The Polka-Dot Umbrella

I love this "Fun Jar" idea over at The Polka-Dot Umbrella blog!!!  I have been needing to do this for months now!!!  Now that my oldest is in kindergarten, I find myself struggling to find things for me and my 3 year old to do...especially during the cold winter months!  This fun jar idea is the perfect way to help me out...I can't wait to give it a try!!  Check out more great ideas over at The Polka-Dot Umbrella!

A little clarification

Sorry for the super quick faux necklace tutorial...I didn't have time to get pictures of the process.  I'm so glad you all like them! There were a few questions about it though. The first being what is Velveteen Paint. It's actually just Tulip brand fabric paint (you can buy at Joanns or Michaels) and the type is "Velveteen". Here's a picture, you can see on the white bottle in the middle it says Velveteen at the top of the label. 

The Rhinestone Setter I have looks like this:

My friend, Tami, got it for me at Robert's (I think) out in Utah.  It is awesome!  It heat fixes rhinestones to practically anything!!

I hope this helps a little!  I would love to see what you make....but, if you don't have time to make a shirt, but still want one, you can check them out here in our SHOP!

Faux Jewelry - a quick tutorial

I love the funky look of faux necklaces on shirts. I've seen these around on various blogs and in various stores (I just saw some last night at Wally World) and I think they are so cute!  

Here's what I did to make these.  Easy peasy, I promise!

supplies: shirt, Velveteen fabric paint, pins/pens/anything round to dip in the paint, rhinestone setter and rhinestones, scrap fabric, sewing basics (iron, sewing machine, etc.)

1.) Iron shirt in half length-wise so you can see where the middle of the shirt is.

2.) Put a piece of cardstock or cardboard in between the front and back of shirt so the paint won't bleed through.

3.) Use the head of a pin to make the small "beads".  Dip the tip in the paint and then dot it on the shirt.  Do this over and over till your skinny necklace is done.  Make sure to use your ironed line as a reference to the middle of the shirt.

4.) Use the back of a pen/pencil/foam paintbrush to make the larger beads on the neclace.  Dipping the end in the paint, then press it to the shirt.  Continue this until the neclace is done.  Make as many faux necklaces as you want on your shirt.

5.) Let dry several hours.

6.) Follow the directions on the paint bottle to make the Velveteen paint puff up.

7.) If you have a Rhinestone Setter, you can add a little bling to a few of the larger "beads".

8.) Make some sort of fabric flower to sit at the shoulder of the shirt and where the necklaces all meet together.  Sew in place and you're done!

If you try out this tutorial, I would LOVE to see

your finished shirts! 

Memo Board Tutorial

Here's the tutorial for the memo board I used as my audition craft for SYTYC. Thanks again to everyone who voted for it! I didn't take pictures while I was making it, so the tutorial doesn't have any pictures...but don't worry, it's super easy! This memo board can be used for all sorts of things. It's a fun dry erase board for next to the phone, you can make it a calendar, a babysitter info board, chore chart...whatever you want!! Have fun! And as usual, if you use any of my tutorials, I would LOVE to see a picture of what you make!

Memo Board

Supplies: picture frame - whatever size you want, fabric (something that isn't too dark or busy so you can see your writing over it), transparency sheets,

1.) Paint picture frame if desired.  You can also decorate the frame if you want too.  I added some lace and a rosette to fancy mine up a bit.

2.) Take out cardboard insert from frame.  Cut out your fabric a couple inches larger (on all sides) than the piece of cardboard.  Iron fabric. 

3.) Place cardboard on wrong side of fabric.  Fold fabric over cardboard and tape down on back.
4.) If you want to add a calendar or babysitter info sheet, all you need to do is print it out on a transparency sheet. Make sure to print it on the rough side of the transparency sheet.  Put this sheet in between the fabric covered cardboard and the picture frame's glass.

5.) Insert cardboard, with fabric now attached, in frame.  Close frame.  You're done!  Easy, huh?

6.) Now you can use a dry erase marker to write on the frame's glass.  You can even put a sticky back piece of velcro on the dry erase marker and the other piece on the top of the frame...so you never lose your pen!

SYTYC week one starts on Monday...eek!

