Dreamy Kimono Eye Pillow

Say sayonara to sleepless nights with this pretty eye pillow made from Kimono fabric and tied with a simple obi sash. The tranquil scent of lavender makes this the eye pillow of your dreams.



To soothe an achy head, place your eye pillow in the freezer
for 15 minutes before use. Then place over your eyes and chill out.

YOU’LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments
Kimono fabric, 8” x 8” square
Periwinkle satin, 4” x 10”
Peach satin ribbon, ¼” wide, 18” long
All-purpose light blue thread

Scented Herbs & Essences

Dried lavender flowers, ¾ cup
Whole flax seeds, ¾ cup
Lavender essential oil

Tools & Supplies

Straight pins
Sewing needle
Scissors
Bowl
Spoon
Kitchen funnel
Iron

WHAT TO DO

1. To make the pillow, lay the kimono fabric face-up and fold in half, with the wrong side out. Pin all three open edges together with the straight pins.

2. Hand stitch the pinned sides together with a backstitch. On the last side, leave a 2” gap to pour in the filling. Remove the pins and turn the pillow right side out.

3. To make the filling, blend the lavender flowers, flax seeds, and 30 drops of lavender essential oil in a bowl. Let air dry for one hour.

4. Use the funnel to pour the filling into the 2” opening in the pillow. The pillow should be floppy, not plump.

5. Stitch the opening closed with a slipstitch hidden inside the seam by folding the fabric edges in and tacking them together. Stitch inside each fold in a back-and-forth pattern.

6. To get the look of an obi sash, lay the periwinkle satin face down. Fold a 1” hem on the two long sides and iron. Then fold a 1” hem on one of the short sides and iron.

7. Lay the pillow crossways across the periwinkle fabric. Fold the periwinkle satin around the pillow, overlapping the hemmed end on top of the unironed end. Pin together.

8. Stitch the top end of the periwinkle satin to the bottom end of the satin with a slipstitch.

9. Wrap the peach ribbon around the periwinkle sash and finish with a petite bow. Naptime!

Stunning Runner

Give your dining room a mini-makeover with a sumptuous hand-appliquéd table runner. Start with felt for the appliqués––it's easy to cut, has body, and doesn't fray. Then embellish with a whipstitch by simply looping embroidery thread around the edges of the felt in evenly spaced stitches. Attach the chiffon to the linen with just a few beads to give the appliqués a light and airy look. When you’re finished, your table will be dressed to the nines!

To make the runner, you will need:
2 pieces of icy blue linen fabric, 17"x72"
(fits a four-foot long table)
3 pieces of brown wool felt, 6"x6"
3 pieces of sheer gold chiffon, 8"x8"
3 pieces of sheer gold net, 8"x8"
Icy blue thread
Black embroidery thread
12 square black glass beads
12 icy blue glass beads
8 golden brown glass beads
12 black glass beads
Sewing needle
Embroidery needle
Straight pins
Scissors
Iron
Sewing machine
Photocopies of leaf patterns
Tape measure

How To Make the Appliqués:
Step 1
Cut out the leaf patterns from the photocopies. Pin one pattern to each felt square.

Step 2

Cut out the felt leaves to serve as appliqués.

Step 3
Pin one leaf appliqué to the center of each square of gold chiffon. 

Step 4
Using the embroidery thread and needle, whipstitch the leaf appliqués to the chiffon squares. 

Step 5
Center one chiffon square on one piece of blue fabric and pin (to find the center of the fabric, fold it in half and mark with a pin). Pin the other chiffon squares on either side of the center one, leaving a four-inch space between each square. 

Step 6

Pin a square of gold net on top of each chiffon square. Attach the squares to the blue fabric by sewing a square black bead to each corner.

How To Finish The Runner:
Step 1
With the right side of the blue fabric face down, fold the raw edges one-half inch all the way around and iron the edges down. Repeat for the other piece of blue fabric.

Step 2
Pin the appliquéd fabric to the other piece of blue fabric with the good sides facing out.

Step 3
Using a sewing machine and the icy blue thread, stitch the front and back of the runner together one-quarter inch from the edge. Sew all the way around.

