How to make a scrap fabric and recycled tank dress

Maybe it's the time change or the super fun and inspiring book The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook but I just had to make some new(ish) clothes for the upcoming summer weather.
Here is my first dress. The dress section in The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook was where I took my inspiration for this upcycled outfit. Included in the book are "design wall" sections and pages of inspiration that other designers created. The design wall included swatches of eyelet and lace and the dress page included a lot of layered hems.
How I made my recycled tank top dress.

First I put the tank top on and then simply start holding up the scraps of fabric I pulled from the stash. I then start trimming them and pinning them (with little safety pins as I will need to take the top off and on a lot).

I should note here the scrap of eyelet in the bottom right of the photo didn't "make the cut" as it was stiffer than the other fabrics and I wanted this hem to have a soft drapey feel. I really did like the fabric but it will have to go into another project.

Then I simply stitched the scraps onto the bottom edge of the tank top.

There was a small imperfection on the tank so I cut a diamond shape out of one of the lace fabrics and top stitched it onto the tank aligning it with one of the points of the bottom added fabrics.

Oh I should note the straps of this tank were a bit long and they weren't adjustable so I detached them at the back , crossed them and then restitched them back on. Easy alteration!

And if I do say so myself looks pretty darn cute on. The dress form did it's best to model it ;)

So whether you like making spiffy new cloths with patterns (included with this book) or going it on your own with lots of inspiration I bet you will love:
The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook

More about the book from the publisher Potter Craft:
" If you’ve ever made your own clothes, you know how empowering it can be. That awesome skirt in a fabric you adore. The blouse that fits perfectly. The one-of-a-kind dress you just knew would look cuter with a few extra details at the neck and hem. All made by you. Creating fashionable, custom-fitted clothing is often much easier than you think, and in their first book, BurdaStyle—the largest community of aspiring fashion designers and style-savvy sewers—will show you how. Packed with easy-to-follow tutorials, five adaptable sewing patterns for a skirt, blouse, dress, coat, and bag, and fifteen step-by-step sewing projects, this book gives you the basic building blocks to begin sewing and the tools you need to move beyond the basics to designing and customizing your own wardrobe. If you’ve never threaded a needle before, you’ll find essential information on setting up a studio, using your sewing machine and other tools, working with patterns, and getting the perfect fit. For experienced sewers, the book offer tips and tricks for mastering techniques, as well as tons of design inspiration from seventy-eight BurdaStyle members from all over the world. With its unique blend of fashion, creativity, and expert know-how, The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook is the ultimate guide to sewing with style."

How to make a digital camo quilt block inspired by the book Dare to be Square Quilting

Dare to be Square Quilting is so awesome! I love everything in it. Right now I currently have one unfinished quilt that I must finish before I start a new one but I just had to make something after savoring every page of Dare to be Square Quilting. So I got my creative wheels spinning and what popped into my mind was my favorite print based on a square is digital camo. I have a small stash of scraps left over from the Fallen Soldier tote bags and the quilt I am currently using is a simple white one so I thought I would add a very special square onto it.
I cut a square of the digital camo uniform scrap and placed it in the center of one of the blocks.
All I did was satin stitch around the camo uniform square twice. It is so amazing that 3 square inches of a very special fabric can transform an ordinary quilt into one with so much meaning and feeling that I will cherish now.

If you like making quilts based on squares I bet you will love:
Dare to be Square Quilting: A Block-by-block Guide to Making Patchwork and Quilts
by
Boo Davis

“Boo Davis is a rock star! Dare to be Square Quilting is the perfect patchwork primer for beginners and a refreshing review for experienced quilters. A must-have book for any quilt or craft library.” --Denyse Schmidt (author of Denyse Schmidt Quilts)


. . . My approach to quilting is an approach for true beginners. I don’t like triangles, circles, hexagons, diamonds, rhombuses, or any shape that makes measuring a chore. (Can we stop right here and ponder the word rhombus? Man, that word is hilarious.) In this book, every project is designed using only squares and rectangles. Why just squares and rectangles? Because straight seams are easy to stitch!

Craft a modern quilt with independent quilt-maker Boo Davis, whose fun, slightly quirky designs take quilts into new graphic territory. Using only simple shapes like rectangles and squares you’ll see robots, skulls, alarm clocks, and owls come to life as fabulous, full-size quilts. With 10 charming quilt patterns, and 15 eye-popping patchwork projects perfect for afternoon or weekend crafting, Dare to be Square Quilting reinterprets quilt traditions such as basket weave, rail fence, and housetop designs in a bold new way. With advice on color and fabric selection, and an extensive how-to section on quilting, Davis teaches the fastest, simplest, and most reliable methods modern quilting has to offer.

