Scrappy and Simple Bunting Tutorial!

Here is a very simple way to make a pretty spring banner. This is a much simpler and smaller version of the Fair Flags that we made last year for the Rhinebeck Country Living Fair. I made the ones shown here for The Painted Home's, Crafty Camper.

Materials and Supplies

• Fabric scraps that are at least 6" W x 16" L
• Twine, yarn, or rick rack, 35" longer than desired length of banner
• Clear ruler
• Scissors
• Rotary cutter and mat (optional)

Planning It Out
As you plan out your Scrappy and Simple Bunting you want to have a location in mind. Lets use my fireplace mantel as a example. My mantle is 80" wide so I added 20" for two ties and 15" for swag. Thus my total twine length was 115" long.

Each flag is 6" wide and I like the look of 1"- 2" between each flag, so I opted for 8 flags. The great thing about using twine, is that if you need it to be longer you can can just tie on more twine. The best part of this project is simplicity and speed!

Again, for this project is that you can use any type of fabric you desire! I used scrapes of laminated cotton for this bunting, it was all leftover fabric from the pillows that I made for the Crafty Camper. You could use cotton, oilcloth or even paper for this project.

Cut the scrapes down to 6" W x 16" L rectangle and fold them in half lengthwise. Take pin the raw edges together near the bottom. 

Now fold your flag in half width-wise so you have a 3'' x 8" flag to cut. With your rotary cutter, mat and clear ruler, cut a diagonal line that cuts a 2" notch into the center of the flag.

Now you have a notched two-sided flag.

Now it's time to get stringing! Take your twine and measure out a 10" and make a double knot at that mark. This is where you are going to start your flags. Just open up your flags and slide then around the twine, now just fold the flag closed. 

The shiny fabric can be a bit sticky so when working with laminated cotton or oilcloth you'll want to use a specialty foot like this roller foot that I attached to my sewing machine. Don't have a fancy foot? No worries, just trick out a regular foot with tape.

Here's another handy tip, when your top stitching on slick fabric you want to lengthen your stitch length to 4, this will keep your sewing machine moving along easily.

Now line the side of your foot right up to the bump of twine that is within the fold and sew along the top of you flag, creating a little channel for your twine. Back tack on each end of your flags. Be careful, making sure not to sew across twine. If you catch a bit of it by accident you just need to rip out your stitches and redo it. The flags need to move freely from right to left on the twine.

This is a great project to use the sewing technique called chain stitching. As you finish sewing the channel for one flag keep sewing. Run your machine to create a few (empty) stitches, then add the next flag and sew that one in place. Once you have all your flags sewn around the twine you can clip the treads between each flag and you are almost done!

The only thing left to do it to hang and enjoy it! I use cup hooks on my mantle to hang all sort of good things through out the year. These hooks were left over from Christmas stockings. I put a slip knot at each end of the twine and hook it to the hook. Just move your flags from right to left till you like the spacing. 

I love how Denise used her Scrappy and Simple Bunting in the Crafty Camper! What a fun little window treatment.

I hope you enjoy this simple little bunting!

XOXOX,
Kelly

Get the Look: Chalk Cloth with a side Turkey Dinner!

I haven't seen a Target that I didn't like (a lot), so when my friend Kerri spotted this one I fell head over heels in love! Check out the chalk cloth on the table!! Cuteness. You know we love to get our party on with chalk cloth.

Chalk cloth is pretty stiff stuff so it doesn't drape like a normal tablecloth so I used a few yards of the black stuff to make a custom table topper. See how to make one here and then check my Thanksgiving tablescape on Apartment Therapy!

Over in the Modern June shop we have many chalk cloth runners to choose from, as well as, chalk cloth chargers/placemats! These are a lot of fun at parties and game nights! They even make homework fun -- almost! Check them out in this months Country Living Magazine too!

Laminated Cotton Pastry Mat

As you may have noticed, I haven't done a tutorial for you all in ages. I've been so busy with my upcoming book, Sewing with Oilcloth, and all my new creative efforts have been a bit top-secret.

But don't fret, I found a really quick project to share. A few weeks ago a customer asked me if oilcloth would be good to use as a pastry mat, my answer is no, not oilcloth but what about laminated cotton? 

The idea lead me to go back and ask good people at Freespirit and Westminster Fabrics if they had tested their laminated cottons for food safety yet. Well, the answer was yes, it has been tested and it is food safe. What great news is that?? When I asked the same question last May the answer wasn't available, so I was thrilled to get this news. 

