Archive for April, 2010

• Finished Friday: Where the young people show me how it’s done!

  Date: 2010.04.30 | Category: Finished Object Friday | Response: 1

  My middle son may not be into the academics, he may balk at spelling, and downright muddle through math, but is that boy ever cratfy!

  He creates and builds wonderful things with his hands and his mind! Today, with a little help from me he created a tool, only a boy could want.. a bug net!

  He came up with the idea, gathered the materials and sewed it together..

  

  And voila! Here it is..

  Now this last few weeks have been pretty slow for me in the project dept. so here is one of my young friends to show me how it is done.. We had hat day on Wednesday at our church’s Kids club and so Camilla whipped up a hat..

  

  Quite good for a last minute project! She rocks the needle and thread..

  Now I have to confess that I have gotten something done this week. I finished the reverse appliqué for the front of the Alabama Stitch Book style corset I am working on.  

  

  The next step is to seam it together.  I have to decide whether or not to hand stitch it, or to machine stitch it. Stay true to the style, or speed it up.. haven’t decided yet. I am also thinking I need another half flower over there on the left edge.. And I have to decide what to do on the back! ai aiai!

• Finished Friday! Lots to show!

  Date: 2010.04.23 | Category: Finished Object Friday | Response: 0

  Let’s see.. as promised yesterday I will show you the shirt I did. This is my first project from the Alabama Stitch Book and I like it!!

  

  Take two t shirts with stains and voila make something nice out of them rather than throwing them out!

  (I had a little help)

  

  Next up is a reverse appliqué corset top from the book. Here is my test piece for that..

  Quite fetching I think! Hoping that it will look this good on the shirt!

  Here is is with the stencils painted up and drying..

  I hope they don’t end up looking like jelly fish.. I am sure they won’t!

  And to top it all off I finished a little hat for my neice!! And after a bit of tweaking the pattern will be available in my shop. Sorry loom knitters this one is for needles..

  

• Bookish Thursday: Alabama Stitch Book

  Date: 2010.04.22 | Category: Bookish Thursday | Response: 2

  I seem to be drawn back to my craft roots lately. Most possibly due to the upcoming release of Vickie Howell’s Craft Corps book, in which I am featured. My little teeny tiny bio talks about the beginnings of my crafty pursuits, and my aunt who encouraged me. I started out stitching, you know cross stitch, embroidery, crewel work and that ever popular craft: candle wicking. ( I just dated myself didn’t I?)

  And so, when I saw the  Alabama Stitch Book  by Natalie Chanin I snapped it right up. This is right up my alley..

  

  The beautiful hand sewn garments, mixed with embroidery and appliqué are something that I really love. The simple country style.. is lovely. The use of recycled materials like t-shirts and old quilts wonderful!

  There is this slow transformation of my wardrobe from east coast to mid west. Pink was a color that used to never cross my mind, but now I find it might be ok…

  

  The book is chock full of great ideas that you can use and make your own. Stuff you can run with because they have covered the bases with you! And not only is it chock full of ideas, the book itself is a treat, from the beautiful photos to the cloth spine it is a feast for the eyes and the fingers.. I love to just hold it and flip through the pages..

  

  I definitely encourage you to pick it up if you see it at the bookstore.. and browse through the pages.. but be warned, you might not put it back down!

  I will show you the finished product of that pink shirt tomorrow on Finished Friday, as well as a little knitting I have finally gotten done!! And perhaps a shot of that other stitching project I hinted at a while back!  For now here is a peek at the beginnings of my first ever garment.. a corset made of recycled t-shirts from the book! I’ll be testing out a reverse appliqué on it as soon as my stencil paint dries!

  

• Wordless Wednesday: What did I spy on 19 Kids and Counting??

  Date: 2010.04.21 | Category: Wednesday Without Words | Response: 1

  

• Sewing on Sunday…

  Date: 2010.04.18 | Category: Knitting Without Needles | Response: 1

  Well.. cutting you have to cut first right?

  

  I got the Alabama Stitch Book and I am making a corset out of recycled t-shirts. It should be interesting as this is the first garment I have ever attempted.. AND it is all to be hand sewn!

  We’ll see. Wish me luck! I’ll have a review of the book later in the week and pictures of the other project I already finished!

• Wordless Wednesday: Free Fabric from Freecycle!

  Date: 2010.04.14 | Category: Wednesday Without Words | Response: 1