Series 2: Part 3 - AND THEN THERE WERE TREE

Welcome to Series 2 - Part 3 of AND THEN THERE WERE TREE!!! This is the FINAL episode in this little trio of denim tree crafts. To see Part 1, go out on this limb, and for Part 2 branch out right here. Tee hee.

Today we are making a tree pencil case. For the body of the pencil case, I made a lined-zippered pouch. There are several very good online tutorials that show how to make such a pouch. A good one is this tutorial @ Skip To My Lou!

As is most often the case, my part in this craft is purely superficial and ornamental. But I am OK with that!

To start, I drew up a little tree sketch and made myself a tree template, roughly 3 inches tall.

Now this craft uses the same basic concept as the last two in the series. However for this one, instead of using the jean seams to make the denim disc building blocks (see tutorial here), I actually cut into the pant legs to make tiny little 1/4 inch strips like this.

And with the gluin' and the rollin', I made little denim beads instead of large discs ... Look! It's like the denim discs made little babies or something! Aren't they cute?

Now these denim beads serve as leaves. I needed a trunk NOW or my tree was, well, a shrub.

I decided to use the remaining 1/4 inch denim strips to make my trunk as well. So I took one of the strips, and put some glue on the last few inches.

I folded it over on itself and placed it on the tree template to see how tall my trunk needed to be.

Added some more glue...

Folded the strip onto itself again...

Molded it to the template...

Added a bead for fun...

Added more glue... You see what's happening here?

In the fullness of time with the gluin' and the addin' and the moldin', I got me-self something that looks like a little trunk with nifty bark.

Now I put those little denim beads on top and lo! IT IS A TREE! A little 3 inch bonsai.

I let this tree and another (I made two) dry overnight with all the glue and everything.

The next day, I cut out the pieces for my pencil cases. I used zippers from the jeans. For the outer shell of the pencil cases, I used denim of course, and a little burlap!

For each pencil case:

• I attached the tree to one of the outer shell pieces before assembling the pencil case. I sewed on the tree pieces using a needle and thread and a simple running stitch.
• I then proceeded with the pouch assembly as in the Skip To My Lou tutorial.
• Afterwards, I coated the trees with a layer of varnish so the denim won't fray.
• I added a "customized" zipper-pull.

And that, as they say, was that.

Oh and here are the little pencil cases now!

Have a fantastic day!

P.S. I am a linker.