Mini Gourd Lovin' Crafts

Basket of Mini Gourds Waxed

Autumn is most assuredly my favorite time of the year. Crisp air, changing leaves and mini gourds. Yeah; gourds. I know; right? Other people are thinking over-sized bright orange pumpkins, trick or treaters, mums and putting their flower beds to sleep for the winter and I am dreaming of little mini gourds.

My (over-zealousness) sheer delight of mini gourds happened quite by accident (as most of the wonderful things that happen in life do) when I was but knee high and decided to try to plant THE great pumpkin patch of all time in our family garden and somehow mixed in a packet of gourd seeds with my pumpkin seeds. When the pumpkins began to grow I noticed oddly shaped ~things~ twisting and growing among the vines. My Grams (father's mother) in her typical no nonsense way eyed them and proclaimed "Mini gourds. Completely worthless. Might as well pull them up and give your pumpkins a better chance to grow"

I could not. I would not! I felt so sorry for them. Colors of dull green, dull yellows and off whites, bent and twisted, so small in the shadow of the great pumpkins. Not big enough to make a birdhouse out of. Poor, precious little mini gourds. Thus began my life long love affair (and maybe a touch of over-protection) of the mini gourds.

Today these little mini gourds have completely ~ caught on ~ in Autumn designing and Fall tablescapes. Your imagination is the only limit on the possibilities of what you can do with them. Wreaths, snowmen, even nestled among the great orange pumpkins somehow makes the pumpkins look brighter by making the orange colors look that much oranger (is oranger a word? well; no matter. Today it will be)

I like to imagine that out there in the great wide world; bent over in the garden, are other people tenderly cultivating these simple, tiny, little odd shaped bits of completely fantastic and falling in love as I did so many years ago. If you simply do not have the space or the time to grow these little gourds then head to your nearest produce stand/farmer's market where you can buy them up by the bushel basket for a fraction of the cost that you'd pay at your local grocers. Then let you imagination run wild creating spots of indoor Autumn. Here are a few ideas to get you started.


Fall Tips!

Harvesting:
 
Leave the gourds on the vine until a light frost or the stems turn brown. If you need to pick a gourd before the frost, the gourd should be very firm to the touch. Cut the gourd with an inch or more of stem. Wash the gourds in soapy water. Dilute household bleach may be added to the water if desired, and may help delay mold formation. A light coat of non-glossy floor wax gives the gourds a natural glow.

Drying:
 
Dry the gourd fruits naturally by placing in an area with good air circulation. Bringing the gourds indoors may help them dry faster, but gourds can be dried outdoors even in cold areas. When the seeds rattle, the gourd is dry and ready for crafting. How long it takes a gourd to dry depends on the drying environment  -- the warmer and the better the circulation, the faster the water will evaporate from the gourd. Light may help to retard formation of mold, but the mold on the outside of gourds is a natural part of the drying process; as long as the gourd remain firm to the touch, do not discard it. Turning the gourds and wiping off the mold on a weekly basis may help the gourds dry sooner. If you don’t wash the gourd off with the bleach mixture, you’ll probably see some mold growing on it.  Don’t be alarmed if it does. Some people prefer it that way because mold gives it an unusual rustic look. While the natural method of drying in time-consuming, it is still the best recommendation for drying gourds.

Cleaning:
 
Once the gourd is completely dry it is ready to be cleaned. Rattling of seed is a good indication of dryness; however sometimes the seeds adhere to the inside of the gourd and in this case the gourd will be very light and sound hollow when tapped. Submerge the gourd in a bucket of warm soapy water and scrape off the outer skin with a plastic mesh bath or kitchen scrubby. Again; bleach may be added to the water, but it is not a necessity.

Using sandpaper or steel wool to clean dry gourds is OK if the gourd is going to be painted -- but there will be fine scratches from these abrasive materials which will show up if the gourd is stained with wood stains or a light coat of leather dye.

Mini Gourd and Faux Leaves Wreath.

Wreath Form (either wire, hay or Styrofoam)
Fake Leaves (any deep green or fall color will do)
Mini Gourds
Hot Glue Gun
Glue Sticks
Optional: Florist Wire (comes in green and brown- use the color that matches your leaves)

Tip! If you use a Styrofoam wreath spray painting it in a deep green (if using all green leaves) or dull brown (if using fall colored leaves) will hide any areas not completely covered by your leaves.

