Showing posts with label make. Show all posts
Showing posts with label make. Show all posts

Monday, 29 April 2013

Monday Mini Make

I love those pretty tape measures you see in John Lewis and Cath Kidston, but when I looked on Saturday they were £8 - yes £8!!! So I decided to make one for myself, well actually I made two.
mini tape measures
I bought, from my local friendly haberdashery shop, a little tape measure for £1.20. I cut out two circles of felt (mine were 7cm wide), I decorated them with pretty buttons and then I roughly stitched them together. I did this by sewing a running stitch around the edge of the circles and pulling it up round the edge.I did that for the second circle and then sewed them together. The coral measure was made first, but I decided I wanted it a little plumper, so the blue one had a little wadding between the tape measure and the felt, to pad it out a little.

I left a small slit for the tape to go through

sewn together


notice how my felt and buttons co-ordinate with the ribbon!
Then I carefully stitched some button ribbon around the outside to hide the join. I started and finished at the small gap I'd left for the end of the tape measure.


Finally, a small piece of ribbon with a button detail to add to the end of the measure.
I love them, and I can see these appearing in Christmas stockings this year - now how's that for organised!!!

Friday, 25 January 2013

Handmade Love


Mug Hugs
 An early Festive Friday for Valentine's Day, and to give you time to make. A felt mug hug.
I actually made two - one for Valentines and then Pickle-Lily said 'How about a Mothering Sunday?' one?
Mug Hugs
These are very simple to make.
My mugs came from Sainsburys - they are special offer at the moment, less than 50p each! I chose them as they had straight sides, rather than curved. To start with, make a paper pattern, by measuring from the base to just below the top part of the handle. I made my hug a bit short so I didn't get a mouthful of felt as I drank. Cut out the rectangle from a piece of paper - it will be too long and overwrap. Then wrap that rectangle around your mug, marking on the paper where the short edge 'joins' to make a complete cylinder. Or, measure the circumference of your mug and mark that onto your rectangle. Add on a tab section at the top of the rectangle. I hoping the picture will explain!
Make a paper pattern
Next, cut out two pieces of felt using this pattern, and embellish one. For the letters I used some wooden letters I already have as template. In the olden days, I used to draw round paper letters, cut them out, mount them and then re-cut to uses as labels for displays at school. Now you can just print them off! A good font to use is vag rounded for this style. I then stitched them into place.
Stitch the two felt pieces together to make a sandwich.
Finally, wrap the hug around the mug and mark where the button will go to hold it in place. Cut a buttonhole through the felt and stitch the edge to neaten, being felt don't worry about fraying . You can put the buttonhole in the tab or the main part, depending on which fits best with your design.
These could be made for any occasion - Father's Day, an apple for the teacher or just put a name on.
And of course you can fill the mug with chocolate hearts, marshmallows, teabags, homemade shortbread ....
Enjoy x