WIP Wednesday - My Twelve Step Quilting

The last time I left off on Step 5 of my "Twelve Step Quilting Program" and unforutnately last week was taken up with doctor's appointments so I had to skip my WIP update.

This week I have moved on to

Step 6:  Cut all the string squares into triangles and trim to size.

   

Step 7:  Remove all the paper foundations pieces.  The instructions for this pattern called for a small stitch length and I am happy to find that it comes in very handy when removing the paper foundations.  Its as if the paper were perforated and they peel off very easily.

Step 8:  Cut out my geese "wings" out of the gold toned fabric and start to finish off my flying geese sections.

Since this is a scrap quilt I don't know how far the number of geese I have will take me but I am anxious to see a finished product so I will stitch these together and make whatever size quilt I can.

I have 4 more steps to go to make this a true 12 step program and I hope that I will be able to make my way to the end of the road with this project. If you drop in please leave a comment and feel free to give out suggestions.  What has helped you work through a project to the end?  Are you a UFO (unfinished object) collector or do you work through one project at a time?

I hope that you have a smooth trip down "life in the craft lane" and are inspired to jump "on the wagon" with me and find a creative use for your scraps.

Tomato Pincushion - Day 8 of 100 Days on Pins and Needles

I have featured a variety of pincushions but today I thought I would showcase one that is a very traditional design. Some of us may remember our mothers or grandmothers having a similar pincushion in their sewing box full of pins and needles as they hand stitched a hem or even a quilt.  Many of us may have one like it ourselves or have even made one for ourselves.  In my collection this was one of the designs that I did not have so I decided that it was one I had to give a try.

I found a super simple "Martha Stewart"  pattern with a video tutorial using a piece of rectangular fabric cut on the bias.

Martha Stewart's Homegrown Tomato Pincushions

I made mine using scraps of green cotton flannel, but I did not cut on the bias and still got a nicely finished pincushion.  The star shape leaf section is cut out freehand using felted wool and finished off with a rust colored button.  The pattern calls for gluing the star shape leaf section on the top but I decided to use a long doll needle to stitch mine in place using the button to finish it up.  Using fabric cut on the bias would probably give you a smoother finish to the sides since it would have more "give" but I think mine came out nicely.

You could add some crushed walnut shells, decorator sand (found in craft stores in the floral section) or plastic pellets (found in a craft store and used for dolls, pillows or toys) to the base of the pincushion to give it some weight.  Add an emery filled strawberry to sharpen dull needles and you have a complete old fashioned looking set.

This pattern is an easy to do project even for a beginner.  It would make a great Girl Scout project or even a school project, of course since the use of a sewing machine is required it would be best to do with some adult supervision.

I hope that you enjoy this post and will give this pattern a try to create a variety of tomatoes in assorted sizes to fill a basket and display in your sewing room or even in your kitchen.  If you drop in to take a look, have a question, suggestion or if you decide to create your own please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Doll Pincushion - Day 7 of 100 Days on Pins and Needles

I had to take a break from my quest to find and make a variety of pincushions and needle books due to family illness but now I am back to searching the web for new designs.  I will continue to search out new designs and will post what I find every Monday instead of daily.

I found this pattern in a Family Circle Magazine many years ago and made copies of the pattern for future use.  A few years ago I needed a gift for a Secret Santa exchange and I decided to make  this cute little design for a quilting friend of mine. The picture above is the one I gave to my friend.  The pattern called for the doll to wear a straw hat but I decided to give her a funky hair style and tie it up with a bow.

I spent the last 2 days searching the internet for a similar pattern without success.  The pattern I have is from 1993 so I have not been able to find anything on the web that even comes close to the design I used.  The closest thing I could find was a Half Doll Pincushion made with a porcelain figure.

Half Doll Pincushion

There are various places to purchase the half doll figures such as Ebay, Etsy or Amazon.  Some can be quite pricey but another option that I found on a YouTube video is a Barbie Doll Pincushion using a Barbie doll with the legs removed for the doll portion. I have included the link to the YouTube video, but as it is with many home made how to videos, this one is very slow moving and one needs to be very patient with the maker.

