Trim it Up with Expo International

I've got tassels and buttons and trims, oh my!
"Houston we have a problem" - what to make first!

T-shirts and aprons pillows and hats,

Baskets and bags, purses and mats.

Just add some trim, it's easy to do

And soon your old stuff will be looking like new!

This is just a small selection from Expo International and already I'm in creative overload. T-shirts, aprons, hats, pillows - pretty much anything can go from boring to beautiful with the addition of one or two, well-chosen trims.  Here are a few ideas to start with....

You will also need:
Needle and thread
Lo-temp glue gun
Fabric glue
Double sided photo mounting tape
Glue spots
Scissors

Up-cyled Headband:

An old headband had seen better days, but it fit nicely (on my head too), so instead of throwing it away I decided to cover it with lace and trim.  I chose stretch lace, simply because the headband was about 1" wide at the top, but tapered to 1/2" at each end.

1.  Cut the lace to size.

2.  Attach one end of the lace to the end of the headband with a glue spot, then pull over the top and attach to the opposite side. Secure the end.  Because the lace stretches the edges will curl inward.

3.  Adhere the photo mounting tape to the underside of the headband. Remove the cover from the tape then glue the edges of the lace to the tape.

4.  Trim the lace at each end as needed.

5.  Adhere rhinestone trim on top of the lace for some evening sparkle!  

Pillow Pizzaz

Pillows don't have to be plain and boring! 

 Glue, or sew woven braid along the pattern lines for an updated look.  

Note: Dip ends of trim in glue to prevent fraying.

Add a second trim for even more pillow pizzaz and a tassel at each corner!

Summer Bag

Nobody likes a boring bag.  Jazz it up with the same trims used on the pillow, plus 3/8" pom pom trim.

1.  Cut 4 pieces of woven braid trim and 2 pieces of pom pom trim the width of the bag,  Dip ends of trim in fabric glue to prevent fraying.  Sew or glue trim in place as shown.  

2.  Glue the flower, or other complimentary trim on top of the woven braid.

Swag Bag

Glue woven braid trim around the edge of the iron-on vinyl flag for a more finished look.
Note: Dip ends of trim in fabric glue to prevent fraying.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Check out the other blogs listed below then head back to the Designer Crafts Connection blog to enter to win your own treasure chest of trims!

Susan M Brown
Betz Golden

Nadine Carlier

Trish Cortez

Yolie Burke

Michelle Frae Cummings

Susie Madden Bentz

Erin Reed

Steph Ackerman

Anita Scroggins

Sue Eldred

Maria Chuy Soto

Candy Rosenberg

Lorrie McCullers

Tammy Santana

Beth Watson
Julie McGuffee - You are here!
Designer Crafts Connection

 

Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.......

Yours truly,

Julie

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Pillow Talk

Designer Crafts Connection members were challenged to create pillows using pillow forms from Fairfield.  These are the supplies I received to work with:  2, 12" square pillow forms, a 6" x 20" neck pillow and Oly Fun fabric.

 

My mum always had lots of what she called "scatter cushions" on the sofa and chairs in our living room and lounge. They often changed with the seasons and although small, they always made a big impact on our surroundings.

Using the neck and 12" square pillow forms and 3 colors of Oly Fun I decided to create some fun scatter cushions of my own.

I love the bright colors of Oly Fun and it's a fabric I can use inside as well as out.  I especially liked the fact that I didn't necessarily have to pull the sewing machine out to make these pillows, although I must admit, if you end up using these in a pillow fight, the odds would be on the sewn pillow.  Mine are purely for decoration.

Here's how I covered the neck pillow:

1. Unroll the fabric and cut 2,12" pieces from width.  Wrap around one end of the neck pillow with about one half hanging off the edge.  Secure with a quilt pin.

 

2.  Tightly gather the fabric hanging off the end and wrap securely with a rubber band.

3. Pull the gathered end back over the end of the pillow.  It might be easier if you remove the fabric from the pillow to do this. Turn the cap inside out.

4.  Glue the overlapped edges together.  Place one "cap" on each end of the pillow.

5.  Cut 2, 5" wide strips of orange and place them across each end of the pillow, then cut a piece of pink, wide enough to cover the center. 

6.  The strips should overlap about 1/2".  Overlap the ends of each strip at the back of the pillow then glue in place.  The fabric is a little transparent, so I added jumbo rick rack from Decorative Trimmings over the area where the 2 colors overlapped.  The ends were glued in place at the back of the pillow.

7.  The square pillow is less complicated because there are no ends to cover.  I simply cut a 20" strip of fabric and wrapped it around the pillow form just like I was wrapping a Christmas present.

 

8.  I wrapped a complementary colored, folded strip of fabric and length of rick rack around the center then glued the overlapped ends together at the back.  This band held the fabric in place around the pillow, but for added security, I glued the folded ends in place.

You can see lots more ideas from other DCC members by hopping thru the webring using the blue, DCC logo in each designer's sidebar.  There's also a linky party collection on the DCC blog where you can add your own ideas!  So, come join the party!  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AD CARRY ON CRAFTING!