Looking for a quick and easy way to dress up a plain shirt?  Check out how Heather used some cute fabric to make these no-sew appliques!  This is a great way to use up scraps of cute fabrics – or a good excuse to buy the next adorable remnant you see.  Check out the how to on the iLoveToCreate blog!  [how to make a no-sew owl applique t-shirt]

Project estimate: 

• T-shirt or onesie, on hand or $1 and up
• Owl print fabric (or other cute motif), on hand $1 and up
• Aleene’s Fabric Fusion, about $4 and up

Total:  about $4 and up

The post Make a No-Sew Owl Applique T-shirt appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We love a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor.  And of course we love Pinterest.  So when Onel from Onelmon showed us her Pinterest logo pin cushion, we were smitten!  Make one for yourself and you will be the envy of all your social-media-loving seamster friends, or make a few and gift them to your favorite stitchaholics!  [how to make a Pinterest pin cushion]

Project estimate:

• Felt, on hand or $1
• Polyfill or other stuffing, on hand or $1 and up
• Needle and thread, on hand

Total:  Free and up

The post Make a Pinterest Pin Cushion appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

When they decided to call this book a class, they weren’t kidding.  Better Homes and Gardens Applique Class covers everything you ever wanted to know about the topic and then some!  I’ve been wanting to learn how to applique for years now, since it’s an inexpensive way to customize so many different things.  And it’s a good way to use up all of the random fabric scraps I keep stashed away.

The old adage says that there is more than one way to skin a cat, and this holds true for just about every step in the applique process.  Applique Class highlights six different methods of preparing the applique pieces, as well as techniques for both hand-sewn and machine-sewn appliques.  Every step of the way, you can decide what works best for your experience, skill level, and even what materials you have on hand.

To test your new applique skills, the remainder of the book is full of projects ranging from simple samplers to complex, advanced quilts, all selected by the editors of American Patchwork and Quilting.  Inside the front cover of the book is an envelope containing patterns for every project in the book so you can recreate them for yourself.

I’ve got my eye on the pattern from one of the book’s coffee cozy projects, but I want to use it to make a set of coasters.  After all, Christmas is quickly on its way…

I’m not going to lie and say that this book makes applique look easy, because no matter which combination of methods you use, it’s a very involved and exacting process. The book does, however, leave me walking away with a sense that yes, I could actually do this.  Considering that I am a novice seamstress, that’s a pretty big deal.

disclosure:  a review copy of this book was provided.

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Remember the super-easy crocheted chain scarf that I shared recently?  I made another variation on it, and I think this may be the coolest scarf I will ever make in my life.  I was digging through my yarn remnants and combining colors to make a scarf when I came across a collection of fairly short lengths of yarn left over from past projects.  They were those scraps that are too long to throw away but are still too short for the double-wrap scarves I originally made.  I pondered how to adapt the chain scarf idea to these short pieces and came up with a cowl-like collar.  Since I used yarns in colors that remind me of autumn, I also added a leaf applique.  You can leave out the extra embellishment, or replace it with a different applique that fits your style or theme.

Project estimate:

• Yarn, on hand or $1 and up
• Crochet hook, on hand or $1

Total:  Free and up

This project starts out just like my other crocheted chain scarf, only with shorter chains.  First, crochet about 30 chains that are around 3 feet long.

Holding all of the chains together, tie an overhand knot toward each end of the bunch.  My knots are exactly 12 inches apart.

Crochet a small applique shape.  I made an oak leaf using one of my three leaf crochet patterns.  For a variety of applique shapes, check out Crochet Pattern Central.  Sew the applique to one of the knots.

Lay the scarf on your work surface with the applique facing up.  Divide the middle section into two equal parts as shown.

Use short lengths of yarn tied around each section to hold it together.  Tie 2 or 3 times along each section.

To wear, open up the center section and place the scarf over your head.  The scarf will have a front and back side; make sure you wear it with the applique facing outward!

The post Make a Fall Leaf Cowl Scarf appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Sew a doily to a t-shirt, cut the area behind the doily away, and what do you get? A cool lacy embellishment for a t-shirt that is oh-so-easy to do. Even if you aren’t comfortable with a sewing machine, you can hand-stitch this project in less than an hour. If you don’t like showing skin through your t-shirt, wear the shirt over another shirt, or sew a circle of different colored t-shirt behind the doily. You could also use this technique for a cute swimsuit cover-up for summer. Project by Naja at My Closet Thrift Store. [how to make a cut-away doily t-shirt] [via Craftster]

Project Estimate:

• T-shirt, $1 or on hand
• Doily, $1 or on hand
• Sewing stuff, on hand

Total: $1 and up

The post Make a Cut-Away Doily T-shirt appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I don’t know about you, but I have such a hard time coming up with good handmade gifts (or any gifts, really) for the men in my life. Father’s Day is always a stumper for me, but the other day, I found a bag of old thrift store ties I used for another project last year, so I just sat down and played with them. I came up with this reverse-applique tie banner that would make a cute decoration for Father’s Day brunch. Even if Dad doesn’t appreciate handmade stuff, he can at least appreciate that his name is on the decorations! (And maybe the Dad in your life is the type who would really dig this!)

