Stress The Seams

No Excuses, Just More

2011-04-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

Ok... so no excuses. I'm a busy person, but so are tons of other successful bloggers. So I'm going to give it a go...again!

The boys are big these days....

And....

As you can see, they can keep me busy. And then my shop is keeping me really busy too! But it is time to start sharing all that here again, so here I am! And today I'm going to share with you my Alabama Bangle Bracelets, made from real license plates!

Like them? They will be for sale soon in my Etsy shop.... but I can do other states. Today just happens to be Alabama (the first alphabetically) day!

Later!!!

Roselawn Fall Festival

2010-09-20T10:40:00.001-07:00

Wow! We had a wonderful weekend in Cartersville, Georgia. The 35th Annual Roselawn Fall Festival was tons of fun and we met lots of new friends. I’m hoping to share some pictures and detail information with you later, but right now I’ll be totally honest. I’m EATEN ALIVE by the Monday morning GRIND! :) Okay, granted, my “grind” is different from most. But I still have to deal with all the crazy unpacking, washing, cleaning, straightening and replacing from going to the show all weekend. And lets not even count the state my house was in after being totally ignored for the last four days and left to the devices of two toddlers. Yeesh. I’m only on laundry load 5 for the day so far! :)

I’m going to be posting a ton more stuff in the shop this week, so make sure you dart over to StressTheSeams on Etsy to see all my lovely stuff. Some of it is new inventory, and some of it is de-stashing sewing and crafting gear to make room! It’s getting tight in the studio and with all the shows going on, I can’t manage to sew fast enough to keep up with the influx of stock as well as the stream of custom orders! I guess that’s a good problem to have!

Speaking of custom orders, I have several of you waiting on customs. The good news is that EVERYONE who has placed an order (yes, that includes your bag Kim… and all your goodies Dolores!) FINALLY has all the necessary supplies in house to complete it. The last pieces were found this past week, so I can FINALLY get busy on them (since I don’t have a show this week). Incoming customs are currently looking at a month in creation time due to the CRAZY show schedule in September (what’s left of it), October, November, and early December. But everything in the Etsy shop is ready to ship right now! :)

Back to the machine! I’m so happy to have five minutes to share with you how happy I am to have time to sew! :)

Zoom!

September is CRAZY!

2010-09-08T08:11:00.000-07:00

It is just nutty around here this month. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around how an entire week has passed! Sunday was a crazy awesome show at Atlanta Station in Atlanta that just sort of came up on Friday as an option. Thankfully, we did it and now we know that it can be very successful, not to mention fun! If you've never heard of SimplyFun toys, you should check them out. Their regional rep, Susan, was next to us at the show. They have AMAZING games for ALL ages! We had SO much fun! Check it out at I'm not being paid a dime to say how impressed I was, seriously!

We sold completely out of magic wallets at the show, which makes Mr.STS VERY happy, though VERY busy restocking our inventory this week! :) My binders, journals, and small bags were a massive hit, as was custom work. That is always so nice, to know that someone likes your stuff so much that they want to patron you to make a piece JUST FOR THEM! So great!

We've applied to several more holiday shows, and had to turn down invitations to even more as you can only be in so many places at once!

Off to work more on stash busting. I've taken pictures of all the.... crap. Yeah, we'll call it that, as it's not yet valuable, but it's not worthless either. But it is definitely a mess. Yeash. I'll post the pictures as soon as my cheeks stop being so red from embarrassment. Yes, they are THAT bad.

Zoom!

Stashbushing So Far

2010-09-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

So I've managed to complete a tote bag. I'll post a picture as soon as possible, but I've been helping out a friend and keeping his two year old and five year old sons yesterday and today, so it's a miracle I'm getting anything done with 3 boys between 20-25 months old under foot! :)

So far I've used:
-1/3yd microsuede
-1/2yd Bird Talk cotton print
-3/8yd Blue Dot cotton print
-1/8yd Ocean Swirl cotton print
-1/4yd Blue Batik cotton print
-1/2yd WonderUnder
-1/2yd grey fleece
-7/8yd fusible interfacing
-8 extra large brass grommets
-1/2 spool of thread

I've also managed to cut out and prepare another DOZEN patterns!
And I've put together my IKEA Mala paper holder for the butcher paper that I use for pattern roughs and for the boys' art purposes.
Then there were the four acrylic signs that I got from a bank that was changing their signage. I managed to remove all of the lettering from them so that I have three clear ones and one dark grey one ready for new clear labels.

All that AND laundry day with 3 toddlers and a 2 hour commute each day to drop off the kindergartener. Not bad so far. No clue what I'm going to accomplish today, but I'm determined!

Off to Stashbust!

---but I do want to admit that the Labor Day sales are starting to look REALLY tempting.... how should I best resist?

September 1: Stash-bustin'!

2010-09-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Stash Busted:
Fabric Used: 0 yards
Notions Used: 0
Trims Used: 0
Thread Used: 0
Patterns Used: 0

What I've Made:
Items Created: 0
Patterns Created: 0

So I've joined a September Stash-busting Group. You can find out more about it by clicking the button in my sidebar. The basics are that you can't buy crafting gear for the month of September and you have to use what you've got. Only thread and glue can be purchased so that you can continue on with more projects, and that's only if you are out. There's also an exemption for business purchases and 1 get out of jail free for an AMAZING deal. But I'm trying to adhere to the spirit of the month and not purchase crafting stuff! And the other half of the goal is to see how much you can use in creative ways this month. So I'm going to try to produce in profuse numbers!!! :) So today is day one and I'm starting with a tally of zero....

But as I've already got the beds stripped and in the laundry, dishes done, and kitchen cleaned, I'm ready to face the studio and see what I can do! Wish me luck.... or better yet, JOIN ME!!! :)

My Breast Cancer Awareness Line

2010-08-02T03:55:00.001-07:00

It was time for me to do a bit of a benefit at my Etsy store StressTheSeams, so I’ve chosen the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day, as July was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This past weekend we set up at the Atlanta Christmas In July Benefit Art Show for Susan G. Komen and had a really great show. The venue was amazing, the other vendors were wonderful, and we made not only sales but also friends! Can’t beat that experience!

But, as my Grandmommy has recently made it through her last “clean bill” check up as a survivor, I’ve decided to add a Pink line to my shop, of which I will donate a portion to Breast Cancer Research. Because until there is a cure, we are all still at risk of loosing the most valuable commodity we have… the women who love and support us. So check out some of my new items that I will be listing in my Etsy store this week!

Yep, it’s a Hot Pink Lace Hat, complete with feather trim and silk cord gimp hat band! Super cute and perfect to perch on that amazing coiffure!

And here is my entirely vintage and upcycled materials (okay, except the thread) Quilted Pink Patchwork Embroidered Market Bag. Super cute and oh so cuddly soft!

Last but certainly not least is Tula Pink’s Plume fabric line for Moda. I turned it all into a patchwork Pink Plume Quilted Market Bag. Also, super gorgeous and incredibly useful, with a definite nod to both modern sensibility and traditional workmanship.

Both of the bags are entirely lined and quilted, so they are really well made and can hold up to regular use while still looking amazing. And I had SO MUCH FUN while I made them. I played with all kinds of block designs, incorporated all kinds of crazy pink fabrics in the vintage/upcycled one, and got to really check out the spectrum of Tula Pink’s Plume line. For someone who isn’t exactly a girly pink kind of girl, I really enjoyed these three projects! And there are more pink items to come. Working with a color palette I usually avoid has been tons of fun and has really caused me to stretch my creative muscles.

Okay… so now I’m off to finish the last bits of hand-quilting so I can get machine quilting today. Wish me luck!

