something old, something new...

you get the picture. there is something satisfying about finishing a project that looks just as you envisioned! I took some liberties with a pattern I've only seen once in a picture so excuse the lumpy weaving. I made this bracelet after viewing Susan's lovely stormy day bracelet over on Plays With Needles so take a look!

side project

just a little side project to recover an old card box

I'm getting better at the beading aspect of this but still have a bit to go for any proficiency.

i love how the dragonfly turned out, don't you?
the wings are some diacrotic glass i found at garden of beading at country village, here in Bothell very cool

I am in crazy quilt happiness mode

I am in crazy quilt happiness mode!
putting together little purses in different stages of made for my
"beginning CQ"class in october to demonstrate "how to".
fun , fun , fun!

this is my very first teaching gig and I'm nervous.

everyone says "oh just be yourself honey everything will be great!"

but I'm still nervous. what if they don't like me, what if I can't teach, what if I forget how to speak in coherent sentences AGGG!

ok now the panic attack is done I can get back to how I do this.

which are your favorites?
mine is the ballet girl and the brown lady so far. I love the saturated colors in the main black fabric and the delicate blues in the other. that will change as they get more embellished.

sketchbook cover done

I'm done with the sketchbook cover.
and it only took about a month from start to finish!
I love the way the sunflowers came to life here and

the fan turned out very nice, here's the back





I do like my spiders!

the front turned out very well i think and the inside could have been better, more notes for next time.

sketchbook cover

I am starting on a new project today, having noticed my sketchbook is falling apart and I don't wasn't it to, I am making myself a cover for it.
most of the pattern comes from Cassie Barden's book "The New Handmade" I say most because I can never follow a pattern with out adding my own little flourishes or it's a short attention span I haven't decided which.

anyway I am at the stitching over the top stage .

In all this I have also decided to rearrange and refold my fabric stash, so there is a lot of unfolding ironing and refolding to do.
It also gets me in tune with what I have and how best to use it.

I'm trying not to buy any more fabric but I'm never quite as successful at resisting as I want to be.
I have, however, kept it to a minimum of 5-6 fat quartes at a time. god help me if there's a sale ;)!

another purse and a question

I'm making another purse, in a different shape this time.
the fabric was too cute to pass up!
the pattern for this one is even easier than the last one.
just two pieces with a lining, sewn at the seams using ribbon for the strap.
it went together in a week.
I'm thinking of opening an Etsy shop and selling them what do you-all think?

looking past

I remember when I was a little (5 or 6?) my g’ma lived in unincorporated scappoose ore. though the house was set up for electricity they didn’t have any yet, their house was off the grid for the most part, she would drag her hand work or the treadle out to the porch and sew there until the sun went down. they had cold water from the taps but drinking water came from the pump outside the kitchen door, and if you wanted a bath it was heated on the stove and carried to the tub!
I remember asking G’ma why she didn’t have electricity, her answer was because it was simpler not to. as I get older I understand what she meant more and more!

small easy purse a tutorial

This is so exciting My very first tutorial!
please leave me feedback and let me know if this information is any good, I need to learn too;)

this is a purse of my own design and is great for beginners to purse making. there are not a whole lot of parts to it, its relatively small and goes together in a few hours. the trickiest part is turning the side with timtex ironed to it.
(this part can be skipped by using a heavier fabric than cotton).

And having used my daughters as guineapigs, I feel fairly confident anyone can make one!

I would recommend using cotton fabrics and recycling old jean fabric for the body of the purse
but really you can use just about any kind of fabric for it. though I would recommend staying away
from some of the lighter weight fabrics such as silks, georgette, gauze and sheers.
2-3 fat quarters and one package of timtex (if not using a heavier fabric) should be sufficient for the entire body of the purse.

Purse body
Cut 2-3 1/2"x23" strips of fabric-for strap
Cut 2-8 1/2"x22" pieces-for body inside and outside
Cut 2-8 1/2"x10 1/2" piece- one of muslin and one of fabric for purse flap
Cut 1-8 1/2x6 1/2" piece-for outside pocket
Optional; cut 1 6 1/2"x 6 1/2" piece-for inside pocket

Timtex (if not using a stiff fabric like upholstery or jeans)
Cut 1 8"x21 1/2" piece-for body
Cut 1 3"x8"-for outside pocket
Cut 1 3"x6"-for inside pocket

Velcro
1 2 1/2" piece- for inside pocket

Strap
sew together strap material along the short side so it make one long 44" strip.
Fold in thirds so the raw edges meet in the center, Iron flat.
Fold in half making sure the edges meet evenly along the open end, iron flat
sew open end together as close to the edge as you can, making sure to sew through all layers of the fabric.
repeat along the fold and set aside.

Pockets
fold the outside pocket (and optional inside pocket if using) in half , iron flat.
place timtex between folded fabric, making sure its firmly against the fold
and center it so there is 1/4" of fabric on either side and along the bottom, iron according to the instructions.
if using optional inside pocket, sew scratchy side of the velcro to the top of the small pocket,
sew a seam as close to the fold as you can making sure to sew through all the layers, set aside.

Flap
when you are done piecing and embellishing on the muslin piece take the flap fabric and with right sides together
pin and sew along 3 edges of the flap, leaving one end open. cut corners and turn flap inside out.
iron carefully from the back first on a fluffy towel so as not to flatten or diturbe the embellishments on the front.
turn over and carefully iron the outside edge of the flap. sew along the ouside getting as close to the edge as you can, leaving the raw edge alone. set aside.

Body
If not using a heavier fabric like upholstery or jean fabric, iron the large piece of timtex to the wrong side of the fabric
you will be using for the inside of your purse, centering it so you leave a 1/4" of fabric all around.
Fold both pieces of the body in half, ( leaving it a 1/2" higher at the back, for the flap) so we can position the pockets.

