Meet Stella & Stewart

The newest addition(s) to my Retro Mama PDF sewing patterns! These sweet owl softies are sure to make your little ones smile. With easy, tutorial-style instructions and color photos illustrating each step, you'll soon have a flock of new friends in time for holiday gift-giving.

You can purchase the pattern in my Etsy shop here or from the sidebar to the right.

The pattern also includes my tutorial for a semi-random patchwork back (no more piecing hundreds of teensy squares together one-by-one!) and plenty of options for personalizing your owl's face. So what are you waiting for, let's get sewing! And please do post your owl photos in my flickr group, I love seeing your creations!

Also, most of the owls you see in the photos are available for purchase; I will try to list them in the shop within the next few days.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Kim

12 Pears of Christmas

Have you begun your holiday sewing yet? I tell you, I have been doing so much hand sewing lately, what with making partridges and pears, that I have actually sprained one of my fingers. And unfortunately, with Last Minute Holiday Panic Sewing about to commence, there is no way I can slow down for at least a couple of weeks.

Sorry, these pears are spoken for!

But if you want to make your own, you know where to find the pattern.

Doesn't Michael Miller have such wonderful retro holiday prints? I love the bold, bright colors. There is no way these will hide in the Christmas tree!

Oh, and in case you didn't have enough on your To Sew list, you will have one more thing to add very soon...

You just knew it had to be coming, right?

Well, it's that time again. It's back to the sewing machine for me (although I may need a Thin Mint break, first, mmmmm). What are your holiday sewing plans?

Kim

Just around the corner

Hello! Good day! Why is she being so cheerful, you wonder, suspiciously. Well, I thought the following idea might go over better with a friendly introduction. I don't want to alarm you or anything...but have you noticed all the Christmas decorations popping up lately? You're not ready yet, you say? Haven't even bought your Halloween candy? Shhhh....it's going to be okay. Kim is here to help. You may already be familiar with my pear ornament pattern. Well, I didn't want to leave you hanging, so to speak, without a little partridge friend to roost in your pear tree...

So, as my early gift to you, here is a free pattern and tutorial to make a Playful Partridge ornament! The pattern also includes a baby-sized bird for those who would like to make a whole partridge family.

Materials
Pattern
Wool blend felt in assorted colors (a 12 x 12" square will yield 3 Mama partridges with leftover scraps for flowers and leaves)
Quilting cotton fabric scraps for wings
Lightweight fusible interfacing for wings
Buttons
Embroidery floss
10" length of narrow ribbon or medium rick rack for hanger
About 4" of floral wire (try Jo-Ann or Michael's)
About 10-15" of fluffy or feathery yarn (I used Bernat’s "Boa" yarn and Patons "allure")
Fray Check
Stuffing


Tools
Hand sewing needle
Scissors and/or small rotary cutter
Crochet hook (optional)
Wire cutter
Iron


Instructions

1. Cut two bird bodies from felt. Cut one wing each from cotton print and interfacing (bumpy side up). Cut flower embellishments from felt, using the provided templates or inventing your own. (You'll notice two sets of wings in the photo; you will only need one unless you choose to decorate both sides of your partridge)

2. Fuse the bumpy side of the interfacing onto the wrong side of the wing according to package instructions (this will help reduce fraying and adds stability for embroidery).

3. Carefully divide a 60” length of embroidery floss into two sections of three strands each. With one length of floss, attach wing to bird body with blanket stitch, using the (*) on the pattern for placement.

4. Stack felt flower embellishments in desired order at top of wing, place button on top, and attach to wing through button holes with embroidery floss.

5. Make fluffy plume for top of bird's head:

Crochet – Ch 10; Row 1: SC in 2nd ch from hook; SC in next ch; turn; Row 2:Ch 1; SC in second hole from hook; tie off and trim end

-or-

Cut 3 strands of yarn several inches long; knot strands together at one end; braid strands for about 3 inches; tie strands into a knot at end of braiding. Trim ends.

Now, weave florist's wire through long SC tail of crochet or one knotted end of the braid, all the way to the other end. Bend the wire backwards at the top and twist to secure wire (this step is a bit fussy, go slowly and be patient!). Bend the remaining wire at the bottom of the yarn tail into a larger, exposed loop and twist to secure--see photo. Trim off any stray yarn fluff and long ends as necessary.

6. Attach plume to wrong side of partridge's head, using embroidery floss and carefully whipstitching around the wire and then through a superficial layer of felt (so it doesn't show through the front, I recommend using floss that matches the color of felt) all the way around the loop; bend the plume so it curves toward the beak of the bird.

7. Fold rick rack or ribbon in half to make hanger. Sew cut ends together with embroidery floss and use Fray Check on the ends to prevent unraveling. Place cut ends of hanger (overlapping at least 1/2 inch onto the felt) on the wrong side of partridge--where indicated on the pattern--and attach with whipstitch, again only going through a superficial layer of felt.

8. Place the two halves of the partridge together, right sides out. Blanket stitch the two pieces together using the unused 60" length of embroidery floss, going three quarters of the way around. Tip for corners: use the needle to help place the thread exactly on the tip of the corner. Hold down floss at the tip with your fingers while making the next stitch to keep it from sliding off the point.

9. Stuff the bird lightly with polyfill and finish blanket stitching around the body. Tie off and trim embroidery floss.

10. Hang the partridge along with your pear ornaments on a tree, wreath, mantel, or garland and enjoy that holiday feeling. They'll make sweet gift toppers, too. The pear pattern is also available for purchase in the sidebar to the right.