Patchwork and Quilting 'till my fingers explode

2010-07-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, that is a LITTLE dramatic, though I swear they are threatening to. You see, I've been working on my Lace Top Hats while waiting on my iron to heat up so that I can press pieces of Moda's Plume and vintage/upcycled fabrics into patchwork bags. Said patchwork bags then get basted (more pins) and quilted (thankfully by machine) into quilted market bags. They are super cute, but I've made three totally different ones today. From cut to finish, three of them. With embroidery. Yikes. And I only have 4 more lace hats to finish, all of them different. Then I only have 7 hats that need decoration, 24 ribbons to be added to other things, and lets not forget the handwork I'm nearly done with on the Victorian Table Runner. Yeesh. And I've got another quilt top finished, just waiting for its final assembly. Needless to say, I'm BUSY!

So off to bed, but I'm going to try to share some pictures with you tomorrow, I promise. I want to show you my new apron! :) And I have a pattern review (okay, TWO pattern reviews) to share with you as well!

Black and White Photo

2010-07-22T12:33:00.001-07:00

There is this blog that hosts cute pictures. And I just had to get in on it. So here are some black and whites I’ve made of the twins. Most are old, but I’m betting you guys will enjoy them any way!

Here’s ---Eeep! We’re Busted!

Or maybe “Yeah, I’m cool AND I read”

The Toilet Surfer

And I have the meaning of life in here too:

You CAN’T be serious, Mom.

You know I’m cute!

What do you think? Darn cute, I say!

Hillbilly inspiration

2010-07-22T11:53:00.001-07:00

First, I’m STILL hand-quilting on the Victorian Table Runner. Granted, the boys don’t let me get much done on it as they think bouncing things off the big backboard Mommy has is FUN! And wouldn’t you know, Mommy conveniently made them fabric balls to do this with (not intentionally…). Thankfully, they have only thrown those so far.

Second, Momma Swallow has moved back in to her nest outside my studio window. She’s being cantankerous as I write. Apparently she isn’t happy about the thunder. Well, neither am I. It seems to think that rain comes from a clear blue sky. Hah. But then, with the heat, I’ll take anything to make it cooler.

I’ve been hard at work putting things in my Etsy store. Check out my new things, like a magic wallet from car tags.

Yep. This brain child came from getting in trouble on family trips to tacky tourist shops. Living in Gatlinburg, there were plenty of said tourist shops, stuffed with “Hillbilly” memorabilia. One was always the Hillbilly wallet, otherwise known as a Magic Wallet. No matter how you put your stuff in it, it always manages to hold it and you can get your stuff out from either the right or the left. Imagine opening a book from either side and the pages stayed in the right order. Boggled my mind as a kid. I always had to play with these in shops, which usually meant picking one up, wandering the store with it until I found an acceptable item to insert in it (usually a pile of brochures or magnets), and then doing so. After which, I would thoughtfully leave it stocked for the next person to play with. I’m betting the store owners didn’t find it thoughtful, though.

And I’ve gotten my bags in. I ordered them Tuesday afternoon. I’m impressed. And the Fedex delivery guy didn’t stink of cigarettes… nor did my package! What a HAPPY change!

Off to have some lunch and finish an apron. All I have to do is appliqué on some hearts and pockets. Really, not so much. Why am I putting it off?

Having to get my sea legs

2010-07-20T13:12:00.001-07:00

It has already been a good week, so I want to start with that. That being both the statement of “It IS GOOD!” and the cutest tater ever. Yes, I made the hat…for his dad. And yes, it is a wool toboggan cap that he is CHOSING to wear in July. Who’s counting? But, in other news, I’m:

-Overwhelmed

          --I now have shows booked for three straight weekends

          --I’ve still got to order a tent and bags

-Frustrated

          --The state is giving me the run around, trying to say my business name and my legal name are not the same thing. The IRS says they are. But Georgia, in their infinite wisdom, has decided they are not. So they want another $157 so I can get a stamp on a piece of paper saying that they are. Fat chance of that. But without paying said “we’re stupid” tax, I can’t open accounts with the other institutions I would LIKE to. Instead, I have to do things the old fashioned way and just wait it out. GRRRRRRR.

-Confused

           --Math isn’t my thing, so Bookkeeping and Taxes really aren’t. But since they were due today, I dutifully sat down and blew my morning completing my state tax forms. Now I can sit and be totally confused by the “actual” and “projected” earnings statements and other documents I can’t even begin to describe filled with accountant jargon that I need to make sure stay correct between now and NEXT month. Jeeze, like I have NOTHING else to do.

-Excited

           --I’ve already done several sales this week (on Etsy, not in the state of Georgia, so NENNEER tax office!!!) and I’ve accomplished a lot towards this Susan G Koman Breast Cancer Foundation Fundraiser I’ve got coming up on the 31st. But there is still a lot to do.

So back at it. I’ll post you some pictures of what I have been up to later. Though I do have several more listings in my Etsy store if you want to zip over there and see what I’ve been up to! :)

----Laters… I gotsa Scatter ZOOOM!

Blogs, Photos, and Bears…. Oh My!

2010-07-18T04:30:00.001-07:00

A few of you might have noticed my rather full schedule in my left hand column. Yep. That’s right. 5 shows between now and the end of the year, and that’s only my CONFIRMED solid dates. I’m feeling pretty good about it, as this is my first “touring” season as a crafty person. And my first show went well and my Etsy sales have been consistently improving (two customs right now!!!). So why am I still so STRESSED and WORRIED???? :) Oh yeah, that’s what I do.

But my darling hubby is dong his best to alleviate some of my stress. He even volunteered to do some photography for me to get some stuff ready to be listed on Etsy. As anyone who as seen my booth at the show or my inventory space can tell you, I have FAR too many things that aren’t listed. And since I usually do one of a kind items, each has to be photographed individually, measured, written up, priced, and then posted to Etsy. Not an easy task with two toddlers helping you.

Most of his photography was so awesome that you can already see it in my Etsy shop itself. So make sure you check it out to see his best work. But we all need a laugh once in a while, so he decided to put a few “gems” in with the other shots, to check that I was paying attention while cropping and posting them. Here’s the newest Vogue model… Te D Beare

I actually love this shot… and I’m wondering what all of you think. I’m probably going to use it, though it is a little odd to see a BEAR wearing a CHICKEN bib. :)

And here is Te D Beare modeling the Pi=Delicious Bib. Also, quite dashing I think.

And just when you’d given up hope of a good laugh, there is this series.

Yeah, Monsieur Beare doesn’t look as pleased in this outfit. Maybe it’s the July heat in thermal fleece… I bet that’s it.

And then they say that an item will ALWAYS sell better on a model. You be the judge:

Item alone (by the way, it’s an infant diaper cover/fleece soaker):

Diaper Cover/Fleece Soaker with model:

What do YOU think? :)

Pattern Organization Tutorial

2010-07-15T08:02:00.001-07:00

I own LOTS of patterns. I don’t cut out and sew from many patterns, but I use them. I use them to get ideas, to look at how they suggest to do things, to snag slopes for shoulders, tucks for bodices, even fun ideas for embellishment from. You can easily use patterns as part of upcycling, however. And I have recently come into quite a stash of vintage patterns (thanks to my wonderful Grandmommy and Mother In Law, as well as some thrifting). And the vintage patterns are just so wonderfully detailed, with step by step tailors instructions that modern patterns rarely have. There’s just so much to learn there!

But back to the tutorial. I need to store all these crazy quantities of patterns somehow, and in my sewing studio just wasn’t going to work. But I have a fabulous double depth four drawer hanging file cabinet in my basement. Perfect. And it is conveniently right at the bottom of the stairs from my sewing studio. But if I put all the patterns down there, then I’ll never know what I have or where to find what I want. So here’s my system for keeping my patterns in my studio, but SMALL!

