Floral Pincushion

Materials:

• 1 Sheet Printer Fabric
• 7" x 7" Fabric of choice
• Fiberfil Stuffing
• Large Embroidery Needle
• 72" Embroidery Thread
• Sewing Needle & Thread
• Decorative Button

Special Skills:
Sewing - by machine and hand


Set your image up in your graphics or word processing program so that it fits a 6" x 6" area. The one used for this project is availabe at the bottom of this page. Print out onto your fabric sheet using the best print out for your printer. Let dry for a minute or two then using a 6" template centered over your image, trace the edges as a guide for cutting. Cut out the image along the traced line.

Once you've cut out the image, peel away the backing paper and heat set the ink with a hot, dry iron.
Cut another 6" circle out of the fabric you chose for the bottom half of the pincushion. Mark the center of each circle with a small dot on the "right side".

With right sides together and using a 1/4" seam allowance sew the two halves together leaving a 2" opening for turning and stuffing. Turn the pincushion "right side out". Stuff with fiberfil to full. Slip stitch the opening closed.

Thread your large embroidery needle with 6 strand embroidery thread and knot one end. On the bottom half, sew down through the center dot and bring the needle up through the dot on the top side. Loop your thread to the bottom half and sew through the same spot and up to the top again. Pull tight on the thread so that it "cuts" into the pincushion. Repeat this until you have 6 "wedges" in your pincushion. Tie off your thread. Adjust the thread so that your wedges are even.

To finish your pincushion, sew a decorative button over the center where all the embroidery threads meet to cover that area.

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Right click on the image to save to your hard drive.

Fabric Postcard

Creating your own fabric postcards is a wonderful way to send someone a truly one of a kind message through the mail. Fabric postcards a completely mailable - just have the Post Office hand cancel your creation. It may cost a little more than a normal postcard, but it's well worth it.

Materials:

• 1 Sheet Printable Fabric
• 4" x 6" Piece Innerfuse (Heavy Weight)
• 4" x 6" Cardstock
• Thread, Floss, Ribbon or Ric Rac for edging

Open the image you would like to use in an editing program or place in a word processing program and resize it to measure 4" x 6". Insert the sheet of fabric into your printer with the fabric "print side up" and print at the best setting for your printer. Remove fabric from the sticky sheet and heat set with a dry iron for a few seconds on high setting. DO NOT rinse out as per the package directions or your image will shrink. Remember, this won't be used for a wearable item, so making the print out "color fast" is not as important. Cut your print out along the edges with scissors or a rotary cutter and ruler.

Place a piece of cardstock in your printer and print out the "address" side of the postcard. (Hint: "right click" the top image and save a copy to your hard drive to use)  Make sure that your image measures 4" x 6". Cut the postcard back out from the cardstock.

Following the instruction on the Inner Fuse package, stack your cardstock, face down, then the Inner Fuse and last your picture, face up on an ironing board. Heat your iron to highest dry setting. Press your iron down on one section for 5 seconds then move to another section and repeat until you've press the entire image onto the inner fuse. Let your project cool for a few seconds then turn over and repeat the ironing process on the cardstock side.

There are several ways you can finish the edges of your postcard:

1) With a sewing machine you can edge the postcard with a zigzag satin stitch.

2) You can glue ric-rac or ribbon along the edges.

3) You can hand sew a blanket stitch with a sharp tapestry needle and embroidery thread.

Other edgings you could use are sequin strips, lace, cording or other fibers. Make sure they are glued or sewn down securely.

Here's another one I've done using a digital photo of one of my beautiful irises:

Now all you have to do is address your postcard and mail!