Craft

Quick Christmas Make: Wrapped Fabric Tree Cones Tutorial – Perfect For Using Up Fabric Scraps

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It wont be long now until Christmas is here, luckily there is still just enough time for a couple more Christmas themed makes to be completed.

I wanted to make some table decorations that wouldn’t take up too much room as there are already enough things competing for space on the table. I decided to go for something tree themed, and combined that idea with a need to use up some fabric leftovers so I can make a bit more space for some new fabrics to come in!.

Wrapped Christmas Tree Cones Tutorial

Materials:

  • Fabric – any colours you wish, I used left overs from the Colourful Christmas fat quarter set by The Craft Cotton Company (Fabric gifted by The Craft Cotton Company).
  • Paper/card to make a cone shape/pre-formed cone.
  • Scissors.
  • Glue.

Making the cone (if required):

  • If you don’t have a pre-formed cone you can make your own using paper/card, all you need to do is roll the paper/card into a cone shape and glue to secure. Trim the base if required so it can stand.

Making the wrapped fabric tree cones:

  • Cut fabric in to strips with the fabric starting wide at one end and tapering smaller towards the other end.
    • The largest cone here is 20cm tall and uses fabric strips 30cm long taping from 10cm to 2cm.
    • The smaller cone is 15cm tall and uses fabric strips 20cm long tapering from 6cm to 1 cm.

  • Along the tapered edge cut down from the tapered edge towards the straight bottom edge leaving a 1cm gap at the bottom. Leaving a 1cm gap between each, repeat along the edge.
  • Take one of the fabric strips and starting the the widest part at the base of the cone wrap the fabric around the cone up to the top point. Glue to secure.
  • Repeat with more fabric strips placing and gluing the next strip above the previous one, as more strips are attached make sure the strips go under the loose fabric ends.
  • One the tree is covered, trim any over hanging fabric from around the base. To get the fabric to stand out a little more tip the tree upside down!.

How To: Make A Pom Pom

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I often get asked how to make a Pom Pom when you don’t have a Pom Pom maker, or if you don’t have a Pom Pom maker for the size you are wanting so I have put together a how to make pom poms in any size.

How to: Make a pom pom

Materials:

  • Wool in your chosen colour(s).
  • Cardboard.
  • Compass/something circular that is the size pom pom you are wanting, and a smaller circular item to draw a smaller circle.
  • Scissors.
  • Darning needle.
  • Pencil.

Step 1: Making the cardboard circles.

  • If using your compass: set it to span half the diameter of the circle you are wanting, then draw 2 circles onto the cardboard. Next make the span of the compass smaller and draw a smaller circle in the middle of the larger circle.
  • If using a circular object, draw around this object to get your circle, then draw around the smaller object for the middle circle.
  • Cut out the two circles and then cut out the smaller middle circle.
  • Stack the two circles together.

Step 2: Wrapping the wool.

  • Using your chosen wool colour: cut a long strand of wool and thread it onto the darning needle, hold the tail end of the wool and wrap the wool around the card board template.
  • Continue to wrap the wool all the way around the cardboard circle – using the darning needle will make it easier towards the end when the middle circle starts to fill up. If you run out of wool, cut another strand and continue, holding the tail of the wool and wrapping around the cardboard.
  • Keep wrapping the wool around until the circle is completely covered and the middle smaller circle is full of wool.

Step 3: Cutting the wool.

  • Cut around the edge of the circle, lining the scissors up in the gap between the two pieces of cardboard.

Step 4: Securing the wool.

  • Cut a piece of wool 20cm long and tie it around the middle of the pom pom in between the two cardboard circles. Tie a knot to secure it, then cut the longer length so it is the same length as the wool in the pom pom.
  • Remove the 2 cardboard circles (you may need to cut them off).

Finished!

Notes:

  • You can make a multicoloured pom pom just by using different wool colours while wrapping the wool around.
  • You can make pumpkin themed pom poms by wrapping green wool only around the top middle section of the cardboard circle, and wrapping orange wool around the rest of the circle.
  • If you want to display some pom poms you can make a ew in different sizes, attach them to fabric and display them in an embroidery hoop.

Sewing Tutorial: Cute Mini Patchwork Triangle Easter Rabbits

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Happily hopping out of the sewing pile are some rather cute Easter rabbits.

I wasn’t too sure whether I would have enough time to get all the Easter makes I wanted made in time this year, but despite my initial worries I am slowly starting to make some progress on my ‘to do’ list so hopefully I will get most of them completed in time – the rest will have to wait until next year!.

The next completed make out of the sewing pile (which is ridiculously big at the moment!) is some very cute Easter rabbits. I made some triangle chickens a few years ago and have been wanting to do a few variations on these ever since – scarily that was over 4 years ago – I really need to stop adding more projects to my to do list!,

These little rabbits are perfect for using up fabric leftovers – I love a project that can use fabric leftovers as it means they wont go to waste. The great thing with these rabbits is that even really small fabric leftovers can be used since you could make each part in a different colour or even use patchwork pieces for the parts for the really small fabric leftovers. I used fabric leftovers from The Craft Cotton Company fat quarters for these rabbits.

I cant wait to make a few more of these – and hopefully I will have time to make a few more variations – hopefully it wont be as long a wait for the next ones!

Triangle Rabbits Pattern:

Materials:

Fabric – This project is great for using up fabric leftovers from other projects as all the pieces could even be in different colours.

Pins

Needle

Thread

Pencil

Paper

Toy stuffing

Embroidery thread for face details

Scissors

1- Make the templates for the rabbits.  On to paper draw out:

A triangle with 14cm sides.

An outer ear shape 12cm high.

An inner ear piece 8cm high. 

