Little Brown Owl is coming along swimmingly. I can’t wait to get it officially launched. My friends and family, I bet, are a bit tired of hearing about it, but soon there will be visible proof of my hours of invisible work. Stephen has been so supportive and helpful with all the back end crap that goes into starting an online store. I’m so thankful for him. Anyway, I just wanted to give an update to those who were wondering, “what the heck is happening with this?”. Thanks for the wonder. I will be producing the goods soon.
Archive for the 'crafts & projects' Category
So, I know it’s been a while since I’ve written. But I asure you, it’s not because of the lack of content. no. no. I’ve been terribly preoccupied. Which is no excuse. I’m loving life and all it’s strange-ness. So now that I’m not working full time, I’m now working overtime with all the projects and stuff I love to do. It’s been amazing. To give you a quick peak, I’ve been volunteering a bunch in our library at church; creating posters and advertisments to promote it’s weekly features. I’ve also been working with a couple of friends to create a monthly publication, zine thing, to distribute locally. My hope is that it will promote community and give people a bit of art to look forward to each month. Also, I’ve been preparing to head up a Drawing 101 class starting next month. It’s a bit daunting, going back through past stuff I’ve learned and trying to figure out how to teach it myself. I’ve never taught a class in my life, so it should be an interesting experience. And last, but not least by any means, I’ve been working on Little Brown Owl. It’s going to be a website to sell crafty stuff that I make at home. So, that means, I have to make stuff to sell as well. Awwwwhhh! Craziness, but I’m having so much fun doing it. On top of all of that, I just got a part time job at Peet’s Coffee here in Concord. So, needless to say, my schedule is now over flowing and it’s exciting.
Happy as a blue bird. Busy as a bee.
This week I’ve been a crafting fool. I’m thinking about the damage I’ve done so far and it’s only Tuesday. I found this fabric at a wholesale fabric warehouse yesterday. I drive by this place everyday. It’s like one of those places that you see, but you don’t see. You know what I mean? Anyway, I finally visited it and they have great fabrics that are incredibly affordable. Who knew?
Rosa liked it too…
I started a small quilt for my good friend whose having a baby boy in July. I’ve only finished the front as of today. There’s nothing more fun than vintage cowboys (and girls).
Yesterday, I ventured to a new project. I’ve been wanting some sort of hanging solution by the front door. Something to hang the keys, dog leash, etc. I discovered the section at the craft store that has all the unfinished wood objects and found some great plaques. They come in all shapes and sizes. I also had some cool fabric left over from a former project. So I whipped these babies up. Quick and easy!
Tools you will need:
fabric
wood plaque
hat and coat hook set (hook and screws)
sawtooth picture hanger set (hanger and nails)
sheetrock screw (to mount to wall)
scissors
staple gun
hammer
power drill (phillips bit)
How to:
1. With your scissors and fabric, cut out a piece of fabric about 1.5 to 2 inches larger than the size of your wood plaque (large enough to stretch around and behind it).
2. Stretch the fabric around and behind the wood plaque on one side and staple with the staple gun. To stretch the fabric evenly, make sure to staple once in the center of all four sides before stretching the rest.
3. Center your hook in the middle of the plaque, on top of the fabric, and screw in place.
4. Nail the sawtooth picture hanger on the back.
5. Mount it on the wall by hanging it from the sheetrock screw.
*Note: These are intended for lighter objects like a set of keys, dog leash or a hat. In order to make them more stable for heavier things such as coats or bags, you may want to use longer sheetrock screws and drill directly through the wood plaque into the wall behind it.
These make me smile. A bit of nostalgic old fashioned charm. That’s what I’m all about. Throughout history, these have been made from scraps of leftover fabric, but these pincushions are made with ribbon remnants, shirting fabric, and felt. These new materials work especially well because its edges won’t fray. You could also give these as a gift or use them to decorate your crafty space. You could also venture out to create other fruit and vegetable pincushions. I have way too much time on my hands…
Tools and Materials:
Fabric and ribbon remnants
Sewing machine
Needle and thread
Scissors
Fine sand or emery
#3 pearl-cotton thread or felt, for berries’ tops
6-strand embroidery floss, for seeds
Fabric glue
How to:
1. Begin by printing out the template [provided by marthastewartliving.com] Trace the cone template onto fabric, then cut out the shape. Fold the fabric into a cone shape, right sides facing, and stitch together along one edge, leaving a narrow seam allowance.
