#DIY Sewing Project ~Transform Clothing Items into Pretty Scarves~

#DIY Sewing Project ~Transform Clothing Items into Pretty Scarves~

         Sometimes the prettiest fabrics for simple sewing projects can be found elsewhere, besides buying straight from the bolt.
        Yes, indeed I am a fabric-holic :)  I love to find the right fabric at the right price. And usually that will be found in the craft stores with the long isles of bolt after bolt of fabrics. Whether it's a light weight or heavy weight fabric I hope to find for that desired sewing project I have in mind.
       But if you take your search else where for fabrics that are pretty & the type of fabric or size in yardage needed that you hope to find, you can find them lots of other places besides craft stores by the bolt. In places like yard sales, churches with Lords Acre Sales, thrift stores, your families hand me down clothing etc.  So the next time you are in these places, look at the colors, designs, weight of the fabrics in all the clothing items you see such as long dresses, long sleeve shirts, skirts, old table clothes, sheets, sweaters, etc. And imagine the yardage in fabric you may have needed for your certain project & then compare it to the yardage you see in those items right there in front of you that cost just pennies to buy. Much cheaper than fabric sold on blots by the yardage per price. Hold the item up, extend out  its fabric to see the length & width it can provide you. And most times, you will see that there is an ample amount right there in your hands to use on many projects that you had hope to do.
      A few weeks ago I enjoyed the day out for a few hours on two different occasions with each one of my sisters when we looked through some thrift stores.  And the one thing I simply love about thrift store looking is that you can be assured to always see & find all the 4 seasons of clothing items. When in the merchant stores your only going to see what clothing is worn during the time of the season you are currently in.
     I saw the prettiest skirts when we were thrift store looking. Ones with thicker grade fabric & others that were very light weight and just bursting with vibrant colors.  The same type fabric if...found on the bolt by the yard in craft stores would easily cost a price of $6.99 per yard or higher.
     And a skirt found in the thrift store that had the same 1 and 1/2 yard of sheer nice quality fabric within it, cost me a price of  .50 cent.  And I just knew all the pretty things I could use it for to make into other things to enjoy.
         Just look at the vibrant colors in this pretty skirt. It has at least 5 colors within it that would match other colors of my clothing. And within this piece I could visualize scarves being made, headbands, a lining for a purse, little sachet bags to fill with lavender dry herbs, cedar wood chips or my favorite  purex crystals to go in my dresser drawers to make my linens smell great.  Plus, I end up with a free zipper, pretty buttons & this skirt had a tan fabric lining so that means more fabric to use!
  
              So I took to cutting it up! Or should I say cutting it across!  Because I wanted a pretty spring thin scarf to enjoy :) And with the skirts vertical design pattern I knew I could create my scarf as wide or narrow or as long or short as I desired.  The band of the skirt will indeed become either a headband for my hair or the strap to a gypsy style hobo sling purse that I will create soon :)

                                        Here is another skirt I got for .50 Cent with such pretty paisley designs in earth tone colors of browns.  Both got washed & dried & now are ready to alter into new life enjoyed in other ways!
 
                         I began cutting! And I love using my serger so I just ran the sides through with a white thread serger stitch. But I also did some with a hem over turn of the outside edge on my regular sewing machine.

 
                      I  found a pink scrap of sweater fabric that was almost 2 yards  while there too for $1.00!!   And I did the same sewing project with it but made it 12 inches wide & seamed up the side after I folded it over then turned it inside out and let the seam line be located center on one side so my other side (the side that will face up to see and enjoy) and then hemmed up the ends.

 

I then took some of my Sashay Yarn and I stretched it out flat & sewed it onto my pink sweater fabric that I had made into a winter/fall scarf. Because those yarn colors found in the Sashay yarn are so pretty & have 3 colors that fade away and blend into the one combined color. It matched my pink sweater fabric just perfect.

 

 

 

 And when you are all finished after what took only a few minutes to cut your thrift store finds, seam up the sides, you now have lots of scarves to enjoy wearing. You can leave them as long or as short as you desire, open ends like you see here OR the one nearest the purple colored one, I have closed the ends together on that one making it a complete piece to loop over your head as many times as you like depending on how long you made it & it is an infinity scarf.

 

Here's you a good  Fact & Helpful *Tip*** 

 

Fabric is sold on the bolt by the "running yard" and the dimensions for a yard of fabric is usually 44 inches wide by 36 inches long. Sometimes you will luck up and find fabrics that are 60 inches wide. Most times if you are heading to the craft stores to buy fabrics for scarves, you will only need half a yard of fabric or even less than that maybe 1/4 of a yard. They will cut you what ever amount you desire & set the price according to what price per yard is on that said bolt of fabric type. 

