A Few of My Favorite Things, continued

Tie a bow that looks good every time by following these simple steps: Take a piece of ribbon and form two loops. Holding a loop in each hand (they look like bunny ears at this point), tie a single knot. Instead of trying to stick out at odd angles, your tails will both be pointed down.




Through trial and error and the occasional ‘beads dumped onto the carpet’ fiasco, I have learned that a neat way to hold your beads is in a six-inch embroidery hoop, lined with fabric and turned upside down. Thus safely corralled, the beads don’t jump around because there is no static charge to get them going. It definitely turns what should be a fun and creative process into an exercise in frustration when you have to chase down each and every bead! Another great advantage to this method is, if you happen to work in an upholstered chair or couch, you can pin the hoop directly to the arm, making it pretty close to impossible to knock over. A win-win situation if ever there was one.

I like to make and label using treated fabric in my ink jet printer. These treated-for-printing fabrics are usually white. Since I prefer colored fabrics, I paint on the white with textile paint mixed with 25 percent water and allow them to dry thoroughly before running them through the printer. Don’t worry if your painted fabric looks a bit messy – just let it dry, iron it flat and you are all set to follow the manufacturer’s directions for printing.