Give a Gift, Keep a Keepsake

As you craft a wonderful gift for someone special, make yourself a keepsake that will remind you of the gift for years to come. This tip is geared mainly towards quilting, but can be used with any craft project that leaves behind 'scraps'. The supplies needed are simple and found in most department, grocery, or craft stores. To complete your keepsake, you will need all supplies for your craft project plus a small mason jar and approximately 18-24 inches of twine.

After you sew triangular pieces of a quilt together and press the seam allowance to one side, you are left with tiny "bunny ear" bits of fabric which hang over the edge of your piece. Most times, you would clip these off and toss them in the nearest trashcan. Why do that when you can create something for yourself with them? When you clip off these extra bits of fabric, collect them in a small mason jar. Once the quilt is finished, cut out a small square of one of the fabrics used with pinking shears. Use this in place of the flat part of the mason jar lid, then screw on the other part of the lid. Using an 18-24 inch long piece of twine, tie a bow around the top of the jar. You now have a reminder of the gift you so lovingly made for someone special. If you are like me and craft most of your gifts to others, you can also make a small tag to label your keepsake jar. Cut out a small rectangular piece of muslin and write the date, name of project, recipient, etc. on it using a permanent fabric marker. Reinforce the tag with another piece of muslin and a double-sided iron on product like Stitch Witchery. Trim the edges of your tag using the pinking shears, then cut a small slit in one corner. Slide the twine through the slit before tying in a bow around the top of your mason jar keepsake.