Happy creating! I hope you'll share your partridge creations in my flickr group. I can't wait to see your own interpretations of this project!

P.S. The instructions for Baby partridge are the same as for Mama (though I did use small rick rack for Baby)

P.P.S. Those fluffy plumes remind me of the feathered plumes we used to wear on our caps in marching band, we called them "chickens". I can still hear the section leaders boisterously shouting to us, "Fluff your chickens!" while we waited to go out on the field.

P.P.P.S. Yes, I was a band nerd. I played alto sax. Good times. Go Cougs!

Please let me know if anything needs clarification!
Kim

sunshine on a cloudy day

Happy packages from the mailbox certainly go far in cheering up a dreary day

Oop! What's this? A sneak peek of something? Hmmm...what could it be...

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're enjoying some sunshine, too!
Kim

walk in the park

Another visit to the gardens, and they were even more beautiful than before, if that's possible. I don't think I could possibly capture how spectactular this place is with my camera, words even elude me. I still found myself fascinated by the smaller details, though.

like this lovely speckled bench

Nature comes up with the best color combinations, am I right?

Are you as obsessed with Hens and Chicks as I am? I am so drawn to this plant, especially this miniature version.

They were in these beautiful handmade pots, not really part of the gardens but sitting on tables. I wanted to take them home with me.

I will have more project photos for you in the near future. I haven't had time to stock the shop as I have begun taking on holiday orders. I hope to have some goodies to put in the shop soon, but if you have something specific in mind that you'd like, please don't hesitate send me a convo since I can't make any promises about what or when items will be available.

Happy autumn!
Kim

Do not adjust the settings on your blogroll

I'm actually posting for the first time in *coughalmosttwomonthscough*. This summer got away from me; it's been incredibly challenging and busy, not always in a good way. And if you get through this next bit I promise there is some crafty goodness waiting down below.

First, I took part in a language therapy study with my two boys--it was so helpful. Sort of a Floortime style approach. In related news, we had to retire our old stroller and get a new one. Now, if you had told me before I had kids that I'd get excited over a stroller for my three year old, I would've said you were crazy. However. I didn't know then that I would have a kiddo with serious sensory issues and a major dislike of crowded, noisy, new places, who would weigh 45 lbs and insist on being carried everywhere. Hence: the Maxi-Cosi Foray stroller.

My 5-year old test drove this thing and would have to grow inches before his feet touch the ground. The canopy opens without touching his head, it has a smooth ride, storage underneath, and best of all a small turning radius. We got ours at Babies R Us, and it was quite a bit cheaper at the store, plus a 20% discount for trading in our old stroller. Good deal!

The aforementioned 5-year old kept himself busy this summer by discovering every possible way of getting out of the house or yard in order to explore the neighborhood without supervision. So securing windows, doors, etc. took up a fair amount of time, as well as our recovering from escape-induced panic attacks.

I was so busy, in fact, that I haven't touched my sewing machine all summer. I know. Both shocking and disturbing. Fortunately, one of my lovely customers inquired about getting a custom quilted clutch, and the rest, as they say, is history. She wanted something to match her black and gray diaper bag with hints of lime green, and let me tell you I was excited to have a chance to stock up on some Summer Soiree by Paula Prass for this project. I just kind of improvised as I went along, and I rather like how it turned out

and, of course, buttons

I also managed to add to my unending list of unfinished projects by trying out English paper piecing. No UFO collection is complete without having piles of hexagons waiting around to be made into something.

I'm dreaming they'll someday be a throw pillow on my chocolate brown couch.

We're now settling into the school year (finally both boys are going to school!), and I now have a couple of hours to myself every day. Hopefully that means I'll be able to post more frequently, or at least I'll be able to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in the mornings...but more likely than not it will be a frantic dash to the sewing room to get as much done as possible in my free time....

Until next time,
Kim

photo tour

I had a lovely week enjoying a visit with my best friend Anna, who I haven't seen for a very long time (so long, in fact, that in the period since I last saw her my family has acquired 2 dogs, 1 child who is now 3 years old, and moved across the country--needless to say we had quite a bit of catching up to do). We enjoyed road tripping, swimming, movie-watching, and general girly chatting/dishing/giggling over fashion magazines, etc.

We also spent a fantastic afternoon here, wandering, people-watching, and smelling the roses, so to speak.

The textures and sculptures at the gardens were at least as fascinating as the flora. I was especially captivated by the Thai Pavilion, with its dragon-scaled roof and gold leaf ornamentation. I could have stayed there for hours, gazing into the fountains, watching the ducks, and dreaming about the pavilion's long voyage across the sea. So relaxing.

Where have you traveled this summer? Hopefully you have seen some lovely and new places, whether far away or close to home.

Happy exploring,
Kim

I suspect

That I may need to move someplace sunnier. I'm one of those folks who notices a distinct downturn in mood when it's cloudy outside, and we have had nothing but dreary, overcast days for the past week. You'll notice that I mention the weather quite frequently in my posts. It doesn't help that I sew in a basement room, and have but one window, that faces....northwestish? In any case, I don't get any direct sunlight down here, which is not only depressing but downright awful for taking pictures. Which is why I haven't yet shared my latest apron creation. (I will, soon...right Mother Nature?)