A few tutorials

A few of you have asked for a tutorial for the singed flowers. I was going to write one up, but there really is no need since there are several of them already out there in blogland. So, here are a just a few tutorials for you to check out.  There are even more out there if you want to google it!  Have fun, they are addictive!

Singed Flower

Frayed Rosettes

Fabric Rosettes

***DON'T FORGET the giveaway below...winner will be picked on Sunday night!***

Lookie what she made!

Check out these super cute pleated ribbon rosette headbands from Ashley, at Cute As a Fox. She saw my tutorial and whipped up a couple...I love the way she pleated the ribbon on the headband! I think I'm liking her's more than mine!

I'd love to see your projects if you've used my tutorials!   Feel free to send me an email with some pictures! All Get Your Craft On tutorials are listed on my left sidebar if you click on the cute little chalkboard, or up top under my header.  Happy Crafting!

Ribbon Flower Headband TUTORIAL

Here is the tutorial that I did for a blog swap with MaryJanes and Golashes last week.  I saw a headband similar to this one at Wally World and decided to recreate it at home.  I think it's super cute for a little girl, or also super fun for 'big' girl.   I'm totally obsessed with hair accessories lately...can you tell?   
If you try it out, I'd love to hear from you!

Ribbon Flower Headband Tutorial

 Supplies: 1/2"-1" wide ribbon, headband, felt, glue gun, sewing essentials (sewing machine, thread, etc)

*The size of the flower can obviously be adjusted depending on how long you cut the ribbon and make the felt circles.

1.) Cut ribbon about 1- 1 1/2 yards long.

2.)  Cut out two circles approximately 2" in diameter.

3.) Gather your ribbon on your sewing machine.  I like to make the tension on my sewing machine as tight as I can and the stitch length at the longest. Sew all the way down one side of the ribbon.  It will start curling up as you sew.  It will be a big curly ball when you're done, like this:

4.)  Now you're going to glue this gathered ribbon to one felt circle.  Start by folding one end of the ribbon back at a 90 degree angle.  Place an inch or so of hot glue at a time around the outside perimeter of the felt circle.  Starting with the end you just folded back, place the ribbon on the hot glue so the side that was gathered on the sewing machine is being stuck to the hot glue.  Continue doing this inch by inch around the felt circle gradually working your way towards the middle.  When you make your way all the way around the circle once, just keep going but place the glue just below the existing ribbon.  Keep doing this all the way to the middle.  You will need to untwist your ribbon as you go.  

5.) Once you've gotten to the middle, you'll need to secure the last bit of ribbon.  If it is too long, you can trim it as necessary.  With the remaining ribbon, fold the end down at a 90 degree angle, then roll the ribbon as much as you can towards the felt base.  Place some hot glue at the center of the flower and stick the rolled ribbon down to it.  

6.) You can leave it like this or add a button or jewel to the middle.  Or you can also add other jewels, buttons, tulle, or netting to it too!

7.) Attach it to the headband.  Place an inch or so of hot glue on one side of the headband and stick the flower to it.  Take your other felt circle and hot glue it to the back of the flower, enclosing the headband between the two felt circles.  

And you're done!

RTT - Easy Butterfly & Flower Tutorial

This is the blog swap tutorial I did with I Make Stuff last week.  It's a quick and easy applique for another one of my dollar shirts.  I'm loving seeing all your ideas for the El Cheap-O Shirt Challenge....you all have AWESOME ideas! 

Keep 'em coming and link 'em up here!

Here's another one to add to the list!

Easy Butterfly and Flower Applique Tee

Supplies: T-shirt, knit scraps (you can use old t-shirts), Wonder Under, 4 buttons, embroidery floss, sewing essentials (machine, thread, scissors, etc)

1.) Iron an 8"x8" piece of Wonder Under onto the back of the scrap of knit fabric for the butterfly wings. You will also need another approximately 8"x8" piece of Wonder Under ironed to either the same knit fabric or a different one for the flower, depending on whether you want the flower the same color as the butterfly or not.

2.) From that fabric, cut two large hearts (approx 2" tall) and two small hearts (approx 1 1/2" tall) for the butterfly wings. You can free-hand it or print out one from on-line to copy.

3.) Also cut out three flower shapes, one small, medium, and large. The large one will be about 3"x3". I just freehanded a little fluffy flower, but you could print one out to copy.