So, when you are at those thrift stores, yard sales etc.

 Do like I do when I visit them and take along a seamstress measuring tape. You can find these at any craft store for $1 or less. Shoot, you may even find one in the thrift store for .25 cent ;)

 

Use it to measure the length & width of the clothing items you see that you too can transform into something else to enjoy.  And look at all those clothing items or kitchen linens etc in a whole new light.

They make some of the prettiest items as mentioned above or even more ideas like valances, table place mats, dinner napkins etc. Those items can be made with ease because they are just basically long or short pieces that need to be hemmed or adding a open section for a rod to hold them. 

   I will be back with more sewing projects to share with you, because I have been busy at my 3 different machines. One that I shared with you just the other day was my fabric lamp shade cover I created found  here So come back to see what's getting stitched up next :) 

         here at Mamawj's Moment Away ~ Take Care ~Julie

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#DIY #Tutorial #Fabric #Desktop #Wall #Organizer,Trimmed #Corkboard, #Mouse Pad, Table cloth & Pen Holder "Elvis Theme"

#DIY #Tutorial  #Fabric  #Desktop Wall organizer, Trimmed Corkboard, mouse pad, table cloth & pen holder "Elvis Theme"
         Ok so...Am I the only one out there who is a big Elvis fan?
      Maybe it's my baby boomer age & being born in the 60's when My mom loved listening to Elvis & so did we as kids & teenagers. I remember well, watching his live concerts on TV with my family. And seeing him wear that White outfit with the Hawaiian lei around his neck. His songs will always be remembered, played and enjoyed. I thought he sang gospel songs just beautifully. Did you know that fabric was sold in many different prints with Elvis on them? Yes, lots of prints, each having the same scene from his movies, concerts, etc. All in different retro colors as well, that can be mixed & matched. When I saw his anniversary prints come out a few years ago, I just loved them. And made things to enjoy like totes, fabric headbands, & more. And as I was going through my cedar chest this week & weeding out a few prints of other items I have decided to sell, I came across my Elvis fabric prints I had left.
         Our extra tiny room that we have in the house, serves as what I call four function corners. Meaning, that in one corner it houses my grandsons toy box, the second corner my cedar chest of fabrics, the 3rd corner my 3 sewing machines I use that sit on a two shelved desk, and the third corner houses a tiny desk that houses my desktop computer, printer, monitor, & key board.
       And it was just boring to look at so, I decided to pep it up a bit with some bold colors to match all the black color in the electronic computer  components.
      So, I took these Elvis prints that were the same pattern yet in two different colors of red & black. And made me some fabric items to be useful there. Like a  Wall organizer, Trimmed Cork board, mouse pad, table cloth & pen holder.
        This is my tiny, room fourth corner, that I mentioned. My printer even sits off the desk, but I'm ok with that fact. I just wanted to add some color & better function to my little nook. My hubby added that beautiful wall cedar wood framed /corked inset window that you see behind my desk. He did that for me a few years ago as a #DIY (he did it :) for my birthday by using old saved cedar wood of his dads that he kept for years after he passed away. He just cut a hole in the wall, build the frame, clear coated that beautiful cedar wood, added the cork squares to it & popped it in the wall for me to use. I dearly love it & love him for such a sweet gift to use & think of him & my dear father in law that has passed on, each time I look up at it..
         Anyways...back to my #DIY project lol :)
                     Here is my before picture of my nook
that I'm about to revamp in "Elvis"


        

                                  See, my other corner? I use my bigger computer desk to house my sewing machines I use. One of them has to be connected to my desktop computer for my embroidery designs.

 Not loving my wallpaper in this room, but that's another future #DIY day's do-over.

For now, here's the fabric I am using in print designs of Elvis body silhouette with his guitar in both red & white prints. And Then I added a matching picture frame design of him from a boarder print design, on top of & centered in the middle of the red allover print fabric.

Let's start with the #DIY project to recover that ugly mouse pad you see there on my desktops front right corner. Which was just a mouse pad that I got @our local fair one year from the booth that has all our local sponsors in it that hand out items with their logo on it.

            A closer look @ my used desk that still has stickers & scratches all over it & not to pretty to look at.

                  For the mouse pad that we are going to recover in this #DIY  project, you will need on hand these items:
          1.Cotton fabric of your choice (a square piece of fabric big enough to cover your mouse pad with 1/2 to 1 inch bigger around)
         2.Iron with using the dry hot setting (no water/no mist spray)
         3.Scissors

         4. Heat & Bond (found @your craft stores) Heat-n-Bond-Ultrahold-No-Sew-Iron-On-Adhesive easily found @#Walmart And Again, cut out a square the same size as you did your piece of fabric...
          5. I am stitching around this project when finished with my sewing machine. But you don't have to if you chose you can just use the heat & bond and be done.

