paper, paper, paper

I love paper!

This is what I did with one of the loose book pages.

doily lion by the bushcrafter

Look what I've won! Jenny of the Bushcrafter had a giveaway (a looooong time ago, sorry for the delayed winner post, Jenny!) and I won this dead gorgeous plush lion made from a recycled doily. The lion is so adorable with its facial expression created by Jenny. I love him!

Be sure to check Jenny at the Bushcrafter out, because she is a true inspiration when it comes to both traditional and untraditional handicrafts!

upcycled doll quilt

We had a bag of grown out and worn out clothes. I wanted to make some rag rugs and the kids wanted to re-design. They cut off sleeves and cuffs, patterns and prints and made new use of the old.

I made something I had wanted to do for a loooooong time: a quilt. I am not patienced, nor am I skilled in the art of quilting, so a small doll quilt was enough to still my abstinence without me getting fed up and stop in the middle of the sewing.


I cut squares from kids's t-shirts, long sleeves, onzies and tights, neatly using all fabric from the small garments. After sewing the squares together I used the back of my husbands old jersey cardigan for the back of the quilt. I cut the back about 1 cm bigger on every side, folded the jersey fabric over to the front of the quilted piece, and just sew along the sides leaving a rough edge.

I calmed by anxious quilting nerves with this two hour project. And my daughter have great use for it when putting her doll to sleep in her bed or stroller.


Maybe you have got some old clothing you can upcycle to something useful?


All the best!
Sofie

DIY bean bags

Way back I made bean bags together with the kids. The bean bags were a birthday gift for a boy turning three. It is a simple and fun project.

Cut out squares of fabric, two pieces of each fabric. Pin them right sides facing and sew along the sides, leaving an opening. Thanks to that opening you'll be able to turn your bag right side out and fill the bag with beans.

One bag turned right side out. See the opening?

I used a funnel to get my beans, or peas as I used, into the bags. In Finland they are called ärtpåsar, which is Swedish for pea bags. It wasn't the best equipmen, the peas got stuck on their way down through the funnel. Had I left a bigger opening in the fabric when sewing I could have filled the bags easier. You learn from experience.

The kids helped me with the peas.

Close the opening with sewing some stitches by hand and voilà:

 The fabrics are second hand.

Jag tycker väldigt mycket om Konstverkstaden Malakta. Maja och Jukka har lyckats skapa ett hem för hantverkare, konstnärer och kreatörer. Konstverkstaden sjuder av liv och skaparkraft. I Malakta residerar musikproducenter, fotografer, forskare, hantverkare och filmskapare och fler.

Bilderna är tagna i somras från Majas och Jukkas hem. De har fyllt sitt hem med vintage, second hand, färg och form.

children's room

Home made giant pearl garland and fabric frame. Gorgeous print by Ingela P Arrhenius can be bought at Mokkasin.

(Frames soon to be filled with pics of the family.)

DIY framing fabric

Here is a picture show on one of my latest DIY's. The children's room is like an echo chamber because there is nothing hanging on the walls. There is no curtain pole over the window, so while figuring out how to attach one to the stone wall so I can hang some fabric I try create something else to swallow noise.

Fold twice before pinning the fabric to the frame.

Pin the fabric in this order to get an even stretch to the fabric.

The fabric is one of my favourite thrifted bed sheets. Lots of fabric enough for lots of DIY projects! Me likes!