ChalkCloth/Oil Cloth Placemats (this is what you need to make one placemat)
1 piece of 12 inch x 17 inch oil cloth
1 piece of 12 inch by 17 inch chalkcloth
1 small scrap of oil cloth measuring 4 inches x 7 inches
1 package of Extra Wide Double Fold bias tape (in coordinating color)
chalk
thread, sewing machine
*I used a microtex 80/12 needle in my sewing machine to sew through the oil and chalkcloth with absolutley no problems.
First, cut a piece of oil cloth to 12 inch x 17 inch dimensions. I made two placemats so I did this twice!
Then, cut two smaller (for two placemats) pieces of oil cloth measuring 4 inches x 7 inches. This will become your chalk pocket!
Then, cut 2 pieces of chalkcloth measuring 12 inches by 17 inches...again, I did two cause I made two placemats!
Then, grab your bias tape and open it so you can see the two fold edges facing inward. Place the center crease so that it's flush with the edge of the chalk/oilcloth edge. You should now have one fold on the chalkcloth side and the other fold on the oil cloth side.
OK, so now with the edge we left undone, place your chalk pocket so that it is flush with the short edge of the chalkcloth/oil cloth edge. Then place your bias tape on top of this and sew into place (see pic above).
To start, fold over 1/4 inch of fabric on the long side to the wrong side of the fabric and press with your iron. Do this on both long sides.
Now, place one strip of fabric on top of the other with their folded sides meeting. Be sure to keep the folded ends tucked to the inside, like the picture above. I used contrasting fabric on top and bottom but you don't have to!
Now, straight stitch down both long sides of the two fabrics you put together with an 1/8 inch seam, backstitching both beginning and ends. Like the picture above!
Now, fold over the ends of the two fabrics you just sewed together about 1 inch and iron for a nice pressed fold. Bring this folded end through the mitten clip's loop, like above.
Use a straight stitch and sew the fold shut, backstitching at the beginning and ends. Make sure you stitch on top of the ends of the fabric that you first folded over in the beginning of the instructions! I did this twice to make it extra secure.
Here is what the cardboard letter look like close up. If you have letters like a "P" that are top heavy you can cut into the base with an x-acto knife and fill the bottom with some rice or plastic pellets to keep it stable!
First, you will cut your fabric around your letter with about a 1/2 inch border, like so.
Then, get out your modge podge and lay it on thick! Press your fabric onto the modge podge, smoothing it out as you go. Do one flat side, then the outer edges of the letter, then modge podge the other flat side, and then overlap the outer edge to make sure no cardboard is showing.
You will then cut out the inside of the "G" with an x-acto knife and modge podge the fabric to the inner cardboard edges.
Then, cut a strip of fabric that is slightly smaller than the width of your letter's edge and modge podge it to the inner edge of the letter "G". This is to help cover all the open spots of cardboard that you have remaining from cutting your fabric around all the corners and curves.
Again, cut around your letter with a 1/2 inch border.
When you get to the corners, again, snip the fabric and modge podge each side separately! You will need to go back and cut a small strip of fabric to cover the little bits of cardboard that remain to be seen.
If you have letters with a lot of curves like the letter "R" just snip the fabric all around the curves to make it easier to modge podge the fabric onto the cardboard without all the ugly bumps!
Then, cut two smaller (for two placemats) pieces of oil cloth measuring 4 inches x 7 inches. This will become your chalk pocket!
Then, cut 2 pieces of chalkcloth measuring 12 inches by 17 inches...again, I did two cause I made two placemats!
Then, prep your chalkcloth by rubbing a piece of chalk on it's side left to right and up and down. Wipe off and do it one more time!
Next, get your chalk pocket piece(s) and fold the bottom (shorter edge) up two inches. Straight stitch both sides together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Then, grab your bias tape and open it so you can see the two fold edges facing inward. Place the center crease so that it's flush with the edge of the chalk/oilcloth edge. You should now have one fold on the chalkcloth side and the other fold on the oil cloth side.
