Happy Friday! I hope this is a great day and an awesome weekend for you. I have the scrap giveaway winners chosen from the "virtual hat" called the random number generator. They are:
If you're in luck, please send me your shipping address. If you didn't win out this time, then maybe you'd like to leave a comment for a patchwork pincushion? I'll have the comments open until Monday. The best part? You can pick which one you'd like!
Hi there! I've been spending way too much time with my head in the scrap bin this past week, whipping up a bunch of pincushions. I have a few now in my etsy shop and have many more in various stages of cutting and piecing. I know it's not groundbreaking sewing, but the act of collecting patterns and putting them together is very soothing to me. Simple projects can make you feel surprisingly happy and fulfilled.
I haven't had a lot of takers on my scrap stash giveaway, so if you haven't commented yet, please do! You can leave your comment here or on my last post.
As I was digging around, I realized that every little scrap had a story to tell. I can remember how and when I got each piece (for the most part). In the pincushion above, a friend gave me the vintage strawberry tea towel which I cut up and another friend passed along the vintage fruit ribbon as part of a birthday gift. She surprised me with an entire shopping bag full of all kinds of trims and notions, many vintage, and a few in their original packaging. I was in heaven. And now I get to pass a little bit on to someone else. That's the way the world goes 'round!
And I will have a cushion to pass on to one of you next week, so stay tuned.
We had our first bit of rain today. In our neck of the woods, that's pretty early. We're usually still sporting flip-flops and pit-stained t-shirts well into October. I panicked. I'm not ready! I'm not organized! For goodness sake, we still have swim goggles hanging on the kitchen doorknob. So I poked around on the internet (which is my solution to many things--don't do anything, just research what you should do) and found some pretty darn cute and clever ideas to get things in order. Just click on the pics, they should guide you to their source and project directions.
These are the first thing I lose around here. With such a cute key rack, I would happily hang 'em up!
photo courtesy of How About Orange
Yes, yes, yes! I practically did a happy dance when I saw this one. You never see peoples "stuff" on the designer blogs. Well, I have kids--and the school paper trail is painful. Such a cute sorter. Great directions, to boot.
photo courtesy of bright and blithe
I love the color combos on these cans. Although this is a Father's Day tute, I like the idea of having initials to divvy up everyone's loot.
from parents.com
Road trips do a number on our car. How perfectly subtle is this organizer? And to put it in or take it out, all you have to do is remove the head rest. Saweet.
from the mayfly.com website
Buckets are my friends. Lots and lots of buckets, please.
from vintagericrac
Has anybody seen my phone? Anybody? I like the idea of having a pen and pad at the ready, too. Brilliance strikes when you're least prepared, you know.
from the always wonderful design sponge
Thanks for stopping by!
It's been ages since I've done a sewing tutorial on this ole blog, eh? Let's change that today! If you live in a house with anyone other than yourself you've probably come across some, uh, stink. Eminating from the closet. I am guilty of this, as well. Cute ladies' shoes aren't always breatheable..which means at the end of the day those dogs are barking. And kids? Well, soccer cleats, Crocs and Keens are the worst in my opinion. So here's a littly ditty for those digits. Lavender-filled shoe sachets, laced together so you'll never lose one foot or the other.
I wanted the sachets to look like dance steps, so I created a pattern with silhouetted shoe prints. I hope you enjoy it. Now, let's rhumba!
Get It:
Do It:
Cut out all yer pieces. I used linen for my background fabric, but any solid will do. The pattern pieces can be customized for boy, girl or grown-up. To get a backside for your shoe, simply flip over your big background piece, trace and cut out of other print or solid fabrics. I used a little small scale check pattern on mine.
Pin and sew your applique pieces onto the background piece. I used a zig-zag (I'm lazy like that) but you could do a fancy pants freezer stencil if you like. It would be more polished. But then, they are going in shoes, ya know?
Place your shoe print on the backside, right sides together. Pin and sew around the edge, being careful not to come too close or it will pop out when you turn and stuff. Also, don't forget to leave an opening at the top to turn! (I speak from expletive-inducing experience here)
Turn and iron flat. Make a little funnel out of a scrap of cardstock or cardboard hanging around. Mine has french instructions on it. Aren't I fancy? Fill with lavender or a mixture of lavender and rice. Rice is absorbent, so that's a good thing for shoes. I order my lavender from here. Keep left-over lavender in a sealed bag or jar and away from sunlight--it will fade and lose its scent. I used a wooden skewer to help push in the filling if the funnel gets clogged.
