How to Re-Cover an Old Bulletin Board

I am in the process of re-doing the whole color scheme of my sewing room. It was all pastels, but in our new home, everything is earth tones. I REALLY wanted to keep my pastels but until I have a room that can be shut off from the rest of the house, that just won’t work.

 

The problem is that you walk straight from the sewing room into the kitchen and from there into the dining room. It’s very open and as Maria from Colour Me Happy so rightly points out…we needed a marriage between these rooms and their color schemes. As you can see…I had a serious problem!



So little by little, I’m making the room over. The easy (though sentimentally painful) part was packing up the old pastel blue and pink decor. It will have to wait for a teenager to head off to college I guess before it will have a room to grace.  Then I took my border which has yet to be installed in the kitchen and Rebekah, my daughter, and I set off for some fabric bargain shopping.




We bought the whole bolt of this guazy plaid fabric (at $.0.50/yd!) because the colors perfectly matched the green and cream I wanted. Those are the colors of my wallpaper throughout most of the house. It also did not clash with  the previously purchased French rooster border. (I was replacing the southwestern decor with antique looking roosters.)  I wanted the sewing room to have a ‘spring’ feel..but bright spring green wasn’t a good replacement for the pastels..I needed something a shade dustier.



So, now we’ve got slip covers to sew from creamy white upholstery fabric (1.99/yard on clearance), and table top and portable desk top covers to make from the plaid gauze.  I did buy a new floral centerpiece for the room (50% off at Hobby-Lobby) and two prints from our local thrift store that are perfect!! Now I need to paint the frames and perhaps the curtain rod in the room with the dusty green spray paint I got from Wal-Mart.   I’m waiting for my mom’s help for painting the room. :o)



The first project was to re-cover the bulletin boards to match the new decor. They were very cheap from the thrift store..and were really tacky, in my opinion. Here’s how we did it.



First we removed and saved the hanging hardware, and then removed all the covers and ribbon.



Then I laid the plaid on the diagonal and very carefully pinned it in place. It was a bit stretchy, so I really had to be careful with all those obvious lines needing to be straight!



I cut around the top and sides first where I  had the least amount of fabric and then cut off the excess yardage at the bottom.

I wanted enough border to be able to fold it under.

Then I stapled it all in place. My hubby told me to hammer the staples in afterward if they didn’t go all the way in. 

I also stapled all the ribbons where we wanted them. We pinned the ribbons on the board like a gift package with overlapping ribbon on the top, sides and bottom. Then we cut a separate piece just to make a bow. It used exactly one spool of ribbon to do the whole thing. (about 3 yds.)

Next we chose some buttons from the button tin to put where the old flowers and decor used to be and hot glued them in place. I love th  new cordless hot gun that my sister gave me for Christmas!

It was only afterward that I realized we need something more as the buttons looked a wee bit plain. So I dug through my gift wrap dresser and found some wire ribbon and pinched it on one side into a flower shape. I just glued it in place. 

Now…for the second board! But already I think the room is starting to look very complimentary to the country style and earth tones of our new home.  Don’t you?

I had so much fun that I decided to share this at Shabby Chic Cottage’s Transformation Thursday and Shabby Nest's Frugal Friday...two great websites for inexpensive and creative home decor!  Drop by and tell them I sent you! If you have a great project, there’s probably plenty of time to add a link to your latest project!

Happy Homemaking!
Donna

Tutorial!!! How to Make a Purse from Old Blue Jeans

I've always wanted to make a purse from a pair of old blue jeans, but hadn't had the time to try it out until last night. This is so easy!  The only thing that isn't finished yet is the twisty handles, but I had to share it with you while I had the time to post. First you draw a line about and inch and a half down from the inseam across both legs.

Then cut the legs off with pinking shears to keep the raw edges from unraveling too much.

Turn pants wrong side out and then pin along a 5/8" seam line. Stitch TWICE for extra strength.

Flatten out the bottom of the 'purse' by pulling the fabric from either side of the seam line out. You will end up with points on the side seams and the inseams.


Pin these flat and stitch 1 1/2 to 2 inches across. Stitch again. This gives you a 'base' for your purse. Trim the points off or fold to the centers of each leg hole to make a stronger base for the purse and tack in place.

You need to do this for both leg holes. When you open out the seams and pull the corners flat, the seam line used to close the leg holes should be at the same level as the crotch. They should match.



Now turn the purse right side out. Great job!!  Now the hard part is done!  On to the fun stuff!

My next step was to pin some really nice leftover cotton lace to the bottom to make it look more like a skirt than shorts. I stitched it on by hand. But if you thought about it in time, I guess you could do that with the machine before sewing the leg holes closed. But I didn't think about the trim until afterwards..Ha!

