Sew What

by Rina Grosman

This super quick and easy project was inspired by the recent pride parade and Dyke march, which took place over the weekend. What better way to honour the Pride parade than a pun, a plate, and some decoupage?!

Materials:

Plate (value village, IKEA, grandmother’s)

Paper clippings (newspaper, magazine, etc.)

Paint brush

Decoupage/ Gel medium

Scissors

Step 1: Find and cut out images and words from magazines and newspapers (magazine weight paper usually works better). Mix and match until new meanings form with the juxtaposition (4 years of art school) of these images and words.

Step 2: Arrange on plate until happy with placement. Use the paint brush to spread the decoupage or gel medium over the paper. A nice thin layer without bumps. Note: don’t brush over the paper too many times or else it will rip or the ink will smudge.

Step 3: Let dry.

Bask in your own genius hilarity!

By Dilys Tong
Sew Be It Studio

You might ask me why I would make a cupcake bed for my dog. Well, my dog is so bloody cute that you almost want to take a bite out of her. (And believe me… after a couple of gin and tonics, it has crossed my mind). So I decided to make her a bed that is almost as yummy as she is. After all, is there anything that spells out LOVE quite like pampering your pooch with a cozy cake bed? 

This bed is sized for extra small to small size dogs. (eg. Chihuahua, Jack Russell). If you want to make the bed for a larger size dog, just double the measurement and materials. 

Materials:

• Drafting paper or brown craft paper, for your pattern
• 1 M of fleece for the top layer (the icing)
• 1.5 M of twill, it could be cotton, polyester or mix. Just make sure it has a sturdy body. Do not use fabrics that are too soft and loosely woven.
• 5 M of 1” wide ribbon. Any color of your choice.
• 2 large bags of poly fiber fill
  

Pattern (on paper):

• Cupcake top – The diameter should be 40 ½” by using a radius of 13”.

• Cupcake Bottom – The diameter should be 31” by using a radius of 10”. 



• Cupcake sideband-  This section will take a little more steps in making
• Step 1 - draw a rectangle 32” by 9”



• Step 2 – draw vertical lines equally spaced and slash all the way down to the bottom line but not through it. You are cutting them apart, the bottom should be in tact.



• Step 3 – Spread each section apart at the top until it is measured at 41 ½”.

 

Cutting the Fabric: 

Cupcake top – cut 1 in fleece 

Cupcake bottom – cut 1 in sturdy fabric 

Cupcake band – cut 2 in sturdy fabric 

Construction: 

Step 1: Sew the cupcake side band together. 

• With the right sides facing together, stitch the two panels of side band together, just the one side, so you can lay the side band flat on the table.



• Press the seam open.
  

Step 2: Sew the ribbon to the side band.

• Pin the ribbon on the right side of the side band, equal distances apart, stitch along the ribbon edge to secure placement. Remember the ribbon is supposed to look like the stripes from the cupcake pan.
  

  

Step 3: Sew the other side of the side band.

• With the right sides facing together, stitch the other side together but make sure to leave an opening in the seam for inserting the stuffing later.



• At this point, your side band should resemble a round tube with a hole in one of the seam
  

Step 4: Sew the cupcake bottom to the side band.

• Make sure it is stitched to the smaller distance of the side band.
• Pin the bottom to the side band with the right sides facing together. You might find this a little tricky sewing the circular shape. Here is a little tip… Sew with the side band fabric on top and that would help to control the fabric. Also, we are using a small seam allowance to help eliminate extra ease.
  

Step 5: Sew the cupcake top (the fleece) to the top of the side band.

• With the right side facing together, stitch the fleece top to the side band. 
  

Step 6: Through the opening of the side band, turn the bed right side out. 

Step 7: Time to stuff the bed!  

Step 8: Once the bed is stuffed and full of coziness, close up the opening. 

Paws up! And you are done!! Woof!

by Dilys Tong
Sew Be It Studio

With a twist of lemon, you can add loads of sunshine and summer into your cocktail. You can do the same for your wardrobe! Forget the traditional belt buckle; turn up the fun a notch with your accessory. This project is super easy. You don’t have to be a sewing guru to make this belt. 

