betty cricket

  I created these quilt squares using budget Ikea cotton fabric, painters tape and fabric paint. I really like the graphic results! Supplies:  Ikea Ditte Fabric in natural  cut in to 16"x 16" squares black fabric paint (acrylic paint will work too, but the result may be stiff/ scratchy) a roll of dollar store painter's tape black permanent marker dollar store plastic table cloth to protect any surfaces Tools: ruler with inch measurements iron paintbrush container or pallet for paint 1) Mark out every 12" with a dot. Then mark out every 4" to create a 12" x12" grid pattern (16 dots in total as shown below). 2) cover your surface with a cheap plastic table cloth. 3) Tape down you cloth with the dot grid with painters tape 4) Add a strip of tape that follows the dots on the left side. Then add strips of tape under the bottom row of dots and under the second row of dots 5) Add diagonal strips of tape, connecting the upper dots to the lower dot in the diago...

I decided to try painting a tea towel using a blank I had purchased from the dollar store. Supplies: blank tea towel (mine was 71cm x 71cm) fabric paint (or acrylic paint mixed with textile medium) I had green , blue, black and a little bit of white paint colours cheap plastic table cloth water for thinning out the paint Tools: paintbrush disposable cups for mixing various paint colours 1) To make a basic fir tree shape, paint a vertical line, the height of the tree, then, leaving a bit of a gap for the tree top tip start to zig zag back and forth, following the vertical line down, with the zig zags getting larger as you go. you can go back in and add additional foliage to taste. 2) I started out with painting the distant back ground trees. for this I watered down a mixture of black and green fabric paint. Be careful not to make it too watery, your brush strokes will soak in and spread. To thicken or stabilize the paint, you can add a drop or 2 of acrylic paint to "stabilize"...

  Air fresheners for the new year! Google "felt air fresheners" and you'll find multiple examples of these in different shapes. I drew out the shape of the famous fresheners for my version. Supplies: cotton fabric felt thread essential oils (mine are from the dollar store) ribbon, string or lacing (I used fake suede lacing) paper pattern that you create Tools sewing needle scissors for detailed cutting pinking shears for zig zag edges pins 1) pin your pattern on to your cotton fabric and cut out with scissors 2) Pin 1/2 of the cotton to the felt. Fold over the cotton (so you have the center line) and stitch your lacing in to place. 3) Pin entire cotton piece in to place and sew to the felt with a running stitch. 4) with pinking sheers cut around the cotton 5) Initially add around 20 drops of essential oils (fair warning, this will smell a lot, I used cheap oil, so it took a lot). Refresh the smell every week by adding a drop or 2 of essential oil.

  This graceful goose was created with a pinecone, pipe cleaners and felt. The "sweep" of the wings is a result of mod podge and some patience. Supplies: black and white pipe cleaners pinecone brown, or grey felt white felt sprung type clothespin hot glue sticks mode podge a piece of scrap cardboard and a book to anchor the cardboard down Tools: scissors paintbrush glue gun 1) Gather your supplies, cut out felt shapes 2) Bend the black pipe cleaner in half. 3) Shape the pipe cleaner to form the beak and head silhouette.  4) Fill in the sides of the head by creating small loops on each side of the head. Flatten the loops on each side. 5) Now double up the pipe cleaner to create the "S" shape for the neck. 6) Twist any remaining pipe cleaner into a circle to form a base for the felt breast in step 9. Cut a 2cm piece of white pipe cleaner and bend it in half. 7) Cinch the white pipe cleaner to the throat area of the head. 8) Bend the white felt breast piece into a funn...

  Sporting a Phrygian "bonnet rouge" toques, these cozy clothespin dolls echo the Voyageur tradition of adventure, strength and commerce.  They are dressed in red and white capotes that represent standard HBC points blanket. The blue capote is the Red River version.  And of course, no voyageur would leave home without their essential and vibrant ceinture fléchée (sash).  Supplies: Sprung clothespins (the type with 2 pieces of wood and a spring) wooden bead felt in assorted colours paint in assorted colours embroidery floss hot glue sticks ( you can use tacky glue as well) wire Tools: scissors wire cutters glue gun 1) Cut out felt pieces. Paint any strips you wish to include. Note that I painted the "points" stripes along the collar on the other side (see step 9) 2) Pull the clothes pin apart, discard the spring. 3) Attach the moccasins to the bottom of the skinny end of each pin side with hot glue. 4) Wrap some rectangle felt pieces above the moccasins to form the p...