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| Plastic Canvas Insert |
I stitched up this jar lid insert over the weekend. This jar's purpose will be storing all the nails, screws, bolts, picture hangers, etc. that end up in a junk drawer in the kitchen. By storing them in a jar such as this, I can easily see what I have and pour out the contents when I am ready to sort them. This particular insert is made from 14 count plastic canvas (sold for 99 cents at my local craft store) and was stitched using a pattern leaflet I purchased on Ebay. I chose to make the insert out of plastic canvas because it is less likely to become soiled and, if it does get dirty or dusty, can be washed gently in soapy water and laid out to dry. I prefer plastic canvas to aida cloth for any application which 1) I want to reuse and 2) which has the potential to get soiled. It is sold in colors, a clear look, and plain old white.
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| Slip on Jar Cover |
There are many ways to decorate/label your jars to use them for more than just jelly or jam storage. I purchased a dozen slip-on style jar covers for just $5 on Ebay. I stitch one up whenever I need a nice presentation for a jar gift. The chicken cover was a gift for my "Secret Santa" exchange at work and was a big hit. I also discovered a co-worker who enjoys cross stitch, which was an added bonus.
Rachel over at Paper Doily has posted this easy first-try cross stitch pattern for those of you looking for a quick something to whip up as a gift. Although Rachel stitched this up as an easy ornament, this would make a great topper for a small jelly jar to store ornament hooks. If you like it and/or use it, please stop by her blog, Paper Doily, and give her a howdy and a shout out!
Not someone who enjoys needle crafting? You can print out labels you design. Avery (www.Avery.com) sells print-to-the-edge round labels that can be used to label the lids of canning jars. There are also ones that go directly onto the glass. With free templates found on the Avery site, you can jazz up any plain old jar.
Happy Crafting!