Materials:

• Any yellow scrap fabric will do. Consider using fabrics that have a medium weight and tightly woven. I highly recommend using a light weight vinyl.
• Scrap of green fabric for the leaves
• Scrap of felt – any craft felt will do
• 1 yard of 2” wide elastic, in colour of your choice
• Hook and bar for closure
• Any beads of your choice
• Thread and sewing needles
  

Pattern:

You can use my lemon template or you can certainly draw your own shape.

Cutting:  

*Trace out the shape of the lemon on to the rough side of the fabric, then add ¼” seam allowance all around.* Only do this for the lemon body (Diagram 1)!

• Cut 1 lemon body in the yellow fabric
• Cut 1 lemon body in the felt
• Cut 1 in green for the lemon leaf (no felt needed for the leaf)
  

Construction: 

Step 1: Sew the lemon body together,

• With the right sides facing together, stitch the yellow side and the felt side together.
• Stitch on your traced line. DO NOT FORGET TO LEAVE AN OPENING.
  

Step 2: Clip the seam allowance along the curve edge and all corners (Diagram 2). 

Step 3: Turn inside out. Press (Diagram 3) and (Diagram 4). 

Step 4: Close up the opening with hand stitching (Diagram 5). 

Step 5: Beads!!!- You have complete creative control in this step. Sass up your lemon with some bling. Just remember, less is often more (Diagram 6).

Step 6: Hand stitch the leaves to the lemon body (Diagram 7). 

Step 7: Mark the elastic to your waist measurement minus 1”. For example, if your waist measurement is 29”, mark the elastic at 28”. BEFORE YOU CUT THE ELASTIC, MAKE SURE YOU ADD 1” EXTRA ON EACH END OF THE ELASTIC FOR FINISHING.
*Beware of the muffin top look! Caused by the elastic being too tight.* 

Step 8: Hand stitch the hook to one end of the elastic and the bar to the other end (Diagram 8). 

Step 9: Hand stitch the lemon to the elastic.  

Now that you are done, you can sit on the patio with your new belt and enjoy your lemon martini! 

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www.sewbeitstudio.com

So after seeing those crazy cool scarves at the one of a kind show I was inspired to do some of my own. With a twist. I’m a huge supporter of the feather trend and try to find an excuse to include them in as many projects as possible AND an even bigger fan of the scarf phenomenon (bring on the neck gear!)…so here they are together at last!

Materials:
Silk Chiffon, Yarn, ribbon
Peacock feathers
Trace away, pins, thread

Step 1: Lay out the fabric flat and place your yarn, ribbon, and feathers in desired pattern (play around with this until you are happy).

Step 2: Place clear trace away sheets (cut into pieces matching shapes of design) on top of pattern and pin down to secure. Be careful when pinning because the materials will shift around very easily.

Step 3: Stitch on top of trace away, permanently attaching the design to the scarf. Do lots of stitches to ensure that everything is attached. You can also do decorative stitches in different coloured thread to add to the design.

Step 4: Once everything is sewn down, bring scarf to the sink and submerge in water. This will dissolve the trace away paper leaving just your pattern of feathers and yarns sewn onto the scarf.

Step 5: Lay the scarf out flat on a towel to dry.

Strut your stuff in your new gawk worthy art scarf!

by Rina Grosman
Things have been so busy lately with the One of a Kind Show and Loreal Fashion Week that it seems like I’ve been going to see and be inspired by creative and crafty things rather than actually making them! Another thing that I’ve been doing is putting together a portfolio…ugh. One of those things you always will say you have to do, but never actually get around doing until it’s crunch time. So in order to take decent pictures of my projects I a) enlisted the help of a photographer friend and b) built a LIGHT BOX. Of course there had to be a project involved in this operation.

