Hello everyone!

This is my first post on this blog, so before I get to the clothespins, I’ll let you know a little about me. For starters, I’m Kate and am in my junior year of college. I write another blog here and I also have an online yarn store, where I sell hand dyed and hand spun yarns. If you are on Ravelry, I’m Mustkeepknitting. If I’m not writing on the blog or dyeing for the store, I’m usually in class, working, or knitting.

On with the clothespins! I wanted my first tutorial to be something fun to make, and I thought these fit that and they are functional!

Materials:

• Clothespins (You can buy a pack of 50 for less than a dollar in the laundry section at Walmart)
• Pretty Scrapbooking Paper
• Modge Podge Matte Mat
• Modge Podge Gloss Lustre
• Paint Brush
• X-acto Knife*
• Paper Towel
• Cup of Water

*If you don’t have an x-acto knife, you can precut your paper. Place down your clothespin and trace around it. Now, carefully cut on the lines of your paper.

Instructions:

1. With your paintbrush, brush on Modge Podge Matte Mat to the front of your clothespin. Place your paintbrush in the water.

2. Place the clothespins face down onto the back of your pretty paper. I like to place mine on one of the edges, so I won’t have to cut all the way around.

3. Wait a minute or two, then slice the paper around the edges of the clothespin with your x-acto knife.

4. Take your paintbrush and dry it off with the paper towel. Now, brush the Modge Podge Matte Mat over top of the design on the paper. This adds a gloss to the clothespin, and also helps keep the paper down.

5. Let dry.

You’re done! Wasn’t that easy! Now you have a beautiful clothespin. But wait, what do you do with it? I love using these as chip clips! They also make great magnets if you put magnet tape on the back. Need party favors? Although these are very inexpensive and easy to do, they are a big hit at bridal or baby showers!

Try experimenting by painting the clothespins first, then adding paper, or just painting on funky designs.

Have fun!

Kate