Begin by taking all the information OUT of the envelope and putting it in a manila folder. <-Empty This Into This –>

Then label the manila folder’s tab with the pattern number (in this case S8364) and a short description of the pattern (in this case, table cloth, napkins, placemats, coasters). This can then go in a hanging file with JUST the pattern number on it (or you can skip this step entirely, that’s a personal choice).

Then take your envelope and put it in a clear sheet protector like this:

These are vintage patterns, so I leave the envelope whole, as it’s really tough for me to cut up anything older than myself. For modern patterns, I do this:

You’ll see that this pattern has been slit open and put OPEN into the sheet protector. Then, when I actually sew up the pattern, I do this:

See on the left side? I add a sheet of paper that says when, why, and for whom I made the pattern. And then my thoughts on the pattern and any changes I made or think SHOULD be made. I also tend to note if I cut any of the pieces to a specific size (so I know if I need to get a NEW pattern to use the same design again) or if I used specific pieces for one of my franken-patterns and so it isn’t in the file any more.

Then these clear sheet protectors go in here:

I’ve currently got two binders, a 1 inch and a 4 inch, for my patterns, though I’m getting ready to split the 4 as it is stuffed and a monster to use. Anyway, my current divisions are:

Home Decor (curtains, table clothes, quilts, etc.)
Crafts (stuffed animals, boxes, etc.)
Fashion Accessories (hats, gloves, sashes, bags, etc.)
Children (anything baby, items specifically sized for anyone under 12)
Fashion Patterns (anything that goes on the body of an adult, including costumes

This really manages to cover the majority of the patterns out there, in these 5 categories. But as you can see, Fashion Patterns requires further division. So I have it organized by pattern company alphabetically, then by pattern number. This works really well.

Now my filing cabinet has all of the patterns organized alphabetically by pattern company and then by pattern number. I can put my hands on pretty much any pattern in about 2 minutes total, between the binder and the cabinet. I love it. And I can carry the binder all over the house or even to meetings with clients so they can get ideas too! I highly suggest this method.

Please let me know if any of this isn’t clear enough. I’ll gladly add more pictures or description!

By the way, I’ve decided I LIKE doing pattern reviews. So I’m going to start trying to actually sew up more patterns. I’m going to start with Simplicity 8364. So stay tuned for pattern reviews!

Thunder-bolts, and a notion or two

2010-07-13T13:11:00.001-07:00

Apparently we are in the middle of a thunderstorm streak. Every day it seems my weather alarms start going off and the twins go nuts. The pressure change is no good for ANY of us. But today, I’m using it as motivation to CLEAN! Well, that, and the fact that I have a show in just over 2 weeks.

Honestly, I didn’t think I would actually make a dent in my pit of a workspace, so I didn’t bother to take before pictures. Now I wish I had. But here’s the after. Forgive the lighting, as the storms are making it IMPOSSIBLE to enjoy my windows for the purposes of lighting… though the lightning is pretty.

Notice all the labels? Now I know where everything is! If you are interested, the labels read

Short Left : Elastic & Velcro, Embroidery Stabilizer, Batting, Packaging Supplies

Short Right: Bags, Works in Progress 1, 2, & 3

Tall Left: Fabric Smaller than 6”x6” 1 & 2, Findings, Notions, Scrapbooking

Tall Right: Interfacing, Stabilizer Pieces, Embroidery Blanks, Thread, Felt & Fleece

Does anyone else save little bits of fabric and stabilizer? How do you deal with it? These wire drawers work really well, but I have put shelf liner in the drawers where things might fall through, like findings and small fabric. I’d love to hear what others do with these bits of fabric that really are too small to fold!

Victorian Table Runner Pattern Review

2010-07-12T08:02:00.001-07:00

My first pattern review! I’m starting with Southwind Designs’ Victorian Table Runner, not because it is a beginner pattern, but because I actually want to share this pattern with the world.

First, I should tell you that I am making this pattern as a request for the owner of my local quilt shop. I received both the pattern and the fabric for it as compensation for making it, and I wanted to be honest with you, my dear reader. But I have received NO compensation of any type from Southwind Designs. So there is my full disclosure.

Tracy chose the pattern and the colors, which are quite lovely. I’m really into the leaf pattern and the blue blender. Both of those are quite yummy.

Now “dimensional quilt patterns for creative people” is the slogan of Southwind Designs, and while I would definitely fall into the creative category, I was a little scared by the dimensional part. Tracy assured me that with my experience doing Cathedral Windows, I could handle this no problem. And she was TOTALLY right! This pattern is so clearly written and graphed that there was NO pain in the piecing. None. Not a bit!

Annette’s cutting instructions were dead on, with minimal waste. And her piecing is broken into little steps and each part is clearly illustrated. I was completely comfortable and never had to “figure out” how to do ANY step. It was great! I highly suggest Annette’s patterns and will be purchasing them in the future. My only problem becomes which one to do next! :)

Also, if you check out the Southwind Designs website, they even have quilts that are completed from their patterns for sale. So if you aren’t up to the dimensional aspect of the quilting, then you can still own it!

I’m not sorry that the pictures are dark, as most of them were taken between 5pm and 10pm Sunday night. Yep. That’s right. All this in 5 hours, which also included cooking and feeding the twins dinner, eating, cleaning up the dinner mess, putting the twins to bed, and some diapering. So it is not only beautiful, but quick!

Now I’ve just got to get the backing and binding choices from Tracy and start quilting. Part of me really wants to quilt this by hand, just to give it a really Victorian feel. What do you think?

Events you MUST attend

2010-07-10T04:52:00.000-07:00

You'll notice I've added two new gadgets to my sidebar (okay, actually three, but Share It isn't as fun).

You can now see my Calendar of Show Dates. Always up to date and ready to be enjoyed, I can't wait for all of you to come and meet me!

Also, you can see live screen shots from Etsy now! No more wondering if I have something listed, you can easily jump right over there and grab your favorites.

And yes, I'm already booked for 4 shows covering 5 days (not including set up) between now and Christmas. And, because I LOVE it, I've applied for several more. And I plan to unveil NEW items at each show, so you'll have to visit each show to see what I've dreamed up SPECIAL for that event. And all of this new information for you BEFORE I've had my breakfast. Laters!

Baby Quilts and Pink Plume

2010-07-10T03:59:00.001-07:00

I’m not a girly girl, in case you haven’t noticed. Previous to yesterday, I owned (no joke) 7 total fabrics that had a main color of PINK. This is less than 1% by A LOT. Nope, it’s too early to do the math, so neener. :)

Then the post woman gave me the most amazing box yesterday. I was so excited, I ripped it open and immediately started cutting into it. Hence why there are no pictures of it all stacked together. Too excited.

What caused this excitement? Tula Pink’s Plume for Moda. My jelly roll and yardage arrived with coordinating solids. So I immediately got started, as I have promised a baby quilt for wonderful friends. And she’s due Halloween. So my pursuit of mint, pink, and chocolate led to Plume.

First, I’m working with a Moda Bake Shop Recipe. You can find it here. It has ruffles. What is more girly than ruffles? Of course, I can’t bear do something EXACTLY like the plans call for, so I’m changing it up a bit. I’m adding some lace and other fun things. But I’m out of batting, so you’ll have to wait until later for the completed quilt. But I have some in process shots I thought I would share.

Here is all my jelly strips cut into smaller segments (5”, 7”, 10”) and then pieced back into 42” strips.

Then we have it all pieced together. Yes, it hangs off the edges of the table. :)

Then we have it, it’s backing, the ruffle fabric, and the binding all hanging, nicely pressed, together. Now it’s just waiting for its batting like a prom date by the door of my studio.

But since I finished the piecing on this before dinner, I had to have something to do. So I started a ribbon fascinator for the crib rail to match it.