I hope that you join me next week to see what I find and over the next few weeks I will try to work up a pattern for today's featured design.

Using MyThrift Store Finds

I promised last week to continue blogging about how I use all those thrift store finds from last week so here is a preview to how my latest pincushion/jewelry stand came to be. Every new project starts with a mannequin body and then I try out different items to use as a base.  Sometimes they work on the first try and sometimes they don't.

I wanted my next pincushion to look a bit modern with a sparkly glitter fabric design but still keep it looking fun. I made a trip to the Dollar Tree store on Friday and found a feather boa in the toy area and the idea came to me to use it as a skirt embellishment on my latest mannequin.  This mannequin turned into a burlesque style pincushion/jewelry stand with a tulle skirt and feather trim.  The first base did not have the look I was going for so this time it didn't work.  I went to my stash of thrift shop finds and selected a more modern sleek looking stemmed glass for the base.

The base adds to the overall design so each one needs to be selected with that idea in mind and I test the mannequin on several bases to decide on the final look.  This one ended up being a fun, flirty and sparkly design. 

Burlesque Dress Form Mannequin Pincushion/Jewelry Stand

TGIF and Thrift Store Thursday

It's Friday and time to share my Thursday Thrift Store Finds.

Lately I have been creating some one of a kind dress form mannequin pincushions that can also be used to hang necklaces.  I re-purpose or recycle cast away items for the base of each mannequin.  Sometimes it is a glass or brass candle holder and sometimes I use ice cream dishes or stemmed glass ware that I pickup at local thrift stores.

Dress Form Mannequin Pincushion or Jewelry Holder

It is time to gear up for my yearly holiday season craft shows so yesterday I went to a local thrift store and brought home some great finds to incorporate into some new designs

Stemmed glassware is so fun to use as a base but the key is to look for something that has a good weight for stability.  You also have to make sure that you use the right kind of glue because not all glues work on glass. There are many different glues on the market just look for something that is appropriate for the materials that you use.

Each mannequin fabric will be selected to coordinate with the style of the base and then embellished accordingly.  Every design will be a one of a kind item and I will be blogging about each creation as it becomes a reality, so please come back and see which one of these great finds will be first to become a base for a lovely lady.

If you re-purpose or recycle any items please leave a comment and let me know what kinds of items you try to keep out of the landfills to help our environment.  I love to hear what others are making.

On Pins and Needles

 Recycling materials to create new items can be fun and challenges the imagination.  Here are a couple of little creations that I came up with today.

Red Felted Wool Pincushion

Off White Felted Wool Pincushion

If your craft or hobby of choice has you using pins and needles then a pincushion is a must have accessory.  This little handy item can be your best friend to help keep those pins and needles close at hand.  

I love to recycle different items whenever I can and in this case two glass votive candle holders were perfect for a couple of cute little pincushion creations.  I decided that the empty jars were not heavy enough to be stable so I filled one jar with clear glass stones and the other jar with blue glass marbles used for floral arrangements.  Each one was then paired with a coordinating colored felted wool and decorated with an appropriate design.  

 

Creativity Day 12 - Presentation

"It is not enough to stay busy.  So, too, are the ants.  The question is what you are busy about."

Henry David Thoreau

As a business woman I participate in numerous Holiday craft shows so how I present my products is always part of the sale experience.  I also like to put my best foot forward when I mail a customer their purchase they have made through my Etsy shop, I think it adds a positive note to the mail order experience.  Sometimes even though we feel that we have explained how something is used or think that it should be obvious to a customer that is not always the case.  The addition to a package of suggestions or instructions is always a helpful and thoughtful thing to do.  So, last night, as part of my creativity project,  I decided to design an insert for my fabric postcards.  I worked on a design that would have product and business info on one end of the sheet that would fold over to the front of the cellophane packaging and instructions and/or suggestions for use of item on the back of the package.

I made a text box at the top with the name of the item and business info that I rotated so that when it was printed out this section looks upside down.  I then added the instructions/suggestions info to read right side up and added a couple of photos to help with visual instructions.

