TIPS/TOOLS Archives - Nannycraft4u

Make a Pin Cushion Dish

November 4, 2015 by Nanny 6 Comments

Keeping on with the gift ideas, today I am sharing how to make a Pin Cushion Dish

I purchased these from the ‘cheap’ shop some time ago because they looked like something I could use! 🙂

They are dip bowls and as you can see, two for $5.99.

This is how I used them to make a Pin Cushion Dish!

What you need:

A dish

Scrap of fabric about 9″ square

Needle and thread

Filling

Glue (I used a glue gun)

Ribbon to trim

Let’s craft!

Trace around a bowl about 9′ or 23 cm in diameter

2. Run a row of stitches around 1/4″ in from the edge – I did this by hand using double thread and starting with a knot.

3. Gather it up

4. Stuff it with whatever you like in a pincushion – I used polyfill

5. Check to see if it looks puffy enough and then tie it off.

6. Using a glue gun, run glue over the base and around the upper edge of the dish and push the pin cushion into the glue. I held it till the glue cooled.

7. Trim with a ribbon scrap to cover the dish edge. I joined the ends on the side facing the empty dish.

Make it in a favourite colour, add some pins or threads and there you have it – a lovely, very useful (and very cheap) gift for the sewists in your life!

I hope this inspires you to look at simple objects in a different way – Take a dip bowl and make it into a Pin Cushion Dish – who’d have thought!

Until next time

Nanny xx

The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Set-Up

October 23, 2015 by Nanny Leave a Comment

Hi!

Today I thought I would show you some things that I will use to make my Sew Along experience more enjoyable – The Farmer’s Wife 1930s set-Up!

I would have loved to be doing my piecing on my Mum’s treadle machine, but my back condition will not allow that so I am going to use my Featherweight. Here she is, set up on a table made using the bottom of my Grandma’s treadle machine (unfortunately, at a time in its life that it needed some serious TLC, my Uncle left a window open and the weather ruined Grandma’s machine – I was able to rescue the base and it makes a lovely desk in my craft room!)

Mum’s treadley is sitting right next to us so we will all be ‘together’ – Mum was born in 1930!

I will be using my sand paper/glass paper board when I have to draw diagonals etc

My pressing board will be a real necessity

and my design board will make sure my pieces stay in the correct order as I construct the block!

Of course I need my book The Farmer’s Wife 1930’s and my computer – add to that my scissors, rotary cutter and rulers and the odd pin and I think that should get me there!

I am behind the schedule now following my Dad’s recent health issues, but will continue to plod along, be kind to myself and know that I will get there!

These are the blocks I have completed:

#12 BECKY

# 16 BONNIE

#8 AUNT

and #20 CAROLINE

I am really enjoying the process and hope that you will enjoy following along on the journey with me!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Design Board

October 11, 2015 by Nanny 11 Comments

Hi!

This is something I am going to be using constantly while making my Farmer’s Wife 1930’s quilt so I thought I would show you how easy it is to make a Design Board.

What you need:

An art canvas – pick one up for a couple of dollars. Mine is 12″ x 12″

A scrap of cotton wadding

A staple gun

Let’s do it!

Place the wadding on a hard surface and place the canvas upside down on top of it. Fold the wadding up and over the edge and staple it.

2. When you get to the corner, just cut a piece out to reduce the bulk

3. Fold the corner and keep stapling

4. That’s it – all done!

Here is mine with my latest block all set out ready to go to the machine

and look – you can even turn it upside down and the pieces don’t fall off!

They won’t even end up on the floor if someone opens the door and the wind rushes in!

It is really something to think about if you don’t have one as it literally only takes minutes to make and it can it save you a lot of grief. It doesn’t take up much space next to your machine and you can easily see that you are joining the right pieces!

I’d love to know if you think you will make a design board too!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Re-purpose A Spice Rack

July 19, 2015 by Nanny 3 Comments

Hi!

I thought it time I found a purpose for some more of my Op shop stash!

Some time ago now, I picked up this Spice Rack – nothing exceptional but I was sure I could make good use of it, so today I am going to re-purpose a spice rack.

I thought I would get Poppy to paint it white for me, so while he was off doing that i got thinking!

After searching through the kitchen cupboards, I discovered that I could fit four glass tumblers neatly in the rack

I thought of covering them with fabric or even contact but was looking for a faster, more simple solution – why not try aluminium foil?

I ripped off a piece of the aluminium foil and wrapped it around the tumbler

I folded the top into the tumbler and pressed it firmly

I twisted the bottom

and then flattened it into the curve at the bottom of the tumbler

To give it a touch of ‘interest’, I gripped my hand around the tumbler and twisted carefully

Mmmm that’s different!! If ever I feel the need for change it certainly will not be hard to dispose of the aluminium foil.

The paint dried and Poppy screwed the rack to the wall and I now have a simple storage solution for my Rotary Cutters – right where they are needed – over my cutting table.

It looks great and fits nicely above my other op-shop find – my ruler storage that has been painted white as well!

Do you enjoy re-purposing items? What has been your favourite Op-shop find? I will have to venture out for another ‘shop’ soon!

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Light Box

July 9, 2015 by Nanny 16 Comments

I have always used a window to do my tracing, but with my back the way it is, I thought it time to come up with something more suitable. I know I could ask Poppy to make a light box for me – you see many variations around, but I really didn’t want another piece to fit in to my overstuffed craftroom so decided to make a light box from things that are used around the house already. Let me show you how to make a Light Box!

What you need:

A plastic storage crate (I store my fabrics in these)

A glass cutting board (found in the kitchen)

and an LED torch (from its charger) You could use some of the little round ones from the cheap shop too if you wanted to spread the light more.

What to do:

1. Place your plastic tub on your desk.

2. Turn on the torch and place it in the tub.

3. Place the glass cutting board on top.

4. Place your pattern on the cutting board. (You could tape it if you are worried about slipping)

5. Cover with the fabric pieces and trace away!! (It was hard to photograph but all of the pattern is visible – you could slide the cutting board if you needed to)

How easy was that!!

It sits at a perfect height for tracing. No more stretching up at the window for me AND when I’m finished it all goes away somewhere else in the house! Just perfect for my Candlewicking Adventure!

Do you use a Light Box? Let me know if you try this out and make a Light Box – I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before!

Until next time

Nanny xx

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