101 Tees: Whip up a Festive Wreath with old Tees!

This little holiday cutie was made with recycled tees!  In celebration of my next book (101 Tees - Lark Books - 08/2011) I am doing a years worth projects with T-shirts.  You can find previous ideas here.

Materials Needed:

Green T-shirts to recycle. (I used 4 tees)

Pinking sheers or Rotary Cutter

Scissors

Wire Wreath Form

Ornaments

Hot Glue

Ribbon Bow

T-Shirts to cut.  I like to use different shades of green tees.

14" Wire Wreath Form.

Rotary Cutter!  This one embosses too!!!  SEE My Tutorial HERE - very soon!!!

Let's Do This!

Step 1. Cut the tees into strips of fabric that are 1.5" wide and 6" long.  Discard printed pieces and save for another project.

Step 2. Grab one of the strips.

Step 3. Fold it into a "U" shape.

Step 4. Place the "U" through one of the wires on the wreath.

Step 5. Bring the tails through the "U".

Step 6. Pull the tails.

Step 7. Continue until the entire wreath is filled in.

Step 8. Place the wreath on a protected work surface. 

(hot glue will drip down)

Step 9. Spread the ties in different directions.

Step 10. Hot glue Ornament Balls in the spaces.  

 Step 11. Keep hot gluing ornaments.

Step 12.  Tie a bow to one side.

That is it!

Simple,

Fun

and

Re-Crafted!

Happy Holidays,

Cathie

101 Tees: Election Day Tee

Peace Out this Election Day!

Machine appliqué is a quick and easy way to alter a tee. Let the fabric print inspire your design or use up scrap fabrics to create a design. For this peace design I used "Peace Hands" designed by Alexander Henry.

1. Begin with a plain tee or a simple star printed tee.

2. Cut a rectangle of lightweight paper-backed fusible web. This should be a little larger than a peace sign hand. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse the webbing to the wrong side of the fabrics.

3. Cut out the peace sign hand. Remove the paper backing. Attach to the center of tee with an iron.

4. Thread your machine with regular or satin thread and use the satin stitch to sew around the edges.

101 Tees: Skull and Crossbones Pillow recrafted from an old Tee!

101 Tees: Skull and Crossbones Pillow

This seasonal slip cover can be whipped up in under 1-hour! Perfect for adding a little haunted decoration to your living room for Halloween or any day.

Begin with an old Halloween or skull themed T-shirt.

Choose a pillow to make a slipcover for. Remember you can remove the cover after Halloween. Make sure the pillow measures smaller than your tee.

Cut up the side seams of the tee.

Now you have two pieces of tee fabric. 1= front 2=back

Place the front and back on top of each other. Use a fabric marking pen and a ruler to mark a square shape. Make sure the square is slightly larger than your pillow.

Cut out the square shapes.

Pin lace trim around the outer edge. You can use flat or ruffled trim.

Pin the front and back together with right sides facing right sides.

Let's Stitch!

Stitch around the edge. Remember to leave an opening for turning and stuffing.

Clip the corners to remove excess bulk.

Turn right side out and stuff the pillow inside.

Hand sew the opening closed and place on your sofa.

How easy is that???

Happy Halloween,
Cathie

101 Tees: I BITE Halloween Tee

Day 16 of 31.....

I Bite Tee

Paring a painted design and Halloween themed iron-letters is a quick way to make a Halloween tee. Make your own stencils using freezer paper or clear self-stick shelf liner. For ease of cutting, always use a sharp craft knife and a self-healing mat. For other design ideas, look at clip art or in design books.

Materials:
Scrap Paper
Marker
Freezer Paper or self-stick shelf liner
Craft Knife
Self Healing Mat
Ruler
Iron
Stencil Brush
FolkArt Red Fabric Paint
Iron-on Letters

Steps:
1. Using scrap paper draw a simple Halloween image or sketch the mouth from above. Make a stencil of the sketch by laying freezer paper or shelf liner over the sketch, tape them together. Tape both pieces to the self-healing mat. Use the sharp craft knife to cut out the design leaving a border around the design.

2. Using a ruler as a guide, align the cutout on the tee. For freezer paper stencils, use a warm iron to attach the wax side of the paper to the tee. For shelf liner, stick the cutout design to the tee. Stick the insides of the letters.

3. Dab a stencil brush in red fabric paint. You want to work with a semi-dry brush, so tap off enough excess paint. Working up and down, tap the brush over the stencil.

4. Allow the paint to dry. Peel off the stencil and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to heat set the paint.

5. Attach iron-on letters that spell - "I Bite" under the painted design.

My latest book, 101 Tees (Lark Books) will hit the shelves August 2011!

Look What my Hubby Made!

The past few months, I have been working fast and furiously to design, create and write all the projects for my next book, 101 Tees. It is actually 172 different designs. Yesterday all the projects shipped to Lark Books where they will be turned into a book. To celebrate my hubby baked me his very first cake. He even hand mixed his own color of light purple icing for the lettering and he used a pipping bag and decorating tip. I am only lucky girl.

I am a tease......again

This past weekend the machine was working overtime and the spools were spinning their magic. Oh how I love sewing - especially when it is for my next book.

Yep - I am working on a Mod Podged dress form! I made her for Winter CHA.

Max is truly board with my sewing and is wondering when he gets his mommy back.

Sewing at the hair salon

120 projects completed for my next book. Only about 40 more to go.

Stitching poolside

Working on a design for my next book. Sitting under a huge palm tree.

Tutorial: Fabric Printing with Dishwasher Gel

Fabric Printing with Dishwasher Gel

Did you know that with a few supplies from your kitchen you can create your own printed fabric? All you will need is some cookies cutters and bleach based dish-washing gel. This technique produces a soft vintage look. The process is fast so keep and eye on your bleaching. For large pieces of fabric, you might need to work in stages.

Supplies:
Bleach-based automatic dishwasher gel
Medium hued t-shirt (pre-washed) or fabric
Piece of cardboard or an old magazine
Small dish
Rubber Gloves

Steps:

1.Place the cardboard inside a t-shirt or under the fabric to prevent the dye from penetrating to the other side.

2. Squirt some of the bleach dishwashing gel into the dish.

3. Dip the cookie cutter into the gel and press onto the t-shirt.

4. The bleach will bleed into the fibers as it sets. Allow it to set for 30 minutes, then wash immediately to deactivate the bleach.

I am a tease......

psst.... I am working on a new book.
I can't spill the details yet - but this picture holds the clues.
Fall 2011

make it: appliqued t-shirt skirt

make it: reverse appliquéd t-shirt skirt

Recycled an old t-shirt and skirt into a new fashion!

Cut out a design.

Pin in your desired position on the inside of the skirt.

Sew around the edge.

On the inside, cut around the sewn area.

On the outside, cut around the sewn area, removing the skirt fabric.

Add a few more cutouts from the t-shirt
by sewing them directly to the skirt.