2013 Winter Mystery Quilt-A-Long, Part 4

You’ve made it to month 4!! If you’re just joining us, have no fear, there is plenty of time to catch up:). This month, we’re having fun with applique and if you’re feeling adventurous, Lutradur®! Happy stitching!!

First things first, we have another winner! Through the powers of random.org, we’re happy to report that Kathrie is this month’s winner! Kathrie did a beautiful job with her borders.

Congratulations, Kathrie! Please contact me with your shipping address so that I can send your your prize.

We’ve loved seeing everyone’s progress and couldn’t help but share with you here as well. Take a peek at the other two entrants:

Brenda Chavez

Kim Loar

Nice work ladies!!

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The 2013 Winter Mystery Quilt A Long (remaining schedule)
6/12: Deadline for Part 4 submissions
6/15: Part 5 + Winner for giveaway announced
7/12: Deadline for Part 5 submissions
7/15: Part 6 + Winner for giveaway announced
8/12: Deadline for Part 6 submissions
8/15: Winner for giveaway announced
9/25: Full Quilt entries due
10/2: Winners announced (1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes)

Click here to join in the QAL Flickr Group

Part 4 prizing: 2 yards of Pellon® 880F Sof-Shape and 1 copy of Asian Fabric Magazine (each magazine comes with between 6-10 quilt patterns!)

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Part 4

Materials List
– Two 5-1/2″ x 34″ strips of Fabric B – Kona Bay GT0052-02 White
– 5″ square scraps for fabric for snowflakes (optional)
– 1/2 yard Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under® (if appliqued)
– 1 yard Pellon® 880F Sof-Shape® (optional if embroidered)
– 1 yard Pellon® 100g Lutradur® (optional instead of fabric)
– 2 skeins Embroidery Floss (optional if embroidered)
– Various colors Tsukineko® Fabrico™ Markers (optional if using Lutradur®)

*See overview for full fabric requirements

Tools List
– Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
– Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies

A free downloadable pdf for this project is available on our website — click here for the project page.

Happy Stitching!!

We Love Moms :: Make-Up Brush Pouch

We’ve had an amazing time with all of these new projects and are almost a little sad to see it come to an end (for now!) Today, we’re excited to bring you one final project, fabulous and functional yet easy enough to whip a few up for the moms in your life before tomorrow! Designer Kati Spencer of From the Blue Chair put together a super cute Make-Up Brush Pouch that will keep Mom’s things in order. It’s small enough to throw in a handbag and secure enough to keep everything in its place. Oh… have we mentioned how much we love Vinyl Fuse™? This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship;).

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Materials List
– 1 Fat Quarter Outer Fabric
– 1 Fat Quarter Lining Fabric
– 3/4 yard Pellon® 100 Vinyl Fuse™
– 1 Headband-Style Elastic
– 1 Small elastic hair tie
– 1 Large Button
– Thread
– Wax Paper (optional)

Tools List
– Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
– Teflon Sewing Foot (optional)
– Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here. We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Kati:
After experimenting with many different creative outlets, Kati discovered quilting, particularly the modern quilting movement. Follow along with her at her blog, From the Blue Chair.

Find Kati online:
Blog — Instagram – Twitter — Pinterest — Flickr

To learn more, check out Kati’s designer profile.

We Love Moms :: Big Bucket Tote

We’re just two days away, but there’s still time! This fabulous Big Bucket Tote by Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane Quilts is made of up colorful jelly roll strips, making it a relatively quick sew. The bag is BIG and sometimes you just need that extra space. Whether you’re toting a quilt and assorted picnic items, your workout gear, or you’re packing for a weekend away, this is the bag for you (and your mom!) This is one of our new favorites and we hope you love it too!

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Materials List
– 13 Jelly Roll Fabric Strips (2-12″ x width of fabric)
– 1 yard lining fabric
– 1/2 yard handle fabric
– Two 19″ x 24″ rectangles of Pellon® 809 Décor-Bond®
– Two 29″ x 1-1/4″ strips of Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
– Two 19″ x 24″ rectangles Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex®
– One crib size (45″ x 60″) package of Legacy™ by Pellon® Natural Cotton Batting
– Thread

Tools List
– Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
– Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies
– Basting Spray (optional)

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here.

We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Jennifer:
Jennifer is a modern sewist from the South, a stay-at-home mom, a bookworm, a creative dreamer and a lover of all things beautiful. A self-taught sewist, she loves creating something pretty and useful from a sketch and an idea and happily shares her creations, enthusiasms and experiences on her blog, Ellison Lane Quilts.

Find Jennifer online:
Blog — Facebook — Twitter — Pinterest – Flickr — Sew South

To learn more, check out Jennifer’s designer profile.

 

We Love Moms :: Pixel Pillow

This color rich project is next on my list… one for mom and one for me! I love what designer Kati Spencer of From the Blue Chair did with the piecing of all of those little squares. Her method uses Pellon®’s Stick-N-Washaway™ making the piecing process completely painless. The pillow design is really a conversation piece. You could make the squares random, or arrange them to represent a figure or a letter… whatever inspires you! Though it looks complicated, this is an easy one and could easily be made in an afternoon, which means there’s plenty of time to make a couple before Sunday!

Happy Sewing;).

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Materials List
1 yard Neutral Fabric
1 yard Neutral Lining Fabric
Thirty different solid fabric scraps in bright colors and neutrals
1/2 yard Pellon® 542 Stick-N-Washaway™
One 24″ Square of Legacy™ by Pellon® 100% Natural Cotton Batting
Pellon® 20″ x 20″ Pillow Form
Thread

Tools List
Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies
Clover Wonder Clips (one box of 50)
Clothespins

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here. We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Kati:
After experimenting with many different creative outlets, Kati discovered quilting, particularly the modern quilting movement. Follow along with her at her blog, From the Blue Chair.

