There’s enough candy on Valentine’s Day! Make quick and easy healthy valentine snacks for your kids to give out in class. Here are some Free printables for apple sauce squeeze pouches, oranges, and juice boxes.

To make them:

Download the free printable, print it out on your printer.

Cut out the labels to fit your healthy snacks. then attach with double-sided tape.

EASY!

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Looking for a lovely last-minute gift to make, or a way to perk up your kitchen for the new year? This free printable folk-inspired 2018 tea towel calendar is the perfect project for you! You just need a few simple supplies to create a gorgeous Scandinavian folk art-inspired tea towel calendar, and you get to choose from THREE different colorways so you can get just the look you want for your kitchen. And don’t forget to download the coordinating printable card to give along with the calendar.

• This is a long post, so if desired, jump to the Calendar Download here.

Download the coordinating printable card!

About the Collaboration:

In 2010, I teamed up with talented designer Cathe Holden of Inspired Barn to create a printable tea towel calendar. She designed the printables, and I made the calendar and wrote the instructions, and then we provided the free printables to you! This year, we have a new design available — our all-new 2018 printable tea towel calendar, as well a sweet card, that you can download (click the image above), print, and make for a special handmade touch.

Now, on to the project!

Supplies for the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar:

This project is simple, but you definitely need a few supplies that will make it WAY easier. Don’t skimp on these supplies, as it will save you some headaches.

Supplies Needed:

• Free Printable: 2018 Tea Towel Calendar
• A flour sack towel
• 2 Iron-on transfer sheets (buy them in a pack)
• Freezer paper
• Parchment paper
• Inkjet printer
• Iron and Ironing board
• Large wooden cutting board
• Sewing machine & thread
• Scissors, pins

Notes about the Materials:

Dollar store materials: I got the flour sack towel and parchment paper at the dollar store. I have seen iron on transfers there before, but I have never used the ones they sell, and I don’t see them there consistently. If you are using the dark fabric iron-on transfers, DO NOT SKIP THE PARCHMENT PAPER!

Tea towels: I got flour sack towels from the dollar store, but I also wanted to try something less plain, so I picked up a pack of four colored and patterned flour sack towels from Target for about $5 total. (The grey polka-dot towel used in the photo above is from the pack from Target).

Iron-On transfer sheets: I just bought a pack at my local craft store that had both transparent sheets and the type you use for dark fabric, because I wanted to experiment with both kinds. Honestly, I would not recommend the kind I used (you can see the brand in the photo), as I had many craftfails while making this project! If you are using a patterned tea towel, use the dark fabric type of iron-ons, but if you are using a white tea towel, use the transparent kind.

Freezer paper: This paper is waxed on one side, and paper on the other side, which means you can iron it onto your fabric and then easily remove it later. The freezer paper is a DO NOT SKIP supply because it stabilizes the flour sack towels while you apply the iron-ons, which is essential because of the loose weave of the towels. You can find freezer paper in the food wrap section of your local grocery store, or online (affiliate link to Amazon for your convenience): buy freezer paper.

Freezer paper is cheaper if you buy it in a store, but one roll will last you forever, and you can use it for many cool craft techniques like making iron-ons for perfect fabric stencils, or for paper piecing in quilting.

Download the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar:

Phew, that was long. Let’s dive into the project!

Step 1: Download the Calendar Top & Bottom

Choose your favorite color combination, and download the files you will need for your calendar. Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the printable tea towel calendar files you want.

Note: If you are using transparent (light fabric) iron-ons, you will need the REVERSED bottom calendar image. If you are using opaque (dark fabric) iron-ons, you will need the normal, readable one!

Red & Blue 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Red & Blue Calendar Top
• Download Red & Blue Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Red & Blue Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Blue 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Blue Calendar Top
• Download Blue Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Blue Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Green 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Green Calendar Top
• Download Green Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Green Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Step 2: Print the Calendar Printables on Iron-on Transfer Paper

I don’t have a recommendation for a specific variety of iron on paper at this time (because I didn’t like the type I used). Do be aware: if you are using a dark or patterned tea towel, you will need to use the dark fabric type of iron-ons.

