Current Stash Challenge: Cotton Clutch

I wanted to challenge myself on this next project. The only rule was I couldn’t make a single purchase from start to finish and still had to create a usable and pretty item. I decided on a small clutch bag since I didn’t have the energy to delve into making a big tote bag.  I would get extra points if I repurposed an item or incorporated an odd material. Mind you, I’m also the one doing the final judging and score tallying. Safe to say I’ve got this one in the bag (zing!).

Front of clutch

I dug through my drawers of fabric and found a piece of light colored fabric that would be large enough to make the basic structure of the bag. After a quick rummaging through my odds-n-ends bin, I found a few cute appliques that could add some interest. I found an old date book from 2010 that was made of a great navy reptile embossed cardboard. I cut off the back and attached it to the front of the fabric. I ended up using the thin black lining of an old skirt to line the inside of the clutch.  I hate flimsy clutches, so I added a layer of cardboard in between the lining and the back of the bag.  After a few passes around the ol’ Singer, I was happy with the clutch’s structure.  It ended up being an envelope style.  I had some hook and eye closures in my sewing bin, so they worked perfectly to keep the top closed.  

Reupholstering a Marvelous Mid Century Modern Chair

While perusing my favorite Goodwill, I came upon this gorgey chair for $10. I knew as soon as I saw it I had to have it. It has great lines, is in really good shape, and isn’t too complexly designed for an at-home upholstery job. Upholstering can be a complicated task–you have to remove piles and piles of teeny tiny staples and be really careful when attaching the new fabric. I originally thought I would cover this chair in a bright yellow and replace the matching tufting buttons with white ones. The chair’s cording matches the fabric, but I wanted to change that white as well so it would really stand out against a bright yellow.

Mid Century Modern PRE-rehab

Then I found this tremendous navy patterned fabric at another thrift store. 3 1/4 yards for $13! The fabric has a retro feel so I think it will complement the chair’s style well. I’m hoping I’ll have enough to cover the entire chair, but fortunately the fabric is 60″ wide instead of the standard 44/45″. Fingers crossed some careful pattern placing will do the trick!

Braided Infinity Scarves

I love me some scarves. Silk scarves, woolen scarves, knitted scarves, patterned scarves, solid scarves, any kind of scarves call to me. Be crafty, I love making them too. They make great gifts and are usually pretty quick projects–as long as I’m not knitting them. Then its a 25 hour investment. Merry Christmas for the next 10 years! Enjoy this one scarf!

In my craft carousing I came across these gorgey braided infinity scarves. Keight at Put Up Your Dukes did a tremendous tutorial complete with a video. Once you get a hang of the braiding bit, its super easy, and you’ll be able to pop them out in no time.  I’ve used a few different fabrics–standard cotton quilting weight, poly blend with a bit of stretch, and a thin satin-y material. Each fabric gives a very different look to the braid so its up to you and your preferences. Of the scarves I’ve made thus far, I’m partial to the heavier cotton fabric. I like how strong the braid is and how it hangs more sturdily around the neck than a more silky material would. They don’t require too much fabric so you could easily repurpose some old shirts into a jazzy new scarf. Let me know what you and your creative minds come up with!

Happy crafting! -Olivia

This one is my personal fave. I love the color combination and the strong quilting weight fabric.

I used the same gray fabric as the yellow scarf but swapped out the brightness for a cheery teal.