Jelly Jar Sewing Kit

Mason jar projects have been popping up all over the place, so I guess I may as well join in on the fun. I've had this pretty little jelly jar for a while, and I finally found the perfect way to use it. So here are my super-simple instructions for making a jelly jar sewing kit.

It all started with this emergency sewing kit I picked up at a dollar store. It's very functional--but not much to look at--so I gave it a makeover.

I knew I wanted to use the top of the jar as a pincushion, so I chose a few coordinating fabrics from my stash. Use whatever prints or solids you have around; you really only need a few scraps. For the pincushion top, cut a circle about one inch in diameter larger than the jar lid insert. Baste around the edge of the fabric circle and set it aside for a minute.

Use double-stick tape to secure a puff of polyester fiberfill to the top of the jar insert and then place the basted circle over the lid. Pull the thread tightly so it fits snugly over the insert and knot it. To cover up the underside of the lid, cut a circle from another print fabric--or from a piece of colored heavyweight paper--and tape or glue it over the bottom of the insert. (You'll see the end result in the final photo.)

When you turn the insert right side up, you'll see your finished pincushion. Now pop the pincushion into the jar ring. The fabric held my insert firmly in place--no need for glue or tape.

Now it's time to gather your sewing kit supplies. I used the thread and cute little scissors that came with the kit, but I added a few extras. To hold the needles, I swapped a piece of bright felt for the flimsy foil, and I replaced the plastic thimble with a pretty vintage one. I also added a few colorful buttons to the kit and topped the pincushion with some ball-head straight pins.

All the supplies fit perfectly in the jar--and see how nice the underside of the lid looks covered with print fabric? I admit that my jelly jar sewing kit isn't something I can carry in my purse for button emergencies, but it really looks cute in my craft room.  

Earth-Friendly Ideas for Crafters

April has finally arrived, which means that Earth Day is only a few weeks away. I'm starting the celebration early and sharing a few Earth-friendly ideas from my craft room. I'm a big fan of recycling and repurposing, which means I hate to throw boxes, scraps, and broken things away.

Idea #1: Upcycled Embroidery Floss Bobbins

I admit it. I often choose facial tissue by the design on the boxes. But when those pretty boxes are empty, they have to go in the recycling bin--unless I use them to make embroidery floss bobbins.

I just used a purchased bobbin as a template and traced it onto the tissue box cardboard. After cutting the bobbins out, I punched a hole punch in one end and used scissors to cut two slits in the other. I wrote the floss color number on the plain side--and I recycled the leftover scraps, of course.

Don't they look pretty all wrapped up in floss? I think I'm going to try this with greeting cards and other decorative boxes.

Idea #2: For the Birds

If you're a needleworker like me, you probably produce a lot of fabric, thread, and yarn scraps. Did you know that some backyard birds like to use these scraps when they make their nests? You can hang an onion bag or suet feeder filled with fabric and fiber scraps in a tree where birds can find them. Be sure to keep the strips and strands just a few inches long so birds can't get tangled in them. To see what bird experts have to say about providing nesting materials for birds, visit the websites of The Humane Society, National Wildlife Federation, and Bird Watcher's Digest.

Idea #3: Repurposed Teapot Yarn Bowl

If I had a green thumb, I would use this cute teapot--which never poured properly--as a planter. Since I'm much better at knitting and crocheting than I am at growing things, I rescued the teapot from the glassware graveyard and put it to work as a yarn bowl. I just placed a small ball of yarn inside, pulled the end of the yarn through the spout with a crochet hook, and started knitting. It works beautifully! I think I'm going to start looking for other misfit teapots that need some love.

Do you have any Earth-friendly crafting tips? I'd love to hear them! Please share your ideas in the comments section.

Embroidered Easter Egg Tags

I used to love decorating Easter eggs with my daughters. They're grown and gone now, so making a mess by myself just isn't as much fun. This year, I came up with a little needlework project to satisfy my Easter egg craving--and bring some much-needed spring color into the house.

These embroidered Easter egg tags can be used as Easter basket labels, ornaments, or cards. They're easy to make from scraps of pretty fabric, embroidery floss, and a few basic craft supplies.

To begin, choose a piece of fabric from your stash and a few colors of coordinating embroidery floss. Cut a 6-inch square from the fabric and iron a piece of extra-firm fusible interfacing to the back. It will stabilize the fabric and minimize fraying on the edges. Lightly trace an egg shape (mine is 3 1/4 inches tall) on the fabric and pop it in a small embroidery hoop.

Thread a large-eyed needle with four strands of floss and back-stitch over the designs on the fabric. Add French knots or other decorative stitches to create extra texture. Be sure to keep your stitching about 1/8 inch from the pencil lines that mark your egg outline.

When your embroidery is finished, cut out the egg with a sharp scissors and cut away any excess threads on the back.

Cut a tag from a piece of heavyweight colored paper and use a piece of double-stick tape to hold the embroidered egg in place on the front. Sew the egg to the tag with running stitch. Work carefully; paper is less forgiving than fabric.

After you sew the embroidered egg to the tag, cut a larger egg shape from card stock. (It should be large enough to cover the stitching on the back of the card.) Use hand-lettering or a rubber stamp to add an Easter sentiment to the paper egg, and then fasten it to the tag with double-stick tape.

Add a metal eyelet and ribbon and your tag is ready for Easter gift-giving or decorating.

Shamrock & Thistle Cross-Stitch Pins

St. Patrick's Day is just days away, so it's time to celebrate your Celtic pride. These pretty shamrock and thistle cross-stitch pins feature floral symbols and Ireland and Scotland. They use just four colors of DMC embroidery floss--209 dark lavender, 520 dark fern green, 522 fern green, and 3835 medium grape. I stitched mine on 22-count Aida fabric so they would fit inside these 43mm pin settings from the Etsy shop Kailea. If you want to cross-stitch the designs on 18- or 14-count Aida, you can mount them in different settings or make them into ornaments.

The charts for both designs are available on a free printable. Just click here to download your copy and start stitching. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

These designs were featured in the Spring 2015 issue Craft Ideas magazine.