Dare to make a quilt that’s funny, fabulous, and from the heart . . . Dare to be square!

BOO DAVIS is a designer, illustrator, and the founder of Quiltsrÿche quilt studio. Her quilts have appeared in The New York Times, Revolver, BUST, HOW, and British Vogue as well as on Boing Boing, UrbanOutfitters.com, and Thrillist. As a graphic artist she has received recognition from Print magazine, Society for Publication Designers, and Society of Professional Journalists, among others.

One final tid-bit, this is not the first time one of Boo's fab quilt designs inspired me, I did a skull quilt based on the one shown above. You can see the tutorial on how I made my skull quilt inspired by her's at Craftside.

How to make recycled thigh high socks inspired by the book Color Knitting The Easy Way

Last week's post was about knitting thigh high socks. Well, this being Sweater Surgery and me being a tad impatient and reading the new book Color Knitting the Easy Way.
I decided to....
sew some socks!

This page in the beginning of Color Knitting the Easy Way talks about different color combos and I tend to go pretty color coordinated but it really shows how a wide variety and diverse set of colors can look cool together.

I would also like to point out at this time trying this project was a GREAT excuse to clean out my sock drawer. Bonus- crafting and cleaning.

I wasn't going for perfection here I was "test driving" and trying to play with color. I had two arms of a sweater that I really liked the blue and green stripe of, a really old pair of Hello Kitty socks that the bottom of the foot part was completely worn out in holes but the Hello Kitty part was in perfect condition and finally a gray pair of socks with fun little animals that picked up a third section of one of the "color combo wheels" I was using as my guide.

I pinned and sewed each section together right sides facing using a stretch stitch and there you have it. Three color combo recycled thigh high socks.

This book is packed full of great color theory and a whole bunch of great stitches to feature the colors. You really can't go wrong with a book from the super talented Melissa Leapman!

More about the book from Potter Craft:
Color Knitting the Easy Way: Essential Techniques, Perfect Palettes, and Fresh Designs Using Just One Color at a Time
By
Melissa Leapman

"Embrace color with simple techniques from knitting and colorwork master Melissa Leapman! A cozy hat and scarf set to match a winter coat, mittens in a young child’s favorite colors, a sweater to bring out the blue of a friend’s eyes, a throw pillow that revives the look of a room. Selecting and combining just the right color palette makes any project extra special-and makes our knitting even more fun. In Color Knitting the Easy Way, renowned knitwear designer, teacher, and author Melissa Leapman explores the simplest and most popular ways of knitting with two or more yarn colors—using just one color in each knitted row. No more juggling multiple yarns in your hands as you knit! One-color, one-row stitch techniques allow for a minimal learning curve but can yield maximum impact. From basic stripes to intricate slip stitch and mosaic patterns, Leapman’s clear, easy-to-use instructions explain the foundations of color knitting and how to combine basic stitches to achieve texture, vibrancy, and patterns that will wow family and friends. Ten original projects, including an everyday clutch, dress, jacket, sweaters, and more, allow you to practice each new technique and are do-able for even beginning knitters.

And more than 70 unique stitch patterns will inspire knitters of all skill levels to create their own custom designs. Throughout, Leapman reveals tips and tricks to help you avoid common problems and to answer the questions most asked by knitters in the popular workshops she teaches around the country. In addition, Leapman demystifies the color wheel and shows you how to use it to get the look you want for your finished projects, whether you want to highlight stitchwork, bust through your sash, or even camouflage a figure flaw! With sections on general knitting techniques, chart reading, and every color combination around the color wheel, Color Knitting the Easy Way has all the tools you’ll need to knit patterns for two or more colors the fun—and easy—way.

About the Author
MELISSA LEAPMAN is a widely published knitwear designer, whose patterns have appeared in every premier needlework publication in the country, including Vogue Knitting, Knitter’s, McCalls, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens, and Interweave Knits. She has been a featured guest on DIY’s Knitty Gritty, Lifetime TV’s Handmade by Design, Shay Pendray’s Needle Arts Studio on PBS, and HGTV’s Sew Much More. Her knit, crochet, and design workshops are popular nationwide."

