spring table runner

I sewed a cheerful spring table runner for my mother-in-law's birthday gift based on the 9-patch technique I used with my own winter table runner a few years ago. After sewing together patches using 9 squares, you cut those patches into quarters and then rearrange them to make a new design. Unfortunately the directions I originally followed are no longer online so I just made measurements from my table runner and went from there.

I was lazy about pinning the 3 layers together and had some serious misfortune with the backing shifting while I was quilting it together. I thought it would not matter much on such a small piece but I was indeed mistaken. I was able to patch the back together – luckily the fabric design was forgiving – but I was quite annoyed with myself. Lesson learned for next time!

For a lovely zero-waste wrapping solution I simply rolled it up and tied it with a scrap of matching fabric!

pretty pillowcase

I finally got around to sewing a matching pillowcase to go with younger daughter's quilt. I used this pillow sham tutorial on the blog Cora Anne Designs. I've got no complaints about the tutorial but I do wish I had measured my particular pillow. I found the sham to be a bit of a tight fit when all was said and done.

As you can see I got to use up some more squares that didn't make it into the final quilt. I do love the look of things that are quilted! Seems like lately I am not making anything that uses a big solid piece of fabric! Hee.

I trimmed the back pieces so that they would align with the front. But then I craftily reused the pieces I trimmed off to be a part of the back. No waste! I also discovered that making an envelope-style pillowcase is not actually hard. I was under the mistaken impression that it would be tricky but I didn't find it to be so at all. So that bodes well for future home decorating visions!

a series of 6 placemats in black, white, and red

A birthday gift for my mama! Six pretty placemats, each a unique quilt of its own. I had such a good time designing these and arranging the scraps. I am also proud to say I didn't purchase anything but the red thread. I had bought some of the fabric for last year's gift (a fun valentine garland). At that time I was also thinking of making a table runner so I did buy a pretty big length of the heart and flower fabric that has both black and red in it. So when I decided on the placemats instead of the table runner I used that fabric for the backs.

The pattern is from the book Black & White, Bright & Bold: 24 Quilt Projects to Piece & Appliqué by Kim Schaefer. It called for only black and white but you know me, always customizing things – I went with red + black & white instead. And of course I got the book from the library! Hee.

Full disclosure: This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link.

A sweet valentine mantel!

This fresh arrangement on my mantel features:
• vintage window frames of varying sizes and colors (from my old house!)
• a thrifted cardboard heart
• a printed piece of fabric (maybe a tablecloth?) from Grandma
• a valentine card from years past
• a sampling of my glass collection including milk glass
• a lovely heart garland I made a few years back

a bounty of burp cloths!

So I will say even though I haven't been progressing in the quilt world as fast I would like, I have managed to put together two different gifts of flannel burp cloths for lovely ladies I go to church with, each having their first babies this winter.

The ones above are jungle animal themed to match the nursery. I had fun pairing the animal prints (zebra! giraffe!) with fabric featuring the critters themselves. Most of them look soft and cuddly as you would expect. But I couldn't help myself and had to throw in some Hipster Zebras!

The nursery of this recipient is neutrally decorated in gray and white so I had my fun with the monster fabric. I thought it was quite funny. I've got the burp cloths neatly arranged in our baby bathtub since little dude has outgrown it. I quite love it when I come up with some useful packaging that becomes part of the gift itself.

pretty little bathroom bunting

 

 A dear friend passed along this treasure. It's made of vintage quilts and adds a sweet touch of old to my otherwise fairly modern styled bathroom. I noticed that each triangle is 2 layers sewed flat with a raw pinking shears edge. The bunting I made before sews the triangles up inside out and then flips them out. I am rather inspired by the light, bright, summery look of the vintage florals. I may have to sew up a full size bunting to drape across the mantel in my living room!

Speaking of vintage sheets, which I have been gathering here and there at thrift sales, look at this lovely quilt made with them! Aren't you inspired?

Fabric finds!

While on my anniversary adventure, my husband and I checked out some antique shops which is where I really found my treasures.

At one shop I bought three large pieces of vintage fabric. Two are patterned and one is this really awesome silk screen of a poppy by Alfred Shaheen who apparently made his claim to fame creating classy Hawaiian print shirts. I found this board on Pinterest dedicated to his pieces and this listing on etsy for the exact piece I found. So it seems to be from the 1960s.

I think I am going to sew a simple pocket along the top and some hems on the side and bottom. I'd like to slide a dowel or a piece of driftwood in the top pocket and just hang it up in my sunroom. That leaves me with a whole extra piece of it and I had the thought that it would make an awesome quilt. The giant poppy smack dab in the middle and some cool quilt squares around the border – greens and oranges and other fabrics printed with poppies. Could be really fun! Check back with me in 5 years to see how that project is going!

