Mixed Media Needle Book Tutorial
Get creative and have fun!
By: Kristin Peterson
I grew up in a family of seamstresses. My Mom, both of my Grammas, my great Gramma, an Aunt, and a great Aunt. Colorful fabrics, thread and all that goes with sewing including the colored needle book holders with the colorful tin foil insides. That is what gave me the inspiration to make my own needle holder book.
I used two of the Woodland Fairies Art Pops™ Cards to create my needle book. One with a face card for the front and a coordinating card for the back. I stamped on the front of the card, as you can see here in the finished product, and added "sew what" but feel free to add your own quote, or maybe no quote at all.
Once I selected my cards, I chose a black and white fabric for my background. The background fabric is important for holding everything together. The other important piece is to add fabric stiffener to the front and back pieces to provide strength and structure to your piece.
I ironed on the fabric stiffener and sewed around the outer edge to ensure that the stiffener was going to stay put.
I used pinking shears to cut my two felt pages. I did sew a small piece of white cotton to the left hand edge of the felt pages to be bound with the front and back of the book.
I did leave one "page" longer than the other, so when you open the needle book you see the two "pages."
You should be ready to pull it all together and put it into the sewing machine. Stack it all.... the back, your two inner felt "pages" with the white cotton fabric flush along that left hand side and then your front page.
Put it into the sewing machine and stitch all together. I purposely left the left edge longer and this can always be trimmed according to how your book is looking. If you think the left edge is too long, trim it; starting small first and trimming again if you think it needs it. I did trim mine down.
Once the front and back fabric pieces had the stiffener added, I added my Art Pops™ Cards, stitching each of those to my front and back pieces of fabric.
I did leave about 1/2" of fabric outside of the Art Pops™ with the exception of the left edge where I left about one inch to make sure I would capture my inner "pages" of felt.
To put those finishing touches onto my needle book, I used sari ribbon on the stitching and left edge to tidy up my little book.
If you have anyone who is a seamstress, or even if all they do is sew on the occasional button, this needle book is sure to be an adorable gift for holding those spare sewing needles.
Kristin is a third generation artist originally from South Dakota, now residing just inside Minnesota. She loves color, collage and all things worn and loved.
Kristin is always exploring and expanding the creative depths of acrylic paint. She very much enjoys vintage collage work, art journaling and mixed media. Her paintings contain a vibrant mix of color and a little funk, sprinkled with a hint of sensibility. And, if she can stuff it into her sewing machine, she will. Follow: Blog, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Products Used in Tutorial
Pinking Shears
Black Fabric Black and White Checkered Pattern
Cream Felt Fabric
Pellon Iron stabilizer
Sari Silk Ribbon Yarn
Sewing Machine
100% Cotton Bleached Muslin