Bird Fabrics

Yesterday, while I was working in my studio, I had the window open a  little bit to let in fresh air.  I can't stand for the room to be stuffy, even if it is cold outside.  But in reality, what I let in, besides fresh air, was the sounds of birds in the trees.  It was truly refreshing to hear the various bird calls and tweets while cutting out fabric.  It made me think of fabrics with birds on them.

I have used this fabric in the past as the owner, of  the business that I make aprons for,  loves birds.  I have also used this leftover fabric for a cover for my serger.

And, I have been looking at several more bird fabrics for future aprons. The first is a whimsical one:

Colorful "paper doll" birds:

A traditional feel:

A funky Japanese feel:

 What do you think?  Which ones do you like?

Weekend Crafting Activity with Scraps

Spent the weekend crafting with scraps!  If you know me at all, you will know that I don't get rid of fabric scraps!  I separate them all into piles of like sizes and if there are pieces that are at least 5 inches square I immediately cut them into circles for sewing into yo-yos at a later time.  With all my scraps sorted, I have to designate a time to use them up!  Well, this weekend was one of those times.

I sorted out scraps of green and pink in all sizes. Then sewed like sized pieces together in twos.

(Sometimes, threes, to make a small block.)

Some twosies!

 Next I sewed together several "blocks", making larger "blocks"

Sometimes this meant that I needed to cut them slightly, to fit.

Don't worry about uneven sides, nor try to match seams.  This is not purest quilting!  It's upcycling your scraps into a beautiful project that will cost you nothing but time! You end up with sheets of  patchwork "fabric", size depending purely on the scraps you have and your own process.

 Mine ended up to be approximately 14" by 20" which as perfect for the project that I had in mind. But yours could be fat quarter size or any size you prefer.

What did I make from my patchwork fabric (and some other scraps of trim)?

What-do-ya-think?  Pretty good, huh, from my scrap pile!

Linking today with:

Create-with-Joy's Inspire Me Monday

Fun Fabrics!

Recently I purchased some monkey fabrics!  They were a special request from my client's customers.  I made children's aprons from the fabrics.

 
Also purchased some Independence Day fabrics and made aprons from those fabrics too!  Here I am getting ready to deliver a batch of completed aprons to my client!

I did have some fabric left over from this the fourth of July batch, so I'm listing a mother and child set in my  Etsy shop:

And I had enough to make a set of napkins too! Tutorial here to make your own.

What have you been up to lately????

Linking today with Create-with-Joy

Inspire Me Monday

It's Monday, the start of a new week!  Lots of things "on my plate" for the week:

• finish commissioned mural and deliver
• finish aprons for wholesale order
• purchase yardage for new apron pocket material
• purchase sample fabric for anniversary apron trim
• finish hair bows for Spring shows
• prepare for Saturday show i.e pricing, packaging, & packing
• work on new art quilt for my new shop

All these are a 'no-brainer', as the young folk would say, except for the last one.  I am looking for inspiration for this new art quilt. This is how I look for it:  I have a top quilt on my bed that has a muslin backing.  I turn over the quilt with the muslin side up.  Then I lay out fabric combinations in several different combinations; I let them sit there, and go about my day.

Rose base color with possibilities . . .

As I pass thru my bedroom during daily activities, I glance at the combinations lying there (and maybe rearrange a few).

without the lighter shade and adding bright pink & burgundy

After a few passes, one may jump out at me, hitting my sensitivities for beauty.

Everything!

 Some may not.  Those that don't, get put away, back in the stash. This may finally lead to my favorite choice.  I have done this many times; but this time, my wall art piece is causing me angst!   I just haven't found a "happy combination" yet!

What do you think!  

Keep the bright pink, or not?  Well, I'll keep trying!   And I will share the process as it goes along!

P.S.  Linking up today with Create-with-Joy's Inspire Me Monday

Fabric Scrap Stockings!

Here's another idea to use your fabric scraps for Christmas!

Make a stocking 

to hang by the chimney with care.

Before I share how to make one, let me share how this idea came about! Quite a few years ago, when my first husband was going thru Cancer treatments, my oldest son's friend surprised us with a wonderfully thoughtful, creative gift for our whole family!  Our door bell rang on Christmas morning and when we went to see who it was, not a person was there, but left on the doorstep was a box of fully stuffed stockings--One for each member of our family--and we were a large family at that time.  Mom and Dad and six kids. This young lady crafted stockings for each of us.  They were handmade with our names on them.  We would have never known who made them, except one of the kids saw her down the street hopping into her car. To this day I don't remember what delights were in any of them but I still have the stockings.  Well, I have two of them; the others, I have since given to my children, now all grown.