Tip! I have found that simply using a hot glue gun will hold your gourds to the wreath frame securely for one season of use BUT if you have created a masterpiece that you want to use year after year then the florist wire will hold each gourd in place when the glue begins to break down.

In this case I used a Styrofoam wreath, spray painted it a dark forest green and set it aside to dry. In the meanwhile I cut off all of the green leaves from a couple of old faux vines that had stashed away (for who knows what) until I had a nice pile. Once my wreath had dried I then began to hot glue my gourds around the center of my wreath BEFORE adding in the leaves. In the past I have glued the leaves first and then added the gourds but found that the gourds didn't hold very well and I ended up using twice the amount of florist wire than was necessary to hold them in place. Not a very visually appealing look.

Once I had the gourds glued to the Styrofoam wreath I then secured each gourd using green florist wire (so I could use this again next year) Simply wrap a piece of florist wire over the handle of each gourd and then loop it around the styrofoam wreath and twist it in a knot on the back side. (the wire sinks into the Styrofoam so you can't even see it) Then it was simply a matter of glue, glue, glue leaves all along the top and in between each gourd. Make a loop with a piece of florist wire or use a piece of ribbon as a hanger and that's it. Ready to hang.

So easy!

Mini Gourds Painted White/Black and Covered in Cheese Cloth

Velvet Trinket Bookmarks

~SEW~ Easy Velvet Bookmarks

Materials:

Velvet strips of fabric - 9 inches long by 2 inches wide per bookmark
1 inch Ribbon Clamps
Jump Rings (O rings)
Various Trinkets of your choosing (think vintage!)
Flat nose pliers


Instructions:

1. Cut fabric to 9 inches long by 2 inches wide.

2. Double over your fabric so that you have velvet on each side.

3. Sew along the top, open side and bottom in a corresponding color thread.


 

4. On each of the top and bottom on your bookmark affix a Ribbon Clamp with a pair of flat nose pliers. Crimp tightly.

5. Attache a jump ring (O ring) to the hole in your ribbon clamp.

 

6. Adorn with your trinket and close the jump (O) ring.



* You can add as much length or adornment to your bookmarks as you like by simply continuing to add another jump ring and more trinket.

* If you should have a difficult time finding 2 inch velvet ribbon- you can always purchase 1 inch ribbon and sew them together with each of the velvet facing outward

Very Easy, Very Simple and a Double Cute gift when paired with a vintage book.

Pretty Rubber Gove Tutorial

Step 1.
Cut two fabric pieces that are four inches by 20 inches.  Narrow hem one of the long edges as shown.

Step 2.
Measure two inches from edge and mark with a pencil (see the dot jus above the 18). Now measure one inch from that point and mark again (ring finger is pointed at this dot).  Again mark two inches from your last mark and then an inch from that point.  Repeat this all the way across.  (2 inches then dot- 1 inch then dot- 2 inches then dot- 1 inch then dot- Continue in this pattern until you come to the end)

Step 3.
To make pleats take the first mark you made and place it on top of next mark which should be one inch from your first mark.  Repeat this all the way across pinning each pleat as you make it.

* This is what it will look like when you have pinned all of your pleats

Step 4.
Stitch across top of pleats as shown.

Step 5.
Pin edges together as shown on each of the short ends and sew across.  Turn to outside and press. I like to add in a little spray starch before pressing- but then I starch everything!

* This is what your end pieces will look like after your quick stitch across.

Step 6.
Pin some wide ribbon to top of your fabric as shown below.  Sew acoss the ribbon (both at the top of your ribbon piece and at the bottom to secure tightly).

Step 7.
Pin the ribbon side to the bottom of the cuff of your rubber glove. I like to turn under (about an inch or so) the rubber glove as I am pinning- just to give the rubber a little more stability. But this is completely opinional. 

Step 8.
Stitch into place.

Tada! All finished and suitable for gift giving. You don't want to be the only one that looks smashing in a pair of rubber gloves. Right?


Ohhh! I almost completely forgot! Remember those pair of red gloves I was talking about earlier with the ghastly yellow cuff?

Not any more ... and it was just so ~sew~ easy!

Ghastly Hands and Pretty Gloves

Ohh How I Love You
My Pretty, Pretty, Rubber Gloves

Can I be honest with you? Yes of course I knew that I could. You are just so sweet that way and I love you for it.

