DIY Beaded Fabric Necklace ~ Easy, Snappy Holiday Project

I was so honored when Baby Lock Sewing and Embroidery Machines invited me to be part of their Snappy Holiday Snappy-Sew Round-Up. Each of the featured bloggers was supposed to come up with a quick and easy holiday gift that you could put together with just a moments notice. I came up with the Beaded Fabric Necklace.

The Beaded Fabric Necklace is a quick-sew gift that is perfect for any of the lovely ladies in your life. You can make these necklaces to suite all types of occasions depending on your fabric selection. Consider using pearl beads or even spray painted wooden beads to change up the look. Whatever you choose, these necklaces will take you no more than 20 minutes each and your gal pals will absolutely adore them!

Beaded Fabric Necklace

by Lindsay Wilkes from The Cottage Mama
Click HERE for printer-friendly pdf instructions.

Sewing Skill Needed: Basic / Beginner

SUPPLIES:
1 strip of fabric (cut 2” x 43”)
39 Wooden craft beads
Basic Sewing Supplies

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut one long fabric strip 2” x 43” long.

2. Cut both ends to a point.

3. Fold fabric in half lenghwise with the right sides together. Sew using a ¼” seam allowance starting at one point and sewing all the way down to the other side. Leave the other end open.

4. Clip the corners of the one pointed end that you sewed closed.

5. Turn right side out. Use a chopstick or pencil to make this step a little easier.

6. Tie a knot approximately 10” down on one side. Once your knot is tied, you should have about 8.5” of fabric on top of the knot.

7. Place one bead through the opening into the tube and slide it all the way down to the knot. For the second bead, thread the fabric through the bead and slide it all the way down to the first bead. For the third bead, place it through the opening into the tube and slide it all the way down to the other bead. Continue this pattern until you have threaded or inserted all beads.

8. After all the beads have been used, tie a knot on this other end.

9. Since you have threaded the open end through many of the beads, it might have gotten a little shredded looking, but don’t worry, that is fine. Just trim of the frayed end.

10. Tuck in the raw edges of the open end and topstitch to close the opening. Topstitch on the other side as well so they both match. You could also choose to close the opening by hand sewing it closed using a slipstitch.

11. To wear the necklace, simply tie the fabric in a bow. The size bow that you tie will determine how long or short your necklace will be. You could definitely tied the fabric in a knot, if you are not the bow type of person.

You will be able to make approximately three necklaces from ¼ yard of fabric and one value-sized bag of beads. To view more sewing and craft ideas, please visit the official blog of The Cottage Mama over at The Cottage Home: www.thecottagehome.blogspot.com.

Visit Baby Lock’s Snappy Holiday Snappy-Sew Project Round-Up to print a PDF of this tutorial and as well as the tutorials from six other fabulous bloggers!

Here is a list of all the participating bloggers sites so you can visit them and check out their Snappy Holidays Projects:

Nancy Zieman: http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog

Patty Young:  http://modkidboutique.blogspot.com

Lindsay Wilkes (me):  http://thecottagehome.blogspot.com

Amy Ellis:  http://amyscreativeside.com

Heather Valentine:  http://thesewingloftblog.com

Kelly Bowser:  http://kelbysews.blogspot.com

Stephanie Struckmann:  http://totallystitchin.net/members/the-sewing-corner/

Thanks again to Baby Lock for inviting me to be part of their fun holiday series!

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Guest Blogging: Refashionista at I am Momma Hear Me Roar

I am guest blogging today over at I am Momma Hear Me Roar for Cheri's 'Refashionista' series. 

Come on over for a mini-tutorial on how I turned two pairs of my husbands pants into some Dungarees for our little man, Caspian Finn.

Click HERE to view the tutorial.

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Cyber Monday Giveaway Day!

Today is Cyber Monday Giveaway Day at The Cottage Home. Our lovely sponsors have come up with some fabulous prizes for the readers of The Cottage Home blog and I am so excited to share them with you today. I know all bloggers probably think that their sponsors are the best, but I don't know............this line up is pretty darn spectacular!

