Kraft-Tex Ironing Travel Mate

December 2020 Project of the month

 

It goes without saying that 2020 has been one “hot mess” so with that in mind I created my final 2020 Kraft-Tex project to tame the wrinkles that we have all experienced this year. Ladies and gentlemen I give you my Kraft-Tex project of the month featuring Turquoise Kraft-Tex, I’m calling it my “Kraft-Tex Ironing Travel Mate”. 

I don’t know about you but I’m itching to get back on the road and do some traveling and take and teach a few fiber art classes along the way but space and weight are always a packing consideration. This small, quick and easy project is a terrific solution that perfectly meets my needs.  

You will need:

1 - 18 ½” x 12”  piece of Turquoise Kraft-Tex

1 -    “       “    “       “     “  Cotton Batting (or Insul-Bright)

1 -    “       “   “        “     “  Silver Ironing Board Fabric

¼ Yard coordinating fabric for binding and ties

Thread to match your project binding

Plastic clips to secure the binding for sewing

Note: I also find a stiletto or awl helpful when stitching the binding on. 

Construction:

1. Form a sandwich with Kraft-Tex (RSO) on the bottom, batting in the middle and silver ironing board fabric on the top (RSO).

2. Clip in several places to hold the sandwich together.

3. Create binding and tie with your coordinating fabric by cutting 3 strips, 1 ½” x width of fabric (normally 42/44”)  on the straight of grain . (Note: It is not necessary to cut on the bias because you will not be sewing any curves.)

   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Binding and tie:

• Create a double fold strip out of your fabric with either a bias binding tool OR: fold fabric in half wrong sides together and iron to find the center. Open the fold and fold in the raw edges to meet the ironed line. iron the folded edges. Do this on all three pieces.

• Join two of these pieces together (end to end to form one long piece) and reiron where they are joined.

• Set the third piece aside for now. 

  
  
  

5. Completely surround and capture the edges of your sandwich in step 1 inside of the binding fold and use clips to secure in place. Be sure that your fabric sandwich edge meets the fold on the inside of the binding. 

6. Stitch the binding in place taking care to catch both sides of it as you stitch. Miter in the corners before stitching over them. As you near the end cut binding slightly longer than the starting point as you will need to overlap the beginning and end of the binding. Finish capturing and overlapping the edge and clip in place. Finish stitching all the way around your piece.

   
   
   

7. Finish the tie and attach:

• Take your last piece of binding and give the fold one more press. Stitch the entire edge closed (the full 44” length). If you want you can turn in the ends to form a finish edge before stitching or just knot them at each end so they don’t ravel. 

• Fold in half so when you stitch it you will have two straps. Secure the doubled tie in the middle of an end of your pressing mat and stitch the tie in place. 

  
  
  
  
  

8. You can simply roll your project and secure closed with the ties 

9. I travel with my small packable Clover Travel Iron and it wraps up perfectly inside the ironing mat.

   
   
   
   
   
   

10. Ready? Set? Let’s GO!

Kraft-tex is an amazing leather like product that has thousands of uses. Kraft-tex is stitchable, paintable, stampable, embossable and washable to name a few. It’s been my privilege to be affiliated with C & T Publishing ( www.ctpub.com ) and part of their creative team.

Kraft-tex Koasters

November Project Of The Month Using Tangerine Kraft-tex

This is the perfect accessory for your pumpkin spice coffee mug. What’s not to love about crafty Fall projects and what better way to spruce up your coffee table than with new coasters. This project is so simple and easy you can sew up several in an hour.

What you’ll need to create each coaster:

2 - 5” squares of Kraft-tex (I used Tangerine for both the pumpkin and the bottom of project)
1 - 2 ½” square of Kraft-tex in Emerald (for the stem)
1 - 5” square of fabric for pumpkin shading (I loved auditioning fabrics for this part of the project and ended up used an orange and black plaid homespun)
1 - 5” square of vinyl for the top protective cover (I used Clear Vinyl from CTPub.com) 
2 - 5” squares of fusible web for fabric & pumpkin and 1- 2 ½’ square piece of web for the stem
Clips to hold vinyl in place for sewing.
Regular and Fine/detail scissors or Exacto knife, coordinating threads and sewing machine
Note: I found a circular cutter to be helpful to make these but not absolutely necessary. 