I needed a little bit of faux sunlight to perk me up this week, so I did what anyone else would do--I did some flickr-surfing. And I found this fantastic quilt. I think I gasped audibly when I first saw it. And I knew I had to make one. Had to as in I was going to be obsessed with this idea until I started making a string quilt of my own. And it had to have white center strings because that is completely brilliant.

After staring at my fabric stash for a moment or two, I started grabbing print after print. I think half my stash was on my ironing board at one point (it now lies in gloriously high piles on my cutting table). A little confession: I've always been terrified of scrappy projects. My brain has a serious problem with putting any old fabric next to any old fabric. Everything has to match, perfectly. I truly envy people who can throw a pile of random fabrics together and it ends up looking fantastic.

So this was also somewhat of attempt to just let go.

Except that I couldn't.

You have no idea how not-random these quilt blocks are.

But I'm okay with that. That's just the way my mind works I guess. In any case, I sure had fun creating a bit of sunshine on my own. And I have about 44 more quilt blocks worth of sunshine-making left to create!

Hope the weather is better wherever you are...
Kim

Sunny Day

In case you were curious about what my finished projects were in my last post, here they are: new clothespin aprons! They're fun as hostess aprons too. You can find all three of these aprons in my shop.

There's something so fresh and crisp about lemon-lime (Alexander Henry lemon print/American Jane polka dots)

I can't resist this combo of royal blue and orange (Denyse Schmidt daisy print/American Jane Pez print)

I love these cool oceany blue pressed flower and stripes prints by Amy Butler

This is quite possibly my favorite new print combo, a rose bouquet Pop Garden print by Heather Bailey paired with polka line by Anna Maria Horner. LOVE it.

I've got another Heather-Anna pairing in the works that is fab-u-lous. Can't wait to show you.

Have a lovely day!
Kim

Peonies & Popsicles

As the end of the school year approaches, our pace of life has been accelerating steadily with appointments, planning for summer visitors, sewing orders, and somehow not letting four dogs' worth of winter fur take over the house. I always seem to get more done the busier I am, and yet I was reaching a point where I needed a time-out. Fortunately I was in a cooking sort of mood the other day, and whipped up a batch of perfect aqua playdough. Jack and I spent a good hour playing with the warm dough and giggling nonstop. The photograph below is not representative of the fantastic mess we made of it.

After a much needed break, it was back to the grind. But last night I was awakened by a tremendous thunderstorm. I had to rush out of bed to close the windows and lay awake as lighting completely illuminated our bedroom. It was the kind of Midwestern thunderstorm that used to terrify me as a child, and in fact it didn't take long before we heard little feet padding down the stairs and climbing into bed with us. The storm finally subsided and we drifted back to sleep. This morning I ventured outside to see how the garden fared, and discovered some lovely and very waterlogged peonies that had begun to bloom.

The rain had completely rejuvenated the flowers and grass and our little bird feeding area was teeming with baby robins and rabbits. It reminded me how I've always been fascinated by the process of watching things grow. Flowers bloom from tiny buds, small kids grow into bigger kids even after consuming what seems like nothing but dirt and popsicles, piles of neatly folded fabric turn into something completely different.

Even after years of sewing, I still love watching this

turn into this

turn into this

I guess sometimes it just takes a good rain to make me slow down and enjoy life's little everyday magic. I hope you too can find the time to stop and smell the flowers today, or at least share a popsicle with a loved one.

Kim

Spring

I hope everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend! I spent a good portion of mine shopping local nurseries for new perennial flowers, and then the remainder directing my husband where to dig all the holes for planting (I can be very good at delegating tasks, especially when it involves pickaxes and heavy shovels!). The landscaping around our house when we moved into it consisted primarily of hosta (mostly in sunny, dry spots...why??) and some non-descript shrubs that appear to be healthy breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which won't do at all. I adore birds and butterflies, so we put in some salvia, black-eyed susans, dianthus and lavender. I had no idea that dianthus smells so incredibly good, I could spend all day sitting in the garden smelling the plants. Next on my list is echinacea and shasta daisies.

The other day I was sitting in my favorite spot in the kitchen looking out the window and it was like a scene from a Disney movie, with all sorts of furry and befeathered critters frolicking outside: chipping sparrows and goldfinches at the birdfeeder, a chipmunk chirping on the rocks, and a couple of rabbits hopping through the grass. One of these days I'll have my camera outfitted with a zoom lens with me to capture it. In the meantime you can enjoy the flowers which stay nice and still when I crouch next to them to take pictures.

It was so energizing to spend time in the garden, I'm feeling very inspired for Spring. Hopefully that will translate into some fun new creations in the sewing room. That is, if my kids will take a break from being such night owls! Ever since the days started getting longer, my littlest guy can't seem to figure out when it is that he's supposed to sleep.

I've also noticed the clotheslines starting to come out, which means it's officially clothespin apron weather!

What's your favorite sign of Spring?

Out of Town

For anyone who is planning to purchase a sewing pattern this weekend, please know that I will be out of town and will send all patterns purchased Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (May 15-16-17) on Monday, May 18. Thank you for being patient and have a great weekend!

Kim

Shop update

Thanks for such a warm response to my new pattern! It's always a little scary to embark on something new but you all are making it completely painless.

However, it sounds as though some of you are having trouble checking out with the pattern in my shop. I'm thinking that there has been an occasional issue with the pattern disappearing out of a cart because it sold or I've taken it offline momentarily to update a listing. If this happens to you please go back to the main page of my shop and try again--I'm now making sure that there are always at least one or two listings with several copies of the pattern available at any given time.

You may also purchase the pattern right here from my blog by clicking the "Buy Now" button in the sidebar on the right side of the screen. Let me know if you have any issues with it, though I believe it should work okay.

Have a lovely rest of the day!
Kim

A New Leaf

I love spring, but who doesn't? I'm appreciating it even more this year since moving away from Georgia, where the just about the only thing that differentiates the seasons is what kind of songbirds you see in your backyard. Don't get me wrong, I do love those songbirds, but this year after being buried in the snow for a solid 5 months (holy cow!), I am good and ready for flowers and leaving my mittens indoors.

It's also a season of new beginnings, and this year that is especially true of my business. You may have noticed a hint or two that I've been working on something new, well I finally get to share it with you and I'm beyond excited! Ever since I started offering pear pincushions in my shop, I've been receiving requests for the pattern. And then I began making ornaments and pillows and I heard from even more of you. So, without further ado...Say hello to the first of my Retro Mama Sewing Patterns, Plush Pear Trio: Pincushion, Ornament, and Pillow!

If you have seen my tutorial, you will already be familiar with my instructional style. However, this pattern is even better. Not only is the layout prettier, but you’ll find a glossary of terms and techniques found in the pattern and also hints for construction that will help you be successful. The pattern is in PDF format, which lets you save paper by only printing the pattern pieces if you wish, and bonus! The pattern pieces are to scale so there's no need to enlarge, just print and sew. Orders will be e-mailed to you within a couple of hours of purchase so you can start sewing today!

You can purchase this pattern at my Etsy shop. Look for more patterns in the future, and I'm certainly taking suggestions if you have a favorite project of mine that you'd like to see as a pattern.

Now, I know some of you will have questions about the pattern, and I love that you contact me so I can help you out, but this time I'd like to ask that you post your questions in my flickr group, Retro Mama Pattern Projects, so everyone can benefit from any advice I give. Also, I would love to see your creations so please post those project photos in the group as well!

So let's get sewing!

Kim

Published!

I was asked awhile back to contribute to an e-book of tips for Etsy sellers by Julie of On the Dot Creations. She has the cutest blog featuring fabulous finds from Etsy sellers (finds that are almost too good, my wallet doth protest) and so I was happy to help out. Well the e-book is now available, so for anyone out there who might be looking for some great tips to improve their shop, or for those of you considering starting your own crafty business on Etsy, check out Julie's great--and free--e-book, Hints of Savvy Etsy Sellers! Lots of super talented sellers/artists have contributed some excellent ideas and I've learned a few new things, too.

Now, this is not the big project that I was referring to in my last post, so stay tuned for more about that very soon! Are you on tenterhooks yet? (Don't you just love that saying? And I have no idea why, but it reminds me of Harry Potter, perhaps because I'm on tenterhooks waiting for the next movie? I don't get terribly excited about most new movies, but for that one I'll make an exception. Okay, maybe also this one, too. Did I just reveal a bit of my inner nerd-child? I believe I did!)

Although, someone, somewhere, has already guessed it (too obvious, right? Oh well, I've already told you how I am with secrets. And have I mentioned that I like parenthetical phrases?).

Until next time...
Kim

New project

I know I've been quiet lately. I've been rather busy putting together a new project that I think you'll like. But I can't tell you what it is. Yet.

But soon.

Promise!

(My little helper, raiding the photo shoot.)

Although, it's not as though I'm a very good secret keeper, not for my own secrets anyway. I'll bet you know what it is already.

But now, I'm off to enjoy 78 degrees and sunny skies, and try to stretch out some stiff shoulders from hunching over in front of a computer for days. I never had such poor posture until the internet. Must work on that. Also, I think there might be some Oreos in the kitchen with my name on them. Yep.

Have a lovely day!
Kim

Last minute Easter crafts

Thanks to Jennifer at CraftSanity for including my tutorial in her latest podcast, which you can watch below for some quick and fun last minute Easter crafts:

Those paper flowers look so fun and easy!

Happy Easter everyone!
Kim

Congratulations to.....

It's official--I'm not the only one who loves American Jane! Thanks so much to all of you who entered for a chance to win the fat quarter of this fabric, I wish could give some to everyone!

The winner is: Rae!

Rae said...

I have been dreaming about this fabric since I saw it on your blog the other week! I can't believe how generous you are to give up a piece of this coveted fabric! Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

Thanks also to everyone who tried out my Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial. Your feedback has been great and it's the hugest compliment to me that many of you found the instructions easy to follow. I will definitely post more tutorials in the future and I hope you'll add your pictures to my flickr group (check out the fabulous photos from the group in my sidebar)!

Have a great day everyone!
Kim

As promised

As you may have noticed, I didn't get a chance to give something away in a previous post, because I miraculously solved my little technical glitch on my own (betcha I couldn't do it twice). So instead, I'm going to give away a fat quarter of a much loved fabric to one of my blog readers without your needing any technical knowledge at all! Just leave a comment below along with some way of contacting you, and I will draw a winner next Friday (April 10).

This is one of my very favorite prints ever, and judging by how many inquiries I've been getting about it, it's a favorite for lots of other folks, too!

The vital stats, for those of you who are curious: this measuring tape print is by American Jane (a.k.a. Sandy Klop) for Moda, from her discontinued Building Blocks line, as are the polka dot and floral prints found on my Easter eggs. The oval prints are from American Jane's Peas and Carrots line, also discontinued. Unfortunately these prints can be difficult to find, but perhaps some are hiding in your local quilt shop, a small online shop, or will suddenly pop up on eBay or Etsy. Good luck to anyone searching for these prints (don't you wish Moda did reprints?) and to those of you who toss their name into the hat for a chance to win!

Happy Thursday,
Kim

P.S. American Jane does have some other ruler prints in her Wee Play and Recess lines.

Questions Answered

Boy has my inbox been full lately! I am loving all the fantastic messages/comments you've been sending/leaving for me, and I really enjoy answering your questions. I've noticed, however, that several of the same questions are being asked over and over, so I thought I'd post answers to my most frequently asked questions for anyone who may be interested:

1. Where do you get your labels/tags?

I get my labels from ClothingLabels4U.com and I am super pleased with them. The customer service is fantastic and the labels arrive lickety split!

2. What pattern did you use?

All the items that you see pictured in my shop, on my blog, or my flickr photostream are made with my own patterns unless I specify otherwise, in which case I always let you know where it came from and link to the pattern designer. I'm actually pretty terrible at following other people's directions, which is how I got started making my own patterns in the first place. This also explains why you may find an annoying level of detail in my tutorials. I'm very much a visual learner and sort of assume that everyone else is, too, so I try show every step with photos.

3. Where can I buy your patterns?

My patterns aren't currently for sale due to my lack of ability/appropriate software for getting them off of my sketchbook and into a computer. I am pretty technologically impaired, so please bear with me as I stumble through this process! I do plan to offer more free tutorials, as time allows. In my wildest dreams you will one day be able to find a book of my patterns at your local bookshop.

4. Where did you get that fabric?

Most of my fabric is purchased online at etsy and occasionally on Ebay for some of the rarer or out-of-print stuff. I don't typically give specifics on sellers because everyone's stock varies so much and I don't want to give you out-of-date information, but I'm happy to tell you the name and designer of a print if you ask. Then you can just search for that print via the etsy search engine under "supplies" and voilà!

5. Did you ever get around to finishing [fill in the blank] project?

Probably not. But I can tell you that [fill in the blank] is sitting on my cutting table, watching me with pound puppy eyes, and will be finished eventually. I usually tackle UFOs whenever I have spare time (rarely) or an impulsive moment (occasionally), and I'll be sure to show you how they turned out when I get the chance. My UFOs thank you for the reminders, though!

A little help from my friends

ETA: Thank you for letting me know that the problem is solved. For anyone who is interested, I burned my feed with FeedBurner and updated the link in the "Post Feed Redirect URL" box in my Blogger settings, which I believe did the trick. I think I may have to have a little giveaway anyway since I didn't get the chance to hand out any prizes, details to come!

Thank you for all the wonderful comments about my fabric Easter egg tutorial! I can't wait to see some photos of your eggs!

Now I'd like to ask for a little favor...It seems that my blog refuses to update in Google Reader; it appears to be stuck on an entry I made nearly a year ago. If someone can help me fix this problem, I'd love to offer a freebie bit of coveted fabric or pear pincushion. It's probably something incredibly simple to fix, and I got so far as to find out there are some parsing errors, but the idea of scanning the html to figure out what's wrong is daunting, not to mention way over my head. So please feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment and hopefully I can get this sorted out with your help!

Thanks in advance!
Kim

Easter is in the air

I had one of those moments in Target the other day while walking (well running, actually, as I had a screaming toddler in my cart) by an endcap, and instinctively, reflexively even, bent down and grabbed this fantastic cake platter as we sped past. The first thing that popped into my head to describe it was "Barnyard Chic" -- check out the chicken wire detail on the foot! Completely fantastic --

Driving home, this strange urge to make Easter eggs came over me. Strange in that I don't usually get this kind of inspiration until either, a) after the holiday has passed, or b) it's so close to the holiday that there isn't enough time to complete the project. In any case, not only did I finish the eggs in time, but I've come up with a little tutorial (my first!) far enough in advance for anyone else who wants to make fabric Easter eggs, too. These are just a bit bigger than real eggs and a terrific way to use up those fabric scraps! Please be sure to tell me if you have any trouble printing the pattern (it should be 2-1/8"W by 4-1/4"h) or if any of the instructions are confusing so I can fix them!

Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial

Materials:

10"w x 5"h Quilting cotton, linen or other non-stretchy woven fabric in one or more prints
Thread
Fiberfill, Nature-fill or other similar polyester or natural stuffing
Disappearing Ink Pen
Scissors
Pins
Hand sewing needle
Pattern (I recommend printing it on card stock for easy tracing)

Seam allowances are 1/4"

1. Cut out the pieces. Place pattern piece perpendicular to the fabric selvedge, trace the pattern with disappearing ink (see photo below) and cut four pieces from desired fabric prints. You may cut multiple pieces simultaneously from the same print by folding the fabric over one or more times, cutting up to 4 pieces at once. (Tip: If you're using a scrap and don't know which way the selvedge is, test which direction the fabric is stretchiest. The fabric is stretchier going perpendicular to the selvedge, and less stretchy going parallel with the selvedge; you want the stretch going from top to bottom of the egg, not side to side, so your egg doesn't get too "fat" when you stuff it. Hopefully that makes sense.)

2. Place pieces together for sewing. Always keeping track of which end is "up", place 2 fabric pieces, right sides together, pinning if desired. Do the same with the remaining two pieces. Transfer the two dots from the pattern to the fabric pieces on top. If using two different fabrics, make sure both pairs have one of each print and that the same print is on the top of both sets.

3. Sew a seam along the right side of one set of egg pieces, from top dot to bottom dot, backstitching at the top and bottom. Do the same with the second set of pieces.

4. Put the two halves together. Turn one set of egg pieces right side out, and place inside the other set of egg pieces, so that right sides are together on the inside.

Match the seams at the top and bottom and pin. (Note the purple ink marks on the lower righthand side in the photo below that indicate where I will leave a hole for stuffing)

5. Sew the two halves together. Sew around the outside edge of the egg, leaving a 1" hole on one side for turning and stuffing, backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam.

6. Trim the seam allowances, taking care not to snip into the stitches and leaving the seam allowances wide around the open hole.

7. Turn the egg right side out through the hole and it will look something like this

8. Stuff the egg firmly with poly-fill or other stuffing, and close the hole with small slip stitches/ladder stitches.

9. Voila! You have a completed egg.

10. Now make bunches and bunches of these and post your photos in my new flickr group dedicated to projects made with my patterns!

I hope you have as much fun making these as I did!

Have a fun and happy (and warm, if you're lucky) weekend!
Kim

Talking Stash

I couldn't resist when I heard that they're talking fabric stash over here, so I had to join in! As a certifiable stash-a-holic, mine is ever growing, especially lately. I just can't believe all the good stuff that's out there these days.

What do you usually sew?

I spend most of my time sewing pincushions, but I'm dreaming of new bags and quilts that I hope to start soon. Selling my pincushions does help expand the stash, however, and there's something kind of nice about the repetitiveness of making them, leaving my mind free to wander and dream of new projects.

When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy? (i.e. If you see something beautiful, but you don't have a use for it right away, how much do you buy?)

I typically get full yards of each print to keep my options open. Sometimes I'll get half yards or fat quarters if I have a specific smaller project in mind and think I won't need more of the fabric later. Occasionally I get a wild hair and fall so rampantly in love with an out of print fabric that I snap up a bunch of it the moment I spot it.

Do you buy on impulse or do you go out looking for something you need?

I usually shop for something in particular, but to get my money's worth in shipping I'll top off that envelope or box with a few impulse items.

Are you a pre-washer? If you are, do you wash your fabric before you need it, or only when you're ready to use it?

I prefer working with unwashed fabric, but if I do need to prewash for making something like clothes I'll do it right before I need it because I hate dealing with a huge pile of fabric that needs ironing!

Do you iron it?

I always iron fabric before I cut into it, whether it's washed or not. It makes a huge difference in cutting fabric precisely.

How do you sort it? (color, print size, collection, etc.)

This probably makes me kind of nerdy, but I sort my fabrics by manufacturer, subdivided by designer, and then loosely by color. I tried organizing by only color once and I could never find anything because I keep prints categorized in my head by designer. Knowing which manufacturer the fabric came from makes it simpler when it comes time to add to the stash, and can make color mixing easier when I'm choosing prints for a project.

Do you have any special folding techniques?

Yes, I use the ruler method of folding fabric, except that I’ve done it so much that I no longer need the ruler. Because I now fold by eye, my fabric piles aren't perfect, but I have a well used stash and am constantly taking out and putting away fabrics so this more casual method is quick and works great to keep things pretty neat.

How do you store your fabric?

I keep my most used fabric on open shelves so I can gaze upon them for inspiration and get to them quickly. Fabrics that are shorter than a yard are kept rolled up in colanders, also in plain view so I can grab them as inspiration hits. My lesser used or bolts of fabric, interfacing, felts and non-quilting fabrics are kept in closed cabinets.

What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?

I often think fabric in terms of "main print/coordinating print". If I get a larger scale floral fabric, I know I'm going to need a coordinating smaller scale print like a stripe or polka dot as well. I also tend to get prints in sets, so if I like a particular fabric line, I'll buy several prints that work together, which keeps my options open for quilting projects. I'm also trying to veer outside of my usual color preferences, because there are so many wonderful projects you can do with a full spectrum of color, which is difficult if all your fabric is green or blue.

When do you say enough is enough?

There is no such thing as enough! There are always new prints coming out that will add new project possibilities to my stash.

What are some of your favorite stash-busting projects?

Small patchwork projects like clutches, softies, or pincushions are great for using up scraps. Bags and quilts are excellent for using up larger pieces.

Do you have a current favorite print in your stash? Let's see it!

There is no way I could pick one favorite, I'm not even going to try!

What's your definition of the perfect stash?

The perfect stash has a full spectrum of color, a good variety of print scale, and has all your favorite prints both for projects you're planning and for those not yet dreamed up. It's also well-behaved enough to stay nicely folded and safely hidden when your husband asks if you've been fabric shopping, again.

Sewing. Snow. Crafting. Cabin Fever.

This year sure has gone off to a running start. So I'll kick off the blogging season with the top 10 reasons that you haven't heard from me this new year until now:

1. It's been so dark and dreary and cold that I've been in a bit of a funk the past couple of weeks. It seems like a weak excuse, but I honestly thought we'd get a bit more sun up here.

2. Despite this, I've been sewing up a storm. Voilà, clothespin aprons (obviously, dreaming of sunny days which are still far, far away).