I had no reason to buy orange fabric with chickens. I just liked it!

I will be using this on my daughter's quilt soon!

Cut off pants = shorts + dolly sleep sack

Two days in a row my must-be-growing six-year-old tripped and fell and skinned her knee and put holes in her pants. So I decided cut-off shorts were in order! I used a pair of shorts that she already likes as my template for length and snipped away. I did decide I wanted to run a thread around the edge of the jean shorts and actually hem the other ones.

Have I ever hemmed anything before? Well, no. But I wasn't about to let that stop me from trying! The shorts turned out ok, nothing spectacular and blog-post worthy.

But I was very excited at my little mini-craft that I made with the part of the pants that was leftover. I sewed them shut at the bottom and sewed a colored thread around the top (so the sisters could tell theirs apart) and had instant doll sleeping bags. Cute – huh?

Fabric File Folder Holder Tutorial

So… this project has been done, hung, and put to work for at least a month. But I've been dragging my feet on writing this tutorial because I knew it would take some major effort. And then I realized I lost my notes with all my measurements on it. Not that I couldn't take out a tape measure and figure a few things out. Somehow that seemed too difficult! Combine that with lots of family illnesses (including my own) and this post just kept being left unwritten. No more! Here it is at long last.

Step one: Find your fabric and interfacing. Cut out the sizes you need.

I used fabric I already on hand so I wasn't thinking in terms of yards to purchase. So I am giving my measurements in inches.

Additionally, I should note that you could get crafty and customize this to be any length with any number of pockets you need. The width of mine (and of the original inspiration from Cottage 4C) is designed specifically to hold file folders.

Read on for the rest…

Tutorial: Quick Sew Handkerchiefs

As I posted in my current crafty ambitions post, we have a bit of a need for some handkerchiefs around my house. At least as a supplement to our tissue use. I have no fantasy that this first round of 36 handkerchiefs will last us a full week, especially when multiple family members have colds. But it is a start to being a titch more sustainable. And besides, they are very cute!

These handkerchiefs are sewn in much the same way that flannel burp cloths are done, if any of you are familiar with that. Only instead of both sides being flannel, one side is cotton. The softer flannel side is, of course, the side your nose gets to enjoy.

Step 1: Choose your size and your fabrics

I chose to do 7-inch squares not after extensive research on the most pleasing and functional handkerchief size but merely to accommodate the scrap flannel I already had on hand. You will need an equal number of flannel squares and cotton squares. Iron as needed and place them right sides together (fronts facing each other). I didn't bother to pin these but you may do so if you prefer.

Step 2: Sew around the edge but leave one opening

My stitch line is 0.25-inch from the edge. I left an opening that is oh, maybe 3 finger-widths wide. Keep in mind you will be sticking your thumb and index finger in there when it comes time to turn these babies right side out. Notice that I back-stitched on either side of the opening. This keeps the stitching from unraveling later.

Step 3: Clip the corners

This removes bulk and makes tidy, pointed corners much easier to achieve. Just be careful not to cut through your stitching!

Step 4: Turn the handkerchief right side out

As I mentioned, I put my thumb and index finger into the opening and grab for the farthest corner. Gently pull that corner through the opening and continue working the handkerchief right side out.

Step 5: Use a blunt tool to poke corners out

Generally the corners won't be crisp without a little assistance. The little wooden tool in the photo came with a package of batting (the stuffing you put in things like stuffed balls or mermaid dolls). A not-too-sharp pencil would work too. Poke it in through the opening and push into each of the corners. Be careful not to stab completely through the corner.

  

Step 6: Sew around the edge again

Before you begin, make sure the little fabric edges near the opening, lips if you will, are folded in and laying flat. This last go round of stitches should ideally catch those tiny flaps of fabric in it. This would be a good time to use a fun stitch. My sweet old machine keeps things simple with a straight stitch so I don't have that option.

Tah-dah! You've completed a homemade handkerchief!

February bunting!

Bright red to get us through the gloomiest of months, snowflakes (let's be realistic, yes?), hearts for Valentine's Day, and stripes. This is the before-mentioned birthday gift for my mama!

Oh, the lovliness of craftiness!

Here is the table set for what we my family is calling "Christmas 2.0" (taking place tomorrow). With a selection of January and February birthdays thrown in. What a joy to see the sunshine. What a joy to make and use pretty things.

The table runner is enjoying its first glory days since I completed it so late last year.

