Infant Shoes

I seem to have misplaced the pattern for these little shoes (I am not very organized, I'm creative) but I believe it was a Retro Simplicity pattern. Supposedly it was originally printed in the 50"s. They are made from craft felt. The pattern has a floral design layout on it, but I didn't use it. I just did free hand embroidery on the floral design, blanket stitch around the top and the tie is a piece of coordinating ribbon.

The socks are infant size 0-3 months that I purchased in a bag of 10. I single crocheted directly onto the top of the socks, then a row of half double crochet, then chain 2, attach bead by chaining through the bead, chain 2, skip 3 half double crochets and single crochet in the next half double crochet.

For this pair of socks, I didn't add the beads, and then I put 7 single crochets in each chain 5 loop. Any edging can be used though. Also, this pair of shoes I used silk ribbon instead of embroidery floss for the embroidery. They make a nice baby shower gift.

Lone Star Baby Quilt

I think this is my favorite quilt design. This one happens to be a baby quilt that I made to enter in the Boone County Fair, but it will ultimately go to my Granddaughter Lucy. The theme for her nursery is Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. What better way to illustrate that than diamond shapes put together to form a star. I tried to pick colors that are present in flames so it would look like a flaming star. It is quilted by hand, and I made the binding out of the same colors as the star cut on the bias.
When I was a kid I used to watch my Grandma quilt. She had a quilting frame that my Grandpa made for her out of 2x4's that he split and it was held up with tomato cages that he also built. I grew up thinking that you had to have a frame to quilt. Since I didn't have one, or the room to put one up, I had resigned myself to thinking I couldn't quilt by hand. Then one day (I think it was in 1998) I say an episode of Simply Quilts with Alex Anderson where she talked about lap quilting and the techniques of hand quilting. It was like a light bulb came on over my head. I got some scrap pieces of fabric and batting, layered them together and started practicing her techniques. OK, at first I was terrible, but it didn't take long before I got the hang of it. I made only small projects at first, and gradually worked my way up to larger and larger ones. The first Queen sized quilt I finished by hand was my chicken quilt that took over 2 years (half of that time was spent embroidering the chickens). With practice I got a lot faster and now I can complete a King sized quilt from start to finish in about 45 days. I know a lot of people don't want to invest that much time into a single project, but the feeling of accomplishment you get when you are finally finished is out of this world. Thanks to Alex Anderson, where ever you are.

Re-Cycled Jeans Hand Bags

What can you do with your favorite pair of jeans once they are too worn to wear, or just out grown? I hate throwing things away. I am like those hoarders that they are making TV shows about that have piles and piles of stuff that they just can't get rid of. My husband and I live in a three bedroom house and two of those bedrooms that are supposed to be for guest rooms are in fact rooms to hold all the things that I keep, thinking someday I will find a use for that and I will be glad I kept it.

A few years ago I decided to try to use up all the things that I have kept over the years to cut down on the clutter, and maybe make money in the process. I started making these handbags out of the old jeans that I will never get small enough to wear anymore. I sell them for $15.oo each, or give them as Christmas or birthday presents (which saves money too because I am not out any cash for the present).

I use scraps of fabric left over from other projects to make the lining. Pockets can be put on the inside if you like, but I usually don't because there are plenty of pockets already on the jeans. On the two bags shown in these pictures, I decorated them by felting flowers, scrolls, and hearts using loose wool (that I carded and dyed myself) and a felting needle. The belts and shoulder straps can be done in a variety of ways. Sometimes I use old belts of mine and sometimes I make them using the pant legs that were cut off. Macrame shoulder straps (not shown) also look nice and sell pretty well.

Use pants size 12 or smaller, anything bigger just looks like you are carrying around a duffel bag. Children's and baby jeans work great. The larger ones can even be used for diaper bags. Bottles slide down in the front pockets for easy access.

Work-in-Progress

My daughter got this package in a large box of craft projects that she bid on at an auction. The package is stamped Vogart Crafts. I tried to look this up on the Internet, but the only thing I found was EBay listings for vintage crafts. I have no idea how old it is, but apparently they are not made anymore.