The Cyber Monday Giveaway Day is going to be a little different. Today is a winner take all giveaway. One winner will take home ALL of the prizes. Talk about a fabulous holiday gift, right? At the bottom of the giveaway post you will find a little widget where you can enter to win. For each item that you do, you will gain an extra entry and increase your odds of winning these incredible prizes.

So without further ado, here are The Cottage Home blog sponsors.........

No matter why you love to sew, Baby Lock understands. Everything that we do is to make your time sewing at your machine as enjoyable as possible. Baby Lock's main goal has been to enhance the love of sewing since our very beginning, over 40 years ago.

BABY LOCK GIVEAWAY: Zundt Embroidery Designs

(Retail Value: $300.00)

Swiss embroidery from the St. Gallen area is known around the world for exquisite designs and utmost quality. The artists at Zundt have carried on this tradition, and now Baby Lock is offering three of Zundt’s collections. With this pack you’ll receive Butterflies Cutwork, Lace in Vogue, and Yukata Art. These collections are ideal for creating elegant apparel, giving home décor a lacy touch, embellishing quilts, and more.

Quilt in a Day has everything you need to make a quilt – books, patterns, free block patterns, notions, fabric, rulers and videos. Quilt in a Day was founded in 1975 by “Hall of Fame” quilter, Eleanor Burns. Through out her career, Eleanor has published over 100 “How-to” quilt books, developed an Eleanor Burns Signature Pattern Collection and designed a variety of specialty rulers all produced to aid the quilter in successfully and easily completing their quilt. Her Quilt in a Day TV series began airing on PBS and is still broadcasting nationwide and abroad.

Quilt in a Day Giveaway: Win a Free Eleanor Burns 2013 Block Party Membership: 

(Retail Value: $94.00)

Join Quilters Hall of Fame Inductee, Eleanor Burns, in the comfort of your own home with her 2013 Block Party. Receive a 16 page pattern every month. Follow along with Eleanor in classroom LIVE via Webinar. Each pattern and webinar is unique  - you never know what you are going to learn or see! One thing is for sure, every pattern is easy with step-by-step techniques pioneered by Quilt in a Day. If you are not able to attend the Webinar, you can still sew at your convenience with a video available for viewing on our website. 

Fabricworm brings you modern fabrics for the modern sewist! We feature a large collection of designer fabrics specializing in modern, retro, organic, and children's fabrics. Please note our extensive Japanese Import section as well as Custom Coordinated Bundles available in Half Yards and Fat Quarters to suit all of your crafting and quilting needs.

FABRICWORM GIVEAWAY: A fat quarter bundle of Camp Sur by Jay-Cyn Designs for Birch Organic Fabrics.

Also, Fabricworm is offering their ongoing coupon code "linus5" which gives you $5 off any order of $50 or more.

Fat Quarter Shop works to bring you the latest fabric collections and sewing notions, all with a touch of great customer service.  Visit our shop to find out about our exclusive kits and clubs, BOMs and more!  To celebrate Cyber Monday, we are giving away a Fat Quarter Bundle of Seascapes by Deb Strain for Moda Fabrics!  The bundle includes 29 fat quarters, all of which will have you daydreaming of a day at the beach. 

FAT QUARTER SHOP GIVEAWAY: Fat Quarter Bundle 'Seascapes' by Deb Strain (29 Fat Quarters)

(Retail Value: $97.50)

Fat Quarter Shop is offering 25% off your entire order with code “jingle” until Thursday the 29^th at midnight CST.  

Crafter’s Vision prides itself as having first class customer service with excellent prices, free shipping and top notch products. We would like to take this time to thank all our customers for trusting Crafter’s Vision with your shopping needs through the years and wish all of you a blessed holiday season. 

You will not want to miss shopping with us on Cyber Monday! Save an additional 50% off our list prices for all fabrics in our SALE section! In addition to this, all orders shipping in the USA over $30 will qualify for FREE SHIPPING!