How to make a dress from a recycled tank and skirt inspired by one in the book Built By Wendy Dresses

To continue my thought of "build it, it will come" regarding spring, I made another little dress out of a short tank top with pretty embroidery, a way too big but awesome madras plaid skirt and some recycled lace trim using a design from the book Built by Wendy Dresses (a wonderful collection of dress designs and patterns) as my inspiration.
And yes, that is "not my cat" Pumpkin that just seems to know when I am out in the yard getting my picture taken in one of the outfits that I made. I think this is the 4th or 5th shot he has insisted on being in!

So here is the tank and skirt before it went under the knife and the inspiration dress-"capri sundress" from Built by Wendy Dresses.
First I cut the hem loose to give me that extra inch of fabric.
Then I cut two strips as big as I could between the bottom edge of the skirt to just under the pockets and front zipper.
I then pieced them together in one long loop and serged the edges.
I gathered one side and sewed it to the tank.
All that was left to do was sew the lace to the plaid section.

If you are craving making yourself some cute little dresses for the season you will have tones of great styles and patterns to choose from in:


Built by Wendy Dresses: The Sew U Guide to Making a Girl's Best Frock
By
Wendy Mullin

From the Publisher Potter Craft:

Product Description Want a fast and easy way to look completely put together? Throw on a dress! Now, with the help of Wendy Mullin of BUILT BY WENDY, sew your own custom-fit creations—25 in all. Dresses are as useful—and as crucial—to your wardrobe as your most beloved pair of jeans. You can throw one on in summer or winter, for a night out in heels or a day in beaten-up boots: It’s maximum style for minimum effort. That’s why Wendy Mullin, designer of Built by Wendy—label of choice for fashion-forward actors, musicians, and artists—has created a book of DIY dress designs that are simple to sew but pack plenty of fashion punch.

All of the featured dress styles are based on three basic dress shapes: the sheath, the shift, and the dirndl. These three full-size patterns are included in the book, complete with step-by-step instructions for how to use them. From those basic dress shapes, Wendy offers multiple customizations, giving a total of 25 different dress options.

Beginner sewers will find all the basic information they need to get started. More advanced sewers will see precisely how slight pattern adjustments, such as changing a collar or sleeve or switching fabric, can create limitless possibilities for unique looks. Built by Wendy Dresses covers the basics and beyond—and proves that dresses are a girl’s best friend. About the

Author WENDY MULLIN founded Built by Wendy, a NYC-based line of women's and men's clothing and accessories in 1991. In addition, Wendy authored Sew U and Sew U: Home Stretch and designed a line of sewing patterns for Simplicity. For more information visit www.builtbywendy.com.
And just because he is so darn cute, another cat picture, he was ready for his close-up.

How to make recycled plastic bunny ears inspired by the techniques in the book Upcycled Accessories

Upcycled Accessories: 25 Projects Using Repurposed Plastic
is packed full of really cool techniques fro working with plastic bags to recycle them into all sorts of cute and colorful projects.
It got my wheels spinning it did!

I wondered if you could fuse a plastic bag to a milk jug. At about the same time I was debating putting Orval and Wilbur (my lawn deer) away or could I incorporate them into the Easter decorations.
Insert light bulb moment here.
If I make bunny ears they can stay out and if I make them out of plastic they are whether proof! Clearly by the photos it worked!


Here is my test with a scrap of milk jug and pink plastic bag.

I cut the ears out of the milk jug using the corners and curves of the bottle. I will say I had to be VERY careful with the heat. Too cool it didn't fuse and too hot for too long and melt too much. As they are cooling you can form them a bit or hold them (with gloves) in the shape you want while it cools.
These are just some more shots because I think they came out so cute!
Want to learn about recycled plastic bag fusing and projects, grab a copy of

Upcycled Accessories: 25 Projects Using Repurposed Plastic
By
Tracie Lampe

From the Publisher, North Light Books:
"Product Description
Fused and Re-used

Whether you?re a sewing enthusiast or an eco-superhero, Upcycled Accessories shows you how to upcycle disposable products into fashionable must-haves! Learn the basics of fusing plastic, then sew together colorful wallets, personalized journals and collaged tote bags. Finally, incorporate creative embellishing techniques to whip up one-of-a-kind plastic projects!

