diy

Make a duct tape wreath with a theme

December 4, 2015 by Lisa Grable 2 Comments

Wreaths are a welcome statement during the holidays and all through the year. Along with the traditional wreaths, I wanted to add a tropical theme wreath to our holiday decorations. This pleated duct tape wreath fit the bill.

I was inspired by the white duct tape wreath from Emily of Jones Design Company. I chose a tropical green and a hibiscus print tape for accent.

Supplies

To make a duck tape crafts wreath you will need

2 rolls of duct tape, 20 yards or more
12-inch foam wreath. Choose the color based on your tape colors. I used green for my tropical wreath. If you choose a larger wreath, you will need more tape.
A hanging method. I have put a Command hook on the back of one of our large mirrors and used a loop of fishing line to hang the wreath “invisibly” over the mirror. The wreath fits well in the large hook of an over-the-door wreath hanger.
Scissors
Craft cutting mat or silicone cutting board

Instructions

Cut the tape into 3.5 inch strips. As you cut each strip, you can lay it sticky side up on the craft mat. Fold one end up so that ½ inch of sticky tape is left above 1.5 inch folded piece.

Find the midpoint on the front of the foam wreath. Tape a folded strip to the wreath. Tape the next strip over about 1/3 of the first strip, lining up the sticky edge of the tape. Make a complete circle. For my wreath, I made a pattern of 3 green strips to 1 flower strip.

Start a second circle towards the inner circle of the wreath. Line up the sticky tab ½ inch from the first circle (no foam will be showing). If you are making a pattern, be sure your accent tape is offset from the first row.
Make one more circle to cover the inside of the wreath.
Flip the wreath to cover the back side of the wreath. This should take 2 or 3 more complete circles.
If desired, cut a 12 inch piece of nylon fishing line, loop around the wreath, and tie a knot.

Resource links

http://jonesdesigncompany.com/holiday/unconventional-diy-pleated-wreath/
- An unconventional diy pleated wreath from Jones Design Company
http://www.duckbrand.com/craft-décor
- Craft and décor from Duck Brand duct tape
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/25/nyregion/wreaths-carry-many-meanings-and-messages-into-christmas.html
- Wreaths carry many meanings from New York Times

Let’s talk story

I get very inspired by looking at all the duct tape options at the sewing or craft stores. I found “College Duck Tape” in NC State style, so I’m making a wreath to use to show our school spirit! The repeat of the design on this tape is 5 inches, so I have to change the length of the cut strips to 2.5 inches so that both designs on the tape show on the wreath. I also found glow-in-the-dark tape that I think will be very cool on the front door in the evenings. What combination do you want to try?

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I’ll look for questions in Comments or lisa[at]thecasabouquet[dot]com.

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Make an Advent wreath

November 20, 2015 by Lisa Grable 7 Comments

The four Sundays before Christmas are known as Advent, the first season of the liturgical year. An old tradition that comes down to us from Germany is the Advent wreath with four candles to light each Sunday (and sometimes a Christmas candle). Try this DIY Advent wreath with natural materials from the garden.

Supplies

To make an Advent wreath you will need

Candles. You may choose purple tapers or 3 blue candles and one pink. The Christmas candle can be a white pillar that you can set in the center of the wreath.

Wet floral foam brick
Greening pins
Plastic candle cups with spike (or candle stakes)
Floral oasis waterproof tape
A large, flat, round dish with a lip. A pizza pan with sides can work. It must hold water.
Sharp knife, garden secateurs or snips, gloves
Large paper grocery bag full of leaves, berries, herbs, and flowers. (The paper bag isn’t required, but that’s about the volume of greenery you need).