The birthday bunting was made with my dear friend. I recall being afraid to even touch her sewing machine when we made these. How far I have come!

I still claim purple as my favorite color but I can't deny I have a thing for teal…

Beautiful burp cloths!

Whipping up a batch of double-thick, oh-so-absorbent, flannel burp cloths is my go-to baby gift these days. The beauty of this group came in the sweet packaging, don't you think?

Hint for you: If you need baskets, don't buy new for heaven's sakes. Instead, head to your favorite thrift store. There is always a wide selection to be had!

Baby shower gifts!

The stuffed balls – ahem – yet again (see them here and here!) but also a matching bunting for the nursery. That was one of my very first sewing projects way back when. Actually, looked like I wimped out and let my friend do the sewing part.

Sunroom treasures: curtains & crewel

I finally got the curtains sewed for the sunroom!

I first wrote about my fabric selection way back here in February of 2012. The design is by one of my very favorite artists and bloggers, Geninne Zlatkis. I just adore her sweet little birdies and appreciate our mutual love of nature. When I finally went to buy the fabric it was actually rather difficult to find a continuous piece. There seemed to be plenty of smaller quilt-worthy cuts but it was a trick to find what I needed. The moral of that story is if you see some new fabric line you absolutely must have, well, don't delay in buying it.

Curtains are fairly simple to sew once you've mastered the elusive straight line (I will admit this was actually quite difficult when I was first learning to sew) but I still sought some online guidance. I ended up following these directions posted on Design*Sponge.

I also added these sweet little crewel pictures I bought for a mere $2 each at the Allegan Antiques Market. Of course odd numbers are better when it comes to decorating so I will have to keep my eye out for a third!

The oval shaped one had this inscription on the back. If anyone knows Judy Verslype, please pass along my compliments. Her craft work from long ago is making me smile today!

…and small!

These were for my niece's 1-year-old birthday. Almost all of the fabric came free from a dear family friend in her 90s who has been gifting me with her stash. It has been a very fun thing for me!

And these were for a gift for a co-worker's baby. I knew the nursery was to be black, gray, and yellow and I was worried I didn't have enough of those colors. I shouldn't have feared! There was plenty to choose from among the fabrics I've been given.

Again, the pattern was from Sew What You Love: The Easiest, Prettiest Projects Ever.

stuffed balls big…

I've been on a kick with the stuffed balls lately (as found in Sew What You Love: The Easiest, Prettiest Projects Ever). They are fairly easy to sew – or at least I can say I get better and better sewing curves with each one I do! – and they make lovely gifts. And I really get a kick out of mixing and matching the fabrics.

This giant one uses the fabrics found in a friend's nursery. A lovely use of scraps if I do say so myself.

And of course I had to make another one for my own girlies. It is big enough to use as a footstool!

A note about stuffing these babies: I've read you need to stuff things like this until they are firm. And I've always thought "oh, that isn't soft or squishy enough." Well, I've come around to the camp of stuffing and stuffing and then stuffing a bit more. They keep their shape so much better when they are just bursting through.

So what's next?

Hello friends! It has been way too long. Let me tell you about June. School ended, my job ended (by choice but still a big giant life change), we camped, we had a death in the family, we mourned, and to tell you the truth I still find myself surprised that my grandfather is actually gone.

And then to kick off July, we camped again. So I haven't been too focused on "making time for art." And the art I have done or noticed or been inspired by just hasn't made it up here on the blog quite yet.

But I am back now! So without further ado, I present you with not one but two "what's next?" items to ponder.

The first is a gigantic bolt of fabric. There is a custom drapery and curtain shop in my neighborhood. They are not going out of business but they are closing their showroom. It was a mere $10 for this bolt of lovely fabric. Apparently it was used on curtains in the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (ooh – found a photo here!). So unlike a cotton fabric or even a home decorator weight fabric you might buy at the store, it is meant to be viewed on both sides. It is quite heavy in weight but smooth and soft. I have no plans to use it as curtains. In fact, I have no plans for it at all. This is dangerous territory people, buying supplies with no project in mind!

I have pondered a teepee like the one seen on the cover of Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child by Meg McElwee. Other than that, I got nothing. Any thoughts or inspirations?

The second is this stack of frames. My other grandma is on a cleaning binge and this is one of the treasures I decided to accept despite their bulkiness. They have solid wood beneath the green felt and were used to display watch fobs. I think I could easily replace the wood with cork or whiteboard or with chicken wire or something equally fabulous to make some classy bulletin boards. Or maybe I could get the green felt off and paint the interior with chalkboard paint. I am having visions of spray painting the frames fun glossy colors too. Hmm... Any other ideas?