Have you noticed the Barbie-like doll busts that Dollar Tree has been selling?  They are just a head and shoulders, lacking the rest of the body.  I’ve looked at them several times thinking that there had to be some sort of creative use for them.  And here it is!  Craftster user kcli gave a few of these bodiless beauties a bit of brain surgery, turning their empty noggins into whimsical pin cushions!  Are they cute or creepy, or maybe a little of both?  Either way, one things is for sure:  they’re definitely different!  [how to make a barbie head pin cushion]

Project estimate:

• Fashion doll bust, $1
• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Scrap yarn, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

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

Okay, between last week’s mini chalkboard magnet tutorial and today’s mini frame pin cushion, it’s probably fair to say that I am crazy about miniatures.  I mean, they’re just so cute and tiny!  When I saw these itty bitty frames in the dollar bins at Michael’s last week I had to grab a few.  They come in fun colors, the shape is gorgeous, and you can do so much with them.  Did  I mention that they’re only ONE dollar?  Read on to learn how I turned a miniature frame into a fun pin cushion.

Project estimate:

• Mini frame, $1
• Cork board, on hand or $1 and up
• Fabric Scrap, on hand
• Glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

How to make your own framed pin cushion:

Step 1:  Cut a piece of cork board to fit in the front of the frame.  I had cork left from another project, but you could recycle it from the back of old coasters or dollar store coasters, since you only need a 2 inch square.

Step 2:  Cut a fabric scrap slightly larger than the cork.  Use a hot glue gun to glue the corners down first, then fold the edges over and hot glue  to finish.

Step 3:  Glue the fabric covered cork into the frame.

My fun little framed pin cushion is such a happy addition to my crafting desk!  It’s pretty and functional.  I like that it lays down flat when I’m using it, and when I’m done I can stand it up so it takes less space. Heck, I might even use it as a tiny pin board for instagram pictures!  Why not?

The post Tutorial: DIY Framed Pin Cushion appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

There are lots of things you can do with picture frames besides photos, but here is one you probably haven’t thought about. When Andrea from The Simple Craft Diaries came across some beautiful little round frames in clearance at Michaels for a quarter each (SCORE!), she was inspired to turn them into fun, funky pin cushions! A little spray paint and a selection of different fabrics allowed her to create a variety of looks, showing just how versatile this project can be.  They are super easy to make, and they have a distinctive look that will make them the envy of all your sewing friends.  [how to make picture frame pin cushions]

Project estimate:

• Picture frame, $1 and up
• Foam ball, on hand or $1
• Fabric, on hand
• Paint (optional), on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

The post Make Picture Frame Pin Cushions 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 we hear the words “dollar store challenge,” we tend to get a little giddy.  (Can you blame us?)  Recently, Iron Craft issued a challenge using dollar store items, and we’ve been admiring the great projects that resulted!  Kat from Just Crafty Enough (who also happens to be one of the ladies behind the fabulous Iron Craft challenges) used her dollar store finds to create these adorable, springy pincushions.  Aren’t they sweet? Her dollar store items were tiny flower pots, a green microfiber cleaning cloth, and a pair of garden gloves that she cut up for the pretty, striped fabric.  Heck, even if you don’t sew, they’re cute enough to use as spring decor instead!  [how to make a flower pot pincushion]

Project estimate:

• Mini flower pots $1
• Microfiber cleaning cloth, $1
• Fabric, on hand or $1 and up
• Button, on hand
• Needle and thread, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Polyfill, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

The post Make a Flower Pot Pincushion appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

2011 was a tutorial-filled year at Dollar Store Crafts; we brought you more original tutorials than ever!  There were fashion tutorials, home decor tutorials, recycled crafts, and all kinds of other ideas.  Some of them were particularly popular, so to wrap up the year, we thought we would take a look back at our top 10 tutorials out of everything we made in 2011.  Which of our tutorials was your favorite this year?