If you are using the transparent kind of iron-ons, you will need the REVERSE image file for the calendar.

How to Make the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar

Step 3: Cut & Sew the Tea Towel

1. Iron your tea towel before you start.
2. Flour sack towels are usually large and square, so cut it in half.
3. Fold the cut end over and iron it flat. This is where you will hem it to make it match the other side! Pin the hem (don’t skip this step, because this floppy fabric is hard to sew if you don’t pin it).
   

Sew the side hem.

Step 4: Freezer Paper — The Secret Weapon

Iron a piece of of freezer paper to the back of the tea towel. Place the waxed side DOWN onto the fabric, and iron over the paper side. It will stick to the tea towel and stabilize it, making it WAY easier to successfully apply the iron on transfer to the other side. When you’re all done with the process, you can easily remove the freezer paper by peeling it away. (Do that at the end of the project!)

Step 5: On to the Calendar!

Your iron-on transfer paper will come with instructions for printing and application, so follow them. I will give some general guidelines for success here:

1. Use a hard, heat-proof surface to iron on, if you can. I pulled the built-in wooden cutting board from my kitchen counters.
2. If you are using opaque (dark fabric) iron-ons, use a piece of parchment paper to iron over the top of your iron-on. My iron-ons included a piece of parchment paper that was the same size as the iron-on sheet, and since it was impossible to keep the same-size parchment paper covering the transfer while I moved the iron, it ruined my transfer.
3. Iron the top and the bottom pieces very close together. Once you’ve ironed the first one, protect it with a piece of parchment paper while you iron the second one.

Remove the freezer paper from the back by simply peeling it off!

Pin this Project!

If you enjoyed this project, I would appreciate any shares you can spare! Thank you for reading, and please let me know if you have any feedback on this project, or tips you discovered while making it!

Don’t forget to download the matching free printable card!

The post Free Printable: 2018 Tea Towel Calendar appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Are you looking for the perfect printable card to top off that perfect gift? I have a fabulous FREE PRINTABLE card for you. Just in time for holiday gift wrapping, I have collaborated with Cathe Holden of Inspired Barn to give YOU a gift! Please print out these adorable folk art-inspired printable cards and use them for all your holiday occasions (and beyond). And don’t forget to download the coordinating printable for the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar!

About this collaboration:

In 2010, talented graphic designer Cathe Holden and I teamed up to create a printable tea towel calendar. She designed the printables, and I made the calendar and wrote the instructions, and then we provided the free printables to you! This year, we have a new design available — our all-new 2018 printable tea towel calendar, as well as this sweet card, that you can download, print, and make yourself for a special handmade touch.

Download the Printable Card Templates:

Download the files below to print out your own cards. Each printable will make two cards (just cut the printed sheet in half, then fold the cards to make them complete). They will fit in an A2 envelope.

To download, just click on the image to be taken to the file on Google Drive, where you can download it.

Red and Blue Printable Card Template

Blue Printable Card Template

Green & Blue Printable Card Template

Card-Making Tips:

You really can just print this, cut it, fold it and go, but if you are looking to make your printed cards look nicer, I recommend a few products to get a top-of-the-line look. I used these products to make the cards you see in the photos in this post, and they are some of my favorite products that I can’t do without (disclosure: these are Amazon affiliate links):

1. HP Inkjet Brochure Paper

If you are using an inkjet printer, I hands-down recommend this HP brochure paper for gorgeous printing. It is smooth, heavy paper that can be printed on both sides, and it makes the ink shine. It’s great for paper projects like this one, or for printing anything that you want to make look extra pretty.

I should also disclose that I work with HP, and have received this product for free, but they did not ask me to promote it here. I just really love it and I highly recommend it.

2. Trimming and Scoring Board

If you make cards or paper crafts often, you should treat yourself to a Trimming and Scoring Board – it is a paper trimmer with a built-in board that has grooves in it so you can gently add a crease wherever you want to fold the paper. It also comes with a bone folder (which you use to make the score in the paper) that you can also use to make a clean, crisp fold.  The paper trimmer is so handy for creating perfectly measured and cut lines — no more wiggly scissor lines!

