Monday, January 19, 2009

KARMIC GOODIES: UP-CYCLED FLOSS BOBBINS

...phew...

"Up-Cycled Fabric Covered Floss Bobbins"
   The following is based off of a tutorial found at the ever-inspiring: The Small Object


Really, this is just my take on her tute with a little bit of my advice! My little bag of floss was getting so messy and I was wasting precious floss because of knots...so it was crafting to the rescue!

Firstly, upcycling is a great thing when you can find a way! I used a Swiss Miss box and a Macaroni and Cheese box for the bobbins and template.

First I opened up the box:

Then I drew lots of bobbins...



And cut them out! 

The first round was kind of ugly and sloppy,  which is why I needed to post what I learned...like make sure you  make a nice template and cut your shapes evenly! (I desperately want a company to make a bobbin punch...my future should be in inventing craft tools!)




After some trial and error, the best system was to glue all of my little guys down on my scrap FAB-ric with fabric adhesive with the cardboard side down (I found you could see the product labels peeking through with the lighter fabric.

Then, glue the corners down first. I made a product line with batch two and did everything in stages.

Then glue the longer sides down nice and taut. 
(TSO's were way more symmetrical, but this is the shape I found myself making! )

Then glue down the short sides, pulling extra tight!

Afterwards, dab some glue on the back side...



...and make a cute bobbin sandwich...


AND VOILA: 


These are the ugly first batch creations:



And these are my "Aha I've got it now" batch!



And the happy bobbins meet!


I ended up with close to 16 and naturally kept the ugly ones because they serve their function!! Yay to functional craft!!

Another peek at my giveaway....I am so so about them right now...not sure what they need, but they are my first free hand attempt at a plushie....and it's definitely therapeutic and addictive...to the point that I took out my pouch and embroidered at the bar during Sunday Night Trivia!! (AND WE WON!!)
Sigh. to one day finding a job that makes me feel creatively fulfilled!


This project was made possible by:
-Original Tacky Glue
-Fabri-Tac Fabric Adhesive
-Sharp fabric scissors
-My favorite scissors...I forget the brand...but they rock!
-An awesome soundtrack consisting of mostly Mates of State (going to see them in April, yay!)


26 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:25 AM

    Wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT. There is fabric glue? Could it be used as an easy way to hem or fix someone's dress you accidentally are responsible for ripping (sidenote: Don't put ice down someones Durndal if they fidget they may possibly rip it at the seems). Also, have you ever while little made one of those guitars out of a tissue box, toilet paper roll, and rubber bands. I feel like you have.

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  2. "Okay", to the above comment. Hee, hee...I had too. Explain later. This is too freaky...Last night, while sewing a gazillion felt cookies, I took a photo of my embroidery floss box...Given to me two years ago by Daddy's aunt, who decided she does not like to embroider anymore. I was thrilled, 'cause it's filled with like...50+ flosses all organized by color. Anyway, the purpose of this comment...There were three little compartments filled with floss bobbins...and I wanted to post about how she made them 'cause they were so cute...Ane they were fabric covered too. Funny, right? Yay, I'm so glad you've jumped on the handsewing bandwagon, too. It is very therapeutic, as I've told you!!! Every little thing helps. Keep sewing!

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  3. FABRIC glue rocks! I particularly like the kind pictured, it has the feel of a spider web. It also works wonders for hems (but measure closely cause this stuff may rip the fabric if trying to remove..thus some ugly bobbins)

    I never made one of those guitars, but now I think I will have to. Anonymous, are you my aunt??? Either way, love the conversation!!

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  4. They are sooooo cute! You did a great job. I use that fabric glue and yes - they do hold pants hems. I recently had a few hems come out - and I was too lazy to sew back, so I wipped out my handy glue!

    Love your LeSportsac, btw.

