Meredith’s Faux-Paneled Doors

Written on February 3, 2010 at 8:43 am, by Shopgirl

If you read Do It Yourself magazine, you probably know Shopgirl. She’s our go-to gal for tips, tricks, tools, projects, and hefty doses of DIY inspiration. Meredith Ladik is one of our creative lasses behind Shopgirl, and here, she shares a beautiful repurposing project she did in her own home. Enjoy! – Team DIY

To lighten the look of my 1930s cottage, I’ve brushed many a gallon of crisp white and soft neutral paint on cabinetry, furniture, trim, picture frames, and floors. Chairs and sofas, too, were slipcovered in downy white canvas. Nevertheless, something dark and unnerving remained, lurking throughout my house’s corridors: dark-brown varnished slab doors!

Rather than replace these original, nothing-wrong-with-them doors with beyond-my-budget raised-paneled doors, I decided a fresh facelift with leftover paints mixed with a little creativity was a fun and affordable solution.

Here’s what I did:

For ease, remove your door from its hinges, placing it atop a pair of sawhorses. Remove varnish using a methylene-chloride-free citrus-gel paint remover, followed by a light sanding. Prime then paint door (I used a pale-gray color in a satin-finish), allowing it to dry and cure thoroughly. (I’d recommend a week.) Rehang door.

Plot out the size of your door’s “panels” using a tape measure; a T-square or carpenter’s ruler for straight lines and corners; a pencil; and easy-release painter’s tape.

Essentially you are taping up pairs of parallel lines that become individual “frames.” The “channel” between the two pieces of tape is where you brush on paint in a lighter color such as white and in several light coats. I used leftover high-gloss white paint that surprisingly catches light for nice highlights.

When the white paint is thoroughly dry, carefully remove the painter’s tape.

DIY Tip: As you pull off the paint, slowly and gently pull it up vertically, keeping your fingers—and force of motion—close to the door’s surface. This will hopefully prevent pulling up the paint you want left on the door.

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Handmade Holidays: Ornaments We Love

Written on December 9, 2009 at 12:38 pm, by Team DIY

Instead of a cookie party, shake things up this year with a handmade ornament party! The blogs are ahoppin’ with gorgeous DIY ornament projects! Here’s a quick roundup of some of our favorites. Enjoy! – Team DIY

Kristen’s Fluffy Felt Wreath (via Design*Sponge) – by Kristen of Domesticfluff

 

 

Felt Birdcage Ornament  – by Zakka Life

 

 

Origami Glitter Cranes — by Zakka Life

 

 

Flocked Ornament — by Better Homes and Gardens

 

 

Felt Polaroid Ornaments – by Katie Cupcake

 

 

Easy Paper Globe Ornaments — by Just Deanna

 

Teardrop Holiday Ornament — by Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut

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Learning to Crochet: Fingerless Gloves Pattern

Written on December 3, 2009 at 3:12 pm, by East Coast Style (Sarah Goldschadt)

My friend Alicia is the crochet queen. She can crochet s’mores, ice cream cones, and even adorable safety cones. A few years ago she taught me the basics of how to crochet, and after a few projects I’ve been favoring my crochet hook over my knitting needles (sorry needles, I promise not to neglect you forever).

So this season with my gray color obsession in full swing and thought bubbles of fingerless gloves over my head, I set out to make the perfect pair. Mr. Google linked me to the pattern of my dreams and helped calm my fears when the crochet language of “Sc tbl in first fsc” almost stopped me in my tracks. Fast-forward to a weekend of being sick in bed with a cold and watching old episodes of My So-Called Life on Hulu, and my beautiful crochet gloves were born. The next time you’re daunted by a pattern, don’t be afraid. Take a deep breath and carry on. You won’t be disappointed. I promise.

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DIY Advent Calendar Kit

Written on December 1, 2009 at 3:29 pm, by Magic Touch (Angie Packer)

Let the holiday countdown begin! To help keep track of the dwindling days until the big day, we love fabric designer Laurie Wisbrun’s super-cute Advent Calendar Kit. In about an hour, you’ll have a fun addition to your holiday decor. And you don’t even need to know how to sew. (No-sew seam tape is every good DIYers best friend, right?)

Get yours at her store on Etsy. While you’re there, check out her new line of holiday fabrics.

PS: Be on the lookout for more of her gorgeous fabric in the spring issue of Do It Yourself magazine!

