My Craft Notebook

If I ever publish a comic book,  Z's "Dr. Hot Dog" and "Peanut Man" would be the superheros in it.
I'd like to make an octopus stuffie base on F's drawing someday. (top right)

This notebook keeps all the little secrets of sewing, knitting and crafting I've learned along the way (bottom left) and sketches by me and my kids (top right).  If I have successfully created something, I'd write down all the measurements and materials here so I could reproduce it in the future.  I also take notes of things I could improve on of certain projects here.   With my Montessori training background, I often use illustrations as much as word descriptions.  Besides my sewing machine, this notebook is the best thing I have on my craft table.

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Tutorial: Plastic Bag Dispenser

Remember these Target kitchen towels from my post JuneGreat Finds a year ago?  I intended to use them to make 2 more messenger bags.  But...

When this quilted fabric bin project came along, I caved in and used a small portion of the kitchen towels.  I ended up not having enough coordinated fabric for a messenger bag and would really like to use up the remnant.  So, when I was working the in kitchen one day and having to bend down to get a plastic bag under the sink, I thought, why not make a plastic bag dispenser?

Here’s how I do it:

 1. Cut your kitchen towel to about 19" long (that's what I have left with from            the last project).  With right side facing, fold the fabric in half width wise.  Sew along the existing stitch line length wise.  Now I have a long tube.
2. Press seam open.  From the wrong side of fabric, fold under 1" at both ends of the tube and press.
3. To create casing for the elastic, stitch all around the folded ends leaving a 2" opening at pressed seam (it's too bulky for the sewing machine to sew through anyway). Repeat on the other end of tube.
4. This is the opening for the elastic casing.
5.  Turn the tube right side out.  Decide which end will be the dispenser "top".  Cut ribbon to 13" long.  Fold 1" under at the ends and pin to the mid points of the sides of the tube just below the casing.
6. Stitch two straight lines to secure the two ribbon ends.
7. Mark elastic @ 5" long with pen.  Use a bodkin to thread the elastic through the casing opening.
8. Pull the elastic tight until you see your pen mark.  Tie a knot.  Snip the excess elastic off.  Sew the opening of the casing closed.  Repeat on the other end of tube.
note: It's easier to cut the elastic after you have tie the knot than to cut the elastic to 5" 1st and struggle with making that tie with limited material.
9. Stuff plastic bags in the dispenser.  Hang it and use it right away!

This tutorial is featured on Made by you Monday over at Skip to my Lou and on The Winthrop Chronicles.

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Tutorial--Thread Dispenser

My laziness has really fueled me to be creative.  The thought of opening a drawer, get the thread spool out and cut a piece of thread already tires me out.  So, what can a lazy sewer do?  A thread dispenser is the answer.   

Got a scrap fabric from a pair of shorts, sew up the sides to make it into a little pouch.  At the bottom of the pouch, poke 3 holes and apply eyelids.  Pop in the thread spools and tag pin onto the wall. Voila.

Now I could hand sew without fuss.

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Box That, Would You?

This was where my pin cushion used to be., sitting comfortably in the tin pail.  

But right after our cat adoption, I quickly realized the truth of the saying “curiosity kills the cat”.  Our 5 year old tabby, Lala, often accompanies me by my sewing table.  His lazy naps don’t really bother me, but his “give me some love NOW” moments are quite frightening.  He would walk around my sewing machine and rub his chubby body against anything that comes in view.  I became fearful that he might accidentally release some of the pins and poke himself.  So I had to box my pins and pin cushions.

Needless to say that boxes became necessities on my sewing table from then on.

I box my clear/rubber stamps.

I box presser feet.

I box glue tubes and misc. things.

Humm, perhaps I should have just boxed my cat?

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What's In Your Jar?

Have you stored your collections in glass jars?  

If you have not, you should seriously try.   

 It started off with my greed.  When I found these wooden floral buttons, I fell into my "gotta have them" mode.  All I needed was 4.  But the store only sold them in packs of 200.  Yap, you read it right.  And I ended up with TWO HUNDRED buttons!  

I had to find something to store them in.  Dug out two empty glass candy jars.  Poured the buttons in.  Looking good. 

This jelly jar now is home for all my other buttons. 

So, what's in your jar?

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Just Label That

 My DYMO Letratag is one of my favorite tools.  I label my drawers in the craft room to prevent too much time spent on figuring out where I put stuff.  And believe me, I’ve got 39 drawers (mostly small and table friendly though).

 How would I ever find anything without labels?

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Tutorial: Organizing Girls' Hair Thingys

The drawer that stores the girls’ hair thingys was about to vomit this morning.  Arrrr.  Time to organize them!  

Remember the Kerr 8oz Jelly Jars (the box was used to organize the sock drawer)? Well, the hair thingys look pretty good in them.

The drawer and my girls now look pretty, too.

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Tutorial: Organizing The Sock Drawers

Look for canning jar boxes or beer glass boxes.  They come with dividers to keep products in place and prevent products from shattering.   

  

I use these boxes for Kerr 8oz quilted crystal jelly jars.  Fits the girls’ drawer with room for folded leggings at the side.

Put the whole box in your drawer or just use the dividers.  Stuff your socks in each compartment. Voila!

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