"Easy As" Recycled Mini Glass Vase

I love using old glass bottles to display flowers, fresh from the garden.
I find however, that mini glass bottles (recycled from supermarket juice bottles) used on their own can be wobbly at the best of times ... so in order to make these little glass bottles more stable, I decided to join several together, simply by wrapping them with twine!


To make these "Easy As" Mini Glass Vases:
1) Place (a minimum of two) mini glass bottles side by side
2) Wrap twine around the outside of all your mini glass bottles (If joining more than two bottles you will probably need another pair of hands to help you hold the bottles.)
3) Wrap twine tightly between each of the bottles (enough to stop the glass from touching)
4) Fill your new vase with water and flowers and enjoy :)

Fabric Gift Tag Tutorial

It's the 1st December! - can you believe it?

For us the 1st December has always been the day when our old dusty box of Christmas Crafty Goodness gets pulled down from the back of the cupboard, and our home is decorated for Christmas (although I'm always so tempted to start earlier)

So today as well as decorating the tree, I've made some personalised Gift Tags (with a lovely handmade shabby feel) for the numerous "brown paper packages" soon to be placed under the tree!

Below is a little DIY tutorial, for my Fabric Gift Tags  ... Happy Decorating :)

Fabric Gift Tag Tutorial

Materials

1 x 3.5" x .5" cardstock rectangle (per gift card)

1 x 7" x 1" linen or burlap fabric rectangle (per gift tag)

Sewing Machine and thread (to match fabric)

Scissors

Hole punch and eyelet kit (or a button and thread)

Stamps, Stencil Kit or Fabric Paint to decorate

Method

- Cut cardstock rectangle to size

- Cut fabric rectangle to size and fray edges

- Wrap cardstock rectangle with the fabric rectangle to create fabric gift card

- Sew around all edges of gift tag (to the inside of the frayed edge)

- Using a hole punch make a hole in your gift tag about .5" in from one end of your gift tag (Or attach a button at one end of your tag)

- Trim any extra fabric /cardstock created by hole punch, to ensure a flat surface for eyelet

- Using hardware supplied with your hole punching kit attach eyelet

- Stamp, stencil, or paint your gift tag with a message or your recipients name etc

- Attach ribbon or twine (through the eyelet or around the button) and attach gift tag to your gift

- Voila :)

Daisy Dress in Dusty Pink!

As soon as my "Dusty Pink Daisy" fabric sample (above) arrived from Spoonflower, I knew my days - To Do - List would be out the window!
So instead of working, I searched the internet for a cute little toddler dress pattern and spent the day sewing instead ;)
This so cute (and so easy to sew) 'A' line sundress is based on a free downloadable pdf pattern by Oliver + S  called "popover sundress" ~ Thank-you ;)

Now that it's finished, I guess it's time to get back to work! 
... Although It could be 'milk and cookies' time first ;)

Tea Time :)

I'm certainly going to enjoy my tea and biscuits this morning,
since I've just updated the Kristopher K Shop with more of our hand screen printed designs ....

Pics below feature our latest organic wheat design, 
printed on 100% Linen Tea Towels in Oat, Vanilla or Black. 

"Easy As" paper flowers :)

Happy Sunday ...

Today I've been making some fun paper flowers, that are not only an ideal way to dress up and decorate gifts but are oh so wonderfully - "Easy As" - to make.

I like to make them from recycled white tissue paper, (after carefully removing the wrap so often used by department stores on new purchases) - but vibrant colours work well for kids birthday parties, and restricted or limited mixed colour palettes help give a co-ordinated look to presents under a Christmas tree etc ....

.... If you'd like to try these out for yourself, see a wonderful tutorial for similar tissue paper flowers on the Feeling Fuzzy Blog <here>

But be warned ... try stopping after you've made just one :)

Vintage Shabby Rose : Cushions

This month, I've really been enjoying pretty pink, green and neutral colour palettes.



So to bring some of these wonderful Springtime tones inside, I decided to make myself some new cushions, featuring designs from the Vintage Shabby Rose Collection.

Today the rain is pouring outside my window, but I'm enjoying listening to the steady sound it makes as it hits the roof :)
..................

Also this week Judi Hall from Gingezel, featured our designs on the Gingezel website ~ Thank-you so much Judi for the wonderful Kristopher K feature :)

I first became aware of Gingezel Fabrics on Flickr, when I saw this lovely Collection of fabrics called Ocean Villa 

... (I just love the muted blue and brown colour palette) 

See more beautiful Gingezel Fabrics @Spoonflower here

..................


