Jimmie's Collage » crafts

Denim Jeans Tote Bag Tutorial

Jimmie — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:36:49 +0000

Finished Denim Tote Bag

Tuesday of Sprite’s camp week turned out to be a very crafty day. One of my projects was turning a couple of pairs of jeans (plus a few other sewing notions) into a cute tote bag, based on the tutorial at Crafting a Green World.

Start with eight rectangles, each 13 x 5 inches. I used pinking shears to cut out the pieces and kept the side seam detail on some of the pieces.

Then layer the pieces and top stitch them together. The idea is that as I use and wash it, the bag will become a bit raveled along those raw edges. (I love the worn spot at the top where Sprite’s knee used to fit into those darker jeans.)

Here are my two side panels, sewn and embellished.

I have only a few decorative stitches on my machine, but they added quite a bit of interest to the project.

The daisy trim is something I found at a yard sale. I love having an assortment of laces, trims, and notions to choose from on a project like this.

The next step is to sew right sides together and iron open the seams. Then I added the bottom. This step is a bit tricky. Start with the center of the long sides of the bottom, pinning them to the centers of the side panels. Work outwards from the center, pinning as you go. Mine didn’t measure exactly at the ends, but I made it work. There are a few puckers. But for a repurposed bag, I think small imperfections add character.

This is the bottom, seen from the right side.

The directions at Crafting a Green World suggest leaving the top unfinished, but I felt that it just needed something. Hobby Lobby to the rescue. I found some fun bandanna inspired ribbon that I used like double fold bias tape to encase the top edge.

For the straps, I sewed on the waistbands from two pairs of pants. Simply trim the waistbands very close to the finished edge. There will be some fraying, but it should add to the relaxed look of the bag.

What do you think?

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Repurposed Denim Bible Cover

Repurposed Denim Bible Cover

Jimmie — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:15:47 +0000

denim cover for hubby's favorite Bible

My latest creative project was inspired by a request from my husband. His favorite Bible is starting to look pretty bad, and he wanted a custom made cover.
A trip to my favorite thrift store was all I needed to find my supplies. On the first afternoon of Sprite’s summer camp, I transformed a pair of jeans into a sturdy book cover with a Velcro closure. This project took me two hours to complete.

Here are my steps — actually very loose directions. (If you have no experience sewing, this tutorial will probably not be enough. But if you’ve made a few things, you’ll be able to sort out the specifics for making this yourself. This gives you a good starting point. By the way, my starting point was this bible cover tutorial. )

How to Make a Book or Bible Cover from Denim Jeans

Remove a pocket from the jeans. The point is the pocket, so use your scissors to cut it away when necessary. A seam ripper is too wimpy for this task. I didn’t want to use the fabric underneath, so I didn’t worry about making nicks in it.

Cut off a length of the waistband, including the buttonhole. I trimmed it close and didn’t bother finishing the tiny threads hanging down. That gives it character.

Cut the legs off the jeans.

Cut up the inside seam. I chose leave the more attractive outside seam to use for the spine of my cover.

Here is what I have of my jeans, ready to use for the book cover — two legs, cut open (I actually only needed one leg), one pocket, and a buttonhole on a waistband.

Cut a piece from the leg that is plenty big to cover around your book, including seam allowance top, bottom, and sides.

Test the size by wrapping the sides inside the front and back covers of the book. I liked the look of having that outer leg seam as the spine, so I positioned it in that way. Trim your base as necessary. Remember, you can always trim more, so it’s okay for it to be big to start with.

Position the pocket on the front of the cover and sew it on.

WAIT! Don’t make my mistake. Add velcro to the pocket before affixing it to the cover. I forgot to add the velcro until the end. By that time, I had to sew through all thicknesses of my cover, and it made one half of the pocket unusable. When I make the second one, I’ll do better.

Position your closure flap on the other side. This takes some pinning and practice folding to get it just right. Test as you go (using the book inside the fabric) to make sure it looks and works like you want it. Pin or baste in place.

Make side flaps that are the same height as your base fabric and over half of the width of the front cover of your book. Mine turned out around 5 inches wide.

Fold up and hem one long side of each flap.

Sew the flaps on the base, right sides together, sandwiching in the waistband closure on one side.

At this point, I BASTED the pieces together and sewed across the top too. I tested the size on my book, made adjustments, and rebasted.

