How To Make A Treasure Pocket Pillow

This tutorial for how to make a mermaid pillow includes a treasure pocket for secret letters and tiny trinkets. Painted scales suggest a nautical theme while the script printed canvas makes the perfect heart shape pocket. Your favorite mermaid enthusiast will be tail-over-fins for this fanciful pillow cover.

Tools:
Circle Punch
12x12 Cardstock
paint brush

needle

Supplies:

Gold Braid
14" Round Pillow Cover
Printed Canvas
Glitter Fabric Paint

 Step 1:Make a Mermaid Scale Stencil
Punch a series of circles along the edge of a 12x12 piece of cardstock. 

Cut the row of circles in half.

 Step 2:Paint Mermaid Scales on Canvas Pillow Cover

I chose two colors for mermaid scales and used an alternating color pattern. I placed the stencil at the edge of the pillow cover and painted the first row of scales. I centered the stencil on the first row of scales to paint the second row. This gave the scales an overlapped appearance.

 Step 3:Trace Heart onto Printed Canvas Fabric

I cut a heart shape about 5.5" tall from the 12x12 piece of cardstock. I folded the Printed Canvas Fabric in half with the printed side in. I laid the pattern on the fabric so that I had room for 1/2" seams around the sides and point. The top of the heart I laid flush with the edge of the fold. I traced the heart shape lightly with a pencil.

 Step 4: Cut Heart from Printed Canvas

I pinned the halves of the printed canvas together and cut out the shape leaving at least 1/2" of canvas outside of the shape for seams.

Step 5: Stitch Heart Shape on the Printed Canvas 

I machine stitched the heart shape along the pencil lines, leaving a 3" gap along the side. I made a series of shallow cuts in the seam allowance along the edge of the curves and at the point. These clipped lines ended close to the seem but did not go through it. Clipping the curves lets the fabric stretch and settle when you turn it right-side out.

 Step 6:Turn Heart Shape Right-Side Out

With the 3" gap along the side turning the heart is fairly easy. Run the eraser end of a pencil along the inside of the seams to ensure they are all turned properly.

Step 7: Stitch Opening Using the Blind Stitch

1) The stitch begins on side b. Pull the needle through, anchoring the knot inside the hem space. Insert the needle in side a, directly across from where the thread emerged in side b. Slide needle in the hem space for 1/8 to a 1/4 of an inch, exit the hem space still on side a.

2) Insert the needle in side b, directly across from where the thread emerged in side a. Slide needle in the hem space for 1/8 to a 1/4 of an inch, exit the hem space still on side b.
3) Continue this pattern for the length of the seam, alternating sides.
4) Pull the thread snug so that the edges match up exactly, but not so tight they pucker, and knot off thread.

When hemming a shape such as a heart with curves and points it is difficult to keep the desired shape. Tracing and stitching the pattern directly onto folded fabric, then turning it right-side out preserves the shape and prevents any edges that could ravel.

 Step 8:Pin Heart to Pillow Cover

Pin only the sides and point to the pillow. The top of the heart will be left open to form the pocket.

Step 9:Stitch Heart to Pillow Cover Using a Feather Stitch

The feather stitch is a series of "V's". Each new stitch begins at the point of the previous stitch.
The first stitch come up through the fabric at point a and goes back down at point b leaving a small loop. The thread comes back up at point c and catches that loop. The thread goes down into the fabric at point d, leaving a loop which is caught by the thread coming up at point e.

I used a flat foam pillow to stuff my pillow form. My chairs are not deep and I wanted to be comfortable with multiple cushions. Of course it didn't take long till the cats had to try out the new pillows. Noir is hoping Mermaids taste like fish. She is willing to wait all day for a nibble!

This project was originally posted on the Canvas Corp Blog in July of 2018.

Craft On!

~charity hotrum~

How To Make A Distressed Journal Cover With Monogram

This journal cover features distressed colors and a monogram. I started with a natural canvas cover and applied Tattered Angels mist. The monogram is navy jute held in place with a couching stitch of gold braid. I chose a cover so the notebook can be replaced as it is used up.

Directions:
Step 1: Place cardboard or canvas between covers of journal to prevent over spray.
Step 2: Measure journal cover. Cut cardstock 1/2” narrower on each edge and punch decorative shapes into the corners. I used the point of a star punch on mine. 

