Fabric.com Blog

The Great Cookie Swap- A Fairy Tale from the Fabric Maverick

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 08:22:34 -0500

Once upon a time in the land of Fabric.com, the elves were busy preparing for Christmas. A grumbling began amongst the elves that there should also be some Christmas cheer in the various departments. The littlest elf listened as the older, wiser elves chatted among themselves. Several days past but the elves continued to grumble. The littlest elf decided to send an email to see if anyone really wanted to have a cookie swap. Many of the elves responded and asked when this event would be held. This was the week that the head elf ran into her sleigh and fractured her foot. So the elf proceeded with the plan. The littlest elf had never done a cookie swap so she checked on the "Rules of the Cookie Swap". Apparently each elf would need to bake 1 dozen cookies for each guest elf. Each elf would make a different cookie so the guests would have a variety of cookies to take home. The number of invitees was twenty. Surely, she scratched her head no one would want twenty dozen cookies to take home. Maybe we can cut this to three cookies each- this would mean that each elf would make 6 dozen cookies. This sounded so much more reasonable to the littlest elf than twenty dozen. The clever little elf went to Evite to prepare her invitation. It was free and oh so much prettier that anything she could create. Her invitation sped through the magic of email to all the elves of the land. She included the time, place and how many cookies to bake along with the rules of the cookie swap.

The littlest elf waited patiently for all the elves to respond. The response was immediate from some of the elves telling her what kind of cookies they would be baking. These were the cookie swap veterans. " Ah this was a good idea" thought the littlest elf, mighty pleased with herself. Then she began hearing some of the other elves mumbling. Six dozen cookies- why that is seventy-two cookies. That's a lot of cookies! Little did they realize how the littlest elf had spared them from making 240 cookies. Another elf was heard mumbling- Can't I just buy some cookies and bring them. Another elf was heard saying that she did not bake, she just ate cookies. The littlest elf found her a recipe that was no bake. And as it will happen two of the male elves baked their cookies one week too early. An so it went on until the littlest elf thought that perhaps this was not such a great idea.

The littlest elf was already committed to the party so she plodded on. She knew that she would need to keep her Sunday free for baking her cookies. She purchased all her supplies the day before. She made her first batch and thought this was not so hard. She began to prepare her second batch and opened her spare bag of flour. Now the littlest elf did not bake very often so the flour had been there several months. When she opened her bag of flour, it was full of strange creatures. "Oh this will not do" said the little elf. She looked out her cottage window and it was pouring down rain. She prepared her sleigh and hurried off in the rain to the nearest store. She quickly bought her flour and returned home. By the time she had baked her last dozen cookies, her kitchen was dusted in flour and the hour was late. She thought maybe I need more than one cookie sheet?

She placed all her party supplies and cookies by the door so she would not forget them for the party day. She carefully checked her list to make sure everything was there. She prepared the table with a festive cloth and displayed her cookies. Each elf placed their beautiful cookies for all to behold. It was a wondrous sight!

The littlest elf thought perhaps this was not such a bad idea after all. Let's think white elephant gifts next year though!

We wish you a Merry Chistmas and well baked cookies for all!

A Furrific Winter Wreath

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 13:11:16 -0500

I am not good about decorating for the holidays. I love the idea of it, but when I think about how temporary it all is, and how I will drag my behind when it comes to taking everything back down and putting it away, I am filled with dread. So I've been wracking my brain for a wreath idea that will have a winter theme rather than a Christmas one, so I can leave it up longer. And then a few days ago, while scanning the shelves of my sewing room, I found myself gazing at my little collection of faux fur scraps. It seems like almost any time I work with fur, I end up with a big chunk left over, and because it's costly, I ALWAYS keep it. Well, now it's time to put that fur to work! All I needed for this project was a piece a little smaller than 40 x 7 inches.

Here's how my wreath came to be:

First, I used an inexpensive steak knife to saw through the foam wreath form.

Once I had cut through the whole thing, the opening popped apart a little, which is perfect for sliding the fur on.

Next, I measured around the thickness of the wreath.

And then I measured the circumference of the entire wreath circle.

My wreath was about 5 5/8 inches thick and 37 1/2 inches around, so I measured out a 6 1/4 by 40 inch rectangle on my fur, marking it with a permanent marker on the wrong side of the fabric.