 
I had some ribbon on hand which I laced through the belt holes, but you could even use a small real belt or cotton rope. Whatever you think would make it cute, would be great!  Also, I sewed some really nice buttons on the front. I was going to put button holes in, but I was afraid it would be too much trouble to use when opening and closing the purse, so I used velcro circles inside the jeans instead. The buttons are just for looks. 


The last thing would be the handles. I had not finished those when I took the pix, but I just cut three long strips from the leftover pants legs, folded them in half lengthwise like bias tape and stitched them closed for straps.

I braided the three strips to make one pretty handle, but I haven't posted a picture of that yet. You could also purchase purse straps to finish this, but that would defeat the purpose of 're-fashioning' just a little.
Enjoy!
Donna @ Comin' Home

How to Use a Ruffler Foot to Alter a Blouse

As you know, I posted a How To on duplicating store bought clothes by making your own pattern. One of the things I warn you about is using the same cloth to make the duplicate that was used for the original blouse.

The reason I mention this is that that was one of the mistakes I made in the learning process. I copied a knit blouse, but used a cotton plaid cloth. The hips were just a wee bit to snug and really, the whole blouse was just a bit too short.

The first thing I did when the blouse was short, was to rip out the lower seven inches of the side seams so I had 'walking room'. I hemmed the raw edges of both sides. You often do the same thing on the lower sides seams of a long skirt.

So far so good, but when I realized that it's shortness was driving me crazy, I decided to add a ruffle. All well and good but now I have a these flaps.

I needed a solid lower edge of the blouse to attach the ruffle to. So I decided to make what I call a "V-patch". I laid the side seam of the blouse out totally flat and spread the front and back flaps open in a "v" shape. Then I slipped a square patch of matching fabric underneath. I pinned the hemmed edges right on top and top-stitched through all layers. I folded the lower edge of the patch and hemmed it just the same as the blouse.

To add a ruffle to a blouse with a ruffler foot.

 

• First cut off a strip that is about 2 times longer than the actual width of the lower edge of the blouse.

•   Next hem the strip with a narrow hem.

• Then attach the ruffler foot to the machine. You have to loosen the screw and remove your original foot completely, attach the two fingers of the ruffler foot around the post and screw that normally holds a foot to the machine, but at the same time you have to hook the claw on the right side of the ruffler foot around the post that holds the needle in place. (It's the screw you loosen to remove and change the needle.)   Pictured first is the WRONG way to attach it.

(Wrong way) To the left, the two fingers  of the arm that attaches the foot to the machine is ready to grab the post and the screw and be tightened down. However the long claw arm is not in the right position. It needs to be hooked on to the post of the screw that you turn to loosen and allow the changing and removal of the needle on the upper right side of the sewing machine post.

(Right way.)Here, they are now both headed for the right position at the same time.This is a little tricky, but can be done!

HOW THE RUFFLER FOOT WORKS:  The ruffler foot won't work without the up down action of the post that holds the needle. That claw has to be in place. It loosely holds the post of the screw that you turn to remove the needle. When the needle goes up and down, this causes a little upper plate of the ruffler foot  to scoot forwards and backwards which pushes the cloth forward each time to make a pucker.  There is a lower plate and the two meet and pinch together. Your cloth needs to be inserted between the upper and lower thin metal plates of the foot and slid between the pinch. 

The cloth should not be directly in contact with your lower feed dogs and completely under the ruffler foot.  (Actually the reason for this, is that you could put another piece of cloth completely beneath the ruffler foot and it would allow you to make the ruffle and sew it to the blouse at the same time. This requires some practice so I'm just showing you how to make the ruffle by itself!)

• Once you have fed the ruffle strip in between the two thin plates of the ruffler foot, lower your presser foot.  It won't work if you don't do this.  (See Ruffler Foot Video Part 1) in previous post.

• Then you also want to decide where to set the little flat plate with the holes on the back of the ruffler foot. The hole furthest to the left allows you to sew with no ruffle action at all.  

( That way, after you have made the ruffle, rather than removing the foot and putting a regular foot on, you can just sew normally by putting the two pieces of cloth that you want to sew completely underneath the foot as if it wasn't a ruffler foot at all. If that was the case you would not slip anything between the two ruffle plates. Just put everything completely under the foot and against the feed dogs like normal.)

• Setting the pucker width.  The next hole has a 12 on it. That setting is for a very tight ruffle..like gathering. The next hole to the right is a 6. It gives you a pucker every half inch or so.  The hole furthest to the right #1 allows for a pucker every inch or so. It results in a gentle ruffle.

