by Kathy Cano-Murillo - Mar. 29, 2003 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
In America, everybody gets to say what he or she believes.

Even those who say it with glue guns.

While citizens are voicing all kinds of opinions about the war, some are contributing to the conversation in a unique way: by joining the "Crafting for Peace" movement. The headquarters exists only in each creative person's mind as they knit, bead, paint and sprinkle glitter in the hopes of spreading a message of hope, love and unity.

I was inspired after seeing artists from all over the country create everything from peace shrines and knitted armbands to beaded safety pins and clay doves.

No matter what side of the fence you're on, you can do something to show support for our troops. It's amazing how far one spool of yellow ribbon, a few glue sticks and a handful of fabric roses can go.


Yellow ribbon lapel pins

Supplies
1 spool of yellow ribbon
Tiny wood cutouts of stars and/or hearts
Red, white and blue acrylic paint or paint pens
Tiny fabric roses in red, white and blue
Scissors
Small pin backs
Hot glue

Directions: Paint the wood cutouts in red, white and blue and set aside to dry. Cut the ribbon into 3-inch strips. Make one pin at a time by folding a strip of ribbon into a loop and adding a small drop of glue to secure it. Add another drop of glue and place painted wood cutout or a trio of fabric roses in center. Turn the pin over and add one more drop of glue to affix the pin back.

Tips and variations: Replace pin back with magnet or hair barrette. Make a larger version by using wider ribbon, bigger wood cutouts and fishing line to hang from your rear-view mirror.



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* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Labels: fabric, wearable art

Special friends deserve special gifts - especially when it comes to celebrating newborn bundles of joy. There's no better reason to take time out of a busy schedule to create some handcrafted pieces. If you are short on ideas but big on sentiment, I suggest picking up a copy of Baby Gifts: Simple Heirlooms to Make and Give ($18.95, Chronicle Books).

The dainty hardback is separated into chapters by theme, including wardrobe, nursery trimmings and toys. It features a variety of projects that are fit for all skill levels and uses. While many of them, such as the flannel receiving blanket and baby bloomers require a bit of sewing, others, such as the no-sew bibs and nighty nightlight, do not. Regardless, each idea is as adorable as it is practical.

In the spirit of gurgling, cooing cherubs everywhere, here's my own version of a basic baby pillow. Made from felt or fabric, it is easy to create and looks best when given as a set tied up with a piece of ribbon. Keep in mind for safety reasons that these pillows are to be used for decorative purposes only. !

Easy Baby Pillows


4 8 by 10 pieces of felt or fabric in contrasting colors
Paper and pencil
Scissors
Straight pin
Needle, thread
Sewing machine
Batting

Directions: Separate the felt pieces that you would like to use as the front and back panel. Sketch out the design you would like to use for the front of the pillow on the paper and cut out. Lay the pieces on another piece of felt, trace design and cut out. Arrange and pin the cut out pieces to the front panel and then sew in place, either with machine or by hand. When finished, stitch the front and back panels together, either by turning inside out or sewing right side out around the edges.

Variations: For a more elegant look, the book uses chenille fabric and pompon trim. For the front panel design, cut out letters to make a cute monogrammed pillow. Embroider two new cloth diapers and use instead of fabric. If you don't have a sewing machine, these pillows can be easily hand stitched.


***
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* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Labels: baby, fabric, sewing

Some art projects make you go "Hmm."

Awhile back at a yard sale, I picked up a bag of ethnic-looking fabric scraps that the owner had almost tossed in the trash. The horror! My vision was to make my own East Indian-inspired journal with the help of a hardback book and a jar of decoupage medium.

I made it and loved it, but when I showed it off, everyone had a different take.

"It looks African." "No, it looks Indonesian!"

Now that I look at it again, I'm feeling a Moroccan vibe. Regardless, this fabric collage is far from the beautiful exotic artwork from any of those places, but it sure is fun to assemble. Use this process to embellish a blank journal or travel diary, or to add an exotic spike to an altered book. Either way, remember - beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Moroccan-inspired Journal or Altered Book Cover

Supplies
1 large hardcover book
Assorted scrap pieces of dark printed fabrics
Decoupage medium and brush
Shiny ribbon/trim, sequins, small mirrors
Silver glitter squeeze paint
Hot glue
Scissors

Directions: Lay the pieces of fabric on the book and arrange them in an eye-appealing manner. Cut into shapes if desired. Paint the entire surface of the book's cover with a generous layer of decoupage medium. Apply the pieces. Rub your fingers over the surface to smooth out any bubbles. Apply a topcoat of the Mod Podge over the fabric. Let dry. Use hot glue to add trim and/or ribbon, sequins, mirrors, etc.