Upcycled Accessories features:

25 funky fused-plastic projects for all experience levels that use inexpensive, readily available materials

Embellishing techniques for incorporating crayon shavings, permanent markers, fabric appliqu? and much more

Tips for incorporating more than just left-over shopping bags?everything from food packages to tablecloths can be upcycled!
Fuse. Sew. Help save the planet!

About the Author
Tracie Lampe is a self-taught mixed-media artist and fiber artist/vendor. Her work has been featured in Artist Trading Card Workshop as well as Interactive Art Workshop. Tracie has been teaching at ArtFiberFest for four years and sells her handspun fibers."

Recycled tank and t-shirt dress inspired by one of the cute ones from the book Twinkle Sews by Wenlan Chia

I love every dress in this book! But at the moment I am of the philosophy if I sew it (like the cute little dress on the left) the warm weather will come and I have had Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe open to this project since I got the book. I am a big fan of Twinkle since I got her first knitting book.

I like to recycle cloths...as I'm sure if you have read this blog before you know so...off to the stash.
I found a cute light blue tank and a nice soft (from lots of washing) dark gray large t-shirt. One of the things this project in Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe talks about is mixing up the two fabrics that it's made from. I was using a light cotton and a jersey. The dress in the book if you click on the image to enlarge uses a "nude" fabric for the tank part and a fabric with nice drape for the dress part.
Now the book gives you full detailed and intricate wonderful patterns full of really nice details to sew this from new fabric (they are on a disk and you print them out from your computer) but I am just "winging it" 'cause that's how I roll.
I cut the sides of the t-shirt down to an "A" line shape.
Then I cut the t-shirt straight across the top.

This tank was way too wide for me so I put it on and pinned it on the sides to be a snug fit. I then stitched down the sides and trimmed off the excess fabric.
All that was left to do was a gather stitch across the top edge of the t-shirt (about a half inch from the top edge) and then to stitch the t-shirt to the tank top.

I will definitely be making more of the projects from this book! Probably the one on the right is next!

More about
Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe
By Wenlan Chia
from Potter Craft

"Product Description

Many Twinkle fans were first introduced to Wenlan Chia’s signature fresh, young, whimsical style through her knitting books. But before Wenlan knitted, she sewed. And the pieces in her fashion line, Twinkle by Wenlan, are seen not just on the fashion runways and in the pages of InStyle, Lucky, and Vogue, but in high-end stores with high-end prices such as Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Now, with the easy-to-follow instructions, keen advice, and 25 full-size patterns in Twinkle Sews, you can create your own couture! Choose from one of Wenlan’s coveted patterns, including favorites like her Annie Hall Skirt, Origami Blouse, White Magic Dress, and Flapper Camisole. The patterns come in five different sizes–from 0 to 16–and are included on a CD for you to print at home. Each garment has its own PDF pattern that can be printed on 8½" x 11" (21.5cm x 28cm) paper. Follow the simple instructions to assemble the sheets and voilà—full-size patterns are at your fingertips.

Along with providing inventive patterns, Wenlan teaches core home sewing techniques–how to sew a seam, insert a zipper, and interface fabric–and gives you the building blocks of garment construction. You’ll have all the tools you need to turn what you see on glossy magazine pages into what’s hanging in your closet.

From helping you pick the best fabric for each project to providing valuable sewing tips, Wenlan gives you everything you need to sew, unleash your creativity in fabric, and bring your fashion dreams to life. To wear a Twinkle piece is to feel both flirtatious and smart. To make one yourself is all that and more.

About the Author
In fewer than eight years, WENLAN CHIA went from taking night classes at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology to commanding the runway at New York’s Fashion Week. Her Twinkle line now includes ready-to-wear fashion, home accessories, fine jewelry, and hand knitting yarn, available in 300 stores nationwide. She is also the author of Twinkle’s Big City Knits, Twinkle’s Weekend Knits, and Twinkle’s Town & Country Knits."

Mixed Media Greeting Card Album using embellishment ideas from the book The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbook by Sherry Steveson

First let me say mixed media crafting makes a mess! A fabulously fun one, but none the less a big a** mess.

I love working with all sorts of bits and pieces so the book The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbook was right up my alley being that it is divided up by chapter based on each type of embellishment....very cool!