It is a set of four napkins that are supposed to be cross-stitched on large gingham check. Well, no offence to people who like that, I think that large of cross-stitch is ugly, so I decided to applique the floral design instead.

So far, I have one done. When I finish all four I will probably put them together with sashing and make either a baby quilt, or maybe a table runner.

Applique on Recycled Jeans Skirt

The skirt was made from a pair of size 6 children's jeans that my granddaughter got too tall for.
I cut them off at the knees and opened up the inside leg seam, and both side seams below the pocket. I used the bottom portion of the legs that I cut off to cut four triangles (two large for front and back and two smaller ones for the sides). The crotch area on the front and back has to be cut back to form a relatively straight line from the waist band to the bottom of the leg. Insert the triangles. Put a ruffle on the bottom of the skirt.

Then I appliqued flowers to look like they were coming out of the pocket on the left side, and across the front.

I put a butterfly on the right side just below the pocket.

I put a bow with long streamers on the back between the pockets. When I insert the triangles, because of the thick seams on jeans, the top of the triangles are not always perfect, so I put the appliques in these locations to hide any imperfections.

Brown bagging in style

Everyone is trying to save money these days and taking a lunch from home is one way to do that. This is a lunch bag that I made totally out of scrap upholstery fabric and left over pieces of fabric that I made some curtains out of.
I used the upholstery scraps and made two log cabin blocks set on point for the front and back. The sides and bottom are corduroy. The inside is lined with green plaid, and I used the same fabric to make two matching napkins. I crocheted around the edge of the napkins to make it look nice. I made the bag large enough to hold two Glad sandwich containers and two drinks.
Since it was made with scraps, it didn't cost me anything to make and no one will ever pick up my lunch by mistake.

Cupboard Wall Hanging

I saw a picture of a cupboard wall hanging in a magazine one time that looked so nice I had to look twice at it to see that it was a picture rather than the real thing.

This is my version of it. I chose blue to make the dishes because my dishes are blue and I wanted it to look like it fit in with the rest of the things in my kitchen.

For the hutch, I chose shades of brown. I gave it dimension by mitering the corners of the shelves and side pieces, and set some of the dishes forward on the shelf and some of them I set back. All the applique was done with the needle turn method. The quilting is done by hand. I quilted around the dishes, then for the hutch I quilted 1/2" apart in the direction I thought the grain of the wood would go (if it were wood). The back of the hutch I did in 1" square set on point to distinguish it from the sides and bottom of the shelves.

The backing I cut about 1" larger than the front all the way around, and used it to make the binding. Finally, I put a sleeve across the top of the back to run a dowel rod thru for hanging.

Pretty dresses for a little Angel

I made these dresses out of quilt scraps. I just went through my scrap bag and picked out colors that went together. On this first dress, I made the skirt by cutting out wedges of fabric that measure 2 1/2 inches across the top, and 7 1/2 inches across the bottom. The diameter of the bottom of the bodice is 20 inches so I used 5 panels for the front and 5 for the back.

I did french fold bindings around the neck and arm holes, and with my tube turner, I made tubes and appliqued them in a design around the neck for added decoration. The belt and bow are attached in the front, and I crocheted loops for belt carriers on both sides. The bottom is the wagon wheel crochet pattern in white with sage green on the outer edge.

Here is my little angel wearing it.

This is another summer play dress done in two colors. I had enough to make the gathered skirt without piecing like the one before. The bodice has french fold bindings on the neck and armholes. The bow I set to one side instead of centering. The edging on the bottom is two rows of single crochet, and two rows of shell with rose colored embroidery floss woven thru the second row of single crochet to add color.