***
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* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Labels: fabric, recycled

Homemade Christmas cards are a serious commitment. You have to come up with a brazilliant design, purchase all of the supplies and then set up an assembly line in your home. It's worth it, because in the end, each card is a heartfelt masterpiece of inspired art.

When it comes to card design, the obvious and easiest choice is to go with paper collages, especially because there are so many delectable offerings of rub-on letters, stamps, punches, stickers, papers and photos. I often make handmade cards, but this season, I wanted to try something different. So I settled on creating all my cards using fabric, yarn and thread. My mission was to create greetings that had a quilted, homespun look but were still slick enough for the recipient to hang in a frame as a decoration for their home.

To achieve this look, you'll need to convert your photos into fabric. There are many methods, but the quickest is to pick up a package of fabric sheets at the craft or sewing store. These are pieces of fabric affixed to paper that are stiff enough to run through your home printer. After printing your scanned or photocopied picture onto the fabric sheet, peel away the paper and voilà! You have your picture printed onto fabric! Fabric paper also can be made at home by ironing lightweight cotton to the shiny side of freezer paper and then cutting it to the size of 8 1/2 by 11 inches.


I went with a vintage theme with the help of old-fashioned collage sheets I found at artchixstudio.com. This project will take a bit of sweat and labor. If that is too much to tackle, you can settle on making one or two and then framing them and giving them as gifts, or make smaller versions for use as tags or place-card holders.

Fabric Quilted Christmas cards

Supplies

Photos

Color copier or scanner

White fabric sheets for the computer

Decorative-edge scissors

Assorted fabrics

Glue stick

Blank cards or cardstock cut and folded into cards

Sewing machine or a needle and thread

Batting

Straight pins

Yarns and fibers

Embellishments



Directions: Put your photos in the copier/scanner and set the print quality to the highest resolution. Insert the fabric sheet into your printer according to package directions (usually face down). Print the images, cut them out and remove the paper backing. Set aside.

Cut a piece of fabric for the background of your card (use the decorative-edge scissors). Use the glue stick to lightly tack it to the front of the card. Sew the fabric in place. You can sew the edges in a curvy border or add dimension by sewing all over the surface of the fabric. Cut any loose strands.

Once you have the background in place, it's time to add the image. Cut a piece of batting to go under it to give it a quilted look. Pin and then sew the image to larger piece of fabric, with the batting sandwiched between. Pin and then sew the image to the center of the card. Sew designs inside the image to make it look puffier.

Sew yarn as a border, or add other kinds of embellishments.

Variation: To make your card stand out even more, package it with a frame that the recipient can use to display the card after they read it.

***
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Other links:
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* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Labels: fabric, holiday, paper, sewing

Kathy Cano-Murillo
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 27, 2007 12:00 AM

There are few things like old-school horror flicks to get you in the mood for Halloween.

If you are having a party, or plan to stay in to watch a Boris Karloff movie marathon, here is a spiffy coaster idea to add to the eerie atmosphere.

The coasters are made of fabric and are sealed with glossy varnish, which makes for easy cleanup. (Just wipe off with a damp cloth.) I know what you are thinking: "Where did she find those pictures?" Easy. Google images. Just type in the image you want and you're bound to find it, or something close. Keep in mind, many images are copyrighted, which means you can use them only for personal reasons, not to sell or mass produce.

Supplies
4 images (5 inches by 3 inches each)
1 Inkjet fabric sheet
Scissors
HeatnBond
4 pieces of primed canvas (available in a pad in the art section of the craft store)
Iron, piece of scrap fabric (to protect ironing surface)
1 sheet of craft felt
Sewing machine
High-gloss spray or brush-on varnish and brush

Directions
Using a computer picture program, arrange the four images on one 8 1/2-inch by 11-inch page. Insert the fabric sheet face down in your printer. Print.

Cut out each image, and cut a piece of HeatnBond for each image. Cut the canvas sheet into pieces that are 5 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.

