chocolate lollipop and teapots

chocolate lollipop and teapots, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

I made up these little beauties for a swapbot potholder swap. The inspiration for them came from Pink Penguin.  Ayumills is just so talented that you will want to try out her sewing tutorials.  The teapot tutorial is found here and includes a downloadable pattern.  My advice is to have your computer nearby while you are making the pattern,  because I didn't and the photos would have really helped my attempt turn out a little better.  The brown potholder is made from some chocolate lollipop charms I bought a while back.  Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Anna Maria Horner's fabric.  It is awesome.  I am going to try to make one of Ayumills' other tutorial patterns with the rest of the charms - a Reversible Patchwork Bag.  

Follow me while I blog hop!

little girl freehand machine embroidery, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

Does this happen ever happen to you...You start visiting the blogs you "follow" and one link leads to another which leads to another and then your head feels like it will burst because there is so much inspiration and ideas on your journey?  It happens to me a lot.

This happened to me last week, starting at the blog, Pimp Stitch.  This blog focuses on crafts, sewing and embroidery; and, it often has links to fun tutorials.  I am trying to work on my embroidery skills, so I was enticed by a new entry on Friday, "Boy + Girl Pocket Pillows".  What are pocket pillows you ask.  Well, they are toddler sized pillows that can fit into toddler sized pockets!  And, they are really cute.  Since I love really cute kiddy stuff, I decided to hop over to Lauren's blog, goody-goody, for little girl and boy pocket pillows free PDF pattern.

With my new pattern printing out below, I decised to check out Another website I love,  Illustration Friday.  This is one of those sites where a member suggests a topic and then everyone who reads can submit an illustration in the medium of their choice on the topic.  I love it because many talented artists submit each week and there are links to their blogs which are full of inspiration!  The topic for this week was "poise".  Interesting, I thought, and I began to look at what artists were submitting.

I started with Golly Bard, who suggested the topic.  I headed over the her blog, Golly Bard's Drawing Room, and was blown away by her wonderful drawings! What talent!  She has her entry for Poise, "A Voracious Appetite", available in her ETSY Shop.  

So, I ask myself, what inpires Golly Bard; and, I click on the first name atthe top of her list "Visual Feast".  And, that would be, Cathy Cullis's Etsy Shop.  When I arrived at Cathy's shop, I realized that I had been there before.  Cathy is a talented mixed media and textile artist.  Her work evokes classic simplicity, and I had been awed by it when I happened upon her in another of my blog hopping episodes.  

So, with my head full of ideas and images, I decided to try and machine embroider the little girl PDF that I had gotten from Lauren.  The first picture above is what I came up with.  It is really cute, and I am going to make it into a pocket pillow for a little girl I know.  

Then, I decided to take it one step further.  I remembered some silhouettes that were posted by a contact of mine, Suzee Que, on flickr.  Suzee Que often posts vintage artwork to share for use in art projects.  She had posted this silhouette

Some are Vintage..some are not, originally uploaded by Suzee Que.

Here is my interpretation of it:

Valentine Pillow Tutorial

This is an easy and quick project to knit up for that special someone. I made one for a relative who has been ill; and, when my boys saw it, they wanted one too! Yarn: Lion Brand Fun Fur in Color # Red; Bernat Softee Chunkee in Color # Red.

Needles: Size 11 circular Notions: 1/2 yard of fabric to make pillow ( this is enough for 2 pillows). Needle and Thread for sewing knitted fabric to pillow. Stuffing for pillow. Gauge: Doesn't really matter Directions:

KNITTING:

Holding the two yarns together, CO 2 stitches. Row 1: K 2 stitches, Add a stitch by CO 1 at end of row (3 stitches on needle). Row 2: K all stitches, CO 1 at end of row (4 sttiches on needle). Continue in this pattern, Knitting all stitches and adding one at end of each row by the cast on method, until you have 30 stitches on your needle. Knit 4 rows. Knit 2 rows, adding one stitch by the cast on method at end of each row (32 stitches on your needle) ; Knit 4 rows; Knit 2 rows adding one stitch at the end of each row with the cast on methond (34 stitches on your needle; Knit 20 rows; Now you will Divide for the top of the pillow. Knit 17 stitches. Slip these onto a knit holder. With the remaining 17 stitches: Row 1: BO 1, Knit to last 3 st. K2tog, K1. Row 2: K all stitches Row3: K1, Sl 1 as if to Purl, K1, PSSO, K to last three stiches, K2 Tog, K1 Row4: K all stitches Repeat Rows 3 & 4 until 7 stitches remain on needle. BO these stitches Rejoin yarn, and repeat this process in reverse for the opposite side stitches that were on the holder.

