Before/After: Footstool & Hamper

Hamper before

Footstool before

After

 Three layers of white acrylic paint and a new fabric later, voilàaa.

Also, I'd like to say thank you to Astrid of Grandma's Red Needle for the lovely award she sent my way! Go read about the adventures of a Norwegian woman in tropical Mauritius, it's so much fun:D & of course, check out her amazing quilts.

The rules say that I am supposed to say something about me, that you don't already know, then pass the award along to others. Let's go back to high school. hehe. Back then (graduated in 2003), I was way more into science that into art. I had no idea how embracing your creative side was something that could be so fulfilling!

Ok, I know it said pass along to others, but I'd like any of you crafty bloggers to grab the award. And to link back so I can visit you:)

Door stopper changes clothes

.:Door Stopper Before:.

.:Door Stopper After:.

I have had a sack of sand that serves me as a door stopper for ever and much like throw pillows, it changes dress often. For now it's burlap and stenciled LiveYourStyle, sewed as a pillow-case. I painted it with Fevicryl acrylic colors for fabric. A custom mix grey. The stencil was bought at Mr Bricolage, I was too lazy to go make my own. The burlap is actually from a re-purposed gift bag. The first few letters are kinda smudged, coz I made the rookie mistake of using too much paint on my brush. It really is better to "layer on paint" from a dry brush. By the way, just like whitewashing, stenciling is way too addictive. You get crazy ideas to stencil everything.

DIY Embellished Shoulder Top

Turning a plain tee into an embellished one using custom shoulder pads...

...with embroidered sequins and beads.

Step 1&2: Measure the length you want the shoulder pad to be on the front of your top. Ply a sheet of paper in two. Draw the outline of the shoulder pad and cut.


Step 3: Using your stencil, trace another similar shape on a sketch pad (Keep your stencil for later use*). Roughly sketch the design you want to create with your sequins& beads. This will be your reference.

Step 4: Transfer your design on your fabric (There are several methods, you can trace your design on tracing paper and simply pin it to the fabric, or use carbon paper or use a 4b pencil like I did to mark out the lines where to sew).

Step 5: Patiently sew on the sequins and beads. It took me 10 hours to complete both! But it could have been done in less, depending on the kind of sequins you use(if it comes already threaded or not) and the way of stitching(I double stitched each bead!) ..and how quick you are of course. I included pictures of some of the various methods.

1) Sew a bead on top of a sequin to hold it in place

2) Sew in between threaded beads

3) Sew one bead at a time

4) Sew one sequin at a time making sure each overlaps the other

5) Sew threaded sequins

(Via Marshall Cavendish 'The Complete Encyclopedia of Crafts')

Step 6: Cut out the shapes leaving a 1cm seam allowance, to which you snip small V shapes.

Step 7: Using the *stencil, cut out two other similar pieces (for the back of each shoulder pads). With the right sides facing each other, pin and tack. Machine sew, but leave an opening big enough for you to flip them inside out. You will hand stitch them closed.


Step 8: Iron on reverse to flatten the pads before pinning them into place. Then hand stitch for them to stay put.

Voilà!

What I learned along the way: I would use a lighter fabric to make the reverse sides of the shoulder pads, just so it isn't too thick.

DIY Organza Ribbon Cuff

I've been gifted a whole new batch of ribbons recently. So excited to get crafty with them! I made an embroidered cuff bracelet using a piece of teal organza ribbon...

I am a complete novice at this(I guess it shows eh) so I had to constantly refer to what I call the bible of needlecraft, The Marshall Cavendish Complete Book of Needlecraft. Here's the how-to for some stitches I used...

Blanket Stitch, Fly Stitch and Romanian Stitch.

I measured my wrist and cut two pieces, one for embroidery, one for the "back" so the stitches don't scratch. I used a turquoise "stone" bead and cotton thread to sew a clasp. If I were to make another one, I'd go with crimps, jump rings and toggle clasp, just so the ends look neater and the bracelet holds better.

Jewelry Making 101

So, I was wearing a bracelet similar to the one I made above, the other day for lunch with some gal pals. And one of them, who I need to find a birthday gift(and preferably a super awesome one), was saying how she liked mine. It was an AH-HA moment.

I made her this, from turquoise wooden beads, gold tones spacer beads and sea-glass/blue glass beads, strung on an 0.6mm thick elastic nylon thread and tied with a yellow organza ribbon. Super easy to make, you just need patience...

Now, it's a great start, I need to find her something else to complete the gift...