Instructions

Before assembling your wreath, get outside and cut greenery. I like to use magnolia leaves for the base layer. Camellia, boxwood, juniper, fir, or non-prickly holly (ilex) can all be used. Berry bunches add some festive color, such as nandina, beauty berry, pyracantha, or American holly. Flowers and herbs are also nice to harvest: lavender, rosemary, rose buds, rose hips, and sasanqua camellias.
Cut the floral foam brick in half through the middle of the 3-inch side. A serrated bread knife works well for this. The two halves should be about 9 x 4 x 1.5 inches.
Lay the two pieces side by side. Use the U-shaped greening pins to connect them together on the top and sides.
Use a round dish or bowl to trace out a circle in the center. You want to have about 2 inches of foam left at each side of the circle. Cut out the circle with the knife.

Note: if you want to use a Christmas pillar candle for the center, find a china or plastic dish that will hold the candle and fit in the circle. My guacamole bowl is just the right size!

Use the greening pins to attach the pieces in the center.
Use your tracing dish to lay on each outside corner and trace a rounded edge. Cut the corners. I don’t worry if it’s not exactly round, but you do need to make sure you’ve left enough space to insert the candle cups.
Wrap the outside edge of the form with floral tape. Insert the candle cups evenly space around the center circle. Place the wreath in your round dish or pan.
Insert your base greenery around the bottom of the foam. With magnolia leaves, I push them in at a diagonal. You may wish to use them brown side up.
Insert your next set of greenery close to the top edge of the foam. These pieces should be cut slightly shorter than your base greens. I use camellias, boxwood, and rosemary for this layer.
Fill in the upper side of the foam. Use greenery, lavender, berries, and flowers. These pieces should be 2 to 4 inches long. Keep the center circle mostly open along with access to the candle cups.
Insert tapers into the candle cups. Pour water into the center circle and on top of the wreath, being careful not to spill out of the dish. It might take quite a bit the first time to thoroughly wet the foam. You will need to water the wreath once or twice a day.

Resource links

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2015-11-29
- First Sunday of Advent from Catholic Culture
http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/what-do-the-candles-in-our-advent-wreath-mean
- What do the candles in our Advent wreath mean? From United Methodist Church
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/posts/lifelongformation/resources-advent
- Resources for Advent from the Episcopal Church
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/Notes_On_Carols/advent_hymns_and_carols.htm
- Advent hymns and carols from The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Let’s talk story

Gathering together to make these natural wreaths is a tradition at White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh. It’s a wonderful start to the season to make these wreaths in a social setting, sharing the work and greens with others. A note about the “school spirit” backgrounds in these photos: we were working on these wreaths in my dining room, so the table was covered with every vinyl tablecloth I have! The pink candle is lit the third Sunday, as a symbol of joy. Purple candles represent royalty and repentance. Blue signifies hope and waiting (I’ve also heard it’s the color of Mary’s cloak). At Casa Bouquet, we read an Advent story, say a blessing, and sing a hymn each Sunday at dinner. We like O come Emmanuel, Come thou long expected Jesus, and On Jordan’s bank. You can also listen to (or sing) Part I of The Messiah. You can search online for Advent wreath family activities to make your own tradition. I’ll look for questions in Comments or lisa[at]thecasabouquet[dot]com.

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Toddler bib and smock

November 6, 2015 by Lisa Grable 17 Comments

At some point, babies start feeding themselves. Using a spoon and fork are wonderful milestones, but a toddler bib is needed when the baby bibs don’t cover enough territory when yogurt, oatmeal, and other goodies are involved. Here is a toddler bib I designed based on one of our family heirlooms.

Supplies

You will need two pieces of fabric 30 inches wide by 14 inches, matching thread, coordinating double-fold bias tape (2 yards), a new size 14 needle, chalk or a sewing marker, a 1-inch safety pin, and scissors. I used two cute cotton animal prints, but you may want to use terry cloth for the inside fabric.

