Tardis Kindle Cover

I'll start with a confession: I am not a Doctor Who fan.

Now, before you throw the "fake nerd girl" accusation, it is probably worth taking into account that other than about 3 episodes of 4th Doctor, I haven't actually watched Doctor Who (though I do intend to, as soon as I can get a hold of any more recent episodes).

Although not a Doctor Who fan, however, I am an absolute sucker for a challenge. For the last few months/years, and essentially my total time on craft sites, I have seen loads of projects related to this popular show. I know some of the basic story line, and I must admit, this craft-fandom has been slowly but surely dragging me in. So, while I was in a particularly inspirationless state, when a friend suggested I make a Doctor Who-related Kindle cover, I couldn't resist the challenge.

Although I was reasonably happy with how this project eventually turned out, making it was a little bit of a disaster. I initially tried to do the "Police Box" sign and note on the door with a paper-to-fabric transfer stuff on leather, which failed miserably (twice). I eventually resorted to simply Modge Podging the paper onto the vinyl that I made the case out of. On the top right corner of the case, there are a series of puncture marks from where I tried (unsuccessfully) to sew the hem down about three different times before my double needle eventually gave up, and was reduced to four pieces of one double needle. During my first attempt at sewing the hem, I also ended up backstitching over the button, shattering the side of it. So, not my most successful tale of crafting.

Mishaps aside, I've put together a tutorial on how to make your own Tardis Kindle cover.

Here's what you'll need:

• Blue vinyl (it's that faux leather-type stuff)
• Lining fabric
• A print out of the signs
• Modge Podge
• A button
• Elastic
• Some white leather scraps

What to do:

1. Cut out the basic shape of your cover (this will be determined by the size of your gadget). Cut out your signs and Modge Podge them onto some vinyl scraps. Leave to dry, then cut out, leaving a thin border.
2. Cut out 5 squares from the vinyl for the door panels (the 6th will be formed by the sign you Modge Podged) and stick them on, then sew down to secure.
3. Cut out 12 tiny rectangles from white leather scraps, then glue and stitch them down. Also stitch down your "Police Box" sign.
4. Add a thin strip of vinyl down the middle, and sew down to secure.
   
5. Pin your two cover pieces front-to-front and sew them together. Repeat this with your lining fabric.
6. Turn the cover right-side-out.
7. Add the button to the top front, and a piece of elastic to the top back.
8. Insert your lining, and then fold down a hem at the top. Sew down to secure the lining.

And you're done!

(In this photo, you can see on the top right how my needle savaged the vinyl... Eek.)

If you want, you can also find this tutorial over here on Cut Out + Keep.

I have also been making some cushions for my university residence room, but I'll be making a university update post soon!

Thanks for reading!

The Day of the Grumpy Cat

I don't know about anyone else, but I really don't enjoy Sundays. Mondays, I can handle. But Sundays? No. It's a pretty serious dislike: if it were any more serious, there would be a Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats song about it. Every Sunday, I am inevitably miserable about something or another.

In honour of this week's unhappy Sunday, I made myself a Grumpy Cat brooch, based on the meme.

He's pretty simple, made from felt and a little brooch pin. If you want to make your own, here's how:

You'll need:

• Felt in various colours
• A brooch pin

How to do it:

1. Cut out your pieces of felt (I cut up a picture of Mr Grumpy Cat himself as a pattern).
2. Use a bit of glue to attach your ears to the head pieces. Secure with a few stitches.
3. Glue down your eye pieces and muzzle piece, then secure with stitches.
4. Sew on two tiny blue felt pieces for eyes, then stitch on pupils, and a nose and very grumpy mouth.
   
   Set the face aside for now.
5. Sew the legs onto the front of the body.
   
6. Sew the brooch pin onto the back of the body, and sew the two body pieces together, adding stuffing.
7. Sew the two head pieces together, through the neck area, securing the head to the body. Add stuffing and close the head.
   

And then, your grumpy cat brooch is all ready to wear!

If you want to see it elsewhere, this tutorial is also available here on Cut Out + Keep.

Happy grouching. :)

Shell-shocked

My friends often joke that I have mermaid hair, because my hair is long enough to cover my chest. And this suits me just fine, as I love the idea of being a mermaid. On that note, a while ago, I saw a top online (by Wildfox) that had a set of shells over the chest, like a mermaid's shell-bra.

Wildfox "Ariel" Tank

I fell in love with this idea, and, (in a shocking, unexpected plot twist) decided to make my own.

The DIY

I picked up a tank top at Meltz for about R20 (on a buy-two-get-one-free special) and got a purple fabric paint tube at the local craft store, then set about my work.

It was super simple to make.

What you'll need:

• A plain tank top
• A tube of purple (or any colour) fabric paint
• A tailor's pen (if you feel you need one - I always get nervous about doing something directly in permanent paint)

What to do:

1.  Print out shell templates from the internet (it's easiest to google "shell outline" or something to that effect). It's easiest to print out two of the same, rather than just using one. Decide how large you want them to be.
2. Put on your top and decide where you want the shells to be placed.
3. Pull your shirt over a pillow, placing the templates underneath the shirt. Trace over the templates with a tailor's pen.
4. After tracing, take your templates out and put plastic underneath (I just used old plastic filing sleeves).
5. Use the tube of fabric paint to paint over the lines.
6. Follow the packaging instructions to set the paint (often to iron the reverse side).

You can also find the full tutorial here on Cut Out + Keep.

I've been a bit uninspired lately, so this was a lovely, quick project to get me crafting again. :) I'm hoping to get some fabric tomorrow so that I can make cushion covers for my new university residence room (I'm going with a newspaper/typewriter theme).

Please let the fabric shop be open on a Sunday - I need to work to get my mind off of existence.
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