#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--COOKIE CUTTER FELT AIR FRESHENER/ORNAMENT

This is a useful craft that requires no skill other than the ability to use a scissors and a bottle of glue. You don’t even have to draw a pattern because you use the cookie cutters as templates. The model shown used a 4”, 3”, and 2” heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Hang the air freshener in your car or closet or from a branch on your tree at Christmas time. The scent should last for several weeks. When the scent is gone, just add a few more drops of essential oil.

Materials:

3 cookie cutters, same shape, in 3 different sizes, your choice of shapes

pencil

scraps of wool felt in 3 complementary colors

1” decorative button

9” 3/8” wide ribbon in complementary color

fabric or tacky glue and gem glue

essential oil, your choice of fragrance

Using the cookie cutters as templates, trace one of each shape on the felt and cut out.

2. Add a few drops of the essential oil onto the center of each shape. Use enough so that when the oil evaporates, the scent remains. Allow the oil to dry.

3. Using the fabric or tacky glue, run a line of glue around the back of the medium shape and glue centered to the large shape. Run a line of glue around the small shape and glue centered to the medium shape.

4. Using the gem glue, glue the button to the center of the small shape.

5. Fold ribbon in half and glue to back of large shape.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--FELT HEART POCKET

Felt Heart Pocket

Materials:

9” x 12” sheet light tan felt, 9” x 12” sheet burgundy heather felt, straight pins, DMC #5 Perle Cotton 895, embroidery needle, small amount of polyfill, 12” of 1/4” wide decorative braid, sewing needle and thread, assorted metallic decorative heart-shaped buttons or charms, needle-nosed pliers, jewelry glue

1. Print the pattern. Using a copy machine, enlarge print one heart 6” wide, one 4-3/4” wide, and one 2-1/2” wide.

2. From the light tan felt cut two large hearts and one small heart. From the burgundy heather felt cut one medium heart and two small hearts.

3. Pin medium heart centered over one large heart. Pin small light tan heart centered over medium heart. Using a small running stitch, embroider around small and medium heart, close to the edges.

4. Pin small burgundy heather hearts together. Embroider running stitch1/8”  around outer edge, leaving opening for stuffing. Stuff with polyfill. Complete running stitch.

5. With wrong sides together, pin large hearts together. Stitch together with running stitch along sides, starting and stopping on each side even with the top of medium heart.

6. Stitch small heart to bottom of large heart.

7. Stitch braid to inside of pocket on both sides for hanger.

8. Using the needle-nosed pliers, cut shanks from buttons. Glue buttons randomly to both large and small hearts.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--WOVEN FELT PILLOW

Woven Felt Pillow

Materials:

(Note: Material amounts will vary depending on size of finished pillow.)

Four colors of felt, non-woven iron-on interfacing, pillow form or polyfill, basic sewing supplies, DMC #5 Perle Cotton in contrasting color, embroidery needle.

1. Determine size of pillow you want. Cut a piece of iron-on interfacing two inches larger than finished pillow. (Example: if you want to make a 12” x 12” pillow, cut the interfacing 14” x 14”.)

2. Cut a series of felt strips 1” wide by length of interfacing.

3. Place interfacing on flat surface with fusing side up. Alternating two of the felt colors, pin strips of felt to top of interfacing.

4. Beginning at top, weave alternating strips of remaining colors in and out across pinned strips.

5. Remove pins and carefully turn pillow top over on ironing board. Fuse interfacing to felt per manufacturer’s directions.

6. Trim edges even.

7. Cut backing fabric the same size as pillow top.

8. Using one strand Perle Cotton, blanket stitch around pillow, leaving opening for stuffing. Insert pillow form or stuff with polyfill. Blanket stitch opening closed.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA - FELT PUPPETS

Star Wars puppet show

November is a month where kids are rarely in school for a full week. Between Election Day, Veteran’s Day, parent/teacher conferences, teacher convention (if you live in NJ), and Thanksgiving, chances are there won’t be a week where the kids have school a full five days.

That calls for some creativity if you don’t want your kids camped in front of the TV or computer games all day, especially since the weather is often getting miserable, and there’s less chance for playing outside.

Why not have them stage a puppet show?

Head over to your local craft store and stock up on assorted sheets of felt and a bottle of fabric glue. You might also want to pick up some sequins, pompoms, other assorted trims, and a few thin markers.

Unless the child is very young, he or she should be able to do most of the cutting, decorating, and gluing. You might have to assist younger children.

Place the child’s hand on a piece of paper, and trace around it 1/2” from the hand. Continue the tracing 1-1/2” – 2” below the wrist. Draw a line straight across to connect the tracing. Add 1-1/2” wide arms on either side for thumb and pinky.

Have the child cut out the pattern. Place the pattern over a sheet of felt and trace. Cut out the felt, then another piece.

Using the fabric glue, draw a thin line of glue close to the edge of felt around all but the straight bottom edge. Glue the front and back pieces together. Allow to dry completely. (This will be the hardest part for the kids because they’ll want to start decorating their puppets.

Once the glue is completely dry, let the kids decorate the puppets with additional pieces of felt, sequins, pompoms, fabric scraps, yarn, buttons, etc.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- DECORATIVE CANISTERS

Who doesn’t need extra storage? I recently came across some cupcake themed ribbon and thought, wouldn’t that look cute on some decorative canisters? The ones shown in the photo are made from coffee and bread crumb cans and are easy enough for kids to make. Use them in your kitchen or anywhere else you need to gather up and contain clutter. -- AP

Materials:
clean food canister

felt square in color of choice

decorative ribbon or other trims such as rick rack

tacky glue

1. Clean and dry canister.

2. Measure the height of the canister between top and bottom lips. Measure the circumference of the canister. Cut a piece of felt the size of these two measurements.

3. Apply tacky glue to exterior of canister. Attach felt.

4. Apply tacky glue to the back of ribbon or rick rack. Attach to top and bottom of canister over felt.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- HEART SACHET

Valentine’s Day is two weeks away. Why not make yourself to some heart-shaped sachets? -- AP

Materials:

5” x 10” piece lavender felt
fabric marker

4-1/2” heart shaped cookie cutter

6” 1-4” wide ivory satin ribbon

3” x 3” heart-shaped lace medallion

fabric glue

DMC #8 lt. lavender Perle Cotton

embroidery needle

small amount of fiberfill

3 cotton balls

lavender essential oil

1. Using the cookie cutter as a template, draw two hearts on felt and cut out.

2. Glue the lace medallion centered over one felt heart.

3. Fold the ribbon in half and glue cut ends to the top center of the wrong side of the heart.

4. Place a few drops of essential oil on each of the cotton balls and set aside.

5. Using Perle Cotton and beginning at the top center, blanket stitch the two hearts together, stopping before coming all the way around. Stuff a small amount of fiberfill and the cotton balls into the heart, then finish the blanket stitch. 


Post a comment to enter the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author this week. -- AP