Pinecone Ornament Tutorial

It's my 100th post! No, I'm not giving away anything awesome, sorry. Well, I am giving the world this spiffy new tutorial for Oc-Tute-ber!

Oc-Tute-ber Tutorial #5 for:
Ribbon Pinecone Ornaments

Our tutorial for today is available on Whip up. Thank you to Kathreen for posting it and hopefully getting some more publicity of Oc-Tute-ber! And thanks to Craftzine for the mention!

Ribbon Lanyard Bracelet Tutorial

Oc-Tute-Ber tutorial #4 for
Ribbon Lanyard Bracelet


Those who have made lanyards at scout camp will be familiar with the weaving used to make this bracelet.

What you'll need:
4 pieces of ribbon, each 2 yards long (For this bracelet, I used 1/4 inch wide but you can use any size or combination of sizes)
Scissors
Needle and thread

Overlap the centers of all four ribbons as shown here. Secure these together by either lightly tacking together with needle and thread of adding a drop of glue to each intersection.


To begin weaving, fold the first ribbon down over the one underneath it.


We work first in a counterclockwise direction so continue to fold down the next ribbon across the one beneath it.


And the next


And finally the last


When you fold the last ribbon over, slip it under the loop of the first ribbon you folded down like so. Tighten all four ribbons.


After going around counterclockwise, reverse the pattern and fold the ribbons across working in a clockwise direction. Begin this round with the ribbon you just passed under the loop.

Continue repeating these two, tightening the ribbons after each round, until your weaving measures 3 1/2 inches long.


Then repeat on the opposite side of where you tacked your ribbons together. Stop when the entire piece measures 7 inches long.

To fasten both ends, sew a criss cross stitch through each of the four squares and cut the ribbon close to the weaving.


Then give the bracelet a full twist and butt the two ends up gainst one another. Whip stitch the edges together.


The bracelet will look small but it stretches to fit over your hand.

You can also find this tutorial over at Cut Out + Keep.

5-A-Day Swap

garden's bounty
Originally uploaded by Corgipants

This weekend (Sunday night) is your last chance to sign up for the 5-A-Day Fruits and Veggies themed swap I am hosting over at Create A Connection. We'll be swapping (with one partner) at least once fruit or veggie themed item (preferably handmade) and at least one recipe featuring fruits and veggies. Come join us!

Hankie Tussie Mussie Pocket Tutorial

Oc-Tute-ber tutorial #3 for:
Hankie Tussy Mussy Pocket Tutorial


I LOVE hankies! I collect hankies. I have over 100 easily. And sometimes you find some extra cheap because they have a tear or stain on them. These are cute little pockets made from vintage (or repro) hankies. You can get 4 pockets out of each hankie if it isn't damaged. But I have a hard time cutting a hankie that is perfectly lovely and unmarred. So I usually use my stained or torn hankies. You can see in one of the photos that this hankie has a tear in the middle of the left side, but because of its location, I could still get 4 pockets out of it! Bonus!

You'll need:
Hankies, their size determines the size of your pocket, I like to use fairly large ones, at least 12" square. The one in this demo is 16" square.
Fabric glue
Ribbons and rickrack
Scissors
An Iron
Heavy starch

Start by ironing and starching your hankie heavily. I usually spray the starch on one side, iron that side, then flip and repeat so that it is nice and crisp. Try and keep it as square as possible.


Then you'll have to do the unthinkable, CUT a hankie. It was hard for me the first time because I love them but just remember they'll still be around and in a more useful and adorable form! Cut your hankie into four equal squares.


To make the pocket we will be folding the corners in on the diagonal. This photo shows you the fold lines.


Now, I assemble my pockets using glue because I like things quick and snappy! But you could easily hand sew each of the next steps using a running stitch for a homespun look. To do it the quick and snappy way, apply a thin line of glue along the edge of one folded-down corner. You can see that I have cut a piece of junk mail to fit inside my pocket because the glue with seep through thin hankie material and you pocket could stick together and cease to be a pocket but more like a stiff, gluey hankie.


Fold the other edge onto the glue and press. Now it's time to start embellishing! Choose some ribbon or rickrack for the front of your pocket. Glue this to hide your glued seam.


Next, we apply ribbon or rickrack to the inside of the pocket. Measure out a length that will go completely around the edge. Apply a thin line of glue inside the front of the pocket. Starting with the center of your length of rickrack or ribbon, apply this to the center front inside your pocket.


Follow that by applying a thin line of glue to both top edges inside the pocket. Here is our pocket with rickrack glued along the entire inside edge.


Next we apply our hanging loop. Make a loop of ribbon, gluing together at the raw edges. Then glue this loop to the top back point of the pocket.


To cover up our raw loop edges and any glue seepage from the inside ribbon/rickrack, we apply ribbon or rickrack to the outside edge using the same thing line of glue method. Also make and glue a lovely bow onto the front, which I forgot to do until after the photo shoot so it's missing in my completed shot above. Oops! Here is the front:


and back of our finished pocket:


These are great for holding flowers and candy for a little gift!

Note to my secret dishcloth pal

Dearest Secret Dishcloth Pal-
I didn't meant to be a tattle tail, I understand we all get busy. But I was worried about you and being a secret swap, I had no way to contact you! I am glad you are ok! And thank you for getting in touch with me, I love all your comments and I like knowing you are around.
-Jenna

Recipe: Wassail Bowl Punch

Ju Lo requested the recipe so here's what we call Wassail. The recipe is from Country Woman magazine and I made it last year for my cookie exchange and people went ga-ga for it so I've made it several times since and looking forward to it being Wassailing season again! Sadly I don't have a picture so I'm not calling this an Oc-Tute-ber entry.

