Anyway, this little aside here is another consequence of my childhood in Sweden but now, without any further ado, here’s how you make them (you literally only need pine cones, felt, needle and thread and a few drops of glue):

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The post Pine-Cone Santa Ornaments – Cute Christmas-Craft Idea first appeared on Around the Year.

There’s really no right or wrong way to go about it – depending on the effort you want to put in you can keep it very simple, or go a little bit crazy, or both. I decided on a vintage scrap-book-style theme, so I just printed some vintage floral art and stuck them in, complemented with some gold washi-tape and gold marker. It turned out very pretty, and was very quick and easy to do. This way the trackers at the start of the journal all have a cohesive look, whereas as soon as I got into the book pages, things started to go in any direction possible, depending on the style and theme of the book.

Pages you will want to include:

• Title page (maybe with a quote)
• Reading goals
• TBR spread (book titles to get around to, maybe unread books you already own, or suggestions you want to try)
• Series tracker
• Monthly recap (titles read, optionally some reading stats like total page count etc. and ratings at a glance)

More fun (optional) spreads:

• 24 books for 2024
• First Lines
• Reading around the world/Through history

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The post Starting a Reading Journal from Scratch for Beginners first appeared on Around the Year.

I don’t think hankies with pre-made holes are still available for purchase, so here is a workaround to create the handkerchiefs of your dreams using only some plain white cotton and embroidery thread!

You will need:

• White cotton fabric (or a pastel color if you prefer)
• Embroidery-cotton
• Embroidery needle
• Fine crochet hook

Depending on the thickness you’re going for, you can bi-sect the (usually 6-standed) embroidery cotton and only work with 3 threads.

First things first, hem your handkerchief using a blanket stitch. Make sure to get it as even as possible. Alternatively, you could also use a whip-stitch.

Now it’s time to crochet! Create a row of double crochets all around your hanky, using the loops of the blanket of whip-stitches on the hem. That will be the sturdy base for your lace design. Now find your favorite crochet lace edging pattern, and add that onto your base. Check out the video below, for a step-by-step demonstration!

Pro-tip: embroider a simple flower design or your monogram onto a corner of your hanky!

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The post How to Make Vintage Handkerchiefs with Crochet-Lace Edging! first appeared on Around the Year.

but it just kept on tearing next to the darn. So I darned and reinforced the area again, and while it looked ok, it was obviously mended. I couldn’t wear these jeans out in public anymore anyway, so I had nothing to loose trying to conceal the patch with embroidery. See the results below!

I used a really simple rose and fern design, and I also created a FREE template for all of you! I used a simple wagon-wheel rose and some chain-stitch leaves, check out the video below for detailed instructions.

If you wanted to make your embroidery seem more intentional, why not add a similar design on the back pockets or side of the jeans as well? Though I usually never wear embellished jeans, I really love how these turned out, and I’m so happy to have saved them from the trash. What do you think?

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The post How to Mend & Save Your Favorite Pair of Jeans Using Embroidery first appeared on Around the Year.

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The post January 2023 Bullet Journal Setup first appeared on Around the Year.

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To create a pattern, you can use the cover your machine came with (if it had one), or use the template from our Template Library.

Or, if you want to draft your own, the whole process is shown in the video below.

Let’s Start Sewing!

Cut out your fabric pieces. Depending on the patchwork you want to create, you can cut your pattern apart, but remember to add back seam allowance where you cut. The pattern from our Template Library has 1cm SA included.

For my sewing machine cover I used the Simplicity “All Dressed Up” Fabrics, that look sooo cute on my sewing machine.

Sew your patchwork together until you get one complete front and back piece. If you want to add pockets, now is the time to sew them on.

Then sew the two pieces together at the “shoulder seams” of the cover and at the side seams. Close the “corner seam” running horizontally across the narrow side of your machine, and hem your cover along the bottom edge. Done!

The post Patchwork Sewing Machine Cover first appeared on Around the Year.

So I’ve put together a list of the best websites for crafting webinars, with courses from sewing and knitting to painting, baking and photography.

When we think online courses, a lot of us will think Udemy or Skillshare. But there are tons of lesser known platforms with an amazing array of creative courses out there.

Craftsy

Craftsy offers affordable courses for everything from photography to crochet and embroidery, and every course is professionally produced, which means the quality is top-notch.

Psst: you can save 65% on all classes with code THANKYOU65 !

Domestika

Domestika is a bit similar to Craftsy, their courses covering almost every creative topic I can think of, even graphic design.

Again, their courses have amazing quality, however, most of them are in Spanish. Not to worry, they have subtitles, but it might not be for everyone. If you’re like me though, trying to learn Spanish from home, their courses may be just the thing!

CreativeLive

CreativeLive is another little-known platform focusing on the creative area of topics. They offer classes in photography, paper-making, scrap-booking and jewelry design and much more!

The post What are the Best Online-Course Platforms for Creatives? first appeared on Around the Year.

Here’s a little size guide (please note: 0.5cm seam allowance on each long side and 1.5 cm S.A on the short sides is already included)

• Small: 25 x 10 cm (i.e. use for jewelry or hairpins)
• Sunglasses case: 36 x 10 cm
• Large: 25 x 60 cm

The post How to Sew a Drawstring Bag first appeared on Around the Year.

For fabric I used a burgundy/plum wool blend with around 30% of actual wool content which I like very much. I got it on eBay, and it was just about £7/metre it’s also a great “practice fabric”, since you don’t want to risk a £20/metre wool on the first try.

For lining, I found a pretty matching polka dot print, which gave the coat just the right mood so to speak. A little playful and quirky, but at the same time enhancing that vintage fell I was going for.

The post New Sewing Vlog: Attempting to Make a Tailored Woolen Coat first appeared on Around the Year.