CORRECTION:  After having a discussion about the food safe fabrics with another blogger I contacted the good people at Westminter and Freespririt fabrics and asked for tangible proof that laminated cotton is indeed food safe. Unfortunately the company hasn't tested the fabric for "food safety" at this time and makes no claim that the laminated cotton is food safe. They did apologize for any misinformation previously given. 

So let's talk turkey, no one's saying that it's not food safe, it just hasn't been tested. Please know that I strive to give you all the latest news about such things, if I hear more on this issue I'll be sure to give you all the facts.  

Like everything in life, educate yourself and make the best decision for your family.  

The fabric Westiminster company sent me the lab results proving that their laminated cotton is BPA-free.  I'll be contacting them for the PVC test result and to confirm that the laminated fabric is CPSIA compliment as I understand it to be.

Back to this super simple project! I had forgotten about the mat idea until I was about to make heart-shaped pizza's for Valentines Day. The last time I made dough I through away my Tupperware dough mat because it was totally gross and melted from a little cookie pan incident! Well, I ran into the Modern June studio and whipped up a new dough mat out of the Heather Bailey, Hop Dot laminate!

I literally made this in less than 10 minutes!

Materials:
2/3 yards of laminated cotton
Wide ruler or square
pencil
glue stick (my new found BFF)
Pinking shears or a fancy rotary cutter and mat
matching thread

Step 1: On the back of your fabric use your wide ruler or square to draw two 24" squares. 

Step 2: Cut out your squares using your pinking shears or rotary cutter and mat. I used a rotary cutter with a crimped edge. (note: a really sharp blade is best when cutting the laminated cotton, it's a bit tricky to cut with a dull blade)

Step 3: Use a glue stick instead of pins to bring the two layers of laminated cotton wrong sides together. A thin layer of glue along the stitch like was all it took to keep the two pieces together.

Step 4: Using a 1/2" seam allowance stitch the mat closed on all four sides. If you have a roller or teflon foot handy use that to keep the laminated side of the fabric from sticking to your foot. If you don't have a fancy foot, no worries click here for our tape tip. As for needles, we used to suggest a microtex needle but we have found that an nice new all-purpose needle will do you just fine!

Step 5: All that is left is to start baking! To get you laminated mat to stick to your counter just use a use a clean dishcloth to dampen your counter before you lay it down. To clean it up, just whip it down with a soapy dishcloth and air dry. I told you its easy-peasy and super pretty.

Cyber Monday Sale

Cyber Monday Sale 

Join us for our first Cyber Monday Sale! Save 15% on you entire order (excluding gift certificates) today only! Head on over to Oilcloth Addict and use this coupon code at check out, CYBER15.

Sale includes our new Laminated Cottons that just arrived and all our wonderful oilcloths. Fine print: Sale doesn't apply to gift certificates.

Here's a little sneak peak at my latest oilcloth project for my home. Looks familiar doesn't it? Check out Suzanne's tutorial for making oilcloth chain! It only takes a few fat quarters of oilcloth!  More on this tomorrow!!!

Papel Picado's Tutorial for Cinco de Mayo

I have always been drawn to the Mexican Culture, maybe it was those trips to Tijuana as a 
child and teen. The market's were exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I will never 
forget the face of the little boy singing for money or the Mamma slinging her babies. What an impact those images have had on me. It's very cool that I started Modern June out by 
selling oilcloth totes in a local farmers market.

So, in celebration on Cinco de Mayo, I have a very simple project for you! We're going to make Papel Picado's out of oilcloth. This is a fun and easy project that you and the kids can do together. Even the self-proclaimed "I'm not crafty" peeps can get in on this action.

First a little history... 

Colors schemes selected for papel picado are frequently linked with specific festivities. Sky blue or pink and white are commonly chosen for celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary, yellow and white for patron saints. Vibrant pink, orange and purple are the key tones employed for ofrendas (offerings) associated with the Day of the Dead. Shades of purple are also widely used at Easter. The colors of the Mexican flag--red, white and green--are set aside for venerating the nation's patroness, La Virgen de Guadalupe, as well as for commemorating Independence Day, September 16. Rainbow hues are appropriate for Christmas and non-religious festivities.

Let's get started...

What you need:

• lace oilcloth
• cutting board
• rotary cutting blade or pinking shears
• hole punch and/or leather punch 
• exacto knife 
• foil (used to sharpen the hole punch)
• Gnome (optional) 

1) Cut your flag to 12" by 17" with a scalloped rotary cutter blade or use pinking shears for a fun edge.