SEWING:

Lay your knitted fabric on top of two layers of regular fabric. Cut out 2 hearts adding 3/4" to the edge.

Sew the heart, right sides together, leaving an opening on one side for stuffing.

You should now have a pillow. Stuff it to your liking and then sew up the edge.

Now, lay your knitted pillow on top of your fabric pillow and sew them together at the edge.

Once done, your pillow should look like this from the back:

Enjoy!

PS.  The "Be Mine!" in the pillow was added afterwords via text on an image.  If you like it, you could add it via hand or machine embroidery.

Pin Cushion Swap

I signed up for a pincushion swap on Swap-bot today. That sounds like fun. I have a hoard of pincushions already made, so I won't have to put too much added work into the mix.  Here is a simple one I made from a bottle cap

I did a quick search for pin cushion tutorials and found this quick sampling  for those who are interested:

How About Orange's Tiny Pin Cushion Tutorial

paper.string.cloth patchwork pincushion

Martha Stewart's strawberry pincushions

a wrist pin cushion from the Green Kitchen

a pincushion sewing kit from the Monkey Room

If you love pincushions, you might want to splurge on this gift for yourself  Pretty Little Pincushions (Pretty Little Series).  Or, you could go to the Pretty Little Pincushion Flickr group for more inspiration!

Full House

My two older boys, 14 and 17, returned home this weekend from boarding school. We spent Saturday at the school attending workshops on the college admission process. It was extremely overwhelming but exciting at the same time. I can't quite believe that I will have a child in college in the near future!

With a full house, it is hard for me to focus on crafting. With the constant demands for food, entertainment and clean laundry, I don't think that I will be able to post much until after the Thanksgiving holiday. We are heading up to New England on Wednesday for a couple of days to spend some time with our relatives. I hope that there might be a little bit of snow. We haven't had a good snow here in several years. And, since it is basically flat, farmland, my kids don't ever get to go sledding. It would be such fun to get in a bit of that with the cousins!

I was able to finish up the little house ornaments for the Christmas Ornament Swap before the boys came home. My kids think that I am a little loopy, making so many. I also was inspired to make a couple of Christmas trees to go along with the houses. Then I finished off with the needle felted sheep that I make. Basically, I have a complete village now.

A Week of Handmade Ornaments

Polaroid-Frame-Flat, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

So, I have been going a little overboard on making ornaments lately, and I have decided to feature a few of my creations. I am going to try each day to add another ornament. We will see if I actually make it...

On the first Saturday of every month, there is a local flea market at the Fire House. It is really a cross between a yard sale and an antique show. You never know what you will find. Back in August, a dealer had these little antique hearts. I bought them thinking I would use them for a baby blanket. However, since it is not looking like there will be anymore babies in my family (or extended family) anytime soon, I decided a better use might be to make some ornaments.

This is perfect for an old holey quilt! You can just cut shapes out of the good parts. I used a simple cotton fabric for the backing. It was a cinch to sew them up using blanket stitch. I left a little bit unsewn, stuffed with scraps and polyester stuffing, and then closed her up!

When I was stuffing, I slipped in a little sachet of lavender made from a recycled dryer sheet. I figured that once the holidays were over, the heart could hang on a closet door or be placed in a sock drawer to keep everything smelling fresh!

Little House Ornament

little house front, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

I decided it was time to start thinking about making some ornaments since I signed up for the Ornament Swap again this year. I received my list of swap partners yesterday. The group is being administered by swap-bot.  This is a pretty cool site, especially if you like to participate in swaps.  I signed up for another swap that is swapping ribbon!  I think it is interesting and awesome that most of my swapping partners in the ornament swap are from the opposite parts of the USA than me, and two are from other countries! Last year my whole family got into the excitement of receiving the different ornaments. I hoping that this year will be just as much fun. 

To get in the mood, I did a quick GOOGLE search of handmade ornaments. The first site that popped up was Pimp Stitch. I was a little taken back by the name, but clicked anyways. Well, I hit the motherload - not only was there the absolute best tutorial here for a wee little house ornament, but there were tutorials for lots of embroidery related crafts!