• Once you have inserted the cloth strip for the ruffle, and you have set your pucker spacing, and lowered the presser foot, all you have to do is step on the pedal and gently feed the cloth, keeping the raw edge straight while the ruffler foot grabs and tucks the cloth under the needle allowing it to sew the tucks in place.  (See Ruffler Video Part 2)
• Let the machine do the feeding..you just keep the cloth loose and available for the foot to pull on. Take it at a nice slow speed.  (See Ruffler Video Part 3) for close up view.

Now, to add the ruffle...

Rather than cut off the blouse hem and sew the ruffle to the blouse with the right sides together, I just laid the raw edge of the hemmed ruffle, just under the finished hem of the blouse, pinned it in place and top stitched it down too.

(This is the ruffler foot setting I used #6)

I did zig-zag the raw edges of the ruffle first to keep the cotton from unraveling.

(This is a tight gather using the #12 setting)

I really think it turned out to be a pretty cute blouse for someone with my figure and shape. I was afraid the ruffle would add too much to the hips, but in a way, it may have 'camouflaged' them instead. My sleeves should have been puffier to make this a really balanced design..I'm serious considering re-doing them too.

Ah well..the ups and downs of designing your own clothes! But hey, I like it just fine and I love the cute ruffle. Hubby likes it too, so I would say it passed muster! Don't you?

How to Make Simple Jar Candles

 

I just posted this project on Shabby Chic Cottage for their Transformation Thursday Linky Party...Read about it here on May 13th's post...

Have you ever wanted to make a candle? I certainly have! I decided to learn candle making because I just couldn't bear to pay the ridiculous prices at the stores!! My husband likes pine ones in his office because he works from home all day. I wanted candles for the bathroom--a must!!  And the kids each wanted their own specially colored and scented one. Hence the black and red striped one on the left. My daughter loves cookies scents and has a western themed room..so she wanted a earth-toned layered on.

It was a bit of an investment..but I knew it would pay off for the rest of our life for candle making needs, so it was worth it!

Even though I have given you this tutorial with a list of store bought supplies, that doesn't mean you need to get everything new!  I started out with new because I was learning. By the end of my candle making day, though, I was melting every old candle in the house that I could find to remake into candles for my craft sale. I even recycled wicks and tabs for the last batch I made. I also used a bunch of tabs from a cheap bag of tealights I didn't need. (Melted the wax down too!)

Before I was done I had made 48 candles using a whole box of old candles my mom had collected from area thrift stores plus the ones in the laundry room. I also bought a whole box of jars from a local thrift store for .25c a piece and friends from church donated jelly jars for my project which was so neat!  I used them for Christmas gifts and sold them for money to buy gifts.

Making simple jar candles is a lot of fun!  Candle making can be a very involved process, but we don't have to learn all the ins and outs...we just want to make candles for our home, to use in our bathrooms, or to brighten our kitchens.  This isn't the cheapest craft in the world either, but it is a lot of fun and there are ways to cut corners.

Important Note: There are whole books on the subject of candlemaking and so many kinds to make!!!  They each need the proper wax, additives, containers or lack of, and temperatures for heating and for adding stuff and for pouring. You can't make molded candles this way.  These instructions are ONLY for "Container Candles".  Please follow them exactly.

Getting Started: I know this isn't the simplest thing in the world to get started in, but it's not that hard. Candlemaking is so much fun and makes such nice gifts!  Once you buy the stuff to begin, you can save it all in a box and make candles anytime you like! Consider it an investment in a lifetime supply of candles.  It's great fun for the kids!  You'll need some of this stuff for my sand making project coming up soon too!

We will need some supplies:

First you need a candy thermometer!  Don't even bother with this project unless you buy one of those first.!!

• Containers: jars, coffee cups, thrift store votives etc. (not too thin)
  
• Wax - paraffin by the pound at Wal-mart or by the 10lb block at Hobby-Lobby (use a coupon!), or old candles that don't have a thick outer coating
• Vybar (this is not cheap...again, use a coupon at Hobby-lobby) $5.99--goes a long ways! (for strength and clear color)
  
• Coloring - I use crayons, but they will leave a little powdery residue at the base of the wick which you can see through the melted wax when it burns, but I don't mind about that. Whatever you use  MUST BE MADE for candles! Don't use food coloring or other water or alcohol based additives. If you spend a little bit more, you can buy coloring just for the purpose of candle making. 

 Note:  I also use thrift store candles which have a colored outside layer.  That is enough to color the candles I make from them.  If you use thrift store candles for the wax, be sure to crack off that outside layer, because it will color your wax and possibly scent it too. 

• Scent - I bought a $10.00 bottle at Hobby-Lobby of Apple spice for 40% off and last year I bought Sugar Cookie.  (large bottle) You can buy little bottles too but they don't last long.  (I haven't tried essential oils yet.)  The must be oil based! Don't use alcohol based or candy scents!
  
• wicks - come in several sizes depending on how big a circle of wax you want to burn.  I buy the 2-3" diameter burning wicks. They seem to work well with most jars. ($1.99 per package)
  
• metal tabs from Hobby-Lobby ($1.99 per package)  (You can use metal tabs from tea lights too) 
  

Equipment:
sauce pan, wooden spoon, candy thermometer,large knife and cutting board, paring knife, toothpick or ice pick, wax paper, sticks (like skewers or chopsticks), glass measuring cup, pliers

Here's how you do it...

1.Prepare to work:  Lay out wax paper and set open jars on paper on counter, and set wicks, tabs, pliers, toothpick or ice pick nearby. Set pan, spoon, measuring cup, scent, Vybar and candy thermometer by stove.  Set wax, knives, crayolas, and cuttingboard on other side of stove but near by.

2. Melt the Wax: Chop up chunks of wax into about 1-2" pieces and put several in a pan on the stove on LOW HEAT! VERY LOW.

Let it start to melt slowly.  When you have an inch of melted wax, add more wax and turn to medium if you want to melt the wax faster, but stay close by and watch the temperature at all times.

NEVER LET TEMPERATURE GET ABOVE 250--WAX IS FLAMMABLE!!!!  Did I say that loud enough?!(I just leave it on low while I do the rest of the preparation.)

3. Prepare tabs.  (You can pull these out of tea lights if you want.)  Cut the wick the height of the candle plus one more inch.  Push it through the hole in the metal tab with a toothpick or ice pick if you use tea light tabs. They are smaller than the wick size we normally use.

Crimp it down tight with the pliers.

Dip the wick in a little melted wax and hold it straight while it cools so it will stay straight and stiff in the jar.







Hang the waxed strings with the tabs dangling over a skewer into the jar. You want the tab to be in the center of the jar.

Set all the jars with their tabs on the waxed paper to protect the counter.

4.CHECK FOR PROPER TEMPERATURE!
You must have a candy thermometer for this project!  Temperature is so so important!  It has to be just right.  To make jar candles, we want to heat our wax to between 170 and 180 degrees but never as high as 250!  If you get it a little too hot, just take it off the heat source and let it cool to this range.  This is the proper pouring range for "container candles".    

5. Stir in additives: Vybar, Coloring, and Fragrance.  While you are waiting for the wax to get hot enough, peel the crayon that is the color you want. Cut in up in little pieces.  When the temperature is above 170 but below 180, add about 1 teaspoon of Vybar per pound, 1/2-1oz of fragrance per pound or 1 tsp. of potpourri oil and 1 stick of crayon per pound. Note: If you put the fragrance in while the wax is too hot, it can burn off the scent...so be sure to wait until the proper temperature.


6. If you want a layer candle,  pick three shades of one color or three separate colors.  I like to do the three shades.  I use the lightest shade first, pour out a third of the wax into the jars. While the first layer is cooling, I add a darker shade (about 1/3 of a crayon), pour that on top, then stir in the darkest crayon (about 1/2 a crayon) and pour it last.

7.  POUR the 1st Inch of wax to set the wick:  Pour about one inch of wax to set the wick at the bottom. While it is cooling, I use a skewer or ice pick and push the metal tab down firmly on the bottom of the jar and make sure the wick is hanging straight.  You will want to regularly check and straighten your wick as it is cooling anyway. It is important that the wick be as perfectly centered as possible or when you go to light your candle, the circle of burning wax will be off center and look funny.

8. Pour the rest of the wax in all at once. (Make sure it is still hot, or re-heat to the 170-180 range.) If your wax is too cool it will trap bubbles and will also get dull little cracks and lines between the jar and the candle.  I had this happen to some of my layers and used a blow dryer to reheat the side of the glass, though boiling water might work too. It worked pretty well but not perfectly.  This happens when the wax cools too quickly.

9. Reserve about a cup of colored, scented wax  in a glass measuring cup to fill the sunken place in the middle. When the candles cool completely, they sink in the middle a bit.  They say to poke a hole near the wick so that the top layer stays 'up' while the middle sinks.

I think I'm starting to figure out that that works, but most of mine just sank and I re-filled them later.   You will have to re-heat the wax which I do either in a pan of boiling water or the microwave (very carefully!)

10. Wait 24 hours for the candle to harden completely before burning. Trim the wick.  And your done!!!

Recommended Reading:   The Candle Maker and   How to Make Wax Candles. 

These are the websites I studied before making candles.  Print my instructions and keep nearby to refer to for the first few times.  It will help!