It will have the bird from Plume cut out on the right side, the roses from Plume cut out on the left side, a fleur de lis cut out of the brown colorway top center and then a feather from the pink swans under that. And yes, it will have ribbon tags of coordinate colors all the way around all four pieces, except that the feather is getting full marabou all the way around. :) I’m probably going to do a binding out of the dark pink colorway (you can see it at the top of this shot), and the back out of the fleur de lis in the pale green colorway. And it will get the same baby pink lace trim, which you can see on the right hand side of the shot.

What do you think? Have I gone too far into girly land? Can I come back? And what to do with the rest of this jelly roll?

Plagiarism versus Public Knowledge in Sewing

2010-07-07T04:06:00.001-07:00

I am currently baffled and peeved. I’m hoping one of you, my wonderful readers, can explain this to me. How can someone “own” the rights to a t-shirt pattern? Or a log cabin quilt square? These things have been produced for a while now and I would think, would be common knowledge. And yet, I see pattern designers that put their name on it and that lovely “for private use only” tag. Like they OWN the magnificent discovery of fabric. Grrrr. I’m sure, to some extent, they are just covering their bums. But it still peeves me, as I love to read blogs, magazines, books, etc about sewing. And I glean ideas from all of them. And I want to see artists credited for their work. But give me a break. You did NOT invent the idea of a WREATH. You are NOT the first person to ever make a stuffed bear. And PLEASE, do not try to convince the world that the zipper pouch sprouted from your head. Next thing you know, they are going to claim to have invented the internet. :)

Okay, my grip for Wednesday morning is over. Resume your regularly scheduled hump day while I put away my soap box.

Family Tough on Clothes? Repurpose them!

2010-07-01T10:27:00.001-07:00

Many of you may know my husband, or at least have stopped by his blog over at The Chipped Hammer. He’s a welder by trade and an artist and mechanic by skill, so he can be REALLY rough on clothes. A lot of it I can’t do anything about, but every once in a while he does something that I say “HA! I CAN fix this one!”. I mend his rips, patch his holes, and generally try to keep his work clothes presentable. And when they are too far gone, I use them for something else. The t-shirts make fabulous rags. The socks with holes are great turned inside out on the swiffer or to dust the ceiling fans. But the jeans had stumped me.

Then we found a cache of jeans at a thrift store in his size. He’s hard to fit, so we bought them, not caring about the brand as they were a buck a piece! One pair was a nice pair of GAP original relaxed fit that looked great on him, except for a paint stripe across the leg. So he declared them work pants and wore them the next day. And guess what? They got a GAP in them the next day! A grinder managed to get away from someone welding next to him and ripped a big hole in the side of his jeans at his thigh. Grrrrrrr. Too big to patch. He hadn’t gotten the $1 out of them yet! Grrrr. So I decided to put them to use!

Here’s the bag made from the good leg:

I call it “Brain-washed Denim”! Hehe

Then here is the mini-skirt!!!

It’s the “Now I’m Pretty” skirt! And it cam out really cute! You’d never know it was eaten by a grinder, huh? :) Of course, you do now that I told you. But you STILL want to zip over to my Etsy store and snap it up, don’t ya!

Lace Top Hats and Awesome Geek Bowls

2010-06-30T18:04:00.001-07:00

Life can get boring. Same old flower arrangements, same old hair style, same old decorations. That’s why you need things that are unexpected. Like Lace Top Hats and Fabric Bowls!

Yep, the hat is entirely made of lace. I start with a piece of what looks like cellophane and embroider that with the thread until I’ve formed lace. Then I cut the pieces I need for the hat and stitch them together. Isn’t it cute? And I think it is PERFECT for weddings! I would definitely put one in my wedding hair or maybe in my bouquet. And could you imagine these as part of a table scape or center piece? WOW! And I can do them in all kinds of colors! And even in color combinations! See:

So far, I’ve made the red, black, and gold that I like to call “Royal”, the black and white which is “Dramatic”, and the variegated purples that is named “Lovely Lilacs”. I’ve got them listed in my etsy store for a song, so I’m sure they’ll go fast. I’ve nearly finished a black and blue one and a solid black one. Those might get done tomorrow. Now I need ideas for other color combinations. Thoughts?

To add just one more unexpected switch up, how about a fabric bowl? Everyone has fabulous pottery bowls, metal bowls, and glass. How many people have FELT ones? :) Especially ones especially designed to show your geeky side. And if you get the joke on the bowl, please post it here to explain it to everyone else and then go buy my bowl. I’ll ship it to you for free if you do! :) Just remind me at checkout that you were the one who explained the joke! :)

Oh, and I’m going to start another contest soon, so stay on the lookout for that! The prize is going to be GREAT! I just LOVE sponsors! :)

StressTheSeams Patriotic Sale!

2010-06-29T12:59:00.001-07:00

I’m running a patriotic sale in my Etsy shop. All of my patriotic items will include a freebie! Make sure you stop by and check out these awesome napkins I just listed:

I only have one set of each, so snap them up and you’ll get free matching napkin rings!

In other news, you need to go buy candles from Worthy's Soy Candles. I’m currently working only because this candle can keep me going! And her Peach candle is the awesome!

Patriotic Sale!

2010-06-29T11:14:00.001-07:00

I’m running a patriotic sale in my Etsy shop. All of my patriotic items will include a freebie! Make sure you stop by and check out these awesome napkins I just listed:

I only have one set of each, so snap them up and you’ll get free matching napkin rings!

In other news, you need to go buy candles from Worthy's Soy Candles. I’m currently working only because this candle can keep me going! And her Peach candle is the awesome!

Planning for Crafting

2010-06-29T04:52:00.001-07:00

I’m a very organized person, which might surprise some. I like for everything to have a place, AND be in its place. The Metal Man isn’t exactly the same. He likes to FEEL inspired and DISCOVER stuff. This means loosing it under the pile of other things he’s working on and uncovering it later. Eh. We’re different, but we manage to share a work space pretty well.

But it’s time for him to change a bit. I’m learning to let go a little bit and he is having to get organized (a little). We’ve been working on applications and arranging shows, which means we have to keep a calendar and he has to actually understand how much inventory we need on what dates. We’ve also been working on said inventory, which means he has to actually decide which pieces are complete, get them photographed, get them named, report in with his material costs, turn in receipts, AND tag them for sale. You’d think he’d moved mountains, I tell ya! But he’s actually doing pretty well with it, so I can’t complain.

My part of it is maintaining said inventory, doing the cropping and such to said photos, listing said items in our store, maintaining business contacts (phone, email, etc.), completing said show applications, filling said calendar, and keeping the financials. And after all of that, I’ve still got to craft. So I’m trying to find a way to arrange it all. Any advice? Any suggestions? I’m thinking I really need a schedule of when I have to do the WORK side of the business and then leave all the rest of the time for creating. But how often SHOULD a business person check their email? How often SHOULD I be updating my inventory lists? I don’t want to let it go too long, but then I don’t want to waste time pulling it out every five minutes, either. HELP!!!

I’ll leave you today with a shot of another new item that hasn’t hit my Etsy shop yet. It’s a felt crap catcher bowl with lovely embroidery. What’cha think?

Whew… And I’m back!

