Daily Thrifty Tips - March 4, 2009

Do you have any recycled crafts to share with the ThriftyFun community? Feel free to share them on one of the contest pages or submit them to Crafts for Fun and Money.

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Today's newsletter contains:

Photos and Projects:

• Craft Project: Plastic Canvas Purse
• Craft Project: Mitten Man Puppet
• Craft Project: Vintage Fridgie Diet Reminder Elephant
• Craft Project: Spring Basket Liner
• Craft: Tin Man Mania

Tips:

• Reuse Packing Paper for Crafts
• Craft: Uses For Yarn Chains
• Craft: Revamped Chandelier
• Craft: Baby Bottle Snow Globes
• Craft Tip: Quilt Binding Without Mitered Corners
• Homemade Wedding Bouquets

Requests:

• String Easter Eggs
• Instructions for Knifty Knitter Long Loom
• Bottle Caps with Pictures on Them
• Quick and Easy Crochet Patterns
• Knifty Knitter Golf Club Cover Pattern
• Grocery Bag Dog Leash
• Barbie Pattern: Bridal Gown with Musical Train and Wedding-Party Hats
• Modern Afghan Pattern
• Coffee Can Angels
• Attaching Fabric to Painted Wood Frame
• Crocheted Turtle Rattle
• Organizing Silk Flowers
• Crocheted Bunny Pattern
• Instructions for Apple Pie Knitting Loom
• Decorating a Tip Jar
• Crafts Using Cat Food Cans
• Free Antique Pineapple Crochet Patterns

Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

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Craft Project: Plastic Canvas Purse

A purse made from plastic canvas.

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Craft Project: Mitten Man Puppet

A fun little project to make and to play with.

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Craft Project: Vintage Fridgie Diet Reminder Elephant

This was one of my most popular crafts to sell in the 60's. The foam is not the same now as back then, but it is more dense and easier to work with. A great little tuck-in gift for secret pals, friends, and loved ones.

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Craft Project: Spring Basket Liner

Sewing a liner for an old basket to give it new life and purpose:

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Craft: Tin Man Mania

I created this mini man from some recycled soup and coffee cans, soda tabs, funnel, bolts, screws, candy tins for feet, coat hangers, swivel, spray paint and tin snips. I used and awl and hammer to make the holes I needed. Tin snips were used to cut out hands and heart. I hang him in my garden.

By Wendy S from Coopersburg, PA

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Reuse Packing Paper for Crafts

Now that many places are using recycled or green packing materials, we get lot of brown scrunched paper in the boxes when we order items online. If you unscrunch and smooth out that paper, it's often 4-6 feet long and 2-3 feet wide - absolutely perfect for kids to use to color, trace their bodies, draw pirate maps, or do various other fun crafty things with.

You can also ask newspapers for their discarded end rolls of newsprint.

By Emily from RI

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Craft: Uses For Yarn Chains

I often sit and watch TV with yarn and hook in hand. When I don't have a project going, I just hit the yarn and make a chain and I keep going till I run out of yarn. Some of my chains are about 60 feet long. I then roll them into a ball or several balls and put them in a nice bowl or basket.

Now, that in itself is fun and pretty to do, but it's not the only thing you can do with it. I take a large "Q" hook, and make other things with the chain, as if it were just yarn. Some of the easiest projects are rugs, place mats, hotpads, and things that are flat.

But, don't let that stop you from making baskets, plant hangers, chair pads and so much more! The effect is very unusual and "knobby" for lack of a better word, so it's great for those country accents. Enjoy!

By Sandra from Salem, OR

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Craft: Revamped Chandelier

I wanted a crystal chandelier for my dining room. I searched for something affordable. Not! So I decided to make my own.

I found an old rusty candle light fixture at a junk shop. Cleaned it up,and painted it with "gold" rust stopping paint. Then sprayed lightly with a flat black to make it look old! I ordered four 9 foot sections of clear plastic beads from a Christmas store. I decorated it with the beads and added candle shaped bulbs. It is beautiful and everyone remarks about it when they come to my house.

By Pam from Wendell, NC

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Craft: Baby Bottle Snow Globes

I help raise four grand-daughters, all crafty. It is very expensive with art supplies for four. I asked a friend of mine who is also raising grandchildren (babies) for some of her taller baby food jars, and lids.

Right now I am experimenting making snow globes or pretty little glass decorations for adults in the family. The kids will have a ball with this, once I get a few basics down on how to do it.

I want us to make little snow globes together for next winter. Every holiday will bring new challenges. However, it will save on buying gifts for all the holidays we have. It will also be a "memory" for the girls that they can pass on. This will be great fun.

By Phyllis from Oshkosh

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Craft Tip: Quilt Binding Without Mitered Corners

How to sew binding on a baby quilt (it could be a big quilt also) without having to bother with doing mitered corners. Mitered corners are hard to get just exactly right and if you are a perfectionist and want it to look just so, then you should try this method.

Picture #1

Using a dinner plate trace around it at the corner. Cut the excess fabric off forming a rounded corner of the front fabric only. You can cut off the excess of the back after the binding has been machine stitched around.