Cut another piece of contrasting fabric the same size as your base. (I used fabric cut from some hand-me-down seersucker pants.) Layer this lining on top of the existing piece, right sides together.

Sew along your basting stitches, joining all three layers all the way around. Well, not ALL the way around. Leave a spot at the bottom to turn the cover right side out. (Yes, I admit I often forget to leave the turning spot. No matter. A seam ripper works for correcting that mistake.)

At this point, I had some huge seam allowances. So I used pinking shears to trim all around my stitches. Then I clipped the corners.

Turn the entire cover right side out and press it flat. Sew the hole close to the edges to finish the cover.

Test the closure and put the velcro on the buttonhole area where it fits to match the velcro you put on the pocket.

Put in your Bible or book. It will fit like a pair of well worn jeans. (smile)

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Extra-curricular 4H Crafts

Jimmie — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:00:12 +0000

Nurse Piggy Bank

I’ve been rather overwhelmed with the choices available to me and Sprite by way of activities, meetings, and clubs. To go from nothing to so many options is wonderful but requires some deliberate decision making. It would be far too easy to join everything and get quickly burned out.

I have no intention to become one of those moms who is constantly in the car, rushing from one meeting to another. I want to protect our quiet home life and our family meal times. I will say no to a lot so that we can say yes to those things we value the most.

One of the activities I’ve said, “Yes” to is 4H. The 4H homeschool group in my area is amazing! There is a large group of children and volunteer moms. The classes are quality, especially Sprite’s sewing class where she successfully made a zippered pouch (yes, zippered!) at the second session. This week she will be working on a piece of clothing. Sprite chose a skirt pattern.

The 4H has an annual piggy bank contest, and even though it is a total fluff craft — no homeschool tie in, no practical handicraft skills — I encouraged Sprite to enter the contest. Creativity simply for the sake of creating is still valuable. Isn’t Miss Piggy Nurse sassy? She has a great sense of humor too.

Ready with bandaid and reminder to get your SWINE flu shot.

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Creating with Flowers

Jimmie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:35:14 +0000

In doing some blog organizing, I found this post from the fall of 2009 that never got published. Actually, all I had here were these photos of Sprite arranging flowers.

It’s dreary winter in China, so let’s enjoy some summertime flowers, why don’t we?

Back in the fall, I realized that with all our creative projects, Sprite had never arranged flowers before. So I bought her some of that green floral foam (does it have a fancy name that I’m not remembering?) and let her choose an assortment of fresh flowers. After giving her a few tips, I set her loose to experiment and design.

We had to make do with a bowl from the kitchen because we couldn’t find a suitable option at the shops we visited. Even though the foam shows a bit, I think it’s a lovely arrangement.

If you’re living in dreary winter conditions, let this post remind you that spring — summer, even– WILL come again. There will be sunshine, and there will be flowers. And even short sleeves and sandals.

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Creative “Doing Without”

Jimmie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:48:27 +0000

One of the reasons (among many) that you should not buy your children everything they want (or you should at least make them wait a while) is because you just may short circuit some amazing creativity.

Case in point.

Can you tell what this is? I mean, besides a lot of recycled boxes?

(Yes, the Poptarts were bought by the hubby at an –expensive– import store in Big City. The mac-n-cheese was a gift brought in from USA.)

Look at how Sprite uses it for a clue.

Lens in, lens out.

She even made slides out of cardboard.

Yep, It’s a microscope. A recycled box, cardboard microscope.

Actually a microscope was on the 2010 curriculum buying list. This one has been on my Rainbow Resource wishlist for months. But Sprite was so eager to have one that she made it, albeit a pretend version, herself.

She uses this as part of her medical practice set up. Sprite now has a desire to go into nursing. Her language tutor happens to be a nursing student, so she fosters this interest in Sprite.

Then I started thinking, everything is cheaper in China. We have a medical college right in this city, so there MUST be a vendor for microscopes here. Why should I buy a microscope in America and bring it over? I started hunting around, and eureka! I found a shop willing to order a microscope comparable to the one on my wishlist for half the price. For just over $100 I got the microscope (new), slides, and slide covers. AND I didn’t have to pay any shipping. Woo hoo! Victory!

We haven’t actually started using it because I don’t have the books I need to explain how to use it, experiments to do, etc. They are coming, though. I can’t remember anything about using a microscope from high school or college. But I do remember it being terrible interesting.

At any rate, I’m thrilled both with Sprite’s creativity and with my great bargain. Do your children make things from old boxes?

