Nora’s Luck of the Irish “Craft Pouch” Purse

Megan’s best friend, Nora Allen is getting ready to go to San Francisco’s best Irish Pubs on St. Patrick’s Day. So, I whipped up this “Luck of the Irish Purse” using WCK Craft Challenge Craft Pouch Pattern. It was fun to make and you bet she won’t be getting pinched; but I’m sure she will get lots of Irish Kisses!

Make your own: Luck of the Irish “Craft Pouch” Purse

SUPPLIES:

• WCK Craft Pouch Pattern
• National Nonwovens Wool Felt: Pea Soup, Kelly Green and or Shamrock
• Clover or green print cotton fabric
• E beads, green and light green
• Sizzix Shamrock die cut
• Therm O Web Heat N Bond Lite
• Embroidery thread: green, light green
• Embroidery Hoop
• Sewing machine, matching thread

DIRECTIONS:

Follow the basic directions to make the Craft Pouch found on my blog.

• Trace Craft Pouch Pattern onto two (2) pieces of Pea Green felt, set one aside
• Back a piece of green felt with Heat N Bond
• Cut three (3) Hearts from Bonus Applique, free hand cut a stem
• Take off paper backing and heat set to felt hearts to pouch, arranging the hearts in a clover pattern, place stem and heat set

• Using an embroidery hoop, embroider decorative stitch around edge as show in picture

• After embroidery is done, sew E beads to each stitch point on outer edge

• With left over back green felt, die cut out five(5) clovers
• Heat set on the other piece of Craft Pouch felt

• Embroider stitches and sew E beads to each clover

• Die cut out five more clovers form green felt
• Pin stems to right side of Craft Pouch, based in place
• Pin Craft Pouches together, face to face, be sure that the clovers are tucked under
• Stitch around the Craft Pouch
• Turn Right Side out, making sure clovers hang free, press

• Cut two (2) Craft Pouch from clover fabric
• Place right sides together, stitch around the Craft Pouch
• Slip the clover “lining” into the felt Craft Pouch
• Press under ¼” on both felt and fabric, pin in place
• Embroidery blanket stitch catching both layers, sew E beads

• To make strap cut green felt 1” by 60” (you may have to piece it)
• Fold in half, stitch ¼” all the way down
• Hand stitch to sides of Craft Pouch, sew E beads
• Now add your diver’s license and a little beer money and you are ready for the Irish Pubs on St. Patrick’s Day!

CRAFT POUCH PDF:

New_Pouch_Final

I have come up with a super easy St. Patrick’s Day Card for you!

I couldn’t resist sharing my hand-made leprechaun Sock Monkey that I created with his own pot of gold. In the PDF you will find a picture of him, a Good Luck Shamrock and “Happy St. Patrick’s Day May You Find The Pot Of Gold at the end of the Rainbow!” artwork.

Follow these easy instructions to create your card or use the elements to create your own version.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day,

ANA

Supplies:

• Photo paper
• DCWV:  green,  spring green card stock
• Ranger’s Acrylic Paint Dabber: Clover, Lettuce
• Strano Designs: Dottie’s Green 1.5” Polka-Dot Ribbon
• Fiskars scallop scissors
• 3M foam mount tape

Directions:

• Print off PDF on photo paper

Cut the following:

• Leprechaun Sock Monkey photo with scallop scissors, leave a white boarder
• 4 ¼” x 5 ½” green card stock, trim with scallop scissors
• spring green card stock card 7” x 10”, fold in half
• Good Luck Shamrock and Happy St Patrick’s Day artwork form PDF
• green card stock 3 ½” square, trim with scallop scissors
• 2 piece of ribbon 15”

Assemble:

• Edge photo and card stock pieces with Dabbers
• Centering the ribbon wrap it around the card top, over lapping on the inside, glue
• Centering the other piece of ribbon wrap it around the back, over lapping on the inside, glue
• Attach foam mounting tape to the back of the photo, shamrock, Happy St. Patrick’s Day, green card stock pieces

Layer as follows (remove backing from mounting tape):

• On front of card center green card stock over ribbon
• Center photo on top of green card stock
• Place shamrock on upper left hand side of photo
• Inside card, center 3 ½” square over ribbon
• Place Happy St. Patrick’s Day in center square

That’s it! Now your card is ready to bring luck to someone special!!!

GOOD LUCK LEPRECHAUN PDF:

St.Patrick’sDayCard

Once I started working with the WCK Craft Pouch pattern, all kinds of ideas came to me.  I converted this one into a traveling pouch to take embroidery supplies with me. This is the perfect craft pouch if you are in the car waiting to pick up your kids, commuting on a train or light rail, at the park or waiting for a job interview!