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  5. Fabric glue is a dream come true. I thought I was the only loony bird that used it to "sew" up the falling hems on my pants. I also use it to "applique" *eh-hem...fabric to paper. Hee, hee!
    Fun stuff. So happy to have people who finally GET IT. :)

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  6. Anonymous9:45 PM

    LOL I'm not your aunt, not even a close guess. And you so have to, you can accompany it with an empty shampoo bottle maraca!

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  7. Anonymous, are you Tehyva?

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  8. Who wants to start a cardboard instrument band?

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  9. At least Anonymous is honest. She is not your Aunt. I am. (Now, see what you've done you've gotten me sucked into the vortex of the WEB, never to return. damn!) In any event, here's a tasty little moment I find soothing at the end of a day. Not a craft thing, but inspiring nonetheless. It's on WNYC 93.9 at 8:00 PM and runs about 2 minutes, just enough to remind you how much you need a little poetry in your life. If you can't wait till 8, go to http://writer'salmanac.publicradio.org and click Listen. Enjoy!

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  10. Anonymous2:41 PM

    I am also not a she, do I come off as a girl? That's a little bit offputing. I'll join your band! We can be the "Shoe Box Experience" or "Homeless Mansion Band," I can just see it now.

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  11. Anonymous2:42 PM

    Oh and I think this still stands because I said I wasn't a girl , but just encase this is a guys name. No, I'm not Tehyva. How's that pronounced though?

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  12. Anonymous, are you more than one person? Do I know you? Are you going to make me crazy and stay anonymous? If so, you will simply stay anonymous, or nony for short! And Tevyha is a girl's name! (Tay-va)--we make a great trivia team!

    Aunt B.-- thank you for the suggestion and for reading! xoxo

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  13. WAIT WAIT WAIT...Anonymous...you are Jason. Definitely. Right???

    Renee: Love your Save the Dates!! And one of my best friends Cristyn gave me the bag and a larger one just like it!! I am sooo lucky!! xoxo

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  14. Anonymous5:26 PM

    OOPs! Sorry, Anon. Ice down the dirndl-I should have known! (No judgment there, Dude) Sorry to hijack your blog, Jen.

    PS as you see, I am now Anonymous, too. I made my password soooo obscure that I somehow can't duplicate it to the satisfaction of "the Google"

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  15. Anonymous6:11 PM

    Aww dang you guess correct finally after noticing i wasn't a girl was it that obvious? And Dang someone hijacked my name Boo Anonoymous #2!

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  16. Anonymous6:12 PM

    And yeah Durndle was such a give away silly.

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  17. Jasonymous and Nony #2 I am so confused!! What the heck is a Durndal??? Why would that give away Jason's identity? You all know you can comment and put in a name without having a google account, right?

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  18. Jeeze...this post is getting a lot of action. Thank you - I worked very hard and long on them! I know Cristyn, right?

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  19. Anonymous10:20 PM

    Calm down, J for J. A Dirndl is a German folk dress with a gathered skirt with tight bodice and usually puffy sleeves. His comment on putting ice down someone's dress revealed only his gender, not his identity.

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  20. ha ha ha...this all sooo funny!! AB, do we know each other too? And Durndal would've given his identity...KILLMEYERS!! duh...I am soo dense!

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  21. Anonymous11:35 PM

    Wait even is AB knows you, how would they know that it was a dead giveaway for me. I'm confused.

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  22. Anonymous12:08 AM

    I knows all

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  23. Anonymous12:46 AM

    Jen, Couldn't let you stress over this any longer. Just use heightened observational skills, like on "Psych" or "the Mentalist"

    A2 and AB is/are me, and the Amazing Randi is, well, amazing (ask Lance, he knows)

    Meanwhile, U. Gary says Hi.

    Keep crafting

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  24. hahaha...duh...well, my second career as a detective is shot down. lots of love!! i am always floating out here in cyberspace! xoxo

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  25. thank you so much for posting all the pics. Especially with backsides and tips on what you felt went wrong. These turned out great! Plus, I'm stoked to hear about the fabric glue, brilliant!

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....THANK YOU FOR READING!....

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