5 Simple Ways To Organize Your Scarves | Dollar Tree Hacks

scarves main image
wadded up scarves

If you’re like me and have a collection of scarves, knowing how to organize and store them can be a bit challenging. In this tutorial, I am going to show you 5 simple and INEXPENSIVE ways to organize all your scarves.

My scarves used to just end up wadded together in a wicker basket. They got all tangled and wrinkled and it was hard to find what I was looking for. I have tried several ways to hang, fold and store my scarves, and these 5 techniques seemed to be the most practical and effective.

What I love about these DIY organizing projects is that you can get the supplies at Dollar Tree or you may already have these items already in your home.

1-Shower Curtain Ring Scarves Hanger

I really like this method because

  • It takes up less space in your closet
  • You don’t have to have wall space to hang it
  • The materials and items to make it are inexpensive and accessable
  • If you have a lot of scarves, you can hang multiple filled hangers next to each other
scarves hanger and rings
hanging scarves

Instructions:

  • Apply the shower curtain rings to the hanger (I find 12 per hanger is a good amount).
  • Thread the end of the scarves into the rings and hang so the ring is in the middle of the scarf. **If your scarves are extra long, fold them in half first.

2-Plastic Cups Scarves Organizer

Now, this is as simple as you can get, and it is very cost-effective. Once again, you can pick up a bag of BIG plastic cups at the dollar store. The only drawback to this method is it does take drawer space. You could put the cups inside a short box as well.

What you’ll need:

  • Large plastic cups
  • Drawer or box to put them in
  • Tape to adhere the cups to the drawer (masking tape or duct tape)

Instructions:

READ THE FULL BLOG POST FROM ORGANIZING JUNKIE HERE

  • Apply some rolled tape to the bottom of the cups. This will help keep the cups from shifting around and tipping over in the drawer.
  • Arrange the cups inside a drawer or box. Fold the scarves lengthwise first and then roll them up and place them in the cups. (One scarf per cup)

3-Shower Ring Grid Scarves Holder

This is another inexpensive method and space-saving method.  You can make multiples and hang them in your closet next to each other if you have a lot of scarves.

What you’ll need:

  • 10 shower curtain rings
  • 1 pants hanger
  • Acrylic paint (optional)
  • Sponge brush
  • Painter’s tape
  • E-6000 glue or a Gorilla glue that dries clear
  • Super glue
  • Wax paper

Instructions:

READ THE BLOG POST FROM SPARK & CHEMISTRY HERE

4-Towel Rod Scarves Holder

This is another simple method; however you will need wall space to hang it, and you can’t fit as many scarves on the rack as the others.

What you’ll need:

  • Wooden towel bar
  • White spray paint
  • Level
  • Pencil
  • Electric drill/screwdriver
  • Wall anchors

Instructions: READ THE BLOG POST FROM THE CHRONICLES OF HOME HERE

5-PVC Piping Scarves Organizer

This method is similar to the plastic cup method, but a little more durable and sturdy. It does take some more time and a little more money unless you have some PVC pipe kicking around. You will need access to a saw.

What you’ll need:        

  • PVC cut to the height

Instructions: READ THE BLOG POST FROM BETTER HOMES & GARDENS HERE

Have fun getting organized!

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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DIY Valentine Paint Chip Bookmark / Kid Friendly Craft

diy valentine's paint chip bookmarks

I have always loved the paint chip sample displays at the hardware stores. All the different shades of color printed on paper just make me happy.

In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how you can take these little gems of colorful paper and make a fun Valentine bookmark. This is a very simple and quick craft that is kid-friendly and something unique that you can give as a valentine.

paint chip bookmark supplies

Paint Chip Bookmark Materials & Items Needed

You can get paint chips at all stores that sell paint (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.). Look for paint chips that have the least printed text on them. (You’ll be cutting that part off).

Paint Chip Bookmark Instructions

  • Cut off any text or already punched boxes like in the photo above.

paint chip bookmark

I like to use a paper cutter so I get straight even cuts. You could easily use scissors or even a rotary cutter and ruler.paper cutter paint chip bookmark

I love this paper cutter. It’s compact and works really well!

  • If you want to round out the corners, use a corner punch.
  • Punch a hole along the top middle part of the bookmark to thread a ribbon into. Fold the cut ribbon in half and stick the folded edge into the hole from the front to back.

  • Leave a little loop and thread the cut ends of the ribbon into the loop. Pull to tighten the knot.

  • You can leave the paint chip book mark as is, or you can punch some fun hearts into the bookmark. I have this heart punch set that has three different sizes in it. I use these often for cards and other crafts.

    paint chip bookmark heartsIf you want to write a little note on the backside of the paint chip you can do that.

paint chip bookmark green

That was pretty simple, right? What a fun way to re-purpose these colorful paint chips!