2010-06-28T15:34:00.001-07:00

So the Handmade Heatwave, my FIRST show, was a success!!! Things went really well and I got a ton of feedback about our booth, our products, our prices, and our quality! We received a wonderfully hot reception, forget warm! :) I’ve already got plans in the works for 4 other shows in the next two months (EEEP!!!) and am starting to book shows as far out as this time NEXT year. Whoa!
Here’s a quick picture of our booth:

As you can see, we were indoors between a window and a door along a wall in a historic home. It went really well. We made a profit (HAPPY!!!), made a lot of new friends, got a ton of advice, and figured out exactly how NOT to do some things.
Quick things I learned (not necessarily from personal experience):
Know your target market. If you are selling toys, market them LOW. If you are selling hats for winter, sell them in the fall.
Banners and signage are important, but not the end-all-be-all. It is better to promote yourself through conversation with customers and passersby than to have a sign.
Big pieces definitely draw attention, no matter what.
Sitting will earn you NO money.
Eating will earn you NO money.
Snacking and sipping is the only way to survive.
Hangers are helpful, but clothes rods full of them get ignored.
Light weight is good. Heavy bins and loads are BAD.
Credit Cards are a NECESSARY EVIL.
Donuts always find a home!
So I’m hoping to hear back about a show in mid July soon, and August is filling up FAST. Whew. I’m gonna try to balance blogging, crafting, showing, and parenting a little better from here out, though. Now that I have a 200+ item inventory (most of it made in two months…), I can take time to fuss over individual things and worry about the blog more. Not to say I’m gonna rest on my crafting laurels. NOPE! In fact, I’m thinking about jumping in to a few competitions and such. I’m such a sucker for punishment!
And to close for today, I’m going to show you one of my new items.
You’ve got the first glance at my Rock-a-Billy Apron. One of a kind, ladies and gents. Perfect for rockin’ out in the kitchen or just gettin’ sassy any time. With it’s large black front pocket and long ties, it is incredibly flattering as well as useful! :) And you can machine wash it. I’m in love with this apron, so I haven’t posted it in my Etsy store…yet. I mean, I can only own so many aprons, you know? So what do you think of it? Should I list it or keep it? :)

And the Winner is!!!!

2010-06-14T18:31:00.001-07:00

Wow. Fifteen days. I made it fifteen days on my “blog less, sew more” vacation. Wow. To summarize:
husband was hit by Mack truck… is almost back to (his version) of normal. :)
grandmother suffered nasty fall while hiking… is doing well for a 75 year old
Helga the sewing machine stuck a needle through her eye because I was working her so hard
Great-Godfather had quadruple by-pass and is doing well
My Etsy store/ Etsy Street Team have really taken off and are keeping me SUPER busy.

All in all, a good two weeks that included a trip to East Tennessee with twin 18 month olds! Nothing like a road trip to remind one that you really do have good kids!

So on to other news. My lucky reader that is winning a FABULOUS MYSTERY prize is none other than…… MOONCATFARMS!!!! Please send me your contact info so I can ship your lovely prize out as soon as it is finished! :)

So in other news… I’ve been learning all kinds of new skills. I’ve been practicing and employing such skills as:

Paper piecing (I’ve made a fabulous apron that really excites me!)
Lace Making (I’m on my third hat and second choker)
Stuffy creation (Tooth fairy pillows, stuffed rabbits, pin cushions, oh my!)
Serging (how I love Serge)
Knits (nothing feels more comfortable than well made jersey)
Planning a quilt (little baby girl on the way for my good friends)
Making my own bias tape (I’d forgotten how satisfying it was!)
Setting snaps, rivets, and applying zippers (got to love technology)

All in all, I’ve been busy. And yes, I will share my projects with you, though not tonight. Tonight I must finish another hat, put together a journal cover, and find a vendor for feathers. Any suggestions?

Awesome Custom Giveaway with only 2 Days Left!

2010-05-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

It’s the last two days of MAY, which means it is also the last two days of May you be inspired days. I’m both happy to see what a wonderful month has brought and sad to see it go. But to celebrate the end of a VERY inspirational month, I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st!

All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams. YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER TO WIN!!!
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment!

-Laters

Paper Piecing, Baby! I'm so inspired!

2010-05-28T19:29:00.001-07:00

So I was having a problem with inspiration. I know.... after a month of inspiration, I was running low. Okay, so I do HAVE inspiration, just it was darker and more sinister. You see, the twins are teething. This means one is pitching royal death fits and the other is biting and turning canibal. Lovely. Combine this with the hubby being unable to work or lift things due to his fabulous semi-truck accident, and I'm fit to be tied. Then we had WONDERFUL thunderstorms, so I decided dark and sinister, baby!

The hubby has a brilliant plan for how he can combine his metal with my fabric. And the only info you are gonna get is the picture! Just wait. It shouldn't take long. :)

Laters.... off to enjoy cake!

10 Things I need to share because

2010-05-27T19:25:00.001-07:00

Look what I was awarded!!!!

Janimal, over at Delilah's Momma, is the rockin' awesome! You’ve heard me rave about her before in my post on a fabric business card holder or even my map recover of a hanging file folder organizer. Yep, she rocks. Go visit her often. She’s a brit. I always try to imagine an strong English accent as I read her stuff! :) Everything is better with the right accent! :)

The rules appear to be that I have to tell you 10 random things about me.

1. I have a degree in Religious Studies. Not exactly common… and almost as useful as Underwater Basket Weaving degrees.

2. I got married at the courthouse in Dallas, Georgia. On April 1st. By a judge who looked like Johnny Cash (complete with black leather vest) named “Tex”. And it WASN’T a joke.

3. My husband and I were born 11 days apart.

4. I have a rubber tree carving in my bedroom of a foo dog. I wanted a dog, so my husband bought this one for me.

5. I collect temple rubbings.

6. I’m allergic to pork. My husband jokes that it is my “inner Jew”.

7. As a young girl, I wanted to be Nancy Drew when I grew up . Or a fighter pilot.

8. I love penguins. My master bathroom is even done in them. :) And my children love the Penguins of Madagascar, which I did NOT introduce them to!

9. I’d rather clean than sleep… (This is according to my husband. Okay, so I’m OCD.)

10. I named a dog after Freddie Mercury. Yep, I’m a Queen fan.

Passing this award on to some other lovely bloggers....

1. Remodelaholic, baby. Wow. I’m inspired by her stuff big time.

2. Happy Zombie also makes me happy. Her fabric is amazing! And she’s so darn friendly! :)

3. Knock Off Wood lives a life I can hardly imagine. Alaska. Hundreds of miles from what I have within five minutes. And still manages to produce amazing stuff. Wowzers, does she make me feel like I’m lazy!

4. Oh Fransson has the most amazing quilts. Her ideas are so different and challenging. I really love her work. I can’t wait to see how the subway inspired quilt will come out!

5. Sew a Straight Line challenges me to re-evaluate WHY and HOW I sew. Her process of working through a sewing manual is just wonderful. I’ve learned so much about accepting mistakes as learning opportunities and taking advantage of projects to learn more from her. You simply must check her out!

6. I just recently stumbled across Southern Matriarch, but I’ve known her all my life. Okay, not literally, but she is that southern woman I think of when I harken back to my summers with my grandmother who grew up in Charleston. I can just taste the sweet tea, feel the breeze, and enjoy the southern hospitality when I visit her blog!

7. The Cottage Home is another one of those blogs that you just KNOW. She’s that woman you see in the grocery who has everything where it should be and doesn’t look frazzled about it. She’s the only one not loosing it in line at the DMV. Why? Because she’s happy with who she is. Her writing just exudes self confidence, but not in that icky way that car salesmen do. :)

8. Pink Chalk Studio has amazing hair. Okay, I love her hair. :) And she loves some color, which I LOVE! I know I can stop over and enjoy a relaxing opportunity to enjoy a fabulous piece of work done in a lush color palette. And her picture is just so darn happy. With the hair that I covet! :)

9. Between Naps on the Porch is another Atlanta native blogger, but WOW is her stuff beautiful! And she did an entire tablescape for Alice in Wonderland! I’m so in love. Her china collection must just be amazing. And her photography skills are just… wow. Check out her entry on the Blue Hour. It is not to be missed!

