Batching up five craft projects for September

A little while ago I shared a video that had caught my attention about batch prepping craft projects like you do meals. I loved the idea of planning out a craft in advance and getting everything that you need ready so that you can get started when you have the chance.

I set myself a challenge to batch prep five craft projects, using supplies that I already own from my craft stash, and to complete them by the end of the year. September always feels like a good time to start new things, and so here are the five craft projects that I've put together. There are a couple of Christmas ones, so that will help with my self-imposed deadline!

Autumnal beaded bracelets

I have had the supplies for this for so long, it's been about two years since I picked up a string of beads on holiday and thought they would be perfect for some bracelets in Autumn colours. I've sorted them by colour and also hunted through my bead stash for other beads which fit the theme. 

Beaded fish key rings

A second beading craft, because I definitely need to make a dent in my beading supply stash. I came across this craft in an article I was reading about alternatives to doom scrolling - the author had made a huge pile of them! I've watched a video tutorial online to make sure that it's something I can attempt, and luckily I already have some wire and the clasp. When I was watching the video I counted up how many beads are needed of each colour and gathered them all together. 

This is the video tutorial that I'll be using:

The gorgeous tiny cat plate was a souvenir from Kappabashi Street in Tokyo, isn't it lovely!

Christmas fabric gift bags

I have had some Christmas fabric lying around for far to long, and I've had no clue what to do with it. It's nice but it's not really my favourite, and I don't even remember buying it. So I've decided to make some drawstring gift bags to hold groups of smaller gifts under the Christmas tree. I love making drawstring bags, they are so easy, and very forgiving if your seams aren't quite straight, I don't even line them. I also have a pile of Christmas ribbon and cotton in various colours to use up from my stash.

So in my tub I have five pieces of Christmas fabric, a co-ordinating ribbon for each, and some coloured cotton which I will use in my sewing machine.

Christmas mug rugs or coasters

I saved some of the Christmas fabric, along with a few other co-ordinating pieces from my fabric stash, to make some Christmas themed mug rugs.

This is the pattern that I'm intending to use - Super Simple Mug Rug Tutorial for Beginners. To make each 5" by 5" mug rug you need four strips of different fabrics each measuring 2 1/2" by 6" which you then cut in half. So when I was preparing the fabric for my Christmas gift bags I chose my two favourite fabrics and cut a strip from each to use, along with other matching fabrics from my stash. I intend to make four mug rugs. 

I really hate measuring and cutting fabric, so having it all ready to go will definitely make me more likely to start the project! Both fabric projects are now stored next to my ironing board, so next time I am ironing I will iron the fabric pieces too.

Felt pumpkins for Halloween

For my final project I had my eye on my felt stash. I wanted to make something that used up quite a bit of felt (I have a whole drawer full!) and that was also something seasonal. I decided to have a go at some felt pumpkins and I found this tutorial to use which comes with a free pattern - DIY Felt Pumpkins with free printable pattern. 

My only problem is that I don't have much orange felt in my stash! So I pulled out some pieces in other seasonal colours which I'm hoping will work. I'm also using green felt for the leaf instead of fabric and I'll be using gold twine - I'm making sure that all my materials for these projects come from my extensive craft supply stash.

I have gone ahead and cut out the felt pieces - which is always the most off-putting part of any fiddly felt project - and I have the stuffing stored close by. So it's all ready to go!

Those are my five batch prepped crafts, I'll share updates as I complete them!