Directions: It always begins with a sketch for me. You are welcome to use the pattern (for personal use only) that is included here but you may want to make up your own. 

                                                                                          Enlarge or reduce pattern circle to 4" diameter.

Cut your circle pieces first (pumpkin, coaster backing, fabric, vinyl and fusible) EACH PIECE SHOULD MEASURE EQUALLY, MY PATTERN CALLS FOR A 4” DIAMETER CIRCLE, however you may want to make yours a different size. It doesn’t matter as long as you have enough of each material and each piece is cut the same size. The included pattern can be sized up or down on your printer. Also cut out your stem pattern.

NOTE: DO NOT GET A HOT IRON NEAR THE VINYL!

Fuse the web to the wrong side of the fabric then fuse together this to the wrong side of the Kraft-tex coaster bottom. Fuse the second piece to the wrong side of the pumpkin and leave the paper on before you cut it out! Also fuse the 2 1/2" green stem piece. 

Carve the pumpkin and fuse. Lightly trace with pencil the pumpkin pattern to the right side of the Kraft-tex then cut out using scissors or an Exacto knife. Peel away the fusible protective paper and fuse to the fabric side of the coaster.

Cut and Fuse Stem. Lightly trace the stem pattern to the right side of the green stem then cut our and fuse in place, being sure to keep it inside the pumpkin circle so it will be covered by the vinyl.

Add Vinyl and and Stitch by clamping in several places and stitching slowly around the entire perimeter of the coaster. A Teflon foot is helpful but not necessary.  

Optional stitching: You may wish to stitch down the Kraft-tex around the pumpkin and stem shapes, after fusing but before adding the vinyl, to simplify this pattern I’ve only shown it fused.

Kraft-tex is a colorful and versatile leather like product and may be purchased at ctpub.com or other participating dealers.

Playing with plaids! Can you tell that I have quite a collection? And these are just a few ! :-) 

 

 

And the winning plaid is... ready for a coffee cup!

 

Sewing Machine Foot Caddy

October Kraft-tex Project Of The Month - Blue Iris

 

“Sew” many people joined the ranks of “Sewists” during this pandemic... And although social distancing made this a solitary endeavor many discovered a new appreciation and love of this craft. I for one have enjoyed this time of productivity but very much looking forward to the day that I can once again teach in person! It’s with upcoming class time in mind that I created this caddy that holds your specialty sewing feet. Versatile and durable  Kraft-tex was the perfect material to use.

 

Our sewing machine is precious, add to that the specialty feet that we buy that make certain stitching possible and you have a hefty investment. Sometimes (ask me how I know this) an expensive machine foot gets lost or left behind in class. Ouch! This project is designed to make sure that your tiny machine feet made it to class and back home again.

 

You will need: 

• 1 - 4 1/2” x 10” piece of Kraft-tex (I used the beautiful Blue Iris, one of my favs)

• 1 - 4 1/2” x 10” piece of coordinating craft felt

• 1 - 4 1/2” x 10” piece of inside lining fabric

• 2 - 4 1/2” x 10” pieces of iron on fusible (like Wonder Under)

• 1 - 1 ½” piece of Velcro

• 12” piece of coordinating ribbon for attaching “foot” (badge) holders

• 1 fancy embellishment to cover where you've stitched the Velcro

• 3 or more HORIZONTAL clear plastic badge holders (available in the office supply area)

• Coordinating yarn to couch around the outside of the caddy to enclose edges

• Sewing machine with zig zag capabilities

• Coordinating sewing thread

Construction:

1. Fuse: Iron one piece of fusible piece on the  wrong sides of the fabric and the second on the wrong side of the Kraft-tex. Then fuse each side to the craft-felt so that you create a "sandwich" with the felt is in the center.

2. Create creases by placing the lining side up on the table and folding up 3 ½” from bottom and down 2 ½” from top creating a tri-fold.

