DIY Life

Personal touches are the new trend this fall, and I'm all for creating a fun spin on normal, everyday products. Naturally, these lovely fabric markers spotted on Mer Mag are right up my alley -- and should be up yours, as well. With a dash of skill, these markers can make anyone an artist.

Merrilee is attempting to create a tablecloth, using her pattern know-how to the best of her abilities. I think the look is marvelous, and the mustard yellow is the perfect accent for any dinner table. I can't wait to see how it looks finished!

Why not attempt to freehand your favorite pattern? Or, if you don't trust your creative instincts, simply trace a patterned silhouette, decal or paper cut onto the fabric. There is so much fun that can be had with just a few markers and a clean slate. Think of the possibilities -- curtains! bedding! blankets, oh my!

To purchase markers like Merrilee's visit Dharma Trading Co. right here.

Boring flooring is one of my personal pet peeves. It's as if I'm walking into a space with white walls and no drama whatsoever. Why not jazz up your normal flooring with a few coats of paint? Our friends at ShelterPop wrote about the benefits of white flooring last week, and we couldn't agree more.

White not quite your thing? Take a cue from Maryam and her daughter Skylar and paint your floor with a concrete base and pattern for a lovely lace effect. You can purchase the pattern the pair used right here for $199, or create your own with a sheet of plastic, Xacto knife and some creativity!

The project requires a bit of patience and attention to detail, but the result is so worth it. You'll have the coolest floors on the block!

But please, be careful. If not, you may just end up in our Messy Paint Mishaps gallery!

My friend recently wallpapered her kids' playroom with painter's canvas and I started thinking about all of the different uses the fabric could provide. When my mind ran to slipcovers, I remembered a few other creative textiles that could work just as well! Consider the following the "Three O's of Creative Slipcovering":

1. Oilcloth: I love the idea of taking an oilcloth tablecloth (say that three times fast!) to cover an ottoman. Oilcloth is both sturdy and virtually stain-resistant, and the bright pops of color could be perfect for any accent piece. I'd use a bright, bold piece like this or this for a no-sew slipcover that's easy as the pie you can eat from it!

2. Oxford. I once used my husband's outdated Oxford shirt (it had the most lovely pinstripes I've ever seen) to recover a pillow. Peruse your closets for lovely patterns and textures that you may not wear anymore, and even scout your local thrift store for the same. A linen dress could become a lovely cushion, or a lace top can transform itself into a placemat.

3. Oldies. If you have outdated curtains, draperies or blankets, consider thinking of ways to re-purpose them. Perhaps your old curtain could become a duvet cover, or a new sheet set could make a lovely curtain? Feel free to re-think the packaging for a lovely and unexpected slipcover.

If you follow these simple "O"'s, you'll be basking in slipcover heaven in no time.

Sometimes I just can't help myself. I see a gorgeous fabric beckoning me from the remnants table and there is no way I can leave it there. I also buy extra material when doing a sewing project, mostly in case I mess up, but for all of those "just in cases" that speak to me as I am over-buying.

The result is an abundance of fabric at my house, usually about a yard or so of each pattern. Do you share my plight? If so, never fear; there are fabulous projects that require a yard or less of fabric. So make sure you have matching thread and get that machine ready for action!

For the kitchen / entertaining

• Make a table runner. Here's an easy pattern you can follow if you have some material for backing and some fusible fleece or interfacing.
• Create a placemat set. There are instructions to make matching placemats for your table runner, and it becomes more economical to make both when buying the other supplies you will need.
• Fashion a set of cloth napkins. If you want to make them fancy, try this pattern for cloth napkins with a binding edge. They look very high-end.
• Sew pockets into a strip of material and make a caddy to take along silverware for picnics.
• This wine bottle cover uses just under a yard and makes a beautiful presentation of your gift of wine
  

Bring a bit of vintage style into your bathroom with Julie Reed's crocheted bath rug. The doily pattern that she used is from 1918: authentic and classic. The full tutorial will give you everything you need to recreate this bath mat in your own home.

