Plastic Bottle Bangle

Bangles.  I love them.  Can't get enough.  Here is a tute to make one for yourself.

Plastic bottle (I prefer empty Sobe Life Water bottles, they have a ring near the top that is the perfect size for my wrist. You might have to experiment with different bottles until you find one that works for you.) Box cutter (or some sort of blade)

Fabric of choice (I used jersey because it doesn't fray, and I wanted a clean look, you chose what will work for you.)

Embellishments (I used ribbon and part of a rhinestone chain)

Hot glue gun & sticks 

I start by slicing into the label, removing it and then start cutting the plastic itself. Like I said before, the bottles I use have a perfect bangle shape near the top, so it is super easy to keep on a relatively straight line.

You can see my box knife stuck in the bottle, and then the finished cuff.  I only get one cuff per bottle, the rest of it has these weird spirals down the sides.

 

I cut 1 x 12" strips from the jersey.  Then used a daub of glue on the inside of the cuff to start and secure my wrapping.

And I just keep wrapping and gluing, wrapping and gluing until the end of a strip and I just layer over the end of the previous one and keep going.

 

At the end I go back and double check to make sure the glue will hold the layers, and that the fabric won't shift.

 

From there I added a strip of wide ribbon, I am loving stripes at the moment, and this was the perfect accent for my black bracelet.  Then I added a black rhinestone chain with a daub of glue at the beginning, middle and end of the chain.  Then I decided to use embroidery thread to ensure the chain wouldn't go anywhere.  I must say, I am liking the look!  Check it out.

 

I hope you have a fun making your own bracelet!

Love ya,

Sharpie Tie Dye

This is the CLEANEST tie dye project EVER!  Stinky, but clean!

All you need is:
shirt
plastic cups
rubber bands or hair ties
rubbing alcohol
medicine dropper

I had all the windows open in the living room, but the smell still got to me, so you might want to do this outside.

Start by laying out your shirt and deciding where you want your "spots" to be, then place a cup under each "spot" location, and place a rubber band over the shirt and around the rim of the cup.  (You can place both layers of the shirt over the cup, or just do the front, I chose to do both at once, I'm impatient!  If you double the  layers keep in mind the back of your design will have less definition.)  Do this until you you're satisfied with the look.  Have your alcohol and pens ready.  I used a medicine cup and dropper to hold the alcohol.  It worked well.

Next you're going to draw designs on your "spots".  Draw whatever you want.  The alcohol will spread the ink so keep that in mind when you're drawing.

Once you've finished all your circles take your dropper, suck up some alcohol and begin in the center of a circle with a few drops.  Watch as the alcohol spreads and then add more drops as needed.  I really wanted my colors to bleed over the edge of my cups to allow for a more traditional tie dye effect.

I did a first round of "spots" and decided I wanted more color, so I turned the shirt over and did more on the other side.  Here is the finished product:

I love it!  And like I said before, NO MESS!  And my hands aren't discolored!  Woo hoo!  Before I started the second side I made sure to let the alcohol dry, to speed that up I put the shirt in the sun, still bound to the cups, until it dried.  Before throwing it in the wash at the end I ironed it, I read somewhere the ink will set if you use heat before washing, we'll see.

Now go, create, have some fun!

Love ya,

I won!

I actually won something!

Vanessa with V & Co. had a giveaway for a fat quarter bundle from Jacqueline from Canton Village Quilt Works, and I was randomly chosen as the winner!

I am so excited, I can't wait to get my fabric!  Oh the things I'll make!

Happy Thursday all!

Love ya,