One at a time, flip the images over (right side down), place the piece of HeatnBond shiny side down, cover with the scrap fabric, and with the iron on high, run it over the surface until the HeatnBond is adhered to the back of the image. Let cool and peel off paper backing. Set the image right side up on the piece of canvas, cover with the scrap fabric and iron so the image bonds to the canvas. Let cool.

Place a piece of felt behind the image and sew the edges using the zigzag feature. Repeat process for the other three images. Cut off any excess fabric from the edges. Varnish, let dry.

Tip: Do not varnish before sewing, otherwise it will gunk up your needle.


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, Halloween, home decor, sewing

This is a project I've featured before, but I love it so much, I wanted to share it in video form. All you need are two cloth napkins and a glue gun!

Click this LINK to see it!


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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2006. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: crafty video, fabric, home decor, LifetimeTV

A necklace to inspire sew-and-sew

Kathy Cano-Murillo
Special for The Arizona Republic
Sept. 22, 2007 12:00 AM

September is National Sewing Month, which means now is a good time to dust off your machine and give it a whirl.

Before you dismiss the idea, assuming you have to make a dress from scratch, think again. There are all kinds of easy projects that take minutes to complete.

Example: I love to stitch two decorative place mats together, and then add Fiberfill for an instant toss pillow. I'm also addicted to microsize designs.

Recently, while sorting through my fabric scraps, I became inspired to make little pillow jewelry pieces. These make adorable earrings and pendants, or you can sew them all together for a cool wrist cuff. I settled for this fabric necklace. You also can make these as appliques to sew onto clothing, quilt or fabric collage projects.

Even if you've never picked up a needle and thread, there is no reason to skip out on trying - especially with a place such as Sewin' Asylum (www.sewinasylum.com) at 8805 W. Union Hills Drive, Peoria.

Owner Erica Doyle provides a workshop environment where people can come in to finish, start or get help with a project. It's a great plan for those who are interested but who don't have access to a machine.

For other sewing ideas and inspirations, check out your local bookstore or cable-TV networks for books and shows.

For more information about National Sewing Month, visit www.sewing.org.

Supplies
Pinking shears
1 fabric image and background fabric for it (3 inches max)
4 pieces of fabric circles (1 1/2 inches round)
Fiberfill stuffing
Chopstick or pencil
Small hole puncher
6 small jump rings
Necklace chain
Needle-nose pliers
Necklace clasp

Directions
Using the pinking shears, line up the front and back fabric and cut out around the shape that you want as the main pendant.

Do the same for the circles. Sew each one around the edges, but leave an opening.

Pinch off a gumball-size piece of Fiberfill and roll it into a ball, use the chopstick or pencil to push it through the hole of the pendant and the circles.

Sew up the ends. Use the hole puncher to create holes on each side of the pieces, and insert jump rings. Connect to the necklace chain. Use the needle-nose pliers to shorten the chain as desired. Add the clasp.

Variations: Connect more pieces together to make a matching bracelet, or make single pieces for earrings. Instead of using necklace chain, sew the pieces together.

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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, jewelry, sewing, wearable art

Coloring Book Pillow
Postcard Pillows
Custom colored fabric
Yarn Mosaic Lampshade
Frida Kahlo-inspired Pillowcase
Love Song Pillowcase
Stitched Mirror
Cafe Cultura Window Shade
Fabric Belletin board


Embossed Heart Pillow*T-Shirt Pillow*
Embroidered Tea Towel*
Stuffed Monster*
Easy Baby Pillows*
T-shirt Quilt*
Outlandish Ottoman
Fluffy Faux Fur Rug
Patriotic Fabric Collage
Sassy Sock Monkey
Painted Floorcloth
Applique Lamp
Beach Towel Tote
Felt iPod Holder
Homegirl Laptop Sleeve
Reconstructed Tees
Puppy Hot Pavement Paw Protectors
Placemat Purse
Shower Curtain Tote Bag*
Fabric Transfer Totes*
Soothign Eye Bags
Tuxedo Jeans
Transformed Totes*
Duct Tape Handbag
Beaded Jeans
Paint-By-Number T-shirt
Disco Baby Tee
Painted Sneakers
Bleached Jeans
Sisterhood Friendship Jeans
Faux Silk Screened Shirts
iPod Cozies
Fabric Collage Handbag
Quilted Photo Card
No Sew Napkin Pillows
Oilcloth Barstool
Sassy Spool Necklace
Ice Cream Shirt
Patchwork Paper
Puffy Fabric Appliques
Africa Folklore Embroidery
El Sol Tropical Tote

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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, sewing

Coloring books have that cool old-school look about them. That's why when I first discovered fabric markers, I immediately thought of using that theme for some cute pillows.