Find Kati online:
Blog — Instagram – Twitter — Pinterest — Flickr

To learn more, check out Kati’s designer profile.

We Love Moms :: Charming Patchwork Lunch Bag

We’re absolutely loving this little lunch bag. It’s bright, super cute and incredibly functional. Clover and Violet‘s Jennie Pickett designed it to be sturdy, insulating, easy-to-clean AND stylish… everything a gal needs in a lunch bag. Whether you’ve got a working mom, a mom who loves to picnic, or a mom-friend who is always out and about with this kids, this makes a perfect gift. This project is also our very first featuring Lamifix® and we’re super excited for you all to discover this fabulous product!

For those who haven’t heard of Lamifix®, it is an iron-on protective laminate that adds a clear gloss finish. It is water repellant and protects fabrics from stains while keeping your fabric flexible. Essentially, it’s the perfect product for a lunch tote, snack bags, placemats, outdoor table cloths and more. We love it and think you will too;).

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Materials List
One Charm Pack
2 Fat Quarters (one for outside, one for lining)
1/2 yard Pellon® 975 Insul-Fleece™
1/2 yard Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
1 yard Pellon® 875 Lamifix®
3/8 yard Pellon® 931TD Fusible Midweight
14″ purse zipper
40 wt thread

Tools List
Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
90/ 14 Machine Needle

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here.

We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Jennie:
Jennie is one half of the mother-daughter team of Clover & Violet. She works with her mom, sewing, quilting, and designing patterns (mostly for patchwork bags, but also for embroidery).  It is a dream-come-true kind of job, doing what she loves, working with her dearest friend, and having her fabric habit paid for! Jennie is also mom to two busy toddlers who love to help her sew, play with her fabric scraps, and roll around on unfinished quilts (they’ve also both already developed a healthy love of fabric too!).  Even if it is a little hectic at times, it is the perfect daily adventure!

Find Jennie online:
Blog — Facebook — Twitter — Pinterest — Instagram — Flickr — Online Shop

To learn more, check out Jennie’s designer profile.

We Love Moms :: Wrap Belt

Has your mom always been way into fashion? Maybe she was the type of mom who had all the cool vintage clothes that you coveted as a youngster? We’ll, we’ve got a project that will help you add to her style-savvy collection. Giselle LaFrance’s Wrap Belt is a project that is easy to complete in just a few hours and it will add a bit of fashion flair to any outfit.

Giselle owns and operates a snazzy little sewing studio called The Atelier Stitch in the heart of the Arts District in Portland, ME. If you’re in the area, why not bring mom in for a sewing lesson or two?

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Materials List
3/8 yard Belt Fabric
One 20″ piece + one 20″ + waist measurement of belt tie material (bias tape, rope, leather, lace, ribbon…)
3/8 yard Pellon® 808 Craft-Fuse™ (enough for two belts)
1-1/2 yards Pellon® 810 Tru-Grid™ (optional)
Carbon Paper
Graph Paper
Tape
Pencil or Pen

Tools List
Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
Clear Ruler
Tracing Wheel

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here.

We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Giselle:
Giselle hails from the great state of Maine where she works from her beautiful studio in the heart of Portland’s Arts district. Her passion is creating industrial fashion and accessories melded with elements of fantasy.

Find Giselle Online:
Studio — Facebook

To learn more, check out Giselle’s designer profile.

We Love Moms :: Divide and Conquer Quilt

If you’re me, you might be thinking… there are only 6 days left until Mother’s Day, how in the world can I made a quilt in that time? If you’re an experience quilter, it’d be a piece of cake. If you’re somewhat of a beginner, it could be a little more challenging. Enter Elizabeth Dackson of Don’t Call Me Betsy‘s Divide & Conquer Quilt. The pattern is easy-to-follow, assembly is quick, and the result is stunning. This is the perfect project for someone looking to make Mom a gift that will be forever cherished, lasting through the years. So, grab your rotary cutter and dig into your fabric stash. Time to get cutting!!

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Materials List
2-7/8 yards Block Print Fabric
1-1/8 yards Center Stripe Print Fabric
1-7/8 yards Background Prints
4 yards Backing Fabric
1/2 yard Binding Fabric
1 Twin-sized package of Legacy™ by Pellon® 100% Bleached Cotton Batting (72″ x 96″)
Thread
Water Soluble or disappearing fabric pen

Tools List
Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here.

We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth Dackson is a self-proclaimed fabric-aholic, with no designs on reform! Her sewing career began back in 2010 with a quest to develop a new hobby. Little did she know, she was starting a whole new way of life.  A stay-at-home mom to a very curious 4-year-old boy and wife to a workaholic husband, Elizabeth is also the voice of Don’t Call Me Betsy. The way she tells it, Betsy was her childhood nickname, a moniker she always despised. She happily passed it along to her sewing machine, started the blog and has been on a roll ever since.

Find Elizabeth online:
Blog — Facebook — Twitter — Pinterest — Flickr

To learn more, check out Elizabeth’s designer profile.

We Love Moms :: 1 Sheep, 2 Sheep

This project may not apply to all moms, but it’s a definite winner for some, mine included. My mom has been a crocheter and a knitter since she was in her teens. Taught by her grandmother, it’s something that has been passed down from generation to generation, even to me! For as long as I can remember, my mom has collected little sheep figurines, artwork and things of the like. It’s not overpowering, but just the right amount and classy to boot. Something tells me this wall hanging would be a perfect addition. Are any of your moms yarn crafty?

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How cute are these little guys? Designer Jackie White of Jackie’s Art Quilts used our Stick-N-Washaway™, Perfect Loft™ Cluster Fiber Fill, Cheesecloth and Bamboo batting to create this unique wall hanging. We just love that she thought outside the box for ways in which to use our products.