Materials:

Foam core (at least 2 pieces)
White smooth paper
Velum, or double frosted milar
Glue (contact cement or something strong)
Pins
Exacto knife, cutting mat, ruler, pencil

Step1: Mark eight 4” wide rectangles (using the length of the foam core sheet). Cut using the exacto knife (much cleaner than scissor) Mark and cut eight 4” strips using the width of the foam core.

Step 2: Apply a very thin layer of contact cement to the ends of the shorter foam core pieces. Do the same to where they will connect to the longer sides (4” at either end). Let glue air dry for fifteen minutes. Attach glued surfaces together.

Step 3: Attach the rectangles together (forming a box) by pushing long pins through the foam at joining points. I wanted to be able to take this box apart for easy storage, however you can permanently glue the rectangles together with contact cement if you like.

Step 4: Attach velum on two facing openings of box with either pins (for easy removal), tape, or glue. Attach smooth paper (backdrop) from the top of one opening (using one of the attachment options) so that it curves and covers the bottom of the box as well.

Step 5: Turn off the room lights and set up one light on either side of the box and the camera in front of the remaining opening. The top of the box can also be covered with paper or fabric.

By Dilys Tong
Sew Be It Studio
www.sewbeitstudio.com

Let’s face it, weddings can be mighty expensive!   

Wedding dress…$1500.00.
Invitations…$550.00
Cake…$800.00 

Can you feel your blood pressure rising as you go down the list of costs? Take a deep breathe and keep reading because there are LOTS of ways to save some cash by doing it yourself. Among these - wedding veils – these are fun, quick, and easy enough for most brides to do themselves! 

Here are two different styles of wedding headpieces for the bride to choose from.  

Traditional wedding veil 

You will need… 

• 1M of 60” wide white tulle. (If you want the veil to be longer, use 2M)
• Sewing machine *
• Hand sewing needles
• White thread
• Head band – try to go for wire hand band or cloth ones.
• 5 M of trim – use narrow trim, nothing too wide as it will be difficult to go around the curved edge.

* If you don’t have a sewing machine, you can do the stitching by hand. It will just take a little bit longer. 

Pattern:

• Draw a rectangle 15” wide by 34” long. Extend out from the two long edges about 6”.
• Curve out the two corners.

See diagram 1 – this pattern is made for a veil that finishes just below the tailbone. If you want floor length, use a longer length.  

Cutting:

• Cut 2
• You might want to make one of the layers 1 ½” shorter.
  

Construction: 

Step 1: stitch the trim to the outside edge of the tulle. To make it easier to sew, lay the trim ¼” away from the edge, stitch. You can trim off the tulle afterward; this will give you a much nicer finish (Diagram 2). 

Repeat this step for the other layer of tulle. 

Step2: lay the shorter layer of the tulle on top of the longer layer. Line up the top edge and make a gathering stitch along the edge. A Gathering stitch is basically two rows of a long machine basting stitch running parallel to each other. It allows you to pull the thread and thus create a gather. Make sure you do not back stitch at the beginning and at the end. (Diagram 3)

Step 3: Pull the thread end and gather the top edge to 6” (Diagram 4) 

Step 4: Secure the gathering by knotting the lose thread ends.  

Step 5: Secure the veil to the head band. (Diagram 5) 

Also, if you want to add a little extra sparkle to your veil, you can sew some small delicate gems or beads onto it. If you are careful, you could even just glue them on. 

For the non traditional bride – A sassy headpiece 

Super easy and super sassy! What more could a busy bride ask for?! 

You will need:

• ½ M of fabric – any color of your choice, use fabrics that are not too soft and flimsy. Something that has a some weight, such as Shantung silk, dupioni silk, or bridal satin.
• Feather of your choice – Aim for simple and elegant. You do not want to look like you have a dead bird on top of your head.
• Clear plastic hair comb
• ½ M of ¼” wide white ribbon
• Sewing machine
• Hand sewing needle
• Thread
• Glue gun
• Jeweled or beaded brooch – new or antique
  

Cutting: 

• Cut 2 bias strips of 23” long by 1 ½” wide. Bias means you should cut your strip on a 45 degree angle on the fabric. (See diagram a)
• Cut 1 bias strip of 2 ½” long by 16” long.
• Cut a triangle shape 9” base and height 10 ½”. (diagram b)
  

