Scrap Rosette Brooch Tutorial

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Today, I am sharing a tutorial for a quick and easy use for fabric scraps, making brooches.

So, dig up your cutest scrap fabrics and let's get started.

Scrap Rosette Brooches

Materials needed:

• Colorful fabric scraps, about 5-6 inches long preferably.
• Pinking Shears
• Felt scraps, or felt sheets if you don't have any scraps.
• Pretty buttons that match your fabric scraps.
• Pinbacks
• Scraps of lace and ribbon.
• Thread
• Basic Sewing Supplies

First, using your pinking shears, cut the fabrics into long strips. Roughly about 1-2 inches wide and 5-6 inches long.

It's good to cut several strips of varying widths, it makes the next steps more interesting.

Here is my video tutorial for lace rosettes. You will need to follow the same steps to turn your fabric scrap strips into fabric scrap rosettes.

While you're at it, make a few lace rosettes too to pair with your scrappy ones.

When you're ready, gather all your rosettes and buttons and start assembling.

Stack together at least 2 rosettes in colors that work to your taste to create a cute brooch.

Sew a button in the center, sew through all layers of your brooch. Feel free to add any other embellishments that you wish.

Cute a circle of felt and sew to the back of the brooch. This is demonstrated in my lace applique brooch video tutorial. Attach a pinback to finish up your brooch.

Now go make some more, they make great little gifts.

I made several varieties. These black and blue brooches are my favorite, I love the cute heart buttons.

I also love how well the lace works with the pattern of the fabric on the green brooches. The purple and blue fabrics are an interesting combination too.

I hope you enjoyed this post, my next one should be up soon. Look forward to it.

Give it a try:

• Loops & Threads Pinking Shears
• Loops & Threads Start-to-Sew Kit
  
• 1" Bar Pin by Bead Landing
  
• 9" x 12" Basic Felt by Creatology
  

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Lucky Cat Beaded Charm Tutorial

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

After far too long of an absence, here's a fun and easy craft tutorial.  

Lucky Cat Beaded Charms

I got the idea for these charms sometime after finding these cute cat bead at JoAnn's, but that was before they closed up. Sigh...

Don't worry, I found similarly cute kitty beads here at Amazon. So, on to the tutorial.

Materials needed:

• Cat beads or large novelty beads of your choice.
• Smaller round beads like these.
• Small bells. These ones from Michael's should work, also these from Dollar Tree.
• Eye pins, like these ones.
• Some phone charm straps. I got mine at Daiso, but these ones should worked too.
• A pair of pliers like these.

First slide one of your round beads and a cat bead head first on to a pin.

Use your pliers to bend the pin as shown. Just grip with the pliers, then turn your wrist to bend the wire pin, leaving enough space between the cat and curved part to slide a bell on.

Slide on the bell, then continue to bend the pin with your pliers to wrap the rest of the pin loosely around the top of the bell. It needs to be loose, or the bell won't be able to jingle.

Now just attach the charm strap to the "eye".  The straps I got use a lobster clasp, but some use a split ring. Either works. Now the next step...

...Is to make more!

Make plenty to give to friends and family. Maybe it will bring them luck.

Just don't forget get to save one for yourself. I love their cute little faces. 

That's it for now. I am planning to post another simple craft tutorial later. Hopefully, it won't be quite as late as this one.

Look forward to it!

Give it a try:

• 26pcs Ceramic Beads Lucky Cat Beads Maneki Neko Porcelain Spacer Beads
  
• Matte Glass Round Beads by Bead Landing
  
• 2" Eye Pins by Bead Landing
  
• Silver Jingle Bells by Creatology
  
• Crafter's Square Christmas Round Bells
  
• Phone Charm Accessory Mix by Bead Landing
  
• Bead Landing 3-In-1 Pliers
  

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So, It's Been Awhile: A Quick Update

 As the title says, it's been awhile since I've last posted. But in my last post (many years ago) I said I would pop up to give updates. So here I am with a long overdue visit. 

Some things I have been working on is a couple of stores on Zazzle, a fun little print on demand company. 

I created a new shop to go with my maze blog (Simply Mazes), so everyone can purchase cute tshirts and notebooks and such with my mazes on them.  This one is my favorite, a maze laptop case. 

Just for fun, I made a second zazzle shop called Sort Of Vintage with, as the name says vintage inspired designs. This is my favorite piece, the All You Need is T-shirt.

Something else I made is particularly awesome, a book. A long time ago, I posted this cute short "princess" story here.  It was fun to write and at the time I thought it would be fun to have it turned into a full book, someday. 

Well, it took over a decade, but I finally adapted and published it.  It's a Kindle ebook called To Be A Princess: A Story About Pretty Dresses and Being Yourself.  Plus, a paperback version will soon be available.

The ebook is currently priced at $2.99, but this weekend (June 16th -18th 2023) it will be free for a limited time. Grab it while you can.  Or hold out for the paperback, it will have a bonus.

In addition to all this creative stuff, I have picked up a few new hobbies.  

One I have been a little too into is houseplants. I currently have over 30 plants taking up almost all available space by my bedroom window. They are so pretty though, so it’s worth it.

I also have been trying to learn Japanese.  The keyword there is "trying", some people pick up new languages easily.  I am not one of them.

I have found two things that have made it easier to learn, the Duolingo app and sub-titled anime.  

I normally watch anime with the original Japanese language anyway just because I think it sounds better than most dubs, but I didn't realize how much vocabulary I picked doing this.

And Duolingo is such a fun app, and it covers so much.  And if I drift away from it for awhile and come back, it helps me review and catch up.