The first embellishment that caught my eye was the little metal frame on this page in the "Metal" chapter.
I save tin cans to recycle into die cut elements and so it was easy to run a piece of soda can through the Sizzix die cutter with the slide/frame die.
I have a stash of old family slides and it's cool that they fit perfectly in the Inkssentials Memory Frames by Ranger.
But I think they would look better hanging being back lit so I then when to my stash of scrapbook paper catalogs which happen to be a great source of little images and backgrounds. I also poked through an old catalog of stock photography. Out of these two I filled my little frame.
I punched two tiny wings from the McGill punch and textured them. I assembled these elements along with a tag that said "wander" which I thought went great with the road image and shoes with a bit of wire.

For the background I cut a piece of woven plaid fabric and fringed the edge by pulling a few of the threads out from each side and glued it onto the cover of The Greeting Card Album.

I put an image into the soda can die cut frame.
Printed out the words "knot nice" with my label maker.
Glued it all onto the plaid cover with a sawed off end of a spent 12 gauge shotgun shell casing.

Kind of eclectic but so am I!

Want more fabulously fun ideas on how to use embellishments? Grab a copy of:
The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbook
By
Sherry Steveson

Product Description from the publisher Memory Makers Books:

"The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbook, author Sherry Steveson covers 17 popular types of embellishments and teaches you how to utilize them on your layouts. With beginner, intermediate and advanced techniques for each embellishment, you will get over 50 step-by-step demonstrations, plus 130+ layouts and projects that illustrate these techniques.

A bonus Step It Up gallery shows you how adding embellishments can enhance a layout. In the gallery, you will see how a layout starts with a simple design, then is passed to a second scrapbooker who adds a few embellishments and finally it is passed to a third scrapper who adds even more embellishments, completing the look.

About the Author
Sherry Steveson has been scrapbooking for nearly nine years, and her work has been featured in Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbook Trends, Simple Scrapbooks, Scrapbooks, Etc. and Memory Makers Magazine. She is a design team member for several kit clubs, a manufacturer, and an online store. She is also the author of When Life Gives You Lemons."

How to make a button covered headband with a recycled t-shirt inspired by a project from the book The Paper Bride by Esther K. Smith

Love is in the air....love of the book:
The Paper Bride: Wedding DIY from Pop-the-Question to Tie-the-Knot and Happily Ever After by Esther K SmithI'm not sure which I love more, sticky notes or crafting? As you can see my copy of The Paper Bride has lots of sticky notes which means I want to make lots of stuff from it. Surprising, I know being that I am so far from the marring type it's not funny. But that doesn't mean the great projects contained in it can't be used for other events and just plain everyday creativity.
The project from The Paper Bride that was my inspiration was one that you sewed buttons on a ribbon to make a headband that looked really cute. (Yes, this is probably the only non paper project in the book but it just called to me today and I'll get to the yummy paper projects next!) So off to my stash of JHB buttons and my cut up t-shirt scraps. I was wanting one with stretch.

TIP: I like to keep my buttons in pie tins and as I'm sorting though them I transfer them from one to another. When I'm done I dump them all back into one and slide the empty one underneath the full one.

I cut a loop of t-shirt that fit snugly around my head and then just picked out random buttons and stitched them on. As I went I did gather the fabric a bit at each button. This made it a bit more dimensional. Oooh, me breaking out of my standard rigidness. It was one of my new year's resolutions ya know.
More from the publisher Potter Craft about The Paper Bride:

"The one-stop guide to making a celebration that's all about you with ubiquitous, affordable, recyclable paper! Letterpress artist, designer, and once-bride Esther K. Smith inspires you with one-of-a-kind invitations, albums, guest books, and more. Planning an elaborate event? A simple, sophisticated soiree? Or something wild and wonderful? Customize your wedding with fresh paper ideas from the author of the classic How to Make Books and the ingenious Magic Books & Paper Toys. Learn to make your own exciting, affordable mementos, invitation wraps, pop-up maps, save-the-date postcards, and party décor—projects with maximum impact that require only simple tools and basic skills . New to paper crafts? Start with lined envelopes. Ready for a challenge? Learn to stitch special bindings for your guest book and photo album. There is even a project for the groom-to-be. Just grab the good scissors, choose your paper, and begin! Smith's inventive techniques and no-nonsense wit will inspire you to make your own paper-perfect wedding. About the Author Esther K. Smith owns and operates Purgatory Pie Press in New York City, which is a letterpress printer and creative partnership. The press has exhibited work at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Smith College, as well as at book centers throughout the world."