2- Cut out the templates and use them to cut out your fabrics, each rabbit needs 4 triangle pieces (3 body pieces and a base), 4 outer ear pieces and 2 inner ear pieces.

3- Take an inner ear piece and place onto one of the outer ear pieces with both pieces with right sides facing upwards.  Sew around the edge of the inner ear to secure. 

4- Take another outer ear piece and place right side down on top and sew around leaving a 4cm gap for turning on the side of the ear.  Turn out the right way and sew the gap closed. Repeat with the remaining ear pieces to make the second ear.  

5- Take two of the triangles, place right side together and sew down the side to secure leaving a 1cm gap at the bottom.

6 – Take one of the ears and turn in the side edges at the base of the ear so they meet in the middle then place right side down on top of a triangle piece. Pin to secure, then place the joined triangle pieces on top and sew down the side to secure.  Repeat with the other ear on the other side.

7- Take the remaining triangle and pin to the bottom of the joined triangle pieces.  Sew to secure, leaving a 5cm gap for turning. 

8- Turn out the right way and place the stuffing into the rabbit.  Sew the gap closed.

9- Using embroidery thread and a running stitch sew on eyes, nose and mouth details.

10- Make a pom pom with white wool and a 2.5cm pom pom maker (or pieces of card).  Sew to the back of the rabbit.

Mini Sewing Tutorial: Fabric And Button Christmas Tree Ornament

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The last few months have been filled with Halloween makes and now that Halloween is finished for this year its time to move on to probably my most manic time of the year. I always have more ideas for things I want to make for Christmas than I ever get chance to make, and I don’t think this year will be any different – not helped by the fact i’ve got a massive cross stitch project on the go that I need finished in time for Christmas and I think has at least 3-4months of stitching left in it at the rate i’m currently going……..things could get interesting this year!

However, its not all bad as I have managed to get one of my first Christmas finished – only a small one but at least it is a start!.

I wanted to make a little fabric tree and I always like to use buttons in decorations so decided to combine them both in a fabric strip tree ornament with details added in by the buttons! I like this little small version, but think I will also make some larger ones using longer strips of fabric.

This would be a great way to use up scrap fabrics and spare buttons.

I need to make a few more of these to go with gifts so I had better I get a move on!

To make these little trees you will need:

  • Buttons – for the trunk and to go in-between each fabric fold.
  • Fabric – for this smaller tree a strip of 45 cm x 5cm, to make a larger sized tree just increase the length and width of the fabric.
  • Ribbon – piece of ribbon 10cm long.

Making the trees

1- Take the fabric strip and fold in half lengthways with right sides together so you have a strip 45×2.5cm wide, sew along the bottom and up the side edge to secure, leaving the top edge unsewn. Turn out the right way and slipstitch close the gap.

2- Fold the fabric into the tree shape by folding it backwards and forwards.

3- Take two of the buttons which will form the trunk and sew onto the middle of the bottom layer, then take two button for the next section and sew in the middle, fold the fabric back over the buttons and stitch to secure, then sew the next two buttons. Repeat this process with the remaining buttons and fabric layers. Leaving a 1cm strip of fabric loose at the top.

4- Once at the top of the tree fold the 1cm loose strip of fabric over, then take the ribbon, fold in half and place the raw edges under the folded strip. Sew to secure.

Sewing Tutorial: Fabric Halloween Pumpkins….

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Pumpkins are a must have at Halloween and I don’t think you could ever have too many of these cute little fabric ones…

Fabric was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

Materials

Orange fabric 50×50 cm (18 cm diameter circle, 28 cm diameter)

Black net fabric 20×20 cm (18cm diameter)

Sewing thread

⁃ Orange

⁃ Black

Pins

Toy stuffing

Scissors

Needle

Buttons – black and green, 5 in varying sizes to make a pumpkin stalk and one small button for the base of the pumpkin.

1- Cutting out the pumpkin

Cut out a circle in Orange for your pumpkin. This can be any size you choose, I opted for two sizes: 28 cm diameter and 18 cm in diameter.

2- Adding detail to the pumpkin

Now to add the net detail (I only added net detail to the larger pumpkin). Cut out a circle of netting fabric 18cm in diameter. Place the net piece onto the pumpkin with half on the pumpkin and half off, pin in place and cut. Take the cut off piece and place it on another part of the pumpkin and cut off the excess and sew around the edge of the net to secure.

3- Sewing the pumpkin

Do a tacking stitch the whole way around 1 cm from the outside edge using 2 strands of sewing thread. Tie a knot in the end to start to hold the thread in place but do not fasten off at the end. Put stuffing into the pumpkin and pull the thread from the tacking stitch tight to close. Add more stuffing as it tightens when required. Complete a few stitches to secure the thread.

4- Sewing pumpkin edges

Take three strands of black sewing thread and cast on at the top of the pumpkin, then sew into the pumpkin in the middle of the base pulling the needle back up through the middle to the top of the pumpkin, pull the thread so it tightens slightly and make a small stitch to secure. Repeat 4 more times.

5- Now stack your 5 buttons from smallest to largest sewing each one as you go to secure. Now sew the stack to the top of the pumpkin to cover the hole in the top. Sew the final button in place at the bottom middle of the pumpkin.

Sewing Tutorial: Drawstring Easter Chick Bags

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With spring approaching it’s time to get making some spring chickens!

With spring sneaking up on me I decided it was time to get making some spring themed makes so I wouldn’t get behind (Like normal) and end up making things in a panic at the last minute.

First up are some drawstring chicken bags. I used a pattern I put together for The Craft Cotton Company last year for these and some Craft Cotton Company Fabric (Chickie fat quarter set) from in my stash that I used to make the original one.

Fabric was gifted by The Craft Cotton Company.

Pattern to make these is over on The Craft Cotton Company blog.