NEON & FELT VASE DIY

Things have been really busy here lately (or maybe just busy in my head:).  I’ve managed to finish a few sewing projects, including my mother-in-law’s long awaited bike bag, and will be posting those tutorials shortly.  I’ve also met with the amazing people at the UC San Diego Recreation Center, who want me to host a few more craft workshops and promote my work at The Felted Fox.  I am thrilled and honored!

In the meantime, our Matilija poppies started to flower and I felt they deserved some pretty neon vases.  Follow the tutorial below to make your own.

What you’ll need:

Plastic jar/bottle – I used plastic bottles and cut off the tops.

Scissors

Felt

Neon rope

Glue

Step 1:

Remove the stickers from plastic containers and cut off the tops (if necessary).

Step 2:

Cut a piece of felt large enough to wrap around the plastic jar.

Step 3:

Place a few beads of glue around the plastic jar and press the felt in place.  Cut any excess.

Step 4:

Glue the rope in place, starting at the base of the container.  Add a few drops of glue as you wrap the rope around the container. 

Add some flowers and enjoy!

Modeling my mother-in-law’s new bike/messenger bag.  Hope she likes it.

COPPER VASE DIY

We recently replaced our water supply pipe with copper after discovering the old piping was electrical conduit. Yikes!  There were several pieces lying about the yard, which I knew I could use for something.  These vases were the end result. I hope you like them. 

What you’ll need:

Step 1:

Cut the copper pipe to size.  I used a hacksaw to cut 2 pieces approximately 6” in length. 

Step 2:

Use sandpaper to sand down any rough edges.

Tip: Tarnished copper can be cleaned by rubbing vinegar and salt over it. 

Step 3:

Knead and roll out the oven-bake clay on a clean surface.  Once the clay is about ¼” thick, cut a circular base about ¼” wider than the pipe.

Step 4:

Press the clay down the sides of the tube, thinning it as you work your way down. 

Step 5:

Roll a larger piece of clay to ¼” and cut to the desired size. 

Step 6:

Roll the clay around the pipe and use the modeling tool (or your fingers) to pinch the seam closed. Lightly press the bottom sides to seal the base of the vase.

Step 7:

Using the palm of your hand gently roll the vase on a clean surface.  This will seal the seams and get rid of any pinching marks left on the clay. 

Step 8:

Cut out your desired shape.

Step 9:

Bake according to the instructions on the packaging.