There was nothing fancy about any of the stockings.  She made them from scraps of fabric decorated with ribbons and trims.  My husband's stocking, said "Darryl" with glued on letters made from bits of white trim.  For mine she used pink ribbon. They were all in random shapes of boots, heels, or socks.  Each was hand stitched using various pieces of quilted fabrics or Christmas fabrics leaving raw edges and exposed stitches everywhere!

Each had a ribbon loop for hanging.  And, obviously, each holds a special place in our hearts for her thoughtfulness and generosity, in our time of need.

Point being:  Don't sweat it! 

 Throw out the rules! 

Make something creative and don't worry about your skill level.  

Use what you have and make it fun!*

So, grab my button, on the sidebar, add it to your blog and join the party!  Write your own Christmas idea in a blog post, and don't forget to come back here on Friday to link up!  Let the ideas abound!

*P.S. and BTW, be generous this year! 

P.S.S.  More stocking ideas to come!
PSSS.  Linked up today with Sew Much Ado

Holiday Pillow Cover

Since it is the first of the month, there is plenty of time to work on this project. Other projects to follow may not be as involved as we get closer to Christmas. Whatever you chose to do this month--have fun!

Today's project -- a cute pillow cover made from scraps of Christmas fabrics (a Pillow cover tutorial). 

 

Start with a pile of Christmas fabric scraps (and a pillow form that you already have--or purchase one at the local home/fabric store, 12" by 12" for this tutorial or adjust this pattern for any size pillow you prefer.)

Start with a square piece approximately 5 inches by 5 inches.  Applique any cute design on it using scraps of felt or fabric.  You can embellish it with buttons, floss, ribbon, anything that you have available.  I used felt, embroidery floss and a fabric scrap for this snowman's scarf.  Use your imagination and have fun!  (That's the point, right?)  No right or wrong here.  

After you are finished with your applique, use strips of fabric scraps to sew on each end, log cabin style.  If you need instruction on this process, go here -- but my pieces are not as precision as in the tutorial. I personally like a less precise crazy quilt look, so I just add strips around until I get it the size that I want. Don't worry if the strips are not long enough--patch them!  Have fun creating!

making a strip longer w/ 1/4 inch seam

patched strips

Keep sewing until the finished product is big enough to be the front cover of your pillow cover--approximately 13 by 13 inches for tutorial pillow.  

After you finish the top cover, you need to make an envelope closing for the back, from two pieces of fabric--each approximately 13 by 8 inches.    Put a hemmed seam (on each piece) on one 12 inch side.  

Place the 'log cabin patchwork pieced front', right side up on a flat surface. Imagine this piece is your patchwork piece:

Lay your two 13 by 8 inch sections--face down/right sides touching each other--over lapping the hemmed sides in the middle of the 13 by 13 square.  Square up all outside edges so you have a 13 by 13 inch square (matching all the raw sides). I have used different fabrics to help you see how to lay the fabrics.  

Sew all the way around the four sides of the 13 by 13 inch square layers making a 1/2 inch seam. Trim later if you prefer.  When finished turn inside out-through the hemmed edges) and viola!  there you have your pillow cover!  (You may want to  add a button or velcro to your envelope opening, if you prefer.)  This should make your cover 12.5 inches by 12.5 inches square, just right to go over a 12 inch square pillow form.  

Enjoy!

P.S. See you tomorrow for another quick project! Also, Grab the "30 Days of Christmas Fun" Button for your blog and spread the Fun!

Ancient and Modern Fabrics

National Sewing Month is September:   This is the second article celebrating that topic.

One cannot sew without fabric!!  Fabric that sewers use today, has come a long way from the original pieces recorded in history, circa 9000 to 3000 BC.  The origins of fabrics are found in Turkey, Israel,  Egypt and Assyria with China being a late comer about 3400 BC. Woven materials made into cloth can be found in oldest history coming from the cradle of civilization.   Recorded specimens of wool with pieces of mohair and hemp are some of the oldest.  I can image that those were heavy SCRATCHY fabrics! Fragments (not unlike our own remnants of today) of blue and purple dyed cloths were also found in ancient Phrygia and Israel.  Of course these were solid colors, not the printed design types that we know today, although solids are still available:

modern purple Bella Solid by Moda

Linen fabric began to appear more commonly from Egypt to Turkey that seemed to be made from flax seed, although spun and plied-thread garments used other plant derivatives.  Silk and brightly dyed and beaded specimens later began to appear in Asia as cloth trading started to be recorded.  



 present day Hand dyed silk scarf by SplendidLittleStars



Today's fabrics, textiles, are much more pleasantly tactile than those early fabrics, obviously.  I guess that is what draws me and other sewers to fabrics in the stores--not only being able to touch and feel their texture, but enjoy modern print design! 



