Archive through January 09, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: Arts and Crafts (ARCHIVES): Archive through January 09, 2003

Max

Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 09:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Gail, go to the craft or fabric store and buy some "fat quarters" in holiday colors/patterns. Then get some ribbon or some jute or other stuff to tie it with.

Depending on the size of the soap bars, you should be able to package up to four bars with each fat quarter.

If you got cotton and want to get fancy, cut pieces to fit the bars and sew around the edges about 1/4" in, then fray the edges. Or, just turn the edge under and leave it at that.

If you got flannel, get a pair of what we used to call pinking shears and now they call zig-zag cutters or something and cut the pieces using that so you get a nice decorative edge.

Then, just wrap the soap in plastic wrap (might not be necessary), wrap the material around it, and tie with the ribbon/jute/whatever you got. You can just tie the ends so it looks like a piece of wrapped candy. You can also tie a tag on to identify the kind of soap, if you want to.

That's an easy way to make festive soap packaging for the holidays or anytime, since fat quarters are available in all kinds of patterns.

That's one idea, anyway! :)

Juju2bigdog

Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 10:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Pinking shears are no longer called pinking shears? Whoa!! Shows how old and out of touch I am.

Pcakes, your potpourri pies are beautiful!

Gail, I am still loving your soap.

Pcakes2

Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 11:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I'll post it here for all to enjoy:

Potpourri Pies

Supplies:
-Terracotta Saucer (any size)
-1 yard Muslin fabric (natural, off white or eggshell color) (usually about 99cents per yd)
-Heat and Bond fabric adhesive (the kind on the bolt sold by the yard, not the small package of strips)
-Potpourri
-Glue gun
-several glue sticks

1.Take 2 pieces of muslin fabric (10x10 sqaures should be enough) and adhere them to each other with the heat & bond...this is to stiffen the fabric, and also to prevent edges from fraying.

2. Depending upon the size of your terracotta saucer decided how many "lattice strips" you want across the pie as the pie crust. For a 5 or 6 inch saucer, I do 4 horizontally & 4 vertically. I cut the strips in 3/4 inch width with pinking shears....4 for in each direction, you would need to cut 8.

3. Take another strip of muslin (about 3 inches wide) and double or triple the circumference of your terracotta saucer. Fold this strip in half and press with an iron to get a nice crease.

4. Take terracotta saucer, and the lond strip of muslin, and pick a starting point...glue the end of the strip about 1/2 inch below the rim of the saucer. Run the strip around the saucer a bit, and fold it back, and glue it down....you sort of make a wavy ribbon pattern. I glue about every 1/4 an inch or so.

5. Fill saucer with potpourri

6. Take pinking sheer strips, and place them over the filled saucer to get a feel for when you want to glue them in place.

7. Start gluing at one end...place the saucer in front of you and glue the top part of the verical strips (DO NOT GLUE AT BOTH ENDS) When gluing...attach the end of the strip under the fill line..in other words...below where the potpourri is.

8. Turn pie 1/4 of a turn and glue tops of remaining strips

9. Form a basket weave with the strips....over under over under, etc.

10. Glue remaining ends.

11.. Top off with a raffia ribbon or dried fruit or whatever.

If this doesn't make sense, email me at pcakes2@yahoo.com (I have some step by step pictures)


1.Take a terracotta plant saucer (the bottom part that sits under the pot

Pcakes2

Thursday, November 14, 2002 - 12:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Gail, for packaging CP soaps for the holidays, take a 3 inch wide strip of fabric and wrap it around like a cigar band. Then get a piece of heavy weight paper or even construction paper in red or green, silver or gold or white and run it thru a paper crinkler (they have them at Michaels and other craft stores and they are pretty inexpensive), and then cut a 2 inch band. Tie some raffia around it. You can also go to the dollar store and get some silk holly leaves or poinsetta leaves and attach it with hot glue.

Lumbele

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 03:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
At the moment I am teaching a University student to knit and crochet. She is limited financially but would like to make a few *easy* Christmas gifts for small children. I have a crochet pattern for a Pierot but nothing else. Any ideas?

Llkoolaid

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 06:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Car54, I am a quilter too, I have never heard of the grandmothers fan but I have done one called My Lady's Fan which is very nice and sounds close to yours. I have made lots of quilts and have hundreds of patterns. If you are interested in a new pattern I can send you some. I will just have to get my husband or one of my kids to teach me how to scan the pictures and send them to you.

Quilting is very relaxing but the best part for me is making the tops. My favorite is applique but I have done some strip quilting. I am really into making my own designs and sort of creating a picture. It is kind of like painting with fabric.

Llkoolaid

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 07:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Has anyone made the pot scrubbers by crocheting netting. They are fantastic. They last a long time and don't scratch the surface of your pans.
They make up in minutes and if anyone is interested I can give the directions.

