well here is the bag i made thinking i would make a ton of these but....it just didn't grab me like i thought it would. still loving the hexagon flower idea but...do you ever have these ideas in your head and when you put them in reality it just isn't what you expected? all part of the creative process but a little frustrating! please tell me i am not alone...would love to hear from all of you!
I have been trying my hand at teddy bears recently..and here is the result! I want to introduce something for kids...something classic, sweet and small. Out of all the animal toys out there I find teddys never go out of style and these are the perfect size for small hands. I have an idea for a more boyish one but I will have to experiment...can't wait to have a whole bunch lined up - ready to loved and cherished. Does anybody still have childhood teddys? we have one my husband made in home ec class - it is kind of different as it has angel wings sewn on and he never got round to putting the eyes on!
I recently made this little girls boutique top...i guess i wish spring was here instead of winter! I love the nostalgic feel to the red and teal flowers with the cream background. I changed up the sleeves to a co-ordinating green diamond print and added a little diamond stitch sewing to the edge of the sleeve to make it unique. I could totally see a little girl having a pretend tea party in this dress! Secretly I don't want to go through winter...instead i will bring the sunshine to my sewing studio and dream of warmer weather!
couple of little stuffed houses i made...but what you can't see is the secret pocket in the back which will hold a candy cane come holiday time! these are quite fun to make but very time consuming (about eight pieces in total to cut and sew) ...i am curious do you like quick projects to sew or craft or time consuming ones?
another version than the above of my baby bear and mini mouse (pattern from Stitch) has been featured on Stitch magazine blog (flickr group update)! yay! thank you very much to Stefanie Berganini, Managing Editor of Stitch for asking me a few questions about baby bear. you can check it out here. Other than that exciting news i have been sewing away for an upcoming craft show...i just don't know how much inventory to bring...also am working on a custom order for an apron (the person i am making it for wanted fall colors so i chose AMH innocent crush in golden...it is fabulous the colors are rich and warm. promise to comment on all your blogs soon...just been too busy as of late..
I have been wanting to sew a raglan sleeve dress for the longest time - i just love coordinating the colors and patterns. This is a size 1-2 dress for a little girl - the body is hemp/linen which i find has a nice drape to it. I also added a little gingham trim to the sleeve to give it a little flair - you can never be too young to wear a little flair! This is a sample with more coming up for spring/summer.
a simple little ornament I designed....but let me tell you, it ain't no fun to sew with burlap! Love the texture of it, the look of it, the feel of it but do not love what it does to my machine...the fibers are everywhere..any tips?
I have been madly sewing these past few days and here is a little sneak peek of what I have been working on. The fabric is called "buffet - pink" I believe (love the retro wine bottle and goblet) - I bought it ages ago just waiting to use it. This is one of a series I will have ready soon enough. I find sewing those straight lines to be so meditative - I love when that happens! what projects have you all been working on?
A snapshot of some pillow covers I made...loving the garden trellis pattern at this moment - strangely enough I bought this fabric about three years ago...now it is suddenly in style! just waiting for the right moment I suppose.
I have been wanting to make cutlery rolls forever - finally got around to it. The inside material on this one is thrifted bed sheets. Love repurposing fabric when I can. The outside fabric is a nice sturdy gray linen. Love the little napkin I made - these are great for traveling or bringing to work...it just elevates your eating experience using silver cutlery then cheap plastic. Seems to me I sew items at the end of the season (had this in mind for spring sewing!) oh well better late than never. I will have a little more time to sew when the kids are off to school. I might participate in a craft show this Christmas too...do any of you have craft show experience? any tips for a newbie? how much inventory do you bring?
A simple little tote made with bunting printed material and a wooden kitty button. Currently loving the bunting trend! I always seem to be a little late to the party with these trends but when I find them I love them. Finally the hot weather seems to have lifted...enjoying the cool summer breeze. Working on painting our front steps and garage door...the summer is just flying by...
I received this scrumptious package from Lula Dahl! I never win anything so I was pleasantly surprised. Check out her seriously cute aprons and quilts. The fabrics have me thinking of Valentine Day projects - can't wait to use them. Well it is such a beautiful day here - time to garden. Happy gardening to those who are able to enjoy the nice weather!
another pincushion...can't stop making these!
I have been terribly busy sewing - no time for blogging! lots of spring projects on the go...my studio is getting crowded. Here is a little purse I made from a swatch of fabric included with a fabric order. I don't know who designed it but it is lovely in its earth tone palette. The rick rack was a last minute addition. It can be used as an adult on the shoulder bag or a childs messenger bag. I just love making items for little ones ...the fabric is so happy!