This project screams "kids," but you can change it to fit your style. This idea also will work for a unique spin on a gift for a baby shower or child's birthday party.

If you don't want to make a toss pillow, use the technique to add a slash of bright color to your fabric collages, sewing projects and even scrapbooks. You could even go with neon colors for a funky Andy Warhol-inspired vibe. Regardless, any option is an easy and entertaining time-passer.

Click here for directions.
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, home decor

Embroidery is one craft most crafters want to try. It's drawing with threads, and offers so many options. The easiest route is to start with a dish towel, pillowcase or hankie, but that's boring. That's why I was intrigued to discover African Folklore Embroidery from Arizona Republic reader Alexis Kjellstrom, 52. The Phoenix resident and AFLE-certified instructor wrote to me about the art form and the classes she teaches.

"I became interested in this embroidery (technique) because of the brightness of the colors and the total artistic freedom and expression it offers," she says. "The designs are influenced by the Ndebele people, animals and flora of South Africa. Since the final outcome of the design is totally up to the embroidery artist, the sky is the limit. Applique and beading can be added to achieve the look you want as well as the use of a variety of threads and even ribbon embroidery."

The traditional South African craft is different from regular embroidery in that bright hand-dyed threads and beads are used on black fabric. The extreme contrast makes the end result pop. Artist Leona Raikin, a native of South Africa, used African Folklore Embroidery as a way to pass the time as a child. After moving to Southern California, she launched a line of do-it-yourself kits featuring designs inspired by the Ndebele people.

I used an AFLE kit to make this embroidered end table. For information on classes, visit the AFLE Web site, www.aflembroidery .com, or e-mail Kjellstrom at africafolk@cox.net.

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, inside, multi-culti, sewing

It's time to color your own fabric! I was inspired to share this idea after meeting with my friend Linda Young (organizer of Art Unraveled!) for coffee last week. She was so thrilled with some fabric she painted that she brought samples to share.

My suggestion is to color a large batch at one time so you will have it on hand for other projects. Aside from scrapping, use your custom fabric to make jewelry, embellish clothing, purses and anything else you can think of.

Sure, there are oodles of fabrics ready to go at the store, but think of how cool it will be to hold up something you made and say, "I even dyed the fabric for this project."

Visit your local scrapbook store today to partake in all kinds of paper-friendly activities.

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE DIRECTIONS

Now for part two of this project...I didn't have room in my newspaper column to add this, so I'll post it here. I am now hooked on coloring my own fabric because of Tulip's One Step Fashion Dyes.



OK - before I go any further, I have to let you know that now that I'm part of the Duncan familia, I have full-access to any and all of their products. It's like crafty heaven because I can try out all the goods. and just like I've always done on this blog, whatever I make and play with, I'll post it here! So consider me your inside source!!

Back in the day, I used to tie dye Patrick's band shirts. I used watered down acrylics in spray bottles, as well as pickle buckets of dye for dipping. I used to have to make them in the back yard and I hated that our pretty green grass got tie dyed as much as the shirts. After a couple years of doing that, I gave up and swore off tie dye.

When I started working with Duncan, they gave me some of these One Step Fashion Dyes to try out. At first, I flinched. I didn't want to revisit the pickle bucket era! I tried it anyway, and dang - all those crazy steps are removed! It's all about shaking and squirting now!

The Fashion Dyes come in individual plastic bottles with gloves and rubber bands. At he bottom of the bottle is powered dye. All you do is fill the bottle with water and shake, shake, shake - and you are good to go!

I took white cotton fabric, wet it, cut it and rubber banded it. I lined my kitchen counter with a large plastic trash bag, set out the fabric and squirted the dye.



Custom Painted Fabric

Supplies
1 yard of white (patterned or plain) cotton fabric (make sure it has stain guard on it)
Fabric paints (any combination of): watered-down acrylics, squirt, squeeze or spray on fashion dyes, fabric markers
Medium resealable bags or plastic wrap
Water-based acrylic paints
Paintbrush
Sink
Plastic gloves
Rubber bands or string
Washing machine

Directions: Pre-wash the fabric (no fabric softener), but don't dry it, allowing the color to take. Cut into four pieces so you can dye each piece a different shade. Put on the gloves.

