Flea Market Style



My own personally signed copy 

My sister Ki arrived late last night with a signed copy of the new Flea Market Style magazine in hand! It may sound a bit corny, but I have become a  collector of Ki's junking achievements. She has become my Junk Mentor. She has taught me to look beyond the obvious and see the possibilities in all things rusty and crusty. I have learned through her to appreciate the history, stories and love that a certain object may hold. So when I saw that magazine in her hand, I was just down right giddy with excitement!

"Shirt off his back"

Ki has the junking talent and I have the sewing talent in our family. That makes for a good team. When a sewing project comes up she'll call me in distress and say " Karlaaaaa, Can you make this for me?  Oh! I need it by tomorrow." I just shake my head. I know Ki too well and have usually allotted time for the "I need it tomorrow project" even before she calls. The pictured items above are the result of one of those phone calls.

The Flea Market Style magazine was in the works when Ki had this great idea to give recycled men's shirts a new purpose. The phone call came and I had my next " I need it done tomorrow project". Off to the local thrift store to purchase the above items, and snatch  six men's shirts, dry cleaning tags still attached off the clothing racks.

What you see here are the idea's that didn't make the cut for the magazine. The first idea was to simply Mod Podge strips of torn men's shirting around an inexpensive $1.00 tissue box. My first and last attempt into the Mod Podge world. I thought it turned out pretty cute, Ki with her critical eye gave it a thumbs down.

The next idea handed to me was to make a liner with ruffle for a wicker beach type tote. This project, I was excited about as it required sewing skills and not Mod Podge skills.  I  found the perfect wicker tote at the thrift store for under $3.00. After some creative thinking I figured out how to get that ruffle around those handles and still have it removable for easy cleaning.  I really liked how this project turned out and sent it off to Ki. Nope, another thumbs down. (Check out the magazine to see what basket liner did make it !) I have to admit, that other liner  was cuter than mine but mine was a beach tote not laundry tote so give me a break.

The next idea Ki tossed at me was to make an easy sew laundry tote out of a man's shirt.  This is an easy sew project!! My first step was to cut the sleeves off. I marked the sides to be straight from the shoulder to the hem. (Picture shows the before). I stitched the sides and bottom closed. Trimming the inside seams to 3/4". Top stitched a channel in the collar for a drawstring cord. 15 minutes and I was done. Size of shirt determined size of bag. I used a man's XL shirt. Pretty darn cute if you ask me and all for under $4.00.

I took a quick photo of it and sent it off to Ki minus the "laundry". She loved it!! It was in the running to be in the magazine. Yahoo!! but when it came time to photograph, the shape was to long for the allotted space. "Maybe next time" she said.   

Insiders peek at the new magazine



Not to be discouraged, I kept on sewing men's wear projects. Finally...... the button placket place mat, napkin ring, and wine gift bag made it into the men's wear article on page 44 in the new Flea Market Style Magazine. Yahoo! So check out the new magazine, I give it a two thumbs up!!!

 Congrats to Ki and the team for a job well done!

Sew Happy,
Karla

P.S. My Junk Mentor also taught me: If at first you don't succeed, try try again. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hearts in a shadow box

If you're like me, you have collected a jillion cute knick knacks with ties, rope and ribbon that are meant to be hung from door knobs, cabinet knobs, and hooks. Well, all my knobs and hooks proudly display those charming hanging "doodads". DBH  was starting to get a bit cranky  about those jillion cute knick knacks. He finally put his foot down, he said " No more hanging doodads from knobs and hooks, I want to be able to open a kitchen cabinet door without  running interference with a doodad!!" OOOOpppps time to put the creative thinking cap on..... 