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Describing a Bad Day — in the Words of a (very creative) Nine Year Old

Homemade Wrapping Paper

Jimmie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:20:34 +0000

Don’t feel sorry for us when I say that we can’t buy Christmas wrapping paper where we live. It’s not a big deal, and it’s an excuse for a very fun craft project.

For several years now, I have bought huge sheets of white paper, which we decorate with Christmas themes. It’s a messy and fun job.

This year, we experimented with paint rollers, something Sprite had never used before.

Be assured that we can buy small sheets of generic wrapping paper in China, but I just can’t tolerate the pink butterflies and fakey Winnie the Pooh with crazy English under my Christmas tree. We adapt to lots of things, living in China. But for Christmas, I insist on red, green, white, and gold wrapping paper.

Now, isn’t that lovely under the tree?

For more Christmas fun, visit the Online Christmas Party.

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Potato Prints for Fall

Jimmie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:05:52 +0000

This was our first time ever to make potato stamps and then do potato printing. As crafty as we are, we’re always finding new projects. It was so fun! Potatoes are a great medium for making homemade stamps because they are available and inexpensive.

Generally, I have misgivings about using food for crafts since it seems wasteful. But then I compared the 75¢ I spent on potatoes with my last Dick Blick order of $75, and I realized that it maybe wasn’t quite as wasteful as I thought.

Using a potato half, we tried to draw a simple shape. That worked the first time, but thereafter the pen was wet and wouldn’t draw. Instead we just etched an outline with a ball point pen. Here’s a heart.

Then using carving tools and kitchen knives, we cut around the design to leave a raised stamp. Some people use utility knives, but they scare me. This is a rather dangerous craft. Sprite is ten, so she can handle the tools well, but you’d have to cut out the stamps for little ones.

A pumpkin shape for autumn!

A man!

I made a cat face.

Here are our potato stamps ready to use.

We found that brushing on the paint (versus dipping) was the most efficient way. Sprite is so creative! This stamp can be either a briefcase or a mug, she said!

Two businessmen.

Our Oreo is the subject of this stamp!

By brushing on the paint, we could get two-tone effects like this acorn and pumpkin.

It was fun, creative play. We had no practical objectives. We just stamped some paper. Towards the end, I did suggest Sprite make some Fall greeting cards to send to grandparents back in America. She did, but the fun was simply in the creating the stamps and experimenting with them. It was a creative day all around. We made homemade lemon sherbet from fresh lemons and baked cinnamon pretzels. It was a messy and productive day!

All of the pictures from this project are at Flickr.

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Make or Draw a Giraffe

Jimmie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:00:36 +0000

I found an interesting online collaboration called One Million Giraffes. The owner is trying to collect one million giraffes created by people all over the world. You simply scan or photograph your giraffe and upload it to the site.

We had some giraffes already at Flickr which I added to his collection.

And we used this excuse to make more.

Sprite's Giraffe Family

Jimmie's

Here is my giraffe featured at One Million Giraffes. And Sprite’s two most recent additions are here and here.

So if you need a sketch topic or a craft theme, consider giraffes and help out the One Million Giraffes project. Here is an easy giraffe template and here’s another craft idea.

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Papermaking Project

Jimmie — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:05:52 +0000

From this

to this

We took shreds from the paper shredder

and soaked them for two entire days. Amazingly, they didn’t disintegrate. But they did finally sink to the bottom of the bucket.

Then we used the blender to make what looked most unappetizing. It was so gross looking that Sprite wouldn’t touch it. I admit, I’ve cleaned up such messes when someone was sick. But this was paper pulp, and it wasn’t truly gross. It just looked and felt gross.

If you’ve never made paper before, let me tell you, it’s a MESS. Such a mess that I didn’t even want my camera around. So all the nitty gritty steps are missing here. If you want to make paper, I recommend these few links. The video was especially helpful.

Now we jump to the blotting the water from the back of the wire screen. A finished piece is in the front.

After it dried, it was quite a different color! It’s terribly stiff, and I don’t have a plan for using it. So I’m saving it until we become inspired. It was a worthwhile project if for nothing else than to appreciate the process. I told Sprite that if we had to make all the paper we used, we’d certainly do a lot more conserving! It is a lot of work!

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Corn Husk Doll

Jimmie — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:54:37 +0000

From this

to this

with these directions. Easy and fun!