I even added an extra layer to the pouch, sewing down the center to give me three pockets, and by folding down one of the pieces on the flap to add one more pocket. It was fun and easy to make!

Supplies:

• National Nonwovens Wool Felt:  African Violet (Purple), Mac n’ Cheese (Orange)
• Pinking sheers
• Sewing Machine
• Orange thread
• Therm-O-Web Heat n’ Bond Lite
• Buttons: ¼” purple
• Embroidery thread: purple, orange

Directions:

Pouch

• Cut two (2) purple and one (1) orange felt
• Set aside one purple felt, pink around entire piece
• Cut 1½” off of one piece of purple felt, fold over one inch, press and trim edges with pinking sheers
• Cut ½” off orange felt, fold over one inch, press and trim edges with pinking sheers

• Place purple felt on top of orange felt, mark center line on purple felt
• Stitch on line

• Stack that set of felt on the last piece of purple felt and stitch through all layers

• Cut in half and pink edges of trimmed-off piece of purple felt
• Fold each piece in half and pin ¼ inch from edge of pouch (see photo above)

Flap

• Cut one purple, one orange felt
• Fold down 1 inch on orange felt, press
• Trim edges with pinking sheers

• Place orange felt on top of purple felt and stitch
• Line up flap with top of purple pouch, stitch
• Place flap onto of pouch with pinned loops, sew

Handle:

• Cut one strip of orange felt 1½” x 36”
• Fold in half, top stitch ¼ inch from folded edge
• Trim to stitched line with pinking sheers
• Put handle through loop, fold up and secure with a button, repeat on the other side

Embellish:

• Cut out Bonus Appliques (I reduced the heart 25%)
• Trace them on to felt with Heat n’ Bond on the back
• Cut out and heat attach to flap
• Peace sign to pouch
• Embroider decorative stitches on appliqués and pockets, sew on buttons

Heart Needle & Pin Holder:

• Cut out two full-size heart appliqués, one orange, one purple
• Sew together
• Trim around edge with pinking sheers

Now load up your Embroidery TO-GO Pouch with scissors, floss, heart needle & pin holder, hoop and fabric to embroider!

PDF For WCK Craft Pouch:

New_Pouch_Final

When Creativity Knocks’ Craft Pouch Challenge

To help you with the WCK Craft Pouch Challenge I have written you some simple directions on how to make the Pouch. The first one I sewed with was muslin.

There are two ways to finish the pouch if you are using fabrics:

#1 Fabric Directions:

• Trace pattern piece onto fabric
• Cut out two
• Pin right sides together

• Stitch ¼ inch around sides and bottom, leaving top open
• Turn right side out, press

• Turn down opening ¼ inch, press, fold over again ¼ inch and top stitch.
• That is your basic craft pouch.

• You can now add a flap*, appliqués*, handle, embellishments or anything else you like.

*See Flap and or Bonus Appliqués Patterns.

To make Flap:

• Trace pattern piece onto fabric
• Cut out two
• Pin right sides together
• Stitch ¼ inch around edges leaving opening
• Turn right sides out, press
• Hand stitch opening closed

Overlap flap ¼ inch onto one side of the pouch, pin, stitch in place.

#2 Fabric Directions:

• Trace pattern piece onto fabric
• Cut out two
• Pin wrong sides together
• Stitch ¼ inch around sides and bottom, leaving top open
• Using pinking sheers, cut to edge
• For Flap do the same; but stitch all away around, attach Flap as above

Note: This method works best with felt or vinyl (see Embroider TO-GO Pouch)

Suggestions for Paper:

• Glue edges, be careful to only run a bead of glue, let dry
• Tape runners work well
• Use packing tape
• Punch holes and lace
• You can also sew the paper!
• Don’t forget the photos!

Ana’s Tips:

If you are going to embroider you will want to do that before doing the sewing. The same thing with embellishments like beads, buttons anything you are going to hand stitch.

Stamping the fabric or painting should also be done before sewing.

Have fun and be creative!

PDF or WCK Craft Pouch Challenge:

New_Pouch_Final

When Creativity Knocks’ Craft Challenge Is On!!!

March is National Craft Month, and to celebrate, When Creativity Knocks is having a Craft Challenge! Just print off the attached Craft Pouch Pattern PDF and show us what you have!