Construction:

Step 1: Make the circular flower shape

• Make a gather stitch along the edge of the two 1 ½” wide bias strips. (diagram c)
• Pull the thread till it gathers into a circular shape. (diagram d)
• See gather stitch instruction in the traditional veil step 2
  

Step 2: Make the third larger flower

• Fold the fabric strip in half with the wrong sides facing each other, make a gathering stitch along the cut edge. Make sure you stitch the two layers together.
• Same as above step, pull the thread until it gathers into a circular shape.
  

Step 3: Stack the three flowers on top of one another, of course with the larger one on the bottom, hand stitch this together. 

Step 4: Use the hot glue gun to secure the brooch in the center of the flower.  

Step 5: Making the base of the piece

• Take the triangle piece – fold the triangle as in diagram e
• Fold the narrower point up as in diagram f
  

Step 6: Secure your feather to the base

• Place your feather however you like it
• Secure the placement with hot glue or hand stitching (diagram g)
  

Step 7: Attach the flower part to the base

• Place the flower part on top of the base, leaving the two pointy tips visible.
• Secure the placement with hot glue (diagram h)
• Trim off any unwanted part of the feather

The main part of the head piece is done for now, time for the comb. 

Step 8: Cover the comb edge with the white ribbon.

• Dab a little of the hot glue at the end of the comb edge where you will place the ribbon tip.
• Wrap the ribbon around tightly. (diagram i)
• Secure the end with some hot glue
  

Finishing:

• Glue the comb to the back of the piece. (diagram j) 
  

Congratulations, you are done! You just saved enough money to buy yourself a nice bottle of champagne! Bottoms up! 

by Rina Grosman
Every year has certain must see shows which are automatically added to the roster and clearly The One of a Kind Spring Show is a no-brainer for any craft creator, lover, purchaser, and enthusiast. This year I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak on Thursday morning before the show opened officially and among the usual suspects I came across some great finds, new artists, and of course some major inspiration! 

SHOW HIGHTLIGHTS

Newcomer: Velvet Moustache. Kooky stuffed ‘animals’ for the unconventional upbringing…or for those who had one….a.k.a. art school! Quebec based.

http://velvetmoustache.ca

Oldy but a goody: Hoibo bags. Love the shapes and materials; all hand died cottons and and bark tanned leathers that hang just right! Toronto based.

www.hoibo.com 

I wish I had it:  100% recycled leather bags from Baggage. Made from old leather garments and made into beautiful new bags and clutches in vibrant colours and neutral shades. Love the braided straps!

www.Baggagehandbags.ca 

Whimsical textile scarves by artist Isabelle Veilleux; collaged with silk, yarns, thread, and god knows what else. Wearing it is like bringing a piece of art with you wherever you go.

isa.veilleux@gmail.com 

Actual Purchases:  

Metalic silkscreened (super soft) t-shirt by Luprints.  Perfect length, perfect fit, how could I say no? Vancouver based.

www.luprints.com 

Warning! Those cupcakes are soap! Handmade heavenly smelling soaps (all natural) by Botania. You can choose scents that best describe your friends; patchouli child for the hippy, sunny days for the girl that is always cheerful, and rose for the soft and pretty. Quebec based.

www.botania.com 

Has this ever happened to you…You have a great new dress but no shoes (out of your 30 pairs) to go with it?! And you spent way too much money on the dress so that you can’t afford more than…well you can’t afford to spend anything on new shoes.

Here’s a quick, cheap, and easy way to transform one of your old pairs, or a vintage pair of shoes into something worthy of the dress that broke the bank. 

Materials:

Light coloured leather shoes
Leather spray paint (Nu-life color spray)
Lace, ribbon
Leather preparer
Leather balm (neutral)
Newspaper, plastic bags 

Step 1: Lay out newspaper, or plastic bags on a flat surface. Pour leather preparer onto a clean rag and wipe all over shoes. This will remove the waxy finish and allow the spray to colour the leather easily. 