Sia

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 07:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lumbele, using 100% cotton yarn, you can knit really nice heavy dishcloths that almost never wear out! The pattern I use is self-finishing, meaning that you don't have to add any trim by crocheting around the edges afterward. I have made lots of knitted and crocheted potholders, as well. The key is to use only 100% cotton yarn; acrylic yarn can't take the heat of hot pans, etc. Another tip is to use light colors of cotton yarn that can be bleached (to remove stains), but any colors are fine. Women love receiving these as gifts. One year I made 80-some knitted dishcloths for the women of my aunt's church. She bought the yarn and I had tons of fun. They are quick to make, too, and I can normally get two dishcloths out of one small skein of yarn. If you're into production, though, I recommend buying the one-pound cone of cotton yarn; it's less expensive this way; the variegated yarn is really nice for this. (I've also croched placemats of cotton yarn.)

Llkoolaid

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 07:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sia, I would love to have the pattern for the dish cloths, I have some and as you say they are great. I bought them at a tea and sale but I don't know anyone that makes them.

Lumbele

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 08:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sia, me too, please. Those dish cloths just might keep my paws out of the cigs. Is that project easy enough for a beginner, too? Although my "student's" main concern right now is kiddie gifts.

Sia

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 09:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
KNITTED DISHCLOTHS OF 100% COTTON YARN

I have the pattern in my head, girls. I don't even know what size needles I use. I want to say size 8, but that might not be right. You don't want tiny needles, and not giant ones, either. Let's see if I can give you basic instructions. You try it, then tweak the pattern to get the results you like.

You are going to start in one corner and work diagonally across the dishcloth to the opposite corner, beginning with just four stitches in the first row. You build up to about 40 to 44 stitches total on your hook before your start decreasing to complete it, and end up with four stitches before you knit the work off the needle.

I use circular needles because they're much easier to work with, in my opinion. Cast on four stitches to start. You're supposed to be able to start right into the pattern, increasing each row by one stitch, but I've had trouble with my corner being too blunted, so I have worked around this by knitting about three rows before starting to increase.

You use just knit stitches; you don't have to purl at all in this pattern.

Start increasing: Knit two, yarn over, knit to the end. Repeat this row after row until you have 40 to 44 stitches on the needle.

To decrease: Knit two, yarn over, knit two together, knit to the end. Repeat this row after row until you have just four stitches left on the needle. I usually knit two or three rows more and then work the stitches off the needle.

Tie off your yarn by passing the ball/skein through the last stitch/loop; cut off the yarn, leaving a tail of two inches. With a crochet hook, work your "tail" into the first row to hide it, then tack it with a few stitches using a sewing needle threaded with thread the same color as your 100% cotton yarn. Hide and fasten/sew the tail on the opposite corner of the dishcloth, and you're done.

I hope this works out well for you! Let me know how you come out!!

Sia

Sunday, November 24, 2002 - 09:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Does anyone have directions for making Beaded Bobby Socks? A lady was fastening brightly-colored plastic beads (like kids make necklaces out of) to the tops of girls' white bobby socks, and they were so cute!! I watched her, but didn't really figure out how she was catching the bead onto the hook and getting it to dangle just right. I found it awkward when I tried it at home.

I ended up sewing beads to a pair of white bobby socks last night using six strands of embroidery floss and a crewel needle. I used buttonhole stitch, putting a bead after one stitch, then securing the bead with another stitch. I alternated three colors (pink, blue and purple) of beads and sewed the beads on with pink thread. I liked how they turned out, but this isn't what that woman was doing!! The crocheting would probably go more quickly.

I would appreciate any help you can give in this matter. Thanks very much.

Jkm

Monday, November 25, 2002 - 11:18 am EditMoveDeleteIP
The following web site has links to just about anything you could want to do craft wise -- I've used it for scouts and home often:

http://www.scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/Program/ArtCrafts.htm

Jkm

Monday, November 25, 2002 - 11:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Here's another:
http://www.scoutingweb.com/scoutingweb/Program/Sewing.htm

Gail

Monday, November 25, 2002 - 12:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
In the end for packaging those soaps for the soap swap, I bought a really pretty gold mesh type fabric (also bought some red too) and cut them into 1 square foot squares and gathered them up and tied with a really nice piece of gold ribbon. They came out really nice I think. I also bought a few yards of different holiday fabrics that I will use for gifts for friends and family.

:) At least, I finally got off my butt and did it. I am really bad a putting things like this off til the last minute.

Pcakes2

Monday, November 25, 2002 - 01:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
They sound like they turned out nice Gail! Putting things off til the last minute...LOL...I'm prepping for a 3 day craft fair this weekend...not even close to ready. I have so much to do this week, and a bunch of "pies" to deliver before Thanksgiving. 10 are going to one customer today. I think I'm not classified as Arts & crafts anymore..it's more like Sweat & Blood!

Gail

Monday, November 25, 2002 - 01:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I know - I spent so much time with the packaging and writing up recipe cards to go with them that I blew off soapmaking for the weekend - got busy with a ton of other things too. I still have 230 bars of soap to make by the end of this weekend. Argh!!!

Nights are out this week - we have a potluck at work tomorrow and I am making pies and I am bringing stuff to my neighbors house Thursday. I have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off so I am hoping I can get it all done this weekend. It is about the only thing hanging over me at this point so I hope I can get finished. :) then I can coast into the holidays and enjoy myself.