2) Start by working on one half of the flag and then use one of the following cutting methods to start your design. Find an interesting  place in the lace print to start cutting, I focused on the cutting out the white and leaving the red design.

use a blade 

use a hole punch

use a pair of snips

3) Once you have a good start on the first side you want to fold it in half so you can match up your cut outs. You want to end up with a mirror image.

4) Now start to cut out the other half. This is a bit tricky, the print is not always a exact mirror image so you'll want to cut from the printed side of the oilcloth so you get into the white spaces. It's a bit back and forth at this time, fold find the cut out and then flip it open to find the print and then cut. Repeat until you are happy with your papel picado.

How fun is this?  It's very easy,  I do hope you will try this out. If you do please send me a link to your project so I can share it in our Show and Tell segments.

Whatever the occasion, papel picado invariably transmits the mirthful message: ¡Viva la Fiesta! ¡Viva Mexico!

Oilcloth Addict's Tutorial Roundup

Holiday Projects
Valentine Garland
Oilcloth Gift Envelope
Custom Chalk Cloth Table Topper
Fall Tablescape Idea
Chalk Cloth Holiday Gift Tag
No-Sew Round Tablecloth

School Time
Desk Dot
Chalk Cloth Chalk Board
Memory Game
Oilcloth Letters

Outdoor Projects
Chalk Cloth Menu Board
No-Sew Chalk Cloth Bunting
Oilcloth Picnic Blanket
Oilcloth Lining for Vintage Picnic Basket

Pantry Projects
Chalk and Oilcloth Tags
Chalk Cloth Labels for Mason Jars
Lazy Susan Oilcloth Liners
Oilcloth Lining for Baskets
How to line shelves with Oilcloth
Oilcloth Trays
Topping a Mason Jar with Oilcloth

Miscellaneous Craftiness
Crazy Oilcloth Rag Rug
Oilcloth Chain

Valentine Garland Tutorial for Oilcloth Addict

Winter blues got ya down? Sometimes spring feels like it will never come, so the kids and I whipped up a fun and easy Valentine banner to cheer up the place! We hope you like it as much as we do!

Stuff ya gotta have:

• 4 Fat Quarters of Oilcloth
• Heart Pattern (below)
• Scissors
• Ric Rac

Downloadable pattern to print and reduce if desired.

Trace and cut pattern

Pin to hearts together, alternating prints.

Pins can leave holes but you can rub them out with your fingernail.

Stack O'Hearts

Leave a 15" tie and mark with pin.

Sandwich the ric rac between the two layers of and sew a line across the fattest part of the heart.

Use a seam gauge to measure a two inch space between hearts.

I am excited about festive Valentine banner to brighten up the house!

Wrap it up, oilcloth gift envelope

I posted this tutorial yesterday on Modern June and thought I would share it here too.... At Modern June, we offer free gift wrapping to all our customers. I just love taking the time to make a package pretty, special and reusable. I have a lot of pretty boxes and paper for just such occasions, but how can you get it to its destination, looking great without spending an arm and a leg on shipping? Enter my old assistant and friend Suzanne, from Silver Tree Art. She makes the most lovely, reusable, fabric gift bags from fabric scraps and trims. Having received several of these sweet gifts over the years, I soon realized that this was the perfect solution to gift giving and shipping!

I don't have a pattern, but I do have a method. To start with, I always use scrap fabric, usually oilcloth scraps, but cotton and paper would also be a fantastic alternative. Use what you have! If you like the look and sturdiness of the oilcloth, head on over to my other shop Oilcloth Addict for great selection.

Stuff you gotta have:

• your gift 
• sufficient fabric to createan  envelope and a flap. 
• trim, ribbon, ric rac, or buttons to use as a closure
• cutting tools
• sewing machine

You would think that as a professional pattern maker I would do this more methodically... no way! This is a down and dirty project. D and D all they way! Simply lay your gift down and eyeball a bit of extra space around it.

Add a 1/2 inch seam allowance (S/A) while trimming off extra.

Angle cut your flap.

Flip your fabric so it's right sides out, match up your scallops and sew using a 1/2 SA.

Attach tie, in this case ric rac, leaving one end long enough to wrap around the back of the package once, then add 8 inches--the second tie will be an additional 8 inches. Bar Tack your tie in place at the 8" mark.

This time I used red ric rac as a tie, but in the past I have sewn on a button and slit a hole to close up my envelopes. Either way, it's great fun and a good way to use up what's laying around.

Add your tags and load her up! I made a heart out of some oilcloth and used it as the tag. Just make a tiny slit and slip it on.