Julie doesn't just list supplies and steps, but walks us through what works and what doesn't, as she chooses the right yarn and tries to minimize the ruffled edge.

I love her color choice. The juniper and charcoal heather compliment each other beautifully. This is the kind of inspired piece you could build your whole bathroom around. After the break, I'll discuss some DIY ways to finish off your vintage style bathroom.

Last week when I was cleaning my shower, I spilled some cleaning chemicals on my bath mat. I washed the mat right away, but now there is a balled up hard spot that I always seem to step on. I have had the mat for years with no other accidents, and it still looks great but I guess it is actually time to buy a new one, because every time I step on it, I feel like my cats hid a present for me under the mat.

If you need or want a new bath mat too, forget about buying one! Check out the knitted rag bath pattern I found on Coco Knits. The sample shown is 18" wide and 36"long. Julie used two pre-washed twin bedsheets that she had cut into 1 1/2 inch strips. She tells you how to connect the pieces with her rag knitting tutorial.

I so want to make one right now, because I have fallen in love with the cable knit pattern. I think it is just so classy. I love the fact that you can use any fabric, whether it be old t-shirts or old bedsheets.You choose your fabric so you can make your rag bath mat to match your decor.

Christmas is in less than a week: is all of your shopping done? It's getting a bit late to order anything (especially if you don't want to pony up for pricey overnight shipping), but if you're shopping for crafty friends, there's probably a lot available in your own town.

However, bead, paint, and yarn choices are completely subjective, you may not know what tools your loved ones need (beading loom? spinning wheel? umbrella swift? easel?), kits can be hit-or-miss, and I'm not sure anyone needs craft-themed sweatshirts. (Ever.) Have major advances in the world of crochet hooks or embroidery hoops really been made in the past year? Probably not. So when I thought about what makes a great holiday gift in the DIY realm, I kept coming back to one thing....

Please join us after the break to find the best of the latest craft books! There's certainly something here to please almost every creative person on your list: beaders and jewelry makers, people straddling the mixed-media art/craft divide, knitters, crocheters, scrapbookers, and anyone else who likes to learn how to make interesting things with their hands.

(Even better, you shouldn't have any problem finding most of these books at 4:00 in the afternoon on December 24th.)

Are you looking to add a little flair to your everyday dining? or maybe you want some seasonal place mats. Either way, making your own gives you the most flexibility, and it only costs as much as the fabric you choose (which can be nothing depending on how full your scrap bag is).

The 7 step instructions, accompanying pictures and tips come together to show you how to make fabulous looking cloth place mats. Here's what you'll need to get started.

1. Fabric of choice
2. Scissors
3. Sewing machine
4. Thread

Have fun and get creative with the fabric. You could make a holiday set as a gift, or craft something for your own dining room table.

Lots of people seem to be wearing bandanas on their heads lately. I've noticed many soccer players wearing them in the cooler weather to keep a little bit warmer on the field. If kids aren't quite ready to trade in their ball cap for a toque, then a snug fitting bandana under the hat should keep them warm. Choose your favorite piece of cloth or buy a bandana with your chosen pattern. Tying the bandana is a simple task that still gives many people difficulty. Learning how to tie a bandana will make sure you get the best look.

How to tie a bandana

1. Fold the bandana diagonally making a triangle
2. Position the flat edge at your hairline (or wherever you want it to sit)
3. Tie the corners at the base of your neck with a square or granny knot. Watch out for stray hairs!
4. Adjust the positioning
5. Tuck the corners in

It might take a few tries, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be putting it on in no time. Enjoy your new look, and remember, bandanas aren't just for cowboys anymore.

The other day, I posted about the Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild's Great Pattern Review. While I was writing, something came to mind: many of the patterns they list are out of print.

Patterns go out of print often. There's a high turnover, particularly among the large mainstream commercial companies like Simplicity and McCall's. Because those companies are trend-driven, they try to produce and carry patterns that somehow tie in with recent popular costume movies (this year, it's all about pirates, but I bet you'll be hard-pressed to find a good pirate pattern in your local craft store three years from now). Sometimes, they discontinue patterns that don't sell well, but it seems like they occasionally replace other patterns, the "classics" like poodle skirts and witch costumes, with newer, better models of the same thing. This is also true of their non-costume patterns.

