Showing posts with label Craft Projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craft Projects. Show all posts

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Decorating for the 4th of July

With the 4th of July just days away, it's time to start planning your Independence Day decorations, if you haven't already. Here are a few easy decorating ideas for both inside and out.

Fabric wrapped wall display - Using either plywood board or canvas, wrap fabric around it and using either tacks or staples secure the fabric to the back. This is a great idea because it is so easy to change with the holiday or room decor.

For a fun and festive 4th of July place setting, use denim pockets to hold utensils and napkins. Cut out pockets from old worn out jeans, stencil a star onto each pocket, add your utensils and a bandana napkin and voila! A patriotic place setting your guests will love.

Spell it out - Go to any local craft store and pick up some wooden letters, red, white and blue acrylic paints and polyurethane. Get creative and paint each letter how you like then coat with polyurethane for durability; Inexpensive, takes very little time and reusable year after year. Now that's an idea everyone will love.

If you have some scrap fabric lying around wrap each letter in fabric instead of painting. Still cute and festive and you use those leftover fabrics you didn't know what to do with.

Dress up your railing - buy several yards of patriotic fabric and secure to your railing with red, white or blue yarn, string or cording. It's fast, easy and can be used year after year.

Dress up your front door - The front door is the first thing your guests will see. Get them into the 4th of July spirit before they even enter your home with a patriotic, fabric wreath.
Be sure to check out all the fantastic patriotic fabrics available at InteriorMall.com

Happy 4th of July from all of us at InteriorMall.com.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Fast and Easy Fabric Facelifts

There are so many projects that can be done with fabric remnants and the outcome is awesome. Here are a several DIY ideas you can do at home.

 Use scraps of coordinating fabrics to create a modern patchwork-effect headboard. To make the headboard, cut 8-inch squares from stiff florist's foam and 1/4-inch plywood. Cut 8-inch squares from quilt batting and place over foam squares. Glue all layers with Styroglue. Cut fabric into squares large enough to wrap the foam squares with at least a 1/2 -inch overlap on the back. Staple fabric to the back with a staple gun. Cut a piece of 1/4-inch plywood a few inches wider than your mattress on both sides. Line up the squares facedown in your desired pattern and attach them to each other with heavy-duty tape. Top them with the plywood, and drill wood screws at 8-inch intervals to secure all the layers. Attach ring hooks to the back of the plywood to hang the headboard on the wall.

Add style to a plain wooden chair with fabric. Remove the seat and back from the chair. Trace the seat on 1/2-inch foam, cut the foam, then attach it to the seat with spray adhesive. Cut fabric 3 inches wider than the seat perimeter. Wrap fabric over the seat, smoothing as you go and securing with heavy-duty carpet tape on the bottom. Trace the chair back on paper and add 1 inch all around. Using the pattern, cut two pieces of fabric. Lightly spray the front of the chair back with spray adhesive and press fabric onto the front, wrapping the allowance to the back. Fold under 1-inch allowance on the second piece of fabric, wrong sides together, and press. Use fusible webbing to adhere the fabric to the back of the chair, overlapping the wrapped allowance. Reattach the seat and back. 

Add pretty curtains to your windows or hide table storage. Whether you want to use rings with clips or sew in a rod pocket, a yard of fabric or less can turn your space into something fabulous! Use a cafe rod or a tension rod to hold the curtain.

Editor's Tip: For a no-sew option, secure hems or make your rod pocket with fusible webbing and an iron.

 
Create a designer lamp in minutes with a splashy fabric. Cut fabric pieces 2 inches longer and 1 inch wider than the lamp base and lampshade. Iron a 1-inch hem on both long edges and one short edge of each piece. Lightly spray the lamp base and shade with spray adhesive and wrap fabric around each piece, smoothing as you wrap. If necessary, secure the hemmed edges with a thin bead of fabric glue.

A yard of fabric is all it takes to make pillows as large as 30 X 30 inches. Cut a front and back piece of fabric to the desired pillow size, adding 1 inch to the length and width for the seam allowance. Place the fabric right sides together and pin, leaving an opening for stuffing or pillow form. Sew around the pinned fabric. Reach into the open seam and turn the fabric right side out: press. Insert stuffing or pillow. Hand-stitch opening closed or if you want to be able to remove the outside cover for easy cleaning sew in a zipper or make a button closure.

