HomeSpun-Threads: summer crafts

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Hello readers of Home Spun Threads! I'm LiEr from ikatbag and I am excited to be part of Aimee's Summer Soiree today! I have three little girls aged 3, 4 and 6 and a lot of my making is inspired by watching them play. We do most of our making together in the cold winter months and love being outdoors in the summer. And since being outdoors often means bringing home priceless souvenirs like pebbles and dandelions, I am sharing a tutorial on these little fleece pouches to hold all those summer treasures so tiny hands can be free to point, clap and wave in the sunshine.

To get started, download the pattern here and prepare your fabric pieces:

Step 1

Position one ribbon casing right side up on the right side of one of the side pieces.

Step 2

Using the zigzag stitch, sew both long edges to attach. You can choose coordinating or contrasting thread. Remember to backstitch where you began and ended.

Step 3

Mark the middle of the bottom edge (I used a pin for photo visibility).

Step 4

Make 1/4" deep cuts all along this bottom edge, about 1/2" apart. These cuts will be within the seam allowance portion of the fabric.

Step 5

Repeat Steps 1-4 for the other ribbon casing piece and side piece.

Step 6

Place the right sides of both completed side pieces together, and sew up the side seams to make a squat tube.

Step 7

Make quarter marks (I used pins) around the circumference of the base.

Step 8

Match these marks up with the quarter marks (the two pins and the side seams) of the bottom edge of the tube from Step 6, and pin the base to the bottom of the tube. The wrong side of the base and the wrong side of the tube are facing outwards.

Notice that the pins are on the tube/walls rather than the base. See next step for why.

Step 9

Lay your project tube/walls side up and base side down, under the presser foot. Stretch the snipped seam allowance of the tube around the curved edge of the base and sew to attach base to tube.

The snips will help you ease the circular base into the straight tube edge perfectly, without puckers or folds.

Step 10

Snip off the top corners of the side seam allowance

so the seam allowance doesn't peek over the top edge of the pouch when turned right side out.

Step 11

Thread one ribbon (I used a safety pin) through one ribbon casing

and into the other,

so the ribbon goes all around and emerges where you started.

Tie a knot.

Now go to the other gap between the casings

and insert your other ribbon, going all around until it emerges where you started.

Tie a knot.

Pull both ribbon loops to gather the opening shut!

Easy! Now make more so the kids each have one.

And get your hiking shoes on and head out to collect treasures!

Or head back to ikatbag for the Even Easier Version of this little pouch:

All images and text are copyrighted by ikatbag and must not be reproduced on other sites in any form, including translation, without the permission of the author.

Thank you, Aimee, for letting me join in the summer fun!

Hi there! It delights me to be over here taking part in Aimee's Summer Soirée.

My name is Michele, and you can find me a'blogging and a'crafting over at Michele Made Me. My passion is garbage. I like to get my hands dirty making pretty things out of egg cartons, foam trays, junk mail and all manner of refuse really. And when I'm not garbage-picking, I also enjoy sewing, quilting, and crocheting. My little boy and I often make stuff together, so today we'll be sharing one of his favourite things: his box chain "king hat".

Basically, our king hat is just box chains made from junk mail and old gift wrap attached to a band of craft paper. The chains do take some time to make so I like to divide this craft over two days so as not to bore my little guy. We make the chains one day, and put the whole thing together the next.

Supplies needed for this craft:

junk mail and/or old gift wrap
brown craft paper (or any large flexible paper; newspaper works great)
pair of scissors
ruler
PVA glue/glue stick

You probably know how to make box chains already. If so, skip on over to step 11. For those of you who've not yet heard of these snazzy little box chains, let's go through steps 1 to 10 lickety-split. It's super-easy; your children will love making these versatile chains once they get the hang of them.