Instructions for toddler bib

Wash and dry the fabrics exactly as you plan to wash and dry the bib. Press and cut.
Cut 32 inches of the bias tape. Fold in a half inch at each end then top stitch along the long side.
Place the two fabric pieces wrong side together. Fold in ½ inch along the sides and press. Fold and press ½ inch again. Topstitch ¼ inch from the inside edge.
Along the bottom edge, fold in ½ inch and press. Fold again to make a 1-inch hem and press. Stitch ¼ inch from the inner edge.
Next you will make a casing along the top edge. Fold in ½ inch along the top and press. Fold again to make a ¾ inch casing and press. Stitch close to the edge.
To make the armholes, measure 4 ¼ inches from the side edge. Measure 1 ½ inches down from the top edge and mark a dot. Measure 5 inches more towards the center and mark a dot. Mark a third dot 7 inches from the side edge and 4 ½ inches from the top edge. Connect the three dots in curve (it should look like a smile). Cut open through both layers. Repeat for the other side.
Cut two strips of double-fold bias tape each 19 inches long. Starting at the center bottom of the armhole, insert the edge of the armhole into the fold of the bias tape. Stitch along the edge of the tape. At the end, fold ½ inch of the raw edge in, overlap over the beginning of the tape, and finish stitching. Repeat again for the other armhole.
Firmly pin the safety pin into one end of the 32 inch bias strip. Feed the pin through the top casing. Tie a single knot into each end of the drawstring. Adjust the bib to fit the child’s neck and make the two free ends even.

Let’s talk story

My mother’s aunt, Tía Rosa, was a couture seamstress for a Magnin department store in San Francisco. She made the original smock for me. She passed love of sewing down through our family. It makes me happy to see my grandson wearing this version.

I’ll look for questions in Comments or lisa[at]thecasabouquet[dot]com.

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Makeover: From junk room to office, Part 3

June 15, 2015 by Lisa Grable 5 Comments

DIY How to make roman shades

I’m sharing with you my successful directions for working, blackout roman shades. This is Part 3 of the journey from junk room to peaceful tropical office. [See part 1 and part 2 here!]

We had a little bobble when Kathleen (of Kathleen Mapson & Company) suggested roman shades for my two corner windows. Too many of the DIY links we found were for non-operational shades. So here’s my version of what works!

Kathleen chose a coral-red fabric with no pattern. So we did not have to worry about a repeat. Other supplies I needed were 1×2 pieces of wood for each window, 2 flat wood pieces for bottom of shade (1 x ¼ inch), 2 L-brackets for each window with screws, electric screwdriver or drill, electric staple gun, blackout curtain lining, roman shade tape with rings, cord for the rings, cord condensers, cord cleats, new size-18 machine needle, and 1 spool of thread to match the fabric. [I just love that the thread for this project was “Flamingo”!]

First, you need to decide if the shade will cover the window molding or not. I wanted the molding to show, but covering the molding is the much easier choice. My windows were each 27 inches wide. With side hems, I needed 31 inches of width. The fabric was 58 inches wide, so I had to buy two lengths (two shades would not sit side-by-side on 58 inches). Before buying and cutting, I like to sketch dimensions out on graph paper to make sure I’ve really thought it all through. The window height was 60 inches. When I added 6 inches for the top and bottom hems, I needed 132 inches of fabric, or 3 ¾ yards. I also needed 1 ¾ yard blackout lining (54 inches wide, so I could fit two shades on one length), 11 yards of roman shade ring tape, and 22 ½ yards of nylon cord.