Thank you for joining me at Dollar Store Crafts! I truly value everyone who is part of my community, and I would love to hear your feedback about this project or the site.

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Happy holidays! Are you already wrapping gifts? If you need some pretty gift tags, Leethal.net has provided some free printable gift tags featuring pretty watercolor images. Head on over to her site to grab the free printable files: [click here for free printable gift tags]

Looking for more free printables? Here are some you might enjoy:

• Free Printable Herb Jar Labels
• Free Printable Christmas Favor Box

The post Free Printable Watercolor Gift Tags appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Have you started thinking about Halloween decor yet?  Only 7 weeks left until the end of October, and if you are a DIYer you know that it’ll sneak up on you way too fast if you don’t get a head start on your projects!  At See Vanessa Craft, Kiki from Kiki and Company shared how she made this spooky eyeball wreath using a free printable that she designed.  Head over there for the complete instructions, and to download the free eyeball printable to use for this project or elsewhere in your Halloween decorating!  [how to make an eyeball Halloween wreath]

Project estimate:

• Wreath form, on hand or $1 and up
• Paper, on hand
• Eyeball printables, free
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: Free and up!

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Well summer is certainly in full swing, isn’t it? It’s been a scorcher here in Atlanta, and I’m grateful for summery hand-me-downs, so my kid can be weather-appropriate without breaking our budget. If you can’t get free clothes, though, you can save a lot of money by making some of your kid’s summer wardrobe yourself, right? Here are some free summer clothing patterns for kids to help you save some cash this summer.

Some of these patterns are gender-specific, but many of those would really work for boys or girls. A tank top is a tank top, and shorts are shorts, in my estimation!

1. Mori Sundress (12 months to 7 years) – The sweet, puffy sleeves on this pattern from Sew Chibi are rocking my socks!
2. Kid Knit Shorts (2 to 5 years) – This unisex pattern from The Crafty Kitty looks great in Birch Fabrics, but you could also bust your stash to save a buck.
3. Knit Dress (3 years) – This more basic sundress by Sew Like My Mom is part of Melly Sews’s 30 Days of Sundresses.
4. Crochet Summer Hat (newborn to 6 months, 18 months to 3 years) – If you can get your kid to wear a hat, I would love to hear how you do it. For you lucky parents of hat-wearing kids, check out My Merry Messy Life’s crochet summer hat for kids!
5. Kids Summer Shirt (18 months to 6 years) – I love a short-sleeved button down paired with shorts on a kid, and this unisex pattern that Pox Couture shared on Craftsy is perfect.
6. Cargo Shorts (3 years, 6 to 8 years) – Craft Passion calls these boy shorts, but I could totally see a girl in them. Who doesn’t love a cargo pocket?
7. Patchwork Shorts (any size!) – I know, lots of shorts on this list. But I couldn’t leave out these patchwork shorts made with old grownup shirts from Made by Rae! They’d work well for boys or for girls.
8. Knit Tank Top (size 3 to 8) – Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom calls this a girls tank, but I could absolutely see my son in one. It looks so comfy!
9. Swimming Briefs (3 years and under) – These super simple swim shorts from Pretty Prudent are pool perfect. I wonder if you could use the Knit Tank Top to make this a two-piece for a little girl, even?
10. Basic One Piece Swimsuit (5T) – I love the ruffle at the top of Zaaberry’s one piece suit! She’s got instructions for turning it into a two piece, so if you have a boy, you could just make the bottoms!

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Got a baby shower or kid’s birthday party coming up? Free plushie patterns to the rescue! You can stitch up a 100 percent unique gift for your favorite kid.

1. Owl Softie – Are owls still cool? I hope so, because my two-year-old sure thinks that they are. Craft Foxes has a super cute owl pattern that I really want to make for my guy.

2. Whale – For the little Raffi fan in your life – make him his very own Baby Beluga with Craftiness is Not Optional’s free pattern!

3. Seahorse – The seahorse is one of my favorite undersea creatures, and this free pattern from We Lived Happily Ever After is just precious.

