Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• 2 rectangles 10” x 15” red fleece
• 1 rectangle 14” x 3 ½” white fleece
• Matching thread
• 2/3 yards of red satin ribbon
• rotary cutting mat or scissors
• ruler

First you will need to enlarge the pattern on your printer or copy machine to measure 14” long by 8 ½” wide. Place the rectangles of red fleece right sides together. Place the stocking pattern on the fleece and cut it out

Making a ½” seam, sew the sides and bottom of the stocking together. Press the seams open and turn the stocking right side out.

Fold the white fleece in half widthwise, right sides together and sew a ½” seam down the 3 ½” side. Press open.

Cut a scalloped edge onto the white fleece. Place right side of sewn white fleece inside sewn red stocking. Align the top raw edges and seam of white fleece with the back seam of the stocking. Use a ½” seam allowance to sew the cuff to the stocking.

Pull the white cuff out of the stocking. Create a loop with the red satin ribbon for hanging. Sew a strip of ribbon across the front of the stocking. Trace the name of the person who will receive the stocking with glue and sprinkle with white crystal glitter.

For a copy of the stocking pattern, please visit http://www.domesticbuzz.com/templates/stocking.pdf

Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Fleece Christmas Stocking

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• Styrofoam Heart 6 x 1 inch
• Floral quilting fabric
• A serrated knife
• Paraffin or a candle stub
• Wide, flat paintbrush
• Ruler
• Paper towels
• Low temp glue gun and glue sticks
• White, thick craft glue

First cut three or four 5 ½ inch squares from the fabric. Spread a thin layer of white glue over the label side of the CD and smooth a fabric square over the glue. Let it dry thoroughly and trim any excess fabric

Cut two 1 ½ x 12 inch strips of fabric. Glue the fabric strips around the edge of the foam heart, overlapping as needed. Clip the corners and fold the excess fabric  around the bottom. Use glue to secure the fabric. A quick tip to use is this, trace the heart onto the wrong side of the fabric, cut it out and glue it to the heart.

To make inserting the disc easier cut 3/8 inch deep, equally spaced parallel grooves into the top of the foam heart. Cut the styrofoam straight down, no on an angle. Apple a think line of white glue along each CD slit and press the discs ½ to ¾ inches deep into the slit.

Use the small bunches of silk flowers to decorate the discs as shown. This is a unique gift to give at any time of the year especially to a music buff.

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Recycled CD Letter Holder

There have been posts that people have loved, some that got a way bigger reaction that I ever expected and those posts that people have said “thank you for writing, that’s helped me”.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorites…

• My post about a free pattern for a Snuggie has gotten more popular than I ever imagined – apparently people want to make these… lots and lots of people!
• You can’t get much easier than these ribbon roses – I’ve made literally hundreds over the years.
• My fabric-covered journal tutorial turned into a much bigger how-to than I originally planned – it’s split into five separate posts, in fact.  Here they all are, so you don’t need to go searching for them: part one, two, three, four and five.
• Dyeing fabric doesn’t have to be a big, scary project – it can be a fun experiment too.
• And of course, anything I could embroider, I would!  I’ve made felt sweethearts for Valentine’s Day, a mini bag for Halloween and monogrammed napkins as a wedding gift – I’ve even embroidered on origami paper.

You can still find me on the web at Splendicity or my own personal craft blog

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

My All-Time Favorite Tutorials

• Instructables show you how to weave your own spider web.  You can make any size from teensy-tiny to gigantic – and how amazing would this look made from glow-in-the-dark yarn or thread?
• I love to make my own pom-poms and this Jack-0-Lantern from Craft Passion is a particularly cute way to use them.  There are lots of different pom-pom makers on the market these days too.
• Candy corn is a classic part of Halloween, but is it a little too sweet for you now?  How about making these candy corn earrings from Craft Magazine instead?
• Are using black lights this Halloween?  Why not make a glow-in-the-dark spider web table cloth?  Martha Stewart has the how-to using black-light reactive markers.

Happy Halloween Crafting!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Crafting Around the Web

• Are you unsure about a particular sewing or quilting term?  Quilting Arts Magazine has put together a great glossary of terms for crafters and fiber artists.
• This technique isn’t for fabric, but it’s so cool that I couldn’t help posting it!  Matsutake has come up with a way of transferring ink jet images onto wood – using only Mod Podge and white glue.

