Easy Valentine’s Heart Banner

{Quick & Easy Tutorial}

I got a {fancy} new cutting machine.  It is a Brother Scan n’ Cut.  I got it back in December.  The thing sat in the box, on the floor, for a good month before I was brave enough to even take it out of the box.  Why do these machines intimidate me so?! 

Anyway, I wanted to make a fun {and easy} little banner for Valentines Day, so I figured it was time to get to know my Scan n’ Cut.  One main reason it sat in the box so long was because I was waiting to take a class {yes, a class!} on how to use it. 

Even after the class, I still waited a bit to use my machine.  I’m not really sure why.  The thing is amazing.  All that to say, I used it to cut out my felt hearts!  It saved a lot of time.  And, all the hearts are exactly the same size and shape!

I used some white wool felt I already had and cut out a bunch of little hearts.  I then took some red DMC floss and ‘stitched’ through each heart.  One by one until they were all on the string. 

Voila!  New banner!  Super easy.  Well, super easy when you have a machine cut out all the hearts for you.  I probably saved hours by not having to cut them out individually!

{Supplies}

Wool felt

Red DMC floss

Needle

Scissors

Cut. Thread. Stitch. Done. 

Really, that easy!

Cut out the hearts out of the felt.  

Put some DMC floss onto a needle and ‘stitch’ through each heart one by one.

When you’ve used up all the hearts, you’re done! 

So, so easy!

Hang it up and spread some love!

Put A Sweater On It!

‘Warm Up’ a Pillow

Turn a sweater into a {super easy} pillow cover

{{Easy Tutorial}}

I have always liked the look a ‘knit’ pillows. I’ve wanted a ‘knit’ pillow for a while.

Something about them makes me think of curling up on a couch under a warm knit blanket on a cool fall morning or a cold winter night with a mug of freshly made coffee or hot chocolate!

Warm and cozy. 

Whenever I see ‘knitted’ looking pillows in stores I think, ‘I need to try that!’  No, I can’t knit {one day I’ll learn!}.  But I do know where to find a knit sweater and I know I can turn a sweater into a knit pillow!

I have had this project on my to-try list for a long time {probably years, sigh}.

I’ve held onto a dark brown sweater I don’t wear anymore, specifically to do this project.  Because it has buttons down the front, and is slightly long, I knew it could work to cover a pillow!   And, finally, I got around to making it!

Turns out, it was the fastest pillow cover I’ve ever made!

Supplies Needed: 
Pillow {or pillow form}

Old Sweater with buttons down the front {important!}
Sewing machine {or serger}

First, You need a pillow and a sweater {with buttons!}

Know the size of the pillow you want to create a cover for and make sure your sweater will fit over the pillow.  If not, get a smaller pillow. 

Turn the sweater inside out and pin all sides together.   If the sweater ‘fits’ the pillow snuggly on the sides, you can leave the seams and just sew the top and bottom!  Pinning the sweater sides together will help make sure the knit sides wouldn’t move while sewing.

Sew {or serge} the sides together.   Because of the buttons, you can sew the entire sweater and you don’t need to leave an opening to turn right side out. 

Turn right side out.  Put over pillow form to make sure it fits.  If it doesn’t, sew new seams.  For me, the top of my pillow was too loose, so I re-sewed the top seam.  
Cut excess fabric {sweater} off, turn right side out.  Put pillow in.  Button it up.

Now you have a new pillow!   

How easy was that!?

*Bonus, my little man is enjoying buttoning and un-buttoning the buttons.  He says he ‘likes the practice’ – Double win!  

Cupcake Wrapper 'Flower' Wreath

Cupcake Wrappers + Pins + Fabric = New Spring ‘Flower’ Wreath
{Quick and Easy Tutorial} 

Supplies Needed:

Cupcake wrappers  {I used white, but any color works!}

Felt {or fabric} strips

Foam Wreath

Pins

Ribbon or another strip of fabric {to hang}

I wanted something new and spring-ish to hang over the mantle.   

And, I didn’t want to spend a lot of time creating it. 

I think this wreath took me less than 30 minutes from start to finish and hanging over the mantle! Perfect.

I had a styrofoam wreath from a previous Christmas project that was already wrapped with felt.  But, the process to cover the wreath is quite simple.

I cut strips of felt roughly two inches wide and then wrapped them around the wreath until the entire thing was covered with the felt/ fabric.

See tutorial and instructions here

Once the wreath is covered with the fabric, you are ready to add some ‘flowers’

Take the cupcake wrappers out of the package and fold in half, then half again {basically creating a triangle shape}.  Continue with the other cupcake wrappers until you have the desired amount.  I think I used 40 wrappers. 

Once you have a pile of folded wrappers, pile them on top of each other. 

Push a pin through. 

Then move/ arrange the wrappers into a ‘flower’ shape.   The more you use the bigger the ‘flower’ {and the harder it can be to pin onto the wreath!} 

I think I used roughly 8-10 wrappers per ‘flower.’   