When you try to locate an out-of-print pattern, there are a few things to remember, things that are relevant to people interested in sewing with patterns of any kind. Everything you need to know to find the right older pattern for you is waiting after the break!

Looking for something to sew for a Halloween costume? Wondering how well the costume pattern you've chosen is going to work out for you? Look no further!

San Francisco's Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild was started in 1990 by a couple of people who... well, they just really love to create costumes. The group provides members with costuming resources, places to wear costumes in the form of themed special events, and a group of like-minded enthusiasts. The focus seems to be mostly on historically accurate costuming, with some other stuff that's just for fun. Some members sew professionally; for others, it's a serious hobby.

(They're not quite the same thing as cosplay, which usually involves dressing as a specific character or person in a detailed recreation of an existing film, TV, anime, or stage costume; however, you'll see a bit of cosplay here and there on their site.)

One of the GBACG's most interesting projects is The Great Pattern Review. Read more about it, and how it can help you with your Halloween plans, after the break.

High contrast colors captivate and hold baby's attention better than the softer colors that we might find appealing. This sharp contrast is easier for them to see and far more stimulating. You'll notice that many of the new mobiles have come away from pastel moons and stars and adopted black, white and red images with basic shapes and patterns. These modern mobiles can run you a pretty high bill. Why not skip the baby boutique, grab a few supplies from home, and make your own high contrast mobile.

In my post 8 uses for wire clothes hangers, a baby mobile is one of the suggestions. Here's one of those ideas in action: A high contrast baby mobile using only things you'll have around the house.

M.E. Williams taught us how to knit Harry Bear and I've written before about re-stuffing a tired and worn teddy bear. I guess we're not satisfied with the mounds of stuffed animals we have under beds and packed away in closets. It doesn't matter how many you or your children keep around there is always one or two that get that special spot on the bed and stick around far longer than the others. It is quite rare to have a Teddy Bear that was hand crafted just for them.

This adorable teddy bear pattern is available free by Denise Ilmanen. She enlarged this particular pattern by 225% and printed it out. Here are the instructions on making a bear, complete with pictures so that you can check your work along the way. These instructions will work with any pattern that involves a number of pieces.

I love this bear's long arms and floppy look. You can just imagine a child falling in love with this bear. You can use any fabric, but you'll want something relatively sturdy. I would suggest using pieces from a worn out cuddle blanket, or one of your child's baby sleepers. If you're making it as a gift, ask the parents if there is any special fabric that they'd like included. This is a fun way to add a bit more sentimental value to an otherwise regular Teddy Bear.

I never checked out Crochet Me before it launched its new beta edition (hell, I don't even crochet) but I'm very impressed by the new design. The site takes the online crafting concept well beyond the typical Craftster-style forums and discussion threads.

Members can upload their own patterns and crochet tips by filling out a form and uploading a photograph. Users can then browse through, or search for uploaded patterns, all of which are neatly categorized. If you've ever tried to search Craftster to find a pattern or tutorial, you know what a godsend this is (don't worry Craftster, I still love you).

Like I said, the site is still in beta, but I'm guessing this is gonna catch on quick. It almost (but only almost) makes me want to add crochet to my list of crafty endeavors I never have time for.

[Via Craft Magazine]

Pleated skirts have been around forever, it would seem. I wore them as a little girl in the 70's, as I am sure every other girl did. Moms wore them too. I know that I own one or two pleated skirts, but I don't wear skirts very often, mostly because I don't really take the time to iron a pleated skirt when I need to. Shame on me!

You can make your own pleated skirts without a pattern. You choose the material, make the pleats, and presto, you have a pleated skirt. Okay, just kidding, of course there is more to it than that! Hop on over to an article from the pages of Threads Magazine. You will learn how to make a pleated skirt with wash proof pleats. The instructions and pictures are clear and concise, teaching you how to make the pleats, how to set them with an iron, and how to fit your pleats to the waistband of the skirt. I so want to make my own right now! How about you?