Rice Heat Cold Packs Tutorial

I have made rice heat packs many times over the years, I always have a few kept in the freezer at home as they get used often by myself.  I suffer from headaches and I find a soothing cold pack against my head really helps.  They are also good heated in the microwave as a heat pack for stomach cramps.

The skull design ones are some I have recently made, I made these smaller in a square shape instead of rectangles.  It doesn't really matter what the shape is as long as they do there job.

These are very simple to make, just 2 pieces of cotton cloth, place together pattern side touching each other, sew around all 4 sides, leaving a small gap on one side.  Turn the fabric the right way around, then fill 3/5 full of rice and then secure the hole by sewing it closed.  They are ready to be used, either by placing in the freezer or heating in the microwave.  Here is a link to 'Tipnut'  a really good tutorial: http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-microwave-heating-pad/


Below are some I made and posted about 6 years ago. http://www.karimascrafts.com/2011/02/hot-and-cold-packs.html?m=0

Upcycled Scarf Bag Tutorial

I have been busy recently making some Upcycled Scarf Bags.  I use second hand scarves that I buy from thrift stores/charity shops. I make these scarves into tote style bags and add a lining with a pocket using upycled fabric too.  I am making these to sell on my craft stall or on my Etsy page.

I have posted a while bag showing the original tutorial on how the standard bag is made from a scarf. Here is the link: http://www.karimascrafts.com/2013/07/scarf-surprises-30-days-of-ramadan.html

Photo above shows some of the tote bags on my craft stall.

SLH Crafts Review

Most who follow me will also be aware that my 13 year old daughter is also a blogger and has a crafts website SLH Crafts. http://www.slhcrafts.com/  She has recently been quite busy with different crafts and also won a local art competition recently so I thought it was about time I showcased some of her recent work here on my blog too!  I am so proud of her achievements and her talents continue to amaze me masha'Allah.

The main photo above shows her receiving her prize for the Alice in Wonderland Piece of art she did for the Art Competition.  The photos below show some of her lovely paintings she has recently done.

Below are some other art pieces she has created and shared on her blog over the last few months.

I used to show her crafts on my blog when she was younger but now that she has her own blog I only show hers occasionally and as a group post. My 8 year old is now also asking for her own craft blog, soon I won't have much to share on my own blog haha!

Mermaid Plushie Tutorial

My 8 year old daughter wanted to make a mermaid plushie as part of the Art/Crafts weekly event she has been participating in recently. The week's theme was 'Under The Sea' so instead of a painting she wanted to sew something. She chose the design herself and hand sewed the doll by herself. We used the spare fabric from some old woolen jumpers we had previously felted for older projects that we had spare.

Items Needed:

Felt (various colours)
Embroidery Thread and needle
Stuffing
Scissors for cutting
Paper template (we drew our own)

Step 1: Draw the design you want and cut out a paper template of all the pieces you would need to make the plushie.

Step 2: use the template to cut out the fabric pieces you need, remembering you need a front and back piece for the plushie.

Step 3: Start hand sewing the pieces together, I would suggest sewing all the front pieces together first and then the back pieces next. Then start sewing the front to the back. My daughter used a blanket stitch for all the sewing. Remember to leave a small gap to insert the stuffing.

Step 4: Insert the stuffing and then close up the gap.

Step 5: Hand sew a face design of your choice.

The photo below shows my daughter holding her completed mermaid.

Teal Cushion Covers

My daughter has been busy decorating and furnishing her craft studio and went for a teal theme. She had one feature wall painted teal and painted some of the furniture with similar colours. She had been looking for some teal cushion covers to put on the sofa in the room, but we could not find any cheap ones. We did however find a bargain shower curtain which she loved. I managed to make 3 cushion covers for her from the piece of curtain fabric we bought.

We already had some cushion covers with cushion that we didn't need. So I removed the zips from the cushion covers to reuse and used the covers as a template to cut out the fabric for her new cushions. So total cost was just the price of the shower curtain which was about £2.00 if I remember rightly.

You will notice that the colour of the cushions look different in each photograph, that has just been the effects of the camera and lighting.  Below is a photo of her nearly finished craft studio.

Felt Bookmark Tutorial

I recently did a n Eid Gift Swap and one of the gifts I made was a Felt Boookmark, so I thought I would show you how easy these are to make.

Requirements:

Felt
Embroidery thread and needle
Metal grippers
Jewellery or beads (I used an earring piece).

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut out a rectangle piece of felt.
Step 2: Sew a blanket stitch all around the edges. You could also add more decorative stitches.
Step 3: Add the metal gripper.
Step 4: Add any decoration you have to the gripper. I used an earring piece.

DIY Bow Tie Tutorial

It is rare that I get to do sewing for my son!  It was his school Prom this month and he wanted to have a nice Tie for his suit and I decided I would make him one instead of buying one and that way it would be unique too! Can't believe he starts college in September insha'Allah. I also added a matching pocket scarf to match!

Requirements:

• Fabric for Tie
• Needle and Thread
• Fusible interfacing (I actually used hemming webbing)
• Elastic for neck
• Iron

Step 1: Cut out 3 pieces of fabric. I did one piece slightly smaller, but you can keep it the same size. Approx size is 11cm x 24cm. The small piece only needs to be small about 8cm x 5cm. I originally cut it larger and then had to cut it down.

Step 2: Add the interfacing if using, I used hemming webbing! Place enough in the middle and fold the large part halfway lengthways. Iron the fabric.