Faux Scrimshaw polymer clay technique from the book Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton

Did you know that "live" backwards is "evil"? Well if you didn't now you do. Mixing things up is what mixed media is all about. The above necklace that I call "Evil bunny on the move" and the one below "Shot like a bat outta h*ll" are the necklaces I made combining the cool technique from the book Enchanted Adornments: Creating Mixed-Media Jewelry with Metal, Clay, Wire, Resin & More, new beads and charms from Blue Moon Beads and a few recycled bits from the stash.
Click on the images to enlarge if you need a closer look.

So with the book open to my inspiration technique I decided to get my texture with rubber stamps, the directions suggest drawing in the clay but I'm not the best at that so rubber stamps it was. To get my outside shape I used cookie cutters.

I did a whole bunch because I figured that would give me lots to play with. I really didn't have a clear plan as I was trying this cool technique of filling in baked polymer clay with a second round of clay so the more I had to work with the better.

Here is the bunny filled in but before sanded down.
Now that I had a cool polymer clay charm I gathered up a bunch of bits and things to make a necklace with it.
I liked working with in two different color pallets simultaneously. It was really an efficient way to work because it saved time in the supply gathering.

There you have it, make a new cool element and then incorporate into a new necklace, all in a day's crafting in the Plaidbunny test kitchen.

Well if like your craft books to cover a wide variety of techniques and materials, then you will really like this book it is truly packed full of mixed-media, I know I do!
Enchanted Adornments: Creating Mixed-Media Jewelry with Metal, Clay, Wire, Resin & More
By
Cynthia Thornton

From the publisher:

Presented in the style of an artist’s journal, this remarkable handbook uses an informal, conversational approach to teach a wide variety of innovative mixed-media jewelry techniques.

Accompanied by fairytale introductions and augmented by watercolor illustrations and design sketches, the 20 unique projects featured, ranging from the delightfully simple to the exquisitely ornate, are infused with personal meaning. Projects make use of various newly popular techniques in mixed-media jewelry, including the creation of resin pendants, PMC clasps, polymer clay beads, and more. All basic techniques are made clear by step-by-step photography.

Cynthia Thornton is the designer for the popular bead-making and jewelry studio, Green Girl Studios. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

Polymer Clay Candy Corn Beads Hot out of the Oven made using a "recipe" from the book The Polymer Clay Cookbook

Could this book be any cuter? Do you like to make tiny things out of polymer clay? Then you will love this book.

The Polymer Clay Cookbook: Tiny Food Jewelry to Whip Up and Wear
By
Jessica and Susan Partain

This being October and Halloween fast approaching this candy corn tutorial looked like the perfect project to try first! So off to the Plaidbunny test kitchen and away I went!
I followed the absolutely wonderful photos and directions. As you can see there are lots of pictures!
My plan was to use these on a bracelet so I poked a hole vertically through each candy corn before baking. (The book includes great directions for making post earrings.)

So after baking them I gathered up a bunch of my Blue Moon Beads Noir black beads and findings and some from my recycled stash, I happen to have some funky polka dot beads that I thought would tie in nicely with the graphic nature of the candy corn beads.

I played around a bit and here is my final chunky candy corn bracelet with little skull links.

I can't wait to try making some of the other projects from the book, there are ones perfect for all the holidays or just for a good giggle.

A bit about the book from the publisher:

The Polymer Clay Cookbook celebrates favorite foods with 20 tiny, deliciously realistic food charms to make from polymer clay and fashion into unique jewelry. Styled as a cookbook for the beginning miniaturist "chef," the introductory chapters discuss the "basic ingredients" and techniques used for polymer clay and jewelry-making. The remainder of the book offers 20 "recipes" grouped by category: fruits, breakfast, lunch and dinner, sweets and snacks, and holiday foods. Each recipe has a list of "ingredients," step-by-step directions with photographs, and suggested variations. Each piece is presented as a particular finished jewelry item, such as a necklace, but readers are encouraged to adapt the piece into any type of jewelry they choose. Each chapter also includes one of the authors' own cherished recipes for real food, including Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls, Grandma's Pasta Sauce, Decadent Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes, and Mom's Holiday Sugar Cookies. Throughout, the authors--who are sisters--share their enthusiasm for family, sisterhood, and the tradition and feelings surrounding our favorite foods.


Jessica and Susan Partain are sisters and are both crafters. In spring 2006 they founded Inedible Jewelry, which they sell at local markets and craft shows and in a variety of boutiques across the US, Canada and the UK.

Wanna see how to make it your way burger check out this video: