Author Archives: Margaret Muirhead

Freezer Paper Stencils: Robot Tees

Posted in Fabric printing, Free Tutorials, Stuff to make by

Handsman, this silver-painted robot with the high-tech egg-carton control panel, was constructed by my five-year-old’s preschool classmates, who are studying robots this month.  Handsman looms at over 4′ (taller than your average preschooler) and sports zippy yellow rubber gloves–hence, his handy name.

[photo thanks to Pauline & Amanda!]

To show my full support for robot curriculum everywhere, I decided to make some robot tees for my little guy with freezer paper stencils. Freezer paper stencils have a high fun factor: big on reward, low on effort. Here is the complete how-to. If you fret about drawing your own robot stencil, then download an image, print, and trace. To avert laundry tragedies, don’t forget to heat-set the paint after it dries.

Robot tees!

Gather Here

Posted in Boston, Knitting, Sewing by

I’m excited about this find: a new fabric & fibers store that invites you in to make something on the spot! Gather Here–located in Cambridge at 370 Broadway–is more than a store: it’s an urban stitch lounge, which if you’ve never heard of one (and I had not) is a community space with machines, supplies, and tables for hanging out, sharing interests, and creating stuff. The store also offers a Saturday morning knitter’s brunch and Thursday evening crafty cocktails, as well as classes in quilting, sewing, and embroidery basics.

After I shlep over today to check out Gather Here’s fabric selection–I’m headed for the Cambridge Public Library (the addition was designed by William Rawn Associates–and my husband!). Go sit in that hunk of a wood chair by the big window in the Children’s Room and read a stack of picture books–with, or without kids.

 

DIY Cookbook

Posted in Free Tutorials, Paper, Recycled materials, Stuff to make by

I’m an ambivalent cook, and not a very intuitive one. So when I come across a good recipe, I hold onto it for dear life. Over the years, I’ve collected a hodgepodge of scribbled sticky notes and magazine tear sheets with favorite recipes.

The mess needed a home. So, I ordered a Rebinder (which is a binder made from recycled corrugated cardboard) and a box of sheet protectors for my recipes. The Rebinder was terrific, but not so great at repelling cooking drips & spills.

I bought a yard of green gingham oil cloth, and relying on my ancient memories of covering books in high school, I winged it. Here are my step-by-step instructions for making an oilcloth cover, written after the fact. I’m pleased with the results. I sewed the last steps while the cover was actually on the binder–it’s sewed on forever–which might be why it doesn’t buckle & lies nice and flat.

Sock Dog

Posted in Recycled materials, Sewing, Stuff to make by

We’re just back from a long weekend in the Deep North at my brother’s house–skiing, ice skating, and, in my case, suffering from a stomach bug. What is more pleasant than a puking houseguest? you might ask. I’m pretty sure Ben Franklin coined a pithy adage about it.

Not only was my beautiful sister-in-law, Toni, gracious about my digestive turmoil, but she also let me photograph her latest sewing projects.  

She made this polka dot pooch from a couple of old socks. Such a cute pup! The pattern comes from Martha Stewart Crafts (step-by-step instructions here). You can also find it in Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts.

Toni also made this pretty drawstring  bag from a pattern in Heather Ross’s Weekend Sewing.

    

And this canvas bag (perfect size for an IPad or say, those paper things formerly known as books) from Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter.

Thank you ever so much, T. I promise not to return for a while. Love, m.

Heart Crayons

Posted in Holiday, Kids, Recycled materials, Stuff to make by

I’m squeezing in one last post before Monday for those of you who

1.) enjoy the smell of melting wax emanating from your toaster oven.

2.) own crayons so ancient they are growing a fur of mold.

3.) like to celebrate Valentine’s Day by smashing things with a hammer.

You will need crayons (pink, red, white, purple), the aforementioned hammer and toaster oven, a heart-shaped candy mold, and fingernails long enough to tear at the crayons’ very resistant paper wrappers. I used a silicone heart mold from Ikea, meant for making ice cubes. Not a good idea, but it worked. I have definitely destoyed the mold from ever being used again for its original purpose.

I smashed the crayons to smithereens (inside a paper bag), divided the colored bits into the molds, and placed the tray in the oven at 250F.  Watch out: the crayon wax melts quickly (in less than a minute), and if you wait too long, the colors blend together and look like purple soup.

 Cooling on the counter (note those uneaten clementines).

 Voila.

postscript:

The mailman brought this little package . . .

and inside were pink & gray striped mittens!

My five-year-old cracked up when I tried them on and my fingers poked through.

Thank you, Brig! They are absolutely beautiful.