Step 3: Once you have ironed the webbing place some more in the middle as in the photograph and then fold the ends down securing in the middle with the webbing and iron.

Step 4: Repeat these steps with the 2nd piece of large fabric.

Step 5: Place some webbing into the small piece of fabric and iron and make the centre piece for the tie.

Step 6: Place the 2 main parts on top of each other and then stitch in the middle to secure the two pieces together.

Step 7: Then place the centre part over the bow tie and stitch at the back. Leave a small gap to insert some elastic.

Step 8: Attach some elastic to the bow tie. Size depending on neck width.

Step 9: Optional - with any remaining fabric you can make a pocket scarf. 

I watched quite a few video tutorials to give me an idea on how to do this. One video which I thought was very good at explaining step by step was this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TydoohGHCRY

The above link also made a fabric neck band not an elastic one which I did. My son was so happy with his Bow Tie and Pocket scarf. I used fabric I already had at home so this didn't cost me anything.  There are also some video tutorials which show you how to make Bow Ties without sewing! here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRp-l65V2mQ

Owl Cushion Tutorial

My 8 year old recently made an owl design on a cushion by using cut up fabric and fabric glue, I posted about that earlier cute-fabric-cushion A friend of ours was very impressed and asked if she could have a cushion made by my daughter too! However my daughter wanted to make it different and actually do it in the shape of an owl.  Four years ago I had done this myself, but as a small softie toy rather than a cushion. See it here: owl-softie

My 8 year old did everything from start to finish, she drew out the shapes, cut out the pattern and the fabric pieces. She did all the hand sewing and even finished the cushion off using the sewing machine. So it really is quite easy to do as you will see hopefully.  We used upcycled wool jumpers that we had felted by washing hot and tumble drying several times.

Requirements:

• Felt or fabric
• Embroidery thread and normal thread inc needles
• 2 Buttons for the eye (you could use fabric/felt)
• Wadding (stuffing)

Instructions:

Step 1: Draw out the shape of your owl cushion (I used A4 paper)
Step 2: Then draw out the eyes, nose, wings and my daughter wanted a heart in the middle.
Step 3: Make sure the size of the parts fit nicely by cutting all paper patterns out and placing them on the main owl shape. If not adjust accordingly.
Step 4: Place the owl cut out onto the fabric and pin in place.

Step 5: Cut out the owl shape (you need 2 pieces one for the front and one for the back)
Step 6: Again makes that all paper pattern pieces will fit the cut out owl.
Step 7: Place the pattern pieces onto your other fabric and cut out all the pieces. Then place onto the main owl fabric to make sure that you are satisfied with your design.
Step 8: Start sewing the middle of the eye to the outer eye using blanket stitch.

Step 9: Attach the button if using onto the centre of the eye.
Step 10: Repeat this step by making the second eye.
Step 11: Attach the eyes using blanket stitch onto the main owl fabric. Then attach the nose by stitching too. Again place all pieces over the fabric to make sure they are still all fitting nicely.
Step 12: Attach the wings using blanket stitch.

Step 13: Attach the heart shape by blanket stitch. That should be all pieces attached.
Step 14: Place the other cut out owl piece and place it onto the the finished sewed owl piece. The owl design needs to be inside.
Step 15: Pin the piece together ready to sew with the sewing machine. You could do this by hand if you wished.
Step 16: Start sewing all around the edges. Leave an opening on the bottom so that you can turn it inside out.

Step 17: Turn the sewed cushion inside out so that you can now see the front of the design. You may need to press inside for the ears to be shown.
Step 18: Now fill in the cushion with wadding in the opening that you left.
Step 19: Hand sew the opening at the bottom to secure the cushion.
Step 20: You can now gift your cushion or find a nice comfy place for it to reside!

My daughter's previous owl cushion:

My previous Owl softies made by me and my other daughter in 2011:

Photo Frame Pin Cushion Tutorial

I have made photo frame pincushions before but larger ones! I bought some cute small photo frames recently and just knew I wanted to make a couple of pin cushion projects out of them! The one in the photograph was made as part of a wedding gift package that I posted about recently. wedding-day-gift-package

I thought I would make a quick tutorial on how I made this.

Requirements:

• Photograph Frame
• Fabric
• Needle and Thread
• Wadding (stuffing)
• Hot Glue

Instructions

Step 1: Cut out a piece of fabric about twice the size of the frame. This frame was round so I used a large cup to draw a circle about twice the size.  If a rectangle shape then maybe one and ahalf to twice the size.
Step 2: Sew a gathering stitch all around the outside of the circle or rectangle.
Step 3: Gather the thread and then insert some stuffing.
Step 4: Place the stuffed fabric into the frame (after glass has been removed) and make sure it has a neat fit.
Step 5: Secure the fabric to the frame by using hot glue.
Step 6: Cover the opening of the fabric with some more fabric if needed by glue or sewing.
Step 7: Place the frame back to the frame, mine had been glued on so I had to re-attach by glue but most frames have sliding out backs.
Step 8: Decorate your frame if needed, I hot glued a couple of small decorations onto this one.


I bought this frame as a set so also did the same with the other 2 doing slightly different decorations, shown below. The one immediately below I have kept at home and have used it to display my daughter's Sea Glass Necklaces. She is currently doing a giveaway on her page if you want to pop by. http://www.slhcrafts.com/2015/06/sea-glass-necklace-giveaway.html

The photograph below is a frame I made as a gift for a friend.