Materials List
– Six Jelly Roll Strips
– One 13″ x 23″ rectangle of Backing Fabric
– 1/8 yard Binding Fabric
– One 5″ square Black Felt
– Four ounces Pellon® Perfect Loft™ Cluster Fiber Fill
– 1/4 yard Pellon® Stick-N-Washaway™
– 1/8 yard Pellon® Cheesecloth
– One 13″ x 23″ rectangle Legacy™ by Pellon® Bamboo Batting
– Thread

Tools List
– Hot Glue Gun & Related Supplies
– Sewing Machine & Related Supplies

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here. We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Jackie:
Jackie is a quilt artist that has had her quilts juried in Canadian and American Shows. She started off in traditional quilts with her first quilt being a Trip Around the World. From that traditional quilt, Jackie made a few more bed quilts, but soon got tired of following patterns.

Jackie loves doing her own thing, not following the rules and wanted her quilts to pop. She disliked that they laid flat and that’s when her 3 dimensional work was born. She hand dyes most of her own fabric. Jackie now designs art quilts using original 3D technique that literally makes the objects stand out on the background. She has also started writing a column for the quarterly magazine for the Canadian Quilting Association. Her articles take on a humorous approach to quilting.

Jackie enjoys teaching others about her techniques and encourages them to explore their creativity.

Check out Jackie’s designer profile for more!

Spring into May Giveaway

Crafts Buds is at it again, getting us all excited with their AMAZING giveaways! To celebrate Spring, they’ve launching a brand new week-long event, featuring six HUGE prizes. Entering to win is as simple as liking a few Facebook pages, all of which are likely companies you already know and love. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t! Take a peek at all of the fabulous goodies below, head to the various Facebook pages, click ‘like’ a few times and then fill in your name;). You won’t be sorry!

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With the arrival of spring and Mother’s Day just around the corner, we want to help you celebrate with a big crafty giveaway. Enter the Spring Into May Giveaway for your chance to win one of six HUGE prize packs. The total of all prizes is valued at more than $2,200!

Janome Magnolia 7325 Sewing Machine • Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

Fat Quarter Shop • Sew Sweetness • Aurifil • Pellon®

Coats + Clark • SewCanShe.com • Andover Fabrics

Go To Patterns • FreeSpirit Fabric • Aurifil • Imagine Gnats

Sew South (Sewing Swag) • Kindle Fire (Blogger-sponsored prize)

Craftsy

To enter the giveaway, simply “Like” all of the Facebook pages below, and fill out the Google form letting us know you did. We know you will love them just as much as we do!

Janome Sewing Machines
Craftsy
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores
Coats & Clark
FreeSpirit Fabrics
Pellon
Aurifil Quilt Patchwork and Embroidery Threads
Andover Fabrics
Fat Quarter Shop
CraftFoxes
Craft Buds
Lindsay Sews
imagine gnats
My Go-Go Life
Ellison Lane Quilts
Sew Sweetness
Maureen Cracknell Handmade
Me Sew Crazy
The Train to Crazy
Go To Patterns
The Sewing Loft
SewCanShe.com

Make sure you only enter ONCE, because this form is shared on all of the participating sites. Duplicate entries will be deleted, and giveaway ends Friday, May 10th. Good luck!

No purchase necessary. For alternate entry, e-mail lindsay(at)craftbuds(dot)com with your full name and the subject line “May Giveaway Contest.” The sponsors will ship all prizes within 7 days of the end of the giveaway. Giveaway ends Friday, May 10th at midnight EST. Once the giveaway ends, winners will be chosen using Random.org and contacted within 24 hours by e-mail. This main contest post at CraftBuds.com will be updated with winners’ names once we’ve heard back from them. Winners will need to respond within 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. International entries are welcome; Some giveaways open worldwide.

We Love Moms :: Cosmetics Case

Mother’s Day is May 12, just over a week away! We figured it was possible you’d be scrambling around for a few fab gift ideas and we’re here to help. Over the next week, we’ll share a handful of brand new projects, perfect for mom, plus a few fun round-ups. Are you ready to go? Grab your sewing machine/scissors/interfacing/hot glue gun/favorite fabrics and let’s get started!!

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This beauty may just be my new favorite pattern. Designer Lindsey Rhodes of LRStitched created a super cute, convenient, and easy-to-construct pattern for a cosmetics case with three clear zip pouches so that you can always find what you need. It is a must-have for any on-the-go gal, for use with travel, or even just day-to-day. I know my handbag would be far more organized if I had one of these little guys to stash inside.

Grab your favorite print (or your mom’s favorite print) and get started on this one today!

Materials List
– 1/4 yard Outside Fabric
– 1/4 yard Lining Fabric
– One Fat Quarter Bias Binding
– One Fat Quarter or scraps for Zipper Binding
– 1/4 yard 8 gauge clear vinyl
– 1 yard Pellon® 100 Vinyl Fuse®
– 1/4 yard Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
– Three 8″ Zippers
– Thread
– Glue Stick (optional)
– Poly-resin snaps (one per bag)

Tools List
– Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
– Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies
– Snap Press (optional)

For a free downloadable pdf of this pattern, visit the project page here.

We’d love to see what you make, so be sure to post a photo on our Facebook page OR share with our ‘Made with Pellon®‘ flickr group!

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About Lindsey:
Lindsey was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up always dabbling in something crafty. She taught herself to sew at the age of 16 after inheriting an old Singer sewing machine. Her Grandmother had written her name on the underside and that small gesture has sparked a love of sewing, quilting and pattern design. She has a special love of making handbags and finding ways to add unique finishing touches to make the project sparkle.

