Don't throw away that old T-shirt, upcycle it

 

A review of The Upcycled T-Shirt: 28 Easy-to-Make Projects That Save the Planet - Clothing, Accessories, Home Decor & Gifts

Note: This article was originally published in my Substack, The Wandering Maker Corner.

Do you have a pile of old t-shirts that you really don’t want to just throw away and contribute to the growing piles in the landfill? Do you have favorites that have meaning to your or are mementos from trips or special events? There is a better way to keep them around. longer and this book from Jenelle Montilone will show you how

Note: This book is only available as a Kindle edition on Amazon as it is currently out of print. I checked out this book using Kindle Unlimited which is my favorite way to experience a book or browse different subjects without making a final purchase to download permanently or have a physical copy taking up room on a shelf.

Why this book?

So the reason I decided to check out this book was for two things. One, I have a growing pile of t-shirts that are either ill-fitting, have some holes, or stains. The second reason was I have been interested in t-shirt yarn for awhile now and even though I could just do a Google search and find a page or video on how to do it, there is just something about looking at a book that someone took the time to write. This person is providing me with options and ideas all in one compact format that I can flip back and forth through even if it is in digital format on a Kindle or my Fire tablet (my preference for how-to books with color images).

What does this book do and not do?

There are three basic parts of this book:

1. Introduction and the effects of clothing in landfills (unfortunately it looks like the blog mentioned in the Sewing with a Purpose section is no longer active)
2. The basics of how to prepare the t-shirt, sewing tips, dyeing, creating yardage, and making yarn
3. The projects - categorized: Wearables, home, kids, pets, decorations, reusable items (cleaning helpers and market bags)

Project instructions are clear and stepped out well. For some of the clothing, alternate knit fabric yardage is given along with the approximate number of t-shirts required. Instruction images are hand drawn and not photos but this actually may be more helpful as it simplifies the explanations and eliminates visual obstructions that can occur with photography. All finished models of projects are displayed with color photography.

If you prefer to have patterns included in your book then you will be happy with this one as there is a hyperlink in the Kindle version that will open up a PDF with all the needed patterns. For larger pattern pieces, it also includes how to assemble the pages you will need once you print them. The book does note that depending on your software and printer the sizing could be affected.

My final thoughts

I really enjoyed this book that provided me with different ways I can recycle and reuse t-shirts I already have and possibly transfer this to other clothing items. I wished she had done a series of different types of clothing: denim, sweaters, flannel, etc.

Although I only used it to make the t-shirt yarn, I will be trying out how to make a t-shirt quilt because unlike most t-shirt quilt instructions, the author chose to use the shirts as fabric to piece a patchwork-type quilt instead of the basic memory quilt using the print on the shirt for each square. The quilt made in the book was more modern and used paint to enhance the design.

My experiment

Although there are several projects in the book, I tried out the section on making my own t-shirt yarn.

There are two methods given but I wanted to try the one that would give me the longest continuous length possible. This involves cutting out a block of the shirt from under the sleeves to the hem. Then, mark a line 2 inches below one fold (side seam) and then cut strips beginning from the other folded edge up to the line. Next, cut diagonally from one strip across the fold. It is very similar to making bias binding strips for quilts if you are familiar with that process.

Once the “yarn” has been cut you starting pulling on the strips to make the fabric curl in on itself. As shown in the image below you will notice that the pink knit did not behave like it should have but I don’t think it will matter depending on how I end up using it. It will act more like a ribbon yarn versus a cord type of yarn that the beige is simulating.

Now, I just have try it out. I’m thinking of doing a small rug possibly with granny squares. The book does have different projects for using the yarn: tufted in burlap for pillows, knitting a chair pad, a macrame plant holder, and a arm-knitted throw.

What would you like to make with extra t-shirts?

An Easy Start to Making an Improv Quilt

A review of Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design

Note: This article was originally published in my Substack, The Wandering Maker Corner. 

Have you ever wanted to just grab some fabric and start sewing it together without strict rules or thinking about points meeting? Do you enjoy the look of abstract art quilts and wonder if you could create one? This book by Rayna Gillman will help you to start.