How fabulous are those Garden Party fabrics? Kind of retro with an edge. I wasn't sure how to approach this line at first but then I just woke up one morning completely in love with it.

3. Did I mention that it's 15 degrees below zero outside and Brrrrrr!

4. My children have come down with a serious case of cabin fever (see no. 3) and so we've turned our house into an obstacle course. By the way, the bilibo is the coolest toy ever, which we found at one of the coolest toy stores ever.

5. I've been playing with my new camera and photo editing software, both enlightening me regarding the extent of my lack of technical skill and knowledge, in a fun-challenge kind of way.

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Is that not the most mischievous smile? Love this kid.

6. An influx of fabric has forced me to rearrange my crafting space--a big time sponge, albeit a fun one.

7. Possible TMI alert, unless your kids have special needs: We've been checking out local places for therapy and activities because the boys have had some sensory issues brought on by the winter doldrums. We decided against having them attend a place that I would classify as a "therapy preschool for autistic children" for various reasons and the kids are now enrolled in lessons at a nearby gym. It's fantastic, and I don't think they could be getting better therapy, especially of the sensory integration type, anywhere else. We were so fortunate to find an instructor with training in special education, and what the boys experienced in one hour at this gym was better than any session they've had with private occupational therapists (who often promise SI therapy and then deliver something vastly different, oy-vey, not a rant I'll subject you to today). I definitely recommend checking this option out if your kids have sensory or other physical issues that aren't being fully addressed with your current therapies, or if you're just looking for a place to go that you can all have fun as a family.

8. Necessitated by certain overactive children (see no. 4), I am turning the family room into more of a play room. Lots of paint shopping, which you already know that I love, and drooling over all the incredible stuff I'm finding online. Like this rug, this chair, and this seriously adorable train.

9. Netflix watch instantly. More cheesy 80s movies and romantic comedies than you can shake a stick at.

10. Cleaning carpets. I go through this every winter. I will not delve into the sordid details of what four dogs and two children can do to carpet, but suffice it to say that we're getting our money's worth out of the steam cleaner. Ugh. I cannot tell you how much I hate carpet.

On a side note, I wanted to mention that the Indie Fixx Shop is closing (ack! so sad!) but you can score some really great deals there, so be sure to stop by before the doors close in March.

OK, so I lied

Not intentionally, though. My new camera arrived and I couldn't help but play with it. I thought for sure that figuring out all the buttons, dials, and menus would be so complicated that it would be a couple of weeks before I could do anything with the camera, but it's proven to be pretty easy to take mediocre pictures right out of the box. And Joey is so fascinated by watching the shutter close that he's proven to be a very patient subject.

Love those big brown eyes.

Although...if he looks a little annoyed in this picture, it's possible that he eventually got tired of our little photo shoot

I personally think the bedhead and the chapped cheek and lips are especially cute, the latter of which are a result of a possibly foolhearty, though well-intentioned, outing we took yesterday. It was a perfectly comfortable temperature outside, all bundled up, until the arctic wind picked up and knocked the breath out of you. I probably could've edited some of the chapped skin, but I haven't figured out my photo-editing software yet. Lots to learn!

I'm excited to finally have a nice camera to capture all those wonderful little things that happen every day, and the grandparents will be excited to get a few more pictures of the grandkids in the mail than usual (sorry it took so long!).

Happy Monday!
Kim

Winter's a Hoot

I know, I know, I've been a blog slacker lately. Does that make me a slogger? I don't think I can entirely blame being busy for my lack of posting, although I really have been quite busy (no more pear pictures for a while, I promise). I've been feeling a bit in the photographic doldroms lately, that is, not exactly having a love affair with my point-and-shoot camera. We've had our fun, of course, but it was never meant to be a long-term relationship. I've finally made the plunge in getting a digital SLR camera, meaning I need to relearn all that fun photography stuff I learned in high school and then promptly forgot when my old 35mm SLR camera died on a trip to Hawaii and was never replaced. My new camera is presently in the mail on its way to me, so hopefully I can unveil beautiful pictures taken with it early in the new year. In the meantime:

I've been making a few little owls:

There's just something about orange and gray that I can't resist

This little gal makes me smile:

And this one is made with some adorable ultra-retro prints:

You can find my owls here, and also at my shop.

We're gearing up for the holidays (lots of cookie-baking and cookie-eating, oh yeah, and some sledding and gift-wrapping--not many pictures, alas, camera woes) and loving this midwest winter. Stay warm (or cool, depending of course on where you are)!

Kim

Holiday Spirit

I'm definitely in the holiday spirit, but for some reason I've also been craving pink this year. Pink and green, to be exact. See, it started out when I walked past an adorable scalloped pink cake platter the other day while shopping. And then I walked by it again. I left the shop without it--it's terribly impractical, after all, especially around my kids--but I couldn't get it out of my head. So I finally went back to the store and bought it (it was on clearance, even, Score!). Then I was poking through my fabric stash and something pink caught my eye. And then something green, and more pink. Before I knew it, I had an armful of pale pink and green fabrics, spools of white ric rak and pink velvet ribbon, and an image in my head that I had to see in person. While I was making the pears, I watched this movie, which is not a good movie, at all, but the main character has the most fabulous vintage(y) green couch that I absolutely covet, and was wearing a gorgeous pink cardigan in the same scene. Anyhoo.

I was terribly excited when I had a plateful of pear ornaments, in all their pastel sugary goodness.