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Learning to knit—from YouTube

Written on November 30, 2009 at 1:02 pm, by DIY on the Fly (Beth Eslinger)

I’ve been wanting to learn how to knit. But sitting through a night class, spending a weekend with mother-in-law instruction, or figuring out knitting code from a book was just not happening any time soon. So six weeks ago I decided to learn DIY-style: on the Web (and wearing my PJs).

First things first: I picked up a few balls of medium-weight yarn, some bamboo needles (which I now love and have several sizes), and a darning needle. After an hour of surfing YouTube videos, I landed on these easy-to-follow links, and by night one had finished a pair of fingerless gloves. The addiction had started. (By the way, if you’re looking to learn how to knit, start small like I did. Knitting is labor-intensive, so if you’re looking for instant gratification, do a quick project like gloves or a neck wrap. Heavyweight yarn speeds the process, too).

The Videos

I landed on a video series from Expert Village. Easy to follow and few distractions.

1. Learn an easy casting-on stitch.

2. To create a basic knit stitch.

3. To create a purl stitch.

So over the past six weeks, I’ve dabbled in a few patterns using these basic stitches and have made several scarves, fingerless gloves (they’re hot with all the little girls in my ‘hood), a wrap, and a pillow. I’ve figured out how to switch yarn colors, and bind off so I actually can finish projects (also from YouTube). Not everything’s perfect, but that’s part of the charm, right?

Now I’m crazily knitting up projects for holiday gifts. Fingerless gloves for the little girls (check), scarves and neck wraps for the big girls (check). And for me: I get the pink wrap with the flower pin. It took me a week of nights knitting, and is oh-so my color (check).

Next month, I’m thinking about digging into hats and maybe cableknit patterns. But that’s another whole round of videos. Stay tuned for the results.

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Brooklyn Thanksgiving

Written on November 24, 2009 at 3:42 pm, by East Coast Style (Sarah Goldschadt)

Over the past few years, my friend Emily has been the gracious host to the 20 or so “orphans” who stay home over Thanksgiving. We pile into her homey apartment, watch The Muppet Christmas Carol, stuff ourselves on the array of dishes everyone brings, and give thanks. This year Emily hosted an early Thanksgiving, because she was heading out of town for the holiday. My attempt at making a new dessert failed, but who knew apple-cake-that-won’t-come-out-of-the-Bundt-pan could be turned into apple stuffing? And when paired with Emily’s homemade chestnut ice cream, it was pretty darn good.

This year, I also added a classic elementary school craft to the mix: pilgrim hats! All you need are a few basic supplies to cardstock paper into something fun, festive, and wearable.

Download the patterns here: ThanksgivingHats

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Make It Monday: Picnic-tastic Placemats

Written on November 23, 2009 at 3:39 pm, by Team DIY

There are a lot of ways to plan and present a Thanksgiving dinner. Looking for a twist on tradition this year? Have some friends over for a post-Thanksgiving leftovers picnic! Spread a blanket on the floor, break out your cutest picnic basket, and whip up a set of these fantastic DIY placements. Turkey sandwiches never looked so rad!

This project is just one of 101 in a brand-new book, One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects. We interviewed Patricia Hoskins, one of the book’s editors, a couple of weeks ago. Today’s project comes from Patricia’s co-editor, Rebecca Yaker. She designed it with warmer temps in mind, but we think it’s perfect for combating chilly November weather. You could even make a batch of lemonade! Enjoy! – Team DIY

Picnic-tastic Lunch Mats

Designed by Rebecca Yaker
Prepare to enjoy a lovely outdoor meal on these very stylish picnic-ready placemats! They’re perfectly portable — just slip your utensils right into the pocket. And don’t worry about losing your napkin on those breezy days, because there’s a handy spot for that, too!

MATERIALS

• 1 yard of 44/45″ fabric
• 1 spool of coordinating thread

Finished dimensions — each placemat is 11″ x 15″ (1 yard of fabric makes 4)
Seam allowance — 1/2″ unless otherwise specifi ed

1. MEASURE, MARK, and CUT
With right sides together, fold your fabric in half lengthwise, aligning the selvages. Measure and mark the following pattern pieces directly on the wrong side of your fabric, then cut them out:

• Placemat 22″ wide x 16″ tall (cut 4)
• Pocket 7″ wide x 4″ tall (cut 4)
• Napkin holder 2″ wide x 4″ tall (cut 4)

Note: Place “tall” dimensions along the grainline of your fabric.