                                  

             Place you square of the Heat-n-Bond-Ultrahold-No-Sew-Iron-On-Adhesive easily found @#Walmart  (sticky glue side down onto your fabric squares backside) and iron them to each other with a HOT! dry iron. Then, let it the 2 that are now joined by heat, sit and cool down for a few minutes 2-5 mins.

                Trim the piece so that it can LAP over your ugly mouse pads top side by about 1/2 to 1 inch bigger. Then peel off the heat bond paper, and lay the glue side down on top of your mouse pad. And repeat the iron on hot procedure again, as you did when you added it to your fabric. Once you feel that it has connected to the mouse pad and has STUCK to it good from the hot dry iron heat that you applied, you can now put your iron away & let the mouse pad cool for a few minutes of 2-5 mins. Then, take your scissors and trim the sides of your finished project in your fabric covered mouse pad.

              And, your mouse pad that is now covered in fabric looks better in the design theme you chose. It can't be washed because mouse pads are made of rubber on the back side. But you could easily cover it again later with another fabric design if you needed too. Or just wipe it with a damp soapy cloth & lay it in the sun to dry. I like to stitch my items I make. I guess it's the seamstress of 36 years within me, I just think it looks neater, but on this particular item of the #DIY you don't have too, that heat & bond is good stuff & will last to hold it on.
      Also, don't use your sewing machine to stitch think unusual items unless you know your machine as well as you might know the back of your hand. As not to damage your machine. I know my machines & what they can handle, so I ran my finished mouse pad around to get a straight stitch on the top in a black thread to match.

                                 Here it is..all finished :))

                                  Ok then, now onto the next desktop item yet for the wall beside of it..in the #Fabric Wall organizer with pockets to use
          I made a 13 by 33 inch in size wall fabric organizer because its the size of fabric scrap pieces with his design that I had to work with. But you can make any size, but using the same directions that I'm about to share with you. And I used the all over red designed fabric with his body silhouette as my back ground piece, stitched a square on top of it's center with a panel piece, and then made pockets for it from the all over matching white designed fabric.
         And basically, what ever size fabric panel you choose to make & add as many or as little in pockets to it, is up to you. Here is a simple way to do just that. First, think of a pillow case & how it is made with 2 sides of fabrics that have 3 closed sides & one open side..OK, now just cut your size panel that you want using two sides of fabric the same size. Then match the wrong sides together, stitch around 3 sides only, turn your pieces inside out, then fold in the ends on the last side that is still open, and stitch it closed. Iron it so it's nice and flat and the seams are pressed down nice. Now, any pockets that you want on the front of the panel you just finished, you follow that same direction as just given with the panel. Again, press those pockets with an iron to look nice & flat on the edges. Now, its time to apply the pockets to your panel. So lay them where you want them on the panel, and then stitch them onto the panel on 3 sides only, leaving the top part open
(as your pocket insert on the panel.)
              Notice my tallest pocket on the finished project, I made a square pocket but when I got to one side to stitch it on I turned the top back at angle & then stitched it down. Just so I can get my long envelopes out easier & I thought the angle of added a design to the fabrics design with his guitar he holds running at an angle to match. But you can leave your pockets top straight across just like I did with my two tiny pockets.

          And here it is all finished. For now I just used push pins to place it on the wall. But later, I will stitch a fabric strap to its top two corners  and lap them over a black wooden dowel rod to hold it. The center is just the fabric panel of his pictures. The sides have my pockets that will house envelopes, stationary, etc.


            Next project. Let's trim a cork board square with the matching fabric. And use it on the wall too!  You can buy cork board squares at any craft store for just pennies practically! And you can glue them to wood, metal, old cookie sheets, etc. Or like I did today, in just covering the sides with fabric & push pin it onto  the walls to use. Later I will add the same idea to it as well with fabric straps & a dowel rod to hang it. Which I think looks really cool.
             Here are my supplies:
                Fabric scraps, the cork board square
                         