10. Last, but certainly not least, is EPBOT. From the creator of Cake Wrecks, which I think is one of the funniest pieces of internet real estate, comes her conversations with daily life. I just laugh my way through each and every entry from Jen. I can’t count how many times I’ve nearly coated my computer screen with beverages because she caught me mid-sip with one of her intelligent, hysterical lines. This is where to go when you need that laugh, for sure.

Thank you, one and all for sticking with me through my lists. Please be sure to check out some of these beautiful bloggers who make the internet just a little bit nicer for the rest of us. And while you are at it, make sure you become a follower of me and leave a comment. I really want to make something amazing for one of my readers! It could be YOU!

And be on the look out… my Cheshire Cat Tutorial is nearly complete. I’m putting the finishing touches on it tomorrow! :)

Fabric Folding and Flat Rate Box Storage Tutorial

2010-05-26T14:27:00.001-07:00

Eep! I made a promise and I intend to keep it. What did I promise? Why, a fabric folding tutorial! When did I do this? Well, you can look back at my organization post and see. But I’m going to keep that promise today.
Ingredients:

    Cloth to be folded that is LARGER than 6”x6”
    6”x13” (or longer) ruler. I use Sharon Hultgren’s Easy Rule. You could just as easily use a piece of thick cardboard, plastic, or even a thin piece of wood or metal that has smooth edges (so not to pick the fabric) and is reasonably stiff.
    A flat surface. I usually use my ironing board.
    Used Flat Rate Box. 11”x8”x5” size.

Step 1: Make sure your cloth is laundered. Nothing is worse than going to sew and discovering that your fabric is gross.

Step 2: Find the grain of your fabric. It doesn’t really matter what size it started out as long as you fold it in half if it was MORE than 20” in one direction. This makes it more manageable.

Step 3: Fold the fabric in half its longest way (or selvedge to selvedge if it has selvedges) on your flat surface. I don’t stress about wrinkles TOO much, as I’m going to have to iron it before I use it anyway. That’s me. You might be more… particular… than I am and want to iron it. That’s all you

Step 4: Place your ruler so that you have about an inch hanging off your selvedge edge.

Step 5: Fold your fabric over your ruler.

Step 6: Continue to roll your fabric around your ruler until you have it entirely rolled up that direction.

Step 7: Carefully pull your ruler out.

Step 8: Place your ruler so that it is perpendicular to how you were rolling before.

Step 9: Begin rolling your fabric around your ruler again until you have it entirely rolled up into a 6” square.

Step 10: Set your fabric aside.
Step 11: Take your USED Flat Rate Box (FRB) and fold in all the flaps from the top.
Step 12: Sit your FRB on its side.
Step 13: Put your fabric in the FRB so that you can see the edge of your fabric.

Okay. So there are a FEW things I should point out.
First, you can only use FRBs that have been PREVIOUSLY used for a shipment, per the federal requirements. So you will want to clean your boxes out really good, or else you’ll get ick.
Second, FRBs are NOT acid-free. So if you are really particular about how your fabric is stored, then you should devise a DIFFERENT method than used FRBs. I cycle through my fabric at a reasonably high rate, so I don’t worry about long term exposure. My fabric is lucky to sit unused for a month. And my piece come out and go back so often that I don’t worry about dust, either. If you do, I would suggest hanging something like lining or sheers in front of your fabric. I like to use the vacuum, so when I do, I often use the wand attachment to brush the fronts of my shelves, just in case. But I LIKE to vacuum. :)
Third, this method works GREAT for anything over 6”x6”. I keep everything UNDER that size in large zip top bags divided into fabric categories. I have used this method on everything, including silk, voile, flannel, faux fur, cuddle, fleece, even gnaugahyde. I have a REALLY diverse stash. The largest piece I’ve used this method on so far was a duck cloth (heavy weight woven) that was 11’ by 60”. That was DIFFICULT. I wouldn’t suggest it, as it gets to be a real workout! But I try not to have bolts around. My twins climb them. That ISN’T helpful.
Last, this method works BEST if you have shelves to put your fabric on. You could always use this if you keep your fabric in drawers to make separate areas to lift out. You could always start with a different size ruler and end up with a different size square. But this is what I have found works best for me. The box gives just enough resistance and structure to the fabric that it doesn’t all go everywhere when you pull a piece out.
I’m hoping someone out there finds this useful. I know when I was trying to get organized, I searched EVERYWHERE and couldn’t find much that actually helped with my diverse and odd sized stash, since I don’t typically have the same fat quarters as all the other quilters out there. :)
And please check out my other entries this month for my giveaway! Chances are really good that you’ll get a used flat rate box out of the deal to try this method on! :)

Desert Corsage Accent Pillow

2010-05-25T09:22:00.001-07:00

Whew! It is done. See, the center panel is SOOOO busy that I had a really hard time figuring out how to match ANYTHING to it. So I tried reds, whites, greys, silvers, blacks..... you name it. Patterns and plain. No success. Finally, I gave up and put a black border around it with Moda Bella Solids. The reverse of the center panel is entirely black, in fact. Then I used the same print that is in the apex points to do a band next to the black. Then a band of white. Finally, a band of the circles and triangles that are in the outer edges of the flower petals. I wanted a LONG pillow for an accent, and this definitely fits the bill.

Now my problem is that I'm not wanting a red, black, and white bedroom. The hubby and I have decided that the combo is just a little too much for our RELAXATION. Le sigh. So now we're (okay, I) thinking of turquoise blue, white, silver, and black. Thoughts?

Sewing Kit Roll Up for May You Be Inspired Days

2010-05-25T07:19:00.001-07:00

In pursuit of the best item for a purpose, I am trying a DIFFERENT way to make a sewing kit. I like how my knitting kit came out, which you can check out in the entry Craft Army Roll Up Knitting Kit. I like that it doesn’t let things slip out, which can be a problem with my Craft Ninja Sewing Kit. While the scissors holster I put in keep it in place, the pocket for the measuring tape doesn’t keep it where it needs to be as well as I had hoped, so it migrates out the sides.

So here is the new sewing kit design. It’s not perfect yet, as this is too deep for my regular sewing supplies and not wide enough for my selection of scissors and tweezers I like to have on my person.

I’ve listed it in my Etsy Store, because it is perfect for someone out there. Just not me. So I’m going to attempt the same idea, different sizing. I’m actually really excited about it, as they aren’t difficult and are fun!

I’ve also been working on my paper pieced desert corsage square. I finally managed to get fabric around it I was happy with. It only took 3 attempts. It’s not quite done, but I’m hoping to finish it today. You can see the original post about it in this entry about quilting class.

What things are you working on? I’m in search of some answers to weird problems in some of my projects, so I’d love to see what others are working on. I’m thinking about starting a weekly feature for WEIRD problems or solutions in crafting. Any thoughts on that?

And don’t forget about my giveaway! Make sure you become a follower! Check out my first entry in May for more details, or almost any other entry this month! I can’t wait to see who wins so I can get crafting especially for them!

later !!!

Technorati Tags: sewing machine,sewing pattern,travel crafting,sewing,patterns

Sunday Favorites: Valentine’s Cards

2010-05-24T04:09:00.001-07:00

Forgive my horrible writing and linking… I’ve learned so much in three months. But I wanted to share this project with my new readers.