3. Open (Kraft-tex side up) and couch (with a zig zag stitch) yarn all the way around the perimeter of the caddy.

4. Add ribbon tie to the inside of your caddy. Determine placement by placing a badge holder inside the caddy making a beginning and ending mark for stitching so the ribbon goes through holes in the badge holder.



5. Add your Velcro hook side to the inner top and loop side to the outside bottom of the caddy.

6.Add your button or embellishment to the front top cover to conceal the Velcro stitching.

7. Stitch your acetate badge holders down the middle center so it can hold 2 normal size feet or leave without stitching to accommodate a larger specialty foot. If it helps you can create a label to tuck inside the individual feet compartments. 

8. Thread the ribbon on to the badge holders, tie and you're ready to load up for class.




Kraft-tex can be purchased in a variety of beautiful color from CTpub.com and other participating vendors. Be sure to try this remarkable leather like product.

One for me and one for a friend... the red one has white Kraft-tex on the INSIDE of the caddy.

 Pop Art Earrings

September Kraft-tex project of the month-Sapphire

I LOVE big earrings! However, my ears don’t like them because they are normally very heavy. Kraft-tex to the rescue! Light weight, colorful and easy to work with. This is an easy, quick and crafty way to dress up your wardrobe. 

You will need:

Kraft-tex in 2 contrasting colors

Cutting mat

Sharp Exacto or other craft knife

Scissors

Glue

Earring wires

Jump rings and beads

Paper punch(s) to make holes for jump rings and other sizes if you want to make decorative holes,

Begin with a doodle! I drew several shapes on a scrap page and repeated them several times. I then doodled in some design ideas. 

I chose two colors of Kraft-tex (the top one being dark blue "Sapphire") and cut two each of the shapes that I wanted to work with. The bottom shape remains uncut and is the color that will show through the design windows that you cut into the top color. 

Either freehand or trace the designs that you selected on to the top piece or window side of the Kraft-tex. (Note: If you draw and cut on the back side of Kraft-tex be sure to reverse your design.) I just freehanded in pencil on the top of mine. Using a craft knife carefully cut out your designs on the top piece only. Once you’ve cut out the design on the first earring you can use it as a stencil/template to trace your design on to the second earring then cut that one out also.

Glue the tops and bottoms together taking care to not get glue in window sections. Lastly, punch a hole for a jump ring and loop into the earring and your earring findings. I punched holes on the bottom also and added a few beads.

You can purchase Kraft-tex at: https://www.ctpub.com/categories/sewing/kraft-tex.html

 I finished my STUDIO ARTS QUILT ASSOCIATION piece today. Her name is Clara and inspired in part of a SAQA friend in CT Clara Nartey. She will be donated to SAQA "Fresh Fish exhibition" and hoping she makes it into the book with other contributors. She is just under 12" square. The original mermaid pattern credits and pattern can be seen in a previous post on this blog.

August Kraft-tex Project Kraft-tex Mermaid Paper Doll

A Mermaid Paperdoll Kraft-tex Style

August 2020 Kraft-tex Project

This month the Kraft-tex color of the month is called "Greenery" for the August birthstone Peridot and I knew immediately that my Ambassador project would be sea related. I made several uniquely colorful paper dolls both human and mermaids but only featuring my Mermaid with a peridot fin and face in this post. Kraft-Tex is the perfect substrate for as it is paper based to begin with but enhanced to imitate leather and is just as durable. It’s paintable, markable, stampable, embossable, sewable, glueable and so much more. I made mine double sided, using a variety of different colors because after all, us humans come in a rainbow of colors and I have it on good authority that mermaids and other mythical creatures do too. :-) Kraft-tex is available in a plethora of colors from C&T Publishing at: https://www.ctpub.com/

This project is an opportunity to share your talents with a young one and enroll them in the love of all things crafty and artsy. I encourage you and your little crafters to give these dolls a drawn face or perhaps glue a photo of their face to the head to personalize it. Dress them with paper or fabric scrap clothing like our mothers and grandmothers once did. I’ve included a link for a free doll pattern from Kimberly Crick. If you use it please drop her an email and thank her. Consider alternative life forms for your dolls, beside human and mermaids perhaps angels, fairies and aliens would make fun Kraft-tex dolls too. And last but certainly not least is to create them in ALL colors and embrace the uniqueness in all of us. Yes these are unique times that we live in but we also have many of the familiar attitudes and bias of the past. These little dolls should serve as a reminder for us to celebrate our uniqueness and play well with others regardless of skin tone.