Step 4
Using the icy blue thread and a sewing needle, string together three icy blue beads, two golden brown beads, and three black beads. Sew one bead-strand onto each corner of the runner.

Tailored Tip: For a custom-fit runner, measure the length of your dining room table before you head to the fabric store. Your runner should be long enough to hang twelve inches over each end of the table.

Right Turn
To turn a square corner while machine sewing, keep the needle in the down position, raise the presser foot, and turn the fabric ninety degrees.

Enchanting Chai Sachet

Blend black tea leaves with spicy essential oils for a sweet sachet steeped in love.

YOU'LL NEED
Fabrics & Embellishments
Turquoise silk sari fabric, 6"x6" square, 2 pieces.
Thread to match sari fabric.
Black rose iron-on applique, 3½"x 3½".
Orange satin ribbon, 7/8" wide, 24" length.
Gold ribbon, ½" wide, 24" length.
Inkadinkado Clear Stamps, Bold Damasks, scroll rubber stamp.
Acrylic stamp block.
Black pigment ink stamp pad.
Self-adhesive metal nailheads, 3mm, turquoise.

Scented Herbs & Essences
Loose black tea leaves, ½ cup.
Whole cloves, ¼ cup.
Dried orange peel, ¼ cup.
Whole flax seeds, 1 cup.
Cinnamon essential oil.
Vanilla essential oil.

Tools & Supplies
Iron.
Pressing cloth.
Sewing machine.
Straight pins.
Sewing needle.
Measuring cup.
Mixing bowl.
Spoon.
Kitchen funnel.

WHAT TO DO
1. To attach the applique, place one piece of sari fabric face up, then center the applique on top. Cover with the pressing cloth and iron using the "cotton" setting. (Test a corner first to make sure the iron is not too hot.)

2. Pin the two pieces of fabric together with the good sides facing in. Using the sewing machine and a straight stitch, sew the pillow all the way around with a ¼" seam allowance. Leave a 2" opening on one side. Turn the pillow right side out.

3. To make the scented filling, stir the tea leaves, cloves, orange peel, and flax seeds together in a mixing bowl. Scent the mixture with ten drops of each essential oil and stir well. Let the mixture air dry for one hour to prevent the oil from staining the silk. Use the funnel to pour the scented filling into the opening of the pillow.

4. Hand stitch the pillow closed using a hidden ladder stitch.

5. To embellish the ribbon, stamp the scroll design repeatedly onto the orange ribbon using the black pigment ink pad. Let dry. Embellish the design with the metal nail head stickers.

6. Gather the orange and gold ribbons together, wrap around the pillow, then tie in a knot. Trim the ends at an angle leaving 3" tails.

Instant Tea: If mixing herbs and essences is not your cup of tea, use aromatic chai tea instead. Blend 1 cup of chai tea and 1 cup of flax seeds as the filling.

Orange You Clever: Before you get out a bag of oranges and start drying the peels, look for dried orange peel in the spice section of your grocery store! Ours came in a spice jar labeled "Orange Peel." Who knew?

Patio Rodeo Placemats

Set the table for a funky Fourth of July!

This Independence Day, round up your best buckaroos for a good old-fashioned Patio Rodeo. Set the scene with denim "back pocket" invites, mini hay bales, and rusty horseshoe candleholders. To make this get-together as American as apple pie, plan on serving barbecued spareribs, corn on the cob, and baked beans. (And a punchbowl spiked with Spirits of 76!) Sew it all up by making these one-of-a-kind fringed cowboy placemats. What better way to celebrate your independence!

For each placemat, you will need:
Cowboy fabric, 20 inches x 14 inches
Cream color fabric, 20 inches x 14 inches
2 pieces brown synthetic suede fringe, 13 inches long (4-inch width)
Cream color craft thread or embroidery floss
1 pair of second-hand blue jeans with 2 ½ inch belt loops
1 white bandana
Thread to match cowboy fabric
Gold thread
1 embroidery needle
1 sewing needle
Straight pins
Scissors
Tape measure
Spray starch
Sewing machine
Iron

Directions
Step 1
With the right side of the cowboy fabric face down, iron and starch the fabric. Fold the raw edges in ½ inch all the way around and iron the edges down. Repeat for the cream fabric backing.