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Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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DIY Valentine Heart Branches / Love Grows on Trees / Easy Craft Tutorial

DIY VALENTINE'S heart branches
heart branches

Looking for a quick and easy Valentine craft? These heart branches are the most charming holiday decoration and are a great way to add a bright, happy pop of color to your home in the dead of winter. They are super easy to make and there isn’t a lot of supplies and materials needed.

Heart Branches Materials & Supplies

HEART BRANCHES CARD STOCK

Heart Branches Instructions

Each 3D paper heart requires two cut-out hearts. You can make the hearts all one color or use two different colors.

The hearts can be cut to any size. If you have a heart paper punch, they come in handy but are not necessary. You can always cut the hearts out with a regular pair of scissors.  If you have a silhouette or cricket, you could cut up a whole page of hearts in no time at all.

heart branches heart punch

I just used my heart paper punch. I really like this heart punch set. It comes in a set of three different sizes, and they actually get used quite a bit.

gathering heart branches

1- Gather some long, thin branches.

You can cut them from your yard, your neighbor’s yard or I’m sure you can find some fake branches at the craft store. I just love the look of branches, trees, and plants in my house.  (I will admit, it’s the middle of January, and I still have my Christmas tree in my front room-minus the decorations), and I LOVE IT! Some of you may have seen some of my past Christmas trees and how I love decorating a little outside the box.

2- Cut the branches to the desired length.

Prune any unwanted twigs.

3- Cut out cardstock hearts (two per heart).

I used the 2″ heart punch and the middle size punch.

Stack two hearts on top of each other and clip in place.

4-Sew the hearts.

Using a sewing machine start sewing at the BOTTOM TIP of the heart and sew a straight line to the NOTCH OF THE HEART. *****VERY IMPORTANT…DO NOT CUT THE THREAD.

heart branches thread

5- Turn the handwheel of your sewing machine so the needle is in the most upright position.

LIFT UP THE PRESSOR FOOT, (this will allow you to pull the thread easily from the bobbin and machine). Gently pull the heart away from the machine to extend the thread about 12 inches.

Cut thread and then cut the threads on the bottom tip of the heart.

To make the heart 3D, separate the hearts and open and fingerpress in place.

heart branches tying

6-Now it’s time to apply the hearts to the branches. 

Wrap the end of the thread around a branch (I find the little buds are great to tie to) and knot the thread. Clip thread and continue tieing hearts to the branches until you have a sweet centerpiece.

That’s it, pretty simple, right?

Heart Branches Video Tutorial

When it’s springtime, check out my tutorial for making tissue paper blossoms.

Here are some other fun Valentine ideas.

Heart hand warmers

Carrot hearts

Heart garland

Happy Valentine’s day crafting and remember to keep it SIMPLE!

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Jan Howell

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Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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A Beginners Guide to Rotary Cutting / Helpful Tips and Tricks

rotary cutting

When it comes to sewing and crafting, rotary cutting makes the task on hand so much easier and quicker. Here are some helpful tips and tricks you might want to know.

In this post I am going to go over:

  • Different types and sizes of rotary blades
  • Rotary blades
  • Changing the blade
  • Cutting mats
  • Rulers
  • Cutting curves
  • Cutting on knit fabrics
  • How to square off fabric pieces with the ruler and rotary cutter
  • Safety tips and useful accessories

Benefits of Using a Rotary Cutting Device

  • Get a clean straight cut
  • Quick cutting
  • Easily cuts multiple layers of fabric
  • Makes cutting shear and delicate fabric much easier
  • Cuts precise fabric for quilting cuts
rotary cutting cutters

Rotary Cutters

There are many different types and brands of rotary cutters out there. I’ve acquired and tried several different types of cutters over the years. Some have been great and some, not so much. Alternative cutting edges include blades for pinking or scalloping, which are interchangeable and less expensive than buying a special pair of shears.

Rotary cutters come in several different sizes. The most common sizes are 28mm, 45mm, and 60mm.

  • 28mm: cutting strips, squaring fabric, cutting curves and intricate pieces
  • 45mm: straight cutting, strip cutting, squaring blocks, can cut through multiple layers at once(up to 8 layers at once), cuts a variety of fabric types including thicker/heavyweight fabrics
  • 60mm: straight cutting, strip cutting, can cut through multiple layers at once(up to 12 layers at once), cuts thicker/heavyweight fabrics with ease

The 45mm cutter is the one I use most frequently and would recommend for your first rotary cutter.

Rotary Cutting Safety

Before I go any further, I want to emphasize how important it is to be cautious when using a rotary cutter. These blades are VERY, VERY SHARP!

You’ll want to make sure your fingers are out of the way of the blade.

Always cut away from your body. You may be tempted, when in a hurry to cut toward you, instead of flipping the fabric, but DON’T DO IT!

Apply the blade cover when not using the cutter. (I will admit, and my viewers catch it), that I don’t always follow this rule. It has come back to bite/cut me, a few times.