The most recent post on the blog chronicled an interview with Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching: Hundreds of Hip Embroidery Patterns and How-To. Do you ever think that things just are supposed to happen, like clicking to a blog on a whim, and finding just exactly what you are currently interested in? During a recent surgical recuperation, I used the book Sublime Stitching to start learning how to embroider with it's great projects and patterns.

So, last night I took the plunge and made one of the little house ornaments. I have to say it was a fun, easy project. The only change I would make to the order of putting the ornament together would be to embroider the decorative elements before I sewed it together. It is probably just me and my inexperience at embroidery (don't look too closely at my stitches!), but I had a hard time with the embroidery with the bottom already sewn on the ornament. Despite this lack of experience, I think that the final product was pretty sweet!  It definitely brightened my day to see this cute little cottage sitting on my bedside table when I woke up this morning!

Migraine Fighter

Last night I needed this eye pillow for an awful migraine.

I used the pattern in Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects book to make this a few weeks back.  I used fleece for the backing so it is extra soft.  I also filled it with my secret ingredient, a little pouch of lavender from my garden.  The pouch is made from a recycled fabric dryer sheet.  I cut up a rectangle out the the sheet, fold it in half and sew up each side.  Then you fill it with lavender and sew up the top.  It works perfectly inserted in your project and protects the lavender from spilling out through  a loose seam!  

There are many legends surrounding lavender.  It's scent is thought to combat stress and promote relaxation.   The word “lavender” comes from the Latin "lavare" which means to wash. In early times, washer women were called lavanders or lavenders because to lavender meant to launder and the lavendar plant itself was used to keep fabrics smelling fresh.  

Folklore also links fairy activity to wherever lavender is planted. These fairies bring healing, protection, and aid in overcoming emotional blocks [and migraine headaches!].  That is why lavendar planted around the house is rumoured to keep bad spirits away.  I have it planted right up the front walk to my house for that very reason!  We need all the help we can get! 

I love lavender!

My Lucky Day

Today was a good day.  First, I don't work on Fridays.  So, I was home just fooling around all day.  You know, rearranging furniture with Christmas tree in mind...contemplating cleaning out the attic but watching John Stewart and Steven Colbert instead.  

Second, I sold a pair of longies on eBay.


Third, I got this is the mail today...

Just a little transaction I made last week on eBay with The Trend Boutique.  I was in desperate need for a new jacket, and found this one at a great price.  It is absolutely lovely and fits perfectly. And, I feel really trendy when I put it on!

Fourth, my 17 yo son called last night from Boarding School.  Mom's with kids in Boarding School know how much this means.  Just getting a call is, well, astounding!  He informed that he had gotten the highest grade in his class on his Chemistry Lab - a 99! We might have a doctor in the making!

But the best thing that happened was that I got an email from Kristin to inform me that (drum roll please) I had won the new Anna Maria Horner book Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing as a Week One - Home for the Holidays prize winner!  Boy was I surprised, since I don't win things....ever.  I feel so lucky! I have been wanting that book so much, but couldn't justify another purchase for myself right now.  

Thanks so much to Sew Mama Sew!  Don't wait, go and check out this great site and all of the beautiful, trendy fabric they sell. 

Before-School Scarf

This morning there was a sense of excitement in the air. It was 7 am and my husband was already out on a strategic mission of sign placement at a local voting establishment. I was in a hurry to get ready, so I threw on my fall uniform - brown cords and a brown turtleneck. Since it is voting day, and since I am HOPEFUL that CHANGE will happen, I decided a lucky little scarf would dress up the outfit. I pulled out a quarter yard piece of silky fabric that I had been meaning to turn into a scarf - but never sat down and did it - and I decided that there is no time like the present.

I took the quarter yard piece and folded it in half longways with right sides together. I ironed the crease and then sewed up the raw edges. I left the raw edges on either side unsewn. I turned the scarf so that right sides were out, ironed so that the seam was in the middle back and then sewed up either end by ironing under 1/4 edge at an angle.

I finished this in just under 10 minutes, in between making lunches for school, getting school clothes out of the dryer and fixing my computer that had crashed (don't ask!)When I have a little more time, I will sew on some sort of edging at either end. I am thinking either beads or a nice ribbon (Velvet?)...