4. Blast Off Rocket Ship – What kid doesn’t like to play with rocket ships? Sew Grown’s pattern is so sweet and simple.

5. Ships Ahoi – Sew and the City shows you how to make your own custom pattern for a fleet of plush sailboats.

6. Sock Dragon – Monkeys, schmonkeys! Craft Passion shares her template for sewing up a colorful sock dragon instead!

7. Elephant – Made by Enginerds has a great pattern for making your very own elephant.

8. Giant Loch Ness Monster – This is another great one from We Lived Happily Ever After. Stitch up a Nessie that’s as big as your kid!

9. Zipper Mouth Crocodile – I remember having a stuffie with a working zipper as a kid, and hiding treasures in there was the best. Sew Mama Sew shares this zip-mouthed crocodile stuffie from the book Flip Dolls.

10. Puppy – This plush pup from More Softies Only a Mother Could Love sits up on its hind legs!

The post 10 Free Softie Sewing Patterns appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

My favorite thing about embroidery is choosing my floss colors. These designs are lovely just as the artists displayed them, but you can get a totally different feel with the same embroidery pattern just by mixing up your colors. Swapping hot for cool or adding a pop of contrast to give any of these free embroidery patterns a bit of your own personality.

1. Don’t be Distracted – Inspired by a Sufjan Stevens song, this design from Wild Olive looks lovely in vibrant colors.

2. Make a Wish – How sweet are these pretty dandelions from While Wearing Heels?

3. Life is Beautiful – This cheery spring sampler from Baker Court is perfect for beating the winter blues.

4. The Sky is the Limit – I’d love this pretty hot air balloon by Spool & Spoon embroidered onto a tote bag.

5. Feather Alphabet – Use this free printable to create your own typographical art by Feeling Stitchy!

6. Give Thanks – Thanksgiving is long gone, and I love this reminder from Creative Kismet that we should be thankful every single day.

7. Do Small Things with Great Love – Amy at Nana Company says that this pattern was inspired by Mother Theresa.

8. Carl Sagan – Cherry and Cinnamon may have won my heart with this Carl Sagan quote embroidery pattern.

9. French Poem Napkins – Cloth napkins are tres chic, and I’m loving this pattern that Teresa Down Under shared on Craftsy.

10. COFFEE! – Need I say more? Thank you, Wild Olive, for sharing this one!

The post 10 Free Typographical Embroidery Patterns appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We have declared this week to be Back to School Week here at DSC, and we’re devoting a whole week to school supplies, teacher gifts, and more!  We’re kicking it off with these great free printables from Mr. Printables – a set of pencil and eraser shaped favor boxes to fill with your favorite treats or other small goodies!  Use them for classroom gifts, teacher gifts, or for any party where school/office supplies are an appropriate theme.  Or just print them out because they are cute – that’s a good enough reason for us!  [download the free printable pencil and eraser favor boxes]

The post Free Printable Pencil and Eraser Favor Boxes appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Don’t you love a printable? These free print and fold crafts are the perfect way to keep you or your kids entertained on a rainy or snowy afternoon.

1. Paper Toy Camper – How sweet is this vintage camper print and fold from Family Outdoor Adventures?
2. 3D Alphabet – You can use these 3D print and fold letters to create your own custom type face art!
3. DIY Alphabet Block Boxes – Your kids will love playing with these print and fold blocks, especially if you let them help you make them.
4. Mini Paper Cupcake Stand – Sweetly Sweet’s print and fold cupcake stand is the perfect centerpiece for your next party’s dessert table.
5. Paper Tulip Printables – The first tulips of spring may be a ways off, but you can brighten up your house with these print and fold tulips from The Elli Blog!
6. Birdhouse Box – Wouldn’t this birdhouse box look sweet hanging on a wall?
7. Paper Robots – These are technically for making an advent calendar, but what kid wouldn’t love playing with these miniature robots?
8. Little Paper House – You could make a few of these for a miniature paper town! Maybe you can park that toy camper (see #1) in the driveway of one of your little houses.
9. Paper Storm Trooper – Treat your inner Star Wars nerd to some 3D print and fold goodness!
10. DIY Geoball – This cheery little print and fold is a sweet miniature bowl!

Have you run across any cool free print and fold crafts? Tell us your faves in the comments!

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