Lindsey now resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two small children. You can follow along in her crafty pursuits at www.lrstitched.com.

Find Lindsey Online:
Blog — Facebook — Twitter — Pinterest — Etsy

To learn more, check out Lindsey’s designer profile.

Retread Your Threads: Melly Sews

Today, we are lucky to have a guest post from the talented Melissa Mora of Melly Sews. Melissa has been working with our Stick-N-Washaway™ and came up with a great way to use it to update an old button up. It’s really an excellent lesson in how to add a new feature to something old to make it new again. Love it!! Thanks so much to Melissa for this fabulous tutorial:).

This lace pocket shirt tutorial is an easy refashion. I had a chambray shirt with an old company logo on it. The fit was great. The company, on the other hand, wasn’t a great fit. So I removed the pocket with the logo on it. But, that left some uneven fading on the shirt, so you could clearly see where the pocket had been.

I really liked the idea of adding a lace pocket to my shirt, but lace can be finicky to work with. It’s shifty and can be hard to hem. Then it came to me – Pellon® Stick-N-Washaway™ would be the perfect stabilizer, allowing me to work with the lace, but then washing out so that the pretty detail could be seen. Win!

So, I measured my pocket area, and added 1/4″ (6mm) to each side for a seam allowance.

I cut a piece of Stick-N-Washaway™ to the same size, peeled off the backing and applied it to the wrong side of my lace.

Now that my lace was acting like regular fabric, it was easy to baste my edges to the wrong side of the fabric and hem the top edge of the pocket. I did the top and bottom, then the sides.

Now all that was left to do was to pin the stabilized lace pocket onto my shirt and topstitch it into place.

Then I threw the whole thing in the wash. The Stick-N-Washaway™ magically disappeared, leaving only the pretty lace detail to see.

Retread your Threads: Woven T-Shirt Cuff Bracelet

Today’s post is bittersweet… It’s sweet because we LOVE these guest posts from Jenelle and adore what she creates with reclaimed materials + Pellon® products. It’s bitter because it’s our last week of the Retread Your Threads series and we’re a little sad to see it go! We hope you enjoy this last project from Jenelle and encourage you to visit her at TrashN2Tees for more projects & inspiration.

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Spring has finally sprung, and I’ve been trying to find some quick and easy ways to inject a splash of funk & color to my wardrobe. Today’s project, the woven t-shirt cuff bracelet, will do just that. It can be modified in a few different ways so I encourage you to experiment with it and have fun. Be sure to share your upcycled designs with us using hashtag #retreadyourthreads we’ll be featuring your projects right here later this week!

Materials Needed: 
Tshirt scrap
Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under®
Rotary Cutter & Ruler
Thread & Needle (or Sewing Machine)
Optional: Button or snaps for closure

It’s been a pleasure to join Pellon® for Earth Month and I’m grateful for the opportunity to not only educate you about textile and clothing waste but also inspire you to find creative ways to reuse, re-purpose, and recreate with clothing through the Retread Your Threads series. I believe that all waste has value and would love for you to join me in my movement to change the way we consume and create. Find out how by visiting me at www.trashn2tees.com and www.createchangemovement.com  Have you learned something new, been inspired to upcycle something old, or have a juicy question? Leave a comment below and let’s continue this conversation.

Previous Posts:
Cornhole DIY by Pellon®
Denim Cylinder Sleeve by TrashN2Tees
Triangle Tee by Pellon®
T-Shirt Trays by TrashN2Tees
T-Shirt Pendants by TrashN2Tees
Reclaimed Scraps with Pellon® by The Sewing Loft

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Thanks so much Jenelle! We’ve adored having you as a guest poster this month! Can’t wait to see all of the new projects you come up with throughout the year

About Jenelle: (in her words)
Hi! I’m Jenelle. Though these days I am most frequently referred to as Mommy, I used to hold such titles as President, Waitress, College Student, Mud Bog Racer, and I even donned a big furry cat suit in high school as Suzy Stateliner- the school mascot! Between crushing cars with Monster Jam trucks, judging silly dance contests, and those other less fun household chores… I rescue clothing and textiles from our landfills. I’ve been called a recycling and repurposing revolutionary. I am here to not only encourage and inspire you to consume less and recycle more but to transform discarded materials into wearable, practical, fun, personalized and stylish works of art. When we find creative ways to repurpose what we no longer need we can inject color, texture, personality, and wonder into our lives and communities. You can find out more about my commitment by visiting  www.trashn2tees.com.

Find Jenelle online: Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Instagram :: Pinterest :: Etsy

Retread Your Threads: The Sewing Loft

We absolutely adore seeing all of these fabulous ways in which to reuse old clothes, fabric scraps and more! Continuing with our Retread your Threads series, we’re excited to introduce you to Heather Valentine of The Sewing Loft. She’s been known to reuse a thing or two and has done a wonderful job with pulling together a variety of tutorials for you to check out. Don’t forget to check out her blog. It’s an excellent source for sewing tutorials, reviews, patterns and is truly just a fun online destination! Take it away, Heather!

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Hello Pellon® Readers, Heather here from The Sewing Loft.

When Erin asked me to share some of my creative process related to reclaiming, I was all in. Truth be told, I am a scrapper at heart. I feel like I am always savoring the very last bit of amazingness when it comes to fabrics. And I do mean EVERY last bit! That’s with no discrimination regarding age, style or fabric blend. If the fabric speaks to me, I save everything, especially vintage!

Reclaimed Scraps with Pellon®

To keep my smaller scraps in line, I store them in a metal basket until they start to get unruly. For me, that’s when the magic happens. One of my favorite things to do is create scrap fabric yardage from leftover bits. My “fabric blend” of choice is reclaimed men’s buttoned down shirts mixed with brightly colored printed cottons. The mixture can create the most amazing patterns.

