Chronicle Books Blog

The Chronicle community is heartbroken over the loss of one of our beloved authors today. Kathreen Ricketson was an incredibly talented quilter, pillar of the online craft community, inspiring blogger, and devoted wife and mother.

Kathreen dedicated her work to fostering community. As she says in Little Bits Quilting Bee, the craft community is about “learning together, sharing ideas, and helping each other.”

Let’s all continue to be inspired by Kathreen. Let’s make stuff and share it. Learn and connect. Tap into the power of craft and creativity to bring us together.

In the spirit of helping each other, an education fund is being created for Kathreen’s children. Follow along at WhipUp.net for more details.

We thank Kathreen for her important contributions to the publishing and craft community. I will remember her for her easy-going attitude, collaborative spirit, and sharp creative vision.

Laura Lee Mattingly
Editor, Lifestyle

I love a DIY project. That’s why I’m so excited about Put Your Stamp On It, the new book from author Meagan Lewis.

In addition to providing all the information you need to learn how to carve your very own handmade rubber stamps, this book is filled with fun, step-by-step project ideas for creating hand-stamped gift wrap, tea towels, totes, aprons, and even hair accessories. One of my favorites is the charming pencil-printed bow tie hair clip, and we’re sharing the project instructions from the book right here today!

Pencil-Printed Bow Tie Hair Clip

Materials
Craft knife
Pencil with a new eraser
Fabric paint
Paper plate
Sponge dauber
Fabric, solid color, at least 6 x 10 in/15 x 25.5 cm
Fabric scissors
Hot glue
Hair clip

Step 1: With the flat edge of the craft knife (not the point), carefully slice a groove about halfway into the eraser. Make about three grooves into the eraser on the pencil for a striped design.

Step 2: Pour a small amount of fabric paint onto the paper plate. Sponge the paint into an even consistency with the dauber. You want the paint to be smoothed out so you can dip the pencil into the paint without paint getting into the grooves cut into the eraser and then bleeding onto the fabric.

Step 3: When you have an even consistency of paint, dab the eraser into the paint and then onto the fabric. Be random with the printing and have fun. Be sure to re-ink the eraser before each print. Let the fabric dry completely before moving onto the next step.

Step 4: Trim fabric into two pieces: 8 x 6 in/20 x 15 cm, and 1½ x 6 in/4 x 15 cm.

Step 5: Fold the smaller fabric piece into thirds lengthwise and secure with two small dots of glue. It’s okay if it does not lay completely flat.

Step 6: Flip the larger piece of fabric over so the unprinted side is face up. Fold the long ends into the center, then the short ends into the center.

Step 7: With your fingers positioned at the top and bottom of the folds, scrunch the fabric together and pick it up, holding the folds in place. You can now see the bow coming together.

Step 8: Take the long folded strip and wrap it around the center of the bow tie. The piece will be much longer than you need. Wrap one side of the strip inward toward the center of the bow.

Step 9: Slide hair clip onto the other extended side of the strip and glue it into place so that the clip is fastened to the center back of the bow.

Step 10: Finish the bow by trimming the strip down to about 1⁄2 in/12.5 mm from the center, then folding it under and gluing it into place. You want to make sure that the strip covers the hair clip and is hidden from the front view of the bow. Once the hot glue dries, your bow is ready to be worn!

Are you ready to Put Your Stamp On It? Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of the book, plus an amazing Put Your Stamp On It starter kit, complete with a stamp, ink pad, materials to put your stamp on and more! We’ll randomly select a winner on Thursday, May 16.

Purchase Put Your Stamp On It: 20 Adorable Projects Plus Instructions for Hand-Carving Beautiful Stamps.

This week’s guest blogger is Jessica Okui, the wonderful author of Party Origami.

Can you remember the first origami piece you folded? I can, it was a paper toy cootie catcher also known as a fortune teller. In elementary school, someone brought one to school and of course I just had to have one. I told my mom about it and kept my fingers crossed that she could recreate it. She got out a piece of paper and started to manipulate it with folds. I can remember feeling impatient with her that she wasn’t making it quickly enough. After a total of probably five minutes (felt like hours), she figured out how to fold it. That was the day I learned how to fold my first origami piece.

After folding that first cootie catcher, I caught the origami bug. I began making origami notes for friends. At camp I made some paper balloons as a decoration for my camp leader’s birthday. Even as an adult, origami would seep into my everyday life. For my wedding I folded heart place card holders for the reception.

Now I make origami pieces for my children. A couple years back I made my daughter origami heart valentines to give to her friends. That valentine ended up being one of the first projects that was approved for Party Origami. But instead of valentines, you’ll see how the hearts can be used as party favors in the book. That’s what Party Origami is about, incorporating creativity and origami into everyday life whether it’s a birthday party or a casual get together with friends.

Since I’ve been talking about cootie catchers, I thought I would share how to fold one. But instead of using it as a childhood game, I’m showing how it can double as a snack container.

Cootie Catcher Folding Directions

1. Fold paper in half on dotted lines. Unfold paper.

2. Fold outside corners to the center of the paper.

3. Your paper will now look like Fig. 3. Turn paper over.

4. Fold outer right corner to the center of the paper.

5. Continue to do this for the remaining three corners.

6. Your paper should now look like Fig. 6.

7. Fold paper in half in direction of arrow.

8. Open up the corners where you see the arrows on each side of the paper.

9. Once shaped, your paper should look like Fig. 9. To use as a snack bowl, turn the origami piece upside down.

Purchase Party Origami: Paper and Instructions for 14 Party Decorations.

