Project: Silk Stocking Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial

To get a copy of our full issue please visit our site

You will need:
Hand painted silk or fancy fabrics of your
choice
Needle and thread or sewing machine
Iron on interfacing
Ribbon for hanging
Scissors
Gold iron fix outliner for decoration (or
beads / buttons / sequins)

Step 1. Choose your fabric, with a
small enough pattern that it will look
good on the stocking. Choose a
contrasting or coordinating piece for
the top. You could also make a piece
of patchwork.

Step 2. Select a piece big enough
to make two stocking pieces, and
back it with iron-on interfacing. This
makes it more rigid and helps it to
be a more robust tree ornament.
(The interfacing is optional if you are using heavy / upholstery fabric.)








Step 3. Cut out two stockings,
leaving room around them for
seams. Remember you need one
facing each way, so you may want
to do this by folding your fabric in
half.

For the full tutorial, download our Christmas Issue now!

Helpful Hits - Tax and Tax Returns

Helpful Hits - Tax and Tax Returns

Published in Issue 23, June 2013

Written by Jane from Jane Cameron

www.janecameron.co.uk

Yes, it’s the annual horror, those sleepless nights coming up to 31st January when your Tax Return is due! How can you make it easier? How do you know you’ve got it right? What resources are out there to help you?

How often should you do your accounts?  

Well, the HMRC require you to do your self employed return once a year. Normally your return is due in January for the year which ended the previous April, so you have about 9 months to get it done.

However, it’s a really good idea to do your sums every month (set aside some time on the first Monday of the month, or something similar) as that way you know how your business is doing.

What information do I need?

 What you’ve earned (income), and what you’ve spent (expenditure).

 Having all your information in one place is a wonderful thing.

 Get yourself something to keep your receipts in (even if it’s a bucket!).

 Set up a folder in your emails where you can keep all your online shopping receipts, and another one for your sales.

 Keep a little notebook in the car (or write your mileage in your diary).

Helpful hints:

 Don’t try and do it all at once!

 Some credit cards only keep the information online for three months, so download your statement every month (the .csv file format is good for reading in Excel or other spreadsheet programmes).

Do I need fancy technology?

 It’s a good idea to have some sort of spreadsheet to add everything up. Basically it can have “In / Out / Date / Who to or from / What for” and that will cover most of it.

 If you’re scared of spreadsheets, go on a course or look at some online tutorials. There’s Excel by Microsoft (as part of the “Office” suite), and also OpenOffice’s spreadsheet program, called Calc, which is good and free!

 If you want to be fancy you can get programs like Quickbooks, which you can add all your information to and it will calculate your tax. However, these aren’t necessary at first.

What can I claim for? Can I claim a proportion of my household bills? 

 Equipment and supplies you use for making your lovely items (if the equipment is expensive then you may need to claim back the cost of it over several years)

 Courses you go on to maintain (not improve) your standard – e.g. an annual refresher is fine but going to learn a new skill (which would subsequently increase your income) is not.

 You may be able to claim a proportion of your household bills if you work from home

 Here’s a link to what you can claim for: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim47820.htm

 You can’t claim for food unless associated with an overnight stay, nor can you claim for clothes unless they are really specific to your job (e.g. Kevlar gloves)

Do I need an accountant?

 Not necessarily. When you’re just starting out with a small craft business your tax return should be fairly straightforward.

 If you do want an accountant, shop around. Some places accountants do a monthly payment (which can be good as you know where you stand).

Online tax return

Yes, you are expected to do your tax return online. When you register for the first time your username / password may take some time to come through, so please register early enough that it will be with you in time. Keep your password somewhere safe.

Might I get money back?

If your business is making a loss and you are also working (employed) then you may get a rebate.

Can I be employed and self employed?

Yes you can. If you are doing a lot of self employed work you may have a duty to tell your employer.

I need help!

You can ring the HMRC and ask them questions. Be prepared to be on hold for a while as they can be quite busy. A useful telephone number for them is 01355 359022.

The HMRC have webinars and e-learning packages to help you, and also run courses on how to get started and fill in your tax return

This is a very useful link. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/startingup/help-support.htm

Jane Cameron.

Please note: This introduction is no substitute for specialist advice.

Marbled Tie (on shaving foam!)

Marbled Tie (on shaving foam!)

