Friday, July 13, 2012

#507...me on tv

This week, Fox news reporter Sally MacDonald came to my studio and we taped a "Do-it-Yourself" crafting tutorial which will air tomorrow (Sat. July 14th) on Houston's local Fox station during the morning newscast. It airs from 5am to 8am, so I'll be setting my DVR to record it. Once it airs, there will be a video link on their website, which I will post a link to when available.
For the how-to tutorial, we used laminated cotton (also commonly called oilcloth) to cover a plain glass vase and a small thrift-store side table. I have previously posted about both these projects here and here. Other projects I've made with oilcloth include this storage bin, these tote bags, and this baby backpack.

Here's a little background on the difference between oilcloth and laminated cotton. Oilcloth is an old-fashioned fabric, made from a thick layer of PVC infused on top of cotton mesh. It is very thick and harder to sew than its modern day counter-part laminated cotton. Oilcloth makes great tablecloths, floor mats, placemats, outdoor seat cushions, and is easy to use for flat projects. Oilcloth contains phthalates (a chemical found in PVC and vinyl) so is best not used on any products that a baby may put in his/her mouth. Use laminated cotton for baby related projects. Here is another descriptive article about oilcloth from ebay.

Laminated cotton offers a modern take on oilcloth. It is make with a thick layer of cotton or canvas that is coated with a thin layer of polyurethane film. This coating does not contain phthalates and are not made with vinyl or PVC (polyvinyl chloride), making them a good choice for baby bibs, raincoats, shower curtains, tablecloths, diaper bags, totes, make-up bags and much more. It is typically a little bit thinner than oil cloth and has some drape to it, making it easier to sew.

Often laminated cotton is referred to as oilcloth, so just read the description before purchasing yardage to understand what you are getting. For some on-line shops look at

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