Saving and Honoring an Heirloom Quilt

One of my great-grandmothers was a remarkable artist.  Among other things she hand-painted china, made beautiful rugs and was an amazing quilter.  Periodically my mother would clean out her fabric scraps and send them off to my great-grandmother.  Sure enough within some time I would see those same scraps used in some beautiful hand-stitched quilts, wall hanging and table runners.

Unfortunately, the things she made were used...and sometime that means really used.  Quilts were put on children's beds and after a few generation of use, they were in pretty rough shape.  That is the case with the quilt I used in this project.  It was literally falling apart.  The fabric was so worn that there were holes and whole parts were missing...but how can you throw a quilt like this away?  After all, even as I child I knew that this wasn't just a quilt, it was art.

So, here is a project that requires NO WORK and NO SKILL, and yet is 100% gratifying.  It preserves and protects this old quilt so that even more generations can enjoy it.

Supplies:
Frame
Old Quilt

Simply, find the best preserved section of the quilt.  Using the glass from the frame as a guide, cut the quilt to this shape and place in a frame.  Finally, display proudly!

Once again, thanks for stopping by
Nancy

DIY Scrap Throw Pillows

Yesterday I made this wreath using scraps of fabric, including part of a sheet that had torn.  When you are working with a king-sized sheet, there's a lot of fabric, so here is another project I made using that same sheet.

The guest room in our house is pink and brown, so the scraps from this sheet were the right color for throw pillows.  I also used some left-over t-shirt material I had dyed for a project I will be posting in the near future.  Very few other materials were needed to complete these cute little pillows.

Supplies:
Fabric for pillow (I used an old sheet)
Pillow batting
Fabric for flowers
Ribbon
Hot Glue Gun
Sewing Machine
Needle and Thread

Step 1: Construct the pillows.  This requires the lowest level of sewing skills.  Cut out two rectangle shapes.  With wrong sides facing out, use sewing machine to sew three sides and 3/4 of the fourth side.  Flip the pillow case right side out (so the seams are inside).  Use something thin to pop out the corners.  Fill the pillow with pillow batting.  Tuck in the rough edge from the opening and hand stitch shut the opening using a threat that is the same color as the fabric, so that it isn't noticeable.

Step 2: Construct the flowers.  Cut out circles from your flower fabric. Starting at the edge, cut in a spiral around the circle until you reach the center.  Glue the center of your spiral to another scrap of the same fabric.  Wrap (without twisting) the fabric around the center, adding glue when needed.  Tuck in the end and glue down.

Step 3: Stitch on ribbon and flowers as desired.

Thanks for stopping by,

Nancy

Simple Rag Wreath

Pinterest has exposed me to a lot of beautiful things, but more than anything I have found a remarkable number of beautiful wreaths there.  I have made just a few wreaths over my crafting ten-year.  A few days ago I was inspired to make another wreath using scraps of fabric I had laying around my craft room.

Supplies:
Foam Wreath Form
Fabric Scraps
Hot Glue Gun
Ribbon

Step 1: Wrapping the wreath.  I cut 2" strips of fabric to wrap my wreath.  For this part I used an old sheet that had torn and I didn't have the heart to throw out.  I hot glued to ends down to the back of the wreath and allowed the fabric to fold as I wrapped.

Step 2: Making the flowers
Once again, I did this with just scrap fabric and a hot glue gun.  First, cut the fabric into 1" strips.  The strips don't need to be very long.  Then, twist a little ball at the end of the strip.  Glue this down to another scrap of fabric.  Then, wrap and twist the remainder of the strip around the center, apply dabs of hot glue as you go.  As you can see, for some of my flowers I did more of a rolled look for the center.

Finally, hot glue on the flowers and attach a ribbon for hanging the wreath.

This is a simple enough project.  I like that it didn't take me long to complete and I like the rough look, like it is actually made out of rags.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Nancy

Photo Challenge: Summer

I am really trying to get back into blogging.  I love it when I do it...I just don't do it as often as I'd like!  One of my favorite things about blogging is that it is an easy and free way to share the pictures I take.  Since my husband and I invested in a nice camera (and we had the cutest baby in the world) we have started taking an overwhelming number of pictures.  We simply can't print all of these pictures...and what would we do with them if we did?  Therefore I have a simple picture blog where I share pictures with family near and far.  As my confidence in photography grows, I also am getting into entering my photos in various contests.

The photo challenge on The Paper Mama is "Summer" this week.  It is too bad because we are headed to the beach for two weeks on Friday, but I thought I would enter anyway.

Here is my summer picture.

My little guy isn't walking yet, but he loves to take our hands and walk us down into the water.

