Decorative Wooden Clothespins

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I hope your week is going great so far.  Today I've got another fun, little D-I-Y craft project--Decorative Wooden Clothespins.  You can use these fun pins on magnets boards, to adorn gifts, as place card holders and more.  I hope you enjoy making your own variations of these charming little clips as much as I did. 

Ribbon Flower Clothespins

Supplies needed:

• Standard wooden clothespins 
• Fabric scraps of your choice.
• Ribbon (variety)
• Embellishments - for flower center (optional)
• Colored pencils (optional)
• Thin strip magnets (optional)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors

1. Color the entire surface of your clothespin with your colored pencil until well-coated and then smudge with your fingertip to soften.  This gives your clothespin an overall worn/vintage effect.
2. The ribbon flower is identical to the ribbon flower I made for my jewelry and headbands (tutorial here) except instead of beginning with a felt circle, I just glued the end of the ribbon directly onto the clothespin.  Apply a small dab of glue with your hot glue gun onto the clothespin where you want your flower center and carefully press the end of your ribbon onto the hot glue.  Begin twisting your flower, using the hot glue as needed .  (If you want a fuller flower than is possible with the width of the clothespin, use a small felt circle as directed in the tutorial and then glue the felt directly onto the clothespin.
3. Turn the clip over and glue thin strip magnets (found at your local craft store) onto the back to use on a magnet board, or leave them blank to use as gift tag holders on presents, place card holders at your next party, etc.

Fabric-covered clips:

Gift giving idea: Using a strip of decorative cardstock or a fancy ribbon, clip a row of pretty pins to give as a gift to someone special.

Need a cute place card holder for a birthday party?  One that's easy and not time-consuming?  Then these are the clips for you.  These clips are easier to make than the first version.  You can even get your kids involved.  

Supplies needed:

• Standard wooden clothespins - 
• Fabric scraps in your choice of color
• Ribbon or other embellishments (optional)
• Double-sided tape - permanent
• Thin strip magnets (optional)
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors

1. Color the entire surface of your clothespin (except the side you are going to glue with fabric) with your colored pencil until well-coated and then smudge with your fingertip to soften.  This gives your clothespin an overall worn/vintage effect.
2. Pull out a strip of double-sided tape that is as long or slightly longer than your clothespin.  Attach it to the surface of the clothespin making sure to keep it smooth.  Line the tape up evenly along one edge so that the excess hangs off the other side.  With your scissors, trim the excess.
3. Place your fabric (right-side down) and then press your prepared clothespin tape-side down onto the back side of your fabric.  Turn over and with your fingers, smooth and flatten the fabric onto the tape.  Cut excess fabric off all sides.
4. Decorate if you wish or leave with fabric only.  You're done!

Fabric Pom Pom Flower Clothespins:

These pom-pom flowers are fun to make and really cute.  The picture of this clip (the first one on the left) doesn't really do it justice.  I've included a link to the great tutorial that I found on how to make these flowers (since it's near impossible to take photos of yourself making these).  So take a look at the tutorial before judging these cute little flowers.


Supplies needed:

• Standard wooden clothespins
• Fabric scraps in your choice of colors
• Needle and thread - color should match the fabric you will be using.
• Colored pencils (optional)
• Thin strip magnets (optional)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors

To begin with you will need to follow this pom-pom tutorial to create your fabric pom pom flowers.  It should take you only about 3-5 minutes per flower.  For a small circular shape you can use an object in your home as a template to trace around, such as a spool of thread. 

1. Color the entire surface of your clothespin with your colored pencil until well-coated and then smudge with your fingertip to soften.  This gives your clothespin an overall worn/vintage effect.
2. Apply a small dab of glue with your hot glue gun onto the clothespin and carefully attach your pom pom flower onto your pin by pressing it onto the hot glue. That's it!

Fabric Poof Flower Clothespins:
 

These poof flowers are quick to make and super cute.  They would be great for a cute birthday place card holder or a birthday gift as they remind me of balloons.  


Supplies needed:

• Standard wooden clothespins
• Fabric scraps in your choice of colors
• Needle and thread - color should match the fabric you will be using.
• Colored pencils (optional)
• Thin strip magnets (optional)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors

To begin with you will need to create your fabric poof flowers.  It should take you only about 3-5 minutes per flower.  For a small circular shape you can use an object in your home as a template to trace around, such as a spool of thread. Stitch around the entire outside edge of the circle with a running stitch and pull tight to gather into a poof.  Knot and tie off.  Make three poofs for each pin.

  

1. Color the entire surface of your clothespin with your colored pencil until well-coated and then smudge with your fingertip to soften.  This gives your clothespin an overall worn/vintage effect.
2. Apply a small dab of glue with your hot glue gun onto the clothespin and carefully attach your poof flower onto your pin by pressing it onto the hot glue. That's it!

I hope you will enjoy making your own fancy clothespins.