| Stiffy® Bow Baskets |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-102 |
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Avis Everett, author and basket-decorating expert with Plaid Enterprises, shows how to stiffen fabric and use it to make bows for accenting baskets or other items. The process may look complicated, but it's really simple. Use decorated baskets for towels or fruit or a nice guest-room treat.
Materials:
Bow Dazzlers booklet by Avis Everett (published by Plaid Enterprises)
Floral fabric (chintz and polished cotton work best), about 1 yard of fabric per project--1/2 yard for the bow and the rest for cutouts applied to the basket
Stiffy® Fabric Stiffener
Wire coathanger
Clothespins
Basket
Spray paint
Accent Folk Art acrylic paint in accent color
Mod Podge®
Optional: acrylic spray finish
- Choose a paint color that works best as the background to coordinate with the fabric. Spray paint the basket the background color, and let it dry. Dab an accent color on the basket handle and rim, using Accent Folk Art acrylic paint (figure A).
- Cut out flowers or any other design from the fabric. Completely wet the back with Mod-Podge by brushing on the product or pouring it over the fabric. Place the fabric on the sides of the basket, pressing it into the nooks and crannies. Use a damp cloth to help press the fabric onto the surface. The goal is to make it appear that the design is painted onto the basket (figure B).
- Cut strips of fabric for the loop, the tails and the center of the bow. Exact measurements can be found in the booklet.
- Pour Stiffy Fabric Stiffener onto the front of the fabric strip, and spread it over the entire strip. Turn the strip over, and pour more Stiffy on the back; spread the fabric stiffener around (figure C).
- Fold each lengthwise side of the fabric strip to the center. Remove any excess liquid, and remove air bubbles by smoothing the fabric with your hands. Hang the fabric strip by a clothespin from the bottom of a wire coathanger. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with all fabric strips. Let dry for 45 minutes. Fabric will still be a little soft (figure D).
- To tie the bow, remove the strips from the hanger, and trim the ends. The strips will be partly dry, pliable and easy to work with. First, work on the streamer part of the bow. Bring the two short ends of the fabric strip together, making sure the raw edges are on the inside. Crease the center of the strip opposite the two short ends. Unfold the strip, and pinch across it at the center crease, gathering the fabric. Attach a clothespin to the pinched fabric to keep the gathers in place (figure E) (figure F).
- For the loop of the bow, bring the two short ends of the fabric together, with raw edges on the inside. Make a hard crease to define the center. Unfold the fabric, and bring each end in to the center, overlapping about 1/2". Pinch and gather the center of the bow. Place the streamers underneath the loops, and wrap a small strip of fabric around the center gathers to make the center of the bow. Pull the wrapper fabric tight. If you wish, you can secure the wrapper fabric with a little hot glue on the back side.
- Stuff the bow loops by placing a plastic cup inside each. You can use any cylindrical object (even hair rollers) to stuff the bow. Let it dry 15 minutes longer (figure G).
- Remove the cups from the loops, and hot-glue the bow onto the basket. Trim the ends of the streamers, if you wish. For a shine, spray the basket and bow with an acrylic finish coat.
RESOURCES :
Stiffy Fabric Stiffener
Plaid Enterprises Inc.
Website: www.plaidonline.com
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