 

You will need:

• A doll or mermaid pattern  - The patterns that I used was a generous free download from Kimberly Crick at:  https://www.kimcrick.com/pages/how-to-make-paper-art-dolls-tutorial

(Download a copy from there website or search the internet for paper doll patterns.)

• Kraft-Tex You will be making these double thickness for added strength and you can use two different colors if you want to make a unique double sided doll. 

• Permanent glue or gel medium to adhere two sides of dolls together (I used Goldern Matt Gel brand.)

• Small brads to make the limbs jointed.

• Repositionable glue dots are strongly recommended to either place on the doll or clothing so that paper tabs are not necessary to hold the clothing to the doll. If you use the dots on the clothing the clothing can easily be stored on or in sheet protectors 

You may find the following supplies helpful depending on the style of your doll…

• Yarn, beads, string or Kraft-Tex scraps to make hair.

• Kraft-tex scraps, fabric bits  or paper to make clothing and shoes also leftover scrapbook paper or your original printed art paper is great to make clothing with.

She was made with both peridot and Sapphire colors.

To make her unique I used the peridot for her fin and face and sapphire for her body and arms

She's ready to be dressed up.

Instructions: Your doll, your rules

• Make these as simple or as elaborate as you like. Give them a face, (I used a stamp created by Jane Davenport for the one pictured here) but if you really want to personalize it, glue a photo of yourself or perhaps the recipient. Give them a personality, an attitude, a punk look, a unique skin color (any color) and dress them in any style. Look at magazines or the internet for fashion ideas or make up your own. These are YOUR creations and an opportunity to step back in time and enjoy the freedom of creativity with a new substrate. Give them a name. Make tiny ones and turn them into a pin, a necklace, a purse dangle, or make lots and create a paper doll chain banner! Share them with family, friends and relatives. Take them with you and photograph yourself with them in different places like  “Flat Stanley” (go to www.FlatStanley.com or google Flat Stanley). Collect them, trade them, post them on social media! OK, I think that you get the idea, the main thing is to have fun. Youngsters and oldsters alike will enjoy the artsy experience with paper dolls made with Kraft-tex. 

Special note on cutting: If you are going to make these double layers or double sided it’s easier to glue your sheets of Kraft-tex  together before cutting them out. Glue wrong sides of Kraft-tex together, clip and allow to dry. Or if you are lucky enough to have an electronic cutter to scan your pieces and cut them out then only do one layer at a time then glue. 

July Kraft-tex project

Daddy’s Girl Chatelaine

Kraft-Tex project for July color of the month Marsala

Created by: Normajean Brevik seasew@yahoo.com

I probably don’t need to tell you how sentimental quilters can get over a simple article of clothing. This beautiful and functional chatelaine is made from a men’s necktie and is perfect for the sentimentalist and recyclist in all of us. The use of the amazing leather-like product called Kraft-tex ™ by C and T Publishing (ctpub.com) makes this an easy and quick project that is sure to stir memories of the person who wore the necktie. Beginners and experts alike will enjoy the ease of this project that simply adds pockets and a pin cushion to a ready-made tie.

Material List:

*Men’s necktie, cleaned and spot free

·        Kraft-tex ™, I used prewashed Marsala color but Kraft-tex comes in a variety of colors

·        ¼” satin Ribbon for loops and scissors leash

·        3 - ½” loose leaf ring binder rings or a small spring clips

·        Thread to coordinate with the project for top stitching

·        Fiber fill for pin cushion

·        Clips to hold Kraft-tex ™ in place while sewing (do not pin through Kraft-tex ™)

Let’s begin:

Measuring for the overall correct length of your chatelaine is simple. Drape the necktie around your neck and decide what length is best for you. Mine measures 50“. NOTE: The end that you will shorten is the NARROW end of the tie NOT the wide end! Once you’ve decided on a good length add ½” for turning the raw edge and cut off the remainder. (Save this cut piece to create your pin cushion later.) Tuck the raw edge into the tie to form a finished edge and stitch closed.