The possibilities are limitless. To give you more inspiration and fun ideas to reclaim your creativity through fabric and Pellon®, I have created a quick rounded up with a sampling of a few favorites.

[Projects, clockwise from top left: Elbow Patches, Peacock Pillow, Travel Sewing Kit, Gold Glitter Polka Dot Sweater, T-Shirt Pendant Necklace, Gift Card Holders, Patched Pocket Panel, Hand Sewn Travel Checkers]

They range from simple board games to hand-made accessories. These are easy to make and eye-catching projects that combine both new and reclaimed materials.

For more ideas to reclaim your creativity through scrap fabric and Pellon® can be found on the Retread Your Threads Pinterest board. And by all means, don’t stop there! If you have a fun way to reclaim your scraps we want to hear from you! Please share your ideas, tips and tricks with us in the comment section below or join the conversation on Twitter using #retreadyourthreads hashtags.

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Thanks so much Heather! We’ll have more tutorials coming soon, rolling into our final week of Earth Month, so stay tuned!

About Heather:
Heather is an outgoing, creative dreamer that loves to stitch!  After 20 plus years designing for others in the apparel industry, she decided to jump ship and follow her own creative voice.

She blogs at The Sewing Loft and creates tutorial style patterns.  She likes to think of the blog as more of a community, a place to share ideas, tips and techniques used during the creative process.

Find Heather online:
Blog — Facebook — Twitter — Pinterest — Etsy — Instagram — Flickr

AQS QuiltWeek™ — Paducah 2013

It’s that time of year again… time for the Quilters to take over Paducah! That’s right, it’s QuiltWeek™ in Paducah, KY, a time when the city comes alive with creativity… when thousands of quilters and educators will arrive, all because the AQS Quilt Show & Contest is in town. Carloads of quilting buddies will be motoring across Kentucky, stopping at quilt shops along the way. Residents will share their homes with return visitors and tourists will swarm, sampling the local food and shopping the quaint downtown shops. The National Quilt Museum will be filled with folks eager to see top winners from past years. Caryl Bryer Fallert’s Studio, The Bryer Patch, will be lit up with visitors. BBQ and lemonade will be served under tents on the grounds while golf carts and buses transport giddy quilters from one event to the next. It’s truly a magical week for the quilting community, one not to be missed!

[image from AQS]

Festivies kick off tonight with the awards dinner and we can’t wait to get a peek at some of this year’s winning quilts. You can see a list of the semi-finalists right here. Legacy™ by Pellon®’s sponsored category is Small Quilts, Handquilted. Good luck to all involved!!

Legacy™ by Pellon® can be found in the main Convention Center at booth 1204. Our batting expert extraordinaire, Darlene Christopherson, will be there to answer all of your questions. Looking to drive home with some rolls of batting? Legacy™ by Pellon® will have 48″ boards, 30 yard rolls, 96″ boards (who wouldn’t want to own ‘the whole 9 yards’??) and more.

[images by Darlene Christopherson -- L: Legacy™ Batting Rolls ready to be taken into the convention center. R: Outside the National Quilting Museum]

AQS – Paducah
April 24 – 27, 2013
Paducah Expo Center
415 Park Avenue, Paducah, KY 42001

Schedule:
Wednesday :: Thursday :: Friday :: Saturday

Show Info:
Reigstration
Place to Eat at the Show
Getting Around
Photography Policy
Sanctioned Events
Vendor List

Local Destinations & Info:
All About Paducah
The National Quilting Museum
Hancocks of Paducah
The Bryer Patch
Paducah Tourism Info
Local Quilting and Fabric Shops

What are the attendees pinning?
Paducah on Pinterest

[image from Far Outliers from Paducah's Men in Quilts]

Retread Your Threads: T-Shirt Necklace Pendant

Welcome to week 3 of our Retread Your Threads Series. Today is extra special because it’s Earth Day! We’re so thrilled to have a brand new tutorial from Jenelle at TrashN2Tees. Have fun with this one — we’re loving it!

Hug a tree, plant an organic garden, have a picnic, or cut up discarded t-shirts — however you’re planning on spending Earth Day (today!) have fun & make it count!

We all know about the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle but the statistics are staggering when it comes to the amount of clothing/textile waste we toss into our landfills. According to the EPA,13 million tons of textiles are thrown away each year (in the US alone) and while our recycling rates continue to rise, only a meager 15 percent of textile waste is recovered for reuse and recycling, wasting nearly 11 million tons each year! Even the most worn out items can be collected and processed into new materials, whether it’s cleaning rags, carpet padding or rubberized playgrounds. What do you do when your clothing gets worn out?

I’m committed to changing the way we consume and create and I’m honored to be here on the Pellon® Blog all month long for the Retread Your Threads series. Through TrashN2Tees I’ve been able to not only raise awareness about clothing recycling, offer options for collection and processing, and teach creative workshops that transform unwanted items into wearable and practical works of art — to date I’ve been able to divert more than 20 tons of clothing from our landfills. Join me today & let’s create change together with these sweet upcycled t-shirt pendant necklaces. (Pssst! Mothers Day is coming up too!)

 Materials Needed:
Tshirt or Fabric Scraps
Scissors
71F Pellon® Peltex® I Ultra Firm
Pellon® Clear-Fuse® 800
Needle and Thread
Jewelry Findings (Chains, bails, jump rings)
E600 Adhesive or Hot Glue Gun

1. Cut t-shirt material (2 layers) and Pellon® Clear-Fuse® to the same size. Fold your Pellon® Peltex® in half and cut desired pendant shape. This will give you two exact shapes. My pendants are approximately 2 inches. I tested out different shapes including tear drops, rectangles, hearts, and circles.