 A Junker's wood scrap pile paradise

The creative ideas started swimming around in my head. Salvaging around in my sister Ki's  garbage cans filled with old wood trim, mouldings, and frames,  a game plan came together that would  make both DBH and me happy. I found the perfect wood shadow box frame with a rusty screen attached to the backside. I could easily run a string through the screening and hang any one of my jillion cute knick knacks to the string. For the finishing touch  I could tie medium size buttons to the strings at the top.  I had plenty of empty wall space that I could hang the shadow box on with just two small finishing nails. What a great way to display three doodads at once! The best part is I could easily change my doodads according to the season, weather, or just me.

P.S. These vintage lace appliqued heart doodads are for sale (minus the shadow box) on my Etsy site. Click on the link in the side bar and you"ll be there.

Happy Valentine's to my fellow bloggers,

Sew Happy,

Karla

Two Gifts In One "How To Project"

Gift Bottle Cover With Flower Holder

As promised in my last blog, here is an easy "How to Project" for those who know how to stitch a straight line with their sewing machine. My gift bottle cover was for a bottle of wine that I was bringing to a neighborhood party. I knew the hostess loved bright colors so I started with a deep raspberry wool sweater that I no longer needed in Florida. First, I felted the sweater to keep the yarns from unraveling. If you're unfamiliar with felting wool just google "felting wool" and you'll find all kinds of information on the felting process. It's important to make sure the bottom of the wine bottle slips through the cuff of the sweater after the felting process.

Some items needed for this project

Marking and cutting off the sleeve



I turned the sweater inside out, slipped the wine bottle back into the sleeve and marked approximately where to cut the sleeve off. I wanted a rolled cuff at the top when finished so I rolled the cuff before marking so it would be long enough to do this. I first stitched a straight stitch across my marked line then went over it again with a zig zag stitch. The felting process should stop any unraveling but I wanted to play it safe with a double stitch line. I cut the sleeve off from the sweater.

 

Marking and cutting the bottom angles

With the wrong side still out I inserted the wine bottle back in to the sleeve. Fussing just a bit with the bottom I created small equal angles on two sides. I pinned and marked these. Taking the wine bottle out I stitched the two angles with a straight stitch then a zig zag stitch. I cut off the angle pieces and turned the sweater right side out. I inserted my wine bottle once again  to make sure I had the fit I wanted, and I did!

Pom Pom Fringe sewn around the cuff edge

Next I sewed pom pom fringe to the under side of the cuff with my sewing machine. I decided to use beige trim to off set the raspberry color. This completed my gift bottle cover and I moved on to make the flower holder that I would tie around the bottle.



Flower, Candy, Holder

Some of the items needed for flower holder

For the flower holder I chose a contrasting cotton print fabric that would pop off the raspberry color of the gift bottle cover. The size of the fabric holder was determined by the size of the glass test tube that would slip inside to  hold the water and flowers. Be creative, this holder could also be filled with chocolates, a wine opener, a small unlit candle or ??. Cut size according to what you plan on inserting inside.  I pinned right sides together and stitched three sides leaving an opening to turn right side out.

Folding the sewn end up

After turning right side out and pressing, I folded the sewn bottom edge up to about 3" below the unsewn edge. See photo. I folded the raw edges to the inside, put some stitch witch tape inside and ironed closed. I sewed down the two sides on the print fabric where I pinned. See photo. That now formed my tube/casing for my test tube to slide into.

Fold top edge to back of holder

I slid my test tube into the casing to determine how much I needed to fold the top edge over to the back side. I wanted the test tube edge to reach the top edge of the casing.

Back top edge

After determining how much I wanted to fold to the back side I sewed a pink button to hold it in place, leaving it down enough so the ribbon could either be threaded through the open loop area or twisted around the button. Either way it makes for easy hanging later on off a cabinet knob, door handle, or hook  anywhere in the house.

Be Creative!

Hope you enjoyed this "How to Project" This project can be easily adapted to any object, whether it be a bottle of homemade dressing, fancy dipping oil, chocolates or cookies in a tin. Remember if it fits through the cuff of the sweater you can use it!! The flower holder can be hung separately as a daily reminder of the fun time had by all on that special day. 

Questions and Comments are always welcome, Till next time!

Sew Happy,

Karla