When I first saw the projects in Bring the Outdoors In, I was smitten. They were so elegant and perfect. I wanted them in my home but I doubted that a semi-klutz like me could make something so lovely. As I worked on the book layouts, I couldn’t help daydreaming about how great my apartment would look filled with these natural, unique pieces. Now that the finished book is sitting at my desk, I decided to put myself to the test by constructing one of my favorite projects.

G Y P S O P H I L A   S P H E R E

The materials list was thankfully brief. I went to San Francisco Flower Mart for baby’s breath and then Soko Hardware in Japantown for a paper lantern (and the obligatory ramen lunch). When I got home I hung the baby’s breath to dry (you can also buy pre-dried baby’s breath, but I wasn’t taking any shortcuts). The upside-down bouquets were so attractive I was briefly tempted to leave them as is.

A week later, the baby’s breath was dry and I was ready to build my masterpiece. I tied the paper lantern to a ceiling hook, letting it hang low enough to reach comfortably, and trimmed the tops off the flowers.

Next I heated up the glue gun and got ready for some serious gluing. I attached the baby’s breath to the lantern, starting at the top. It took me a while to get into the right rhythm, but after a few rows I realized I could rest the stems on their neighbors before they were dry (the buds glom together like velcro). Then I really started to make progress.

A few hours later, the entire lantern was covered with baby’s breath. I stepped back to assess my work. It wasn’t a perfect sphere—some of the flowers were taller than others, some spots denser than others—but the overall effect was stunning. I couldn’t believe it. A few bunches of filler flowers and a cheap paper lantern had been transformed. Success!

If you want to build your own Gypsophila Sphere, follow the instructions below. As for me, I’m planning my next project. Maybe the Dried Flower Garland…

Instructions for Gypsophila Sphere

Materials
- Ceiling hook and anchor
- Spherical paper lantern
- Lamp cord, or string or cord for hanging
- Dried baby’s breath
- Garden shears or wire cutter
- Hot glue gun

Assembly

1. Install the ceiling hook and anchor where you plan to display the sphere. If you plan on illuminating the sphere, put the lamp cord in place in the lantern before you begin. If not, you can simply cut a length of string or cord as desired and tie it to the top of the lantern for hanging. You will need to work with the lantern within reach—either hanging in its permanent position but lowered to a comfortable level, or hanging elsewhere, in which case you will need to carefully move it to its final location when complete. I recommend standing while you work, if possible, so you can easily move around the lantern.

2. Prepare the baby’s breath stems by trimming them down to about 4 in/10 cm in length. Work with one bunch at a time to keep your work area tidy.

3. Starting at the top of the lantern around the perimeter of the opening, begin to attach the ends of the individual stems to the lantern. Touch the bottom of the stem to the hot glue gun nozzle to add a tiny amount of glue to the bottom, then hold the stem end perpendicular to the surface of the lantern for a few seconds while the glue dries.

4. Continue working around the circumference of the lantern toward the bottom, making sure the blooms are filling in nicely. The stems should be about 1 to 2 in/2.5 to 5 cm apart depending on the amount of blooms per stem. As you reach the bottom, you may need to work from beneath the lantern to finish.

Allison Weiner
Designer

I recently went to Buffalo Exchange—a store that buys, sells, and trades clothes—with a bag of clothes I purged from my closet. You know, spring cleaning plus the change in weather makes me want new clothes! Well, it didn’t go so well. The buyer didn’t go for some of my items so I donated some and decided to keep a few items, thinking “Let me see what I can do with them.”

A few days later, I decided to upcycle those rejected wares by stenciling them. And what’s cool about the four items I chose to stencil is they are not the easiest or first thing you’d think of to customize. A wool cardigan, a plaid button up, corduroy shorts, and a pricey pullover. I usually stencil plain items that are flat cotton such as t-shirts.

I pulled several stencils I thought were appropriate for these items from my book and got my tools ready, in this case fabric paint and stencil brushes. I like to use a glass plate as well to pour my paint onto.

The first thing I stenciled was the cardigan. It’s fuzzy so I chose a bolder design from my book, the scissors. Going for that nerd boy look. Well, it was pretty easy, I just did two coats of fabric paint. The design, like the sweater, is a little fuzzy but it reads like scissors so I’m happy with it.

Then I did the corduroy shorts. Easier than I thought! I used a chevron stencil on one leg in a crimson color and, maybe because of the color choices, it comes across as warrior like! Again, more interesting than the plain shorts and I now want to wear them. Instant upcylce new wardrobe or warrior wardrobe in this case!

Then I took on stenciling the plaid button up. I love this combo I did – conservative plaid shirt with a two layer skull stencil. The two layer stencils are so bold, all you do is paint the silhouette layer, dry it with a hair drier, then stencil the second detailed layer. All I need is a paperback of Macbeth in hand to accessorize this look.

I also stenciled a cotton-collared pullover. It’s not unusual to customize this type of shirt except that it’s a pricey Paul Smith shirt. But hey, I stopped wearing it some time ago and was going to part with it so why not enliven it with a flower? Yes, I added a flower to it a la prom or wedding.

And who knows, maybe after a few wears I will reattempt selling these items. And maybe the buyer will have a whole new take on them just like I do now!

I hope you to will shop in your closet and upcycle your clothes with Stencil Style 101. I’d love to see what you make—please send some posts or pics our way!

Ed Roth, Stencil1