I have the single most ghastly hands on the planet. True! They are always dry and cracked in spite of all of the lotions, potions, creams and ointments that I apply diligently before bed (and sometimes throughout the day if I can keep my mind focused). Not to mention that I almost always am in desperate need of a manicure.

My hands stay in everything. Things that would forever prevent me from becoming a ~hand model~ if I should ever aspire to such things as that- which of course I never would because I actually like using my hands.

During the course of a normal week I am scouring the tub with "Ajax" or "Mean Green" (or something equally hand harsh) for those hard to remove soap scum stains that men seem to insist on leaving behind after every shower. Not to forget the black ring around the bathtub left behind after giving the dogs a bath.

My husband ~Marvin~ was once quick to remind me that it would be one less chore I would have to do if I would simply give the dogs a bath outside instead of in the tub. I answered that clearly uneducated remark with your basic ~how can you even suggest such a thing~ glare. The next time I caught him sitting out on the patio; smoking a cigarette and thinking thoughts that only other men understand - thoughts of turtle wax, armor all, rain X, and so forth- I gave him a good spray with the garden hose and ask him "how'd that bath work for ya"? He never mentioned giving the dogs a bath outside again. Neither has he offered to give the dogs a bath for me ... but that's another story for another time.

Anywho; there are ovens to be cleaned, toilets to be cleaned, floors and baseboards, walls and windows, dishes completely out the wazoo and that's ever before I get to my crafting. Whereas then we have paints, glues, turpentine, glitters, more paint, more glue, more turpentine and the occasional nick from the needle when I am hand sewing. All which ultimately end up with my having a pair of hands that look like I work as a welder in a steel mill rather than being a happy homemaker.

My daughter Misty; who has lovely hands, ~glare inserted here~ is always buying me something precious to help restore some balance of moisture back into my hands but the problem is that I can't ever really quite commit to the process. For example: I received the most precious hand kit made by Burt's Bees from her. Have you heard of them? Simply fantastic company with the most divine products made from well ... organic bees wax and honey and so forth. Lovely! In my kit were things for the cuticles, wax's and a buffer for the nails, banana scented thick, luxurious overnight cream for the hands and a dainty pair of tight'ish fitting white cotton gloves with the cutest little bumble bees printed in the fabric. I must admit that it was a joy to use and the following day (after having slept in my bee gloves) my hands did look remarkably healthier.

I made a vow to continue to use it each night but eventually found myself pulling the gloves off in my sleep and then in the morning I had to spend a half hour trying to locate where I had tossed them during the night. Eventually our wheaten terrier "Mr. Doogles" ate one of the gloves (no doubt because it had the scent of banana- a fruit that he particularly enjoys eating) So; my ~vow~ to use the Burt's Bees nightly pretty much went out the window. If it's any consolation I do upon occasion slather up my hands and cover them with a pair of my husbands cotton socks while I am watching a late night movie. We'll let him ponder the mysteries of why his white cotton socks sometimes smell like bananas. It'll do him good to broaden his mental horizons ...

Naturally 90% of this could be avoided if I would simply don a pair of rubber gloves while cleaning but honestly... they are just so ugly. Listen; I don't have a vain bone in my body but really! who wants to be caught wearing a pair of those ghastly yellow gloves? They came out with a red pair years ago but ruined them by topping off the cuff in the same shade of horrid yellow. ~blah~

Next we come to the crucible of this note. Which is a simple tutorial on how to decorate a pair of rubber gloves that you won't be embarressed to be seen in and you'll be more apt to wear often simply because you'll look so dang cute in them. The tutorial with photos! will follow this post so stay tuned. You are just going to love them! And of course, as always, they will be ~sew~ easy.

Tata!

“Let your beauty be found in “the hidden person of the heart,
with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very precious in the sight of God.”
1 Peter 3:4

DIY Soap Pouch

DIY ~Sew~
Easy Peasy Soap Pouch


Cut up some old towels for yourself or purchase some inexpensive hand towels (or a large bath towel will make several) to give as gifts.



Each pouch will need to be cut 5 inches wide by 12 inches long. This will fit a bar of Dove soap quite nicely (which is my next best favorite soap- my homemade goats' milk soap being my absolute favorite!)

Fold  over the left side 4 inches.

Then fold over the right side (on top of the left side) … a total of 3 inches. * This will give you a pouch that is approximately 5 inches by 5 inches.

Turn towel around long ways and Sew a Seam down both sides - this will close up all of your sides so the soap stays securely inside. * Make you you turn before stitching or you'll sew up you pouch opening.

Turn inside out

Insert your bar of soap and pull the little flap over it.

See how nice the 12 inches x 5 inches size worked perfectly for the Dove Bar?

TIPS!


! Wrap in a bow and give as gifts.

! Add a Handle- cut a piece of towel 4 inches wide by 5 inches long. Double over to create a piece that is 2 inches wide by 5 inches long. (this gives you a nice weight for a sturdy handle) Sew each end to the finished pouch- be sure and stay close to the edge seams of the pouch. When adding a handle I like to back stitch several times to make sure the handle is going to stay secure through repeated use and washings.


! Washes up nicely for repeat usage. Just throw it in with the laundry


! Enjoy the experience knowing you did it yourself and it was ~sew~ easy!

DIY Door Wreaths

Simple Home Made Wreaths

You don't need to be a ~super~ crafter to make these decorative door wreaths. All you need is a couple of styrofoam wreaths, a hot glue gun, a few essential materials and loads of patience ~since none of these are the type that can be made quick, fast and in a hurry~ But they are double cute and will save you loads of money by creating them yourself (I priced just the pinecone wreath and they ranged from $69.00 to $110.00 ~gasp~)


Pinecone Wreath

The pictures tell the story of how to create each wreath so no tutorial is really necessary. Just know that you'll be hot gluing either balls or pinecones or fabric strips for hours.

* Before beginning your pinecone wreath: Spray paint the styrofoam brown before gluing your pinecones to help blend in with the pinecones.

* A nice variety of pinecones are essential




Rag Wreath

To make the rag wreath - cut several dozens of fabric strips (approximately 6" strips) and either hot glue to your wreath or wrap around and tie off in a knot. You can do both - tie off into knots and hot glue the fabric - to give it a fuller look and to fill in any gaps that may be noticeable.

* In the orange wreath photo shown- two different size styrofoam wreaths were used. One placed inside of the other and hot glued together to create one piece. Each piece of styrofoam was covered with fabric prior to hot gluing together.

* In the pink wreath photo shown - only one styrofoam wreath was used.



TIP!

This orange wreath will take you from Autumn all the way through Thanksgiving-  which will give you plenty of time to locate some festive Winter or Christmas fabric to make another. Then of course you will want to make a pretty Spring one with pastel fabric... ~wink~


Ball Wreath

Simply begin to hot glue your ornaments in no special pattern. I think using both large and small ball ornaments makes it a little more interesting.

Also; use non-tradional Christmas colored balls for a Christmas wreath twist or to use in the spring of the year.



Have fun creating your homemade wreath and when someone asks where you got it you can proudly say "I did it myself"!

What Does The Holy Word Say?

Bible Word Study
WHAT DOES THE HOLY WORD SAY?

1 John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin". 

COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS
THE STRONGEST BOND - BUILT TO LAST FOREVER

A covenant is one of the strongest types of agreement known to man. By definition, it's "a pledge, vow, or promise between two or more parties to carry out the terms agreed on."

A covenant is not based on feelings, but on agreement. When you are in a covenant relationship, you love when it's good and when it's bad ... regardless of the circumstances, you love.

Relationships affect our lives like no other resource. Our friends have the potential to influence us for greatness and godliness, and we can influence other people in the same way. It doesn't matter how strong you are in the Word. It doesn't matter what a great person of faith you are.

Regardless of what a powerful prayer warrior you may be or how "spiritual" you are ... If your relationships aren't what they ought to be, God is going to have a hard time getting good things into your life. Relationships are to be based on the love of God that's been shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit.

WORD STUDY
Study on the following words

'Walk' (Greek wôk):

1. The gait of a human or other biped in which the feet are lifted alternately with one part of a foot always on the ground
2. To move over a surface by taking steps with the feet at a slower pace
3. To go or travel on foot 
 

'Fellowship' (Greek fe'l-o'shp):

1. Friendship; comradeship
2. The companionship of individuals in a congenial atmosphere and on equal terms
3. The condition of sharing similar interests, ideals, or experiences,


'Cleanses' (Greek kle'nz):

1. To free from dirt, defilement, or guilt; purge or clean.
2. To make or become clear by the removal of impurities
3. The act or process of removing physical impurities

God's Word holds some powerful promises where relationships are concerned. If we follow after God's principles of covenant relationships, we will surely know true prosperity in every area of our lives.

