Christmas in July - Christmas Tree Napkin Tutorial

Would you like to learn how to make these beautiful cloth Christmas Tree napkins? I've been working on a new tutorial on how to make them including the pattern!

Here is a closeup of the green stripped one:

And a closeup of the newest one with different fabric front and back (and folded the opposite direction - just make sure the set you make is all folded the same way) Also this one is folded a little looser with the edges not completely matching.

Unfolded.

Let's make the pattern!

You will need:
16" Pizza pan or a 16" Plate
Ruler
Scissors
Pen or Sharpie Marker
Freezer Paper 

Here is a list of the dimensions:

16" or a little less, across

10" deep

Tree Trunk -

2 1/4" at the top 

2" at the bottom 

1 1/4" long

Use the pizza pan to make the round portion of the pattern on the freezer paper. Love freezer paper patterns! If I had made the pattern 8" high, it would be exactly 16" wide, but since I wanted a larger napkin at 10" wide (finished 9 1/2"), it was slightly less. Three inches from the straight edge on one side, make the tree trunk (mine is 2 1/4" at the top, 2" at the bottom, and 1 1/4" long - you can make the trunk a custom size if you like). Then cut the pattern from the paper and mark the portion to leave open when you turn the napkin. I made mine 2 1/2" from edge at the same side as the tree trunk, about 2 1/2" long.  I made several copies of the pattern to iron on the fabric, to make sure that the layout would be correct before cutting. No pins are required when you use the freezer paper and iron to the fabric. And the good news is you can use the pattern over and over!

You will need one yard of 45" fabric to make four napkins with the same fabric on both sides, more is needed for stripped fabric or fabric with an obvious one way pattern. I recommend using 100% cotton fabric. If making napkins with different fabric on each side, then one yard of each will make eight napkins. Save time by arranging fabric right sides together before pressing the patterns to the fabric. 

Press the patterns to the fabric then cut them out.

Now sew around each using a quarter inch seam allowance leaving an opening to turn.

Notice how the seams are sewn at the corners - completely across to the edge. Clip at the top of the tree trunks as shown above.

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Press seams to the darkest fabric pressing the corners as shown below. 

For crisp corners fold as above and turn. Press again right side out.

Valentine's Day

How I Love Valentine's Day!

Do you love it, too, or is it just another day? It is odd because I'm not really all that fond of heart motifs, for example: on a shirt or jewelry. But I still love Valentine's Day. No idea why....

Today's post is a roundup of old Valentine ideas.

Heart shaped cinnamon rolls - the complete post here. Yum-o!

Next is this fluffy easy to make Valentine Wreath, made with coffee filters! The complete tutorial is here. This is the third year I've displayed these, outside no less, and they still look great.

Just a quick book heart...so sweet! It only takes thirty pages to make this.  Link to the original post here. Or directly to the tutorial here.

Be sure to check out the Sweetheart Tatted Heart post with a FREE pattern to make it here.

More soon...
XOXO

Sweetheart Tatted Heart

Needle Tatted Hearts for Valentine's Day!

Love these little tatted hearts, and I hope you do, too. They are so easy...it only takes a couple of hours to make each one. 

Made some simple coasters with a felt base and a heart that had not been stiffened.

This is the proto-type - in the final version I've changed the middle of the heart to 4-4 (originally 8-8).

Here are all the supplies that you need to make the hearts. It makes this craft very affordable. I got my needle sizer and tatting needles through Amazon. The Red Heart crochet thread (#10) at Walmart, also available on Amazon. The Stiffy was purchased from Joann's. You will need scissors and a paintbrush which you might already have as I did...the Silpat from my kitchen, but waxed paper or freezer paper would work just as well. The crochet needle I only used when learning to tat. Magnifying glasses help you see those tiny stitches!

Update 4/22/2022, the pattern has been corrected. 

To save the pattern, just right click on the picture and download to your computer, from there you can print it.
There are several YouTube posts that will show you how to tat. This is my favorite one: Needle Tatting Basics by RustiKate

Happy Tatting!

A Link to a Free Printable for Christmas and a Free Printable from Maggie Mack Makes

The first thing I do for Christmas is change some of my pictures to Christmas themed pictures or use old Christmas cards. Here are a few ideas.

The printable above is available to download from the Graphics Fairy using this link: Swedish Santa from Graphics Fairy it is one of the Victorian Santa's on this link. I printed it out on card stock then...

Using the glitter glue, I highlighted just his beard.

It is very subtle but I really like it.

Next is this winter birdhouse that you can download the picture at the end of this post.

Again I printed the picture out on card stock and then I painted matte Mod Podge in the area that I wanted to glitter. While the Mod Podge was still wet I sprinkled a generous amount of iridescent glitter on it and I let it dry. 

A few years ago after an unusual snowfall in our area, I went out to the yard and took this picture of my snow covered birdhouse. I removed most of the background using photoshop. Here is the downloadable .jpg picture, 300DPI, for your own use (please), just right click on the picture and choose "Save picture as" to save to your computer or jump drive.

Hugs!

Fall Decor

Just a little decorating for fall...this should work well thru Thanksgiving. Mantel with little real pumpkin and amber glass pumpkin.

Three velvet homemade pumpkins with real pumpkin stem (thank you Trader Joe's). Super easy tutorial to follow soon.

Another handmade pumpkin using ticking fabric and an old real stem from last year.

My collection of silver glass pumpkins and gourds which are several years old...I'm glad that I'm seeing these again in stores this year. These are by far my favorite fall items!

So pretty at night with the candles burning, deep cleansing breath. Be sure to check out my post on Falling Leaves Pillow Cover tutorial from last year.

Beautiful Fall Foliage

Last week we took a little trip to see the fall foliage. We decided to head to Mount Baker since neither of us had been there in the fall (without snow being on the ground). The barn picture was taken from the side of Highway 9, on the way to the mountain.

This was taken as we were motoring down the highway!

Almost to the top! A little lake by the side of the road (taken from the car window, though my Hubby did slow down a little). Wish the colors in the picture were as bright as in person.

At the top, looking South. Lots of little trails to walk on! So pretty.

Looking Southeast.

Wow, gorgeous looking North.

On the way down, lots of switch backs in the road, looking Southeast.

Another switchback and we were looking South again.

Last, some of the lava rock formations. What a fun day!

Make Your Own Planting Pots

Yes, peat pots that you buy at the store are not expensive, but why buy them when you can make them so easily? Here is how...

You will need:

Kraft Paper (or brown paper bags if you have extra)

School Glue or paste

Ruler

Cutting mat (optional)

Scissors or rotary cutter

Bottle to shape pot - I use a slender vinegar bottle

Crayon or Felt Tip Marker

I cut the paper 10" long by 6.5" and can make three pots from one 6.5" length of Kraft paper.

Then fold the paper back about .5" along the length of one side of the 10" paper. This will be the top of the pot. 

Time to label if you know what you are planting already (easier to do than after the pot is made).

Now wrap the paper around the bottle and paste together. 

After the edge has dried a bit, paste the bottom of the pot as above around the bottle.

Then press the bottom on a hard surface.

The bottom should look similar to this when dry.

Make lots.... I soak my seeds and let them begin to sprout with a moist paper towel to cover them. Just like second grade! Then add soil to the pots, water if dry and let stand awhile before adding the sprouted seeds. 

Watch your plants grow! Plant pots and all, and watch them grow some more.

Here they are in the garden. And the pots disappear over the season. I usually start my Sweet Peas on Valentine's Day. Now I need to make more for my Sunflowers!