Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sew Pretty Sewing Room Part I: DIY Tin Storage

Hello readers!
 
Remember when we repainted the sewing room in May, how I told you I was
ready to get started pretty-fy-ing it?
 
Well, I was true to my word, and now I'm here to show you what I did!
 
Since I did several projects, I'll be splitting them up into a series of posts.
 
Today, Part I, will be about solving my storage problem.
 
 
As you can see from this before picture, there isn't much space to work with here.
 
Before
 

 
By the way, that French door came down.
It is ok, it's partner is broken and needs some fixing anyway,
so besides being in the way, it was awkward and alone.
One day though, we will fix Broken Glass door, they will be reunited, and we will put them up again....
 
Moving on.
 
Obviously I don't have room for shelves of fabric, but I'm fine with keeping them in a tote
in our library and closet....at least for right now.
 
But there are other sewing necessities that needed a home and easy access.

An easy and cheap solution could be found at my local thrift store...discarded tins.




You can find lots of Christmas tins like these that are looking for a home outside of the holiday season.

Other than being ugly, there was nothing wrong with them...so the fix was obvious.
They just needed some pretty scrapbook paper and homemade Mod Podge.




All you need to make homemade Mod Podge, is some white Elmer's glue and water.
Put some glue in a cup or container that you plan to work with.
Keep adding water until it gets to an easily spreadable consistency, but not too watery.
There is no science...I just add water until I like the look of the mix.


See the small mark all the way around the traced circle? That will be your cutting line.

The most challenging part is doing the tops.

It just takes a little time and figuring.

First, measure the lip of your lid- write down that number. Mine was 1/4 inch.

Next, lay your lid down on the wrong side of your paper.
Get the lid as close as you can to the bottom and side of the paper.
This is where the lip measurement that you wrote down come in to play.
Using that measurement, measure 1/4 inch from the side of the paper, mark a line.
Now measure 1/4 inch from the bottom up, mark a line.

Now when you lay down your lid, get it lined up right next to those marks on the side and bottom.
That way you know you are getting as close as you can into the corners,
reducing as much waste as possible.

Next, trace around the lid.
Now measure 1/4 inch out from the circle you just traced,
making marks every so often as you go around.




Cut out your circle along these marks.

Now, to make the paper lay down flat when you glue it down,
go along your circle and cut notches about every 1/2 inch or so, stopping at the line
you drew when you traced the lid.




When you glue your lid down, just line it up and lay it right on top of the traced circle.
Fold down the notches around the lip, pasting as you go.
It gets a little messy and takes some time, but it makes for a smooth finish.
 
 


These were my finished products.


 

 
 
We had a metal shelf that fit perfectly under the folding out table of the sewing desk.
My once ugly tins can now enjoy a second life serving as storage for
buttons, elastic, ribbons, fabric scraps and the like.
 
Next, I'll show you what sort of things have made their home on the wall behind my machine!
Come back Tuesday!

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