Step 2
To make the blue jean napkin holder, cut a 2½ inch by 8½ inch piece of denim from the jeans. Remove three belt loops from the jeans and attach to the denim piece with gold thread.

Step 3
Whipstitch the blue jean napkin holder to the cowboy fabric with the craft thread.

Step 4
Pin the cowboy fabric to the cream backing with the good side facing out, sandwiching the fringe on the right and the left sides.

Step 5
Using a sewing machine and the matching thread, stitch the front and back of the placemat together ¼ inch from the edge. (A simple straight stitch will do.) Sew all the way around. Then roll the bandana and insert into the belt loops.

Guest Wrangling Tip: Show your favorite cowpokes to their seats with Sheriff’s Badge Place Cards. Just write each guest’s name on a party-store badge and pin it to the placemat. They’ll know where to git along little dogie!

No Stick Tip: If you want your placemats to be washable, pre-wash the fabric and attach the fringe with snaps. Or, the day before the stampede to the chuck wagon begins, spray them with Scotchgard.

Sew Easy Tip
To turn a square corner, keep the needle in the down position, raise the presser foot, and turn the fabric ninety degrees. Then giddy up and start sewing again.

Sew A Sweet Purse For Spring

Here's a fun little pocketbook to make for spring. It appeared in Crafts 'n Things.

Pretty Petite Purse

Make a mini cocktail purse perfect for a night out on the town.

YOU'LL NEED

Fabrics & Embellishments
Cotton fabric: floral, ¼ yd.
Cotton fabric: polka dot, ¼ yd.
Pellon Fusible Interfacing, ¼ yd.
Patterned red ribbon, 7/8", 60".
Gold rings, 1¼", two.
Ornate button, gold with shank, 1½".
Sew-on snap, ½" size.

Tools & Supplies
Iron & ironing board.
Pressing cloth.
Sewing needle.
Sewing machine & matching threads.

What to Do
Step 1
Place the rough side of the fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the floral fabric, cover with a damp pressing cloth, and steam the pieces together for 15 seconds.

Step 2
Cut two 7½" x 7¾" rectangles from the floral fabric and two from the polka dot fabric. Cut the 7½" sides of each rectangle so they angle inward and the top of the rectangle measures 6" and the bottom measures 7¾".

Step 3
Cut a curve into the top edge (6" side) of each piece of fabric so the center of the arc is 1" below the top. (Cut one to use as a pattern so all the curves match.)

Step 4
Place a floral and a polka dot piece together, good sides facing in. Machine sew just the curved edge using a straight stitch with a ¼" seam allowance. Repeat for the other pieces of fabric.

Step 5
Open the two pieces of fabric and place together, good sides facing in, making sure the floral fabric faces the floral fabric and the polka dot faces the polka dot. Pin all the way around the edges. Machine stitch the pieces together using a straight stitch with a ¼" seam allowance. Leave a 2" opening in the side of the polka dot fabric.

Step 6
Create "boxed corners" by pulling the fabric at one corner apart and creating a triangle with the seam line down the center. Measure 1" from the point of the triangle along the seam line and mark a straight line perpendicular to the seam. Machine stitch along this straight line. Repeat for all 4 corners.

Step 7
Turn the piece right side out. Hand sew the opening closed. Stuff the polka dot end inside the floral end to form the purse lining.

Step 8
Cut the red ribbon into two 23" lengths and machine sew together with the good sides facing out. Then cut and sew two 11" lengths of ribbon together in the same way. Center the longer ribbon on the bottom of the purse and pin it to the bottom and sides. Hand sew the ribbon into place being careful not to sew into the lining.

Step 9
Fold the end of the ribbon over 1/8" and feed it through one of the gold rings toward the inside of the purse. Pin the folded end of the ribbon to itself below the ring. Machine stitch to secure. Repeat for the other side. Attach the 11" ribbon handle to the gold rings in the same way.

Step 10
Sew the snap to the inside of the purse ½" from the top edge, being careful not to sew through to the outside fabric. Sew the glitzy button to the outside front of the purse over the snap.