I checked out this book using Kindle Unlimited which is a wonderful way to experience a book or browse different subjects without making a final purchase to download permanently or have a physical copy taking up room on a shelf. In fact, many of the books I will be reviewing in the future will be from my Kindle Unlimited adventures.

Why this book?

The reason I selected this one is I have always wanted to create art quilts and although I have a very extensive collection of quilt books I rarely follow a pattern exactly as shown. I don’t like buying quilt kits. My joy comes from picking out the fabrics even before I have a pattern in mind so you can probably guess that I also have a very large collection of fabric and this book seemed like it could help me with creating unique quilt pieces and use up some of my stash.

What does this book do and not do?

This is a guide book. There are no patterns. There are no hard rules. It shows you how to take your fabric and simply start by sewing strips together. You can work with yardage, scraps or existing blocks to create new looks. There are plenty of images and exercises to help you improvise and create unique pieces.

One of first things it will help you with is how to sort your fabrics if this is something you haven’t already done. If you are like me and are a compulsive fabric hoarder you may already have piles of fabrics separated by color, print, or themes.

Once you have mastered cutting and sewing strips, Rayna will show you how to take the strips and make them into various configurations. This includes making them into creative blocks with or without borders.

My final thoughts

The best piece of advice the book provides you is to be experimental and not be afraid of putting different colors together. The more you do this, the more you will find you can sew with less stress and more joy. If you are ready to let go of patterns and simply cut and sew then this book is for you. However, if you need more structured instructions I would at least recommend taking a look through it to appreciate this format and see how different patterns and colors can make unique projects.

My experiment

I took a few blocks I had in my stash from a class I took several years ago (I don’t get rid of anything) and used the information in this book to start cutting into them as encouraged by this book.

This first image is after I had already started slicing up some the half triangle blocks (like the ones on the far left) to make the rows you see in the center. I forgot to stop and photograph them beforehand.

This next image is where I completed some more slicing and added some purple strips. I will be adding more strips and am considering adding a full border around it to make it looked more like a framed piece of art. (Note: not all sections are sewn together yet as I am testing out if I like it.)

What do you think? Have you created improv quilt blocks or full quilts before? If not, are you ready to try?

5 Great Gifts for Quilters this Year

These 5 gift ideas will be much appreciated by the quilter in your life. You might just end up having a special quilt given to you in the very near future.

Quilting ruler set

Patchwork has been made so much easier with acrylic rulers paired up with rotary cutters. Quilters will love having a variety of sizes to create squares and strips to make work faster.

Includes 5 square rulers: 

• 3 1/2" 
• 5"
• 8" 
• 10"
• 12 1/2" 

3 rectangle rulers

• 6 1/2"  x 12"
• 2" x 12"
• 3" x 9"

3-piece Magnetic Seam Guide for Sewing Machines

These are one of my favorite tools and a secret to getting a consistent and even seam size. The small size makes it a perfect stocking stuffer.

78 Piece Rotary Cutter Set

Now here is a great gift for someone who is just starting out with quilting, sewing or just needs some new tools.

Included: 

• Cutting mat
• Rotary Cutter
• Replacement rotary blades
• Acrylic Quilting Ruler
• Safety Pins
• Straight Pins
• Scissors
• Sewing clips
• Seam allowance ruler

Sewing Machine Carrying Case

The one thing that most sewing machines don't come with is a case. Whether it is needed for storage or traveling it is very important to help take care of your machine.  Available in 3 colors: black, gray, and purple.

Travel Sewing Bag Organizer with Shoulder Strap

This is a great companion bag for the sewing machine case for the quilter who travels or attends a lot of classes and retreats. Contains lots of places for packing up supplies, fabrics, and anything needed on-the-go. Comes in the same colors as the case above.

Do you have a beginner sewing enthusiast or quilter among your friends and family? Are you a quilter who needs one of these - send this link as hint. 

Note: Links in this article are affiliate links and I would get a small commission without any cost to you. This will help me to continue this blog and making videos to share with you and be able to make them better. 

Easy to Make Scary Portraits for Halloween Decor

I found an easy way to take photos and transform them into scary versions using two art filters in a free online image editor called Lunapic. The great thing is not only is it free for transforming photos, art and any image; it is so easy. Follow the steps below for quick and easy results and for creating more detailed images like in the photo to the left watch the video at the bottom of this post. 