To cut faux fur, it's best to cut from the wrong side, sliding the blade of your scissors underneath the nap of the fur. This will help prevent fuzzy bits of fluff from flying all over your work area, and will retain almost all of your fur.

Here you can see how carefully cutting from the wrong side preserves your faux fur fabric -- there aren't very many stray bits of fur at all.

Next, I sewed my rectangle into a long tube, tucking the fur into the seam as I went.

Once my tube was stitched, I turned it right side out. It looked like a very glamorous snake at this point.

To get my tube of fur onto the wreath form, I slid it onto one of the cut ends of the circle, and worked it onto the form, sliding a little on at a time and working the bulk of it around the circle.

When my circle was covered, I had a few extra inches of fur, which I cut off, tucking the edges in.

I used a quick slip stitch to join the cut ends of my fur and close the circle up.

To dress things up, I tied a satin ribbon around a piece of black tulle and made a bow, then pinned it onto my wreath. Voila! A piece of decor I can leave up well into February without looking like I'm just lazy (even though I am)!

Of course, this wreath can't live outside for very long on our uncovered porch, so I moved it indoors, where I will enjoy it all winter long.

I love that this is an easy, quick projects -- perfect for the holiday decor remedial like me!

Woven Felt Basket

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:40:22 -0500

I have seen these great Woven Felt Baskets all over the design scene lately. They are popping up in all the design shows and stores. They are a great storage option for living rooms and kids rooms. The look can easily be modified depending on the colors you use. You can make one for a little boys room in blue and gray, one for a girls room in cream and neon green, one for your room in a bold Fuchsia and one for the living room in cashmere tan to blend in. They are really a snap to make and lots of fun. The only supplies you will need are a calculator, 72'' wide felt, a glue gun and some embellishments. Each strip is woven of doubled felt to give strength to the basket.

To make your own, first you need to decide how big and what shape you want.

Square Basket (Width, Length and Height is X)

Length of each strip is the width of the bottom plus the height of the side (X+X).

Length of each ring is the width of the side times 4 plus 1 '' (4X+1)

Rectangle Basket (Width is X, Length is Y and Height is Z):

Strips A are the length of the bottom plus the height of the side (Y+Z)

Strips B are the width of the bottom plus the height of the side (X+Z)

Each ring is two times the width plus two times length plus 1 ''(2X+2Y+1)

The number of strips needed for the width is the number of inches (i.e. you want the bottom of your basket to be 15'' then you will need 15 one inch strips). The number of strips needed for the length is the same process. And it is also the same for determining the number of rings for your height.

Here is a great example, for a basket 15''w by 17''l by 12''h you will need to cut:

Strips A- 17, 29'' strips

Strips B- 15, 27'' strips

Rings- 12, 65'' strips

And you will need approx 2 yds of Rainbow Felt (remember each strip is doubled)

Once all your strips are cut you will need to assemble your rings. Glue one short end to the other end, overlapping one inch. Once all your rings are glued set them aside. Start weaving your bottom by laying out all your width strips parallel. Then weave in your first length strip using an over-under method. It helps to start at the center and mark your centers with pins or small chalk marks. Once you have all your length strips woven into your width strips, your bottom is complete and you can add your first ring.

Flip the strips that will go inside the ring toward the center of your basket and leave the rest lying out. Place the ring on top and then reverse your flip (flip all the inside strips to the outside and all the outside strips to the inside). Place another ring and do another flip. Repeat the ring and flip until you are out of rings. Glue and trim (if needed) your strips to the top ring, starting with the outside strips first and then doing the inside. Hold your strips in place until the glue is cool before moving on to the next strip. Finally add the trim around the top by cutting a 3'' wide piece of felt that is the same length as a ring. Start gluing it or hand sewing it in place. If gluing start with the outside first and then glue around the inside. Your basket is now basically done. You can finish it off with some embellishments as you see fit. I added a whipstitch around the bottom of my trim and added a few small pom-poms. Try adding rope handles or braided fabric handles. You can even try fusing some fabric onto your strips to add a print or extra "wow" factor to your basket. Vary the sizes and using them for anything around the house.

It will cost less than $13 to make a huge 15''by 17''by 12'' basket!