1. Cut your junk mail and/or old gift wrap into 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) strips.

2. Take two strips and glue the ends together at 90° angles to one another.

3. Take the strip that is hanging vertically down and fold it up, keeping the 90° angle.

4. Now take the horizontal strip and fold it over to the right, maintaining that 90° angle.

5. Fold the vertical strip back down, yep, with the 90° angle.

6. Fold the horizontal strip back over to the left at a 90° angle.

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 until you get to the end of your strips.

8. Glue the last little end down.

9. Here's what your finished box chain looks like. Happy box chain.

10. Glue several chains together to make longer chains. We made 2 chains long enough to fit around my little guy's head. (Note: Do not overpull the chains.)

We need some little box chain gems as well. It is a crown after all.

To make a gem:

11. Take a short chain, some glue and a short strip of paper.

12. Slather glue on the short strip of paper.

13. Glue one end of the chain to the strip of paper.

14. Glue the other end of the chain to the strip as well. Repeat many times. We made 12 gems in total. Pretty gems.

15. Cut out a piece of craft paper to fit around your child's head adding 3 inches (7.5 cm) for an overlap. We made ours 24 inches (60 cm) long by 9 inches (23 cm) wide. Fold the craft paper in half lengthwise. Apply glue between the layers leaving 3 inches (7.5 cm) at both ends free of glue.

16. Apply a very generous bead of PVA glue to the edges of your craft paper. Do not apply glue to the overlap shown in Photo 16 (last 3 inches or 7.5 cm). Place your long box chain on the bead of glue, making sure that the chain comes in contact with the glue along the entire bead. No chains on the overlap. Glue on the gems as desired. Let the glue dry.

17. Complete the crown by applying glue to the back, front and between the layers of the overlap. Bring the overlap around and insert it between the layers of the other end.

18. Press the layers together to complete the crown. And look-ee, you are done!

And here it is: the end product...

One king-hat for a very serious karate king!

I have a few more box chain craft ideas right here by the way. Do drop by Michele Made Me anytime for a visit; I'd love to have you.

And thank you so much for having me over Aimee. I've had a royal good time!

Hi. i'm a girl.....and I have a glue gun. but let's not judge cause I'm not using my glue gun today (it's a kid craft...and my glue gun isn't low temp.....)

so it's all about summer. I used to love summers. LOVE. now...I am filled with the dread of '"i'm bored" and the "there's nothing to do"
and what about the "it's too hot to play"

argh.

I got this idea in my head and new my kids would love it...

I took some scrap wood.....(I have piles...but you could buy some for cheap)

and my kids painted it (they begged and pleaded to spray paint..but normally I would just give them a paint brush and paint)

while they are drying..

head to your local home depot and buy some nails.

(this package was about 1.30...the only thing I bought...and I'm sure my husband has some but I was NOT digging into his tools...)

the only requirement is that they are straight ...and sharp on the ends (kind of goes without saying)

then I took a sharpie and marked where the nails would go

then I took a hammer and just "started the nails" (you know...so they stayed up when the kids hammered)

[and this would be a fine and dandy time to tell you...that this is more for older kids. my son was 5 and was able to hammer *most* of the nails --we had a basic how to hammer 101 and safety....and we only had a few smashes on our fingers!]

then I gave the kids a hammer and let them go to town...

my son had a scowl in every picture...it's man's work...requires some serious concentration!

warning: don't start this craft if you have a headache...have ever had a headache..or anticipate ever having a headache.....

when all the nails were in (not all the way...just stuck in so you can't pull them out)

we took some yarn

(in my stash..so free)

I cut a strip...then I just tied it on one of the nails

and let the kids start wrapping...

my daughter (who is 7 1/2 {that half is important}) was able to understand were to go...

my son (5) just did a random design

(see the scowl?)

then when they ran out of yarn..I just tied the end to another nail.

my kids had a blast. I could probably give them a hammer and nails and see them in 3 days.

you could do initials....constellations...really...anything. I think it would look awesome if you had 6 blocks all different sizes arranged on a wall.