2. MAKE the PLACEMATS

With right sides together, fold a placemat in half, matching short ends. Stitch around all three raw edges, leaving a 41/2″ opening along long edge for turning. Clip the corners and turn right side out. Neatly turn the raw edges at the opening to the inside; press. Topstitch around all four sides of placemat, stitching the turning opening closed as you go. Do the same for the three remaining placemats.

3. MAKE the POCKETS
On the top edge of a pocket piece, make a narrow 1/4″ double-fold hem (see page 19). Topstitch. Fold and press the napkin holders as you would to make double-fold bias tape (see page 18). Topstitch along both long edges. Position napkin holder on pocket, 2″ down from the top hemmed edge, aligning raw edges. Baste in place along sides. Press the three raw edges of the pocket (and attached napkin holder) 1/2″ to the wrong side. Place on the right side of placemat, 1″ from edge, and 1″ up from the bottom. Topstitch around bottom and side edges, leaving top open to insert utensils. Repeat these steps for remaining three placemats.

Reprinted with permission from One Yard Wonders, published by Storey Publishing, LLC., October 2009

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Holiday Crafting Classes – DIY-Style!

Written on November 17, 2009 at 11:14 am, by Girl's Eye View (Bethany Kohoutek)

A quick preview for our Iowa-based friends. The staff at DIY mag will be teaching a holiday papercrafts class at one of our favorite design shops, Ephemera, on December 10! Won’t you join us for a night of craftin’, treats, and gift bags? Visit Ephemera’s site for all the deets (including classes taught by fabulous, nationally recognized designers) and to register.

Here are just a couple of the ideas we’re working on for the class. Also on the docket: a supercool papercrafted bracelet!

For those of you who reside elsewhere, there are sure to be classes, courses, and craft fairs near you! Check Indie Craft Shows for a searchable directory. If you know of a holiday craft extravaganza near you, comment on this post and let other readers know.

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Make It Monday: Page-Turner Art

Written on November 16, 2009 at 6:05 am, by Art Actually (Katie Leporte)

No worries. I didn’t cut up my collector’s edition of Lord of the Rings. But that book I bought in haste at the airport five years ago? Not the page-turner I’d hoped for, so I turned it into art.

Hated a book? Hang onto it. Tear out a few pages, set aside. Better you destroy it than let someone else read it.
Plexiglas. Way more affordable than buying picture frames. I found five pre-cut Plexiglas pieces at the hardware store (8 x 10 inches). Or, you could buy a larger sheet of Plexi, measure equal sections to your desired size, score repeatedly with a utility knife, and snap.
Magnets. Get those tiny round ones in a package, found at the crafts store. You’ll want 36 small magnets for five Plexiglas sheets. See layering instructions below.

Make layers. (See diagram below for layering.) Position four magnets in the four corners on top of the first sheet of Plexi; adhere with tiny dots of strong adhesive glue (or glue that dries clear). Place four more magnets on top each of those. Add a dot of glue only to the tops of these.
Layer another Plexi sheet on top of the double-stacked magnets, making sure the sheet is perfectly matched and adhered in position to the sheet below. Add four dots of glue in the corners on top of this second Plexi layer, then add magnets. Stack another layer of magnets, add glue dots to the tops, layer Plexi. Repeat until you have the desired thickness/layers. The more layers, the more dimension your art will take on. Along with book pages, I used scraps of colored vellum, printed acetate, and photographs to layer in between the Plexi.

TIP: Using a black fine-point Sharpie, number the layers, top to bottom. A small number in a corner won’t be noticeable. If the layers get mixed up, some of the magnets will actually repell each other and not lay properly.

Total? Less than $20. Plexiglas: $12. Magnets: $3. Glue: $2. Picture hanger: $2 (adhere to the back of the bottom Plexi sheet with glue).

Photos: Marty Baldwin. Projects: Katie Leporte.

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Whip up an apron this weekend

Written on November 13, 2009 at 1:51 pm, by DIY on the Fly (Beth Eslinger)

Here’s a quick gift idea for the DIYers on your list: A utility apron embellished with fabric tool silhouettes.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Premade apron (this one’s from Restoration Hardware)
• Fabric scraps
• Fusible webbing
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Random tools to trace around

T0tal project time:

• 1 hour (sans shopping)

Get going!

Pick through your scrap fabrics, 0r if you need to buy, try quilting quarters from the fabric store (super affordable). Press iron-on fusible bond, also from the fabric store, to the fabric back. Trace shapes of scissors, cell phones, or tools to the fusible bond side. Cut out the shapes, iron onto your apron, then zigzag stitch to finish the edges. Topstitch decorative ribbon onto the apron just for fun.

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