Here is a Target version for $25 15''by 15'' by 11'' for gray and cream

West Elm's large basket is $49 for 18'' by 14.5'' by 11 for gray only

Both start at twice the cost of our DIY version and by making your own you can choose your colors!

Chalk Cloth Santa Cookie Mat

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:16:21 -0500

As the big night approaches don't forget Santa in your holiday decorating. Just as in the top restaurants presentation is everything; insure you and yours will earn everything on your list by making a Chalk Cloth Santa Cookie Mat. The cookie mat will enhance any Santa snack by bringing Christmas cheer to every corner of your home. This decorative mat is a placemat made from chalk cloth with cotton flange and ornamental trim around the beverage and plate settings. Your kids can inform Santa which cookies he is sure to enjoy and point out his favorite beverage, be it milk, hot chocolate or a hot toddy. Your kids can even add a final plea for presents.

To make your own Chalk Cloth Santa Cookie Mat you will need:

¼ yard of chalk cloth

¼ yard of quilting cotton

1 yard each various trims and ribbons

Cut a rectangle 17" by 15" from the chalk cloth. Trace your cookie plate and glass using chalk onto your mat and select your trim. Carefully pin and top-stitch your trim in place over your chalk marks. You can pin since you will be sewing right over any pin holes. Embellish your trim with rick rack flowers by simply rolling your rick rack into a roll until your flower is large enough and secure with some hand tacking stitches. Finally add your cotton flange using Sew4Home's Flange Pillow instructions. It is so easy and adds just the right touch to finish off your cookie mat. This Pattern

This Pattern can be easily modified for a birthday mat, Mother's Day breakfast mat or just a kid's place mat by changing the fabric flange.

One of the Many Joys of Mod Podge

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:36:31 -0500

I've been seeing a lot items made of pretty lace and doilies lately, then happened to stumble upon this great tutorial on Makezine.com and immediately was inspired to re-purpose an old pair of shoes for holiday parties and events!

All you need is some 10" ecru doilies, a bottle of Mod Podge, and a craft paint brush. Don't whip out your grandmother's heirloom doilies or the lace crochet skills! There are several websites, such as eBay.com or Amazon.com that offer doilies at a very reasonable price. I followed the tutorial and viola: awesome re-purposed shoes! I love them. The project took me about 2 hours, not including drying time. Cutting the doilies and piecing them together on the shoe takes quite a bit of time. I did not use clothes pins, as the tutorial states, which I do regret. My shoes are suede, so they have a little resistance to stick. Clothespins would have been very helpful. Allow 24 hours to dry.

I make a point not to wear them in the rain. But then again, who doesn't have shoes that are not to be worn in the rain? So, I'm okay with it. In hindsight, I wish I had bought 6 doilies. You really need 3 doilies per shoe to maximize the round crocheted laced designs- because the centers are the coolest. The more doilies the better, in regards to all things....

Stockings With Character

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:44:01 -0500

While I have many favorite characters from the films I love, lately, I'm really into the Queen of Hearts from the 1951 animated version of "Alice in Wonderland." So, with a need for holiday decor all too evident in my house, I decided that a villainous stocking was in order. I love adapting the designs from my favorite characters into projects, and the high-contrast colors of my dear queenie are just too fun to play with.

Here's how I translated the Queen of Heart's design lines into a fun stocking:

First, I roughly sketched out my idea. (Note: I'm not using the graph paper to measure anything -- there won't be any scaling up based on these squares.) I knew I wanted to focus on the chevron of alternating yellow and black at the front of her skirt, but I wanted to shift it off-center for a little more visual interest, and to take advantage of the the stocking shape.

Next, I made a larger version of my sketch on construction paper to use as a pattern, and labeled each piece by color to avoid confusion. The crown cuff was sketched out on a separate piece of paper.

Next, I cut the design apart, but kept things more or less in their positions. Again, this is for confusion avoidance -- I often find it easy to get lost with this many oddly-shaped pieces!

As I cut my fabric (I used duchess satin for all of this project except the white sections, which I cut from dupioni), I added about a 1/4 inch seam allowance. I just eyeball it, but if you want to try something similar and be more exacting, you can use this first set of cut pieces to create proper pattern pieces that include seam allowance.

Once all my pieces were cut, I once again set them in place in relation to one another. I decided the heart would be an applique to avoid awkward piecing.

