In a lot of ways Charlotte is just like me. She doesn’t like scrambled eggs, or tuna fish. She really likes a good book, but prefers magazines because of all the glossy pictures. Pink is her favorite color, and she loves peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Loves them. Oh, and she loves a good giveaway.
Charlotte is made from a thrifted felted cardigan. She is all wool, stuffed with polyfill and has cute little button eyes and moveable button joints. She has a big heart (made from a small button). She is always up for a new adventure. And since she asked so nice, and is so dang cute, I told her she could have one. I am going to give her away and she is going to come and live with one of you. Leave a comment before Sunday (Happy Heart Day) telling her about your favorite adventure. It can be something you have already done, or a new one you would love to have. Charlotte likes to hear about all kinds.
Next Monday I will post the winner. Charlotte is excited to start her new adventure with you. I know she would love to hear all about your adventures and your secrets. She’s really good at keeping secrets. Happy Adventuring!
Charlotte stands 15 inches tall toes to tips of ears. She is held together with button joints and has button features, so please don’t put her in the hands of small tiny persons. But she’ll happily watch them play from a high shelf. You can find the pattern to make Charlotte here.
I have no idea where this week went. First thing you know it is Sunday evening and you are enjoying a turkey dinner with your family, and the next thing you know it is midnight on Thursday and you are trying to finish up a project before Friday morning (didn’t finish). Sigh. How time does fly. For my Sew&Tell this week I am posting some pillows/covers I made. My sister is making her first ever quilt. A resolution for last year (her resolution “deadline” has always been Chinese New Year, so she has one more week) was to make a quilt. So last week we went and picked out some fabric and got it all cut and the top done in one day. She sewed, I ironed. She left the scraps with me, and this is what I made yesterday. (Scraps are dangerous at my house…. I can’t ever throw them away. Ever., not even the tiniest piece.)
She already has pillows to go inside the two large one’s, but I stuffed the small one with polyfill. I mean, when you have a 10-ish inch scrap of EVERYTHING you just can’t stop at two.
My biggest accomplishment in his whole adventure was that the backs look prettier than anything I’ve ever made. All my/her seams are pressed tight and all go in the correct direction. Scott keeps telling me that it doesn’t matter, because no one is going to see it. But I don’t care. I know it’s there. And it gives me warm fuzzies. Go check out the other Sew&Tell’s. It’s one of my favorite things about Friday!
PS… My birthday is next week, and I am going to have a giveaway to celebrate. I almost finished it last night, but decided at 12:30 I just wasn’t going to finish. Hopefully today during naptime. Keep checking!
I always look at the chairs at my local thrift store. Always. And some days are luckier than others. (Remember this day? I do. I still cry a little inside thinking about it*.) But yesterday I found a total gem (as far as thrift stores go). I was going to wait until I had before and after pictures of it, but I just can’t. Here it is!
I know, it’s a little bright, and it’s legs are a little…. ugly. But it is REALLY comfortable, the perfect size for our room (and maybe my craft room when I get to that). It’s in very good condition and the upholstery looks brand new. There is a small slash on one side, but lets face it, I was going to make a slipcover for it anyway. I know it’s not a rocking chair*. But I have pretty much given up on ever finding something that perfect. “Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all.*” Well I still think that’s a bunch of crap. I miss that chair ALL the time. But I really believe that this one will help heal the hole in my heart. (Seriously, does this sound as ridiculous to anyone else as it does to me? That was in August*… and I am still REALLY upset about it! Do they have loss therapists who specialize in furniture?)
See look, in black and white it is much prettier. Though I am a little nervous that the blue is going to grow on me…. No. Stop. Don’t even think it. It has bad legs, it needs a skirt to hide them. I don’t like nailheads, they have to go. It has a tear, it needs a new slipcover. Otherwise Creamie will call that tear a pocket and put Cheerios inside. But, it’s comfortable, and clean. I really like the arms, and the curved back. And it’s mine. No one can take it from me.*
*Yes, all of these links go back to the same post. It’s background information, and it’s important. That’s all.
My birthday is coming up in a few weeks, which means that My Love and my Dad are both asking me for ideas. I love making lists, but I hate making that kind of list. It just always seems like there is so much more pressure involved. But, my last wishlist post proved to have just enough helpful hints. Christmas morning I found some of these and some of this fabric to put in my closet for a rainy day. Actually, I’ll wait for a good snowy day, they are much prettier days than the rainy ones, and they always make me want to make stuff. So, here is a little bit of wishing…
The pattern for these beautifully simple dolls from hop.skip.jump.
These great boots. I know “they” say you should buy boots in September. Whatever.
I have always loved this apron, it is just so feminine and girly.
I saw a few projects before Christmas that used scissors like these. So pretty.
This journal from RedVelvetArt. It’s not pink, I know. Orange is OK. For some things.