I think this would also make a fun masculine happy birthday banner, or personalized banner with your favorite guy’s name on it.

Project Materials:

• 2 or 3 old ties, on hand or thrifted
• Sewing stuff (either sewing machine or needle and thread)
• Scissors (a small pair of sharp embroidery or fingernail scissors for cutting the reverse applique)
• Printout of letters (download my letter template here)
• Washable marker or disappearing ink fabric marker, on hand (optional, but it helps)
• X-acto knife, on hand (also optional, but helpful)

Total: FREE and up

It might look like I used the bottoms of three ties, and you can definitely do that. I didn’t have any of the tie bottoms anymore (I used them in that previous project!) Instead, I deconstructed the ties and used the stiff loose-weave inserts (the white fabric), sewed them to an unfolded piece of the tie, and cut out around them to suggest the tie. I sewed the skinny ends of two ties together to make the string part of the bunting.

To make:

Print letters on cardstock, and cut out with X-acto knife. (I used my wooden cutting board for the cutting surface.)

Cut bottom of ties off, about five inches from bottom. Use letters to measure, and make sure you are leaving enough fabric (the letters should not hang out over any edge of the tie).

Remove the stiff inserts from the bottom of the ties. Save the rest of the ties for later. (Alternately: Keep the inserts inside the tie, and cut out three tie-shaped pieces out of white fabric).

Transferring letters: use your disappearing ink marker to trace the letters on the front of the white fabric. (In the photo, I was tracing the letters backward on the back of the fabric with a Sharpie… this didn’t work, so don’t try it!)

Tie fabric: Open up tie fabric, pin tie insert to right side of fabric, and cut out around tie insert shapes, leaving about 1/2″ extra fabric around the edges.

Sew around white fabric to secure it to tie fabric.

Sew around the letter: If you have transferred letter outline to white fabric, stitch around the outline with your sewing machine and a straight stitch (or with a running stitch, if you are sewing by hand). I couldn’t find my transfer pen, so I pinned the letter, backward, to the back of my fabric and stitched it from underneath. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t just pin it to the front and stitch it that way, so I’m not sure why I did it from the back. Sometimes your mind is just fixed on a specific way to do things!

Cut out letter: Using your sharp pair of scissors, carefully cut letter out, around the inside of the letter. DON’T cut the background fabric, just the top layer of fabric. You might have to pinch the background fabric away from the letter as you cut. Don’t rush, but take your time to do a good job.

Keep your letters: Try to keep the cut-out letter intact so you can use it on another project. (Tomorrow, I’ll post about what to do with your saved cut-out letters.) Don’t forget to carefully cut around the hole in the middle of the letter.

Make the garland: To make the part you hang the letters from, take two skinny ends of your ties, and cut them about 18″ from their ends. After you cut the first tie, match up the second tie to make sure the place where you cut it is about the same width and they match up well. I cut mine on the diagonal. (Alternately: use anything else for the garland part, like a ribbon, strip of fabric, or whatever you have on hand.)

Sew the two ends together: I straight-stitched  them together and then zig-zagged the raw ends.

Attach letters to garland: Pin letters onto the garland, centered and equally distant from each other. Sew a straight stitch across the top of each letter flag.

You’re done! Wasn’t that fun?

Don’t forget, I have another project for you to do with your leftovers, so check back tomorrow.

The post Make Dad a Tie Bunting appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Dollar Store crafting friend Xine made this adorable clothesline dish towel inspired by an Anthropologie towel she admired. Such a cute motif, and Xine tells us exactly how to make it at her blog, Jane Avion. You can use a dollar store flour sack towel and your fabric and ribbon scraps to whip one (or several) of these up. This would be a very fun bridal shower gift (or if you can get it done this morning before you go over to Mom’s for lunch, a Mother’s Day gift). [click here to find the tutorial]

Project Estimate:

• Flour sack towel, $1
• Fabric scraps, on hand
• Ribbon scraps, on hand
• Embroidery floss, on hand or $.25

Total: $1 and up

The post Adorable Applique Clothesline Dish Towel appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Thanks to Polly from Helping Little Hands for contributing this great tutorial for busting your stash and improving your kiddos’ wardrobes! She’s brilliant, and has a lot of great ideas, from her Hand-Me-Down rehab series, to a whole lotta adorable felt food. I’ll let her tell you more below. Thanks again for guest-posting at Dollar Store Crafts, Polly! — Heather

p.s. This tutorial is really detailed and has lots of pictures, so I split it up into a few pages.

Hi, I’m Polly and I blog over at Helping Little Hands.  I was super excited when I heard about the Stash Bust because those are generally the kinds of projects I do anyway.  I’ve got some of everything on my blog  from sewing to cooking, to home preschool, to felt food and everything in between and on a budget.  For the last little while, I’ve particularly been focusing on what I call Hand-Me-Down Rehab–fixing clothes up to make them wearable and cute, and I hope you’ll come join me!