Then, it was just a matter of putting the pieces together. I actually left the pieces laid out as above, and just worked on a small section at a time.

After the front was assembled, I machine basted it to a broadcloth backing. I also satin stitched around the edges of my heart applique. Then I cut a back and a lining, and finished the project like any other stocking.

Here's the completed stocking with the upside down crown cuff in place and a satin ribbon loop to hang it.

And here it is hanging at our fireplace. I hope Santa will bring treats to villains!

As you can see, it's a pretty simple affair to add character to a project. Because I love many animated character designs, I have many more stocking ideas for the future, that's for sure!

No Sew Felt Christmas Tree with Ornaments

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:27:12 -0500

With 2 kids, I am constantly looking for ways to involve them in the holidays but without the risk to any of our decorations. That is a hard task when Christmas rolls around: glass ornaments, ceramic table toppers and porcelain angels abound. However, when I saw this Felt Christmas Tree project idea on Pinterest, I knew it was just right for my family. I set about planning my tree. I wanted it a bit different to blend with my funky/traditional Christmas decorating theme that I always seem to end up with so I cut my tree from turquoise felt. Next I cut several different circle shapes from red, green, blue and purple felt and some square and rectangle as well to serve as presents.

To decorate each ornament I used a combination of fabric and felt. I cut small polka dots from felt for my 3 yr old to decorate ornament. I also cut a snowflake inspired overlay for another. A simple white flower centered on a red circle serves as nod to the traditional. For my fabric decorations I let my love of polka dots have full access. I used several sizes of polka dot fabric and cut using my pinking shears for a decorative edging. Some of the presents feature ribbon and some felt add-ons.

I recommend using fabric glue for affixing fabric to felt but for felt-on-felt and ribbon on felt use your glue gun or a simple running stitch in a matching thread. The felt really soaks up the fabric glue so you need something thicker to stick anything other than fabric. When gluing fabric to felt, apply your glue to the fabric and then press it to the felt. Don't apply the glue to the felt first as it will soak it up.

Lastly, I hung my tree with thumb tack so my little one could hang "real" ornaments from the branches. I made her some small pom poms and tied the ends into a loop for hanging. You could also make more felt ornament for hanging. My little bit loves her Christmas tree and re-decorates it every morning after a visit to her advent calendar (free pattern available here). It makes a great backdrop for her Christmas photos. The best part is it is unbreakable and cheerful!

P.S. I realize the length of her pants ruin my credibility but she could not be persuded to wear anything else

Blog of the Month: Censational Girl

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:14:50 -0500

This month I decided to change up my search for Blog of the Month by doing my research via Pinterest. Typically I rely on Google to help me find a crafty, fabric-loving blog each month. This month with a search of the DIY pins on Pinterest I found an amazing blog run by a super crafty gal, Kate, who also happens to be a fan of Fabric.com (Thanks, Kate!). Kate's blog, Censational Girl, is for the bargain hunters, DIYers and crafters alike. Kate is a former lawyer turned blogger who loves to revamp and turn old and busted into amazing treasures and shares her magic via her blog and various other writing and design outlets. I fell head over heels for her blog at first sight. It is lovely and easy to navigate. Censational Girl features a Project Gallery with great pictures with links to posts on how such an amazing project came to be. And these are some serious how-to's. Kate doesn't just vaguely explain how she got from the "before" to the "after"; her gorgeous pictures show each product and each action to get a ugly table to an amazing show stopper (I am referring in particular to my favorite piece featured in "My Bamboo is Peacock Blue"). You can also find Crafts, Everyday Home Dec, Holiday Decorating, Home Improvement, Fabric Projects, and many more in her Project Gallery.

You also must check out her Style Files which serve as excellent inspiration coupled with a great place to find inside tricks or just fun reading on your favorite subject: Style. In Kate's Style Files you will find: Decorating and Design Articles and Spotlight Interviews. The Decoration and Design Articles feature online posts that Censational Girl finds eye-catching, relevant and news worthy in the design world. I love the eye candy. Kate's Spotlight Interviews are a collection of interviews of up and coming and established designers. You can find out inspirations and design tips from your favorite designer or maybe find a new favorite. I love Emily Henderson!

