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Ask CRAFT: Labeling Fabric Bins

If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!

Kristina writes in:

My daughter's toys are organized in fabric bins. I need a way to label the bins, preferably:

with image and text, for my 3-year-old

in a way that a 3-year-old won't be tempted to rip the label off and tear the bin

in a way that can be changed out over time as she grows out of toys and they get replaced with other items

in a way that works with any color bin, since most folks use multicolor bin configurations

I'm unsure if the fabric of the bins can tolerate ironing, so I'm reticent about iron-on transfers.

These bins are so common now, and I'm surprised there isn't a product on the market to label them. CRAFT to the rescue?

Indeed! My best advice for you? Check out our Craft Rooms series, where we went inside crafters' spaces to see how they stay organized. There are lots of labeled compartments, for sure! For your particular bins, I'd recommend sewing on clear vinyl pouches, into which you can slide a printed label with text and an image. For a tutorial on sewing with clear vinyl, check out our Car Craft Caddy project. Another possible solution would be to hand-embroider the pictures and text on the fronts of the bins. This would be safe and tamper-resistant, but also quite labor intensive. Hope that helps, please send us pictures of your solution! If you have advice for labeling Kristina's bins, let her know in the comments below!

Above image by Mama Bluerose.

Posted by Becky Stern | Feb 3, 2010 09:00 AM
Ask CRAFT, Craft Rooms & Organizing | Permalink | Comments (8) | Suggest a Site

How-To: Zipper Heart Pouches

How fun are these little zipper heart pouches from Molly's Sketchbook at the Purl Bee? And even though the idea of inserting a zipper on a curve seems a little daunting, she's given excellent, clear instructions that will walk you through the process in a snap.

Apply Now: Bazaar Bizarre for Maker Faire Bay Area

Bazaar Bizarre at Maker Faire is now accepting vendor applications! If you'd like to sell your handcrafted wares at the Faire, head over and apply!

DIY Light Umbrella

Kristen of Pommes Frites shares how she turned a dollar store umbrella into a handy light umbrella to diffuse even light over her photography subjects.

Flashback: Woven Map Basket

Maps can be amazing design elements, with all their intricately drawn lines and minute details. But what do you do with a regular paper map that is starting to fall apart from use? In CRAFT Volume 05, crafter Jane Patrick suggested we weave maps into baskets, a fun and interesting way to reuse castoffs and weave a little memory into a functional item. Check out her full tutorial here and pick up a back issue of CRAFT Volume 05, the Paper issue, in the Maker Shed.

Woven Memory Basket
Weave your vacation road maps into an attractive souvenir.
By Jane Patrick

Think of basketry as three-dimensional weaving. If you ever wove paper as a child, that's the basis for this plaited basket. You begin by weaving a flat base, and then upturn the strips (called stakes or weavers) to make the sides, in what is referred to as bias plaiting. You'll be surprised by how sturdy your paper basket will be.

Baskets can be called a true handcraft because almost any basket you'll see anywhere in the world has been woven by hand. It's one craft they just haven't learned to make well by machine.

This project repurposes maps from your travels to weave a practical, attractive basket full of memories of trips taken and experiences had along the way.

Read full story »

My Own Moss Terrarium

For my birthday last Friday, CRAFT Contributing Writer Brookelynn Morris gave me some moss and other naturey bits from her neighborhood in northern California. This may seem strange, but the only natrurey bits I can find around my neighborhood in Brooklyn involve garbage and concrete, especially this time of the year when its too cold for even the resilient plant species. I brought my moss home and promptly used the guide she posted last week about mossariums to assemble a habitat for my new green fuzzy friends in a jar from this great dish/kitchenware store in NYC, Fishs Eddy. I used the sea glass BK gave me, some sea shells, and some wine corks as the substrate to support my moss. I think it turned out great, I look forward to taking care of this low-maintenance terrarium for a long time to come. Thanks, Brookelynn! Check out the rest of the photos in my Flickr set.

More:

Crochet Saturn V Rocket

It's been well established that I'm a huge space geek, and as I prepare to head to Florida for the shuttle launch this weekend, I've got rockets on my mind more than ever. Of course, I flipped out when June shared this amazing crochet Saturn V rocket by Flickr user, Ms Premise-Conclusion. I'm in love.

You can follow along with my shuttle launch adventures over on MAKE!

Valentine Day Paper Cupcake Toppers

What's better than glitter, hearts, cupcakes and Valentine's Day? A cupcake topped with glitter and hearts FOR Valentine's Day, that's what.

Read full story »

How-To: Velvet Charm Brocade Necklace

How-To Tuesdays

Last week I shared a necklace that I made using some brocade and velvet scraps and simple chains. I love this piece, but I made it in a true creative moment with no camera in hand to capture the steps. Today I've finally got a tutorial to put up. I'm not a jewelry maker, and only have simple tools, so there could be better ways to work, but this is how I put it all together. Simple but gorgeous!

Read full story »

CHA 2010 Winter Trade Show Recap

Last Monday and Tuesday I had a great time in Anaheim at the CHA 2010 Winter Trade Show where I got to check out the latest craft gadgets and supplies while also catching up with my favorite crafty ladies. We had a tea time get together at the hotel with everyone and it was the first time I had a chance to meet one of my knitting idols, Debbie Stoller who was at the event to unveil her new line of Stitch Nation Yarn. Pictured above is me, Debbie Stoller, Sonya Nimri, and Kathy Cano-Murillo aka Crafty Chica.

Cha2010 Lionbrand Lion
Cha2010 Lionbrand2
My favorite booth was the Lion Brand Yarn booth for their creative yarn jungle featuring larger than life knitted animals like this lion here. You can also see the large boa constrictor that's wrapped all around the display. I also fell in love with the argyle giraffe!

Check out more photos and products after the jump!

Read full story »

DIY Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer 2010

The tie dye trend is in full gear as Erica from P.S. I made this grabs some of her favorite Tulip dyes and creates her own DIY Prozena Schouler S/S 2010 outfits for Who What Wear.

CRAFT has 20K Twitter Followers!

Hey crafty tweeps! We just exceeded 20,000 Twitter followers! If you aren't following @craft on Twitter, there's no time like the present! Thanks for your continued devotion to CRAFT! If you like our regular feed, you might also like our @craft_tips line, with one new crafty tip every weekday.

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Most recent posts: page 6 of 6