make a last minute trivet

Okay, this project was much prettier in the noggin but I am certain that if I had had more time the prettiness would have matched what was inside my tired brain. 

This easy trivet diy can be whipped up with a sewing machine in less than thrity minutes. Ten if yer quick and fearless. All you need is two scraps of denim and one or two equal-sized scraps of wool. My wool came from two thrifted sweaters.

Create a pattern by tracing around a small plate on a piece of scrap paper. Cut out your pattern and pin to four layers of fabric scraps. Bring to your sewing machine and stitch al lthe way around with a straight-stitch.

Trim your new circle with scissors and pop it all back into the mahcine and quilt it up however you like. Travel-around the entire edge of the trivet with your machine, using a zi-zag stitch. Snip threads and put it to us! 

You can also use your trivet as a potholder! Make a handful, some round and some square for a more cohesive look. If you have more time, you can totally patchwork up your denim to make it snazzier! Have fun! 

diy scrap happy coffee sleeve

 Happy Monday Friends! Go take a peek into your scrap basket, box, pile, or shelf and settle i nfor this easy diy for a coffee sleeve by me.

Materials

*large scrap of muslin or other solid color fabric

*smaller scrap of flannel or other slightly thicker than cotton fabric

*assortment of tiny scraps

*sewing machine

*needle and thread

*scissors

*paper coffee sleeve for pattern

*pins

Grab your fabric and give it a press if it looks like it partied too much the other night. Lay out one of your muslin pieces and trim it a bit so that your paper sleeve fits on top (open your paper sleeve to create your template). Do not trim exactly, just cut your piece down a smidge.

Layer an assortment of scraps on top until you are happy, keeping in mind that you want will want them to fit within the shape and size of your paper sleeve. You can pin these in place if you like but I like to work with one or two pieces at a time. To keep track of their placement I rearrange the pieces as I like them on my right as I work on the sewing machine.

Free-form stitch your scraps into place with your sewing machine. To mix it up, change the length of your stitches or switch between running and zig-zag. Trim threads.

Flip your stitched piece, scraps side down on top of your backing piece. Lay your flannel or middle piece (for batting) on top OR under the bottom layer. Trim all your pieces to matchyour scrap happy piece.

Lay your now-open coffee sleeve on top of your scrappy piece in a manner that best showcases all that stitching you did. Pin into place. With a pen, mark your opening for turning right side out. I like to stitch on my marks to create a chute that will tuck neatly inside once I'm ready to close the whole shebang.

Bring to machine and stitch around the sleeve beginning with one chute marking and ending with the other. Unpin sleeve and use your scissors to trim and cut a handful of mini slits into the bottom curve of your soon-to-be sleeve. This will keep it from buckling once you turn it right-side out.

Turn your sleeve right-side out using the chute you created. If you need to, use a chopstick, paintbrush end or other slightly pointed object to shape out the corners. Tuck the chute into the sleeve and press flat with a hot iron and return to your machine.

Use a running stitch and stitch all the way around the perimeter of your sleeve. This will seal your opening. Next, get all quilt happy and go stitch crazy along your sleeve. I stitched a series of lines that run the entire length of the sleeve. Trim threads and admire your work.

Now you need to turn this happy cuff into a sleeve. To do so, loop it into your sleeve shape and pin into place. Use a needle and thread to stitch it together, knot it tightly and trim thread.

 Ta-da! See how easy that was? I hope you have a blast, happy stitching and as always, gimme a shout if you need help.