Please check out Censational Girl. I am sure it will become one of your favorite go-to blogs for home ideas and stash busting (or stash increasing) projects.

You can follow Censational Girl on Pinterest

Facebook

Twitter

You can also follow Fabric.com and me, Tara Miller, on Pinterest

Send me your Blog of the Month suggestions by leaving a comment on our blog!

Super Simple Spa Wrap -- From a T-Shirt!

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 18:27:42 -0500

Time for another dip into the T-shirt stash!

Spa wraps or quick-dry hair towels have occasionally popped up in sewing project how-tos for years, and I've always thought, "I should make one of those!" But I never did. Then, recently, a friend told me she had started using a T-shirt in lieu of a towel to dry her hair because her hair dried more quickly that way. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to test out her assertion and make a project at the same time!

Bonus: This project is crazy quick! It only requires one seam.

First, I squared up the bottom edge of a T-shirt, and cut a long curved line as shown below. It's 21 inches long, and the highest point of the curve is 8 inches away from the hem edge of the T-shirt. (I just used my head circumference as the width of the double layer -- I figured that would give me plenty of length to twist and secure my wrap.) My shirt ended up being 21 inches wide, so I just cut from fold to fold, but if you have a shirt wider than 21 inches, you can just cut it at the 21 inch mark and close it up with the one seam this project requires.

Next, I cut a piece of 1/4-inch elastic about 3 inches long. This is a great use for little scraps of elastic!

I folded the elastic in half and inserted it into my cut piece so that the raw ends would catch in the seam at the narrow end of the wrap.

This is how the elastic loop looks once the seam is stitched:

For my last step (What, it's already the last step? YES.), I sewed a button from my button bag about 2 inches up from the hem edge at the fold on the wide end of the wrap.

And that's it! This wrap is ready to go to work! To put it on, you nestle the wide end over the back of your head, then catch your hair into the long tail, twist it, and secure it with the elastic loop over the button.

In testing, this does indeed seem to get my hair to dry more quickly! Because the cotton is absorbent, but also thin when compared to a terry cloth, it pulls the moisture from the hair and allows it to evaporate more quickly -- even though it's not a wicking fabric.

Of course, you can also make these using spare fabric instead of a T-shirt. I had a scrap of a zebra knit (I have no idea what the fiber content is on this, but if I had to guess, I would say it's a cotton/rayon blend) that was too small to do much else with, but it was the perfect size leftover for this project.

I added a little 1/4-inch elastic around the hem edge on this one to give it extra grip around my head -- works like a charm.

This is also a project that you could gussy up to make for gifts. Use a pretty button instead of one from the stash, add a cute applique or washable fabric flower, and you've got a sweet, useful gift. And these are great for travel -- they take up zero suitcase room!

Make a Tulle Yule!

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:21:18 -0500

I love tulle. Is there anything more princessy than a cloud of floaty, poufy net in a pastel color? It's heavenly. I wish I could get away with wearing a tutu every single day.

So when I recently saw an adorable vintage tulle holiday tree online recently, I knew I had to create my own version.

The good news here: no fabric to cut! I used tulle spools (this project takes two, but you'll have a lot left from your second spool) in pink. The only other supplies you need are a piece of poster board, your trusty hot glue gun and a handful of glue sticks.

Before you do anything else, gather your tulle on your sewing machine. This doesn't have to be a precision affair, so you can just push it through as you stitch in the (approximate) center of the strip. I gathered one entire spool, and then waited to gather my second one because I wasn't sure how much I would need.

Once your tulle ruffle is done, set it aside and grab your poster board. Measure 14 inches from that corner and make a mark, then rotate your ruler or yardstick (maintaining the corner as your zero point) every inch or so to make an arc of marks from one side to the perpendicular side.

Clip along your arc of markings so you have a triangle with a rounded bottom edge.

Next, clip the corner off the top of your triangle. You don't have to be super precise here.

Roll your triangle into a cone shape, and secure it gently with masking tape. I know my masking tape looks horrifying. It's one of my cats' favorite toys, so it's been rolled through every speck of dust in the house. Thankfully, it's only on the cone temporarily!

Squirt a little hot glue into the gaps between the masking tape and apply a little pressure to make sure the two sides are adhered to one another. Once the glue is cooled and set, remove the tape and fill in the remaining gaps so there is glue all along the seam.