Insert the end of your ribbon or tie and sew the opening closed. I admit it would look neater if I had done this by hand, but I was worried the tie-end wouldn't be secure enough. I have a feeling these may be swung about, nunchuck-style, by my kids.
This project is for fun, personal non-commercial use only. Please don't sell anything made from it, but do upload pictures of your creation to the goody-goody flickr group! Let me know if you have any questions! Happy sewing!
photo courtesy of the adventures of blue girl xo
Hi! If you're like me, the beginning of Fall is full with crafty possibilities. Kids are back in school, yummy coffee drinks are out in force and you can actually stomach the idea of snuggling up with the sewing machine without your thighs sticking to the chair. I'm going to feature some great crafts for Fall here under the theme "Fall Friendly". Let's not refer to them as "gift-giving" ideas, because that adds all kinds of pressure and may incite a panic-attack. I like to circle the Holidays non-chalantly and then pounce when I'm good and ready. I don't need anyone telling me I'm already behind when I haven't even started yet. You, too? Happy we're on the same page.
School is synonomous with snotty noses and communicable disease. Learning seems to take a back seat when all I want to do is decontaminate them when they walk through the door. I love me some tissue cozies--they're portable, cute and make me feel like I'm doing something (without really knowing if they use them or not). With one in each backpack, desk and purse..I feel armed and ready. Here's some cutie ptootie tutorials out there (just click on the pictures and you'll be on your way!):
From The Adventures of Blue Girl xo, with a zipper!
A sweet felt-one, perfect for the hand-sewer or kid:
I love this sopisticated one:
These little red cuties would be perfect all year:
And you can never have enough sweet florals. Yum.
Happy Weekend, wherever you may be!
Remember these guys from a while back? I meant to have this tutorial for your holiday sewing, but life got in the way. Spring is almost here and that's a good time for mushrooms to pop up, no? Making these pincushions is easier than making actual stuffed mushrooms, if you ask me. Plus they don't get all soggy by the second day.
Here's the template: Download Mushroompincushion
I think it's easier to print one out (and save it for later, if needed) than for me to tell you to cut 3" circles and send you on a hunt for something circular around 3" in diameter to trace in your house. Abbreviated instructions are on the template, too. But I'll tell you the details here.
Get it:
Cut 3, 3" circles. One from patterned fabric for the top and two solid. Linen is lovely. I put three circles on the template just to show you that you need one of each. They are all the same size. Place the patterned one on top, solid on bottom, right sides out. Sew around edge, either zig-zag on a machine or blanket stitch by hand. Leave a 1/2" opening. Gently stuff and slipstitch opening closed. Mushroom head!
Sew a running stitch by hand around the edge of the last solid colored circle. Knot at end, but leave thread tails for gathering. Place rock in middle and gently pull ends to tighten fabric around rock. Secure thread by sewing through the gathers a few times, like cinching up a sack. Trim off any excess. Starting slightly lower than your gather, whipstitch your stem to your cap. Make sure it's sewn securely. You may have to stitch around a few times to get it nice and tight.
Depending on your rock size and shape in the stem, your mushrooms may be a bit leaning or floppy. I like them like that, but if you really want your shroom to stand perfectly upright, pick a rock with a wide base and slightly flat edge for it to rest on.
It's the perfect gift for yourself if your resolutions involve more sewing..and make a few for your sewing friends, too.
I'd like to give this little shroom away (pins, too!) to a reader. If you'd like to enter, just leave a comment about what new sewing projects you have planned for this new year below. I'll generate a random winner on Friday!
xo.
Stuffed mushrooms! (Please remove pins before eating)
Mushroom pincushions for Renegade.
I will post a pattern/tutorial for these soon. They are really easy to make..and who doesn't need another cute pincushion?
I have been trying to avoid Ikea lately. Sorry, Ikea, it's not you, it's me. Before, during and after moving I spent way too much money there. Having one 20 minutes away proved too dangerous to our pocketbook! But, lookie what I just found online... Cute new fabrics!
Little houses!
and my favorite:
Perfect for lining totes, aprons, light and airy summer pillows! Since I can check the stock availability online (best. tool. ever) I never leave disappointed. Well, Ikea, looks like you're in for a reunion today. Miss me?
Happy Friday, everyone!
Little boy + girl pocket pillows in the works. I love a yummy palette of linen!
