CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- COUNTRY CHRISTMAS TOPIARY

Make this easy, no-sew Christmas topiary to coordinate with the country wreath from September 5th for a great holiday gift or to decorate your own home. -- AP

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS TOPIARY
Materials:
6” Styrofoam cone
1/4 yd. green cotton print fabric
small amount of contrasting fabric
sequin pins
3” clay pot
small amount of floral foam
9” length 1/4” diameter dowel
Spanish moss
eight 1” wooden stars
tacky glue

1. Rip the green fabric into 1” strips. Press. Cut strips into 3” lengths.

2. Pin a strip over top of cone. Pin a second strip in opposite direction over top of cone.

3. Fold strip in half. Pin to bottom of cone with cut edge 1/2” above bottom edge of cone. Continue pinning strips around bottom of cone, overlapping sides slightly.

4. Pin a second row of folded strips above first row, staggering strips so they don’t line up with previous row, and overlapping folded edge of second row 1/2” below cut edge of first row.

5. Continue pinning rows around cone as above. For the last row, glue cut ends of fabric together with tacky glue, then glue to cone instead of using pins.

6. Glue floral foam into clay pot.

7. Glue one end of dowel into bottom center of cone and other end into floral foam.

8. Rip a piece of contrasting fabric 1” x 15”. Make a bow from the strip and pin to top of cone.

9. Glue Spanish moss over floral foam.

10. Rip another piece of contrasting fabric 1” x 13” and glue around lip of pot.

11. Glue wooden stars evenly spaced around fabric covered lip.

Make five or six topiaries, all the same or using different fabrics. Place them on a runner on your dining room table for a centerpiece or line them up on a mantle. Make three with different size cones and clay pots for a grouping on a sideboard or end table. What else could you do with them? Let’s hear from you. Post a comment to enter the drawing for a free e-book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- FABRIC STENCILED HEN WREATH

FABRIC STENCILED HEN WREATH

Materials:
3” x 8” blank stencil plastic
X-acto knife
permanent ink marker
repositioning adhesive
rust colored stencil paint
stencil brush
15” x 72” muslin, pre-washed to remove sizing
6” x 45” brown cotton fabric
12” Styrofoam wreath form
masking tape
iron
basic sewing supplies
air or water soluable fabric marker
coping saw
low-temp glue gun

1. Enlarge the hen pattern so that the 4 hens measure a total of 6” in length. Tape pattern centered to underside of plastic stencil sheet making sure bottom of hens are parallel with long edges of stencil material. Using permanent ink marker, trace pattern onto stencil sheet.

2. Carefully cut out hens with X-acto knife.

3.  Apply repositionable adhesive to the back of the stencil. Allow to dry.

4. Fold muslin in half lengthwise. Press crease. Crease will become outer edge of ruffle.

5. Open fabric and tape to flat, covered work surface. Position stencil on fabric, lining up top of stencil with fabric crease.

6.  To stencil, dip the tip of the stencil brush into the stencil paint. Remove excess paint by tapping the brush onto a folded paper towel. Hold the brush perpendicular to the stencil and dab the brush in an up and down motion over the cutout edges of the stencil, working toward center of cut-out.

7. When stenciling is complete, carefully lift the stencil and reposition it. Continue stenciling down the length of the fabric. Allow the paint to dry 24 hours.

8. Heat set the paint by ironing on a cotton setting.

9. Turn under and hem short ends of fabric 1/4”. Fold fabric in half lengthwise, right sides together. Using 1/4” seam allowance, stitch long side of fabric. Turn right side out. Press. Stitch 1” from hemmed edge to form interior ruffle.

10. Measure thickness of wreath (about 6”.) Add 1/4” to this measurement. Divide in half (about 3-1/8”.) Using fabric marker, mark this measurement from stitching for interior ruffle. Sew along marked line.

11. Using a coping saw, slit the wreath on an angle.

12. Slip the fabric covering onto the wreath. Glue the slit together with glue gun. Redistribute gathers, covering the slit in the wreath.

13. Fold bow fabric in half lengthwise. Using 1/4” seam allowance, sew along raw edges, leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out. Press. Stitch opening closed.

14. Tie fabric into a bow. Pin or glue to wreath, covering the ends of the ruffled wreath.