2. Press Clear-Fuse® following directions. Tip: Let cool & be sure to remove clear plastic film before proceeding to Step 3.

3. Stack both Peltex® shapes on top of each other and place onto fabric. Tip: If you don’t have Peltex® on hand you could substitute with cereal box cardboard or the like.

4. Cover with second layer of t-shirt and press.

5. Use needle and thread to hand stitch around shape.

 

6. Cut out pendant shape.

7. Finish pendant either a jump ring or gluing a bail to back. Tip: I love the jump ring because it offers a little more versatility and you could use 2 different colors for a reversible pendant. 

All of our Retread Your Thread tutorials offer you a creative way to curb waste and pollution, and inject a sense of color and wondering into our communities. Doesn’t it feel good knowing that you’re creating change? Be sure to tag your creations using #retreadyourthreads and share with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram- we’ll be featuring all of your upcycled designs here next week.

Previous Posts:
Cornhole DIY by Pellon®
Denim Cylinder Sleeve by TrashN2Tees
Triangle Tee by Pellon®
T-Shirt Trays by TrashN2Tees

If you would like to learn more about TrashN2Tees Clothing Recycling,  join the movement to change the way we consume and create, shop my designs, or are looking for more upcycling inspiration- please visit me at www.trashn2tees.com.

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Thanks so much Jenelle! What a sweet and perfect gift for Mother’s Day! We’re pretty sure everyone needs a custom t-shirt necklace;).

About Jenelle: (in her words)
Hi! I’m Jenelle. Though these days I am most frequently referred to as Mommy, I used to hold such titles as President, Waitress, College Student, Mud Bog Racer, and I even donned a big furry cat suit in high school as Suzy Stateliner- the school mascot! Between crushing cars with Monster Jam trucks, judging silly dance contests, and those other less fun household chores… I rescue clothing and textiles from our landfills. I’ve been called a recycling and repurposing revolutionary. I am here to not only encourage and inspire you to consume less and recycle more but to transform discarded materials into wearable, practical, fun, personalized and stylish works of art. When we find creative ways to repurpose what we no longer need we can inject color, texture, personality, and wonder into our lives and communities. You can find out more about my commitment by visiting  www.trashn2tees.com.

Find Jenelle online: Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Instagram :: Pinterest :: Etsy

Retread Your Threads: Cornhole DIY

Fun for Friday = A new Retread Your Threads DIY! This is a great weekend project and one that will help you get ready for that first Spring BBQ!

Last Summer, my husband and I bought a travel version of the popular lawn game, cornhole. We’d both played plenty of times before on vacations and at friends houses, but felt it was time to have one of our own for some good Summer BBQ entertainment. I’ll admit that our game is not high quality. It’s not ‘regulation size’ and the bags that came with it feel chalky and flimsy. To get ready for a new Summer of BBQs and get togethers, I knew that it needed a bit of a facelift. Step 1? New bags!

In the spirit of Earth Month and our Retread Your Threads series, I made new cornhole bags out of 3 different shirts that we had kicking around in our Goodwill pile. The project is super easy, fast and results in hours of fun!

Materials & Tools
3 old shirts (I used two print & one solid)
Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under®
Pellon® 931TD Fusible Midweight
Popcorn Kernels
Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies
Sewing Machine & Related Supplies
Iron & Ironing Board
Thread
Circle & Star Templates — download here

Cutting Instructions
Cut eight 5″ x 5″ squares of solid shirt
Cut four 5″ x 5″ squares of each printed shirt
Cut sixteen 5″ x 5″ squares of Pellon® 931TD Fusible Midweight
Cut four 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ squares of each printed shirt
Cut eight 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ squares of Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under®

*Please note that since we’re using a travel-sized version of the game, I chose to make my bags a bit smaller. If you’re using a larger board, you’ll want to cut 7″ x 7″ & 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ squares.

Following manufacturer’s  instructions, fuse Wonder-Under® to wrong side of 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ printed squares. Fuse the 5″ x 5″ squares of 931TD to the wrong sides of all 5″ x 5″ fabric squares.

Using the templates provided, trace the circle onto the paper side of all four 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ squares of one printed fabric and trace the star onto the paper side of the 4 squares of the other. Cut out the shapes and remove the paper-backing of the Wonder-Under®. (Tip: I like to lightly score the paper of the Wonder-Under® with a pin to help in peeling off the paper backing.)

Center the shapes onto the solid 5″ x 5″ squares and fuse in place. Finish with a zig-zag stitch around the edges.

Place circle squares right sides together with coordinating fabric squares & pin. Place star squares right sides together with coordinating fabric squares & pin. Stitch around all 4 sides with a 1/4″ seam allowance, leaving a 3″ gap on one side for turning. Trim threads and clip corners.

Turn squares right side out through gap and carefully push out corners. Press.

Fill each bag with about 6oz. of popcorn kernels. Pin opening closed and topstitch about 1/8″ from edge to secure the gap closed.

Admire your work and get ready for some cornhole!!

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This project was created and sewn by Erin @ Pellon®. It was inspired by the Retread Your Threads series, and the lovely Jenelle Montilone of TrashN2Tees. For more projects in this series, see links below.

Denim Cylinder Sleeve by TrashN2Tees
Triangle Tee by Pellon®
T-Shirt Trays by TrashN2Tees

For more repurposing information, check out our Pinterest board here.

Coming Up: A brand new project from TrashN2Tees on Monday, April 22 — Earth Day!!

Home Décor w/Alison Glass, Part 2

This week marks the second post for designer Alison Glass. If you missed the first post, simply click here. Take it away Alison!

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Designer: Alison Glass
Product Review: Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece — Using 987F as a backing for quilt weight fabric in an upholstery application.
Purpose:  Research adding bulk and stability to quilt weight cotton to make it an appropriate weight for use in upholstery projects.
Project:  Recovering a vintage arm chair in quilting weight cotton fabric backed with fusible fleece.