Pockets and Tabs Pattern Directions:

      There are only 5 simple pattern pieces to create for your Kraft-tex. Wide end inside pocket (1) and wide end outside pocket (1), scissors pocket (1), tabs for pin cushion and scissors leash (2).

(Please note, I am right handed and wanted the scissors to be on the right. If you are a lefty then adjust the angle of the wide pocket and reverse the placement on the tie.)

·        Wide End outside pocket, pattern: Each necktie will differ in shape and width so you will need to make a photocopy of the lower portion of the wide end of the actual necktie in your copier (reducing the copy size to 95%) to have a pattern to work with.

1.    Once you have made your copy carefully measure up 6" from the tip of the tie copy and draw a line.

2.    Cut out the pattern using your drawn line as the top of the pattern and around the rest of the copy.

3.    Create a pocket angle. Measure 2” up on the left edge bottom (edge NOT tip) and make a small mark.

4.    Use a ruler to draw a line from the mark you just made to the top of the right-side edge and cut. (see photos)

·        - Wide end inside pocket: cut Kraft-tex ™ 2 ½” x 5 ½” Use the pattern that you created for the outside pocket as a guide to cut the bottom point of the pattern for the inside pocket.

·        - Narrow End scissor holster is cut after the length is determined and raw edges turned. Measure the width of the narrow end and subtract 1/8” Cut a piece of Kraft-tex ™ by that measurement X 7”.

·         - Tabs are measured and cut after all the other pieces have been sewn.

  

General directions for cutting and placement of Kraft-tex pieces:

·        DO NOT USE PINS ON KRAFT-TEX. USE A LOW TACK DOUBLE SIDED REMOVABLE TAPE IF YOU NEED TO SECURE THE PATTERN PIECES FOR CUTTING. (I just held them with my hand to trace)

·       Trace the pattern pieces to the right side of the Kraft-tex with pencil and cut out pieces.

Sewing directions:

Inside front pocket - Begin by centering and lining up your inside front pocket to the tie. Use clips to hold in place and top stitch the Kraft-tex to the tie around the sides and bottom ONLY.

·        Top front pocket, pattern – Line up over the inside pocket and use clips to hold in place. Top stitch to tie around the sides and bottom ONLY.

·        Scissors holster, pattern – Fold the stitched end up 2 ½” and crease to form the holster. Line up the folded bottom at the bottom of the narrow end of the tie. Use clips to hold the holster in place. Top stitch to tie all the way around the outside of the holster.

·         
      Top tabs- The tabs are measured and added now. The size is determined by measuring 7” from the top of both the scissor holster and wide end pocket. Cut a piece of Kraft-tex the width of that part of the tie minus 1/8” X 1”. Ribbon loops (below) will be added before sewing to the tie.

 

·         Ribbon Loops - Cut 4” of ribbon for each loop. Position your tabs and place ribbon ends 1” under the tab to create the loop (the ends will be secured when caught in the top stitching). Secure with clips and stitch close to the edge all the way around both tabs.

Pin Cushion directions:

·         Using the left-over tail piece that you cut from the tie: Stitch by hand or machine a little pouch with the tie end and stuff with fiber fill to create a pin cushion. Turn the raw edges in and close. Add a satin ribbon loop. (Note: I opened up the small end piece and placed right sides together to seam it, then stuffed and stitched the top closed and added the ribbon loop.)

                           

Final touches:

·         Ribbon leash for your scissors – Create a looped knot at ends of a piece of ribbon approximately 20” long (adjust as you see fit). Attach your tiny ring binder clips to either end of the loops. Clip one end to your scissors and the other to the ribbon loop above the holster.

·         Pin Cushion – Attach another tiny ring binder clip to both your pin cushion and the loop on other side of the chatelaine.

I hope that you enjoy your new sentimental heirloom. 

Kraft-tex can be purchased at: ctpub.com in loads of yummy colors.