10. Make the World’s Easiest Crocheted Scarf

Okay, I admit it, I have a yarn hoarding problem.  In the spirit of stashbusting, I came up with a way to use a bunch of my random odds and ends and tidbits that were too long to throw away, but too small for a whole project.  It’s the perfect crochet project for people who don’t know how to crochet.  Don’t be afraid, it’s super-duper simple, I promise!  [read the tutorial]

9.  DIY Fashion:  Blooming Bib Recycled T-shirt Necklace

We’re big fans of the talented siblings from The Sisters 4 Say More is More.  They’ve contributed some wonderful ideas to our site, including this recycled T-shirt bib necklace by Sophie, aka Sister #2.  It’s frilly and girly and makes a big statement, and we’re glad you love it as much as we do!  [read the tutorial]

8.  Make Designer-Inspired “Straw” Bangles

Our fashionable contributor Samantha (also of Bromeliad Living) got the idea for these chunky, colorful bangles when she saw a similar design in a magazine.  She got her macrame on and came up with her own take on the look.  The designer version cost $50 each; these cost more like 50 cents each!  [read the tutorial]

7.  Make an Anthropologie-Inspired Ruffled Scarf

Are you noticing a trend on this list yet?  2011 was certainly a good year for DIY fashion!  This Anthro-inspired scarf is another post from Samantha, who adapted the look of a lighter-weight scarf to be cozy enough for winter use.  Even if you think you have zip-zero-zilch for sewing skills, you can pull this one off like a pro.  It’s that easy!  [read the tutorial]

6.  Paint a File Cabinet Blue: $5 Revamp

Heather picked up a tired old filing cabinet as a Craigslist freebie.  It was in good shape, but it was bland and boring.  But not anymore!  She went for a cartoony, blueprint-like look, with fabulously whimsical results.  It’s playful enough for a kids room, but also works in a grownup space that needs an injection of humor.  [read the tutorial]

5.  Tutorial: Marbled Nail Polish

We hosted a series of nail polish tutorials from Megan at Razberriez, including these fabulous (and surprisingly easy) marbled nails using a water technique.  We thought it was awesome and so did you, sending it all the way to the top five tutorials of the year.  [read the tutorial]

4.  Mini Office Supply Book Covers for Matchboxes

We went mini-crazy earlier this year.  For those of you who reveled in those weeks, there are more tiny things in the future.  Looking back at the last wave of itty-bitty creations, the most popular by far were Heather’s miniature book covers made to fit over matchboxes, turning them into office supply holders.  She even put together a free printable so that you can whip out a set of your own in no time!  [read the tutorial]

3.  Make a Recycled Plastic Cup Washer Necklace

The day that someone told me you could use #6 plastic like Shrinky Dinks, it was a life-changing revelation.  Okay, maybe not life-changing, but it certainly did change my sorting of recyclables.  I knew there had to be something nifty I could do with some red plastic cups left after a party, so I played around with my Sharpie and some scissors and came up with this design.  No one will ever guess that it started out as a plastic cup!  [read the tutorial]

2. Cupcake Pin Cushions

Our pal Care from Obsessively Stitching is always coming up with adorable ideas.  She used a dollar store ramekin as the base for making a sweet little cupcake pin cushion, and even made a miniature version that you can wear as a ring to keep pins close at hand while you’re fitting your next project.  Can you guess what the mini version is made from?  [read the tutorial]

1.  Make a Drinking Straw Weaving Loom

I was a band camp kid.  (Once a geek, always a geek!)  Actually, the camp I went to was a fine arts camp, with kids majoring in all kinds of music and dance and visual arts.  You could even take elective classes, and one summer I spent my spare time for two weeks of camp studying fiber arts.  It was an experience that would heavily influence y future crafting!  One of the projects I remember doing was making a weaving loom out of drinking straws.  Feeling nostalgic, I grabbed a few straws and did a little old-school crafting.  I never expected my trip down memory lane to be so popular!  [read the tutorial]

The post Top 10 Dollar Store Crafts Tutorials of 2011 appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Someone once told me that the three R’s should be observed in order; first reduce the amount of materials you consume, then reuse as much as possible, and recycle anything you can after that.  It’s a philosophy I try to live by, which feeds my love of recycled crafts.  I was tickled when I stumbled across this recycled tuna can pin cushion designed by Kara of Creations by Kara.  The project is also a great opportunity to use up other odds and ends you have laying around, such as leftover bits of beautiful scrapbook paper and remnants of fabulous fabrics.  [how to make a tuna can pin cushion][via Crafty for Less]

Project estimate:

• Empty tuna can, free
• Spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Scrap paper, on hand
• Fabric remnants, on hand or about $1
• Polyfill, on hand or about $2.50
• Glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up

If you have a bunch of tin cans laying around, here are a couple more DSC projects from the past using recycled tin cans:

• Make a Woodland-Inspired Vase
• Make a Cute Ornament out of a Used Can

The post Make a Recycled Tuna Can Pin Cushion appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.