Step 2: Place lace and ribbon on the shoes where you would like the design to go. Remember that it’s used as a stencil, so that wherever the solid part of the fabric is, that’s the part of the shoes that will remain the original colour. Tape in place (tape should be in places where it won’t affect the design ie. the sole). 

Step 3: Cover the shoes with the leather spray. Make sure to keep the can a distance away from the object you’re spraying and don’t concentrate it in one area. Let dry. 

Step 4: Remove the lace.  

Note: These Shoes work best when Disco is in the air.

By Dilys Tong of Sew Be It Studio 

The green movement is on! There are so many ways to enjoy your java or tea without the guilt of killing our precious trees. When you’re out and about, and don’t happen to have your travel mug, you can still do something nice for the environment.  Instead of using the paper sleeve at the coffee shop to protect your hand from the hot beverage, make your own using fabric.  Reusable and stylish – you can be the ultimate modern fashion queen. 

Patterns: (diagram 1) 

• The top line is measured 11” in total, the bottom line is measured 10” in total, it should be 4” in height. Connect the line as in diagram.
• On each side, measure 3/8” down and curve the top and bottom line as in diagram.
• The green shaded area is the pattern for the cup sleeve.
• ½” seam allowance is included in the pattern measurement.
  

What you will need:

• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Scrapes of fabric big enough for the pattern – try to use fabrics that are not too flimsy or sheer. Use medium to heavy weight fabric.
• Fleece in your color of choice
• Hand sewing needles and thread
  

Cutting:

• Cut 1 pattern in fabric
• Cut 1 pattern in fleece
  

Construction: 

Step 1: Sew the fabric and fleece together (diagram 2)

• With the right side facing together, stitch the fabric and fleece together along the top and bottom edge, using a ½” seam allowance. (diagram 3)
  

Step 2: Turn it inside out. Press flat. 

Step 3: Finish the two side edges with a serger if you have one. If not, use the zigzag stitch on the sewing machine. 

Step 4: With the right side facing together, stitch the two side edges together. Press the seam flat. (Diagram 4)

(Optional) if you find the seam allowance corner is poking out, you can stitch it down with hand sewing. 

You are done! Now you can go to the coffee shop, order your favorite beverage and be proud of your green sleeve! 

Sew Be It Studio
2156 Yonge Street
Toronto ON  M4S 2A8
416-481-7784
www.sewbeitstudio.com

by Rina Grosman
So unfortunately I didn’t get to complete a V-day craft, however I was thinking about it! So instead I’ve decided to do a post Op. Why should we only have the excuse to be mushy and sappy, or sexy and sultry one day a year? And clearly we should be crafty all year long! So here are some bath bombs that can be used for post V-day de-stressing, or a project saved for next Feb. 14th (at least you’ll be ready).

Materials:

1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup citric acid
1 tspn canola oil
Essential oil of your choice
A small amount of dried lavender, roses
Mold (ie. Yogurt container)
Parchment paper

Step 1: Measure the baking soda and citric acid into a bowl. Mix together thoroughly with your hands, and then add in the oil and approximately 10 drops of the essential oil. Mix together thoroughly with your hands.

Step 2: The mixture should feel powdery, but clump together, as below, when you squeeze it hard. If it does not you can add in a teeny bit more oil. You only want it to just start clumping together when you squeeze it hard - it should break into powder again if you crumble it.

Step 3: Sprinkle the dried lavender or roses at the bottom of your mould and put a little directly into the mix (don’t go crazy with this).

Step 4: Now take half of the mix and pack it as tightly as you can into your mould. And when you’ve done that, pack it even tighter. Particularly round the edges. Now, press down even harder again.  A well packed bomb makes a happy bomb.

Step 5: The very last step is to, quickly and with some force, bang the mould onto a surface covered in parchment paper.

Step 6: Place them in a warm dry spot to cure for 12-24 hours. Package the bomb in something airtight so that the fragrance won’t disappear.

Drop in the bath and enjoy alone or with a friend (or friends....no judgement).