To create a tie-dye look: Put rubber bands or string around different sections of the fabric. Using the squeeze, spray on or squirt on dye, apply color to various areas of the fabric. I like to keep my colors in the same hue: for example, purple, fuchsia and pink for one piece of fabric, or blue, green and teal, or yellow, orange and red, etc. Once fabric is covered with dye, put each piece in a separate bag or plastic wrap. For intense colors, let set for several hours, less for lighter tones. Cut off rubber bands or string, rinse in sink, and then run through washing machine, followed by the dryer. Iron and use.

Hand-painted fabric: Work on a covered surface. Wet piece of fabric and lay it flat. Dip brush in fabric paint and apply to the material as desired. You can make stripes, circles, paint pictures, use rubber stamps, etc. Use gold paint with a thin liner brush to add accents. For shimmer, spray on permanent glitter. Let dry for several hours and then wash in machine. Dry and iron.

Variations: Use white fabric with black patterns, and your end result will have even more dimension. Buy a package of Inkjet fabric sheets and use them to copy your pictures, scrapbook papers, small trinkets, newsprint or wrapping paper. Peel off the backing and sew the sheets together. You can also make your own paper by color-copying your custom fabric onto paper.

If you want more of a painted effect, you can use the Tulip Soft Fabric Paint, which is very cool because it dries soft and light and doesn't crack. I combined my colors and watered them down just a bit to get that striped look in the top photo. I also used the gold paint and aliner brush to add some starbursts and squiggles.

Last time I was at Duncan's headquarters, they gave me fabric markers to try out!!! I have yet to use them, but when I do, I'll post the details here!

One more thing about custom-colored fabric. This is how I make the fabric for my purses! At first I didn't want to share how I did it, because it looks very labor intensive, when really it is pretty easy. But I'm here to share ideas and turn people on to new things, right? It's all about inspiring others! So maybe there is something new and wild you can do with your custom-colored fabric. Did you know you can also color copy it to make your own paper?

Stretch it, baby, stretch it!



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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: Cinco DeMayo, fabric, wearable art

What to do with all those fabric scraps...hmmm...problem solved! Turn them into puffy fabric appliques! I have a box of nothing but fabric scraps, including images I've printed out on fabric paper. Rather than throw all of them out, I salvaged them by making a batch of appliques. These are fun to keep on hand because you can iron them on to t-shirts, totes, jackets, even jeans or shoes. OK, so here is how I did it!

Puffy Fabric Appliques


Supplies:
pinking shears
fabric image (can be cut out from an old t-shirt, or a patch you have or fabric transfer paper)
Assorted fabric scraps
Pinch of batting
Pins
Sewing machine
fusible web or liquid fusible web (great for heavy duty appliques!)

How to make one:
Cut out your image and lay it on a piece of fabric that will act as a nice border. Add a pinch of batting between the two pieces and pin in place. Sew it in place. If there are clean lines, sew along thelines to give it more texture. Now sew it to a larger piece and keep adding on until you get it the size you want. When you are done, zigzag around the edges a couple times so it won't fray.


Apply fusible web according to package directions. However, I got so excited, I added painted dots on my ricrack and I really should have waited until i ironed it on my tote bag. But I managed to iron around the paint, no tears - thank goodness!

Iron it on your item. I put mine on a tote bag that I plan to garnish even further.


The picture at the very top show appliques that I hand stitched onto Mexican woven totes that I scored for $5 bucks each. For a more sparkling look, pile on the sequins, crystals and glitter.

The cool thing about making appliques is you can use those iron on letters, or cut out images from fabric or vintage embroidered tea towels and so forth.
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, sewing, wearable art

Here is another project I did for Duncan using Aleene's Fabric Fusion. This is a new fabric adhesive that is not stringy and once you are done with your project, you can even wash or dry clean it! For this bag, I used one placemat, folded it in half and decked it out in fabric, gems and even paint.

Here are the directions from DuncanCrafts.com on how to make it. The fabric is from Alexandar Henry, available at St Theresa's Textile Trove.

