Showing posts with label hair elastic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hair elastic. Show all posts

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Small Leather Items- Two Quick Sewing Projects!

Drafting a pattern...


                                     ...that will perfectly fit my tiny, sharp scissors.



                                    Adding an elastic ponytail holder for a closure...



                             ...using a small piece of fabric to help stitch it into place.




The back of the finished case...



                                                           ...and the front.

                   
                                 *********************************************************
                                         Clamping three leather pieces together...

                                           ...in preparation for machine stitching.



                                            Employing the clamps once again...

                                      ...to reinforce the fold in the finished case.


                                               The left side of the leather case...



                                           ...holds the front flap of my passport...



                                   ...and the right side is free for boarding passes...

                                                   ...and baggage claim tickets.



Saturday, May 5, 2012

Wet-Felted Compost Bin- Part 3 of 3

Laying out wool for the bin lid.



The finished compost bin with hair elastic closure loop. 
 
Adding beads for the fastener...

 
...and in close-up.

 
Lily of the valley.

 
The compost bin in situ.

 
Don't you just love this color?!?



My new compost bin, 'planted' at the site of my old one.

Luckily, my neighbor (whose garage you see)...

...is also a fan of composting!

 
I really wasn't sure how to make a hinged top...

...that would stand up to the rigors of daily use.

In the end, I fashioned a lid that had a straight edge in the back...

...and using a curved needle, hand-stitched the top to the edge of the bin...

...making sure that I sewed through the chicken wire layer, as well.

For the closure, I stitched a 'hair elastic' into the front edge of the lid...

and sewed a line of large beads together for a 'clasp'...

...stitching them to the front of the bin through the felt.

To make a rigid lid, I first tried felting around a circle of chicken wire...

...but it was awkward and 'spiky', and I gave up.

In the end, I felted around a circular resist...

...and then filled this felt 'envelope' with a layer of heavy cardboard...

...sandwiched between two layers of foam underlayment.

Many of you are curious about the bin's potential longevity...

...and, to be honest, I am, too!


Will the felt (especially the lid and hinge) withstand use...

...or will I be doing periodic repairs?


Will things compost more slowly than they did in my open-air bin (lack of oxygen?)...

...or will the added heat (from being in an enclosure) actually speed things up?

Let the experiment begin!! Giggle.

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Winter Headband Tutorial (More Sewing)


Cutting one pattern piece in felt...


...and one in chenille.


Pinning the two layers together for stitching...right sides facing each other.


After sandwiching in a hair elastic and sewing the layers together (leave a small gap)...

...turning the piece right-side-out.


Flattening and straightening the piece (be sure to tuck in the edges of the un-sewn gap).


After top-stitching.


Two finished headbands (one in fleece and one in felt)...


...with re-purposed buttons.

Before the winter slips away entirely...

...I wanted to share this quick and easy sewing project with you.

The idea came from my middle daughter...

...who saw a similar headband made from a knitted material.

To make the oval paper pattern...

...measure around your head as if the tape measure were the headband...

...and decide how wide you would like it to be as well.

(This pattern is 22 inches by 4 inches at its widest point.)

Cut one pattern piece in fleece or felt...

...(an old woolen sweater that's been fulled in the dryer would also work well)...

...and one in chenille or another 'fluffy' fabric.

Pin the two pieces together, right sides together...

...and sandwich in a thick hair elastic at one end.

Sew around the headband, leaving a small space for turning...

...and turn the headband right side out.

Straighten the seams and flatten the piece...

...then top-stitch all around, very close to the edge.

Try it on for size and to determine the button placement...

...then sew a medium to large button to the non-elastic end.

Voila...

...a soft and cozy headband that won't wreak havoc on your hair-do! :)

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