Throughout the month, When Creativity Knocks will celebrate crafting through our online craft TV show with two more episodes of our WCK Crazy Crafter’s Countdown Game Show, a candid interview with the queen of crafting, Carol Duvall; and then wrapping up the month with a great stamped wood bracelet project by Linda Crofton. The WCK Creative Journal will be featuring some great topics including: Le Let’s Get Lucky, The Incredible Egg, and I Love To Craft!

When someone says to me “I can’t craft!” my response is “Yes, you can, anyone can craft. You just need someone to show you the way!” I love to teach people how to craft by breaking it down.

Crafting has successfully survived another U.S. recession enjoying what some are calling a “crafting renaissance.”  According to the Craft & Hobby Association, “over 56% of all U.S. households are crafting in one form or another creating a $27 BILLION U.S. craft and hobby industry!”

So, join WCK Team in celebrating crafting during National Craft Month and take our challenge to create something over the top with this super simple Craft Pouch Pattern!

Once you make your creation, post it in our Creativity Forum. Each week we will pick our favorite(s) and they will win a prize and appear in our Creative Journal. Get Ready…Get Set…Craft!!!

WCK Craft Challenge Rules:

• There are No Rules, you just have to use the WCK Craft Pouch Pattern (see PDF)
• Us any material you want: fabric, felt, yarn, clay, paper, cardboard, plastic, recycled materials…you get the idea!
• Embellish it with: embroidery thread, beads, charms, buttons, pom poms, paint, stamps…anything goes!
• Use the Bonus Appliqués if you want to show Peace & Love
• Add a handle
• Just be creative
• Don’t forget to post a picture of your WCK Craft Pouch in our Creative Forum found on When Creativity Knocks’ front page in the tool bar.

Here’s the PDF:

New_Pouch_Final

I’m sure you all have seen the Disney commercials with the Muppets talking about doing volunteer work for a free ticket for Disneyland. It’s called “Give A Day. Get a Disney Day.”  OK, I’ll bite…

I have done my share of volunteer work for the kids’ schools; elementary through high school and a variety of other children’s programs. When I would go to a PTA or other school meeting my husband would remind me to keep my hand down when they were asking for volunteers. That never worked. Yikes! All in all, it was close to 19 years of volunteer work.

With the girls out of college and Matt in his second year of college, I haven’t volunteered like I used too, so when this opportunity came up, I looked through the list of volunteer work that I could do in my local community.

The one that caught my eye was Project Linus. I could sew blankets… perfect… I could be creative and volunteer. I chose to make receiving blankets. I used to make them when the kids were babies and I still have one or two around.

Off to the fabric store to pick out flannel. I wanted to make this fun, vibrant and colorful! I paired up a solid with a crazy print. Not your usual pastel baby blankets here… bright colors and funky prints!

For more information on “Give A Day. Get a Disney Day.” go to:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day

Project Linus is the brainchild of Karen Loucks, who started by making homemade security blankets for Denver’s Rocky Mountain Children’s Cancer Center in 1995. As the movement grew the Project Linus National Headquarters was located in Bloomington, Illinois.  There are 378 Project Linus Chapters across the United States (as of September 2009).

The San Jose, CA/South Bay Chapter is whom I did my blankets for. They have made over 28,000 blankets. Nationwide, over 3,000,000 security blankets have been sewn, quilted, knitted, crocheted or fleece tied and delivered around the world.

Project Linus’ mission statement* is: to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade, washable blankets lovingly created by volunteer blanket makers or ‘blanketeers’.

For more information about Project Linus or to locate a chapter near you please visit their website:   http://www.projectlinus.org/index.html

*Mission Statements vary slightly from chapter to chapter.

Sunday, February 21^st, was day that was I was scheduled to drop off my blankets for Project Linus. I was sent the name of a contact person and their home address. I could drop off between 3:00-6:00 PM. I headed over to the home of Sharon Lee around 4:30. I got a little lost; but found the street and was looking for her address. There was a house ahead with a lot of activity and cars. I thought that must be it. Sure enough it was!

I got out of my car and walked up to the door where there was a line of people! Silly me, I had no idea of the scope of this operation. I was given tags that were to be tied to each blanket and signed by the blanket maker (blanketeer)…me! When I got through the front door there were a sea of bags full on blankets piled everywhere. I waited for a few minutes and then it was my turn. I was greeted by Sharon, who spoke to every person turning in their blankets (most were fleece tied) and she look at each one and made a positive comment. It was my turn. Mind you, I showed up with three flannel receiving blankets, not the bigger fleece ones. Sharon was thrilled with them. Said they didn’t get that many receiving blankets and that The Sacred Heart, the charity that they would go to, would be happy with these. She signed off on my Disney Volunteer form and said that I would be getting an email from Disney for my ticket.