Lark (Floral) by Amy Butler

I have offered a few modern fabrics for you to see, but--sorry, you cannot feel them! 

On My Plate Wordless Wednesday

Latest shipment of fabrics! 

Saturday Show

Grrrrrrhhhhh . . . .  I'm having such trouble with my camera!!  Most of my photos are coming out blurry lately!  Same camera, but I can't figure out what's going on!  Okay, enough of the temper tantrum for today! 

Anyway, I did a community charity show on Saturday and it was HOT!  The good thing was it was out on a grassy field -- that helped. The show didn't have as many people attend as they were hopin' for, so sales were not good as I had planned. 

My granddaughter, Kayleigh, helped with the show.  She also sold friendship bracelets; she's raising money to be an exchange student in her Junior year.  She hopes to go to Taiwan or Japan.  And I got to use the new banner that I made with the help of Edi of Memories for Life Scrapbooking. I sent her fabric pieces backed with a fusible interfacing and she cut out the letters with her laser machine.  When I got them back, I mounted them on the muslin triangles and finished it up with some bias binding in red. Didn't it turn out great?! (Sorry about the fuzzy picture!)

I hung several of my quilts (also for sale) and they created some shade and some color!  Plus, quilts always seem to draw customers in to take a look!

I also previewed a new item!  Yoyo decorated Flip Flops!  They were a hit! (again a fuzzy picture! grrrrrrh)

The sun zapped all my strength and I slept for nearly the rest of the weekend.  How was your weekend?

Under the Sea Challenge

Hi again!  I have been offline since before Father's Day!  Time, now, to get back to the blogesphere!  And just by the skin of nmy teeth for the June challenge of the Blogging Business Artisans Team challenge!  I had the project done at the first of the month, but has no internet!  So here is my project for the Under the Sea Challenge!

I had some lightly fuzzy fabric that someone gave to me and I didn't know what to do with it, so when this challenge came up, I thought it reminded me of the sea.  I made a simple zipper pouch and change purse.  I decorated it with stitching to look like a wave.  It was a fairly simple project, but I think is dressed up the plain fabric!

I think I missed the link party, but I got my challenge up inJune anyway! You can go to our team blog and see how others in the group responded to the challenge:
bloggingbusinessartisans.blogspot.com

One 'FAT' Quarter

Have you heard this old adage?  A farmer friend of mine used to say "Eat it up" for the first line! It goes like this:

Use it up,

Wear it out,

Make do or

Do without!

Well, recently,   I had a novelty print fabric with some cute turtles on it and decided to 'use it up'.  I titled this post "One FAT quarter" but, as I think of it, I believe there was more like a third to a half yard of it. I really didn't mark it down. Anyway, I strive to not have leftovers, so I spent the afternoon using up this particular piece of fabric!  Look at what I ended up making--of course, by adding a few other fabrics from my stash! 

Two (2) crayon roll-ups with a matching fabric, two (2) little 'Anything Bag' zipper pouches (one I gave to my sister) and a pillowcase edging using some white fabric that I also had.  I did a post on Friday about the pillowcase, titled "Last but Not Least" which strikes me now as funny and so appropriate since it is a pokey turtle!  The remaining items are now available in my shop.  

It was a fun afternoon and I felt like I had accomplished something!   When is the last time you felt that way?

Long Ago's Project Finished!

I have projects that are unfinished, I know you do too.  But I just had to tell you about this one project that I just FINISHED!  Such accomplishment I feel! 

I had a stack of fabric (and some trim), that I bought, actually when I lived in another state!  It was intended for my daughter.  She wanted a table runner for her newly painted living/dinning room.  No problem! So I bought some fabric.  But . . . . you know how it goes, life happens!  Well, I finished her table runner today!  Yay!

It's reversible, one side for everyday, and one side for special occasions.  And you know what?  When I got the stack down from the shelf, a receipt fell to the floor.  You know what date it had on it?  03-15-2002!  How do you like that?  I hope she likes it after all this time. 

And, I don't know what I was thinking, back in 2002, but I bought a ton of fabric, nearly three yards of each of these purples!  Anyone else need a table runner?  It might be done by 2020!  hee hee!  :-)

Vintage Fabrics!

It's Thursday and I am wondering what to put in my blog!???!!  Ever get writer's block?  Or think that you have nothing to offer?  I'm not really a chatty person, more of a thinker and planner.  So, I'm not so inclined to tell you each detail of my day, although that might be interesting to some. I have been working on a few creative items, but basically they are a repeat of some that I have already posted.