• If you want to get a head start on your Christmas crafting, check out this gorgeous strip-pieced stocking from the Purl Bee.  They’ve got a great how-to that takes the stress out of hand-quilting.
• Check out the amazing embroidery on metal from Mr X Stitch.  The blog focuses on the cutting edge of contemporary embroidery – very cool.
• And last, but not least – I’m giving away a funky brass necklace on my accessories blog

Happy Crafting!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Crafting Around the Web

You can use them to secure your thread as you sew, or turn them into a decorative embroidery accent.  They can be used to make everything from horse equipment from jewelry.  Humans have been using everything from hair, leather, rawhide and natural fibers since… well, the dawn of humanity to make knots.

I recently came across two very unique ways of using knots to create something decorative and useful at the same time.

The first one is this great tutorial from Threads Magazine, how to make a knotted belt:

The knotting pattern looks awfully complex when you look at this photo, but the tutorial breaks down each step into an easy-to-follow pattern.

The next one uses “paracord”, a thin, incredibly strong cord that’s popular among the armed forces, survivalists and outdoor enthusiasts.   Paracord is knotted into a bracelet that can be worn or carried easily, and then unraveled as needed.

After all, you never know when you might need a little extra rope…

image: Threads Magazine

Post from: Blisstree

All Kinds of Amazing Knots

• If you need a little crafty help for organizing your desk or sewing table, why not make some pretty boxes?  Style At Home has a how-to to make a matching set.
• Living Creatively has a great little stash-busting purse.  Perfect for using up little treasured bits of fabric… or to make an easy gift for someone

• Sewing.org has a tutorial from Wrights for making an elegant ribbon necklace – don’t forget, the holidays are coming up soon and it’s nice to dress up sometimes…
• Threadbanger has a great way to display your extensive button collection (admit it, we all have button jars!) – a stitched button coaster!
• This falling leaves lamp how-to from Craft actually calls for using paper, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t substitute fabric instead to make an autumnal lamp.

Happy Crafting!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Crafting Around the Web

There are lots of commercial options for pre-made clothing embellishments out there.  You can find everything from fabric roses, elaborate braided trims and beaded fringes.  If you’d like to try making your own clothing embellishments, but aren’t quite sure how to start, I’ve got a few options for you.

image: Threads Magazine

Threads Magazine has a great how-to for making a faux fabric bows, using bias-cut fabric.   The trim gives the illusion of a row of fabric bows, when it’s actually a continuous strip of trim.

image: CraftStylish

Beaded fringe is a fun way to add instant drama to different sewing projects.  CraftStylish has a unique tutorial to create this gridded fringe, shown above.

iShimmy also has some different ideas for making your own beaded fringe as well.  I’ve sewn my own beaded fringe and highly recommend using a good-quality beading thread.  This is not the time to cheap out!  Ask at your local beading shop if you’re not sure what to use.

I’ve shared this link on how to ruche before, but it’s such a good one that I have to share again

Here’s one of my tutorials for creating flowers using mesh fabric, yarn and buttons.  Part one and part two.

Post from: Blisstree

Elegant Fabric Embellishments for Clothing

Looking at the endless possiblities of using these pom poms was the absolute component that drew me to them. I actually felt the urge to find out and understand how they were made. Gone were the days that these babies were used solely for hairclip adornments only. Through the years, the pom poms have been present in almost all craft-related projects that included table settings, scrapbook embellishment and even as a decorative item like the one below:

Image by: Domestifluff

The pom poms have figured prominently in the design world and it has adapted to an impressive selection of materials already. But what I have for you today is the old timer kind – yarns. Domestifluff has an easy step-by-step tutorial over her blog. I am curerntly itching to make some for my front door. Spiders are a good choice for this month, don’t you think?

Post from: Blisstree

DIY: Pretty Pom Poms

• Jazzi McG has created her own version of fashion designer, Richard Nicoll’s grosgrain ribbon bracelets and has shared a tutorial so you can make your own.
• National Sewing Month is over, but that doesn’t mean you should stop upcycling as you sew!  Thimbly Things has found a cute new use for old blue jeans – baby bibs.

• SouleMama has created a charming fabric folder to keep all of her thank-you card supplies close at hand.
• If you’re as big if of a button fan as I am, you probably have a big jar of buttons stashed somewhere.  Why not create something that shows them off, like this button pillow from Sew4Home?

Happy Crafting!

Don’t forget – I still have a contest happening on my accessories blog right now.  You can win a “Torus” stainless steel necklace from Blend Creations.  The bonus?  You get to choose what color of bead you’d like!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Crafting Around the Web