CRAFTER'S VISION GIVEAWAY: $50 Gift Certificate to Crafter's Vision

Create Kids Couture is a PDF and paper pattern company. CKC is co-owned by Shannon and Tiffany and they specialize in boutique children's clothing sewing patterns. They are giving away a 3 pattern pack of your choice; choose from over 90 PDF patterns on their website: www.CreateKidsCouture.com. 

CREATE KIDS COUTURE GIVEAWAY: 3 Pattern Bundle Pack

In celebration of Cyber Monday, Create Kids Couture is also offering 30% off your entire order. 

Use code CYBERMON at checkout on their website only.

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Holiday Cards

So have you started shopping for holiday cards yet? I know, I can't believe it's almost that time of year either. Time is flying by. Well, I have been browsing around online checking out some different designs for our family. I'm thinking I will be using our favorite family picture from this year.......

I have found some really beautiful designs over at Minted.com and I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you.

Aren't these all so fun? I don't even think I got through all the pages of the Minted holiday cards (there was something like 34 pages). Anyway, I just wanted to send some inspiration your way in case you haven't ordered your cards yet. I always love getting photo cards from our family and friends.

Right now minted is offering 15% off a purchase of $150 or more with the code: FALL150 and 10% off a purchase of $100 or more with the code: FALL100. Plus, they will address the cards to your recipients for free with every card purchase ~ now that's a time saver!

Have a great pre-Thanksgiving week!

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Modern Designs for Classic Quilts ~Book Review & Giveaway

Today I am very excited to introduce a brand new quilting book that you are sure to want to add to your Christmas wishlist. Modern Designs for Classic Quilts is written by Kelly Biscopink and Andrea Johnson and is complete quilting eye candy. I met Kelly as an Editor through my publisher and was absolutely thrilled when I found out she had written a book of her own!

At quilt market in Houston, TX last month, my mom (aka Grandma Jane) and I went out dinner with Kelly and Andrea and we. had. a. ball. We laughed so hard we cried. I'm telling you, these are my kind of girls. So I'm going to try hard to write an un-biased review, but it always helps to know that the authors behind a book are truly wonderful people. And it helps when they've written a truly fabulous book!

I absolutely adore the concept of this book as I feel it is very similar to how I view sewing children's clothing. The book has some of the most traditional, classic quilt styles, yet they are taken to a whole new level through the use of modern patterned fabrics and bold solids.

This Spider Web Quilt, called Effie's Web, might be my favorite in the book. I love how much color and movement you can see throughout the quilt. Look at it one way and you see one thing, look at it another and you see something else. Also, it's a great way to use up scraps of fabric and with all the clothing I sew, you know I have a lot of scraps.

Although, I love Effie's Web, it's a pretty close call between that one and the cover quilt called the Urban Cabin. First of all, how cute is that name? It is a traditional log cabin style quilt, but the way in which the fabrics are placed is so totally modern. Brilliant!

Check out some of these quilt patterns included in the book that use beautiful solids incorporated into their designs. As much as I love patterned quilting cotton, sometimes I think solids can bring the beauty out in a quilt design like nothing else.

The overall tone of Modern Designs for Classic Quilts is very friendly and welcoming, just like Kelly and Andrea. The techniques section is beautiful with very clear photographed instructions. They include everything from cutting, sewing and pressing to how to match seams, sewing curved seams and paper piecing. There are also non-quilting techniques included such as installing a zipper, ruffling and raw edge applique that are used for some of the smaller projects included in the book.

Kelly and Andrea have done such a wonderful job bringing together two worlds of quilting together in one book; modern and traditional. Who says you have to be defined as a modern quilter or a traditional quilter? No one. And these ladies show that you can have it all......a little modern, a little classic and a whole lot of beautiful.

So guess what? Not only did Kelly and Andrea send me my very own copy of this book for this review, they sent a copy for one of you! 

Would you like to win a copy of Modern Designs for Classic Quilts?

Well, this one is easy, just leave a comment on this post telling us why you would like this book. 