Before:
The chair will get a new coat of paint to go with the new fabric!

Fabrics Used:
Mural in Night from the Lucky Penny collection by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics.

Applying the fusible interfacing to the fabric
The 987F Fusible Fleece was very easy to work with and apply to the cotton fabric. I followed the directions for a “light bond” and had no problem with the two adhering to one another. The two fabrics seem to have similar stretch and move well together.

Attaching the fabric/interfacing to the chair
I have to say, I was a bit skeptical that this would work, but it did, and so well! The fleece moved and stretched with the quilting cotton beautifully, it really seems that the two are like one substantial fabric. In addition, the little bit of added padding the fusible fleece gives really helps to smooth out the surface of the fabric, but without a lot of bulk. Frankly, it was easier to work with and in the end looks nicer than some upholstery fabrics I have used in the past. I am really looking forward to seeing how this will wear over time, but I feel confident that the fleece has given the quilting cotton the little extra it needs to continue to look beautiful and function well over time. The thing I am most excited about is the doors this opens up for using some amazing quilt weight fabrics for these type of projects.

Conclusions
Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece is useful for a lot of projects, and this is yet another. I am thrilled to have found a product to add to all of the gorgeous quilt weight cotton fabric out there in the world that allows it to function well in upholstery projects. I think I might need more vintage chairs now!

After:

A HUGE thank you to Alison for sharing her findings with us! We’re really excited about getting started on a new home decor project:).

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About Alison:
Alison Glass is a surface and space designer living in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son. Aspiring to create a career for herself, Alison started a design business in 2007 focusing on space remodels and custom home decor pieces. Her love of color and shape and the combination of the two eventually lead to making the decision to step back from the local design business and work toward her goal of creating artwork for surfaces. She is thrilled for the opportunity to design fabric for Andover.

Alison is inspired by the multitude of details in the world, both natural and those made by artisans, particularly in urban architecture. She is passionate about the ideas of making choices that are consistent with who a person is, being increasingly comfortable with ambiguity, and continuing to move forward and live in the new. She loves to talk about these ideas, as well as art, design, architecture, color, kids, okay, pretty much anything, with anyone who cares to talk! She is incredibly grateful to her husband and kids, for who they are, and for their enthusiasm and support of her work, as well as the amazing varied and interesting friends she is meeting along the way who are a constant source of inspiration and new possibilities.
[source]

Find Alison Online:
Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Instagram :: Pinterest :: Twitter :: Flickr

2013 Winter Mystery Quilt-A-Long, Part 3

Outside, the birds are chirping and Spring is finally starting to make her mark. Inside, we’re hard at work on our Winter Mystery QAL! This month, we added another member and we’re hoping that we’ll see even more of you join in.

Between our three entrants and using the powers of random.org, we’re happy to announce that Kim Loar is our winner this month! Check out Kim’s progress so far:

Congratulations, Kim!! We’ll be sending off your prize this week:).

We’ve loved seeing everyone’s progress and couldn’t help but share with you here as well. Take a peek at the other two entrants:

Brenda Chavez

& Kathrie

Beautiful Work!!!

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The 2013 Winter Mystery Quilt A Long (remaining schedule)
5/12: Deadline for Part 3 submissions
5/15: Part 4 + Winner for giveaway announced
6/12: Deadline for Part 4 submissions
6/15: Part 5 + Winner for giveaway announced
7/12: Deadline for Part 5 submissions
7/15: Part 6 + Winner for giveaway announced
8/12: Deadline for Part 6 submissions
8/15: Winner for giveaway announced
9/25: Full Quilt entries due
10/2: Winners announced (1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes)

Click here to join in the QAL Flickr Group

Part 3 prizing:

1 pkg Pellon® 835R Stitch-N-Tear® Lite AND 1 copy of Asian Fabric Magazine (each magazine comes with between 6-10 quilt patterns!)
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Part 3
We’re excited to bring you Month 3, with a fab embroidery twist! This month, we create top and bottom borders. They can be embroidered or even drawn with fabric markers. We hope you have as much fun with this one as we did!

Materials List
– See Month 1 for full fabric requirements
– Two 8″ x 34″ strips Fabric B – Kona Bay GT0052-02 White
– 1 yard Pellon® 880F Sof-Shape®
– 2 skeins Embroidery Floss
– 1 Sakura Pigma® Micron® Pen (optional)*
– Fabric Markers (optional)
– Thread
* See manufacturer’s warning.

Tools List
– Light Box (optional)
– Market for marking embroidery
– Rotary Cutter & Related Supplies

A free downloadable pdf for this project is available on our website — click here for the project page.

Happy Quilting!!

Retread Your Threads: T-Shirt Trays

Happy Monday and welcome to week dos of Retread Your Threads, I’m Jenelle from TrashN2Tees and we’re celebrating Earth Month with this great series sharing creative ways to repurpose clothing and textiles using a variety of Pellon® products. Be sure to check out last week’s project which had you playing with denim, sharp scissors, and fire! Today’s tutorial is super simple and a great way to reuse t-shirts and also to re-organize. A quick fact to share: If everyone in the US repurposed just 1 t-shirt we would recover 210 billion gallons of water and keep 1 million pounds of CO2 from our atmosphere! (Just in case you needed some added motivation!) So grab your tees and a pair of scissors and let’s get started!!

Materials Needed: 
Scissors or Rotary Cutter 
(2) t-shirts 
Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
Pellon® 72F Peltex® 2-Sided Fusible
Sewing Machine
Walking Foot (optional)

This project is completely customizable. Depending on your needs and the materials you have on hand, your tray size may vary. 