Tulle time! Run a small bead of glue along the bottom edge of your cone, and gently press your tulle, along the gathering stitches, into the glue. Continue working around the base of the cone, gluing a few inches at a time.

Once you've made one full circle around the base of your cone, continue gluing your ruffled tulle down just a little above the first row. Things will initially be tricky, juggling multiple rows of fluffy tulle, but it gets easier as you go.

This is my cone once I had several rows of tulle affixed to it.

As you near the top of the cone, cut a piece of unruffled tulle from your second spool about 14 to 20 inches long. Roll it up and insert it through the top of the cone from the inside. As your tulle spiral approaches the top of your cone, fluff out this piece to your liking, and allow it to pick up a little bit of the glue that keeps the uppermost layers in place. You can also drop a little glue inside the cone to anchor this piece.

I used up an entire spool and had about 5 inches of height left to cover on my tree. So, I just gathered another piece from my second spool until it was about 4 or 5 feet long, and that was enough to finish things off.

Once you've finished wrapping, you'll have a fluffy tulle tree! As you near the top of the cone, you may find that your tulle is pulling or sitting oddly -- this is because the diameter of the cone is so small, even the gathered fabric isn't full enough to spread out evenly around it. You can clip your ruffles a little here to open them up -- I just make a clip perpendicular to the long edge of the strip from the outside right up to where it meets the cone. Make as many clips as you need to get things the way you like. Because the tulle creates a fluffy, cloud-like appearance, the clips don't really show if you make them judiciously.

But what would a tree be without ornaments? I just glued some large pearls into the tulle, spaced randomly, to give the illusion of ornaments.

Here is the tree being inspected by an average-sized cat, which will give you some idea as to the size of the finished project.

I just love my little tree! I want to make a matching black one for art deco holiday style! This would also be super cute in green, or even with two alternating colors. Add anything you like to create your perfect holiday style!

Pom Pom Garland

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 21:52:39 -0500

I 'm so glad to be back from maternity leave after having my second child, a girl named Emily. I was going stir-crazy and longed to get my hands on some craft supplies again. Many hours were spent holding a sleeping baby, who would awake as soon as she suspected I would place her in a crib, so those hours were spent on Pinterest pinning ideas to make later. In those hours I rediscovered the Pom-Pom. Their fluffy, round goodness made my heart jump every time I saw them in another project. With Christmas rapidly approaching, I really wanted to incorporate pom poms into my holiday decorations. I decided on a pom pom garland because in my excitement I had already create a handful of pom poms in several colors and I had run out of wreath forms.

I got to work shifting through my studio looking for half finished skeins in colors to complete the rainbow garland I envisioned. In the end I had my color scheme but it was created with both wool and cotton. After I had made all the pom poms I would need I fell in love with the blending of the 2 fibers (wool and cotton) and loved the different texture it gave my garland. I used only worsted weight yarns and my medium Clover Pom pom maker. This made pom poms approximately 2 ½ inches wide. I wound them with extra yarn until I almost could not close my maker to create extra fluffy pom poms. I also trimmed some pom pom more than others because I loved the haphazard and impish look of a freshly made pom pom but I wanted a clean look to my garland so I did not leave all my pom poms with the "Beatles' haircut".

In the end I made 16 pom poms to make a 6 ft garland. DO NOT CLIP the tie used to secure your pop pom; you will use it later. Using a bulky weight yarn (this will prevent the pom poms from sliding up and down and unifies the garland. Knot on end about 4 inches from the cut end (you can opt for a loop instead) measure 72 inches and mark to make another big knot later then clip the yarn 4 inches after. Thread the unknotted end onto a tapestry needle and begin threading your pom poms. Insert the needle perpendicular to the pom pom tie (the one we discussed earlier- see picture below). Slide your pom pom on and repeat for all remaining pom poms. It is easier to line up your pom poms before threading to determine the order. Once you are done, slide all your pom poms down to give yourself room to tie the end knot. And you are done! For an extra fluffy garland you can double the pom poms or use our extra large pom pom maker. You can opt for nontraditional colors like turquoise, coral, orange and bright green. If you prefer a color themed tree, try making an extra long garland to create an ombre effect on your tree. Start with the darkest shade of pom pom for your color scheme on the bottom and work your way up to the lightest shade pom pom at the top.