Published in Issue 23, June 2013 

Written by Jane from Jane Cameron

http://www.janecameron.co.uk/

This project would make a perfect gift for Father’s day.

You will need …1 plain white silk tie
Iron fix silk paint in your choice of colours
Pipettes or droppers
1 can economy shaving foam
1 bin bag
Cocktail sticks / kebab sticks / marbling comb
A plastic ruler or similar
An old credit card

Step 1. Cut your bin bag down the sides and open it up so you have one long piece of plastic. This should be as long as your tie. Tape it to the table.

Step 2. Spray the shaving foam on to the plastic in about the same shape as your tie. Smooth it down with the ruler so it’s nice and flat.

Step 3. Use the pipette to drop the paint on to the shaving foam

Use the cocktail sticks or marbling comb to make patterns in your shaving foam. Try drawing stripes or spirals in the foam.

Step 4. Lay your tie face down on top of the foam and pat it down. Leave it for half a minute so the paint can soak into your tie.

Step 5. Peel the tie off the foam quickly, starting at one end – most of the foam should stay on the binbag.

Step 6. Put your tie face up on the bin bag and scrape off the excess shaving foam with the credit card. Then repeat the process for the back of the tie.

Leave your tie to dry naturally.

Iron your silk (as per instructions on the bottle) to fix the paint into the silk, then gently hand wash to remove any shaving foam residue. Iron while damp to ensure a nice smooth finish. Your item can also be dry-cleaned.

Why not do a matching handkerchief, or a piece of fabric to cover a notebook?

To find stockists, and more about the fabulous art of silk painting, visit Jane Cameron at www.janecameron.co.uk and the Guild of Silk Painters at www.silkpainters-guild.co.uk.

Hand Painted Silk Cards

Hand Painted Silk Cards

Published in Issue 22, April 2013

Written by Jane from Jane Cameron

http://www.janecameron.co.uk/

Suitable for ages 8 and up, or younger children with parental supervision. 

Adults will love this too!

Always do your painting on a wipe-clean surface, and wear an apron. The outlines in the kit have a special backing which means you do not need a frame.

Put a little paint in your palette. The colours can be mixed (for instance, red and blue make purple, while yellow with a hint of blue will make green). If mixing, always start with the lighter colour and add a little bit of the darker colour to it. You can dilute the colours with the white paint, or with water. This will give more pastel shades.

Dip your brush in the palette, and touch it to the silk – the colour will spread on to the silk so you don’t need to paint too close to the lines.

It’s a good idea to finish one colour before moving on to the next. Ensure your brush is clean by washing it in the water pot.

Yellow with a hint of blue will make green. When doing smaller areas, only dip the tip of the brush into the paint. Any overflow will stain the silk, but you can often remove most of it with a clean wet paintbrush and kitchen towel, if you try before it dries.

When painting a larger area in a custom colour, do make sure you have enough paint to cover the full area.

While the silk is still damp, you can paint over some of your work in another colour, if you like. Try painting stripes or dots on top, and watch the colours move. You can also paint one area in several colours if you have two brushes and start one from each end.

Once the main outline is completed, you may wish to paint the border. To paint the border, first make sure you have enough paint to make it all the way round. Then, work both ends at the same time to stop one end drying and making marks on your silk.

Your card is now painted. Wait for it to dry (about 10 minutes), then iron it by placing a dry cloth (e.g. a tea towel) between the silk and the iron. Use a normal iron, and turn off the steam. Note that the cards may curl up while they are drying. This is normal, and they will flatten out again once ironed.


You can then start to assemble your card. Cut around the card to neaten the edge. You may wish to leave some of your border, or cut around the gold line. Glue the back of the picture using a glue stick, and place it on the front of the card.


Press the card until the glue has set.

Congratulations! Your card is now complete.


If you would like to paint your own fabulous silk cards, you can buy kits from my website. The kit includes everything you need to make 5 fabulous cards and comes in a range of designs.


If you would like a more challenging project and the ability to create your own outlines, try my “Silk Painting Starter Kit” instead, which has been approved by the Guild of Silk Painters. This includes one silk outline to get you started, along with everything you need to start painting on a frame. Just add a jar of water and a piece of kitchen towel!


Happy Painting!
Jane Cameron.


www.janecameron.co.uk
www.facebook.com/janecameronartist
www.silkpainters-guild.co.uk