modern yardage fabric | a tutorial + a diy + giveaway! (CLOSED)

I was recently sent some fabric from Modern Yardage and wanted to share with you a few projects I made using these pretty prints. You also get a chance to win some for yourself! More on that in a bit. I was able to choose which prints I wanted to use and picked 3 from designer Liz Ablashi's collection. My favorite thing about Modern Yardage fabric. . . almost all prints come in multiple scale options - small, medium, and large. How awesome is that? I think that creates so many opportunities for combining fabrics that you might not otherwise have. I ended up picking the following prints:

crosshatch in mint (small) | found in trendy (medium) | isosceles in retro black (medium)

Modern Yardage fabrics are a little bit different in that they are printed to order. So, the three fat quarters I chose were all printed on a 58" wide piece of fabric. They use they extra space for extras like a message from the designer, craft projects, coupons, and more. I love all three prints I received but the triangles below might be my favorite!

The first project I made using my Modern Yardage prints was a new organizer wallet. This is a free tutorial I posted a few years ago and thought it was a perfect time to revisit it! It's a fairly quick project, takes minimal amounts of fabric, and makes a great gift for just about anyone. The wallet features a memo pad pocket, 2 card pockets, and another larger pocket which can hold anything from notes + coupons to an iPhone. The wallet is held securely closed with an elastic band. I added a diy leather label I made using a set of metal letter stamps and a hammer. 

Find the tutorial here!

I received 3 fat quarters from Modern Yardage and even after making the wallet, I had enough fabric left over for another project. I've been in the process of making over my sewing room and decided I wanted to add a little color to my desk. I figured I'd try my hand at making my own mouse pad using fabric. This is a really easy / no sew project and you may find yourself with a stack of mouse pads when it's all said and done! A few notes. . .using a white or light colored fabric means the the cork background may show through a bit. Also, I chose to use a piece of foam backing to minimize sliding - without it the mouse pad will slide around on your desk a bit. I used a neutral color to blend in with cork but you could also use a fun, bright color for a bit of contrast. If you purchase a 12" x 18" piece piece of foam and cork, you'll be able to make 2 mouse pads. 

Materials needed: 

- template 

- fabric

- sheet of cork ( 1/8" thick) *

- sheet of foam (2mm thick)

- craft glue 

- fusible web

*if you buy cork in a roll, you'll want to unroll it and flatten it with a heavy object before using

Tools needed:

-scissors

-rotary cutter | mat | ruler (use an old blade or one that you don't plan to use for fabrics)

-iron

-large heavy book

-pencil

-foam brush

-freezer paper or other non-stick material to protect working surface

Print out the template you can download here. Place the template on top of the sheet of cork and using a rotary cutter + straight edge, cut around the sides of the template leaving the corners intact. Using your pencil, trace the rounded corners of the template and then carefully cut them using scissors. 

Cut a piece of fabric and fusible web slightly larger than your template. Following package directions, fuse the web to your fabric. Let cool then peel off the backing. Next center fabric over the piece of cork and fuse together using your iron paying extra attention to the edges. Once cooled, place the mouse pad face down onto your cutting mat and trim off the sides using your rotary cutter using the cork as your guide. Remember to use scissors to round the edges. 

Cut a piece of foam slightly larger than your template and set aside. Using a foam brush, spread a thin layer of glue onto the back side of the mouse pad making sure the edges are well covered. Place the glue side down onto the piece of foam, cover with a piece freezer paper, and place a heavy book on top. Clean up any excess glue that may have squeezed out. Let sit for several hours to dry. Once dry, check the edges of the foam to make sure they adhered well to the cork. Use your rotary cutter and scissors to trim away the excess foam.

All done! 

How about some awesome fabric to make your own organizer wallet or mouse pad? Leave a comment below sharing your favorite prints from Modern Yardage! One lucky person will win 12 fat quarters of their choice from Modern Yardage.

• one entry per person (total of 4 entries possible with bonus options below)
• open to US RESIDENTS only
• winner will be drawn randomly
• entries will close Friday, February 7th, 2014 at 10 pm cst
• for a bonus entry, "like" Modern Yardage on Facebook and leave a separate comment below
• for a bonus entry, follow Modern Yardage on Instagram and leave a separate comment below
• for a bonus entry, follow Modern Yardage on Pinterest and leave a separate comment below

Good luck!