Reface a pair of doors while also hiding the cabinet's contents by lining the glass panels with patterned fabric. On the back of each door, stretch the fabric over the glass and use a staple gun to fasten the edges to the wooden frame. For a tidy appearance inside, conceal the staples with glued-down coordinating ribbon.

Stitch up the perfect table runner -- custom-fit to your own table -- by making a fabric "sandwich" with a piece of same-size batting in between. With right sides out and the layers pinned together, sew straight quilting lines through all pieces along the length of the runner. Cover the raw edges with binding tape adhered with fusible web. 

To finish your dining room makeover make chair covers. You don't need to slipcover an entire chair to give it a fresh new look. Make this chair-back cover with just two squares of fabric and use fusible web to adhere a fabric shape to one piece. Finish with coordinating binding tape adhered to the edges with fusible web. For a no sew option on both the table runner and the chair cover use stitch witch to hold your raw edges down when you make your hems.

To spruce up your office space or kids bedroom cover an artist canvas, cork board or piece of sheet metal with fabric. Works great as a memo board, memory board or as a piece of artwork.

Abstract fabric cutouts dress up plain card stock to make custom all-occasion greeting cards that also look great framed. Gel pen outlines and a decorative scalloped edge finish off the cards.

Group together fabric-covered balls to make a great filler for a bowl, a glass vase, or a basket. Cut fabric strips from coordinating fabrics and use glue to adhere the strips to plastic-foam balls. Select a variety of fabric patterns and use both small and large balls for extra interest.

Hopefully this gives you some great new ideas for all those extra fabric pieces. It's spring so get out there and try something new.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Valentine's Day is just around the corner so it's time to start thinking about all those fun craft projects if you haven't already. Something that is fun, easy and super cute to do is a fabric heart wreath.

What you will need:
styrofoam heart
glue (place in a shallow bowl)
sharpened pencil or large knitting needle
1 1/2 yard of fabric cut into 2" squares. If you are using 2 fabrics use 3/4 of a yard of each pattern.
Wrap the square of fabric around the end of the pencil and dip it into the glue.
Then poke the pencil down into the Styrofoam heart.
Keep repeating that until the heart becomes full of fabric squares.
Voila! Finished!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Summer Craft Projects

Spring brings renewal and fresh ideas and summer holds warm weekends at the lake or by the pool sharing good company with friends and family. To save money, many people are looking for alternative things to do instead of going to a movie or taking a weekend trip. While these small craft projects may not last an entire weekend, they are a good start and a great way to get your creative, crafty juices flowing.

Fabric Napkin Rings

A great afternoon project that is not only fun but an excellent way to change up your dinner table or picnic table for the summer time is Fabric Napkin Rings.

Choose your favorite light weight fabric, such as a bandana or anything 100% cotton and your favorite buttons. Cut your fabric into 6 x 9 inch strips. Fold each strip into thirds lengthwise and then into thirds widthwise. Sew a button onto one end about an inch from the edge. Make sure to cut a corresponding button hole on the opposite end and voila! You have a cute inexpensive table dressing.

If you are looking for a fun way to renew that old lamp shade, cover it with your favorite fabric. Begin your project by laying a large piece of butcher paper, brown wrapping paper or wax paper onto a table. Lay your lamp shade onto the paper with the seam alligning with the end of the paper. Roll the lamp shade on the paper until the paper covers the shade completely. You should end up right back where you started along the seam. Be sure to leave about an inch extra on the top, bottom and along the seam of the shade. Fabric Lamp Shade

Next lay your piece of paper on top of your fabric being sure to pin the paper to the fabric. Cut the fabric using the paper as your guide.

Test to make sure your fabric is a good fit on the shade. Once tested, using either a spray adhesive or fabric glue, begin by brushing it on the back side of your fabric, then place your shade with the seam at the edge of the fabric as before and roll the shade along the fabric carefully checking that the fabric is not creasing or bubbling. To make sure your fabric fits over the top and bottom of the shade, clip your fabric every half inch. (If needed, close pin in certain places while the adhesive dries.)

Custom BagLastly, for all those beach goers this summer, a custom bag might just be the ticket. Check out this bright and colorful bag that one of our customer service representatives made.

Best of all, these great fabrics can be found at InteriorMall.com.