Lately I have been working on these amazing little beach bags! Made from upcycled fabric I love the colors and how they just scream BEACH. You can stuff so much stuff into these - I made one for myself and am already using it quite a bit...now all I need is warm weather to actually go to the beach! I am also excited to be working on a new design (based on this beach bag). The new design will be smaller and possibly for kids...so many possibilities. My wip pile is getting down too..so glad about that..keep you guys posted! Ciao!
Well, I have been busy sewing lately...completed some zip pouches, little elephant crown for my niece and little fabric bucket. I love making these! lots more to come. If I have enough productivity in me I might just have a little spring craft show...for now the pouches will be available in the shop. The top picture has got to be my favorite pattern right now...who can resist birdies on couches! I am also working on a burlap project...does anyone have experience working with this fabric? special needle required? hard to cut? let me know.
I posted a while back about a vintage tablecloth from my grandmother...finally I have turned it into an apron! I love the fact that it is practical yet full of memories at the same time. The side panels are from a thrifted Ikea duvet cover (love this pacman pattern!) I added a little lace trim just under the waistband to give a vintage flair. I blended a couple of patterns up in this one to create my own style..the only thing I screwed up on was the length of the waist ties. I love super long ties that wrap around in back and front. I will have to harness my impatience in the next one I sew to make sure I get the length right. Slowly tackling my list of wips...keep ya posted! one down...tons to go.
A baby blanket all packaged and ready to go with a sewn little owl tag...details below
Here is a little baby blanket I finally finished! I wanted to try and work with minky but this was way cuter - minky like fabric with small embossed hearts. The gray fabric is a soft flannel type of fabric. I found this quite hard to sew as it ended up being quite thick to go through the sewing machine. I would love to know if anyone has any advice on how to deal with this problem. I gave up sewing a decorative edge around the corners because of the thickness issue. I wanted to keep this one simple and in non-traditional colors. Maybe one day I should try my hand at a quilt...just worried about the thickness factor.
....here are some yummy fabrics ready to be cut for some spring sewing! don't quite know what to make with them yet-some ideas are starting to form. I'm starting to have a polka dot obsession- this could get serious. Do you have any spring sewing projects started? I found a great tote pattern in Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross - has anybody tried this one? or any projects from this book? I would love to know! - I like hearing honest, real reviews of sewing projects...kind of helps me decide what to pursue.
...here is another photo in the shell series. The sun was just setting when I captured this on film.
and lastly a bucket full of shells and beach glass. I love beach glass so much-the colors and textures. Unfortunately I don't live near any sort of ocean (lots of lakes and rivers) so whenever I visit my sister on the west coast I stock up. Smooth beach rocks are so common there I try to take back as many as I can. To make them black and shiny she rubs them with lavender oil. If you do this and line them up in a simple narrow olive dish you will have a great little display...(plus you have the added bonus of lavender scent). Well if you are into movies don't forget to enjoy the Oscars tomorrow - I know I will be! Happy weekend crafting!
Hope you all had a great weekend...goes by way too fast! I was quite busy sewing the past few days - trying to squeeze in what I could when I could. First off I completed Peg Bear from One Yard Wonders. I. Love. This. Book. To make a sewing book purchase I must want to do at least three projects from it (it's just a little quirk I have). As I was flipping through the pages of this one I was mentally checking which projects I would want to complete...practically EVERY one! so anywho...little peg bear is off to see my niece.
Peg Bear.......polka dot body- fuzzy gray tummy- linen face - and best of all soft angora ears
This little guy is based on a vintage 1950's? elephant pattern..my husband questioned as to why he had three legs but - hey...I just follow the pattern! He will go with a baby blanket I will be making with japanese gray elephant fabric, white heart shaped minky fabric and this gray soft fleecy fabric. It must be super soft for baby and not the traditional pink. I love projects like this - trying to think outside the box (personally I love non-traditional colors for babies and kids). My daughter must take after me as she insisted her room NOT be pink.
To go with Peg Bear ..this is a diaper case also from One Yard Wonders ...fits hard travel size wipes and one diaper..it's for quick trips to Starbucks or your local cafe.
Last but not least here is a close up of a potholder made for a friend. I am currently obsessed with word fabric. This fabric is cut from a thrifted tea towel with a paella recipe on it. Softies made with writing fabric would be so sweet for little ones-ahh the ideas are spinning! Are any of you loving fabric with words or writing? would love to know I am not alone in this obsession.
