Cascade Alliance

Technique Tuesday: DIY Inspiration

This week for Technique Tuesday, we’re sharing some documents for reusing materials that you can share with your customers!  These tutorials were put together by Mitra Demirza, the designer of ENVIA fashions.

These DIY instructions can be great to leave next to the materials for shoppers to see.  When they see what could be made from wood, paintbrushes, fabric scraps or canvases, they’re more inclined to purchase those items.  The tools listed in the descriptions might also be found for sale in the stores.

Creating a set of each of these and displaying them next to the items can inspire customers to make the purchase after seeing the final product.  Another idea for displays, is to sell the supplies and tools together in a set.  You could use recycled decorated boxes to create craft kits and market them as gift ideas.

Instructions for each item can be seen in the picture but are typed down below as well for your convenience.

Product 1: Iron on Patches

Mediums: Drawing, painting

Supplies Needed:  Denim or fabric scraps, Pellon Heavy Duty Wonder Under fusible iron-on fabric (you can get at a craft store), paint pens, bleach pen (not stain remover pen).

Tools Needed: Iron, ironing board, scissors

Steps:

• For bleached patches, use bleach pen to draw design on denim fabric. Darker denims show bleach designs better.  Let sit until dry or desired bleaching level is accomplished.  Wash and dry before ironing on backing.  Follow instructions below to attach iron backing.
• Select the portion of fabric you wish to sue for the patch and cut a similar size/shape piece of fusible backing
• With a dry iron, on wool setting, iron the glue-side of the fusible fabric to the back of your patch of fabric. Move iron around in small circles for 5-8 seconds over entire surface where you wish to fuse fabric to iron-on backing.  It may be good to use a thin pressing cloth if you use fabric with synthetic fiber content (so as not to melt fabric)
• Cut out shape of patch desired from fabric fused with backing.
• For paint pen patches, draw design onto patch. Let thoroughly dry before adhering patch.
• To adhere patch, use hot iron (wool setting) with thin, cotton pressing cloth over patch. Move iron around in small circles for 10-15 seconds over entire surface of patch.

 Product 2: Art Bags

Mediums: Acrylic, Oil pain

Supplies Needed: Painted canvas, section of separating zipper with removable zipper pull, nylon strapping or para-cord, thread.

Tools Needed: sewing machine, scissors or roller cutter, lighter, pins

Steps:

• Cut a rectangular section out of the painted canvas twice the size of the bag desired. You will be folding the rectangular canvas in half to make the bag
• Cut zipper section 1” longer on either side than each of canvas. Sew zipper along one side of canvas with outward sides facing together.  Fold zipper back and over-stitch the seam.  Separate other half of zipper and repeat on opposite side of bag.  Slip zipper head on so edges of canvas align evenly (bag should be facing right side out).
• Fold both edges of canvas in ½” on both sides, so edges are alighned when folded canvas bag is pressed flat.
• Cut nylon strapping or para-cord 10-14” and melt both ends with lighter so they don’t frey. Fold in half and slip ends in edge of bag on zipper end near top.
• Sew down both edges of bag using sewing machine. Back-stitch several times across nylon or para-cord handle.

Product 3: Coasters/Magnets

 Mediums: Acrylic, Oil pain

Supplies Needed: Painted canvas, section of separating zipper with removable zipper pull, nylon strapping or para-cord, thread.

Tools Needed: sewing machine, scissors or roller cutter, lighter, pins

Steps:

• Glue 4 wooden floor samples into larger square. Cut magnet sheet into desired shapes/sizes.
• If desires, draw and cut out stencil.
• Stencil or paint image onto wood blocks/magnet sheet pieces and let dry
• Spray sealant over painted image and let dry
• Break apart wood blocks.