Fabric Bandages Tutorial

On Valentine's Day I had an unfortunate moment when I lost my mind: I put my finger too close to the foot of my embroidery machine. Thankfully, the guard around the needle kept my finger relatively safe. Unfortunately, the metal automatic threading mechanism and the needle foot come within millimeters of one another, and at amazing speed (600 stitches/min.)

My poor finger didn't have a chance.

In a bit of an ironic twist, my friend Amber had just posted on Facebook the day before that she had sewn her finger in her embroidery machine. I will admit, I kind of chuckled as I quickly hit 'like'. Who would sew her finger in the machine?

Pride goes before the fall. 

Soon Amber and I were swapping sewing wounds, and I noticed she had a cool Super Woman band aide. Amber pretty much IS Super Woman, so it is entirely appropriate. All I had was a brown ugly bandage, which just wouldn't do.

So I suddenly had a great idea! Why not try to make a few that would be pretty. Now I'm almost excited for the next time I do something stupid that requires wearing a bandage.

Here are the directions so you can make some pretty bandages too:

Fabric Bandages

1. Find some scrap fabric... I used 100% cotton.

2. Gather Supplies: fabric bandages of all sizes, spray adhesive, parchment paper, a cookie sheet, and your scraps from above.

3. Iron your scraps so they are wrinkle free. Place scraps on parchment line cookie sheet, wrong side up. Take outside and spray with adhesive.

4. Press bandages, top-side down, to fabric. (I used a scrapbooking scorer. But anything will do.)

5. Give the glue about 30-60 minutes to dry.

6. Trim bandages to size!

Tip: If you cut bandages before the glue dries it will make your scissors sticky. Letting the glue dry helps. When finished use a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol and clean the scissor blades. The glue will come right off. 

Voila!

So, I learned four things last week:

1. Never try to adjust fabric in the hoop while the machine is moving.
2. Cloth diapers (for monogramming) make great tourniquets.
3. Making pretty bandages is fun, and requires nothing more dangerous than scissors.
4. Friends can make painful moments joyful!