Happy Dot Garland | Tutorial

When Mister Autumn has a lot of rain and grey in his luggage, I need a little colourful dotted happiness. Days are getting shorter here in Sweden and it feels natural to spend less time outdoors and more hours in front of the working table, close to the fireplace and with a nice cup of tea within reach.

I use to save a lot of fabric scraps for craft projects and this idea is definately a nice one for someone who has a big stash of fabric scraps as well as for someone who loves dots:The Happy Dot Garland

made of lots of colourful circles...

And that is what you need
fabric scraps,
vliesofix/ bondaweb (a double-sided adhesive for fabrics)*
scissors,
a hot iron,
a fabric marker
and the pattern which can be found here
*if you want to make the Happy Dots Garland without lining, it works even without vliesofix and iron

Choose matching fabric scraps and a fabric for the lining (I have used a turquoise fabric for that).
For each Happy Dot you will need a 8cm x 15cm (3" x 6") big rectangle.

Place the vliesofix/ bondaweb with the glue side on the fabric you have chosen for the lining.

Use a hot iron until you can feel that the vliesofix sticks to the fabric. Remove the backing paper by peeling it off (if you can´t remove easily, you might need to iron it a little longer)
Place the fabric scraps on the lining (sticky side up).
To work a bit quicker, I have cut my scraps into rectangles, but if you use bigger pieces of fabric and no scraps, you save time.To protect the surface of your iron, cover the fabric with paper or a cloth
(I have used baking paper).
Iron hot and let the fabric cool.Cut out rectangles, 8cm x 15cm (3" x 6") big.
Fold in the middle and transfer the pattern or (as I do on the photo), just fold and cut along the pattern. Be careful with your expensive dressmaking scissors though to not cut the paper ;-)Cut the slit by either using a cutter knife or by simply folding the circles the way I do on the image above and cut into the fold to get this result:Then arrange all Happy Dots in the order you´d like for your garland.
Take the first Happy Dot, and roll up one of the circles as shown below:
Pull through the slit of the next Happy Dot:
Continue with the whole row of circles
until your
Happy Dot Garland
is finished...


The Happy Dots Garland can be made without lining as well. It looks also pretty made of newspaper or vintage wallpaper.

I have made garlands in white and red for our christmas tree and for the windows and I am looking forward to make a lot of tiny ones for gift wrapping and doll houses too.
Have a crafty day and enjoy autumn!

Warmly,

Juliane


***Please note: The design, pattern, instructions and images provided in this tutorial belong to the intellectual property of Juliane Strittmatter/ Fröken Skicklig. Do not use for any commercial purpose without express authorisation. Thank you***

Hot Chocolate Pin Cushion - Tutorial

A little note beforehand regarding copyright: Nice that you want to spread the word about this tutorial. But before you use my pictures on your own blog/ website/ online forum, please do not forget to ask me and respect the © sign which is both on my blog as on each of the pictures (and that with good reason). Thanks

Do you love hot chocolate while working?
I do, especially when it is that snowy and cold outside! And especially when the hot chocolate gets served in a pretty china cup.

We have lots of old china at home to be used every day. But even if I drink espresso from time to time, I don´t use my espresso cups (or demitasse actually) that often. And that is a pity since they are too pretty to be hidden in the cupboards.

My students got a to-bring list for the doll making classes in Munich the coming two weekends. One of the things they should bring is a pin cushion. Which inspired me to do a five-minute project which I would love to share with you.

Voilà!
The Hot Chocolate Pin Cushion

And this is what you need:
A little espresso cup, doll´s china or a demitasse.

Brown fabric such as cotton interlock or velveteen, a piece of white cotton fabric, brown and white sewing thread, a needle, scissors, some polyfill, a make-up sponge (about the same size as the cup you are going to use) , some beads, double-faced adhesive tape...

And five minutes of your time.

We start with the brown fabric (I used cotton interlock).
Cut out a circle which is about 1.5 times larger than your cup.

Take needle and sewing thread and gather the edge of the circle.
Gently pull the sewing thread, place the make-up sponge in the middle,
  on top some poly fill...

Close the circle by pulling the sewing thread, secure the gathers with a few stitches.
If you turn the whole piece, the surface should be flat.
That will be the top of your hot chocolate.

Make a yo-yo, use the white cotton fabric. The diameter of that circle is a bit less than the cup´s diameter. Cut out the circle and gather the edge as seen in the images. Gently pull (seam allowance is inside the yo-yo). Secure the sewing thread.
The cream on top of your hot chocolate is finished.

Attach the white yo-yo onto the hot chocolate.
Add a bit gold-brown sugar sprinkles on top.

Cover the inside of your cup with the double-faced adhesive tape. Make sure to leave some space between the rim of the cup and the tape (otherwise your hot chocolate will spill over ;-)

(I use adhesive tape because the china cups I might want to use them one fine day for espresso again)

Now fill your hot chocolate with the cream on top into the cup...

...and enjoy your new yummy Hot Chocolate Pin Cushion!
Low in calories and pretty on your working table.

Chocolate greetings,

Juliane


© by Fröken Skicklig. This item/ tutorial is for personal use only. Thank you.