Once edges are trimmed with a ruler and rotary cutter(used for paper only) I fold the top section and staple it in place on the postcard packaging and add a piece of double stick tape to hold the back flap secure.  Using these clear wrappers keeps the postcards clean and makes the end product look much more professional and since I do craft shows it makes it possible for customers to handle the items and still keeps my merchandise clean.

Taking a few extra steps might just close that next sale and customers appreciate a professional presentation especially when they are buying handcrafted items.

Presentation is everything!  Lets put our best foot forward in everything we do.  How do you make your products shine?  Share or comment please.

Creativity Day 11 - Day of the Dead Memorial Wall Hanging

"Life is a great surprise.  I do not see why death should not be an even greater one."

Vladimir Nabokov

I took a mini class at the Houston International Quilt Show a few years ago on how to make a Day of The Dead wall hanging and being of Hispanic background, I have always wanted to make one for my Mother who passed away 16 years ago.  The class was part of the "Make It University" with "Cloth Paper Scissors Magazine" Workshops which is an inexpensive way to take a class that includes all supplies and instruction by the artist.  You don't have to invest lots of time, most projects take 1-2 hours and the cost is only $15 which is great because there is time for questions and even one on one help if you find that the class is a new technique to you. Admittance into the class is done by drawing names out of a fish bowl and you have to be present to get in and payment is cash only so it is exciting and fun from start to finish.  I recommend taking a chance on getting into one of these classes if you attend Quilt Festival, it is a great way to learn new techniques.

Yesterday was Day 11 and this is what I made:

It is not quite finished because I want to add a few more embellishments and a ribbon for hanging on the wall.  I  did use some of Mom's favorite colors and she loved flowers so I made a one using antique Mother of Pearl buttons, one felt free form cut flower and added some pink roses trim.

This morning I copied a picture of her that was perfect for this little memorial hanging and she just happened to be wearing colors that went along with the color scheme I chose.

There is a picture frame pocket to add a photograph and there is also a pocket behind the photo to add any special mementos that you don't want out for all to see.  This has been a special project and one that I will hanging in my sewing room so she can keep me company everyday while I work.

I have special memories about the person that inspired me to be who I am, I hope you will share some memories or at least that my project will bring back memories of someone special you love and is no longer with us.

Creativity Day 7 - Adding the Finishing Touches

Actually yesterday was supposed to be day 7 but sometimes the ideas just take a bit longer to actually turn into realities.

When I was sewing my paper pieced sections together it came to me that this would make a cute tote so as soon as I was done with the circle I took it apart and started working on my idea.

The little tote has a a lining with a double pocket on the inside, one open pocket and one with a zipper to secure valuables.  The tote itself has a magnetic closure so that everything says out of sight inside the purse.

This project has taken five days to complete but now I have some new found knowledge and inspiration for future projects.  I have learned that using my computer to design can be fun and inspiring and making a Mariner's Compass quilt block is no longer as intimidating as it used to be.

Tomorrow starts my second week of my Creativity Project and I hope my readers continue to drop in and comment or share ideas with me.

Sew the World Turns

It is 6:40 on a Sunday morning, coffee is brewing and the only thing I can think of is that I need to go to JoAnns and buy some flannel that I think goes on sale today.  As much as I love fabric I dred walking into a fabric shop right now, so much temptation that I really don't need.

No sales so far this year (2010) and I really can't justify buying more fabric, except for the fact that if I don't I can't finish one of my UFO quilts that I want to list.  It is such a "Catch 22".  I need it, I want it, but I feel so guilty doing it.  Another problem is also the uncertainty of a sale.  If I make it will they buy?

I get discouraged, as I am sure many of my fellow Etsians do too, I make things and they sit in my shop forever.  I have had 2 sales this last year that I was ready to remove because they sat there for almost a year with tons of views, few hearts and certainly no sales.  So the question is.....Will this continue to happen?  Will I just have to wait till the end of next year to sell items that I have listed this month?  Let's hope not.  Answer... Be Patient.

Life will go on and "Sew the World Turns".  I will create items and concentrate on colors, designs, techniques that I love and pray that someone else loves them too.  Shabby Chic Flannel lap Rag Quilt and matching throw pillow cover will be a new listing for this next week.  We will patiently wait and see what happens.