♥ TUTORIALS ♥

JUNE TUTORIAL
SCRAPPY THE SCOUSE MOUSE TUTORIAL

EASY PEASY

Meet Scrappy the Scouse Mouse!

This Star gazing little chappie is easy enough for anyone to make.All  you will need as a square of any fabric  (I used a 3 x 3 inch square), two circles of felt for his ears, a piece of ribbon or string for his tail, cotton to sew him up, embroidert cotton for his eyes and nose and a bit of stuffing - you can also add lavender if you want to!

Self Cover Button Tutorial ~ Part 1 ~ Using A Template

This is a two part tutorial - I would have liked it to be a 3 part, called it a trilogy as in the Godfather Trilogy, but alas I could not drag the covering of a button to such heady lengths!!

Part one deals with button placement or pattern placement depending on how you see it. This is not a problem if using a plain fabric or a fabric that has a tiny or complete pattern. The difficulty comes when you need to place a particular detail of your scrummy fabric into the centre of you button. If you are making buttons for jewellery or as brooches correct pattern placement is vital. Below is a good example..

Here are a couple of Cath Kidston squares which as you all know are quite expensive. It is vital that you get the cut right 1st time as any mistakes would be expensive and potentially devestating the any of us who worship at the alter of CK!

The second problem when doing DIY buttons, and this applies regardless of fabric pattern, is the size you cut the fabric to fit the button. This is a crucially stage as if you cut even slightly to small, the fabric is wasted! Too big and the button will struggle to clip closed.

The Templates I use (stocked here) make both stages an absolute doddle! Previous to discovering these fab templates, the mountains of fabric I have wasted trying to get it right!!

The template helps you to easily identify the button centre ~ you can now see how your finished button will look. Not only that but the outer ring allows you to cut to the exact size required to DIY your button!

Normally you would only outline the outer ring but I have done both for demo purposes. This is now the perfect size to make a button! No waste, no worries - easy peasy!!

Templates available HERE!

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Part 2 - Self Cover Button Tutoril - Using a Self Cover Button Tool

Hello again!! Part 1 discussed how templates make for perfect finish, part2 of this tutorial looks at the 'button tool'.

I know of two kinds of tool and sell both varieties but my preference is for the single button tool as it is just seems a bit easier to use - the multi tool is good, and I do use both - many will say that it is the best...

Both tools work in exactly the same way,

first you put the measured fabric into or on top of the button tool 'basin'

followed by the button front...

Fold the spare fabric onto the button front.. ..place button back on top..

next use the button tool back (blue) to click the button back & front together...

..you will 'feel' it click together, remove the tool top (blue)

As you can see, the button reverse is now really tidy... ..pop the ready button out...

..and hey presto you have a button ready to make into whatever you fancy! A button tool is not essential, buttons can be clicked together without the tool but the tool makes it so simple!

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Tutorial - Embroidered Buttons - Self Cover Buttons

This tutorial is probably easiest read and understood if you have read the previous tutorials on DIY Buttons.

Sorry it is such a blurry picture but it gives you an idea of what to do - I have used a template in order to give myself the exact area I need to embroider, the templates are available here. Please do not mark out as heavily as I have, mine is a demo!

Here you can see the finished embroidered button.


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Tiny Felt Flowers Tutorial / Recycled Felt Flowers



I never throw anything away but then what to do with all your felt scraps? Well I save mine up in a

big bag and when I have nothing to do I sit and make myself a load of felt flowers - or at least the beginings of a garden full of flowers!

Step 1 is of course keeping a bag full of scraps!

2. Take a piece of scrap fabric and begin cutting small circles, I cut mine roughly in these sizes 2p, 1p, 1/2p and sizes inbetween! You do not need perfect circles as flowers are not perfect shapes!

3. I tend to cut mine in colour groups and store them like this but it is your choice.

4. Next step is to quite simply build a flower, starting with the biggest disc, and building to the smallest in a tower like fashion.

Now run an anchored thread through the centre of the flower (and here you can add a bead or sequin to the flower if you want to), and making a tiny stitch pull the thread tightly through. You may want to repeat this more tightly as it gives the flower a ruched look!.

You can do this to greate a whole garden brooch or using larger scraps of felt and fabric, make a brooche out of a single flower. Recycled Fabric Brooche!

by Annie Browne

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