Crafteroo Pinterest Challenge - Fabric tape

It has been a while but here is the second project in the Crafteroo Pinterest Challenge. Remember this is my board here.  The challenge is to make something from it about once a month.  The first thing I made was the rag rug using the t-shirt yarn.

This next one is the Fabric Tape.

Now me being me, I didn't follow the wonderful tutorial exactly. I cheated and used double-sided sticky tape. The fabric I have used is also designed with bands going across, so I just used one of these bands.  So I cheated big time!

I have re-used an old tape inner thingy to put my new fabric tape on. As you can see I have only made a little bit so far.

And here it is in use.

Simple Felt Rose Tutorial

I have seen some gorgeous fabric and ribbon flowers.  With Mother's Day coming up, my boss asked me to help the children sew something for their mums. I had the idea of doing ribbon flowers but the ones I liked I found too fiddly for me let alone the children.  I am sure they could do have done them but I needed something simple but looked really good.  We have children aged 4 to 11 so it needs to be something all ages can do.

I remembered those lovely paper flowers and at the time thought they would be good in felt. So I hunted down a tutorial - I used this one but there are lots of good ones about.

Here is my felt rose.

I am really really pleased with it.

Here is how to make it:-

You will need scissors and felt plus brooch back if you want to make a brooch, or hair clip if you want one of those instead, or some sort of stem if you want to make a bunch.

I started with a rectangle of felt.

Then cut off the corners to make them curved.

start cutting at one end, or middle. You will be cutting a spiral.

Cutting the spiral

Leave a circle in the middle as this will be the base.

Thread your needle, and secure it in the end of the spiral.

Start to wind, starting from the end, sewing as you go.

Just keep winding and sewing.

At the end you will be left with the circle. This is the base so just pop it over the rest.

Circle base popped over the rest!

Then sew little stitches (which will be much neater than mine) around to secure the base.

Turn over and see your wonderful rose.

It is now finished and ready for whatever you want to do with it.

You can make big ones, little ones. Stick a bead in the middle. Decorate the edges with glitter. Try using fabric other than felt.  I like these as I know that each child's will be different.

Have fun and let me know how you get on.

Update from 26 February 2013 - I now also have a tutorial for felt roses on a stem and corsage - so pop over here. 

Thank you!

I thank you and my daughter thanks you.


Your lovely comments on here, facebook, and etsy UK thread - all made us realise, what we did already know, that Mary looked fantastic and was a brilliant Snowy dog; and that you are all wonderful, supportive friends.

Do Not Be Horrible!

In my last post I wrote about and showed you photos of my daughter in her Snowy Dog costume.  Well I think she looked brilliant and I know lots of you did too.

Well, and in truth I am very near tears writing this, some of the children at her school were horrible to her.  Some thought she was a rabbit and some were just nasty.

We are trying to build up her confidence so such things don't matter. But they do.  She seems ok now and is determined to think that it was a good costume.  Otherwise, I am so worried that she will look back at that day not with happy memories but with all the horrible feelings associated with some children's nastiness.

She was so excited about going in and was counting down the days. To then have her come home upset is terrible.  In the evening I was wiping the white face paint off her face and she said ' there isn't too much left as lots came off when I was crying today'.  That breaks my heart.

She is only 8.  She is still a child. What is wrong with a child dressing up in a dog costume for World Book Day?  You know we made an effort.  We didn't just get her Disney Princess outfit out of the cupboard.

I am sharing this with you as I do feel the need to share my feelings.  So sorry for this rant.  But also if you have children please be nice, then they will be nice to others too.

Snowy Dog!

It is World Book day again.  This is a day when children are encouraged to dress up in a character from a book. Ignoring the Disney Princess dresses, my girl decided to be Snowy.  If you do not know Snowy is - he is Tintin's dog. 

Last year she was as Tintin himself.  Next year she is thinking of going as Captain Haddock!

Anyway over the last couple of days (as I always leave things to the last minute) I have been busy sewing. Mary has been getting more and more excited..and at last the day has arrived.

Here she is in the hood.

This photo shows the big paws.

 Over the years, I have lots of Mary dancing down the garden.

Int his photo you might be able to see the paws in more detail. I made, out of the white fur, a pair of fingerless mittens.  Then I made the paws separately and stuffed them. Then sewed them on top of the mittens. Hopefully she will be able to write without taking them off.

Looking forward to next year. Maybe I should start sewing now? Nah.