        Now I will SEW them to my cork :) Again, know your machine if you sew it on. You can do the heat & bond procedure to this project instead of sewing, if you like.
             First, picture in your mind what ready made fabric bias tape looks like when you buy it by the yard in a pack for 99cent. They come in lots of colors, they are as narrow as 1/4 inch wide and as wide as sometimes 2 inch wide. They are basically fabric that has been folded  with an open side & a closed side. And used to CUP over another fabrics RAW SELVAGED Edge to cover up that raw edge & then you stitch it on so it looks nicer.
              Well, you can take your own fabric scraps & make your own fabric bias tape by doing the same exact thing. You just determine your FINISHED Width of what you want your bias tape to be, and you ADD extra to it on each side of the piece so that when you IRON the ends over And then over again TO HALF its size, that you now have bias tape that you made that you can CUP over anything that you can sew on, glue on, etc.
    Here, I have taken the same idea as just explained, and CUPPED my fabric OVER the edge of my cork board & will stitch it on.
          I have a serger  so I used it to neatly do my sides first. But you wont see your sides once you turn them over, press down & stitch your CUPPED piece over your project item. I'm just a neat freak when it comes to sewing & the raw strings that dangled etc. So I take advantage of my Serger :) no biggie lol
 let's move on.. I made my strip of fabric 3 inches wide, so that I end up with it half that size once it has been CUPPED Over my cork board so I can sew it on.


     Folding it over just a bit & sewing it down on one side. Do the same on the other side, then iron press it together...like you would if you made yourself a half sandwich with a piece of bread.

 

  I'm doing the same thing with just ONE piece of the red fabric so it matches & I made it much wider, then I will lap over that with my with fabric pieces of bias tape I just made. Stitching it on here.
   See below:

 

            And now the sides in a narrow piece

 And...I added a wider piece to my bottom part as well. Because. I plan on using it as an OPEN Pocket at the top to use & be functional. Which you will see below..

And I found a #VINTAGE Black button with little white stones in that I will add to the center of my bottom bias tape so it serves as a divider in the fabric to use as pockets but look cool to match the theme.

It has a shank on it, so I can easily just hand sew it through the cork.

 

And here is my finished #DIY fabric Trimmed Corkboard

I can slide things down into the bottom section because I made my fabric bias tape a bit wider. And the button in the center separates the two pockets to hold things in it from falling out.

        Ok, if your still with me..And I have not lost you lol..

Lets make an easy! easy! pen holder with a fabric sleeve that can sit on our desktops to house your ink pens, markers, candy ;) etc.
Because you use the same directions for ANY Size container that you like with this #DIY idea. The possibilities are endless to #recycle used items like tall chip cans, jars, tin cans, baby food jars. etc.
Here I used an empty glass jelly jar. And you just need some fabric scrapes & a piece of wide elastic. And this project requires sewing by hand or on your machine. I had not tried the heat & bond for this project but it may work to do so because you are only connecting two sides if the fabric square & the ends of the elastic.
  So here we go.. I took a fabric square that was the size of my jars even top & bottom Length ..I turned the fabric square wrong sides together (like making a sandwich half again) I sewed that side together..I turned it back to its right side out, which I now have a sleeve (see it cupped over my hand?) It's a sleeve now, to slide over my glass jar. I had a cute iron my electric guitar that I had bought long ago on sale so I ironed it on the sleeves front center, just for added look to my theme. Then I slid the sleeve over my jar. I then took my wide piece of elastic that was black in color, and seamed the two ends together & then slide it over the top mouth of my glass jar.

                And here is my finished #DIY pen holder with a fabric sleeve

 I also just took a single piece of the matching fabric & made me a table cloth to match & cover my tiny desktop table. Which you can see there underneath the pen holder with a fabric sleeve that you see up above.

 

    A closer look with everything completed as a set.

 

 

 
           I like the bold colors of red & black that match my black computer components & chair. My daughter got me a plastic Elvis tote last year and I use it to store to paper shredder in, that adds to my theme.
          #DIY projects like this, don't take long at all to do. Maybe 2 hrs if you have the free time & want to make a desk top for anyone or any room into a theme with fabrics you have on hand. You don't even have to buy the fabrics. If you ran across a nice bed sheet or table cloth or a dress that you like in a theme then just cut it up into the squares you need and make yourself a one of a kind set to enjoy. Kids beds sheets or even cloth shower curtains have wonderful designs on them to use for such projects.
   It's these tutorials that take a long time to take pictures of, write up the description is easy steps for you to follow to see how it's done, so you can give it a #DIY try too :)
    And I don't mind sharing this long tutorial with you today as long as you don't mind how long it took to read & learn about it :)
    If you try making these easy #DIY project then, be sure to come back & tell me what theme you used & in what room?  I may make me a bigger wall panel with pockets for my laundry room. I like the idea of placing all my tiny laundry samples in the pockets of it that I get in the mail to enjoy. Or a garden themed panel with housing our flower & vegetable seed packets inside it, would be a nifty use & ideas used.
      Take Care y'all & come back for more of my #DIY projects as I add them here when times allows :)