Calico Bags...

Ok, so a few weeks ago I saw some wonderful decorated calico bags on Efemera Ink and I really wanted to have a go, so I order some bags from eBay and over the last couple of weeks I have been making them (I have six on the go, all just about finished now). So finally I have three that I can show you. These are the three designs and the colours are a little different on each of the others...I have done three birdcages, and three dressforms.

If you click on the photos you will see a larger/closer view. I was lucky to be RAK'd the birdcage template as it was cut from a Cricut Cartridge that I don't own....Thanks Gail. The dressform one was all my own idea, I love dressforms and thought it would make a great alternative. So I drew myself a template and cut it from the backing of a notebook. I used glimmer mist to colour the fabric and used embroidery thread with a plain old backstitch to emphasis the template, the ribbon and bird are stuck on with a very strong fabric glue and I have sewn on some buttons. The flowers were made using a pair of my old voile net curtains that I cut into rough circles and sprayed with more glimmer mist, and then turned the heat gun on them. It is a similar technique to the burnt fabric flowers I showed you last year, but the heat is coming from a heat gun instead of a tea light candle...so a little less of a fire hazard.

I am hoping people will like these and buy them at the Summer Fayre next weekend....fingers crossed. I have already had a request for one....so lets hope other people like them as much.

Anyone for Anya? - Week 5 - "Funky Flowers"

This week over on the Anyone for Anya? Challenge Blog our theme is "Funky Flowers". For my funky flowers I have used a technique called "Burning Fabric". Your flowers must be made of a synthetic material to unable the "burn" part. Check out my tutorial for it....

I have used a Miss Anya from the "Rain, Snow & Shine" set and coloured the image with my Copics using the following colours...
Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20
Hair - W1/W3/W5/W7
Clothing - R59/G99/R20/R21
Boots - E77
The papers are all My Minds Eye Signature "Festive" papers that I got in a pad at The Range. I have layered them with some Bazzill Cardstock and added some ribbon and a snowflake charm from my stash, and a sentiment by Craftwork Cards. For the swirls I used my EK Success punch and I also used my Nestabilities to cut the oval and scalloped oval.

Be sure to pop over and check out the rest of the DT's fabulousness.

Burning Fabric Flowers Tutorial

Ok, so finally I have a quick tutorial on how to make these flowers....seems like loads of you are keen to have a go. First I think I need to give you a supplies list....

1. Synthetic Fabrics
2. Tea Lights
3. Matches/Lighter
4. Tweezers
5. Beading Needle
6. Beading Thread
7. Selection of Seed Beads
8. Old Side Plate

Ok, so now you have gathered all the things you need the first thing you must do is choose your fabrics. I generally choose three different ones...either all the same colour, or ones that compliment each other, and also all different textures.

Once selected cut out five/six (or however many layers you want) circle decending in size. These can be roughly cut, there is no need for precision. Here is a picture of mine....

Next take the plate place the tea lights on it....to protect your work surface and light the tea lights. Take the largest circle and hold the edge close to the flame. As the fabric starts to burn and melt turn it so that the whole thing has been exposed to the flame. Now hold the under side of the circle over the flame....about 1-2 inches away from the flame, and melt the under side...this will cause the fabric to pucker up....here are mine all done using the same technique for all of them...
Now that all the circles have been burnt using the needle and thread sew all the layers together to create your flower. Then add your beads to the centre, I out 3 or 4 on each pass through the fabric to create dimension to the centre. Do this until you are happy with your flower, and then finish off by knotting behind.

Here is the picture of my finished flower...

It really is as simple as that. With the cost of large flower, you would be mad not to have a try....and it is such fun, and becomes addictive.......after I made this one for the tutorial.....I just HAD to make another...LOL

I hope this all makes sense, but if you have any questions....you can contact me using the email link to the right.

Burning Fabric Flowers

I learnt this amazing technique from Venessa Matthews at ScrapFever.....I was totally blown away with the results and could not wait to go shopping at the Fabric store this week. I picked up eight different lengths each of them 10cm wide (the minimum they will cut) and also picked up some pretty seed beads from HobbyCraft, and on Wednesday I set about making another....and this is the result.....I am sooo pleased. When I showed my friends Lyns, she also loved it and next Thursday we are going back to the fabric shop.....she NEEDS fabric....LOL

If you are interested in learning how to make these stunning flowers, leave me a comment and if enough people want it, I will make some instructions.