So.... with that wonderful and faith-inspiring start here is my M.C.B.H post (you know I already got tired of writing all those words!). This is a craft and tutorial for people like me who are fast, cheap, and low in the skills department....(I am speaking of craft-approach here may I add!).
Welcome to DIY Silhouette Hoops
Yes? Super, you too will be able to whip up 17 of these before the linky party begins on 26th of June.
You need:
Side profile photo of a person/child/animal...... this can be on your computer or printed
Bakers paper (or similar for tracing)
Scissors - I did the whole thing with dodgy paper scissors
Small square of HeatnBond (or similar - it's iron on stuff that sticks fabric to fabric) you can get it here
Small embroidery hoop or a small picture frame would work
Pencil
Piece of fabric large enough to fit in the hoop or frame
Piece of contrast (black in this instance) fabric large enough for the head
Let the magic begin
1. With the photo on screen use the zoom in/out function (usually a slider thing at the bottom of the screen) to get your photo to the right size.
2. Hold/ Blue Tack/ Tape your photo above and trace around the face carefully trying to get details accurate
3. Cut out carefully
4. Using the bakers paper silhouette trace around this onto the backing paper of the HeatnBond - if you want the face to be facing (ho, ho pun intended!) a particular way reverse the direction it is facing on this step.(Confused?? Logical directions have never been my strong suit!)
5. Iron the HeatnBond onto the square of black/contrast fabric
6. Cut out carefully, peel off baking paper
7. Iron this on to your larger fabric (shiny side down)
8. Put in hoop
9. With the extra 'frill of fabric' either - cut out leaving a small edge all round and glue this to the inside of the embroidery hoop OR whip a gathering or running stitch around and draw up.
DONE! I know easy right? (also you can possibly see why I don't usually write tutorials!)
Extra for experts: (can you tell I was a teacher in a past life?)
- Turn these into cushions as I did for my boys last year - using fabric to represents the subject's interests (I did stitch over the faces on these for my own piece of mind - a little nose peeling back would be impossible to resist picking at)
- Embroider a name/ quote/ message
- Make a family portrait wall with a hoop for each family member - it would be nice to let them choose the fabric and write on the back of the hoop the name and age of each person
- Turn these into blocks for a family quilt - I can imagine this one being a hit with a grandparent who had a lot of grandbabies (and easy to do with families in different locations because they could email in photos or all make their own blocks)
I think this craft is perfect if you've lost your sewing mojo - or if you never had any sewing mojo. It's so personal and special and handmade and yet - quick, easy, cheap. What's not to love? Apart from the HeatnBond you might just have all of this already in your 'craft kit'.
Make sure you get involved with linking up your winter projects at the end for a chance to win exciting prizes. And if you feel especially magnanimous you could make one of these and then I will feel way more successful than I should :o) oh, oh and pin it too if you think you might make it later, because it's good for my self-esteem ;o)!!
Also sharing, as I do on Thursdays, with Show N Tell. If you're crafty and you know it strut your stuff!
