noelle o designs

I like clever words and pretty pictures.

[noelleodesigns]

Making a mini messenger bag

Making a mini messenger bag

This mini messenger bag is a pattern and design that I’ve always loved. (Watch the short) As a matter of fact the purse I use every day looks exactly like this one. I’ve made it many, many times over the years for the Beehive Bazaar, a local handmade market in Utah, where I live. When a quilter friend of mine asked me to make one for her, we agreed on a trade and then 3 years passed… And now, at…

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Shed to Greenhouse Project

Shed to Greenhouse Project

I’ve been dreaming of having a greenhouse most of my adult life, and now I’ve finally made it happen! Not only is it a place where my plants can thrive, but it’s a hideout for one when you need some sunny alone time with silence and just the company of plants. I hope you enjoy this shed to greenhouse project, be sure and watch the video! Follow along the very satisfying project of turning a…

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DIY paint and glitter pumpkins

DIY paint and glitter pumpkins

Here’s a quick and easy DIY- Paint and Glitter Thrifted Pumpkins, that’s great for anyone with a short attention span and a love of glitter. This project takes about 30 minutes (paint drying time included) so gather up your basic pumpkins and let’s get started! You will need: pumpkin paint (any color) paintbrush glitter (any color) newspaper or other paper to keep the mess…

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Recycled Sail Barbeque Cover

Recycled Sail Barbeque Cover, video tutorial DIY project, upcycle sail cloth with this easy sewing project

Have you ever wondered about how to recycle or upcycle a retired sail? I’ve had a few old sails stored in my garage waiting for another chance, a second life as a useful project. As it turns out sail cloth is perfect as a recycled sail BBQ cover. The fabric is white so it absorbs less sunlight, waterproof, sturdy and windproof. When my old shredded plastic barbecue cover protecting my cute red…

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Make a custom garage screen door

Make a custom garage screen door

Hello folks! My latest project goes through process of designing and fabricating a custom screen door for a garage bakery. The screen door is custom made for the bakers needs with 2 smaller zipper doors that can be easily opened to roll out racks of fresh bread to take to market or easily carry in supplies for another baking session. The key element in the design plan has baking al fresco in the…

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Installing IKEA kitchen cabinets

Installing IKEA kitchen cabinets

With multiple lifetimes of experience building IKEA furniture and Legos, stars in our eyes and Christmas looming a week away we started putting the kitchen together. I mean really… how hard can installing IKEA kitchen cabinets be? Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose- right? We decided to start building the bank of cabinets by the refrigerator first. It was just a wall of cabinets, no corners to…

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Recycling a Kitchen

Here’s a happy story in a world of news that seems to always lean toward the negative- my journey recycling a kitchen. This is my old kitchen- a perfectly good, serviceable kitchen; which is why I stuck with it for years. I couldn’t justify replacing it when there was nothing wrong with it. It wasn’t just the cost of remodeling, it was the wastefulness of discarding the functional. Everything,…

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Fabric Pumpkin Easy Sewing Project

Fabric Pumpkin Easy Sewing Project

The part I love most about this fabric pumpkin easy sewing project is the 100% usage of fabric scraps- if you’re so inclined. I am always looking for ways to use up the never ending heap of scraps of all sizes on my sewing room floor. The pattern piece sizes required for this project are such that you need look no further than the scrap pile- for the entire project. Amen.

This tutorial goes…

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How To Sew A Box Cushion Cover

How To Sew A Box Cushion Cover

Who has always wanted to learn how to sew a box cushion cover? As a seamstress, I feel it is an essential skill to have in your repertoire. There are a lifetime of applications with this skill. Whether you’re replacing cushions on a sofa, chairs, a camper, RV or outdoor furniture. You are investing in a money saving skill that can be tapped into time and time again.

My video tutorialgoes…

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How To Repair Ceramic Pottery

How To Repair Ceramic Pottery

Last winter this blue ceramic planter in my backyard cracked- good thing I know how to repair ceramic pottery. I’ve had this planter for at least 15 years, I love the color and I’m not keen on throwing it away because I know it can be fixed.

This is a quick and easy project for upcyclers and those who would like to learn to repair, reduce, repurpose. So much is thrown away everyday, let’s…

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How To Resize a Jacket

How To Resize a Jacket

How to resize a jacket or any other article of clothing is quickly becoming an essential skill in the age of global uncertainty. We live in an economically challenged world where purchasing new goods seems to refers to only the basics- such as food and toilet paper.

It’s up to us as humans to use the current situation as…

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New face mask pattern

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Fabric Scrap Weaving Project

This fabric scrap weaving project is a great way to recycle all of the fabric scraps that have been piling up around you! Starting with a Martha Stewart Crafts Knit and Loom Kit, I practice learning and demonstrating how to make a small trivet with home dyed fabric strips and then weaving them together into a placemat or rug. While not the quickest project, it’s very simple and a great project…

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How to Make a Face Mask

How to Make a Face Mask

How to make a face mask for corona virus (pollution, dust or germs) is a full video tutorialand free printable pattern (below) to help us each do our part. With global shortages of face masks as the corona virus continues to spread worldwide its time to take matters into your own hands. Be part of the solution, not the problem and make your own face mask. Save the purchasing of manufactured…

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Embellishing jeans DIY

Embellishing jeans DIY, fashion sustainability has never been so easy or looked so good.

It’s so easy to breathe some life back into an old pair of jeans with this embellishing jeans DIY! Refresh your wardrobe for the season with these 3 easy and cheap sewing video tutorials on fixing up an old pair of jeans into a whole fresh new look.

I was lucky enough to find a beautiful collection of vintage ribbon and trim trim at a local shop and ribbon and trim at local fabric or…

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Upcycling T-shirts in 3 Easy Projects

Upcycling T-shirts in 3 Easy Projects, a full step by step sewing project easy to follow video tutorial on how to refashion tee shirts and save them from ending up in the landfill.

We all have a stack of tee shirts- too good to give away or -heaven forbid- throw away but for whatever reason, we don’t wear them anymore. Check out these project examples then scoot over to YouTube for the full step by step tutorial on how to get started- a refashioning tee shirts upcycling project for your old tee shirt collection.

Here are a few shirts that I just don’t wear…

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How to repair Chaco sandals

How to repair Chaco sandals

We found a pair of brand new Chaco sandals at the thrift store- score! Chaco sandals are $130 full retail, and worn on repeat at our house. This Chaco sandal repair is definitely worth the try.

Someone had cut the strap that tightens the sandals way too short. This is probably why we found them at the thrift store. We decided to undertake the project to fix the shoe and lengthen the strap…

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