1. Dab white glue between two toothpicks to form a cross and knot one end of floss diagonally across the center (fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Glue and tie toothpicks into a cross.

2. The wrapping technique is simple once you get the hang of it. The string goes over the top of the stick, loops under, then goes back over itself toward the next stick (fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Begin wrapping the floss.

3. Repeat the same technique of over, loop under, and cross over itself toward the next stick. Keep rotating the cross and wrapping around and around until the pattern emerges (fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Continue wrapping the floss.

4. Change colors by tying the new color string to the original (fig. 4).

Fig. 4: Add a second color of floss.

5. Continue wrapping the second color of floss the same as the first (fig. 5). Be sure to bury the knot tails toward the back as you continue to wrap in the rows of string.

Fig. 5: Wrap the second band of color.

6. Bend a small piece of wire into a U shape. Glue and tape the loop onto one toothpick end, allowing good overlap of the wire and toothpick (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: Add the hanging loop.

7. Continue wrapping the God’s Eye until just a bit of each toothpick shows. Then wrap the “neck,” where the loop is, several more times to cover (fig. 7). Tie it off and secure with white glue. Hold the tail in place for a few seconds to be sure it lays smooth. You can also add dabs of glue to the floss at the end of each toothpick to make sure they stay in place.

Fig. 7: Finish wrapping the floss.

1. Cut the hem off the tee and make another cut just under the spot where sleeves attach (fig. 1). This will leave you with a tube of knit fabric.

Fig. 1: Cut the shirt.

2. Fold the tube left to right (fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Fold the tube.

3. Cut strips about 1/2" (1 cm) wide from left to right, stopping short of the folds on the right side (fig. 3).

Fig. 3: Snip the strips.

4. Unfold the tube again so that the uncut folds are at left and right again (fig. 4).

Fig. 4: Open the tube.

5. Slide a piece of cardboard into the tube with the uncut section running down the middle. Snip a diagonal cut at the bottom and then more diagonal cuts to connect the slit on the left to the next slit up on the right as shown (fig. 5).

Fig. 5: Snip slits on the diagonal.

6. Center the remaining uncut section on the cardboard, and snip the slits on the other side of the tee straight across (fig. 6). This will create a long, continuous strip of knit fabric.

Fig. 6: Snip the remaining slits straight across.

7. Start at one end of the strip and begin stretching it so that it curls inward on itself, creating T-shirt “yarn” (fig. 7).

Fig. 7: Stretch the strip into yarn.

8. Snip three lengths of yarn to about 40" (1 m). Uncurl the ends a bit and stack the three pieces, then stitch the ends to hold them together (fig. 8).

Fig. 8: Stack and stitch three pieces of yarn.

9. Use masking tape to anchor the yarn ends to the table. Braid the yarn, then stitch the bottom end the same way as the top (fig. 9).

Fig. 9: Tape and braid the yarn.

10. Bring the two braid ends together and thread through the lanyard loop. Stitch to attach securely (fig. 10).

Fig. 10: Loop and stitch to the hardware.

11. Wrap a bit of extra yarn around the stitched overlap to hide it. Stitch and glue the ends to finish (fig. 11).

Fig. 11: Wrap and finish.

1. Measure and cut a paper template that fits inside your bezel (fig. 1). A little wiggle room is okay because the aida cloth’s thickness will fill it out.

Fig. 1: Make a template.

2. Stretch a piece of the aida cloth onto a small embroidery hoop. Trace the paper template onto the cloth to establish the borders for your cross-stitch design (fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Stretch the cloth and trace the template.

3. Cut about 24" (61 cm) of embroidery floss and divide it so you are working with only three strands (fig. 3). This will create less bulk for such a small design and bezel setting.

Fig. 3: Thin the embroidery floss.

4. Choose a rainbow of colors you like for this striped design. Lay them out in the order you want to stitch them. Choose the center color and make your first row of stitches in the center of your design. Make a full row of diagonal stitches first. Come up from the back of the fabric through the corner of one of the woven squares in the aida cloth. Stitch back down through the diagonal corner of the same square. Then do the same across the row (fig. 4).

Fig. 4: Choose your colors and make the first row of diagonal stitches.

5. Stitch your way back across your first row but with diagonal stitches that “cross” the first set to make an X (fig. 5). Stitch two rows of each color as described in the previous steps. Tuck the floss tails into some of the stitches on the back to keep them secure each time you switch colors.

Fig. 5: Make the cross-stitches, or Xs. Continue stitching two rows of each color.

6. When the design is complete, trim the fabric with a small border (about three rows) all around. Trim the corners at a 45-degree angle, being careful not to snip through the cloth too close to the corner threads (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: Trim the finished design.

7. Use a generous amount of white glue to fold back and secure the edges of your design (fig. 7). You can use small clothespins to keep the cloth in place while the glue dries.

Fig. 7: Glue back the edges.

8. Glue the completed cross-stitch design into the bezel and attach a jump ring and swivel clasp to finish (fig. 8).

Fig. 8: Make the zipper pull.

1. Make a dot at center of the wood circle. Divide the circle into wedges based on how many string colors you have. Draw lines through the center dot to make the wedge shapes (fig. 1). This example shows twelve colors, so the circle is divided into twelve wedges.

Fig. 1: Divide the wood circle into wedges (based on the number of string colors you have).

2. Use the cloth tape measure to mark evenly spaced dots all around the perimeter of the board (fig. 2). In this example, 1/2" (1 cm) spaces are shown. Make the marks about 1/4" (6 mm) away from the edge of the wood.

Fig. 2: Make pencil dots around the edges to mark nail positions.

3. Mark a pencil dot inside each wedge about 1" (2.5 cm) away from the center (fig. 3). This will be the anchor nail for each color of string.