My pom poms were made using Lion Brand Cotton Ease and Lion Brand Wool Ease. The Garland was strung with Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky in Tinsel.

A quick tip: Wind the Pom pom maker with both ends of the skein. You will make your pom pom twice as quick!

Don't forget to follow Fabric.com on Pinterest and you can follow me on Pinterest too!

Stash Busting: Cuff Me!

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 13:32:49 -0500

A while back, I mentioned on the blog that a scrap of fabric has to be at least as big as a piece of paper for me to keep it in my stash. I'm pretty good about holding to that rule, but I have a much harder time with deciding how big a scrap of elastic or ribbon or other trim has to be to make the cut. The drawer of my sewing table is riddled with little bits of debris that I should have thrown away long ago, but I've always known in my heart that there must be some use for them. I think I've finally found it: easy little wrist cuffs!

For each cuff, I started with a 1-inch wide scrap of elastic, just 2.5 inches long. I'm using regular waistband elastic for these, but you could use a colored elastic or a fold over elastic, too. Really, the key is working through those scraps!

For the rest of the cuff, I used either a piece of ribbon 5.5 inches long, or a scrap of fabric 5.5 by 2.5 inches. My wrist is 7 inches around, so adjust as needed for your wrist size and desired tightness.

For a fabric cuff, I sewed my 5.5 by 2.5 inch piece into a tube along the long edge of the fabric, and then turned it right side out and pressed it lightly.

If you're using quilting prints or other lightweight fabrics, I suggest running a piece of grosgrain ribbon through the body of your tube to give it a little extra stability.

Then, it's just a matter of stitching the ends of the elastic scrap to the ends of your tube, wrong sides together. Flip it right side out and ta-daaaa! Instant cuff!

But wait! There's more! These little cuffs are so quick and simple that I've come to think of them as tiny canvases for creativity. (If I don't like how one turns out, no big deal -- it's just scraps!)

I made a ruffled cuff by simply pleating some leftover ribbon to a grosgrain base, and then stitching some elastic lace trim on top of that.

These also can be used as an alternative to old-school I.D. bracelets. I used my the basic letter stitches on my sewing machine to make this simple corduroy cuff. If your machine has decorative stitches that you never use, this would be a great project to put them to work.

Really, the sky's the limit here. You can just use fabric if you have a print or design that you really love. (What a wonderful way to keep your fabric favorites with you all day long!) You can add beads, buttons or fabric flowers. You can just use a small cut of beautiful ribbon. This is the time to make use of all those teensy pieces you've never been able to toss!

Here are a handful of cuffs that I made this morning:

The ruffled cuff mentioned above, a Star Wars cuff made from a scrap of quilting fabric, and a cuff made from velvet ribbon layered over corduroy and accented with hot fix rhinestones.

My I.D. cuff and a pretty damask print.

This project can also be useful! A 1-inch wide cuff makes a perfect spot to clip a small MP3 player like an iPod shuffle. And all of the ones I made here are machine washable, so I can take this on a run and then just throw the sweaty cuff in the wash with the rest of my running gear.

These can also be made as gifts or party favors. Theme them to a holiday party or event as a special memento. Depending on the fabrics you use, you can also use these as scent cuffs by putting a few drops of your favorite perfume oil on them (be sure to test for discoloration first).

My scrap stash has never been so inspiring! I'm super excited to keep going with these!

Love at Fur Sight

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 16:52:46 -0500

Winter is here! OK, I know it's technically not winter yet, but the low in Atlanta today was 27 F, which is abysmally cold as far as I'm concerned.

As each winter approaches, I think to myself that THIS will be the year I make a super yummy coat. But then, I get busy with other commitments and before I know it, I've shuffled through the cold season layering hoodies and less-than ideal jackets, and my coat never materialized. But this year, I'm getting out in front of it, largely because I fell in love with a faux fur we got in stock not long ago.

I'm an animal lover and could never be comfortable wearing real fur, but I am always on the lookout for a faux fur that will delight me. And when I first saw this fancy feather faux fur, I gasped at its loveliness. I knew I had to make something with it, but what? And then the solution came skipping across my neurons: Make that coat!

The pattern I chose is Simplicity 1732. I love the shape of it, and that it's got a little of an other-era feel to it.

