Notepad Holder

 3-25-12:  Isn't this clever??  Karen from Belle Vista brought this to show us at crafts today.  It's one of those plastic picture frames.  Makes a great desktop notepad.  AND another use for old maps if you choose to use for the background.

Fans

3-26-12:  Jeanette, from Iowa on paper, shared a craft idea today that one of her friends made for her.  It's a fan made out of a calendar and a paint stirrer.  Cute!!

Potluck Placemats

My new TX friend, Sonia, with her new potluck placemats

Dee did some of these for me 3 years ago.  This week I found these placemats at a resale shop and used some scraps (sleeves from a big shirt) to practice making them.

Utensils go in the pockets.  Then I sewed a ribbon across the front of the pocket to put a napkin.  I sewed ribbons on the side so the mats can be rolled up and carried to potluck.

HOW TO:

first, get the type of placemat that will roll up easily & go thru a sewing machine
and a cordinating fat quarter or scrap, and matching ribbon

cut part of fat quarter and press edges under, then stitch around edge, and  stitch 2 vertical rows on top

Like so (you can see stitches here). Then sew a piece of ribbon horizontally across top to hold napkin

sew ribbon on one side of placemat to use as a tie

and there's your potluck placemat!

3-6-13:  Today in crafts at JCRV,  the ladies made their own Potluck Placemats from Dee's pattern.

Shirlene ready to sew

Connie's finished product

Carol's first one

Easy, fun, great gift!

for Justin, Brooke, and the boys

Kleenex Cozies

This is a fun thing to do with scraps.  I'm going to have to play around with the pattern size, because I can't get a whole pack of tissues in one of these. But a cute thing to have in your purse or car.

Ok, i figured out to measure the kleenex pkg and add 1/2 inch lengthwise and widthwise to the fabric

Fabric Baskets

Below are some pix of Gail showing Becky S how to make her fabric baskets at JCRV.

Jerri is making one also.  Hers is a little different as it will be crocheted.  Send pix of the finished product, Jerri!

My first PURLED scarf!

While Jerri was here at JCRV she taught me to purl!  Below is my first purled project.  You can see the difference between the knit stitches and purl stitches.  Together, they create the Stockinette stitch.

 

Cast on 30 sts

Row 1: K1,P1,K1,P1 place marker (pm) K to last 4 sts, pm, K1,P1,K1,P1

Row 2: P1,K1,P1,K1 P to last 4 sts, P1,K1,P1,K1

Repeat rows 1 & 2 until you run out of yarn or your scarf is as long as you want it..

Felt Like Felting

So I read about "felting" old garments and creating a new kind of fabric to make something out of.  One of the resale shops here has several adorable little felt purses that were made out of their wool sweaters and being sold for $15-$35.

The garment MUST be 100% wool - dry clean only.

It took some trial and error as I got started.  I bought a 50 cent 100% sweater vest and washed it a couple of different ways.  I boiled water in a giant pot and stirred it constantly -- it did not felt.  Then I washed it in a front loader with jeans - it did not felt.  Then I washed it in a top loader with jeans - still no felting.  After taking the buttons off, I threw it away.

I've learned that the top loaders are the thing to use because of the agitation .  Wash in hot water and dry on hot.

This past week I hit another 50 cent sale at a resale shop and got a few more 100% wool garments.  One was one of those ugly plaid ralph lauren skirts.  No luck felting it.  But 2 of the sweaters felted nicely.  One lamb's wool.  The other merino wool.  The lamb's wool worked best.  Sweaters are prob the best thing to felt.  The fibers are a little looser and felt better.

The orange lamb's wool sweater was about my size.  After a couple of washings, it has shrunk to something smaller than my 4 year old grandson could wear.  I've put it away for now, but will eventually try making a couple of those cute bags, needle holders, and bird shapes for my birdnest helpers!

Rail Fence Lap Blanket

Kathy Supervising Jerri's Fence

Louise, Kathy, Carol, & Karen Building a Fence

Jerri building a Rail Fence Quilt

3-12-12:  Can I accomplish this?  The pic below is Louise's.  Isn't it wonderful?  She met with us today to teach us how.  Jerri and Carol went to town on it. I decided to watch and learn and try it another day.

Louise's Rail Fence

Blocks and Buttons Quilted Tablerunner

Woohoo!!  Louise taught us to quilt today!  She says we are ready for it.  Hahahahaha!  But it is awesome.  Time consuming, but awesome.

One of the 3 blocks

The front

The back

Jerri and me quilting at JCRV

Shirlene is quilting!


Took me nearly a year to pick it back up!  But I finally finished this in Oct 2012

Bleach Pen Scarves

Simply cut a tshirt from armpit to armpit and cut the hem off.  They draw designs on it with a bleach pen.  Let it dry til it gets as light as you'd like it, then wash.

I like the way this one turned out

I must not have left the bleach on this one long enough; the flowers aren't bright enough