These pears will be available at my Hyenacart shop on Saturday, and in my etsy shop possibly next week. If you are unfamiliar with Hyenacart, it is a community for selling (primarily) handmade goods. The fees are minimal ($5.00 per month that you want to add new items in your cart, no listing fees or commission), your website is customizable, and it comes with a built-in base of customers who love to support handmade crafters and artisans! And the forums are some of the most positive and helpful I've ever visited.

And now I’m thinking I should have bought the bigger matching platter, too. Hmmm.

This one is my favorite

And now I'm off to devise a brilliant reason to buy the second cake dish, should it still be there....

Dreaming of a white Christmas,
Kim

And then there were three

First there were pear pincushions, next came the giant pear pillow, well now I've gone and made a mini-pear ornament! I adore the wonderful retro Michael Miller Christmas tree prints, and as I've mentioned before, I'm already feeling that holiday spirit so these fit the bill quite nicely. I plan to have pear ornaments available in my etsy shop as soon as I decide whether to sell them individually or in sets. What do you think? They're 4" tall and I can fit two in a box. Three is a nicer number for a set, though, alas...

My favorite part is the ric rac hanger. Love the ric rac. And now I need to go two things:

a) Go shut the back door. Somebody (the kids) seem to think that it's perfectly fine to leave the door open when it's 45 degrees outside.

b) Make a bunch more of these ornaments; I've got lots of Christmas prints and several yards of red ric rac begging to be put to use.

Happy Wednesday!
Kim

visions of sugarplums

Continuing in the trend of making things for my family, I've embarked on sewing a quilt for my elder son (to be followed, of course, by a quilt for the younger, although hopefully, unlike the afghan I started for him, fully complete and not just 3/4 of the way). Using the flock of triangles pattern from this book, I customized the fabrics to reflect his favorite things: lots of color, and lots of typefaces. Joey has been obsessed with books since infancy, so it was an easy decision to incorporate book inspired prints for his first quilt. Maybe it will keep him from removing all the clothes from his dresser drawers to read the fake antique newspaper printed on the drawer bottoms. Probably not, but a gal can dream.

Just a peek, because I haven't finished piecing it yet

I used 21 prints and solids for the quilt, which seemed daunting at first, but after making stacks from my fabric stash I ended up actually having to pare down the selection from about 35 prints. Michael Miller has this knack of using colors that go with practically everything, including many prints from other manufacturers. Amy Butler has the same knack, and you may be able to spot some of her polka dot prints in there as well.

Anyway, I hope to have both quilts finished in time for Christmas. I'm planning to have a homemade/handmade holiday this year and I'd love to hear about your handmade holiday plans, too! We finally gave up on the big tree with breakable ornaments--it just doesn't mix well with 4 dogs and 2 rowdy boys, so we're having a small tree (located way, way up high on a shelf), with homemade paper and fabric ornaments. There will be loads of paper snowflakes and other handmade decorations and hopefully plenty of real snow. And cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.

Happy Holiday Dreaming!
Kim

A little of this, a little of that

We've lived at our new house for almost 3 months now, and though I can't claim to have unpacked all the boxes, at least I can say I have done something toward decorating the boys' playroom. Inspired by this bookshelf, I found a cube shelving unit and fabric boxes at Target, some ridiculously inexpensive vintage children's books on ebay, paintbrushes and Mod Podge from a local craft shop, a sunny day, and went for it.

There isn't very much natural light down in the basement, but you get the idea.

I didn't fuss with painting the bookshelf, mostly out of laziness, though I imagine I will end up having to do so in the future when the boys ding this one up, as is the fate of all of our furniture.

Their favorite part? Pulling out the bins to see if there are pictures behind them. (again, and again, and again, in fact they immediately pull the bins out every single time Mommy puts them on the shelves...)

Tomorrow's Lesson: Putting the Bins Back on the Shelves

Also finished this week, a drawstring backpack I made for a trade

The bag is fully lined, the pocket has a button closure, and I got to use one of my favorite fabric combos ever, Amy Butler's Linen Morning Glory and Cherry Full Moon Polka Dot prints. I love how the polka dots travel diagonally on the bias trim

Well, it's a lovely fall day and the swingset beckons....Hope everyone has an autumn-y week!

Tagged!

Yay, I've been "tagged"! I love reading fun facts about crafty bloggers, and now I get to share a few things with you and hopefully learn something new about some other gals who blog, thanks to BackwoodSophisticate. The rules are below:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share seven facts about yourself on your blog – some random, some weird.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

My list of random facts:

1. I was a bit of a sprinting/jumping prodigy in middle school; 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100 relay.
2. I didn't like going to fabric stores until college. Now I can't stop fabric shopping.
3. I love blackberry cobbler.
4. I don't eat tomatoes. Except BBQ sauce. I craved BBQ potato chips when I was pregnant with my first kiddo, but only the ruffled kind.
5. My eyes change colors. They are somewhere between grey, green, and blue. My husband calls them "mood eyes".
6. I'm allergic to cats.
7. I have lived in 20% of the states in the United States: Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, California, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, New York, Oregon, Georgia, and Wisconsin (yes, in that order--and an even more impressive tidbit: my parents were not in the military, nor on the run from the authorities)

Here are the 7 people that I'm tagging:

Amy Crankypants
Kirsten kirsten*can
Joyce Joyce Makes Art
Jennifer Deckled Edge Bindery
Maria Made By Maria
Crystal Crysto
Leah Whiffy Bean Bags