The question is: If I knew about Project Linus and I wasn’t getting the free Disney ticket, would I have volunteered for this program? Yes! It opened my eyes to a different kind of volunteer work. It may not have been feeding the homeless, cleaning up my community or working a school fund raiser, but it was deeper then that for me. It was about getting to share my creative talents to brighten up the day of a baby or child with a little warmth, color and love.

More information about San Jose, CA Project Linus Chapter: http://www.sjlinus.org/

I wanted to update the traditional receiving blanket. The ones you purchase in the stores are usually a single piece of flannel. I like to double-back mine. This makes the blanket have a better shape and it grows with the baby.

I started by choosing fun and funky prints and coordinating them with a complementary solid. By adding a faux cuff with the print to the solid side, it gives the illusion that the blanket is folded over. Adding rick-rack to the edge just adds a simple finishing touch. Creating an appliqué from one of the images from the print makes the blanket that much more special. Be sure to pre-shrink your flannel. I have found that I lost about 2 inches and it really softens up the flannel.  Once the blanket is finished, it is ready to wrap around a baby!

Supplies:

• 1¼ yard of solid cotton flannel
• 1¼ yard of print cotton flannel
• White rick-rack
• Therm O web Heat N’ Bond Lite Iron-On Adhesive
• Embroidery thread
• Coordinating thread
• Sewing machine
• Iron

Directions to make Double Backed Baby Receiving Blanket:

1-    Pre-shrink cotton flannel before cutting (flannel will shrink up to 2 inches)

Cut as follows:

• Print: 36½” x 36½” square
• Solid: 31½” x 36½”
• Faux cuff: 5” x 36½”
• Rick Rack: 36½”

2-    Baste stitch rick rack to one edge of faux cuff.

3-    Sew faux cuff to the solid piece of flannel.

4-    Press, leaving edge of rick-rack showing.

5-    Pin and sew right sides together, leaving a 6 inch opening.

6-    Clip corners, turn right side out.

7-    Press, hand stitch opening closed, zigzag ¼ inch from edge.

How to make appliqué:

1- Photo copy* animal from flannel print. The second elephant is original size. The first elephant is enlarged 200 percent.

2- Cut the elephant out and the ear separately. **

3- Trace each piece onto pieces of flannel backed with Heat N’ Bond.

4-Cut out flannel pieces.

5- Peel paper backing off flannel, iron elephant body first to bottom right corner of blanket, then the ear according to manufacturer’s directions.

6- Zigzag around elephant body, then ear. Embroider eye.

8-    This receiving blanket is cozy, very colorful and super cute!

NOTE:
*Make copies for your personal use only.  Copies cannot be reprinted or sold.

ANA’S TIPS:

**This process of making coordinating appliqués can work for just about any print. Pick out a simple shape from the flannel print and follow the directions above. To make it easier you may want to make two copies, one for the large shape and then cut out anything inside that shape on the second copy.

For this monkey, the body would have been difficult to work with due to all the curves, so I just used the head and face.

For the ducky, I backed it with a square of the pink print to add contrast so he would not blend into the blanket background.  Rick-rack around the square coordinates with the faux cuff.

The When Creativity Knocks team presented our new Crazy Crafter’s Countdown Game Show at the CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) Winter Trade Show in Anaheim, California, this January. Sponsored by Elmer’s Products, the show was fast-paced and crazy!

This is how it worked…three contestants, three boxes filled with craft supplies, and three doors. Contestants chose one of three colored cards. They then opened their matching door. The catch? The mystery items behind each door had nothing to do with the products and wouldn’t usually be used in crafting! Contestants had ten minutes to incorporate their mystery item into their project.

While I helped the contestants with crafting advice, Megan kept everyone on task. The time counted down and the crowd cheered the contestants on…it truly got crazier by the second! Celebrity judges, sitting nearby, evaluated their work. The three judging criteria were: 1) Merge the age gap, 2) Make it creative, and 3) the Manufacturer’s (Elmer’s) product must be the focal point.

When the timer went off, the contestants had to stop and put their hands up! The judges made their decision and the winner was declared. The winner took home a Creative Options tote filled with Elmer’s and X-ACTO product. The two other contestants also received prize packages.

During the next few weeks, watch for the Crafter’s Countdown Game Show on the When Creativity Knocks website.