1. Have your image ready in png or jpg format. This can be a photo, a drawing, free image from stock photo sites like Pixabay or Pexels, or an AI image which is what I did. 

2. Go to Lunapic and click the Upload button.

3. Upload the image.

4. Go to the menu, hover over ART and click Famous Art Works on the drop-down list. 

5. Find and click on the Blood filter.

6. Before downloading, select the Max Size checkbox. 

7. To download, start by going to the menu and hovering over File and clicking Save Image. 

8. The Save Image page opens and will display a green button in the default format, usually JPG but you will have the option to save several other ways. For this, simply click Save as JPG. 

9. Continue to save the image to your computer as you normally would do. 

Note: The other filter that gives eerie results is the Smoke filter and will give you a more black and white spooky image like this photo. 

Are you ready to add some haunting to your house?

Below is the video to watch how I created the images in the first photo above. FYI - the frames and additional decorations are from Dollar Tree. 

3 Beginner Sewing Machines

The Tiny One

The Portable Mini Sewing Machine is almost too cute to be taken seriously. However, reviews reveal that although it is very compact and easy to store it can still do basic sewing and a little more. It includes an expansion table for an even stable surface. It does only have 12 stitches but that's definitely enough to get started.

I imagine this would be great for having in a camper. If you are a beginner, there are several videos to show you how to work the machine and how to make those buttonholes. Weighs just under 6 pounds. 

Currently under $70

The Middle One

The SINGER M2100 Lightweight & Compact Sewing Machine has a little more going on especially with it's 8 built in stitches that can be used for 63 stitch applications. It is more sleek and sturdy compared to the Tiny One as it is more than double the weight at just over 13 pounds. It does not have a table. The reviews on it vary but most like the compact size and feel it's a good value. 

It is still a machine that would not be difficult to take to retreats or move to whatever room you need to be in. It is made for light to medium fabrics so no heavy fabrics for this one. It does have a front loading bobbin that users either love or hate. 

Currently under $150

The Bigger One for Beginner Machine Quilting

The Brother CP100X Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine is a step down from the one I have
that is no longer available. I love my brother machine as it is easy to set up and is more quiet than my other machines. The reviews on this agree with my assessment and it is the highest rated at the time of this writing (4.6 average of 737). 

It comes with a table that is great for doing small quilting projects. Some of the reviews do say it is best for small quilting projects and doesn't have enough space to do larger projects. I would suggest to look at getting a table that you can sit the machine down in to give you more flat space to do quilting. Also comes with 10 different presser feet and does 8 different styles of buttonholes. 

Currently under $220

Introduction NightCafe AI Tool

Artificial Intelligence or better know as AI is here and can be helpful but it is quite controversial, whether it is the basis of how the companies train their product on existing art or replacing human artists with a machine. 

But, if you enjoy creating items but don't have the skills to make it yourself or the money to commission someone else to do it then this is definitely an option. That being said, it is not completely done without any skills and depending on how much you create, it can cost you money. I am going to discuss the free AI tool NightCafe which is great to use if you are new to AI creation and if you only want to create a small number of items. There are many more AI tools available online but I am going to just focus on this one to get you started. 

The best thing about NightCafe is it is completely free to use. There are pro levels you can buy but this is not necessary when you are just beginning. In fact, I still have a free account. There are some things that you cannot make, like videos, but they do provide a few pro credits periodically so you can try out some of the pro features. I don't make AI videos (yet) so I don't need to be pro. Maybe as I get more experience or really want a certain feature, I will invest in it then. BUT, you can earn free credits every day. The program just recently rolled out a feature that allows you the chance to earn more credits than the daily 5 they started you out with and they even give you the first creation for free. 

You will need to sign up for a free account to keep a library of all your creations but you do not have to use anything but your email or Google account. 

1. To create a design begin with clicking the Create button at the top of the page.

2. Choose an AI Model. Click Browse All Models to see the options. Different models will vary in cost
(payment in credits). There are too many to describe here. The best thing to do is just try one out. Several options will only cost half a credit.

