Chinese Leftovers - Tutorial Part 3

It was clear that the structure of the box would derive from the two "wings" that fold in being able to connect to the body of the box in a stable way.



Buttonholes and a button seemed like an obvious choice. But in order to make it reversible, I couldn't do a single buttonhole on each side, through both layers of each folded "wing" - that would only allow the box to assemble in one direction. Eureka! Make a pair of buttonholes in each wing, lined up to fall on top of each other perfectly so that the box could be buttoned up through all the layers!

I started out by marking the buttonhole positions based on the pinned-together box...but only on ONE side of each wing.


I then stitched and cut open those buttonholes, folded each wing into its finished position, and pinned through the finished buttonhole into the layer below, giving me a precise position that would line up with the first buttonhole. (Apologies for the blurry shot!)





With all the buttonholes completed and cut, the wings can be folded back into place, and a pin through all the openings will give you your final button position.


Making it reversible means you will have to sew two buttons at this position - one on either side of the fabric. I recommend using a button with a long shank - they are easier to work with back-to-back than a flat disc button, and the long shank is also friendlier when it comes to buttoning through four layers of fabric. I happened to have four old wood buttons with the look of bamboo - perfect for the theme!


So, we know it works...but, is it reversible?


Worked like a charm! Though a quick pressing is probably advisable before reversing, just for tidiness.

A traditional frog closure will be a perfect finish for the red-and-black side.


I'm not sure yet how I'll finish off the blue floral side. Maybe a fancy button with a thread chain closure in some silk buttonhole twist. And, for a strap? Simple - make one out of each fabric (+ interfacing for stability) in the desired length, just as you would a tie belt or a dress strap, topstitch the edges, add a buttonhole on each end, and button the strap right to the box! Alternatively, you could use a length of jewelry chain - something about the weight you'd use for a charm bracelet - add a lobster-claw clasp to each end, and clip it right to the button shank.

Now all you need are some fabric fortune cookies to fill it with, and you're good to go!

Inside the Magpie Nest - a Wristcuff Tutorial

by Kimberlee

The Magpie has always been kind of like my totem animal, and like the magpie, I'm obsessed with bits and pieces of shiny ephemera.  This means, of course, that I'm also obsessed with beautiful boxes to put my Shinies
into.  Sometimes I gather all the little boxes around me and think, "What should I do with all these beauties?"

The answer for some of my Shinies came in the form of another upcycle I've been working on, fusing several old flannel shirts into a dress.  I had cut the cuffs off the shirt, and of course stuffed them into my current "too big or nifty" basket (as opposed to my scraps for that eventual quilt bag), then it occurred to me that the cuffs would be perfect for buttons, trims, and all of those flower tutorials I've been working on.

Things you will  need


Shirt cuff, cut below the seam
Buttons
Trims
All those fabric flowers you've been making
Iron-on patches 
Thread, needles
Any other shinies; like studs, rhinestones, pins, charms, and whatnots

A pile of loverlies!

 Sort out your beauties into piles of coordinating stuff.  It can be by color, style, mood, or whatever floats your boat.  I wish I had some Steampunk things, that would make a cool cuff!

Another shot of my pile

I have 4 cuffs from 2 different shirts, so I sorted my things that I might want on each cuff into ziplock baggies.

The 1st bag is the closest to Steampunk: it has patches with retro photos and buttons with gear shapes.  Bag 2 is more pretty punk with classic tats, zipper flowers and grommets.  Bag 3 is pretty and lacy, I want it to look a little like a wild west garter.  Bag 4 is today's cuff!

 Lay out everything in your bag, and don't forget to iron it!  Play around with the placement of the stuff in the bag. I suggest adding something permanent to work around.  Remove the button because you will probably have a button you are dying to use instead.

I've ironed on the yellow rose, the button hole is directly to the left of it.

Pick out the buttons you will use as closure.  You may have to change the button hole to accommodate your buttons.  I also added a second button hole so 2 buttons would show when I was wearing it.

Choosing buttons is so difficult!!!

 Arrange the rest of your goodies!  I added trim and a rose tutorial from either Sassy Scrapper or Little Birdie Secrets. You'll likely be seeing homemade blossoms on all of these.  I also sewed on some trim, a leaf for the flower, several buttons and a pin and voila it's done!

Yellow and black are a nice combo!

 

 

 

 

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 My only regret is that I should have loaded it up more, but since this was my first, I was a little gun-shy.  I'll post the others as I make them, and they'll  be more elaborate!

One view of the upcycled cuff.

The obverse.  Clearly, there's a new sheriff in Craft Town!