For the outside pocket, place at the bottom fold of the front of the outside piece, pin in place upside down so you can sew the bottom edge in place along the open seam end. take out the pins, flip up and sew down through all the layers. pin top edge at the sides.
Fold, right sides facing (leaving it 1/2" longer at the back for the flap) Pin and sew together along the long sides.Turn right side out. set aside.

For the inside Pocket (if using) place at the edge about an inch from the top of the inside of the purse.
pin and sew as you did for the outside pocket, at this time position the soft side of the velcro and sew to the body.
fold up pocket and fold raw edges under, pin in place and sew as close to the edges you can, making sure to sew through all the layers.
fold in half (leaving it 1/2" longer at the back for the flap) pin and sew as you did for the outside of the purse, making sure NOT to sew through the timtex.

stuff the outside of the body into the inside, with right sides facing, place the straps at the long end of the body leaving a 1/4" for placing the flap.
Pin and sew the short ends of the top of the purse body together, going through the strap several times to tack it in place securely. turn inside out.

Fold under the raw edges of the fabric, making sure the edges are even, iron flat.
place the flap inside the open end and pin down on both sides, sew as close to the edge as possible making sure you get through all layers of fabric.

and enjoy your fabulous homemade purse!)

teaching a new generation

My girls are in town for a few weeks of "Mommy time" and they wanted to learn how to make their own CQ purse (I'm so proud!!)
so here they are making their blocks.












She knows how to smile (Really!)

A story for you all

Isn't it funny how the brain works?
with my mind on random thought parade, I remembered this episode while sewing one morning, it's totally unrelated to anything I was doing at the time and I haven't thought of this in years
this is a memory that I've been meaning to right down before I completely forget all the details.
this is from when I babysat backstage for friends who were involved with the Organic theater company in Chicago. this would be around 1972-4

Toms jeep

"I'll drive her home" Tom said with a smile. He had a warm engaging face, merry brown eyes, a small bulb of a nose, full lips and a bristle mustache.
His hair was still wet from a recent shower and was slicked back close to his head but would eventually escape into the wild mess that he could never quite control unless he cut it close or held it tight to his skull in a pony tail.
I picked up my bag and Tom put his arm around my shoulder to steer me towards the back of the theater. "the play is going well." said making nervous small talk. everything about Tom was loud from expansive hand gestures to his booming tenor.
"the applause were loud tonight and there were 2 curtain calls." he smiled down at me"yes, we did good" letting out a lusty sigh of pleasure, practically glowing from the high of a good performance.

we left the backstage through the heavy fire doors and crunched through the gravel of the parking lot to his "new" car. a WWII era jeep still painted in army green camouflage, the gas can strapped to the back with webbing and no top.
"Isn't she a beauty?" he demanded throwing his arm wide to embrace the freedom of his new toy. "yeah, It's great" I said with all the skepticism of an 11 year old girl. I looked at him sideways wondering if he was seriously going to drive me home in this deathtrap.
"get in, get in!" he said taking my shoulders and giving me an encouraging shove towards the side of the vehicle. Tom swung himself gracefully up and over the door into the drivers seat saying, "the doors are welded shut so you're going to have to climb over." Great, I thought to myself, dumping my bag into the backseat and hoisting myself over the door frame, to land heavily into the cracked leather of the unpaded seat.

"Showtime!" he chortled, as he shoved the key into the ignition. as he turned the key, the jeep growled into surly life "Isn't she great?" he said again, with even more enthusiasm if that was possible. as I looked at him, with eyebrows raised and a smile plastered on my face, I couldn't help thinking to myself, OK, he's lost it.
I had to grab onto the door as he flung the jeep into reverse and backed out of the parking lot spraying gravel in the process. Jamming it into first gear with a crunch and clank of old gears he popped the clutch and the jeep zoomed forward, bouncing down the alley towards Clark street.

He started telling me the history of the jeep, pitching his voice so it could be heard over the roar of the engine, Tom yelled "these things were made to last." and mores the pity, I thought to myself, getting a tighter hold on the door frame and frantically reaching for the handle, conveniently placed on the dash in front of me.

As we bounced high over, yet another, pothole in the street, I glanced over my left arm to make sure Tom was still driving and that I wasn't about to be launched into a parked car or random tree. He was still in his seat, hunched forward over the stearing wheel, eyes alight with manic glee, teeth barred and a shit-eating grin on his face. I was terrified and this gave me no hope for my immediate future. Not to mention the random tree, I was still convinced, we were going to hit at any moment.

by the time we pulled up to my front door, his hair had dried, in the wind of our passing, to a dark brown halo that reached out into every corner of the night sky. "Here you go!" he declared heartily, slapping the side of the jeep with his hand, making a hollow thunking noise, "safe and sound!" With a pulse to rival any heart attack victim I thought. climbing unsteadily over the side of the vehicle I took in a deep inhalation of crisp night air, I hadn't realized until then, I had been holding since the start of the ride.

Reaching for my bag I thanked Tom for the ride home. "Any time, any time!" he was clearly pleased with himself for the good deed performed on my behlf, I was just glad to be home in one piece.
As I watched him drive off into the bright Chicago night, I sat down on the curb to let my wobbly nerves and shaky knees calm down a bit before climbing the stairs and falling into bed.

I didn't figure out until much later that no roller coaster, fast car, or thrill ride could ever come close to the excitement of riding home in Toms Jeep.

beaded diamond done

bFinished! I will do this again, I enjoyed the zen of placing he beads and couching them down it was very calming though you need a plan when placing the beads in between the main focus beads doing it by random looks a bit on the messy side.