*I cut the bias tape for each edge separately and stitched it into place, this way I avoided having to bend the bias tape around the corners of the placemat :)
Do this to the two long edges and then one of the short edges...leaving one side undone!
Straight stitch with a 3/8 inch seam allowance, basically make sure you catch both sides of your bias tape when sewing it in place!
OK, so now with the edge we left undone, place your chalk pocket so that it is flush with the short edge of the chalkcloth/oil cloth edge. Then place your bias tape on top of this and sew into place (see pic above).
Another look at the chalk pocket sewn underneath the right edge's bias tape.
And that's it folks...Placemat complete!
Super easy, right!!
Now go make a bunch more :)
Here's the pretty backside of the placemat.
You would never know it was a kids' chalkcloth placemat on the reverse side...so sneaky!!
Flip it over and Voila!
A fun kids' entertainment center to draw on while they wait for dinner
For this bib clip all you need are the following:
1 package of Suspender/Mitten Clips (I bought mine at Hancock Fabrics for a couple dollars)
4 strips of 1 1/2 inch wide by 10 inches long fabric. (I used two strips of one fabric and two strips of a contrasting fabric)
Coordinating Thread
Iron, Ironing board, Sewing Machine, etc.
This is all you need...simplicity at it's best!
A view of the fabric strips with the 1/4 inch fold pressed on each long side. This is two sets of strips for two sets of bib clips!
Then, fold the end of each fabric strip over 1/4 inch to the wrong side and press. Do this on both ends.
Now, place one strip of fabric on top of the other with their folded sides meeting. Be sure to keep the folded ends tucked to the inside, like the picture above. I used contrasting fabric on top and bottom but you don't have to!
Now, straight stitch down both long sides of the two fabrics you put together with an 1/8 inch seam, backstitching both beginning and ends. Like the picture above!
This is the what I call the "top" side of the mitten clip.
And, this is what I call the "bottom" side of the mitten clip.
Use a straight stitch and sew the fold shut, backstitching at the beginning and ends. Make sure you stitch on top of the ends of the fabric that you first folded over in the beginning of the instructions! I did this twice to make it extra secure.
That's it...just do the same thing on the other end and you, my friend, are DONE! Hooray for another easy project to do while the kidlets nap!
The finished product...soooo easy...now, go make more
Fabric Block Letters
Cardboard or Paper Mache letters (I saw them called both. I bought mine at the Hob Lob but I realize this store may not exist in England, hopefully these two names will help you find them!)
1/4 yard of fabric for each letter
rotary cutter and mat
x-acto knife
modge podge
foam brush
freezer paper
**My letters were 50% off at Hobby Lobby so they ended up being $1 each and the fabric was $1 per 1/4 yard. So this total project was $8...not bad for all that CUTENESS!!!
Your accomplices for this project.
First, you will cut your fabric around your letter with about a 1/2 inch border, like so.
Then, get out your modge podge and lay it on thick! Press your fabric onto the modge podge, smoothing it out as you go. Do one flat side, then the outer edges of the letter, then modge podge the other flat side, and then overlap the outer edge to make sure no cardboard is showing.
You will then cut out the inside of the "G" with an x-acto knife and modge podge the fabric to the inner cardboard edges.
Then, cut a strip of fabric that is slightly smaller than the width of your letter's edge and modge podge it to the inner edge of the letter "G". This is to help cover all the open spots of cardboard that you have remaining from cutting your fabric around all the corners and curves.
The finished letter "G"
Now, who wants to see another letter being modge podged?
Ok, here is how I did the letter "I"
When you get to the corners, again, snip the fabric and modge podge each side separately! You will need to go back and cut a small strip of fabric to cover the little bits of cardboard that remain to be seen.
The finished letter "I"
When you are finished modge podge-ing, go ahead and let your letters dry for 20-30 minutes. Then get your modge podge out again and brush the outside of the fabric with modge podge to seal the letters up. I let my letters dry on the waxy side of the freezer paper so I didn't mess up my cutting mat. Make sure to use the waxy side too, so the letters come off nice and easy!
No comments:
Post a Comment