one less to-do, plus a {sewing} tip

So remember that I had promised my in-laws some placemats? Finally got it done! I owe this accomplishment to my big craft supply purge of a few days ago. Getting rid of my stash of useless fabric cleared my mind (and space) of old baggage, literally. As promised, I will no longer be stashing fabric just because it’s cute. I will only purchase what’s needed for each project. This goes for all aspects of life, really.

Here are my placemats. How’d I do?

I used the instructions from Amy Butler’s book, “In Stitches.” The instructions called for a brand of interfacing called “Timtex.” I have never successfully found Timtex in my local stores, but guess what? I found out I already had something on hand that substituted beautifully. While I was in store looking for a substitute for the Timtex, I realized that I already had a very similar material used for something totally different.

About 2 weeks ago I had picked up a roll of Wall liner from my favorite thrift. Wall liner is applied to walls and used to smooth out imperfect wall surfaces like wall paneling and such, before wall-papering.   Go here to see how it is typically used. I’m a sucker for rolls of paper(and other paper-like materials), and couldn’t resist the roll off wall liner. (That was before I decided to stop hoarding materials, thank goodness).

image courtesy of www.shelterpop.com

Wall liner feels almost like cloth or rag paper, and is very stiff, just like Timtex. I washed a piece of it first to make sure it was washable. This is what I used to give my placemat the stiffness. I’m not sure how much a typical roll costs in comparison to Timtex, but I paid about a buck for an 11 yard roll, so that was a cost savings to me. This is one time that buying a bargain item without necessarily knowing what I’d use it for paid off for me.

The beauty of being creative is the ability to draw out relationships between seemingly disparate things. What creative uses have you found? Please share your ideas!