Hand-me-downs and Goodwill half-off finds are a way of life at our house.  With three small kids and hubby just out of graduate school, we’re always pinching our pennies.  We’ve been blessed with a lot of wonderful, generous  hand-me-downs at just the right times…but the pieces we’re given don’t necessarily match.  While our 5-year-old doesn’t feel the need to dress-up quite as much as Fancy Nancy, she does love to wear clothes with fun designs on them.  Our 2-year-old doesn’t care all that much about what he wears…but it is easier to get him to change into clean clothes when there’s a fun dinosaur instead of just a plain red shirt.

So I’m here to share some of my tricks for using homemade appliques to make coordinating outfits out of mismatched hand-me-downs for next to nothing.  Appliques are great because they can be added to virtually any piece of clothing and can help cover up stains or holes and make clothes look like better than new.

Materials:

• Clothes to decorate, on hand
• Heat’n Bond Lite Iron-On Adhesive (or there are “no sew” versions you can use), $2.96 or on hand
• Scraps for applique, on hand
• Fray Check (optional depending on the fabric you choose to use and the look you want), $2.55
• Basic sewing gear (needles, thread, sewing machine helpful, but not essential), on hand

Total: FREE and up

Types of Material to Use:

Almost any type of fabric can be used for appliques.  I used woven cotton fabric for years with great success using a satin stitch edging.  Recently, I tried using knits from old T-shirts and have fallen in love with them because they are so much less prone to fraying there are more possibilities for them.  If you’ve never done appliques before, I suggest starting with knits.

Go to page 2 to find out more

HeatnBond Ultra Hold Iron-on Adhesive 17”x36” at Joann.com

The post Mismatched Hand-me-downs + Appliques = Coordinated Outfits appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Make a Snowy Tree Skirt, by Jessica Hill, mad in crafts

I was so sick of having to drape an old quilt under my Christmas tree that I finally broke down and made a tree skirt.  Okay, the quilt was just an excuse for another project, but I’ll never admit it.

To make a snowy tree skirt, you will need:

• Red felt tree skirt from the dollar store, $1
• Three 2-packs of felt snowflakes, also from the dollar store, $3
• Needle and thread, on hand

Total: $4

I actually got my tree skirt from Target and it cost me $5 which I thought was a good price until I visited the Dollar Tree and saw that they had red felt tree skirts in stock.  Grrr.

Lay your tree skirt out on the floor (or a craft table if you’re spoiled) and pin the felt snowflakes where you would like them.  Be careful, friends, that felt is thick. I wouldn’t want you to get frustrated because it’s 11 at night and the pin won’t go through the felt and so you push extra hard and end up stabbing yourself violently in the finger.  Not that I know from experience; I’m just saying.

You will only need a few stitches to attach the snowflakes to the felt.  I put a few stitches around the center of each flake and at the tip of each point.  I used white thread for both the red and white snowflakes.  I really like the contrasting thread on the red flakes, and I kind of wish I would have used red thread on the white ones.  Maybe you should learn from my mistakes.

That’s really it.  Easy peasy.

If you want a little more Christmas flair you can spruce the skirt up in a variety of ways.  What I would really have liked to do was to chop up some fluffy white dollar store teddy bears and trim the edges of the skirt with their fur. You know, because the holidays are a time for peace, love, and stuffed animal massacres.  :P  That trim would look really cute, but my dog would have turned gnawing off every inch of fur into his personal New’s Years Resolution.

Drape the skirt around your trimmed tree and top with thoughtful presents.  All wrapped in paper from the dollar store, of course.

The post Make a Snowy Christmas Tree Skirt appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Here’s Star Wars craft number three! I made a reusable grocery tote in the style of a Morsbag, with a little Jedi twist. I used Jedi robe colors to make the bag, and added a Yoda head applique cut from a scrap of a fleece dollar store blanket. [click here for Morsbag pattern and instructions as well as to learn MORE about this awesome reusable grocery bagging movement: did you know over ONE MILLION plastic bags are consumed per minute globally?]

This is a very simple sewing project that makes a sturdy bag suitable for carrying groceries, books, crafting supplies, or any odds and ends you desire! Adding the applique is a simple matter of cutting a piece out of felt, pinning it to a piece of fabric, and sewing around the edges. Since the applique is fleece, no finishing of the edges is required.

Project Estimate:

• Scrap from a fleece blanket, on hand or $1
• Scrap fabric, about half a yard, on hand
• Buttons, on hand

Total: FREE and up

This is probably my favorite of all the Star Wars crafts I made. I just love the whole effect of the bag. It’s totally simple, but it just works for me.

And while we’re talking about totes, I’ll just show you this other tote I made because I don’t want to devote a separate post to it. I used part of the vintage Star Wars sheet I found to make a reversible tote.

The tote reverses to plain blue, but who’d want to use that side, seriously? I decided to make it reversible to reinforce it since the sheet is old and well-worn.

The post Make a Reusable Grocery Tote – Yoda Style! appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.