PILLOW CASES WITH A PIECED EDGE

This is a simple pieced edge that can be added to pillow cases to dress them up and add to the decor of your bedroom. It is squares set on point. I picked bright colors with a sharp contrasting background. I also only put the squares on the top of the pillow case and just a yellow band on the back. Materials needed for the edge of each pillow case is 9 two inch squares (using multi colors of fabric), 5 three and a half inch squares (for the background fabric), and two strips of background fabric that are 2 7/8 inches wide and approximately 25 inches long.

I use a cutting mat, large plastic ruler, and rotary cutter to make my cuts exact. Several different companies make these, You can buy the pieces individually or as a set. The one I use is made by Fiscars, it came in the three piece set (it's cheaper if you buy the set). You could also cut them individually with scissors. Just be careful to make them as exact as possible. Cut 9 two inch squares.

Cut 5 three and a half inch squares (background fabric). Then cut across catty corner in both directions to make the setting triangles.

With right sides together, place a triangle on top of a square, lining up the corner and 2 sides as seen in the picture. Use 1/4 inch seams. Do one right after the other without cutting the thread in between, this is called flagging and it really does make the process go faster and it keeps you from loosing any pieces.

Lay out your flag on the ironing board with squares on top. Then with your iron set on cotton setting, use the nose of the iron to push the square up. Doing this ensures that the seam lays flat with no puckers or folds. Clip the thread in between, stack them and go back to the sewing machine.

With right sides together, place another triangle on top of the square on the opposite corner as seen in the picture to the left. Sew in the same manor as before.

Press, clip threads, and stack.

Orient your stack with the top triangle pointing up to the left and seams pointing down. Place one set on the machine, flip the next set over from right to left, place it on top of the first set with right sides together, lining up the sides, with the top triangle on top of the square and the top square on top of the triangle. Continue in this manor until all 9 are sewn together. Press seams. Cut 45 degree angles on both ends of the back strip of fabric, making sure that the angles you cut are complementary to the angles on the front piece you just made. Sew both sides. Your overall finished size if this band when laid flat should be 19 1/2 inches (which is the finished width of a standard pillow case.

For the case itself cut fabric 40 inches wide (add 3/4 inch if you are doing french seams) and 27 inches long, and a strip 40 inches by 5 inches (this will be the hem). Sew the bottom and side seam of the pillowcase and turn it right side out. With right sides together and the squares centered on the top of the pillowcase and the solid band on the back, use 1/4 inch seam to attach decorative band to case being careful to sew across the point of the squares, not into the squares.

Sew the ends of the 40 inch strip together making a band. With right sides together and lining up the side seam of the case with the seam of the band, sew hem band to the bottom edge of decorative band. Press seams down, turn up hem band 1/2 inch and press. Turn up hem to cover the seam between the case and the decorative band and blind stitch. There should be approximately one inch of fabric below the decorative band. The over all finished size of the pillow case should be 19 1/2" X 29".

These make excellent gifts any occation. People love them because that added personal touch makes it all that much more special and it really doesn't take that much time after you get the hang of it. I think it took about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for me to make each one and I was stoping to take pictures as I was doing it.

Pillow case with embroidery insert

This is a pillow case with an embroidered insert. The first thing to do to make this pillow case is to figure out how much material it will need and how to cut it. The finished size of a standard pillow case is 19 1/2" X 29". Since we are going to have enclosed seams, we will need to add 3/4" to the length and 3/4" to both sides which changes our measurement to 21" X 30 1/4". Now, we have to figure out how much extra we need for the hem. I like to make my hem wide enough to completely enclose the back side of the insert. The insert window is approximately 4 inches in diameter, with 1 inch above and 1 1/2 inch below, and a half inch turn down to hide raw edges. This brings our length measurement to 37 1/4 inches. Multiply the width measurement by two (there of course are two sides) bringing it to 42 inches. So from a piece of Cotton fabric cut a piece that is 42" wide and 37 1/4" long.

Fold fabric in half lengthwise with the right sides facing out. Use 1/4 inch seam to sew the long side, and one end. Trim fabric on sewn edges down to 1/8 inch. Now turn wrong side out. Holding seam between fingers and thumb, work back and forth in a rolling fashion to get any folds or tucking out of the seam. Sew again using a half inch seam. This will totally enclose the seam. Turn up a 1/2 inch on the bottom to the back side, iron. Set this aside for now.