For the main body of the coat, I chose an Antique Cotton Velvet. I am deeply enamored of this fabric, and because it's designed for home dec use, it's got a luxurious feel, but it's also rugged. (Seriously, this stuff has such a soft texture -- I can stop running my hand across it.) Perfect for a coat!

I made the knee-length version of the coat, and used my exotic faux fur for the collar and cuffs. This is definitely a statement piece!

Working with the antique cotton velvet was heaven. It simply doesn't have the same slippage issues that other velvets often do. Working with the fur was a little bit of a challenge, but nothing more than one would expect -- and because of the simple shapes of the fur pieces on this jacket, there wasn't a lot of tricky manipulation needed, just a bit of handling care.

Now I can safely say that I will be warm as toast this winter -- I just need to find some fun places to wear my new zazzy coat!

If you like the idea of using faux fur on a coat, but you want something a little more subdued for day-to-day wear, you can always alter your pattern so the fur pieces button on over a lower-profile collar and cuffs. But if you feel the call of the fashion wild, go for it!

This Year, I'm Thankful for Color

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 16:19:06 -0500

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am thinking about what I'm grateful for, and also what I'll wear to Turkey Day festivities. Usually, I throw on all black and call it even -- sometimes, it's a pretty schlubby affair. But this year, I want to make a little more effort. I want to wear something to remind me that it's a holiday not about stuffing my face, but about the joy of abundance in my life. And I want to wear color.

The first time I saw the Tula Pink Birds and the Bees collection, I KNEW I needed a dress out of one of the fabrics. I love the play of hue and shapes dancing across the fabric. And I adore the colorful take on the nature theme -- it's a perfect fit for my mission to make a joyful dress. So, I selected a print and went in hunt of the perfect pattern. I settled on Simplicity 2444 for my project, and I was off to the races.

Because the design of the repeating pattern on this fabric is so bold, it's fairly easy to line up the pattern to make sure there's symmetry.

The pattern calls for a seam down the center front of the skirt, but I opted to alter it so I wouldn't have to risk not having a perfect match right at the front of my dress.

I am so excited to wear my new squirrel dress! Wearing it and looking down at its beautiful, bright colors, it's easy to remember how lucky I am. I have a wonderful family (both human and four-legged), smart and witty friends to share adventures with, and I get to express myself creatively with an entire rainbow of colors. It's a rich life.

I really didn't mean to do this, but I managed to accessorize my outfit ahead of the game! To go with my new dress, I'll be carrying my acorn wristlet and acorn fascinator, both featured in previous blogs!

If you're with us here in the U.S., I hope you and yours have a beautiful Thanksgiving. If you're reading from another country, I hope you have as many things to be thankful for as I do. And I hope we all celebrate our good fortune by expressing our creativity!

Scrap Project: Plump Pyramid Pincushions

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:53:47 -0500

I have talked about my epic scrap stash many times. Every once in a while, I get the urge to actually put some of my tiny remnants to work on a project so I don't feel like a crazy fabric hoarder. Since the holiday season is upon us, I also need to practice some quick gift projects so I can churn them out assembly-line style as presents for my sewing friends.

For quickie pyramid pincushions, you just need a teeny bit of fabric, a short length of ribbon or braid, and a bit of batting or fiberfill. For my samples, I used a cotton print, a home dec print and a bit of cotton velvet.

For each pincushion, I cut:

4 equilateral triangles, 5 inches on each side
1 4.75-inch square

After joining two sides of the pyramid, I fold a loop out of a scrap of trim and baste it to the apex. I join another pair of triangles, and then stitch that to the pair with the loop basted on, right sides together.

Once all the triangles are stitched together to form the pyramid shape, I stitch it to the square base, leaving a small opening for turning. I also do a little reinforcement stitching along the loop.

Then, it's just a matter of turning, stuffing and slip stitching the opening closed. Easy peasy!

These pyramids can also be made as pattern weights by simply adding beans or pellets to the base.

I bet you've got a scrap in your stash that would be perfect for a pincushion -- and in less than an hour, you can whip up several. These are also easy to embellish and personalize! You can also change the shape by only cutting the four triangles and assembling them so one is the base and you have 3 sides to your pyramid. (I love geometry!)