And finally these measuring cups. I die of cuteness every time I look at them. I lived in Russia for a year, and I think I really might shrivel up if I don’t get these one day. Of course, the whole internet is sold out of them until wh0 knows when. Of course. But aren’t they just the cutest things ever! Yes, yes they are. I saw these ones from Anthropologie first, but they sold out a while ago. If these don’t come back into stock soon, I might have to take some VERY serious action against… I don’t know, the internet-bots who are in charge. Or something. Have a happy Thursday!
For Creamie’s birthday I made her this apron. She loves to wear one of mine when I am cooking, but they are so long that she will trip over the strings, or the hem, even if I tie them up. I had thought about making it for a few weeks, and then just kept putting it off. But when some little farm animals I bought on Ebay hadn’t arrived by Saturday afternoon I looked at her much smaller than anticipated stack of little presents and decided that I had better get going on this apron. Only, I didn’t actually get going until 10:30 Saturday night. And her birthday was Sunday. And I made up my own pattern as I went along. And it was super fun! I finished just after two in the morning. I still have some topstitching to do in a few places to finish it up, but Creamie loves it. She will wear it all day, including during her nap. She loves the little ribbon trimmed pockets and is always trying to stash cheerios in them.
Creampuff loves to “help” me cook. If I give her a bowl and a spoon she will stir her bouncy balls or her cheerios around for a good 30 minutes. She also loves to sweep the floor, I got her a little broom a few weeks ago, and when I pull out the big broom (getting to be 3 times a day these days) she will run and get her little one and push it around the floor. She also loves the vacuum. She calls it the baboom. She is constantly asking me where it is, and she’ll go knock on the closet door until I open it. Then she’ll say Hi. My mom has a small toy vacuum that she let us borrow, and Creamie will push it around for hours. Literally. She can’t go to sleep unless she has “vacuumed” her room for a while. And some mornings the first thing out of her mouth is “baboom?”
Stopping for a little snack is a big part of stirring. Obviously.
(Polkadot is Mary Engelbright, large floral is Moda, small floral is a scrap from who knows when.)
The best part about this little apron (besides seeing her wear it) is that it is reversible. I don’t like seeing an unfinished edge, so I always line everything I make, even dresses for babies. I just can’t help it. So this apron is reversible and all those pesky edges are sewn up tight inside. When I make this again (not really a question of “if” anymore) I’ll probably make a few changes, like a button closure around the neck strap, and pockets just a little bit bigger, and probably rounded corners on the apron bib. But, for a last minute midnight project that I made up as I went along, I am pretty happy with it!
*This is an early posting for Sew&Tell. But I just couldn’t keep it to myself anymore!
I love the way a snowstorm covers up all the ugly dirty muck and leaves a fresh white landscape, beautiful and pristine. I love the sticky snow that coats every tiny twig and branch. I love the powdery snow that is as light as air. There is not a single thing about winter that I don’t like. Winter is a new white canvas, ready to be filled up with new ideas. I love the days I wake up to new snow. And I love it even more when it is still falling. I hope it snows all day.
Oh, and Scott wants to know how early is too early to start taking babies skiing? She’s ready.
Our little Creampuff, born January 24, 2009.
Happy 1st Birthday Creamie. I love you more than words can say.
She blew her own candle out all by herself. (Look close, you can see the smoke.)
Strawberry cake, with Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting. Thanks Grandma!
Of course she likes pink cake. Who doesn’t like pink cake?
The rest of us had banana splits, with ALL the toppings. And ice cream cones. And brownies. And cupcakes. And chocolate eclairs. And it was wonderful. We should have birthday’s more often around here. I kind of like them.
Email me your address and I’ll get your book in the mail! And everyone else, seriously, beg, borrow or steal, but you HAVE to read it. (The offer still stands that if you go to prison for stealing this book, I will send you one… and some cookies.)*
*But don’t steal it,mmkay, because I’ve heard prison totally sucks.
Last week I saw this felt heart garland over on Made By Rae. I don’t have much felt in my stash, and it’s on the do not buy list for my craft supply resolution. But I do have a very large paper scrap box, and out it came! Some of the paper in this garland is from projects that I finished more than 15 years ago, in my first junior high days of scrapbooking. I kind of like having it in here!
Out came the scraps, and the scissors, and I cut and cut and cut. And cut. And I have the scrap pile to prove it. And the sore scissor hand.
I sorted them into smallish, mediumish and largeish and started sewing them together, not really sure how it was going to turn out.
So, now my biggest question is, where do you put 76 feet of paper heart garland?
I am adding this to the Sew&Tell over at Amy’s. I figure anything that requires 4 hours of cutting, and a whole spool of bobbin thread counts. Go look at the other projects, they are amazing. As always.
Last week I posted some pictures of a flannel baby blanket I made for my cousin and her new baby. I’ve made a few of these now, and decided to write my first tutorial on the subject. They are a great gift and go together pretty quickly. Happy Sewing!