I think this bag would be super sweet for going to a Latin dance night, or a reggae concert. Or a downtown coffeehouse, any place tropical and colorful. If you are going on vacation this spring or summer, you can make one just for the trip! You can also personalize it by making a fabric transfer of any photo you want and use Fabric Fusion to apply it to the placemat. It's also a spiffy way to use up fabric scraps.

I didn't include this in the directions, because I didn't want to overwhelm anyone - but the sun fabric? I dyed that! I like to buy vintage dishtowels and then dye them keep them for use with my collage projects. The dyeing part isn't as extreme as it sounds. You can pick up a bottle of Tulip Fashion Dye - it is a bottle that comes with colored powder at the bottom. You just fill it up with water, shake it and BAM! Squirt it on your fabric!!

I'll have a tutorial later on it. Next time I dye a batch of fabric, I'll video tape it and post it.

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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, multi-culti, wearable art

Here in Phoenix we are hosting more than 500 hurricane Katrina victims. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are accepting donations for all kinds of things and I thought it would add a nice touch to deliver them in hand-decorated totes. Wouldn't it be cool if everyone made a tote and then fille dit with goodies for our guests? Here are my versions.

Here are the directions.
* By Kathy Cano Murillo, copyright 2005. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: fabric, sewing, wearable art

I've been on a fiber marathon lately - sewing like a Project Runway finalist. I'm still using the cheap $99 machine Patrick bought me five years ago for Christmas. I can't believe it still works! This is a panel I made from scrap fabric. I love purple. When I was a kid I always wanted purple hair, but my mum wouldn't let me. It wasn't until after I finished this that I remembered that. If you have scrap fabric, make a self-portrait collage. It's really fun and revealing!

* By Kathy Cano Murillo, copyright 2005. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: collage/paper, fabric, sewing

Using fabric transfer paper and lots of notions & scraps (even some from a favorite pair of jeans), I came up with this. Here are the directions. And you can use anything you want in the center, I just happen to love the prayer card images!

* By Kathy Cano Murillo, copyright 2005. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: collage/paper, fabric, inside, sewing, shrines

by Kathy Cano-Murillo - Jun. 26, 2004 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

There is a lovable, cuddly underground movement happening these days - stuffed monsters. I think of them as the next generation of the traditional sock monkey because they are little animals you can create to your liking. Stuffed monsters are so addictive to make. Once you draw a shape, cut and sew it and attach simple facial features, it will look cuter than a Hello Kitty Waffle Maker.

Shawn Smith, 28, of Chicago, has been making and selling monsters at www.shawnimals.com since 2001. He has a theory on why so many crafters are going soft.

"The abundance of fantastic characters and creatures in cartoons, comics, video games and movies right now may be stoking the desire," he says. "Sewn plush is a really direct way to turn doodles and sketches into real-life things."

For more inspiration, here are some other Web sites to check out:


• uglydolls.com
• peg-legstudio.com
• biggerkrissy.com
• mypapercrane.com
• littleandthegirl.com


Stuffed Monsters

Supplies:
1 piece of typing paper and a pen
Scissors
2 pieces of felt, 9 1/2 inches by 12 inches
Straight pins
Needle, thread, sewing machine or fabric glue
Buttons or googly eyes
Trim, fringe, beads, embroidery thread, ribbon, sequins, yarn or any other embellishments
Fiberfill stuffing



Directions:

Fold the piece of paper in half. Use the pen to draw half of the outline of a creature (just as you would draw half a heart) and then cut out the shape with the scissors. Unfold it and lay it on top of the two pieces of felt. Lightly trace around the shape with the pen. Pin the pieces of felt together in the center area of the creature. Sew around the outline of the shape, but leave an opening at the top. Trim the excess felt from around the shape, leaving a quarter-inch halo. Decide whether you want to flip the creature inside out or leave it with the seams showing. Sew or glue on the face (eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, teeth) using buttons, felt, beads or embroidery thread. Stuff the creature until it is firm. Use the chopstick to move the stuffing into pointy corners. Sew or glue the top closed. Add any extra embellishments you like.

Variations: Use other kinds of fabric, such as faux fur, velvet, fleece, satin, denim or cotton. Make some creatures abstract, without arms or legs, and just add eyes to give them character. Use embroidery thread to add more detailed features to their expressions. Insert a dryer sheet as part of the stuffing to use as a room freshener.

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Labels: fabric, kids, sewing