Cut two pieces of fabric 31 inches wide and 66 inches long.
- Be sure to cut both pieces in the same direction (the “nap”). Choose one edge of your fabric as the “top” and make sure you cut both shades oriented towards the same top. This is a fine point, but you never know how light hitting the fabric will make a difference.
Cut two pieces of lining 27 inches wide and 63 inches long. You will not need the side and bottom hem.
- Note: the “soft” side of the blackout lining is the right side. I got this at the fabric store and I had to ask for help. It is normally kept in the drapery lining section, but it is so popular that it hardly ever stays on the shelf. If you can’t find it, be sure to ask at the cutting table.
With your iron, press up 3 inches on the bottom of the shade fabric. Press ½ inch on the raw edge. Press in 2 inches on each side, then press in 1 inch to make a double thick hem. At the bottom, where the two hems meet, miter the corners. Open out the two hems and fold the fabric in diagonally. Press. The hems should lie down flat when refolded and meet in a diagonal. Pin this.
Lay the blackout lining on the back of the drape. The wrong sides should be together. Insert the edges of the lining under the hems to the edges and pin.
Sew the two side hems with a straight stitch ¾ inch from the edge.
Sew the folded edge of the bottom hem, beginning and ending at the diagonal fold. The lining should now be caught in the hems, and the top of the shade and lining should be even.
I needed 3 lengths of ring tape for each shade. The number is a judgment call based on the width of your window. The rule of thumb is 10 inches between ring tapes. A window 32 to 42 inches wide would need 4 rows of tape. You will want the first ring to be placed at the stitching on the bottom hem. The last ring should be about 3 inches from the top edge of the shade. The rings are 6 inches apart on the roman shade tape. I started by cutting between two rings, so I had a 3-inch tail of tape. My shades were 60 inches in finished length, so I cut 66 inches of tape: 10 rings and 3-inch tails at each end.
Pin the first ring just above the stitching on the bottom hem. The stitching line on the side of the tape should be lined up with the stitching on the side hem. Fold under the tail so that the raw edge will be caught when you stitch. Pin the tape in a straight line on the shade. Fold under the raw edge of the tape at the top. Starting at the top, sew a straight stitch through all layers down one side of the tape, across the bottom, and back up the other side. This will be easier with a zipper foot.
Place the second tape in the center of the shade, and the third tape on the hem stitching of the other side. (If you are using 4 rows of tape, evenly space the two in the middle.) Make sure the rings are lined up horizontally before stitching. I found I had to hand-sew some rings onto the tape to make sure they were tight. Sew carefully because all this stitching will show on the right side of the shade (this is why you want your thread to match the fabric as closely as possible.)
Wrap the top of the shade across the width of the 1×2 board and down the 1-inch side. Use a staple gun to attach the shade to the short side of the board. Carefully mark the 2-inch bottom side for screw eyes. Each one should line up with the rings on the tape. We attached the L-brackets to the board first, so we could see where the screw eye had room to go.
Decide which way your shade cord is going to go. Which side are you attaching the cleat? This is another step where I kept going over it before I cut, because the shade on the floor is backward of how it will be in the window. Tie the nylon cording to the bottom ring on the shade farthest from the cleat. Thread the cord through the rings up to the one that is 2^nd from the top (probably 6 inches down from the board). Now go through the screw eye and over through all the screw eyes. Cut the cord 60 inches from the last screw eye. Repeat for the middle tape, going through 2 screw eyes on the board. Repeat for the tape closest to the cleat, going through only one screw eye. You can tie an overhand knot with all the cords near the screw eye with the shade extended.
Attach the shade to the top of the window with the L-bracket. This part takes two people! Slide the thin wood piece into the bottom hem. Carefully pull up the shade, folding the pleats as you go. Attach the cleats to the window frame or wall. Wrap the draw cord around the cleat to hold the shade up. You can use a cord condenser to collect the cords, knot and cut all but one, so that you are dealing with less cord.

As I mentioned before, this project is somewhat easier if you decide to cover your window molding. The L-brackets are easier to attach to the wall than the inside of the window frame. Also, you can decide how high you want the top of the shade, it could even go up to the ceiling. If you are concerned about sewing straight, choose a print for this project, to hide your stitching. Just remember to keep the repeat of the pattern in mind when measuring.

Roman shades give a nice crisp look and pulled up they look like a pleated valence. I’m loving that during the hot summer I can cool off my office by closing the shades.

I’ll look for questions in Comments or lisa[at]thecasabouquet[dot]com. If you have a sewing machine and would like to try making fabric items for your home, check out my “Home-making”posts here!

Stay tuned for the reveal post for this project. Kathleen will be posting over on her blog Kathleen Mapson & Co. You don’t want to miss it!

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Makeover: From junk room to office, Part 2

June 8, 2015 by Lisa Grable 3 Comments

DIY How to make pinch pleat drapes

The “junk room” in our house was supposed to be my office! I was sewing and working around piles that didn’t have a place to belong. This is Part 2 of the journey from junk room to peaceful tropical home office with Kathleen Mapson & Co. [See part 1 here!]