Thanks for stopping by
Nancy

DIY Photo Pendant Necklace

Usually jewelry is not included in my diy projects simple because I always wear one of two necklaces.  However, I came across this idea and made an exception.  I love how it turned out, and I can wear it with one of the necklaces that I usually wear!

I have only been a mother for just over a year now, but being a mother has been so transformative that I want to celebrate this vocation whenever possible.  My photo-pendant necklace is truly a celebration of my life as a wife and a mother.  The center photo is a recent picture of my son, on the left is a picture from my wedding day, and on the right is an early ultrasound picture of the baby that will be joining us in November.  The ultrasound picture is from a couple months ago now, but I love my little gummy-bear baby!  And, the wonderful thing is that the pendants were inexpensive so it will be easy to add or change pendants as my family grows and changes.

Supplies:
Blank pendants and chain (you can get these at a craft store)
Photos printed to size
Packing tape
Modge Podge

How To:
Cover photos with clear packing tape to protect them
Adhere Photos to blank pendant using a dry glue (I used scrap-booking adhesive)
Cover with a few coats of modge podge and allow to dry.

This was an easy craft and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  As you can see, my one-year-old really likes this necklace too!  I wear it often and when I do he finds his picture and gives it a chew!  But, no problem, another coat of modge podge will take care of that!

Thanks for stopping by,
Nancy

If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!

DIY Paper Bead Rosary

The rosary is a part of my everyday life.  And, it feels like I can never have too many rosaries!  I while ago I found a tutorial on making paper beads.  Since I couldn't really see myself wearing a paper-bead necklace, I thought this would be perfect for making a rosary.

This project takes some time, but it is a gratifying process, and in the end you will truly have a rosary that you made entire yourself.  Also, this may be the absolute cheapest craft that I have ever made.  All told the supplies cost maybe 50 cents...if that!

Step 1: Making the paper beads
Supplies: Newspaper torn into 1" squares (about), Elmer's glue, stock pot, drill with a 1/4 bit, paint and TIME.

Place newspaper in the stock pot.  Pour boiling water over the newspaper until it is covered.  Allow to sit for an hour, stirring often to help the newspaper break down into even smaller pieces.  After an hour drain out as much water as possible.

Add glue to the mushy newspaper.  Be liberal.

Take small pieces of the newspaper-glue mixture and roll balls, squeezing out as much water as possible was you roll.  

Allow a few days for the beads to try.  Return to them every couple hours to continue rolling and squeezing out excess water.  

When dry, drill a hole in each bead using a drill and a 1/4" bit.  Then paint as desired.

Step 2: Making the Rosary

Supplies: Paper Beads, smaller beads, Fishing line, wooden discs (mine are from branches that fell in our yard), and paint.

First I strung the body of the rosary, placing two of my smaller metallic beads before and after each (larger) Our Father bead.

Then I got to work making my center piece and cross.  For this I sawed up slices of a thick branch that fell in our yard.  I then drilled holes so it could be strung onto the rosary.  On the center piece I painted a simple Immaculate Heart, and then an even simpler cross for the end.  

When I had the antiphon beads connected, my work was done!  I made two rosaries:

One I painted metallic 

The other I used primary colors for a more child-like rosary.

And that's how you make a paper bead rosary!  Thanks for stopping by!

Nancy

If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!

Hand-Stitched Felt Coin Purse

Here is a simple project that uses up some of those felt scraps and can be completed in just over an hour. I made this small coin purse on Friday for a friend who was celebrating a birthday.  I think it turned out pretty cute, and I plan on making a few more similar to this for my nieces.

The coin purse is made up of three separate piece, one large one for the back, and two smaller, slightly over lapping, pieces for the front, smaller on top and larger on the bottom.

I embellished mine with a flower and monogram letter.

Supplies:
Scrap Felt
Embroidery Thread and needle
Snap

Steps:
1. Determine size and cut out three pieces for front and back.
2.  Applique on embellishments (flower and monogram)
3. Blanket stitch around the outside, including around the outside of the top flap
4. Add a snap, male end on the top, and female on the bottom.   (Snaps come with a tool to apply them...but if you are weak like me, it is a good idea to use a hammer! very easy to do).
And Done!

I hope this picture is helpful.  I tried to label all of the stitches I used.

And here is what the other side looks like:

Here I also used the whip stitch to applique on the monogram.

It's simple and easy.  I hope my friend liked it...and when you are working with a stay-at-home-mom budget, the price was just right!

Happy Stitching,
Nancy   If it's your first time visiting Small Things, I'd love for you to connect with me in some way!