Sia

Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 05:05 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Ideas, please: my son's Kindergarten teacher sent home an 11x14 sheet of medium-green construction paper with instructions to "make a Christmas tree for display at school using any materials you like. Be creative." Any suggestions?

I'd thought about having my son rip up colored tissue paper into small pieces to glue onto a tree that we'd have to draw on the paper or cut out of the green paper. As a background, I'm considering using actual wallpaper or Christmas-print fabric.

Any really creative suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Pcakes2

Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 05:52 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi Sia,
Here's a real simple one we did when I was in kindergarten.

Cut the contruction paper into strips.
Start with a few strips 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long. Then make them 3 inches long, then 4 inches, etc.

Get a used paper towel roll and using a glue stick, put glue on the top 1/2 inch of of the strip...attach to paper towel roll. Continue gluing around the papertowel roll, then move down to the next row. After the whole paper towel roll is covered, turn it upside down and run your hand against the strips of paper.

To make the tree look like it has ornaments on it...put some glue on the strips, and add some glitter, or for a snowy effect, use cotton. Add a star on top, and you're done!

One a side note, did anyone every make "candlesticks" with a bar of ivory soap and a rolled up washcloth? That was another simple Xmas craft project in school. Cover a bar of soap in a Xmas wrapping paper....roll up a coordinating washcloth (Pin sides together) and pin it on top of the bar of soap. Cut out a piece of yellow or orange construction paper in the shape of a flame and stick it on top. This makes a great gift when young kids want to make/give their own presents. You can get a 6 pack of washcloths & ivory soap at Walmart for a couple of dollars.

Calamity

Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 09:24 am EditMoveDeleteIP
We also made a Christmas tree as Pcakes2 suggested, very cute and fun. You can feather the ends of the strips to give the illusion of pine needles (you'd probably have to help him with that part). Just make really small snips along the edge of the strips, as far up as you want. You might want to color the roll with marker or crayon just in case any shows through. And stuff some tissues in the bottom of the paper towel roll so it won't get top-heavy.

Sparkly pipe cleaners make good garlands. Pine cone flakes and dried or artificial holly leaves would be good for a "natural-looking" tree. You can make a star out of gold or silver foil.

If the tree has to be flat, maybe you could make it like a little advent calendar (I don't mean it has to be religious), with images of ornaments and packages hidden behind flaps. I like your idea of making a little room scene using real wall paper. How about fabric scraps to make a tree skirt? You son could draw a picture frame hanging on the wall and you could glue a small picture of your family in it.

Pcakes2

Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 09:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Calamity! I had forgotten about coloring the the roll, and cutting the edges of the paper. I don't even know how I remembered the whole tree thing...but I remebered that after it was done, my parents would pull it out every year and display it.....when I was about 13, I think I threw it in the fireplace...enough was enough!

Sia

Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 10:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LMAO, Pcakes!! I understand the emotion behind throwing your "precious masterpiece" into the fireplace! Oh, I'm coughing from laughing so hard at that.

Thanks for the wonderful ideas. I think I'll take a little bit of each suggestion. I love the idea, Calamity, of the fabric tree skirt. I have a hand-made one that I pieced many years ago under my big artificial tree, and i would love to approximate that!

Saw a g/f of mine tonight and she gave me an excellent idea for a creative tree: paint the bottom of son's foot with brown paint and press it onto the paper near the bottom for the tree trunk. Then paint one palm with green paint and have him place five handprints in green as the lowest branches, move up to the next row with three handprints, and end at the top with one handprint. Sounds gorgeous to me!! I love the idea.

I also think it would be really cute to cut out small ornaments and other tree-trimmings from actual Christmas wrap and pasting those onto the tree. I have some old tinsel/garland, too, that I thought I'd let him cut up to finish the tree!

Gee, I guess we have to do this tomorrow after school, or it won't get done in time. Snow is forecast here tonight, so maybe school will be cancelled! He can stay home and work on his tree all day long!!

Thanks so much for the suggestions.

Lumbele

Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 04:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
SOS, cross stitchers!!! Would anyone happen to have a graph for a small farm animal (chicken, goose, duck etc) that they would be willing to share or do you know of a website where I could find one? 20x20 stitches is about the biggest that would fit. Too anxious to get started I miscalculated and now need a small filler or two to balance my masterpiece (yeah, right!).

Sia

Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 04:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Lumbele, I have several that would do just fine.
How soon do you need this? I can type up a graph and send via e-mail, but haven't found my software yet that I need for my scanner, so that might not work.

I have a small duck, several chickens/roosters, a small bunny, I think.

Lumbele

Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 06:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sia, my life saver, thanks!!! No rush, I still got plenty to do.
Obviously I shouldn't go off the garden path, my experience in cross stitch is just not sufficient - yet. Deciding to make a bigger picture by adding a wife to match my farmer I goofed and ended up with too much blank space, but not enough space for anything major.oops Next time I'll stick strictly to the pattern - I think.LOL Thanks again!