Make it: Easy Phone Cover + Free Printable

One of my favourite things to DIY and decorate are phone cases. You can make really cool looking personalised cases for a fraction of the price you can buy them for in the shops. I have recently got a new phone so I have been making myself a bunch of new cases and thought it would be fun to share how I have made my own collection.

I only actually had to buy one case, a clear case, I got mine from Amazon but you can get these kinds of cases in lots of places.

First I made a template of the back of my phone to use to make all the inserts I want.

Then I print off some patterns that I have designed on Photoshop, you can download these for yourself  here >>Free Printable Cover Inserts<<  I used some fun brushes in Photoshop and some scans of some watercolour paintings from my sketch book to create these designs. I have an iPhone 6plus so these should be big enough if you print them at 100% for most phones, all you need to do is use your template and cut them down to size

I cut out the designs using my template then you can simply insert them between your phone and the case.

The best thing is that once you have the template you can use any paper or card you like to insert in the case.

I have made some out of transparent papers I got in my Messy Box, project life cards and scrapbook papers. You could even make some out of wrapping paper or fabric. I would suggest gluing lighter paper and fabrics to stiffer card to make them last longer.

If you want to make the inserts last longer you can always laminate them, but I just use them as they are.

I am so fickle and love to change up my case with my mood so for me this is the perfect solution to stop me having to buy loads of new cases. If you want to have a go at this yourself don't forget to download my designs here >>Free Printable Cover Inserts<< or raid your own stash to make your very own collection.

I am off to decide which one is my favourite!

Sammy xxx


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Make it: Unicorn Hobbyhorse with free PDF download

This month of DIY gifts is so exciting for us because we get to share so many things to make for your family and friends. Today I'm going to show you how to make any of the little princesses in your lives squeal with joy. We are making a Unicorn Hobby Horse!  We have included a PDF download for this too so you can print it off and keep it handy for birthdays as well as Christmas time.

You will need: 1/2 metre of white fleece, 3 x 15cm by 75cm strips of coloured fleece, ribbon, toy stuffing, thread (normal and extra strong), a pole or stick, scraps of felt or fleece in black and a pretty colour, pins, scissors and a sewing machine (optional) glue (optional).

Start by drawing out your pattern or use the one we have provided and scale it up to size. Place the unicorn head piece on top of two layers of fleece and cut around the template leaving a 1.5cm seam allowance all the way around. Do the same for the ears and horn, making sure you cut two extra ear pieces from a pretty colour of felt to make the inside of the ears. Stitch all the way around your head shape leaving the bottom open and snip into the seam allowance at all the curves. Next, fold over the horn, pin down the straight edge and stitch it down to make a cone. Also stitch the ears leaving the flat edge at the bottom open, then turn everything right side out.

Next, take a square scrap of fleece and a handful of stuffing and make a ball on the end of your stick by wrapping some thread around the base, I have used an old fabric pole, ask at your local fabric shop if they have any spares you can have, or head to a DIY store and pick up some dowelling. Start to stuff your unicorn head until you reach the bend at the top of the head then insert your pole. Continue to stuff down the neck until you are about 7-9 cm from the base of the neck. Take some strong thread and stitch around the neck pulling it in tight at the base, wrap some pretty ribbon around to cover the stitching and to help keep it in place on your pole.

Next you are going to make the mane. Layer up your three colours of fleece strips and pin them together along the centre. Stitch all the way down the centre of the strips. Take your super sharp scissors and start to snip the strips all the way along both sides leaving 1.5 cm between the end of your cut and the centre line of stitching. You should end up with a lovely fleecy hair do for your unicorn.

Stitch the mane to the base of the neck and tack it in place along the neck seam until you get to the forehead of your unicorn, then fold it back on itself and carry on tacking it on until you reach the end of your mane piece.

It should look a little bit like a horse now, so it is time to make the horn. Take the cone you stitched earlier and stuff it. Stitch up the bottom of the cone with some strong thread and without cutting the thread take it and wrap it up and around the cone, pulling it tightly to create the spiral up the horn. Finish off by stitching through the tip of the horn and tying off your thread.

Fold the ears in half and taking your strong thread again, stitch them to the head either side of the mane, then stitch around the base of the horn. Lastly take a scrap of black felt and cut yourself some cute eyelashes and stitch or glue them onto the unicorn's face.

Here is a picture of the template I drew, you can easily download this picture (right click on your mouse and choose save as or download our PDF) scale it up and use it for your own template.

I am in love with this girl, I am going to be hard pushed to let her go, but the little girl who is getting her for Christmas is going to just love her even more than me I'm sure!

We would love to see what gifts you are making for your loved ones this year, link in the comments or #livelovemake on Instagram or twitter to show us your goodies. 

Sammy xxx

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Makers Month: Make it: Cable Cosy + free PDF download

Being Makers Month here on our blog I wanted to create a tutorial for you that used home grown fabric.  I love American fabric designers like Robert Kaufman, but I have recently fallen in love with a new British company Dashwood Studio. We stock their fabric in my shop Sew Crafty and they are a great seller for us, our customers love that they are a British company using British designers.

Make it: House of Wonderland Cupcake Necklace

Hey guys, today we have a guest tutorial for you from House Of Wonderland.  You may remember their awesome heart necklace we featured back in January. We will now hand over to the lovely Tessa.

 For this tutorial you will need:

Fimo cupcake bases

Screw hooks

Decoden faux whipped cream

Embellishments, crystals,beads, charms, faux sprinkles

Jump ring

Necklace chain

Begin With a Fimo cupcake base.  

These can be purchased or made by hand using a mould. 

Using decoden faux whipped cream 

(available on etsy.com), randomly pipe on a creamy topping 

Use handmade embellishments, 

crystals and cabochons to embellish your cupcakes!  

Insert a screw hook if you wish to make your charm into a necklace 

Let your charms dry for 24 hours.  

Attach a jump ring when dry 

Secure a chain to your necklace and your done! 

Hope you had fun learning how to make a cupcake necklace with me. 

If your still not sure you want to attempt one of your own shop HOW's decoden cupcake necklaces at: www.how-store.com 

House of Wonderland have also made this as a pdf available for you to Download for free.

Tessa

© House Of Wonderland 2012. All rights reserved 

Check back later for your chance to win one of these!!

Craft Club: Make a Vintage Apron at Norden Farm + Free Worksheet Download

Last Thursday was the second of our Craft Clubs at Norden Farm Arts Centre.  It was the first where we had asked our attendees to bring along their sewing machines, we were a little unsure of how it would work out, but we had a great group of ladies and a really fun time. You can Download our worksheet here if you want to have a go at making one yourself.

 H (wearing the worlds most awesome cardigan) helping the girls get going with their ruffles.

Sewing up getting ready to gather up some ruffles.

Stitching the ruffles down.

As this was a smaller group they were all lucky enough to take home a copy of the latest Cloth Magazine.

This cupcake fabric was made for vintage style aprons.

 Stitching the top hem on the pocket before sewing it on.

 Ruffles!!

Inserting the apron body in to the waist band.

 Getting the waist band in place, I love that this machine matches the apron.

H modelling the sample apron we made to show everyone what they would be making.

Four of our Ladies wearing their aprons, don't they look gorgeous!

If you want to have a go at making an apron like we have, we adapted McCall's pattern 5284 which is a really cute apron pattern with a few different variations.

Or you can download our worksheet here.

Check out our 'Make It' tab for all of our upcoming workshops. Our next craft club is Embroidery artwork at the end of April, you can book via the Norden Farm website here.

Sammy & H