Pin onto wreath. 

Continue creating ‘flowers’ until you have the desired look.

I put three ‘flowers’ on one side and one on the other.

Take ribbon to tie around the top of the wreath in order to hang it from the wall.  I used a strip of white and orange polka dot fabric because I wanted to add a hint of orange {of course!!} to it!  

I like the way it turned out. 

Simple.  Neutral.  Fun.
And, it adds some springtime cheer to the mantle.

*Need to get a photo of the wreath actually hanging on the the wall above the mantle!*

Next time I might use a bright and bold fabric with a pattern to wrap around the wreath.  Or brightly colored cupcake wrappers.  Or both!

What do you think? 

Add A Little Color!

Need a Quick and Easy way to add a little color?

Why not a simple table runner?

 {Quick and Easy Tutorial!}

HankOrange Table Runner/ Flowers from Target

I wanted {needed} a little spring color added to my kitchen table. 

A good way to add some color- table runner! 

So, I thought I’d make a quick table runner.   I found some fun aqua fabric recently at the fabric store and I used scrap fabric that I had left over from other projects for the back.

This runner is simple, quick, and adds a fun pop of color to the table! 

Measure. Cut. Pin. Sew. Turn right-side-out. Iron. Top stitch.  Done!

Ready to make one?
 

I think from start to finish {after deciding what size I wanted it to be} it took less than 20 minutes.   Easy peasy!

Supplies Needed:

*Fabric

*Scissors

*Thread

*Sewing Machine

Decide how big you’d like your runner to be.  You can make it any size.  
{Mine is roughly 13” x  30”}

First, measure your two fabrics, then cut.  You can measure and cut one piece, then lay the second fabric over top and cut.  I used two different fabrics, but you can easily use the same {and save yourself time too}!

Next, pin the two pieces together.  Make sure the RIGHT SIDES of the fabric are facing. 

Sew together. 

 *Make sure to leave an opening {roughly 4-5 inches} so you can turn right-side-out.

When done sewing the pieces together, cut the corners off next to the seam.  This will take away the extra bulk when you turn the fabric the right way.

Turn the fabric the right way, by pulling it through the seam opening.

Iron.  Pay attention the opening and make sure when you fold in the raw edges, the fabric aligns on both sides.

Top stitch around the entire thing.

Done! 

Now find a surface that needs some extra color and put your new runner there!

Flowers from Target

My new runner is now on my kitchen table! 

Where will you put yours?! 

Gift Bag Tutorial

* Make Your Own * Burlap Gift Bag *

{Quick and Easy DIY}

I was putting together a little gift to give Little Man’s preschool teachers and thought I’d try to create a gift bag.   I wanted something that would be quick and easy and that would also use materials I already had.  Burlap!  I decided to use some burlap I had.  Since burlap is a coarsely woven fabric, I wasn’t worried about making it look perfect or sewing it perfectly. I wanted the ‘raw’ edges of the bag to show, I figured the ‘fraying’ edges would give the bags a more interesting look.   

These bags can be used for any occasion!

Supplies needed:

Burlap

Thread {recommend one the color of the burlap}

Scissors

Sewing machine

Ribbon for handles

{CUTTING}

Decide how big you want the bag to be {mine was about 8” x 6”}

Cut two rectangles from the burlap for the each side of the bag.  

Cut one smaller piece for the base of the bag, making sure it is the same size as the bottom side of the bag {mine was roughly 6” x 2”}. 

Cut two pieces for the sides of the bag, an inch longer than the height of the bag and as wide as you’d like the inside of the bag to be {mine were roughly 9” x 3”}.

Cut two strips of ribbon for handles.  {Mine were about 10” long}  Cut the ribbon longer if you want higher handles, and shorter if you’d like shorter handles.

{SEWING}

Now it is time to sew!

First, I took the large {front and back} pieces and sewed them to the bottom piece.  Since burlap doesn’t have a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ side to the fabric, it doesn’t matter how you sew it.  Just grab and sew!  Make sure your seams both sewn the same way {raw edges facing out}.

Next, pin the side pieces on, making sure the edge are facing out.  Sew.  While sewing, as you approach the corners of the bag, slow down and make sure you are getting all the layers of the burlap when you sew.  Corners can be tricky.  But, the good thing with the burlap is you don’t have to sew it perfectly because the lines wont’ be as noticeable if they aren’t perfect.

Next, take the ribbon {or whatever you choose to use} for the handles and pin in place.  I pinned my handles roughly one inch from the edges of the bag.

Sew in place.

Cut all the loose threads. {I used white thread, but I recommend using a thread the color of the burlap!}

You are almost done! 

Last step, pull strands of burlap to create the desired look…

And, done!   Fill the bag with whatever goodies you’d like!  
I had Little Man write his teacher's names on paper to make gift tags too.

Easy and unique gift bag!  What will you put in yours??