Luke 2:52
How does this verse relate to us and our relationships?
 

Psalms 133:1-3
What does this verse say about good relationships?
 

Proverbs18:24
How can we be sure to be the right kind of friend?

GOD'S DOORWAY

Nearly everything that comes into your life; good or bad, comes through the vehicle of relationships. When God wants to bring blessing, increase, instruction or encouragement to you, He'll almost always use a relationship to do it.
 
The Hand of God at Work

When God wants to bless you financially, He doesn't stick a giant hand out of the clouds and drop a bag of gold on your head. Or begin floating down $100 dollar bills from Heaven. No; He'll move on someone's heart to be the instrument of that blessing.

When God wants to encourage you, you don't hear a booming voice from Heaven saying, "Be thou encouraged my child." Nor will you see a celestial note float down from the sky. No, He sends a brother or sister in Christ to put an arm around you, give you a squeeze and say, "I sure do appreciate you." The same is true for every form of blessing and help God wants to give you.

The Devil's Door, Too

Unfortunately, blessing isn't the only thing entering your life through the door of relationships. If your relationships aren't right, trouble, heartache and disappointment will come waltzing through that door with painful frequency. The devil works overtime to keep your relationships from prospering. He'll do everything in his power to keep you and your spouse mad at each other. He'll pull every trick in the book to sow discord in your home, in your workplace and in your church.

Standing on the Promises with the Anointing:

Like any of the promises of God, these promises concerning your relationships don't automatically bloom in your life the day you are born-again. They are seeds that must be planted in your heart and cultivated through faith, confession and corresponding action. As you make a quality decision to prosper relationally, the anointing and power of God will be released in your relationships like never before.

THOUGHTS TO PONDER ON

The person we're at odds with may be the one God wants to use to meet our needs. But if we've spoken badly of them or refused to forgive them, how can God help us? The management of our relationships will certainly affect and impact our quality of life. God does things in the earth through human beings. Even the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, came through the faith of Abraham and the faith of a teenage girl by the name of Mary, who believed God.

People in the world today know little about the unconditional love of God; the kind of love that abides and endures through changing times and the stormy winds of adversity and uncertainty. People everywhere long for relationships motivated by such a love. And in the midst of the chaos and unpredictability of the world today, God has made a way through Jesus Christ for each of us to have that kind of a relationship with God Himself and with those He has brought into our lives ... spouses, children, family, friends and neighbors.

Tend carefully to the Relationship Garden between you and God. The bounty is truly awesome!

What Does The Holy Word Say?

Bible Word Study

WHAT DOES THE HOLY WORD SAY?

God's Word makes it clear that we are to desire to have the gifts of the Spirit at work in the Body of Christ. The world is longing to see all believers be living examples of Jesus, carrying on His plan and allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself in and through our lives.


THE REVELATION GIFTS: THE SPIRIT MANIFESTED


1 Corinthians 12:7-8,10
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit ... to another discerning of spirits."


A SUPERNATURAL OCCURANCE!


According to the Word of God there are nine manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit. These can be classified into three different categories:
the gifts of utterance,
the gifts of revelation
and the gifts of power.


The utterance gifts, which are also referred to as the inspirational gifts are:
the gift of prophecy,
the gift of tongues
and the interpretation of tongues.


The gifts of power are:
the gift of faith,
the working of miracles
and the gift of healings.


The revelation gifts, (which are the focus of this study), are:
the word of wisdom,
the word of knowledge
and the discerning of spirits.

All three of these gifts reveal something in the supernatural. These gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifested through individual believers as the Spirit of God wills. The gifts of the Spirit aren't just given for the individual, but they are given in order to edify the whole local assembly or local body of believers. 

1 Corinthians 12:11
How does this verse work with our desiring of spiritual gifts?
 
1 Corinthians 14:1
Why are we called upon to pursue love amidst pursuing the gifts?
 
John 16:13
How does this verse relate the the revelation gifts?

 

DEFINING THE REVELATION GIFTS:

All of these manifestations of the Spirit are not to be confused with the day-to-day workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. These are unique and special instances when the Holy Spirit supernaturally shows up on the scene and brings about something that is otherwise impossible.
 
