Making Homemade Golden Leaves for the Holidays

Make a golden leaf to use alone, as an evening clutch purse decoration or as part of a centerpiece. This is a very simple, yet gorgeous idea. Find fall leaves with interesting shapes and distinct edges, like a maple leaf. Purchase a section of heavier metal window screen from your hardware or home improvement store. Lay the leaf onto newspaper and put the screen on top so that the leaf is in the center. Measure the dimensions and cut the screen into a square larger that the leaf. Remove the leaf. Spray paint one sides of the screen with gold spray paint, and when it is dry, paint the other.

Lay the leaf flat on a piece of white paper and put the painted screen on the top of it. Use a black magic marker to trace the edge and the interior veins. Cut the leaf out leaving a black edging. Trace the outline of the leaf and the interior veins with a gold paint pen like those used to paint fabric, building the edge up. When it is dry, do the other side if you wish.

Use these beautiful leaves in homemade wreaths, centerpieces and as ornament. If you are making an ornament, outline a loop at the end of the leaf before you cut. Poke a hole in the center, after the paint has dried. Use any color of paint and matching paint pen.

Make small leaves for delicate jewelry.

Find small distinctly shaped leaves and follow the same procedure. Make certain the hole is reinforced well and put a jewelry loop through it and string on a gold chain. You can glue a small gold clip to the back for a pin.

Make a small black velvet clutch bag.

You will need a total of � yard of all materials used in the purse, black velveteen, black rayon for lining, and Pellon 65 interfacing or Timtex extra heavy interface. You will also need a magnetic snap, Frey Check or other material to stop unraveling, scissors, paper, pins, and a small leaf from made of screening. You can use silver, gold, pearlized white, or other metallic colors to paint the leaf, make certain that you have matching thread. .

Draw your own pattern on paper for the clutch bag. Cut a piece of paper that is 11"X 6" for the flap of the bag, and one that is 11" X 71/2 " for the body of the bag.

Pin the patterns to black velveteen and cut 2 pieces of each pattern putting the short end on the salvage. The top and bottom of the bag will be the 11" side. Run your hand across the velvet, from the top to the bottom, and find the nap. The nap feels smooth going down it. Whatever side is at the top when going down is smooth (or with the nap) will be marked as the top by placing a pin on the edge. Do this on all 4 pieces.

Use the pattern for the 11"X 6" side to cut a piece of interfacing. Trim away � inch from the long side and � inch from the short end.

Put the right sides facing on the 2- 11"X 7 1/2" pieces of velvet, making certain the two pins are at the top and stitch the bottom all the way across. Use a seam allowance of � inch.

Flatten the pieces out face down and cut the interfacing to fit the flattened piece. Trim � inch off the 11" side of the interfacing, and also off the14" side (the two 71/2' sides sewn together) of the interfacing. You will want the interfacing �" shorter all the way around your fabric.

Lay the 11" X 14" purse body with the right face down and pin the interfacing all the way around with the edges equally framed in fabric. Make certain that the center seam of the velveteen is laying flat. Baste it near the edge, all the way around, using either the sewing machine's largest stitch (recommended) or by hand.

Fold the 11"X 14" rectangle in half with the velveteen sides facing. It will now measure 11"X7". Stitch down both 7" sides. You can leave the purse like this or round the corners. If you choose to round the corner, Pull the center of the material apart and flatten the side down so that it forms a triangle with the side seam in the center meeting the bottom seam. Measure � inch from the top of the triangle (which will eventually be the bottom corner of the purse) and stitch straight across. Repeat on the other side. Open the seam allowance.

Turn the bottom right side out.

Pin and baste the interfacing to the wrong side of 1- 11"X 6" flap piece of material. Pin the right sides together, using the pins put in earlier as markers for the top. Sew the bottom and sides of the flap together leaving a seam allowance of � inch. You will need to clip close to the stitching at the corners at an angle so it lies properly. Be careful not to cut the stitches.

On one side of the flap material you need to make 2-1/8" slits that are � " apart. Put Frey Check or other medium that is designed to stop raveling around the opening. You then place the non-magnetic side prongs of the clip through the holes and bend them out to secure it in place.

Carefully center and stitch the leaf on with a very fine needle and matching thread to the opposite side of the flap. Secure it with small stitches over the veins of the leaf and the outside. Make certain that you stitch only through one side.

Put the flap against the bag body with the leaf decoration between the two. The raw edges of the two should be together. Stitch the flap to one side of the body, designating it as the back, using a �" seam allowance.

Cut two pieces of the black rayon lining out of the 11X7 � " pattern. Turn the right sides together and stitch down the sides, but not the bottom, using �" seam allowance.

Keep the lining inside out and put it over the outside of the purse and flap. Stitch around the top of the fabric � " from the edge. Lift the lining up and off the purse and turn it to the inside of the purse so you can accurately add the magnetic part of the snap.

In order to properly line the snap up, put chalk on non-magnetic part that is on the flap. Close the flap and line up the flap. Rub the chalk onto the body of the purse to mark the spot for the magnetic section. As you did prior, make 1/8" holes about �" apart with the chalk mark centered. Put Frey Check onto the opening and insert the prongs and press open to secure.

Pull the lining out of the body of the purse and turn �" seams at the open end inward and stitch close to the edge, closing the bottom.

Finish the purse by top-stitching the lining down where it connects to the flap. You can also stitch one or two stitches in the bottom corners to keep the lining down, if you find it necessary.