One entry per person. Giveaway will be open until Monday, November 19, 2012 at midnight (CST).

To check out more reviews of Modern Designs for Classic Quilts, please visit some of these other wonderful blogs on the book tour:

Tuesday, Nov. 6             (Lindsay, CraftBuds)

Wed., Nov. 7                 (Jill, Darling Jill Quilts)

Thursday, Nov. 8           (Faith, Fresh Lemons)

Friday, Nov. 9               (Generation Q)

Saturday, Nov. 10         (Angela, Quilting is my Therapy)

Sunday, Nov. 11            (Shannon, Stitch Craft Create)

Monday, Nov. 12           (Laurie, Scarlet Fig)

Tuesday, Nov. 13          (Kaysie, KZJo’s Studio)  

Wed., Nov. 14               (Jessica, A Little Gray)

Thursday, Nov. 15         (Mary, The Tulip Patch)

Friday, Nov. 16             (Deborah, Whipstitch)

Saturday, Nov. 17         (Lindsay, The Cottage Mama)

Sunday, Nov. 18           (Jenny, Sew Kind of Wonderful)

Monday, Nov. 19          (Carla, LollyQuiltz)

Tuesday, Nov. 20         (Thomas, Thomas Knauer Sews)

Wed., Nov. 21              (Brenda, Pink Castle Fabrics)

Thursday, Nov. 22        (Lindsay & Liz Rea, CraftBuds, Inspire Me Grey)

Friday, Nov. 23             (Sarah, The Last Piece)
Saturday, Nov. 24         (Cara: Cara Quilts, Andie: AndieJohnsonSews, Kelly: Stitchy Quilt Stuff)

Also, you can keep up to date with these lovely ladies over on their blogs: 

Kelly at Stitchy Quilt Stuff and Andrea at Andie Johnson Sews.

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DIY Cabochon Jewelry

As much as I love sewing, sometimes I get the urge to do something a little different. I've been planning some of my DIY Christmas gifts this year and I thought it would be really fun to make some pretty jewelry for friends and family.

Flower cabochons have always had sort of a vintage feel to me and I find them to be really beautiful. You can buy them from many different sources online (here are a ton sold on Etsy) and they are really reasonably priced. Basically they are just molded resin and are really lightweight and easy to work with when crafting. You can attach them to just about anything, but this year I decided to make rings, earrings and hair pins.

If you get these going in assembly line style, you will have plenty of jewelry in no time!

DIY Cabochon Jewelry

by Lindsay Wilkes from The Cottage Mama

Supplies:

Flower cabochons (found here)

Blank bobby pins, rings or earrings

E6000 or other industrial strength glue

Instructions:

Gather up all of your supplies for this project.

Like I said above, you can purchase some really gorgeous cabochons via Etsy.com. I ordered all different shapes and sizes so I would have a wide variety of different styles and colors.

As far as the blanks go for bobby pins, rings or earrings, I purchased the earrings and bobby pins online and found the rings at our local Joann super-store. You will have more of a selection if you order online, but you should be able to find all of these at your local craft store. Our lovely blog sponsor, Crafter's Vision carries some different blanks as well.

I bought adjustable rings because I'm not sure of everyone's ring size. Just make sure the blank portion of the ring is smaller than your cabochon (or at least the same size). The square rings (that came in this variety pack) didn't really work for this project since the blank was too big.

E6000 is a great glue to have in your stash of craft supplies. It's super strong and dries clear. You can find this at your local craft supply store. If for some reason you can't find this, then just look for another industrial strength glue. Jewelry gets a lot of wear and tear, so you don't want it falling apart.

So this project is really simple. Take a dab of glue and place it onto the blank jewelry, then press your cabochon on top. Leave them upside down to dry for at least 24 hours.

For the smaller pieces, like the earrings, I just put a dab of glue on some paper and dipped the top of the blank part of the earrings and pressed them to the cabochons.

These make great gifts for girlfriends, teenage girls and teachers.

Package these pretties up and you are good to go! 

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