Materials List-
- 1 1/4 yards (45 inches) backing fabric (the polka dot)
- 1 yard (36 inches) front fabric (argyle)
- optional 6″ square scrap for monogram
- thread
- monogram template (mine is just a plain piece of paper)
Tools Needed
- rotary cutter, ruler and self healing mat or scissors
- scissors
- pinking shears (optional)
- pins
- marking pencil
- iron and ironing board
To get started cut your fabric into two squares. Make sure to trim off any printing on the selvedge edge that would peek through your seam allowances. The backing and binding is a 45″ square and the front panel is a 35″ square. (You can make it a little smaller with 40″ and 30″ square panels.) Measure carefully and cut straight on the grain. After you have cut your pieces, fold them in half diagonally to make sure you are all square at the corners. This will help insure your blanket doesn’t get any weird puckers at the end. Being square and straight is more important than the size. Just try to keep a 10 inch difference between the two panels. A rotary cutter and ruler make this really easy, but you could also use scissors.
Adding the Monogram: On the wrong side of a scrap of fabric trace the outline of a monogram. (If your monogram has a specific direction it needs to go, like say an E, trace the mirror image, so when you flip it over to the right side it is going the right direction.) You could freehand your letter (or flower, or turtle, or whatever. There is a lot of options here) or you can use a die cut as a pattern, or print a letter in your favorite font from your computer. I just drew mine with a ruler and a pen.
Using pinking shears, cut your letter out. If you don’t have pinking shears, you could just cut it out with regular scissors. After you sew it to your fabric, you could clip the edges so it would fray like a rag quilt when it is washed.
Pin the monogram to the bottom right corner of your front panel. Mine is 3.5 inches from each side. Use lots of pins. You don’t want it to end up all wonky as you are sewing.
Starting in one corner, sew on your monogram without breaking your line of stitches. I used the inside of my presser foot as a guide from the edge. You could use matching or contrasting thread, depending on the look you are going for.
When you get to the corner and need to make a turn, stop and then manually move your needle to the down position before lifting the presser foot. Then you can make a clean pivot and keep things tidy on top.
If you have a corner like this one at the top of the M, you’ll need to mark the spot to turn, because you are going to sew past where your presser foot can guide you. I marked my sewing line in little black dots here.
Ta-da! Finished monogram. Be sure you back stitch at the beginning and end. Now it’s time to sew your two panels together. Mark the center of each side of each panel with your fabric pencil. Starting in the center of each panel, pin right sides together, matching up center points. By starting in the middle of each panel and working your way out, you’ll reduce your risk of getting weird puckers, and of the blanket squishing up in one corner. (I am not usually a pinner, especially on long straight seams, but your miters will be neater if you do. Trust me.)
You should end up with some floppy corners like this. That’s good. That is going to be the mitered corners and the binding.
Now start sewing. Start at the center of each side and sew from the middle out to 1/4″ away from the corner on the front panel, and end with a backstitch. Repeat on 3 sides. On your last side, leave a 6 inch opening in the center to turn your blanket through.
Lay the blanket out flat. The back panel is going to fold over the front piece, which is the self binding. Now, it’s time to make those mitered corner’s.
Here are where your stop points should be, 1/4 inch away from the edge. Lay your first corner so that it looks kind of like this, and then fold your side seams together, making everything as smooth as possible and matching the stop points.
Once you fold the seams together, it should like kind of like this. The smoother you make everything now, the less bunchy things will be at the end. Which means less unpicking.
Now on to those corners.
Mark a line from your stop points to the folded right edge, making a 90 degree angle. This is where we are going to stitch. After you mark your line, pin the stopping point side to keep everything together while you stitch.
Start at the stop point and sew to the folded edge of the binding. That is the miter, so sew carefully. If you want to check it, sew with a long basting stitch first (I totally did this the first few times I made this blanket), then turn it inside out and look at your handiwork. It’s much easier to do any unpicking now. Finish all four corners in this same way.
Trim off those floppy corners to make nice tidy miters. Trim all of your threads. Then lay your blanket out flat again.
Press the corner seams open, and press the front panel seams to the center. You are going to topstitch over these in a minute so they don’t get bunchy and wonky in the wash.
Turn your blanket right sides out through your 6 inch opening, and admire your pretty corners. Then press the edge of the binding to make it nice and neat.
Check your bobbin thread. Top stitch all the way around the front panel. (I set my machine to a longer stitch to do this.) If you have a pretty decorative stitch you could also use that. Use the inside of your presser foot as a guide to make sure you catch the seam allowances on the inside.
Pivot with your needle in the down position on all four corners.
When you get to your 6 inch opening, fold under the seam allowance and pin it closed. Then topstitch over it to close it up, backstitch at the beginning and the end.
You are done! Now just look at those pretty mitered corners, all square and straight!
And now you have a beautiful blanket to keep or to give away. Mine ended up being 38 inches square (starting with 43 inch and 33 inch panels.
*** You are welcome to use this tutorial to make blankets for yourself or to give as gifts, but please do not sell blankets made from this tutorial. If you post pictures of a blanket you made using this tutorial, please link back to this site. I’d love to see your pictures. But please don’t post any part of this tutorial on your blog. Thank you. ***