Sew, mama sew http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=4778 has an incredibly inspiring tutorial and contest for Valentine's Day. So I decided to participate, as I was just that inspired. I decided to do Valentine's Day cards from my 14 month old twin sons to the special people in their lives (mostly grandparents and such). Each card is two layers of fabric on the front and one layer of fabric on the back with two layers of stabilizer inside, as I embroidered each side independently and then sewed them together. The two layers for the front allowed me to embroider a monster on the underneath layer that then appears to be ripping through to the front. Each envelope is two layers (with the exception of the green one). I machine-embroidered the cards using files from http://www.urbanthreads.com. I LOVE their work. It stitches out so perfectly each time. The monsters on the backs of the cards are actually stuffies, but I turned them into appliqués for this project. I did one monster for each of my twins, though I didn't try to match the monsters too much to my actual sons. :)

Set #1

Set #2

Set #3

Set #4

Set #5

I don't really care if I win, though it would be cool. I really enjoyed making them. I also got to thinking about how easy it would be to make them out of quilter's layer cakes, since they are already laser cut into 10" squares, which is PERFECT for the envelopes. Then you'd just have to cut down the pieces for the cards, which wouldn't be that big of a deal. Getting the envelopes perfectly square is the hardest and most important part. If that first square isn't ideal, then you'll end up with weird envelopes.... don't ask how I know this. Maybe I'll post pictures of that some other time :).

Sunday Favorites at Happy to Design

May You Be Inspired Days: Pi, Baby

2010-05-23T18:38:00.001-07:00

First I will share with you the inspiring embroidery piece I created today, then I will share with you what got me going. Without any further ado, off to talk about Pi!
Yes, I’m referring to the number/symbol. And sort of to the fabulous dessert. Every baby needs to learn to love Pi!

This beautiful baby blue terry cloth bib just needed something to jazz it up. And what is better than blueberry Pi? And since Urban Threads makes it so easy to love pi, I decided to bring on the Pi! What good is an embroidery sewing machine if you can’t use it to work when you need to do something else?
Which brings us to the inspiration for this bib. I’m a neat freak. I love things to be neat and tidy and need them to be that way to actually function. I have no problems making a mess, but I have to clean it up. So this past week, with MetalMan not so able because of his car accident, the twins both teething molars (still…), and other crazy stresses, I tried to work off all that. I like to work while stressed. Idle hands tend to think too much, you know?
So I WORKED. I produced at least a dozen new TYPES of items, most of them three or four different styles within that type. I also produced TONS of messes. I try to clean as I go, but strings wander, tufts of batting migrate, children’s toys wander in. The usual.
Today I decided to clean up. Wow. I found my desk again. All my patterns are put away. I’m not overwhelmed by the sticky notes and tatters of designs. And my to do list ISN’T as long as I my leg…maybe my arm, but not my leg! :)
Then there is the location I formerly called the Patterned Pit. It was where all the fabric scraps and remnants go to wait for me to have time to divide them into their size/usefulness piles and be put away. It had taken over an entire corner of my studio. While I didn’t take the time to actually put it all away today, I did coral it better, so it is much smaller and less likely to take over.
Because I needed to clean so desperately, I wanted to be WORKING while I was WORKING, if that makes any sense. With the big show a little over a month away, I didn’t want to take the down time just to clean. So my dear sewing machine, Helga, embroidered the entire time I cleaned. She’s so diligent.
In summary, I guess inspiration comes in many forms. Sometimes, it is definitely necessity to stay sane that drives one to create. Today was one of those days.
I’m going to list this gorgeous bib in my Etsy store, but I’ve got plans to make more similar ones. I’d love to do personalized ones. You know…. “Little Johnny thinks Pi=delicious” kind of thing.

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st!
All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams. YOU MUST BE A FOLLOWER TO WIN!!!
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

-Laters

Technorati Tags: fabric,sewing machine,embroidery sewing machine,fabric sewing,bib,baby,pi

May You Be Inspired. . . To Come Visit!

2010-05-22T18:04:00.001-07:00

Today I have a BIG announcement!!! Please be inspired to come visit if you can! Where? When? Why…

Yep!!! We’re all official, with press releases, flyers, and all the good stuff! I went and toured the location today and it is AMAZING. You must come visit and see this historic home. It is so hard to believe that this place was a rotting husk not so long ago. Now it is well loved and cared for.

So please, come join us! At least drop by The Team Site and see what we have going on!

And of course, leave me a comment and become a follower. Only 9 days left to win the mystery prize!

No new item today, though. Too bushed from driving to the site in the rental ping pong ball with wheels with the whole family shoved in it. Yesh. And it’s now officially past bedtime and everyone is STILL up. That isn’t good, no sir.

-Laters

May You Be Inspired Days: Audience Inspiration

2010-05-21T19:21:00.001-07:00

Well, today I don’t have a full entry to share with you because, well, it’s 10pm. I was up most of the night with the twins, so I’m going to bed. But before I go to bed, (which I hope many of you are also inspired to do) I want to share what some of you have inspired me to do.

You see, I have made many projects. Two have gotten a LOT more attention on this blog than any other. One is my Ironing Board Tutorial, which I still love (and nearly cried over today, but that’s a different story!). The other is my Cheshire Cat Market Bag. You can see more about it in my Etsy store, where it also garners lots of attention.

So I’ve decided that both of these items need more love from me, since they get so much love from others. Thus, I have begun The Cheshire Cat Market Bag Tutorial. And it’s almost done. Yes, I’ve done a decent number of tutorials on this blog. Heck, I even did the Pirate Themed Growth Chart, which managed to spread itself over a week’s worth of entries! But this tutorial is something special. I’m hoping it will be the beginning of a new breed of tutorial on this blog. The UBER Tutorial. One that doesn’t leave out a ton of stuff. One that lets you know where the landmines are buried and the diamonds can be dug. So, without further ado, I give you…

Well… herm… that’s the original Cheshire Cat Bag. Let me keep digging…

Okay, now we’re at least in the right ballpark. This is a stripe on the new bag.

And look! An un-retouched picture of the inner pocket. Aren’t you excited? Okay, since you’ve been so patient. Here is the bag. The topstitching isn’t done, the details need some final work, and the appliqué is in need of some fraying. But

What do you think?

And don’t forget our giveaway. Runs through the end of the month. But you have to be a follower and leave a post on one of this month’s entries to win our fabulous MYSTERY prize. And yep, it will be custom. :)

Off to sleepy land. –Laters

May You Be Inspired Days: Crap Catcher

2010-05-20T19:02:00.001-07:00

There’s always that stuff that is in your pockets at the end of the day. You know, the crap that you need around, but don’t have a PLACE for because it goes in your pockets. The keys, the wallet, spare change, a mint, some lip gloss, a rubber chicken. You know, the stuff in your pockets. Okay, maybe not the rubber chicken.

So what you need is a crap catcher. Easy to make. All you need is two pieces of felt and a piece of interfuse stabilizer. Seriously. That simple. And you need to read the tutorial over at Urban Threads on how to put it together, because she’s got the template you’ll need to cut out the three total pieces you need. You have to do a little ironing and then sew (AACKK!) EIGHT straight lines. I know. HARD STUFF. It can, in fact, be done entirely by hand.

That wasn’t enough for me. I was inspired to do MORE! So here are my three felt bowls so far. :)

Yep, they are awesome. You’ll notice some ripples in mine on the bottoms. That’s because I didn’t want to use interfuse. I wanted to quilt mine, so I used timtex interfacing instead. It isn’t fusible. So I quilted around the bowl first THEN folded it up and did the side seams.

You see, I felt the need to make some crap catchers because this has been that kind of week. Monday I got good news that means lots more work for me. Tuesday I got more good news that meant MORE work for me. Then Tuesday afternoon my hubby, the MetalMan, was hit by a semi-truck loaded with concrete pavers while sitting at a red light. Needless to say, we’ll be car shopping. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, unless you count the whiplash and such that MetalMan has. But most people who get hit by semi-trucks don’t walk away without a scratch, so I’m definitely counting us as lucky. I don’t normally post too much that is PERSONAL drama in here, but I guess I wanted to share with you why your posts have been a little out of sorts this week. I had wonderful plans for this week, believe it or not, but it all went a little bit haywire.