If you are using an iron on design, make sure it fits in a 4" circle. If you are making one that looks like mine, this is the steps I go thru to make this simple design. I measured all my dishes and found a small bowl with a 4" diameter top. I put it on a piece of white paper and traced around it. Then I folded the circle in half (holding it up to the light helps to make sure it is exactly in half).
Then I drew a half of a heart, turned it over, put it up against the window and traced the half a heart (This is to make sure the design is symmetrical). I drew a bow at the base, and alternating from inside to outside, I drew stems on both sides of the heart.

For the rose buds, I used the daisy stitch. Come up from the bottom at the point of a stem. Stick the needle back in at the same point and out slightly less than 1/16 of an inch away from the stem. Pull thread around the point of the needle as shown in the photo to the right.

Now put the needle point back in the same spot, making sure the loop will be caught and tacked in place.

Then, make another daisy stitch directly over this one but slightly larger. Using the same beginning point, make two more daisy stitches, one on each side, that are the same size as the first one, very close to the center one.

I use a decorative stem stitch to make the stems. This stitch is worked from left to right. Bring needle up through fabric on the line to be outlined. Holding thread toward you, take s short slanting back stitch along line. Make the next and each successive stitch from right to left and bring needle out to the left at the end of the previous stitch. repeat along line, keeping stitches small and uniform. At the end of that line, push needle down through the end of the line then bring it back up slightly to the right side. Look at the picture to the left, Turn your work slightly, stick the needle through the stem stitching only at an angle from left to right. this will make the thread wrap around the stem. Because the original stem stitch overlaps slightly, angling the needle will make the needle pass through two stitches at once. continue wrapping in this manor all the way up the stem. At the base of each rose make three small stitches, one from base to left side of rose, one from base to center of rose and the third from base to right side of the rose. Then use daisy stitches to make leaves up and down both sides of stem.

French knots are used to look like baby's breath around the roses. Bring needle up through material, wrap thread around the tip of the needle twice (in this picture, I am holding the tip of the needle with my left hand because I couldn't hold the needle and take the picture at the same time) close to the work, keeping the thread taunt.

Thrust needle downward 1 or 2 threads from where it was brought up. Pull the thread with your left hand slightly, working the knot down the needle. Push needle through to the back, drawing thread through carefully to form the knot on right side. Bring needle back up in position for the next french knot.




For the top part of the heart, use the decorative stem stitch.

For the bow, use regular stem stitch for all stitching lines and one more row of stem stitch down the center if you can see fabric between them. Then starting at one end, bring the needle up through the fabric on the right side. Going from left to right , pass needle straight under stitching close together giving it a raised satin stitch effect.


On freezer paper trace the same 4 inch circle used before, making sure there is at least 1 inch of paper all the way around on the outside of the circle. Cut the circle out. With wrong sides out,

fold pillow case in half with the fold side and seam line together and press this new fold. Measure up 7 1/2 inches from the turned up bottom edge on the fold line you just pressed and mark that spot. Now measure up 2 inches from that mark and make a large dot. Unfold pillowcase and with shinny side down, center the cut out circle over the large dot lining the edge of the circle with the mark. Cut fabric from the center leaving about a half inch of fabric all the way around. Cut this fabric on the inside of the circle about every 3/8 inch as shown in picture above. Use water soluble fabric to glue these little tags down to the freezer paper.

Turn pillow case right side out. Slide a small cutting mat or some other hard surface in the pillow case just under the window. Slide needle work in on top of the cutting mat and center it in the window. Pin in place. Use a blind stitch to sew window to needle work securely. Pull paper off the back. Use decorative stitches 1/2 inch around the outside of window. Trim excess fabric the back. Measure up hem (top edge of hem should come about 1 inch above window) and Blind stitch.