2. Sew an even running stitch along the perimeter of the opening (will be the top of the berry). Before cinching the top, place the cone in a small jar for balance, and fill it with sand or emery (keeps the pins sharp). Pull the thread taut, and stitch the top closed.
3. For the strawberry’s top, trace the cap template onto a piece of felt, cut out the shape, and affix it in place with a drop of glue; then sew along the edges with a slip stitch. Or, create leaves by sewing long stem stitches onto the strawberry using the pearl-cotton thread, leaving a loop of floss at the top for a handle. Embroider seeds onto berry using embroidery floss with a single stitch or a French-knot stitch.
I’m sitting in my living room drinking coffee and eating leftovers from our Zachary’s Pizza gathering last night. Oh, the sweetness. A good friend of ours, Dan, was in town. We met in Berkely at this pizza joint that has become so popular, we had to wait for about an hour and a half to get a table. Luckily, they served beer, so we were content with that and the company. Dan and Steve go way back. A lover of life and dreams, that one. It was good to see him.
This morning I found a site to share, Reprodepot Fabrics. They have really cute vintage, retro and Japanese imported fabrics. They carry patterns, buttons, patches and sewing accessories as well. I was surprised to see that the prices aren’t too bad either. Great stuff… check it out.
These coasters make a great housewarming gift. Each takes about 15 minutes to complete, so it’s easy to plan on making a set of four or six for a generous gift. I chose some reproductions of 19th-century fabrics for this project. I like the way the small scale of the prints complements the small size of the coasters and the fine sewn lines of the concentric rectangles of quilting.
[Excerpted from Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson]
Tools and Materials:
4 1/2-by-10-inch piece of fabric for each coaster (*Note: 1/4 yard of 45-inch-wide fabric will yield 8 coasters if cut precisely.)
High-loft natural cotton batting, 46 by 36 inches
Cotton thread in a color to blend in with your fabrics (I used mustard yellow)
Walking foot for sewing machine
Finished Measurements: About 4 inches square
Construction Notes: Use 1/4-inch seam allowance throughout, unless otherwise noted.
How to:
1. Prepare fabric: Wash, dry, and press the fabric.
2. Cut fabric: Cut one 4 1/2-by-10-inch piece of fabric for each coaster. (If you’re making coasters from 1/4 yard of fabric, cut two 4 1/2-inch-deep strips from selvage to selvage, trim the selvages, and then cut each strip into four 10-inch lengths.)
3. Cut batting: Cut one 4-inch square of batting for each coaster.
4. Assemble coaster: Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, to form a 4 1/2-by-5-inch rectangle. Sew the two 5-inch sides closed so that only one side of the rectangle remains open. Trim the corners, and turn the fabric right side out.
5. Tuck the batting smoothly inside the fabric (this can be a bit fussy at first, but it gets easier with practice). Fold the coaster’s open edges to the inside, covering the batting with one fabric edge, and finger-press the folded edges in place. Make the corners as square as possible. Your piece should measure about 4 inches square.
6. Quilt coaster: Attach the walking foot to your sewing machine, and set your machine to the needle-down position in order to turn each corner cleanly as you quilt. (If your machine cannot be set this way, hand-turn your needle into the down position before lifting the presser foot to turn the coaster at the corners.) You’ll start quilting at the outside edge, and sew in one continuous line to the center. Use the coaster’s edge as a guide to make straight seams the first time around, and then continue using the outer seams as your guide as you work your way inward.
7. Begin quilting about 1/8 inch from the edge on a side neighboring the open edge (you’ll close the open edge when you quilt along that side). Sew a few stitches, then take a couple of backstitches to anchor the quilting. Stitch along the side of the coaster, consistently staying about 1/8 inch from the edge. At the first corner, stop sewing with your needle in the down position. Lift the presser foot, and rotate the coaster 90 degrees; lower the presser foot, and sew to the next corner.
8. Repeat stitching along each side and turning the corner as instructed until you’re on the fourth side, then stop sewing 1/4 inch before you reach the last corner.
9. With your needle in the down position, lift the presser foot, and rotate the coaster 90 degrees; lower the presser foot, and sew 1/4 inch inside the previous stitching line to within 1/4 inch of the next corner.
10. Repeat the process from step 9 to form concentric rectangles of quilting until you reach the center of the piece. Finish the quilting with a few backstitches.
