Ink Stained Book Arts

Patchwork gift wrap, as seen in GreenCraft magazine

I am once again honored and thrilled to be in the current edition of GreenCraft magazine, one of the great offerings from Stampington & Co., which also publishes Somerset, Stamper's Sampler, Belle Armoire, etc. The piece, on page 41 of the Spring 2011 issue, gives directions on making easy giftwrap out of paper scraps sewn together. A leftover scrap was also used to make a mini-journal, and the instructions for that are in there as well. Oh, and there are photos of a journal I made using an actual vintage dress pattern for the cover and a strip of vintage clothing labels for a bookmark.

With a couple of pieces of the wrap I had left over I also made the gift bag/envelope, top. After sewing a rectangle I sewed up the sides and trimmed the top into a triangle, then added a sari ribbon rosette accent (directions for the rosette are in the article as well). This can be used to wrap a gift or for keeping papers, letters, ephemera, etc.

Another strip of leftover paper became this candle wrap. I sewed a straight machine stitch across the top and bottom to give it a bit of a finished look, then secured it around the bottom of a candle. Super simple. Be sure to check out the issue, it's filled with fantastic ideas like Roben-Marie Smith's elegant ribbon made out of paper bags.

 

Covered Button Magnet Tutorial

These covered button magnets are my latest obsession. I made them for holiday gifts this year and they were the perfect little easy-to-make presents. I realize I'm not the first to make these button magnets, but while creating them I discovered a few little tricks that make the process easier and make the buttons look a little nicer.

I used 1 1/8" covered button blanks, which are also known as #45 and available at most fabric stores. This size is large enough for a nice graphic and is the perfect size for the fridge. The first step is to cut some circles of white cotton voile, which is a thin, tissue-weight fabric easy to find at fabric stores. For the #45 buttons you'll need to cut out circles that are 2" in diameter. I used a circle template I found at the art supply store. I traced inside the circle with a disappearing fabric pen, but since the marks won't show you could also use a pencil. Cut the circles just outside the marks, not inside them. 

(Bear with me on these photos. Getting a better camera is high on my list of 14,937 things I have to do.)

I use voile because when the fabric is stretched over the silver metal button, the metal can show through. While that may not bother everyone, for some reason it bugs me to no end. You can find button blanks in white, which may alleviate the problem, but I also like the little extra bit of padding the voile provides. 

Cut same size circles from lightweight cotton or linen fabric. Using the template allows you to see exactly what you're cutting. Finding fabrics for these magnets is the most fun part of the process. I now hunt for fabric with small graphics and designs that fit perfectly on the buttons. This "Portraits" pattern by Mummysam is one of my favorites. Can't. Get. Enough.

Place a little dab of glue stick on the front of the button and adhere the voile circle, centering it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dab another bit of glue on the voile and adhere the fabric circle over the voile. To make sure the graphic is where you want it, gather the fabric around the rim of the button with your hands and adjust  it if necessary. The glue stops the fabrics from slipping when placed in the holder. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Push the button face down into the button holder thingie. I'm not sure if this has a formal name, but let's call it the button holder thingie. Gather the fabric edges and push them into the center of the button. If you look at the holder thingie from the underside you can do a final check and make sure your design is where you want it.

 

 

 

 

Before placing the button back on top, remove the shank. Holding the back with one hand, grab the base of the shank with some flat-nose pliers and twist it off. The shank should come off easily, but if the button back bends in the process, the metal is thin enough that you can press it flat again. 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the button back on top, making sure it's facing the right direction. The diagram on the back of the button kit shows the correct way, but the turned-up edge should be facing up. Press the back down until it snaps into place. I do this first with my fingers, then I use the little blue presser thingie to make sure it's secure.

Pop the button out and glue a 3/4" magnet on the back with E6000 glue (watch those fumes, they can be nasty). Et voila! Your magnets are done. The fabric used in the top two buttons is from the uber-fabulous Ruby Star Rising collection by Melody Miller. This linen/cotton blend was a little heavier but still needed the voile. This made it a bit tougher to snap the button back into place, but with a little muscle it worked fine.

The left button, second row, is from Mummysam's fabric line for Robert Kaufman, titled "A Day In the Life." The one on the right is from fabric available in her Etsy shop. And the bottom button uses fabric from Laurie Wisbrun's Tufted Tweets line for Robert Kaufman.

I hope that was helpful! Of course, these aren't limited to magnets. You can keep the shank on the button back and make it an actual covered button for an outfit or pillow, or use them on headbands, napkin rings, as earrings--the sky's the limit! If you make any let me know, I'd love to see them!