Wassail Bowl Punch

4 cups hot brewed tea (I use an assortment of Earl Grey, Breakfast and good old Lipton, whatever I have on hand)
4 cups cranberry juice
4 cups unsweetened apple juice
2 cups orange juice
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
3 cinnamon sticks
12 cloves

Put all of this in your crock pot, cover and cook on high for 1 hour or until it begins to boil. You can put the cinnamon sticks and cloves in a double thickness of cheesecloth and tie it into a little bundle but I never do, I just sort of pluck them out once we're ready to drink. For parties, I also do a couple of batches on the stove over medium-high heat just until boiling and then turn it way down to warm. Your house will smell SOOOO good, you won't need candles for a couple of days!

SwapDex

The SwapDex got a nice mention on Craftzine and was also mentioned on Indie Crafts the other day. (Thanks to both!) Visitor numbers have gone up and one of my favorite things about that is seeing people from all over the world pop in. I love to see where everyone is coming from! Iceland, Australia, France, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, El Salvador! It's fun to think about crafty people on so many different continents!

Fall into Autumn Topic of the Week

This week's question is: Are there any recipes you especially enjoy
having in the Fall? Any foods that are seasonal that you especially
enjoy?

I love fall foods, mostly because it's when you can start baking for reals because it's cool enough to have the oven on! I love baking! Last night I made apple crisp with Krispy Kreme
donut topping, which is the recipe I an entering in the href="http://www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/krispykreme/krispyrecipe_0807.php">Recipe
Contest! I'll be making cupcakes later this week for my craft
group meeting on Saturday. I love pies and cakes and crumbles and cobblers and cookies and brownies!

I also love soups! I love making potato soup and vegetable soup! Yum! Pop some ingredients in the bread machine and simmer a pot on the stove!

I also love making mulled cider in the crock pot. Mmmm, it smells so good! I call it Wassail but I guess wassail is more alcoholic than my tea-cider-spices combination.

Spiral Felt Ornaments Tutorial

Oc-Tute-ber Tutorial #2 for:
Spiral Felt Ornament

Cute on the tree at Christmas or hanging around the house all year long! Keep your eyes open Monday, Wednesday and Friday as I think that is when I will be posting tutorials this month.
Supplies:

Felt-full pieces are better than scraps because we will want to make long strips
Scissors
Long beading needle or other long needle
Assorted beads-make sure the holes are big enough for the needle to pass through
Assorted yarns and ribbons
Perle cotton thread or other thick thread
Jump rings
Pliers-optional

Cut 1 inch wide strips at l2 inches in length from two or three different colors of felt.

Start at one end (the color you want in the middle) and roll the felt tightly into a spiral. When one strip ends, overlap about 1/4 inch when adding the next strip.

I usually make mine about 1.5 inches in diameter so when you have rolled your last strip, place a dab of glue under the end and use a pin to hold it in place.

You can also pin it temporarily between rounds to clean up any uneven strips. Sometimes you will cut a strip wider then the others and it will stick out. You can simply cut this excess off with scissors.

Now we'll make the tassel. Choose your ribbons and yarns. You'll probably want about 3-4 different yarns/ribbons and each piece should be about 10-12 inches long. To create tassel, bundle the pieces together and fold them in half with a 24" piece of perle cotton through the folded end. Tie a piece of perle cotton around them about 1/2 inch away from the folded end and wrap a few times, tying off when you're done. Cut off loose ends that you tied and trim ends of yarn/ribbon so they're even.


Thread your needle with both ends of the thread that is within the eye of your tassel. String a bead into your needle and push it down the the top of the tassel. Insert the needle into the middle of the felt strip at the point where your pin had been and push in all the way through the spiral so that it comes out at the opposite side.

It can be hard to pull both threads all the way through so use pliers if you need to to get it through. Pull taught but not so taught as to distort your spiral. String another bead onto your cotton.

Remove the needle and string a jump ring onto one of the threads. Tie a double knot with both threads to hold the jump ring on. Cut ends short. You can thread a loop of string through the jump ring or you can use it as the place to attach a wire ornament hanger for your tree.

Quite random

I just got the nicest phone call from someone who saw my letter to the editor in today's paper and thought I was right on. I wrote in response to someone else's letter a few days ago saying her daughter's dog, who was in the yard with her while she gardened, had been hit by a van who didn't stop or seem to notice. I expressed the appropriate sympathy but then reminded the citizens of our fair city that they should really restrain their animals, for their own safety. Even if they're in your own yard, they should really be fenced or on a leash because once they cross into the street, which you have no way of stopping them from doing if they see a squirrel as this dog had, they are a danger to themselves and possibly others. It was nice to hear that others felt the same way when they read her letter. But this call also taught me that looking up letter-writers in the phone book to tell them they are either right on or way off is acceptable! A new hobby! Just kidding, though I do love reading the letters to the editor. There's just something about hearing the opinions of one's neighbors that's much more grounded in reality than reading what the news has to say about the issues at hand.

Also, a warning to anyone expecting a swap from me: I am on a purple kick, for no reason other than one person mentioned they liked purple and now it seems I can't start a project without it turning purple! Purple was my sister's very favorite color in the whole world, her room was purple, purple velvet carpet, purple painted walls, purple crazy quilt and purple shag carpet rug by her bed. And a giant stuffed purple gorilla wearing a purple corduroy vest and purple newsboy hat!