4.) To make the little "loopy trail" from the flower to the butterfly, you will need to do a running stitch with a needle and embroidery floss. Start at the bottom in the middle of where you plan to place your flower. Make sure to have the knot from the floss on the OUTSIDE of the shirt, b/c this will be covered later by the flower. Do a running stitch from the bottom left corner to the upper right side of the shirt. Make sure to put a few loops in there too. When you get to where you want the butterfly to be make sure to stitch a two little antenna for your butterfly. Then end the stitching in the middle of where the butterfly will be with a knot on the outside of the shirt. This is a really long explanation...it's really just simple stitching :)

5.) Peel the paper back off the hearts and iron them on over the knot on the right upper part of the shirt. Put the two larger hearts down first with the two points touching (just below the antenna), then put the small hearts directly over them. Iron them down well.

6.) On your sewing machine, stitch an "X" through the butterfly wings. The wings won't fray b/c they are knit.

7.) Peel the paper back off the flowers and iron them on, larger one first, over the knot at the bottom left part of the shirt. With your sewing machine, stitch around the outline of the 3 flowers.

8.) Sew a button to the middle of the flower. Sew 3 buttons down the middle of the butterfly wings to make the "body". Make sure the antenna are poking up from the top button.

And you're done! Quick and easy and super cute!! Come check out the other El Cheap-O shirts at Get Your Craft On...and remember to link up what you've got!

Blog Swap with I Make Stuff....and a Tutorial!!!

I'm so excited to be swapping blogs with Alida today.  She is pretty new to blogging but you would never know it!  Check out her blog and show her some love!  Oh, and well you're over there check out my latest addition for the El Cheap-O Shirt Challenge.  


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Hi, I'm Alida from I Make Stuff. I'm pretty new to sewing and a brand new blogger, and I'm so excited to have this opportunity to share a tutorial here on Get Your Craft On! Here are some fun facts about me:

1. I used to sing opera and still do in the shower! (That's me on the right.)

 2. I hate using patterns, I never do it unless I have to. In fact every pattern I own is in this small box:

3. I am totally obsessed with turquoise right now.

4. I've only been sewing for about a year, and it wasn't even my idea to start. My mother-in-law gave me her old sewing machine when she got a new one (and it was the best gift I've ever gotten!) My first solo sewing project:

5. Most people think I'm a natural red head, but in fact I'm a brunette! (I think, I haven't seen my natural hair color in about 12 years.)

Now for my tutorial!

Applique Birthday Crown

The instructions for the applique are on I Make Stuff if you need them! These instructions are for making the crown.

Materials:

two different fabrics for front and lining (and matching thread)

two pieces of ribbon at least 10 inches each

thick stabilizer or fusible fleece

First you will need to measure your child's head and decide how big you want your crown. I made one of these for my 4-year-old and admittedly it was a little large. I couldn't help it though, I was trying to make it like a Miss America Crown! Here is a pic of that one:

As you can see it is about 14 inches long by 7 inches tall.

Since this one is for the baby I decided to make it a little smaller.

Get a piece of paper and fold it in half, then draw out this shape:

Make sure you allow for 1/4 seam allowance and add 1/2 inch to the bottom. Unfold it and look at it, fix it if you need to, and then use it as a template to cut the front fabric and the lining fabric. This is what you should have:

Now decorate as you wish! Like I said the cupcake applique is on my blog if you need it (shameless plug again! I'm sorry!)

Get your two pieces of ribbon and heat seal the ends with a lighter. Put one crown piece right side up and place the ribbons on the sides facing in, then lay the other crown piece on top and pin, leaving the bottom open.

Sew around the crown leaving the bottom open. Make sure you catch the ribbon as you go. Snip the corners, turn and press. Fold the bottom edge under all the way around 1/2 inch and press.

Now it looks like a crown!

Lay your crown on top of your stabilizer or fusible fleece and use it as a template to cut it out. Cut 1/4 inch off the bottom. Stuff the stabilizer into the crown and iron again. Make sure the stabilizer is all the way covered, and topstitch the bottom closed.

Now comes the best part, try it on the kiddo (or yourself!)

WARNING, this will cause extreme cuteness! I cannot be held responsible for the pinched cheeks and goofy grins from strangers that may result from wearing this crown.