I hope your week so far has been fabulous ... 
Time for me now to make a nice hot cup of coffee, while outside the rain continues to fall :)

Terrific Tuesday

Today has been a Terrific Tuesday ... why ? Well apart from being the first Tuesday in November and a day when a little old horse race called The Melbourne Cup stops a nation ... I also made some fun "easy as" fabric buttons :)

Using a simple button kit that I purchased from The Haby Goddess (here) it really was as "easy as" 1, 2, 3 to make these adorable fabric covered buttons (with absolutely no sewing skills required ;)

Fabrics shown are from my Perfect Pink Collection and include : (from top)
Disco Dots - Hot Pink
Country Checks
and
Spring Blossoms 


I hope you had a Terrific Tuesday too, and if you placed a bet on The Melbourne Cup, I hope you backed a winner!

New Quilt & New Chapter

After another busy week, I'm happy to be relaxing today, wrapped up in my new quilt ~ featuring fabric designs from my Marie's Garden collection (... inspired by the beautiful pink dahlias, blooming in the summer gardens of the Chateau de Versailles, France ~ home to Marie Antoinette.) 

Next week plans for the next chapter of Kristopher K will really start in earnest ... Whoo - hoo !!!
Did you manage to guess, from the sneek a peek last weekend ... ?

I have been busy organising new designs, fabrics, films, screens, printing tables & paints - etc as I will soon be hand screen printing a brand new collection of 'Kristopher K' textiles on yummy natural fabrics, to compliment the existing range of fabrics now available at Spoonflower.

It's still early days, but I couldn't wait to share this exciting news with you all.
I look forward to posting more updates and naturally lots of pictures soon ;)
Have a wonderful and relaxing Sunday .... Cheers Kris ;)


© All rights reserved.

Happy Long Weekend

It's been such a busy few days, that I've only just realised it's a long weekend -in celebration of the Queen's Birthday - How Fabulous !!!
... another birthday coming up this month, is my Grandma's, or 'Great Nanny Junes' as she's known to us.
June has always been an inspirational (and stylish :) role model in my life, as an amazing artist, and when I was younger, owner of a successful Sydney Art Gallery. 
As I know she won't be peeking here on the blog ... here are some cushions that I've just finished making her, using upholstery weight cotton fabrics, from my China Blue collection - I so hope she likes them :)



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Miniature Upholstered Furniture

How exciting to see Kristopher K fabrics on these Victorian Dollhouse chairs designed by:
JBM Miniatures  makers of handcrafted collectible miniature furniture.
See these photos (and more examples) on Ken@JBM's flickr photostream here
Thanks so much Ken for letting me know you posted these photos; I've so enjoyed taking a peek at your amazing work :)






... Oh how i'd like to walk around this dollhouse ;) 


Fabrics used are from the "Shabby Chic" collection and include:
Shabby Rose, 
Shabby Check Grande, 
and Shabby Stripe Grande.

So how do you reduce the scale of a fabric design at Spoonflower?
I find it as easy as adding a fabric to my cart, and clicking the blue "EDIT" link: then after Design Size, I again click the blue (EDIT THIS) link: Then I change the size of the design by clicking: SMALLER - until I have the required size: finally I click on the UPDATE ORDER ITEM button to update the print in my order to it's new custom size ;)

I hope to see the sun shining brightly again this weekend, so I can photograph the new fabric designs that have recently arrived - and I'm also planning to spend time this weekend sewing - as lately I have seen so many projects and tutorials that I'm keen to try.
Whatever your plans may be, have a fabulous weekend, 
Cheers Kris :)


© All rights reserved.

Shabby Raggy Soft and Snugly: Rag Quilt

Yay! 
Anyone who has ever made a Rag Quilt will probably understand, that I'm not exaggerating when I say 
.... there is cotton from one end of my studio to the other ... lol

But WHAT FUN it was, making my very first Shabby, Raggy, Soft and Snugly Rag Quilt, from a mix of (Organic Cotton Sateen and Quilting Weight Cotton) fabrics featuring designs from my "Shabby Rose" Collection.


From Fabric to Quilt Above.

Many thanks to the:
'green apple orchard' blog 
- For, inspiring me with their fabulous rag quilt Tutorial
"Easiest Quilt Ever! The Rag Quilt Tutorial"

And for more awe-inspiring Rag Quilt photos see:
La Dolce Boutique Blog: here

Ah *Sigh* 
Now I better get busy and tidy up the studio :)

Cheers, Kris

© Kristopher K 2010

'Easy As' Headboard Slipcover

I have been procrastinating, for days now, trying to decide how to sew my new quilt / So this weekend, with a little help from my Facebook Friends (You know who you are ;) I decided to just start sewing.