Well, that's enough for now.  I will post later with some craft projects.

Look forward to it.

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Saturday Shuffle Blog Hop #223

 

It’s Saturday!!  Time for another blog hop.

But first, a special announcement.

I’m sad to say that this will be the last Saturday Shuffle blog hop.  Some of you may have noticed my blogs have been really quiet lately except for the blog hop which I’ve kept going all these months because I wanted to so, so much.  But, I’ve realised there are many other things in my life right now that need to be higher priority and something had to give.

It’s been fun though for me, and I hope this blog hop has been as much fun for all of you too.  I also hope someday things will change in my life enough for me to come back to regular blogging and possibly start up this blog hop once again.

Anyway, since it is the last week, let’s make it the best one!

Here’s the deal:

• Keep all links family friendly.
• It helps to follow me or leave a nice happy comment, but only if you want.
• Link whatever you want and as much as you want.
• Older links are welcome, so are giveaways and blog hops, etc.
• Please grab my button and stick it somewhere, at the very least it will make it easier for you to come back. ---->
• My favorite links will be pinned to the Official Saturday Shuffle Pinterest Board.

pin board

I have set up a blog hop directory to showcase blog hops that I personally recommend.  Feel free to check them out.

Now get to it and have fun! :)

This link party is powered by Link Party Animal

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Cute and Simple Matching Laptop Case

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

So a few months ago I bought a new much smaller laptop computer to use for blogging on the go.  It’s this one from Lenovo, my niece has the same one for school.

I just needed a cute case for it, and why buy one when I can sew my own?  This case is actually just a simple zippered pouch, the classic craft project.  Just a little larger and with a lining.

Since it can be tricky to make a pouch with a lining, I found this lined zipper pouch tutorial.  And if you need more help, I found a video tutorial for a lined zipper pouch too.

Anyway, I started by cutting four rectangles of fabric approximately 1.5 inches (about 4 cm.) larger than my computer.  I used fabric leftover from my new tote bag (see Cute Navy and Pink Pocket Tote Bag with Tutorial).

I cut two pieces of the cute pink flannel for the lining of the case and two pieces of navy blue for the outside.  I could have cut some batting for padding too if I wanted, but this was fine.

I also cut a smaller rectangle of the pink flannel for a cute outside pocket.

I hemmed the top and added some lace before pinning it to one of the outside pieces.

After sewing, the pocket is finished.

I then started adding the zipper.  Instead of just pinning along the top, I let the zipper go partially down the sides and around the top corners.  This will makes it easier to get my computer in and out.

I had to carefully curve the zipper at the corners.

After pining and sewing the zipper to both sides, this is what it looks like.

After sewing the outside and lining to the zipper, I added the lace along the edge.

You can see it is the same lace I used for my tote bag and my 2DS case (see First Aid Kit to Cute Nintendo 2DS Case).  Now all my bags match!

Anyway, then I just stitched around the sides…

…Turn everything right side out…

…And the case is ready for my computer.

Here’s the updated list:

• Costume
• Case
• Doll and Kitty
• Little Halloween
• 3 Skirts
• Accessories
• Socks
• Overalls
• Ornaments
• More Cases

Three down, seven more to go.  The next couple projects should be up soon, and there will be lace involved.  Look forward to it!

Give it a try:

• Coats & Clark Polyester All Purpose Zipper 22 in
• Coats & Clark Dual Polyester Thread
• Singer Sewing Kit Beginner's

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Sewing for Dolls: Some Last Minute Halloween Costumes

This post contains affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

I cut it really close for this next craft project, but at least they are finished.  Just in time for Halloween.

Doll sized Halloween costumes.

I got my 1/6 scale ball jointed dolls all ready for Halloween.  Or should I say they got themselves ready?  Check out the doll blog to see, also to learn how to make some of these costumes for your own dolls at home. 

For this one (Yuna), it’s a super easy ghost costume.  Just need to cut some sheer gauzy fabric and slip it on.

My sister thought I should do it like on the Charlie Brown Halloween special, maybe next year.

This little boy is just wearing the cat eared headband I made previously.  Check out my doll headband video tutorial to make one, it works for dolls of all sizes.

For the next costume, you can see here how the doll (Sakura) “made it herself”.

It started as a simple robe, that could work for a wizard.  Don’t forget to check out my doll blog to see how to make it.

But, flip it around and throw on a hat, and it’s a classic witch costume.

The next costume (for Momoko) started as a doll swimsuit with a tutu, instant ballerina.

The tutu is made from a long piece of tulle folded in half with some elastic. 

But, take one of these butterflies from Dollartree and glue on a clip…

…Then clip it on my doll’s clothes for wings…

…And now it’s a fairy costume.

All the dolls dressed and ready for trick or treating, but one more thing.

These little buckets.  I was lucky enough to find them at Goodwill, but they actually sell them at Party City.

You can find the pumpkin buckets here and the Cauldrons here.

They are just the right size for my dolls, and add just the right touch to my doll sized Halloween.

Here’s the updated list:

• Costume
• Case
• Doll and Kitty
• Little Halloween
• 3 Skirts
• Accessories
• Socks
• Overalls
• Ornaments
• More Cases

Two down, eight more to go.  Happy Halloween everybody.

Give it a try:

• Singer Sewing Kit Beginner's
• 9" x 12" Basic Felt by Creatology
• ArtMinds® Fashion Mini Glue Gun
• Floral Garden Sheer Butterflies and Flowers
• Pumpkin Trick or Treat Candy Pails 12ct
• Black Candy Cauldrons 12ct

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