On the topic of scarves, do you remember a "dickey"? (Am I aging myself?) A dickey is a type of false shirt-front - like a turtleneck with a body that covers the neck area but with no sleeves or body. Recently, I have been revisiting the idea of dickies. Since the East Coast weather where I live just doesn't get too cold anymore, you need something to keep the exposed part of your neck warm without the bulk and warmth of a heavy sweater or scarf. The modern version of a dickey is now called a "neckwarmer".

Jared Flood recently designed a pattern for the "Stormy Morningside Neckwarmer" for Classic Elite Yarns. I drew two male names for our family Christmas gift swap and thought this just might fit the bill.


The "women's slouchy" version is pretty sweet too. I think I'm going to have to get my knitting needles out and start some holiday knitting. What a perfect way to watch those votes come in to night. Let's HOPE it turns out for the best!

Little Purse

little purse, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

This is my first attempt at sewing a handmade bag! I made this sweet little purse from Simplicity Pattern ("it's so easy!") 4625. It would have been really easy if I hadn't decided to use different fabrics which required a little extra "thinking" when it came to cutting out the fabric. I love the size as it fits perfectly on your arm. You can get it over your shoulder, but the straps need to be lengthened if you prefer to primarily use it as a shoulder bag.

Race Car Driver

Race Car Driver, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

A race car driver for my nephew who is a "CARS" fan. I am putting together a little gift bag for him with the doll, some race cars and a bag to carry them in. I hope he enjoys it for Birthday #3!

I adapted a pattern from Wee Wonderful's Spaceboy pattern. It took me the better part of the day to go from start to finish, but I think it was worth it!

Kitty

kitty, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

I have been working on a kitty softie pattern based upon a folk art cat that I obtained many years ago. I used my boys' old clothing to make up the body of the cat.

I am still working on getting body pieces to scale. In the red kitty below, I felt that the arms were too fat so I redid them for the brown kitty. I also wanted a more primitive version of a face on this one as well. I used old buttons (mismatched) for the eyes and a bit of an old recycled felted sweater for the nose.

The "warholized" version above is care of fd's flickr toys. I love seeing my kitty in different colors!

Valentine Kitty

Needlework Project & Good Reading

Flower Power , originally uploaded by poketypatch.

I finished the glasses case made from recycled sweaters, some of my boys old pants and buttons! It is soft and thick; and, I think it will work wear to protect a pair of glasses from scratches. It is also a good size for a cell phone or ipod.

Speaking of finishing...I have recently finished two "quick read" mysteries with a needlework theme. I picked them up at my local library. The series is written by Monica Ferris. The main character, Betsy Devonshire, owns a needlework shop, "Crewel World" in Minnesota. She solves crimes with her store manager, Godwin DuLac (who is gay), and other needleworking friends, one who is a police officer. I started out reading the most recent book, Knitting Bones, since it caught my eye on the new book rack at the library. I liked it so much, I have plowed through Crewel Yule and am getting ready to start Sins and Needles. All of the books are featured on Ms. Ferris' website and include the first chapter of each book. She also contributes to a mystery writer's blog, Killer Hobbies, and Wednesday is Ms. Ferris' day to contribute. If you like themed mysteries, I recommend these for a fun read! I have added them to my Amazon Widget.

Old Magazines and Old Buttons

button flower, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

Does anyone else hate to throw away old magazines? A few weeks back, I was cleaning out the bookshelves in my bedroom and came across a stack of old magazines. I decided to pick out one magazine, look through it, and if I didn't find anything of interest, I was going to throw it out. Good try! The magazine I chose was the February 2000 issue of Country Living. Since Valentine's Day was on my mind, I found it uncanny that I would randomly pick out a Valentine issue!

Besides wonderful articles on "Flea Market Makovers" and "Collect it Now", there was one article in particular that caught my eye. "Button it Up!" chronicles the art of folk artist Mary Teeter who makes one-of-a-kind mosaics out of old fabrics, buttons and embroidery. A google search came up with a couple of galleries that feature Ms. Teeter's buttonwork which is awsome. And, since I have a sewing box fully of old buttons, I was inspired to start using them!

Valentine Needlecase Project

My creation, originally uploaded by poketypatch.

As I was rumaging through the attic this weekend, I found some old patterns I had printed out at least a year ago. One was a Valentine Needlecase. Since I have been trying to improve on my embroidery of late, I decided to use some of the felt I have been collecting each time I travel to Michael's, and whip up this little project. I am really pleased with the way that these turned out. They will be perfect for someone special on Valentine's Day!