For a small trinket/toy tray I used: 2 pieces of 8″x8″ t-shirt material, 1 8″x8″ piece Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece, and 1 5″x5″ piece Pellon® 72F Peltex®.

For the larger tshirt tray I used: 2 12″x12″ pieces of t-shirt material, 1 12″x12″ piece Pellon® 987F  Fusible Fleece, and 1 8.5″x8.5″ piece Pellon® 72F Peltex®.

1. Cut your materials to size 

 2. Fuse the fleece to underside of main pattern. Fuse Peltex® to center of underside bottom pattern.

3. Pin & sew along all four edges using preferred seam allowance (I used 1/4″) and be sure to leave a 4″ opening for turning.

 

*I opted to utilize my walking foot attachment for this project, however it’s not necessary. A walking foot attachment has a feed dog that moves the upper fabric while the lower feed dog moves the lower fabric. This keeps the fabrics together when many layers are stitched, important when quilting and equally when sewing with jersey knit material (tshirts) to keep from puckering. 

4. Snip and flip. After trimming corners, turn your project right side out. Then press, tucking in raw edge (pin that) and also fusing the Peltex®. 

5. Topstitch around the edges, this will also finish the closing you used for turning.

6. Pinch corner and sew. Repeat x4. If you use the Peltex®, you’ll be able to feel it and pinch there- if you opted not to use Peltex® it’s approximately 1″ to 1.5″ in from the corner. You could also hand stitch this with embroidery floss.

And there you have it, a finished t-shirt tray. In my opinion, the perfect catch all for  those playmobile and legos I step on find around the house. They’re also great for organizing a craft drawer, sock drawer, coloring books/magazines, and if you happen to be a crafterprenuer too, it’s  an excellent way to display products at an upcoming show. 

 

Share your finished upcycled projects with us by tagging @PellonProjects and @TrashN2Tees on Instagram and Twitter with hashtag #RetreadYourThreads. I hope you’ll join me back here next Monday for more, but until then find Retread Your Thread Project inspiration on Pinterest.

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Thanks so much Jenelle! We are loving these T-Shirt trays!! For all of your crafters who are following along, Earth Day is April 22. How will you give back?

About Jenelle: (in her words)
Hi! I’m Jenelle. Though these days I am most frequently referred to as Mommy, I used to hold such titles as President, Waitress, College Student, Mud Bog Racer, and I even donned a big furry cat suit in high school as Suzy Stateliner- the school mascot! Between crushing cars with Monster Jam trucks, judging silly dance contests, and those other less fun household chores… I rescue clothing and textiles from our landfills. I’ve been called a recycling and repurposing revolutionary. I am here to not only encourage and inspire you to consume less and recycle more but to transform discarded materials into wearable, practical, fun, personalized and stylish works of art. When we find creative ways to repurpose what we no longer need we can inject color, texture, personality, and wonder into our lives and communities. You can find out more about my commitment by visiting  www.trashn2tees.com.

Find Jenelle online: Website :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Instagram :: Pinterest :: Etsy

Retread Your Threads: Triangle Tee

In the spirit of Earth month, we’re hoping to post a handful of fun, quick & easy tutorials for how to use something old + a little bit of Pellon® to make something brand new! You’ll see new posts from designer Jenelle Montilone of TrashN2Tees every Monday and we’ll pepper in a few more throughout the week;). Have fun and happy re-purposing!!

The Triangle Tee

What You’ll Need:

• 1 T-Shirt (I used a Men’s size L tee so that I could size down)
• Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under®
• Fabric Scraps (I used three different patterns)
• Sewing Machine & Related Supplies

– Start by turning your tee inside out. Try it on and, using pins, make marks where you’ll need to alter the sleeves, the sides and the bottom.

– Lay the t-shirt out on a flat surface. Using the pins as a guide, draw lines along the sleeves and down the sides of the tee. I like to pin the shirt in place along the lines to prevent shifting. Cut a band off the bottom of the tee about 1” below the mark. This will be hemmed later.

– Sew along the lines, backstitching at the start and finish to secure the stitches.

– Cut off the excess material about a ¼” outside the stitched line.

– Pin the neckline together, making sure to line up the shoulder seams. Draw a line for your neckline. I did a ‘V’, but you could also do a scoop neck, a boat neck, or a wider crew. Cut about 1” outside the line (toward the original neckline). This will be hemmed later.

– Fold up the bottom of the tee by ½” and press. Fold up another ½” and pin. Sew in place to create your bottom hem. I like to use a zig-zag stitch here as it allows the material to stretch.

– Follow the same process with the neckline, but stitch in place using a straight stitch for a clean finish.

– Turn your tee right side out and admire!

– Cut 1 4” x 6” rectangle from each of your fabrics. Cut 3 4” x 6” rectangles of the Wonder-Under®.

– Place the Wonder-Under® rough side up on your ironing board and lay your fabric on top, right side up. Cover with a cloth and press firmly with a dry iron for about 8-10 seconds. Do this for each fabric.

– Cut out a triangle shape from a piece of cardstock (or simply draw your own design). Trace the triangle shape onto the paper back of the Wonder-Under® (on the back side of the fabric). Trace as many as you’d like.

– Carefully cut all triangles out on the drawn lines.

– Remove the paper-back from the Wonder-Under®. I find that scoring the paper lightly with a pin sometimes helps to get the process started. Think of it as removing the paper off the back of a sticker.

– Arrange the triangles however you’d like with the Wonder-Under® against the front of the t-shirt.

– Cover the triangles with a cloth, spray the cloth with water from your iron to dampen, and firmly press in place for about 8-10 seconds. Repeat this process until all triangles are fused to the t-shirt.

– Put your new t-shirt on and flaunt it around town!!

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See you on Monday for a brand new tutorial from Jenelle!