... as I wanted to update the look of our guest bedroom, I decided to start with a simple "easy as" headboard slip cover.

This fabric slip-cover, is fabulously easy to make, and can transform the look of an existing headboard (be it modern, antique, painted or stained, timber or chipboard ;) in a matter of hours.

Featuring 'Kristopher K' Fabric Designs from Top:
Marie's Garden
Lucky Four
Rustic Floral
Rustic Stripes
and
Marie's Garden - Square


... And at least now I know where the quilt will live once it is made ;)




'Easy As' Headboard Fabric Slipcover:
Make your own pattern:


- To measure the required length of your headboard: simply measure from the top of the headboard / to the middle of the top mattress / times this length by two / and add your seam allowance.

- Then measure the width of your headboard: (This single headboard was 12.5 " wide) and add your side seam allowance to each side (if making from one piece of fabric) you have the required pattern size.

- Or you can feature strips of fabric: As shown: 2 strips of plain linen either side of a strip of patchwork fabric (made from sewing small strips of fabric together) Or design your own featuring as many strips as you want: just remember to allow for the extra seam allowances when working out your required widths.

- Sew all strips together (if using more than one piece of fabric ;)

- Hem around all sides.

- Fold slip cover in half (along the width line) front side up.

- Cut 12 ribbon ties and pin into place as shown:

- 3 on left (inside front) and 3 on right (inside front) then directly behind

- 3 on left (inside back) and 3 on right (inside back) and sew into place.

- Iron (you know you want to ;)

- Slip over existing headboard.

- Tie ribbons and Voila

.... it could then be time to pop the kettle on!

© All rights reserved.

Shabby Rose Collection

I feel like a child at Christmas time :)
Yesterday along with the new fabric proofs, my quilt fabric arrived (YAY!!! I can hardly wait to start quilting) 
And the new Cotton Lawn fabric, from Spoonflower, in my opinion, couldn't be more lovely: The only way I can describe it is, soft, breezy, and as light as air :)
Then later in the day, when I'd finished arranging and photographing yesterdays proofs, more arrived ... 
Here are some of them:



(From Left)
Shabby Rose
Shabby Stripe Grande
Shabby Diamond Grande
and
Shabby Check Grande

Finally, just to round out a totally fun, fabric filled day, I made another little dress.
(using the same New Look Pattern #6195 - that I now know I can sew - lol ;) with my fabric design:
White Wild Rose

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Floral Chintz Dress

Let me start this post by saying:
At the end of a full days sewing, I was very glad I decided to sew my niece an EASY sew 1 hour dress - lol - 

But now that it's finished, I'm so happy with the final result (as is my niece :) that I can't wait to make her another one :)


I started with a New Look Pattern #6195 
- making dress B
And I followed the pattern exactly - with the exception of a little bit of ribbon to decorate the front panel, (as shown) - which I added before sewing the side seams.


Here is the finished dress (in Linen-Cotton Canvas) featuring my original fabric design: Floral Chintz



...................................................................

Also today, the proofs for several of my new fabric designs arrived - including a sample of the lovely new Spoonflower fabric option: cotton lawn
... I can't wait till tomorrow, so I can photograph the fabrics and post the photos ... stay tuned :)

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Dot - The Disco Frog

Just a quick post to show you all Dot - The Disco Frog!

A big thank-you to The Purl Bee Blog for providing this fun and easy to sew pattern :)
Dot loves to dance to the hip buzzing sounds of the lilly pond - lol -

I am really enjoying the holidays, and using the time to practice my sewing skills 

- prior to my new Quilt fabric arriving :)

Dot is made from my fabric design: Disco Dots - Night
and the background fabric is: Lofty Linen Leaves 

Happy Easter for tomorrow,
Cheers Kris :)

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Camera Case by Bozontee

A big thank-you to Bozontee for giving me permission to show you all, her adorable camera case :)
- Featuring my original fabric design: 

52" x Magnolia Little Gem - Dark Spice - 1 yard panel

I can't tell you how exciting it is to see photos of the wonderful creations you make with my fabric designs.

If you too, have made any lovely things, using Spoonflower printed fabrics, why not add them to the Spoonflower Group Pool on Flickr.

You never know, you may just make a Textile Designers day :)