Picture #2

Have your binding all made and pressed. I always fold mine and use it doubled. Sew the edge of binding onto the quilt and ease around the rounded corners using slow speed on sewing machine, guilding the fabric as you go with your hands. Remember you are sewing the binding on the front of the quilt. Cut off excess batting and fabric at the corners and around the quilt evenly.

Picture #3

Clip the fabric around the curve to keep it from forming folds and wrinkles when you fold it over to the back to hand stitch. This will make it lie real flat. Be careful not to cut into the stitching line of your sewing.

Picture #4

Fold the binding in half unto the back of the quilt and hand stitch around using very small invisible stitches. Always check the front to be sure your stitches do not go through and show on the other side. Use matching thread. Do not pull too tight. When you get to the end where you started to sew it on, hide stitches underneath. Tie a knot in the thread and tuck under the hand stitching.

Picture #5

Press the binding and you are finished. I always tie my layers together before I sew the binding on.

I love this method. I can do the mitered corners but since I have discovered this method I never do mitered. I'll never go back. It doesn't affect how the quilt looks at all in my opinion.

Thanks,
Donna

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Homemade Wedding Bouquets

These are sample wedding bouquets that I made myself.

By Marlene from Seagrove, NC

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String Easter Eggs

Why does no one have a picture of the string Easter eggs? How much string do I use? How much of the balloon should be covered? Does anyone have pictures for this craft?

Barb from Weidman, MI

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Instructions for Knifty Knitter Long Loom

While on vacation I bought the Knifty Kniiter long loom series kit and did not open it until I was home. I opened the sealed package and was very disappointed to find no step by step instructions and no hook and needle . Now what do I do? The kit was over $20, am I suppose to buy the tools and instructions that should have been in the sealed kit?

Cathi

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Bottle Caps with Pictures on Them

I've been making bows and would like to know if anyone out there knows where and how do people make these bottle caps for their bows with different pictures on them? Thanks.

Lizette from Fresno, CA

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Quick and Easy Crochet Patterns

I am looking for crochet patterns.

Judy from Traverse

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Knifty Knitter Golf Club Cover Pattern

I'm looking for a pattern for a golf club head cover that can be made on the Knifty Knitter.

Faye Lynn

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Grocery Bag Dog Leash

I'm making a leash from grocery bags. After you get the bags all cut down the sides and glued to each other, you then loop the bag-cords together by laying them out next to each other, grabbing them in the middle (now making 4 bag-lengths), and then looping them around a swivel hook. Then you make square knots.

My problem is that 2 of the lengths come out lots longer than the other 2. The middle lengths are much longer than the 2 outside lengths. Is this right? I think I'm making the knots correctly, they look great, but I was told to start with 2 cords the same length. What am I doing wrong, or is this correct?

Jacquelyn

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Barbie Pattern: Bridal Gown with Musical Train and Wedding-Party Hats

I had this pattern, started it, and then lost the pattern. Does anyone k now where I can get the pattern? It is called "Bridal Gown with Musical Train and Wedding-Party Hats".

April from Shelby Township, MI

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Modern Afghan Pattern

I am looking for an afghan to give to newlyweds, one that has a modern look to it. Does anyone know where I can find one?

Barb

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Coffee Can Angels

I have been searching everywhere for a pattern using small plastic coffee cans. Can anyone help me with a fast and easy way to make these cans look like angels and snowmen? I want to use them as goodie gifts. Thank you so very much.

Angela from Frankfort, ME

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Attaching Fabric to Painted Wood Frame

I want to attach small bits of fabric to an unfinished wood frame I bought at Michaels. I painted a couple coats of acrylic paint already and wanted to attach the fabric to the paint. What type of adhesive should I use? What type of sealer should I use afterward? I should mention that I did not realize I needed to use a sealer on the wood first, so I applied the paint directly to the wood surface. Thanks for your advice.

Harmony from Vancouver, BC

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Crocheted Turtle Rattle

I am looking for a pattern to crochet a toy turtle rattle. It is simple and it has a margarine tub in the shell to put beans or popcorn in to make noise. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Lori from Ephrata, WA

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Organizing Silk Flowers

How do I keep craft items organized? I have extra silk flowers from other projects that are just laying around and nowhere to put them. I tried keeping them in empty coffee cans but I keep adding more to the cans.

Marlene from Seagrove, NC

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Crocheted Bunny Pattern

I am requesting help finding a knit or crocheted bunny rabbit pattern. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Linda from Matamoras, PA

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Instructions for Apple Pie Knitting Loom

Someone gave me an old Apple Pie Knitting Loom. Does anybody know where I can find instructions for using it? Thanks.

Beth from Bloomfield, IN

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Decorating a Tip Jar

I am in charge of our tip jar at a pizza shop. For March we are doing a big promotion for March Madness Basketball. I need an idea for some kind of basketball themed cannister or something like that.

Karen from Port Clinton, OH

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Crafts Using Cat Food Cans

Does anyone have ideas for a craft or a good way to use cat food tins? I have two kitties and they eat a ton of food. I hate throwing them all away. They eat Fancy Feast, so it's the mini cans. Thanks!

Jola from CA

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Free Antique Pineapple Crochet Patterns

I would like to find free antique pineapple crochet patterns.

Susan from Harrisburg, PA

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