This winter I began a hobby of creating no-sew fabric crafts to create unique holiday gifts, ornaments, and accessories. I got the idea from Mary Link’s 100+ No-sew Fabric Crafts for Kids, which uses fast2fuse to create no-sew toys, games, picture frames, belts, coaster, and other fun decorations. I thought this was a great hobby to pick up to create keepsake tags for holiday gifts as well as other trinkets for future occasions. With birthdays, Valentine’s day, St. Patrick’s day, and Easter around the corner I thought it best to get started this winter. Not only is it a easy hobby and craft but you can also do it with your kids.
You will need a few supplies for this hobby, which are not too expensive if you shop around. Typically, you’ll need the following that can purchase at your local craft store or online:
Fast2fuse: Double-sided, stiff fusible interfacing in regular and heavyweight. I could not find this at any local craft store. The only place I could find to purchase this items was online. You can purchase it through C & T Publishing at www.ctpub.com, EBay, or Amazon.com.
Fabric or Fabric scraps: 100% cotton. You can find fabric scraps at craft stores for pretty cheap, from $1 – $1.50 for 14″x18″ piece, which should work for the majority of these projects.
Iron: Which fuses the glue on the fusible interfacing (fast2fuse). Kids should always use an iron with adult supervision.
Nonstick pressing or applique sheet: Use these under the project while fusing, you can use baking parchment paper as a substitute. Low-heat glue gun and fabric glue: Useful when adding details to projects, such as, buttons, beads, or pom-poms. Kids should always use a low-heat glue gun with adult supervision. Marking, tracing, and cutting tools: These include scissors (I recommend fabric shears), rulers, rotary cutters and mats, templates, and tailor’s chalk or marking pens.
Fabric markers: Excellent for adding accents or small details and will not bleed through fabric.
Fusible applique web: Used for appliqué techniques, where fabric can be applied to a base fabric, where it is fused again into a permanent position. This can be found at a craft store or online.
Clear acrylic varnish or sealer: You can apply this to edges of your projects to keep the fabric from fraying. You can find small cans of this at a craft store among the model cars and airplane stuff.
Embellishments: Such as, buttons, ribbons, rickrack, glitter, yarn, googly eyes or any other little accent you may want to incorporate into your project.
As long as you have the majority of these items, at least 1 – 6 on the above list you can start your no-sew fabric hobby. One project you can begin with using those few items is a decorative picture frame as pictured at the top of the article. Simply cut out the desired shape and sizes you wish to create. Trace that shape on the fast2fuse and cut it out. Do the same on 2 pieces of fabric but cut out the pattern ½” larger then the fast2fuse pattern. Make sure to cut out a center for the photo on the smaller shape to create a window for your photo. Do this on both the fast2fuse and fabric pieces.
After you have cut out your patterns on the fast2fuse and your fabric ,then follow the below steps on fusing your project:
Fuse the first side by placing a nonstick pressing sheet on the ironing board. Place the fast2fuse on top of the pressing sheet. Place the fabric right side up on top of the fast2fuse and press with a hot, dry iron for 5 seconds.
Trim the fabric edge even with the fast2fuse. Don’t forget to trim the center or picture window of your smaller piece of fabric.
Fuse the second side by turning the project over and placing the second piece of fabric on top of the fast2fuse and press with a hot, dry iron for 5 seconds.
Trim the fabric edges equal. Don’t forget to trim the center or picture window of your smaller piece of fabric.
Then, begin your final fusing by pressing your project with a hot, dry iron for 10 seconds on both sides, permanently fusing the fabrics.
You can fuse a ribbon as your fusing the fabric on the larger piece to use as a hook for your picture frame or purchase picture frame hooks at a craft store and hot glue them to the back. Once you have all your pieces fused then choose a photo and trim it down to fit within your window on your smaller pattern and glue it in place. Finally, glue the two pieces together with a hot glue gun and ta-da, your done! A great gift to give or keepsake to hang up.
This hobby will surely keep me busy this winter and hopefully you too will find the joy and fun creating these fun pieces of artwork.
Sources:
Link, Mary. 100+ No-sew Fabric Crafts for Kids. C & T Publishing: 2009.