Fig. 3: Mark a dot inside each wedge near the center.

4. Hammer nails at every pencil mark, keeping the nail heads at about the same height as much as possible (fig. 4).

Fig. 4: Hammer in the nails.

5. Lay out the colored string all around the edges of the circle (fig. 5). The color positions should match those on the color wheel, but don’t worry about being too exact.

Fig. 5: Position the string around the circle.

6. Knot the first color under the center nail head, trim the tail, and secure the knot with white glue (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: Knot the first string on the center nail and glue.

7. Wrap the first color from the center toward the edge nails and back and forth in a figure-eight pattern until all the edge nails in that wedge are used (fig. 7). Tie off the tail end along the last edge nail and glue the knot. Repeat the wrapping with all the other colors until the wheel is complete (fig 8).

Fig. 7: Wrap the first string color from the center to the edges to create a wedge shape of string.

2. Cut out the cardboard and paper circles (fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Cut out the circles.

3. Use paint or markers to make fun designs on each paper circle (fig. 3). Think about designs that will look interesting or beautiful while spinning.

Fig. 3: Create designs on the paper circles.

4. Attach the paper circle designs to each side of the cardboard using a glue stick (fig. 4).

Fig. 4: Glue the circles together.

5. Use a skewer to poke holes near the center of the disc (fig. 5). The holes should be about 1/2" (1 cm) from the center and aligned with one another.

Fig. 5: Poke holes in the center.

6. Snip about 48" (1.2 m) of yarn or string for the handles (fig. 6).

Fig. 6: Cut a length of string.

7. Thread the yarn or string through the holes in the disc and knot the ends to create a continuous loop (fig. 7).

Fig. 7: Thread the string and knot.

8. If you like, poke holes around the edges of the disc and attach jingle bells using jewelry pliers and jump rings (fig. 8). This not only makes a fun sound, but it also adds a bit of weight to the disc that makes it easier to twirl.

Fig. 8: Attach jingle bells.

1. Choose some pretty blossoms and snip them off very close to the flower head (fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Snip the flowers.

2. Arrange the blooms onto parchment or typing paper (fig. 2). Give them plenty of room so they won’t overlap other flowers when you press.

Fig. 2: Lay out the blooms on paper.

3. Carefully cover the flowers with another sheet of parchment or typing paper and stack heavy books on top to begin flattening the flowers (fig. 3). Leave this for at least 15 minutes, but the longer the better, even overnight!

Fig. 3: Cover with another sheet of paper and press.

4. Use a dry household iron on the lowest possible setting to press the flowers between the sheets of paper (fig. 4). Be sure the iron is emptied of water. High heat and steam will brown the flowers. Press firmly no longer than 5 to 10 seconds in each location. Do not slide the iron. Pick it up and press one flower, then pick it up and move to another. Check the flowers intermittently to see if they are fully dried. They should not feel moist. Continue pressing until you achieve very dry blooms that feel delicate like tissue paper.

Fig. 4: Iron the flowers.

5. Carefully remove the top sheet of paper and remove the dried flowers (fig. 5). Be very gentle. Dried flowers are a bit brittle and can crumble.

Fig. 5: Peel back the paper and remove the flowers.

6. Tape down a sheet of shelf liner shiny-side up and paper-backing-side down. Arrange your dried flowers on the sheet to make a set of stickers (fig. 6). You can use a single bloom or a little cluster. Just be sure your clusters are not larger than the width of the packing tape.

Fig. 6: Arrange the flowers on shelf liner.

7. Rip off squares of packing tape and carefully cover each flower or cluster (fig. 7). Press down firmly to get a good seal all around the dried flowers. You should maintain about 1/4" (6 mm) border of packing tape all the way around each flower or cluster to be sure the packing tape is securely adhered. Press out any air bubbles.

Fig. 7: Tape down the flowers.

8. Use scissors to cut out each sticker (fig. 8). Don’t trim too close to the flowers. Keep at least 1/4" (6 mm) border to be sure there is a good seal.

Fig. 8: Trim the stickers.

9. To use the stickers, simply peel away the shelf liner paper backing (fig. 9)!

Fig. 9: Peel and stick!

1. Pin three layers of linen together (you may want four or five layers if it is very thin). Carefully open up a cardboard sleeve from your local coffee shop. Trace it on the fabric with an extra 1/2" (6 mm) all around (fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Trace the template.

2. Cut through all three layers of fabric so that you have three same-size stacked pieces (fig. 2).

Fig. 2: Cut out the cozy.

3. Loop about 3" (7.5 cm) of thin elastic and sew the ends between two of the layers of fabric on the short end (fig. 3). The ends will be sandwiched between the layers and secured even further by all the rows of stitches you’ll be making.

Fig. 3: Sew the elastic loop.

4. Remove the few pins you were using and replace them with more pins about every inch (2.5 cm) or so perpendicular to the cut edges, points facing outward (fig. 4). This will help hold the layers together and in alignment as you begin stitching. You can remove them as you go, once the stitches begin doing the job.

Fig. 4: Reposition the pins and choose the floss colors.

5. Thread your needle and knot the end. Make a row of small, even stitches very close to the top edge (fig. 5). You can push the needle in and out of the fabric several times before pulling through to make three or four stitches at once. This also helps to keep the rows fairly straight and in line. Continue with all the colors, doing as many rows of each color as you like until you reach the bottom edge. Simple knots on the back are fine as you finish with each color.

Fig. 5: Make the rows of stitching.

6. Try your cozy on a cup to mark the position of the button and stitch it in place (fig. 6). Knot the tails securely on the back.

Fig. 6: Add the button.