The Word of Wisdom:

The gift of the "word of wisdom" is different than the wisdom that we receive as we spend time in prayer and meditate on the Word of God. The word of wisdom has to do with perceiving the future. God opens the curtain a little bit and you see into what lies ahead. When God sees fit to reveal His own mind and purpose and plan to man in a supernatural way, He does so by this supernatural manifestation of the word of wisdom.


The Word of Knowledge:

The gift of the "word of knowledge" is different from the every day knowledge we gain from exercising our mind. The word of knowledge is a revelation to an individual of something that they would have no way of knowing outside the Spirit of God showing it to them. The word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation by the Spirit of God concerning certain facts in the "mind of God" facts about people, places, or things in the past or present.


The Discerning of Spirits:

Through this spiritual gift, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to discern or distinguish between different kinds of spirits. In other words, the Holy Spirit can and will enable us to unmask even the most cleverly disguised evil spirit. This gift allows you to discern when others are being led by an evil spirit. You are enabled to judge the presence and activity of an evil spirit, and even identify the spirit. At the same time, the discerning of spirits also enables you to know when the Holy Spirit is working in an unusual manner, and not confuse His uniqueness with the work of an evil spirit in disguise as an angel of light.
 

WORD STUDY:
Look up the following words

1. Wisdom  ___________________
 
2. Knowledge  ________________
 
3. Discerning  ________________



THOUGHTS TO DWELL ON

Everyone all over the world is hungry to see Jesus. They are tired of just hearing about Him and they don't just want to know what other people say about Him. They want to see Him for themselves. They want to see His character, His life and His power. It's time for us to let Jesus walk and talk and live His life through us and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to do the works that He did so that the world can see Jesus through us.

God's has always intended for us to reveal Jesus to the world during our earthly lives just as Jesus revealed the Father to the world during His earthly life. We need to wholeheartedly yearn for the gifts of the Spirit to operate in the Body of Christ. We need to allow His compassion to well up within to the extent that it can't help but pour out to all those around us. Just as Jesus was moved with compassion as the gifts of the Spirit flowed through Him, so the Holy Spirit will manifest Himself through our lives to reveal the one and only true God. 


The Revelation Gifts Scriptures

John 16:13
1 Corinthians 1:5-6; 12:11; 14:1,6
Romans 11:29
Galatians 1:12
Acts 16:16
Revelation 19:10

Further Scriptures

Psalm 112:1-3
Romans 16:3-4
Mark 11:25-26
1 Peter 3:7

Basic Sew : Bath Pouf

Repurposed Bath Towel- To Pouf Pad


This is so easy to make using just an old bath towel. Follow along and you'll soon find yourself making loads of these!

What you do, is cut about 1.5 inches off one side of towel (to get that finished edge), and two circles out of the towel. Use a lid, jar (well really anything round will do) to give you a trace pattern for your nice round circles.

Then sew a long straight stitch on the raw edge of the two strip.

Next you are going to ~gather~ your fabric.

To make a ~gather~ of your fabric piece you can do it one of two ways:

Method 1. Set your sewing machine tension to the to the loosest and longest length of stitch. In other words: set your machine to a really wide straight stitch width (or basting stitch). Then begin sewing- making sure to leave a good two inches of thread on the beginning and the end of the fabric. Then gently grasp the fabric with one hand and with your other gently begin to pull the thread to make your fabric bunch as seen in the photo.

TIPS!

I like to make two lines of stiches (one directly below the first) This helps if the first thread breaks- you'll have a backup stitch.

It's important to not back thread your stitches either at the beginning or the end or you'll end up with a big old mess and have to start over.

Method 2. Using a normal Zig Zag stitch on your machine begin sewing slowly while gently pulling the bottom (bobbin) thread to gather your strip. The secret here is to not get in a rush or you'll end up breaking the thread.

Next: Sew it onto one of the circles in a spiral shape, starting on the outside (see above photo).

Next: Cut a 1.5" x 6" strip, and finish the edges with a tight zig-zag stitch.

Next: Pin the two circles together, with your 7" strip laid across the bottom.

Sew a tight zig-zag around the two circles, sewing right over each side of the strip on the bottom.

Lastly; Trim off the excess edges of your fabric handle to match the circle edges!



FRONT

BACK

There. All done! And it was ~Sew~ easy!