 Step 3: Place cardstock on cover. Mist or paint edges with a teal color. Remove cardstock.

Step 4:Mist cover with light colors. This colors and preps the surface for the bright colors. You want the bright colors to sit on top, not soak in.

 Step 5:Mist or splatter the cover with bright colors.

 Step 6:Allow to dry 20 min. Rinse with water. Fade is increased by warmer water temps or longer rinsing times.
Step 7:Allow to dry completely. Iron to remove wrinkles.

Step 8:Prep stamp with pigment ink. Add image to cover.

Step 9:Leave to dry. I left mine overnight, but pigment ink can be heat set to speed up the process. 

Step 10: Stitch Cord to the cover in the shape of a letter. Be sure to tie a knot in each cord end to control raveling. I used a straight couching stitch at the ends and points, and a zig-zag couching stitch along the length.

Journal covers in standard notebook sizes make a great gift. They can be decorated to fit anyone's style. The best part though is being able to reuse it at will.

Stop by my Instagram for more crafty inspiration.

Craft On

~charity hotrum~

How To Decorate a Ship With Patterned Paper

Scrap O' Luck

Here's a detailed tutorial for decorating a ship with patterned paper. It was originally posted as a Special Ops Training project for the SWAT blog in 2013. Don't let these pretty pieces of wood and paper intimidate you. The step by step instructions are a cinch!

Supplies:

Art Minds wooden puzzle: Military Sailing Ship

5 sheets patterned cardstock

Acrylic Paint

Twine

Rubber Cement

Glossy Accents

Craft Knife

Large Needle

Step 1:Purchase a wood puzzle ship kit. I get mine from Amazon. 

Step 2:Color the corresponding pieces as shown in the following schematic. 

A schematic is included in the kit.



Step 3: On the back of each wooden sheet of puzzle pieces, label each piece using a ball point pen.

Step 4: Very carefully punch each piece out. Keep in mind the pieces are fragile and will separate in layers or splinters if you are not VERY careful.

Step 5: Use the color clues in the above schematic to complete steps 6 through 9. Each color is a different piece of patterned cardstock. On the "Scrap O' Luck" I used the following colors of patterned paper for each color represented above:

Blue --- white with sparkle green pattern

Purple --- Solid black with a flourish

Yellow --- Black and Green polka dot

Orange --- Green polka dot

Green --- News Print

Orange and Green were made out of the same pattern of double sided paper. The Orange were traced on one side and the Green on the other.

Step 6: Orange and Green pieces are sails. Use different pieces of patterned cardstock for each color. Be aware that the sales will be seen from both sides so use double sided paper that compliments your ship theme. The first and third set of sales are colored orange in the above schematic.

Step 7: Four of the puzzle pieces will be covered with patterned paper on both side. Those are indicated with arrows.

Step 8: The remaining colored pieces will have paint on one side and paper on the other.

Step 9: The pieces without any color will be painted on both sides, but will not be covered.

Step 10: Paint sides and edges of all the puzzle pieces, let dry. One coat of paint is fine.

Step 11: Trace puzzle piece onto wrong side of patterned paper with painted side face up, cut out, and adhere. I prefer to work with Rubber Cement, but I am sure Mod Podge would work fabulously.

Step 12: Follow the step by step instructions included with the ship to assemble the pieces. Have your craft knife ready to trim the edges of the wood joints or of the paper. I found that many of my pieces looked like this before the ship would fit together properly:

Any places that I over cut or roughed up I camouflaged with ink. In a few places I broke the thin wooden pieces. These I re-attached with Glossy Accents.

Step 13: Because you are adding paper to many of the pieces the actual width will change. The pieces will not fit in the same way and some will not fit at all. I had the following pieces left over.

Step 14: If you plan to glue the ship, put it together without glue first to be sure you know where each piece will go and if you will need to leave any pieces out.

Step 15: Replace the string included in the ship kit with twine. Rig the sails as per the instructions.

During the months of June and July I will be moving my crafting space. I won't have time for much crafting so I will be posting previous projects. I'll be back with brand new content in August!!!

Scrap On!

~charity hotrum~