I find the strangest things in boxes around here.)  I love the loofah so much!

Oh, My!

 

Junk mail, paper clippings, and buttons on Bristol.

Lovely.

Junk mail, paper clippings and gemstones on Bristol.  It has a coat of Sparkle Mod Podge on the paper so this baby really shines!

Share the Pleasure.

 

Junk mail, magazine clippings, rick rack, gemstones, glitter and Sparkle Mod Podge on Bristol.  Mmmmm, cupcakes!

Nautical Honey (complete with horrible shadow!!)

 

Recycled envelopes, paper clippings, twine and vintage lace on Bristol.

I figured envelopes count as junk mail.

I love me some Sailor Jerry girls!

All of these (except Bath Time) are available.

Check back later for a few cards that aren't in the junk mail series.

Thanks for looking!

Banner- in progress

Banner- in progress
Originally uploaded by Mafiosagrrl

This will eventually make it's way to the top of this blog and my etsy. I plan on going over the gray with a brighter color so it's a little easier to read. I'd also like to try out some English Paper quilting on it and perhaps a little fabric collage embellished with more embroidery. I made this on a piece of fabric cut from an old favorite pair of pants. Couldn't bare to part with them just because I've gotten a little too chunky for them :) It's just cotton, but the outside is ridiculously soft, like micro-suede.

The bottom part says, Keep your friends close and your crafts closer.  This is going to be the motto on all of my packaging for my etsy.  And yeah, it's pretty much my motto in life.  The gray does not photograph well at all.  I'm thinking of satin stitching  it in white.  More pictures to come soon!