I really, really like this rotary cutter because it has an automatic retractable blade. When you cut, you’ll squeeze the handle and when you’re finished cutting and release it, the blade retracts. Its ergonomic handle is very comfortable to use and is one of my favorites!

 

How Do You Know When to Change the Blade?

Rotary cutting blades need to be changed occasionally. It just depends on how much you use it. You can tell if after cutting it leaves uncut sections or just doesn’t cut well. Don’t hesitate in changing it for a new one, because a new blade will make your cutting experience so much better, and safer.

How to Change the Rotary Cutting Blade

Each rotary cutting device will be a little different, but they’re all pretty similar. If you have an Olfa cutter, you can go on their website and find the different types of cutters and see how to change the blade. BE VERY CAUTIOUS when handling the blade.rotary cutting changing blade order

  1. Disassemble the cutter by first unscrewing the nut. ****Very important! As you remove each component, set them down in the order you remove them.
  2. Remove the metal washer and the plastic washer next.
  3. Pull the handle off the stem that holds the blade and set it aside. (I will go over what to do with the old blade in a bit).
  4. Carefully remove the old blade from the stem and replace it with a new blade.rotary cutting blade change
  5. Place the handle back onto the stem followed by the metal washer with the curve FACING UP like a cup.
  6. Next, place the nut back onto the stem and tighten until the front disk begins to spin. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN!
rotary cutting used blades

What to Do With the Used Rotary Cutting Blades?

As I have mentioned a few times, these blades are super sharp and you don’t want to just throw these babies in the trash. I recommend writing on the blade with a sharpie pen “USED” and placing it back into the case it came in. This way when you fill the case with used blades, you can just throw the case away.

The used blades come in handy when you want to make cuts on paper, cardboard, or other material that you wouldn’t want to use a nice new blade on.

Another tip: Write the date on the new blade, so you can have a reference for how long the blade has been on there.

Rotary Cutting Mats

Let’s go over the mats now. Using a rotary cutter requires a special mat underneath the fabric to protect your table and a special blade. (Don’t try using a rotary cutter without a cutting mat)!

Just like the cutters and rulers, there are A LOT of different kinds, brands and colors of mats out there. There are plastic mats, self-healing mats, and PVC mats. The most popular and known mats are the self-healing mats.

What is a Self-Healing Mat?

Self-healing cutting mats work by ‘absorbing’ the cut from a blade. The mat is made from many tiny particles that are pressed to create a solid surface: one that is not rigid like glass or hard plastic so that the ‘cut’ of the blade can be absorbed amongst those particles.

When you run a blade over and over in the same place on a self-healing mat, you’ll see that the damage becomes more pronounced as the cut makes more of an impact each time. Little fibers get stuck down in the cuts and eventually, you’ll have to replace the mat.

I have found a new kind of mat that I love! It’s called the BIG ROTARY CUTTING MAT. It’s made of PVC and is NOT self-healing.

rotary cutting mats

What is the Advantage of a PVC Mat?

  • Although it isn’t self-healing, it is quite durable and comes in all kinds of sizes up to 40” x 72”.
  • This mat is not supposed to warp and comes with a 5-year guarantee.
  • The company is a family business and is based in the USA. I like supporting local businesses.
  • Your rotary cutting blades will stay sharp longer.
  • You don’t have to put as much pressure on the blade.
  • It’s reversible and can be flipped to an all-white mat.

I have several sizes of these mats, but I LOVE my 36” x 60” mat. It fits really nicely on my sewing table where I sit my sewing machines.  When you cut on this mat, it will make little raised surfaces, but no worries. They send a little plastic scraper that you simply scrape over the surface to smooth it out, good as new.

Rotary Cutting Rulers

If you want to make straight cuts, which I’m sure you’ll want to do, you’ll need a ruler. This ruler needs to be made of durable plastic and there are a lot of different styles, widths, and colors out there.

They range in different widths and lengths. I would recommend getting a basic size to start with. I like this one. It’s 6.5 inches x 24 inches. 

rotary cutting ruler

Rotary Cutting Tips

Rotary cutters are great to square off a piece of fabric if you’re making a quilt or something that needs a square edge. (Watch the video tutorial where I demo exactly how to do this).

There is nothing more frustrating than to make a straight cut and have the ends not cut through all the way. TO AVOID THIS ISSUE, start cutting before the edge of the fabric and cut a few inches off the end of the fabric.

You can buy little accessories that make cutting a little easier. This BIG Mat Company has several different items.

I really like the ruler stabilizer. It is a little plastic rectangle that you can apply to the end of your ruler to act like a T-square or you can apply it anywhere on the mat as a straight edge. It’s really quite helpful.

***When cutting a straight strip, press firmly on the ruler and KEEP YOUR FINGERS OUT OF THE WAY!

I hope this was helpful and that you have fun cutting and creating.

Let me know in the comments below if you have any great rotary cutting tips to share with us.

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More