I’ve stumbled across something I am rapidly growing to love; using fabrics as art. I’ve always loved painting with layers to add depth and visual texture, and now I am appreciating the vast amount of interest that a piece of fabric can bring. Obviously, I’ve explored using my trunk full of mismatched fabrics to sew something… a quilt maybe? Quilts are beautiful and useful but it wouldn’t show the raw beauty that already exists. Having plenty of “cut-off” jean shorts in my life, I knew that if I was to throw fabric in the washing machine without hemming the raw edge, it would fray. Great. So I tried it. I cut a bunch of my fabric in strips of all sizes and washed them. What came out was incredible. Everything tangled together and made this great mass of strings and thread. I wanted to just hang it on the wall from there, but decided to take it a couple steps further. 
I took a piece of pine (10″x30″x1″) and painted it black. Then wrapped the pieces of fabric around it until it created something more interesting. I uploaded the finished result under my portfolio page. Scroll down to “Fabric” and take a look. Next, I’m going to sew the pieces together first before wrapping them. I’m thinking this will create a more uniform look, without sacrificing the imperfect quality of the fabric. It’s all a mess and I love it.
The instructions below will show you how to make a foundation row and single crochet stitch. If you follow them exactly, you’ll complete a 7×9 inch block. With these basics, you can make a number of other projects.
Beginner Crochet Block
What you need:
Worsted-weight yarn, any color or colors
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle with big eye
Scissors
| How to beginStep 1: Hold crochet hook in right hand and make a slip knot on hook.
Step 2: Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with hook. |
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| Step 3: Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto hook. This makes one chain stitch.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 in sequence 28 more times. You should have 29 chain stitches and one loop will remain on hook. Step 5: Insert hook into center of next chain stitch. Draw yarn through the chain stitch and up onto the hook. There are now 2 loops on hook. Step 6: Bring yarn over hook from back to front, and draw it through both loops on hook. One loop remains on the hook, and you have just made one single crochet stitch.
Repeat Steps 5 and 6 in each of the remaining 27 chains–be sure to work in the very last chain. You have now completed one row of single crochet. Measure your work; it should be about 7″ wide. If it is too wide, try again with fewer beginning chains. If it is too narrow, try again with more beginning chains. Step 7: At the end of the row, make one chain stitch, then turn the work counter-clockwise, leaving the hook in the chain. Now you can begin another row, working into the stitches of the previous row. Step 8: Make one single crochet stitch in first stitch and in each remaining stitch of the previous row. Be sure to work into the last stitch. Chain 1, turn. Repeat Step 8 until the block measures 9″ long. Finishing: Cut the yarn from the skein, leaving a 6″ end. Draw the hook straight up, bringing the yarn through the remaining loop on the hook. Thread yarn into yarn needle and weave back and forth through stitches to secure. |
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When you begin to explore how your own life story fits into a larger whole, you embark on an adventure. The following tips will help you begin your own genealogical search:
1. Begin with Your Immediate Family
List the names, birth dates, places, and marriage dates of your immediate family and grandparents. Also ask members of your family if there is an existing family tree.
2. Conduct Interviews with Older Relatives
Find out the names and marriage dates of your ancestors, and ask about interesting family stories. Take careful notes, or use a tape recorder or video camera.
3. Find Documentation
Accurate genealogy relies on documentation, so try to obtain copies of records to confirm each link. These include census records; marriage and death certificates; wills and property records; religious papers; school and medical records; ship passenger records; and naturalization papers. You must know exactly where in the United States your ancestors lived, as many records are filed by location. Good sources for many of these documents are the National Archives and Records Administration, libraries, historical societies, and religious institutions, as well as a number of websites.
4. Chart Your Family History in Its Country of Origin
If you’re lucky, U.S. records will contain the county or province where your family came from. As with American documents, applicable foreign records are usually filed with local institutions. Once you’ve pinpointed the area, you might choose to travel there, hire someone who lives in the area to do research, or take advantage of a surprising option — the Mormon Church. Because genealogy is part of its mission, it has the world’s most extensive collection of genealogical records. You can visit the church’s library or use their website.
5. Confirm Each Link
Be sure to verify each link in the family chain before moving on to the next, and never skip a generation.
These websites can point you in the right direction and put you in touch with others who share your interest or family name:
National Archives and Records Administration
An independent federal agency that oversees the management of all federal records
Federation of Genealogical Societies
An organizing body that oversees genealogical services; founded in 1976
Ancestry.com
More than eight hundred searchable databases on more than 200 million individuals
National Genealogical Society
Founded in 1903; offers comprehensive information about genealogical data
Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation
Information about the seventeen million people who entered the United States through Ellis Island from the 1890s through the 1920s
(Information provided by www.marthastewart.com)
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