I was overcome when Kathleen first said, “You have to take down the closet doors.” She convinced me that drapes would give softness and allow more room in the office. It helped a lot that she found this gorgeous print with flowers and peacocks (Waverly Peaceful Perch Sherbert)! Today I’m sharing what I came up with for covering the closet while also being the accent wall.

First I had to order the fabric. I took measurements of the width of the opening (from molding to molding) and the height. You have to decide where you will be hanging your rod. For the most elegance, go all the way to the ceiling. I decided to make the top of the curtain be at the same height as the windows on the other side of the room. This ended up being about halfway between the top molding and the ceiling.

Next, I had to find the repeat on the fabric. Fabric with a print will repeat the pattern. Choose one item in the print, then measure straight down to where that item appears again. For this fabric, the repeat is 25 inches. If you are ordering the fabric online like I was, you need to find the repeat before you figure out the yardage. It will be listed in the details on the website. This repeat will figure in the height of drapes.

My closet opening is 67 inches wide and I wanted the finished drapes to be 94 inches high (from floor to the top of the rod). The fabric was 58 inches wide, so I decided to make two curtains, each 54 inches wide with 2 inch hems on the sides. So, how to calculate how much to buy? I wanted a finished length of 94 inches, and I added 5 inches for the top hem and 3 1/2 inches for the bottom hem for a total of 102 ½ inches. With a 25 inch repeat, I had to buy 4.1 repeats for each curtain, for a total of 9 repeats or 6 ¼ yards. If you decide to line your drapes, you would need 5 ¼ yards of fabric at least 54 inches wide.

The next step was to gather supplies. I found the curtain rod at Target. I also got multipleater white tape, 4-finger pleater hooks (10, plus 4 end hooks), 2 large spools of thread to match fabric color, new size-18 needle, and 14 curtain eyelet rings (they have to fit over the rod and match the rod color).

I laid out the fabric and used a tape measure and fabric-marking pen to mark the repeats and hems, making sure I labeled the top and bottom of each. I wanted to make sure my peacocks would be head –side up! Check and recheck before you cut. I cut each panel to 102 ½ inches, making sure the exact same flower was at the top of each panel in the same position.

Use your iron and ironing board to fold under two inches on each side. Then go back and fold one inch under. This gives a one-inch hem on the sides with clean edges on the inside. [If you plan to line the curtain, this is when you would cut the lining to the finished dimensions of the curtain. Insert the lining piece into the two side hems. All 4 hems when sewn should capture the lining piece.] Sew with a straight stitch along the two hems.
Press 3 ½ inches up for the bottom hem. Fold under ½ inch and press again. Sew with a straight stitch.
Press 5 inches along the top for the top hem. Press under ½ inch and press again. Now you will have a 4 ½ inch hem with a clean edge. Pin the pleater tape on the inside of the curtain onto this hem. The pockets on the tape are 1 ¾ inch apart. My curtain is 54 inches wide, so I cut the tape 55 ½ inches wide, trying to cut the two edges halfway between two pockets. Press the two side edges to the back of the tape, to fit the width of the curtain.
Make sure the pocket openings are facing down towards the bottom of the curtain. Stitch around all edges of the pleater tape, making sure not to close the pocket openings.
Hang the curtain rod on the wall. Put 14 rings on the rod. Put the end hooks into the ends of the curtains. Use 5 of the 4-finger pleater hooks per curtain to make the pleats. Space them out evenly (some of the pockets will not be used). Put the hooks in the eyelets on the rings and you are done!

I’ll look for questions in Comments or lisa[at]thecasabouquet[dot]com. If you have a sewing machine and would like to try making fabric items for your home, check out my “Home-making”posts here!

Stay tuned for the reveal and one more DIY post using sewing skills for this project. Kathleen will be posting over on her blog Kathleen Mapson & Co. You don’t want to miss it!

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.