As I wandered down some random craft blog link path (which I'd love to give you, but got lost along the way), I came upon Saffron Craig. It's filled with all kinds of whimsically cute fabrics and projects. This site stole my heart, and I think it's going to cost me a lot of money to buy it back!
Broken camera, I will not let you keep me down! Kati Cupcake's blog is giving away a sweet Porch Pots quilt, flled with all kinds of lovely Amy Butler fabrics. I'm not sure when the contest ends, so head over soon and check out how you can enter to win!
I'm sort of ashamed to say that I've never really embroidered anything. I've always loved the look of it, but just never really got around to giving it a try. I cross-stitched a little when I was a kid, but I never really stuck with it. But then after looking at sites like Feeling Stitchy and Sublime Stitching, a magnetic force seems to be pulling me toward stitching.
So I did a little bulldog pillow in honor of the bulldog Shane and I will someday have.
I found a photograph of a bulldog on Flickr, and traced the outline onto wax paper. I made a few drawing adjustments to make her look super cute and kind of silly.
I then used double-stick tape around the edges (the part not drawn on) to attach the outline to my fabric. I layered my fabric on a piece of leftover quilt batting and then put them both in my embroidery hoop.
Then I just backstiched all the way around her. I used three different colors of embroidery floss: a light blue for the body, a black-blue color for the face features, and a coral for the floppy, sloppy tongue.
When I was done, I carefully peeled the wax paper off. I used tweezers to pull out the parts that got trapped under my stitches. It's not as time consuming or tedious as you'd think.
And there she is, all done. I sewed some fabric to the back, did a light stuffing, and threw the little pillow on my bed. It was lots of fun and didn't cost more than $2 since I had everything but the hoop. Now I can't wait to do more of it!
In between riding bikes, garage sale-ing, and taking walks, I made this fun little bag using instructions from the book Sew What Bags. I know I shouldn't even have plastic bags given the number of cute fold-up totes I own, but they still seem to sneak their way into my home. And when you can't beat 'em, you join 'em. I made this tube using some leftover fabric I had. It's quite simple...just a two casings on the end for elastic and one seam down side. Voila!
If you look closely toward the bottom (or click the pic to make it bigger), you can see a Target bullseye showing through.)
I'd really like to make more of these since they were so fast and simple, but I'm guessing that I shouldn't be encouraging plastic bag collecting.
There are lots of fun bags in this book. Now it's just figuring out which one too make next!
With the exception of that big gray bag in the middle (which could hold a small body), all of these bags fit into the tube. And now I can actually find things under my kitchen sink again!
I was just notified that I am the official grand prize winner...oh, who am I kidding? I put a comment on the STC publishing blog and I won a book. Woo hoo! And it's a book, I really, really wanted: Sewing Green! It's supposed to arrive in two weeks. I can't wait!
Four days til I fly away, so today's post is about the birds. I've made these birds before, but this batch is extra special because they're for Jess's wedding! As an unofficial member of the Bridal Brigade, I offered to lend a helping hand by sewing some birds she needed for her ceremony. I just love all the colors together. So springy!
All sewn and ready to go.
Open noses, ready to be hand sewn.
Machine stitched and ready to be flipped and stuffed.
OMG...look at how cute this little duvet is? It's killing me. But the best part is that Etsy gives you a tutorial on how to make it! Seriously!
I don't really use quilts as art since I love cuddling up in quilts more. But I know how beautiful they can look in a room. And in a cubicle...genius! This mini-quilts are called Cubicle Quilts, and they're just the right size. The details are amazing...but yeah, the camera. Whatever. I'm over it.
Here are some sewn treats from the Art Auction.
I can't believe how detailed this fairy and tree house are. I just wish my camera would've captured it better.
Another one my camera fails to show detail. In real life, this bag has so much texture.
Rubber ducky, you're the one. You make sleeping on the couch when it's cold so much fun!
I saw this Love Letter craft over at LucyKate Crafts. She gives a whole tutorial on how to make it. So if you need a last minute love note for your Valentine, head on over there.
Remember the sweet bunny that Stacey made and I won in the Christmas swap? (If you don't, go here.) Well, in place of playing work-Yahtzee the day before Christmas break, Shelley and I decided to get crafty instead and make some of our own bunnies. I thought we would just make one, but then as rabbits do, they multiplied. One turned into four for me and six (or more?) for Shelley. We started cutting these bunnies out at work, and then I sewed and finished my bunnies over break. The one bunny not pictured hopped off to my mom-in-law's home as a Christmas gift. The three below are still lurking around my home. I don't know how I really feel about them. I'm not really digging them at all. The one I gave as a gift was pretty great. But these...eh. Not sure what to do with them now.
It should come as no surprise that Shane and I don't always see eye-to-eye on home decorating. That was most certainly the case when it came to coasters. I know, I know...coasters? Who cares. But I think you'll understand when you see the evidence:
The Blain's Farm and Fleet flyer has been sitting on my end table for weeks. Everytime I go to throw it away, I remind myself that we don't have any coasters and this flyer will just be replaced with another. So why waste the energy on walking it to the trash when the effort should be put forth made making coasters I actually like. And thus:
Ah, much better. Nothing fancy, but it beats Blain's Farm and Fleet.
Case closed. I win.
I received the fabric for my living room redecorating project....YAY! It's just as wonderful as I'd hoped. Here's a quick look at the pillows in progress, inlcuding the glass of wine that is an integral part of the creative process. The pillows are actually all done, but I wanted to wait for the big reveal until the LR is complete...or close to it anyway (is decorating ever really complete?).
When I first started buying materials for my quilt (which is now finished, but I have to take photos still), I bought a king-size jersey sheet made by the Company Store at St. Vinny's to possibly use as a backing. It turned out to be too small, but I didn't want it to go to waste. So I put my creative mind to task and figured out a way to make it into clothing. Voila...I give you the sheet shirt:
(Can I just say that all clothing should be made out of super comfy cotton sheets...it's like being in bed all day!)
The sheets as pictured on The Company Store site. My shirt was made from the pale yellow ones (to which my husband and brother would respond: "Thank you, Captain Obvious.")
As many of you know, I'm not game for making babies. However, I'm always game for making stuff for my family's and friend's babies! So I couldn't be more excited (well, I guess I could) that Amy Butler has a new sewing book, Little Stitches for Little Ones, that focuses on baby items....and not just any baby items, REALLY CUTE baby items. I haven't gotten a chance to see the book in person yet, but from the pictures on her site, it looks like it's filled with lots of fun projects!
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