Make a Heart-Shaped Wreath for Valentine's Day

It's that time of year again, when everywhere you look you see red hearts. Love is in the air, and if you're feeling festive and want to decorate, try this easy DIY wreath from upcycled materials.

What You'll Need:

-Wire Clothes Hanger (2 will be needed for a large wreath)

-Pool Noodle

-Duct Tape

-Scissors

-Needle nose pliers

-Fabric (I used a red sweater that had a fringe trim)

-Ribbon and any other decorations of your choosing

-Small plastic bead necklace

-Needle and thread (or glue)

First, cut your pool noodle into 2 pieces of the same length. If you don't want a large wreath, you don't have to use the entire noodle, but it's better to start with pieces that are too big and trim them down than to start with pieces that are smaller than you'd liked.

Then, use your needle nose pliers to cut the hooked top off the wire hanger. Straighten out what remains of the wire hanger, and check its length against the pool noodle pieces. The wire should be long enough so that several inches of wire remaining stick out of each side of the noodle pieces.

If one piece of wire is long enough for both pieces of pool noodle, cut it in half; if you need more, prepare a second wire hanger by cutting it and straightening it. Feed each piece of wire into the hollow centers of the two pieces of pool noodle.

Start molding the pool noodles into a heart shape. Bend the wires as you go so that the noodle holds its shape. You'll want to cut notches into the underside of curves so that the noodle bends easily. Cutting the upper edges of the heart at an angle will also help the heart fit together more easily.

Cut the top of the bottom pieces of the noodle at an angle as well, so that they are flush.

Use your needle nose pliers to twist the two pieces of wire together. Once they are twisted, use the pliers to trim away the extra wire.

Now, use pieces of duct tape to ensure that everything stays put. I taped the stress points - where the two pieces joined together at the top and bottom, as well as the curves of the heart.

I then cut the fabric of the sweater to wrap the noodle all the way around, plus a few inches for overlap. I used a needle and thread and a simple tacking stitch to join the fabric edges together and attach the bow and hanger, but you could also use fabric glue or a hot glue gun if you don't want to sew.

That's it! You can always buy a wreath form at a craft supply store, but I had a pool noodle that I really didn't want to throw into a landfill. By turning it into a wreath, I'll be able to enjoy it for years to come!

Another T-shirt Yarn Scarf

After I made the last scarves from T-shirts, I came across this awesome-looking scarf made from t-shirt yarn and a crocheted cuff. I decided to give one a try, but since I don't crochet, I used a felted wool sweater. For the T-shirt yarn, I used three large t-shirts.

For the most part, I followed her directions, but my t-shirts didn't quite give me 12 strips that were 144 inches long. Mine were about 96 inches each, so I went with that. 

Since the felted wool sleeve's knit was very tight, I used a chop stick to push the edge through the bottom of the sleeve and out the other side, then I was able to pull them through until they hung evenly out each side. 

It isn't perfect, but I like it!

Make a Dog Sweater from an Old Human Sweater, New and Improved!

In a previous post, I made an ugly little dog sweater from an old human sweater. While it was easy to do, it wasn't very pretty, and I vowed to make something that would make my chihuahua proud to wear in public.

I picked up an old pink sweater from a thrift shop, and the sleeve was the perfect size for him.

It's so easy! All you have to do is:
1) Make sure the cuff fits comfortably over your dog's head.

2) Cut holes for the front legs.
3) Cut an opening in the lower belly so your dog can do his or her business without getting the sweater dirty.
4) Finish the edges with a zigzag stitch (on the machine) or a whip stitch (by hand). Note that if you use a felted wool sweater (100% wool sweater, shrunk to felt by washing in hot water and drying in the dryer), you don't have to worry about loose threads and won't need to finish the edges.

 He loves it!

Make a Dog Sweater from an Old Human Sweater

We have a long-haired Chihuahua, and even though he's pretty big as far as Chihuahuas go, he's a little dog and gets cold pretty easily. He has made it clear that the past few mornings have been much too cold for his tastes by shivering for several minutes after he comes back in from outside.

We decided to make him a doggie sweater from an old sweater I'd kept for craft projects. It's mostly cotton and not the most attractive sweater around, so I thought it'd be perfect for our sweet little dog.

For a small dog like ours, one sleeve is all that is needed, so there is plenty left over for a purse, hat, or other project.

To get started, measure your dog's neck size and then measure around the small end of the sleeve (stretched) to ensure it will fit over his or her head. Then, measure from the base of the neck (collar) down the back as far as you want the sweater to go. Cut that length of sleeve.

Cut the sleeve open, leaving approximately 3" at the narrow end intact.

At this point, you'll want to do a test fit to double check the neck size and length down the dog's back.

Now, go back to the sweater and remove the rest of the sleeve you've already cut.

This will fill in the chest and upper stomach area of the sweater, so do a rough fit and cut two leg openings in the piece. Try it on your dog to make sure the leg openings are wide enough.

Take both pieces off your dog and sew them together by placing them right sides together, then sew down each side. I used a narrow length, wide zigzag stitch to ensure that the sweater doesn't fray.

Finish off all the edges, including the leg holes, with a narrow length, wide zigzag stitch. You could also hem the edges for a more finished look, or if you're a perfectionist. (I am not, obviously.)

Our dog is a male who squats like a girl when he pees, so I didn't want the sweater to come down very far on his stomach. If you have a girl dog or a boy who pees with his leg up, you could use a wider second piece for more coverage.

It isn't the most attractive doggie sweater I've ever seen, but he definitely likes it. We can just call this his "staying in" sweater, and we'll make him a prettier one for going out on the town.