3. Type in your Text Prompt. Whatever you can imagine you want and put in more criteria to get different images. For example: "A vase of roses sitting on a table in a room with green walls, vintage oil painting."

The next few things you can do are optional.

4. Advanced Prompt Editor lets you choose a specific style that has been pre-written and will be added to your text prompt. For the prompt I wrote in Step 3, I would removed the vintage oil painting as this will probably conflict with one of the choices available here. I suggest you play around with these to see what you get.

5. Choose A Start Image (optional) allows you to select an image of your own that you can upload, Free Image library provided, or one of your own. 

Note: Some models will not have this option and others will have an option to use an image for the prompt. Also, be aware that the start image will drastically change your text prompt unless the two have similar features such as the image having the item you are writing about. 

The next few are Settings. These may change depending on the model used. 

6.  Number of Images. Default is always 1. If you choose more, then the amount of credits needed will increase. 

7. Runtime. The longer the runtime the more detailed and crisp the image can get. It will cost more for longer options. 

8. Aspect Ratio. Chose what size you want and think about this with the prompt you write. A portait will do better with a 3:4 ration and a landscape scene will be best at 16:9 or 4:3. 

9. Seed. Default is to be on. I suggest clicking the "?" button to learn more about this if you are curious. I always leave it on. 

10, Challenge Eligibility. Every day there is at least on challenge you can enter your creation in but you can do this at a later time. 

11. Click the Create button. This will tell you how many credits this will cost. 

Then wait for the design to complete. 

My results

The first one is the prompt I used above and then I changed the type of style from vintage oil painting to vintage watercolor painting, and then realistic photo. Each one kept the vases of roses and the green walls. Now it's your turn to try it out and see what you get. 

Helpful Hint to collect credits so you can keep trying new things: Go back every day and collect credits but don't use any for a period of time. The credits will begin to pile up and then when you are ready to try to create different prompts or try editing your creations you will have plenty. Just remember to go back. 

Watch the videos below to learn more about NightCafe and AI:

 

Use Kindle Unlimited to Learn Creative Arts

Back in December I shared 5 embroidery books that would make great gifts or to get for yourself. Of course, getting a physical copy of one of these books would be great but what if you just wanted to take a look before you buy, or, maybe you don't have room for books so you use a Kindle. 

There is a program with Amazon called Kindle Unlimited that lets you view and read as many books and some magazines as long as they have been marked for the program. Not every book is in Unlimited but there are enough to keep you busy and there are several crafting books. There is also a limit on how many you can borrow at once but it's a good many and you can always return one to  make room for another. 

Two of the books I mentioned in December are available on Kindle Unlimited: 

• Pet Portrait Embroidery - $20.03 paperback or $12.99 Kindle
• Doodle Stitching - $15.64 paperback or $11.99 Kindle
  

Cost

If you get Kindle Unlimited both are included for no extra cost. Of course
Unlimited has a monthly subscription fee (currently $11.99) similar to a fee for streaming video. I like to think of it as paid library access because I almost always incur fines from the library because I either forget to renew or I just want to keep a book a little bit longer. And, I can cancel at anytime so if I find myself not accessing it as much, I can always take a break and go back a few months later and sign up again. 

Savings

So, at the $11.99 monthly fee, I can put both of these books in my Kindle library compared to buying both of them for my Kindle at a total of $24.98, a savings of $12.99 or a savings of $24.68 over getting the physical copies. But what if you really like to have the physical copy? If you have it in Unlimited you can take if for a spin on the Kindle and make the decision on whether you think you would get your money's worth before paying more for it. Then you can go check out other available books without spending more money...yet. I mean I have bookshelves filled with books, so....I might have a problem.

Using a Tablet

Plus, you can put more than just those two books in your library. I mentioned magazines above. I currently have Stitch magazine in my library. The only con with the magazines is that you cannot view them on your computer. You will need a tablet or other mobile device. I actually view most of my books on my tablet and I would suggest a decent size tablet to make reading easier. I have a Fire HD 10 tablet which is great for reading and perusing magazines with beautiful images. I also do some art work on it, listen to audio books, and watch my streaming shows. Tablets are very versatile and travel easily.