So, I thought I would tell you about a new venture of mine.  I have been filling my time with something  different for me.  I've been recycling fabrics! I go to the local thrift outlet or to an estate sale and look for fabrics and notions.  I find that many elderly people leave behind vintage fabrics and projects in various states of completion.  I have been able to find some AWESOME pieces of yardage!  Here are a few, some already sold.  I guess that there are other people out there that love vintage fabrics too!

Dotted Swiss

 Very popular, when I was growing up, for Sunday dresses!

Rural New England Scene

 This one was wonderfully patriotic with it's American Flag!

Tablecloth?

This one really got me to wondering if it had not, in fact, been some one's tablecloth back in the 40's!

I usually have to wash the fabrics because they have a musty smell.  Probably came from some one's attic or garage! But the work is well worth it to find hidden VINTAGE treasure!  I have several others in my shop, if you are interested!  

Fun Fabric!

I found this fun fabric at an estate sale!  It's  a Robert Kaufman fabric.  I just love the kids saying what they want to be.  This might make a great children's apron!  (It's now for sale in my shop.)

So you ever shop estate sales?  Tell us about one of your favorite finds!

New listing!

I'm doing a couple of craft bazaars soon, so I have come up with a little ditty that will be an impulse buy, I hope!

My daughter inspired them! She has one, that is a little different that she uses when she shops at the farmer's market every Saturday. She keeps her budgeted cash in it, attached to her tote handle. This helps her not go over budget and always have her money handy. That way she doesn't have to carry her purse, also. A blogger friend, Beth, said that she thought it was a great idea, only she would take it to the beach! She doesn't like getting sand in her purse but still needs to take her license, money and cell phone with her. She would like to attach it to her beach tote!

These little fabric pouches have an attached key ring. They can be used as a key chain to hold your keys or as a coin purse, or attach it to your backpack, or even your belt. Absolutely great for hiking too!

I had so much fun making them in all the assorted fabrics with contrasting color zippers! I love working with the different color combinations!

Tools of the trade

Another blogger, the other day, said something about her tools. It made me think about my tools. So I got them out of their resting places and photographed them:


Counter clockwise:

• Hand forged Utility scissors that I purchased in Amish country several years back--sharp!
• My workhorse for fabrics--and ONLY fabrics-- my 9" Fiskars Razor Edge
• 9" Pinking shears
• Utility scissors--I have several of these in various places around the house--use 'em for everything!
• Two small sewing basket pairs--one blue, one red handled, for snipping thread
• Curved end paper scissors for the grand kids
• and my prized pair of stork embroidery scissors--They belonged to my mother-in-law and were handed down to me! Yay!

Is this all, you say? Nope! I have other paper cutters, special scrap booking scissors, rotary cutters, etc. When fabric is your passion, a pair of scissors are your implement of choice!

What is your implement of choice?

New Bed Quilt

Don't ya just love fabrics? I do!

I'm wanting to pick out some fabrics for a new quilt for my bedroom. My old one is falling apart. Actually it is an imported promotional (cheap) quilt. I loved the colors and the patterns when I bought it. My room was done in a forest pattern, with bears--which I love-- and Canadian geese with a cabin like, mountain feel, complete with miniature pine trees and real pine cones--I love them too! It reminded me of the mountains that I love, but no longer lived in. I have enjoyed the quilt for several years, but because it was not well made, it has not worn well. Oh well, it served it's purpose! (Can you tell, I love the outdoors!)



I now live in a forested area and want a change (just a little one) in my bedroom, which also doubles as my sewing room. I am wanting something a little simpler. I want the quilt to still have greens and browns but with an ivory background fabric. I have found the pattern that I want, but not the fabrics. This calls for a trip to the fabric store!! Yay!! (Of course, I will be checking the Etsy fabric shops!--goes without saying!)



Here's the pattern I have chosen, but I will change it slightly. Foresty, right? I'll show the fabrics after purchase! Should be a fun new adventure!!!

Inspiration?

Ever had those days where inspriation flees from you?! I recently wrote a post about scrappy days, while I was looking for a new idea. Yes, I got the hot pink thread and the yellow fabric. I finished the coasters; they can be seen in my etsy store. I haven't started the landscape quilt using the yellow fabric, although I have played with the fabrics together and not yet decided on a pattern to cut. I just have not gotten the idea that I think will yield the finished product that I have in mind.

This morning, Saturday, I resorted to watching sewing shows on public TV! I saw some techniques that I have never used. And I saw some AWESOME sewing machines that I cannot afford! But ultimately no new ideas! So I guess it time to go to the fabric store and let the fabrics speak to me!