Book Bag

Another Mother's Day Idea

Materials:  Table Runner (Clearance at Target), 2 Fabric Napkins or Coordinating Fabric, Thread, Heat & Bond, and about 2 hours.

Step 1.  Cut up a napkin into several equal strips.

Step 2:  Sew them all together.

Step 3:  Fold this long tube in half, right sides together and sew down the side to create an extra long tube of fabric. After sewing turn right side out.  It should look something like the picture below. Well, except maybe not heart shaped.

Step 4:  This long tube of fabric will be your handle.  Lay your table runner right side up and fold one end  about 2/3 the way up the fabric. Then sew along sides.

Step 5:  Attach handle by pinning along the side of the table runner like so, and then sew to attach.

Step 6:   Turn the table runner right side out.  The top will poke out a little bit because of the handles.  Glue them or sew them to get the fabric to lay flat.

Step 7:  Using the other napkin cut out a strip of fabric 6 x 12 inches and a strip of Heat & Bond the same size.

Step 8:  Iron the fabric onto the Heat & Bond

Step 9:  If you do not have a Cricut, write your letters on the back or the paper side of the Heat & Bond and then cut them out with scissors.  If you have a Cricut, with paper still attached to fabric, use a Popsicle stick to thoroughly adhere the fabric, paper side down to the Cricut cutting board and cut out your letters. When finished line up your letters on the flap of the bag like so...

Step 10:  Iron-on and you are finished. 

Note:  I would suggest using a darker colored fabric than I used for the letters. The white washed out after ironing and made the letters hard to read. 

Pearl Ribbon Necklace

Mother's Day Idea

I made this necklace for a friend's birthday this past weekend, but I was thinking that it would also make a great Mother's Day gift. 

Unfortunately, the pictures I took while making this necklace, the same pictures that would be most helpful in explaining the process are HORRIBLE!  Therefore, I will attempt to use words alone to describe the process. Good luck!

1. Cut an extra long strip of ribbon. I would "guesstimate" that the ribbon should be twice as long as your desired necklace length.  Note:  my ribbon was really fat so I folded it in half.

2.  Burn the ends of the ribbon to avoid fraying.

3.  Using an especially long piece of thread, thread your needle and make a knot in the end.

4.  Starting about 1/4 of the way down your ribbon, pull your thread through from the back until the knot catches.  Now thread a pearl onto the string.

5.  Pinch your ribbon to make a fold and thread your needle through the fold and then onto another pearl. 

6. Repeat until you are satisfied. 

7. When you get to the last pearl, instead of pinching and folding just string your thread to the back, tie a knot, and cut. 

Now that you are sufficiently confused.  Here is a pretty similar tutorial, but guess what,  she actually has pictures!