But, back to our regularly scheduled programming:

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st!

-Laters!

May you be inspired days: Pooch Pouch

2010-05-19T15:23:00.001-07:00

Welcome today’s newest installment of making things that work for you. Today, the Pooch Pouch. What is a pooch pouch? Well, it is that bag that you need when you take the dog for a walk. Since your hands might be full, it hangs from your wrist. Because you want to get back in the house, it holds keys. Just in case your friends call while you are out, it will easily hold your iPhone. It also will have plenty of room left for a dog treat or two, some cash and ATM card, and the doggy bags. Exactly what you need when you are walking the pooch and nothing else.

Of course, pooch pouches are also good for other things. They are perfect for a night out, as they are just enough space for the identification, money, cell phone, lip gloss, a mint or two, and that perfect phone number. :) I’d also use a bag this size for a grocery trip or to run to the bank. It’s not the ideal bag for a day full of errands or a shopping extravaganza. But it is perfect for those times when you need a bag to hold little things but you don’t want to have to remember your bag. And most importantly, it’s hands free. Perfect for those tasks that take two hands.

So this is a bag that I would use a dark lining in, as you can see from the pictures. Why is it okay on this bag? Because it has no pockets and is a small space easily viewed by unzipping it. Stuff won’t hide because it doesn’t have space to hide in. And I would never think of changing the zipper. A bag this small needs a secure closure, so without a flap, a zipper it is! Don’t be afraid of the zipper. They are really easy these days!

Love this bag? Well, it’s going up for sale in my Etsy store. I’ve also got a cute purple and turquoise one as well as a pirate one made up and ready to go, though I think the pirate bag has found a new home already! So snap these up quick, if you love them. Each one is a one of a kind, as they are made from vintage fabrics and scrap bits, so they won’t be put together this way again! Though I love the design, so I’ll gladly do customs. Who knows? Maybe the winner will get one?

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st!

-Laters!

Technorati Tags: fabric,sewing machine,sewing,fabrics,embroidery sewing machine,embroidery,cotton fabric,textiles

May You Be Inspired Days: Sketchbooks from Scratch

2010-05-18T10:10:00.001-07:00

Designing your own bag, like I was suggesting yesterday, can only happen if you have something to design on. You see, you have to get your ideas, remember your ideas, translate said ideas into plans, complete measurements and test sewing patterns, and then finally actually create the bag project to get it right. This requires a lot more than just “yep, I need a bag”. So to begin, you need a sketchbook. I HATE the hard bound journals you find in most mega-retailers. They won’t lay flat. I need something that will lay flat. Completely. That will open up and bare its little naked soul for me to create in. (wow… that gives a visual)

I also have mad loves for pages without lines. These are usually found in high quality heavy-weight paper sketchbooks that are EXPENSIVE. I don’t have that kind of cash to throw down all the time. But I can get the same paper in a box unbound. You know, the linen, acid free, feels so nice that you want to kiss it paper that people often call resume paper. (As in, it’s what you SHOULD use for resumes, hint hint). That stuff isn’t cheap, either, but I can get 100 sheets of it for half of what 70 pages of the other costs me. I like that math. Then I can use my sewing machine to make it fabulous. I like that even better!

I also like my project to have its own book, which gets really pricey if I only use the first 20 pages of that 70 page book. Then I have to figure out how to keep stuff separated. That is another big organizational drama I don’t like. So this method lets me control how much I put in.

So the hubby, the MetalMan, fell in love with this design from Urban Threads. It’s a bird skull, not something you see all the time. I have mad love for vintage brocade, so I decided to pair the two.

Here is an in process photo so you can see how I embroidered the brocade first. Isn’t it lovely? That’s the linen laying folded to the left and the chalk marks for my center on the lovely blue of the brocade.

Here is it all completed! Isn’t it lovely? Sorry the shot is so dark… We’re having a stint of rotten weather here, so my sunlight wasn’t so sunny and my flash was way too flashy. It’s always something, I tell ya! :) And then with it open, so you can see the binding.

Then here is the inside and outside of the cover. The inside is green suede cloth. It feels yummy.

You can just barely see my logo peeking in the shot at the top left inside the cover. Isn’t it so cute? I’ll have to show you how I made my fabulous tags later, but they are the AWESOME! :)

So, to sum up:

1. Get Inspired

2. Write it down.

3. Make your own sketchbook if you are picky about where you write it down.

4. Go to Urban Threads for a full tutorial on exactly how to produce an embroidered cover with paper pages. She’s also an artist, so she gives you the full run down of WHY to do it her way, which I love.

5. Don’t wanna make your own? Buy mine or get me to custom one for you in my Etsy store.

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st! It could even be a custom sketchbook. Mmmmm… happy inspirational thought log just for you.

All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

-Laters!

Technorati Tags: fabric,sewing,patterns,fabrics,embroidery,fabric sewing,how to,sewing machine,embroidery sewing machine,textiles

May You Be Inspired Days: Metal Gear

2010-05-17T17:15:00.001-07:00

This week I’m going to show you how to make a bag that works, both visually and functionally. First, in my experience, messenger bags are the best all around bag for carrying STUFF. No, they might not be the best bag for looks, grocery shopping, or a night out, but if you need to haul your laptop ANYWHERE, its a messenger bag. Have a baby? Get a messenger bag. Like to craft, read, or any other hobby where you go OUT with stuff, get a messenger bag for it.

And that leads us to today’s bag:

This bag is geared towards a particular hobby, which in this case, is music. Most of the musicians I know need bags. They like to carry things like a bottle of water, some drum sticks, a magazine or laptop, some music sheets, a pen or two, maybe even some posters for an upcoming show. So this bag is for them. First, notice the music theme visually. The printed fabric has guitars in browns, whites, and greens with a little black. The solid orange is accented with machine embroidery to compliment the print. But it ALSO adds stability to both the front flap and the front pockets, as I HATE a limp bag.

Now lets talk pockets. You need to have them for what you NEED, not what looks the best. So in this case, the water, drum sticks, magazines, sheet music, laptops, posters, groupie underwear… you get the picture. The pocket under the volume knob is actually split down the front into two pockets, both of which have water resistant lining. This makes them perfect for holding a water bottle and it not sweating on everything else. They are also sized for a decent sized water bottle, not just the thinnest little plastic bottle out there. The interior pocket is well padded to protect a laptop. And I know it will fit a 17” monitor laptop easily and comfortably. It will even still allow you access to its zipper pocket.

The zipper pocket (which I prefer to think of as the SECRET STASH), has a 7 inch zipper and is completely lined and stabilized. Why, you ask? Because nothing is worse than the pocket getting a hole so that your secret stash becomes so secret that even you can’t find it. I hate digging in the lining of a bag for something. Ugh… Also, please notice the green lining. This is intentional. A color that ISN’T too light (an thus shows every pen mark) but that ISN’T black (which shows NOTHING and makes your bag a HOLE). There is a bag for white and black linings, but a USEFUL one isn’t it.

Finally, there is a back pocket. The picture sucks, but here it is

See? Told you. Sucky shot. But a bad picture is better than none. It does show you that the back is trimmed in the pattern to easily locate the edge of the pocket, but still flow with the overall bag. It is also a darker color on the reverse, allowing it to not show dirt and grunge as badly. Finally, this back pocket is SUPER stable. In fact, it’s got INTERFUSE lining it. If you aren’t familiar with this stuff, you should check it out. It’s the awesome. Basically, it makes your fabric STRUCTURAL. This pocket is also nice and deep. Why? Because you need somewhere to stash your sheet music, magazines, and posters where they won’t get crumpled.

So, to sum up. A great bag needs:

   useful, object specific pockets
    productive linings
    thoughtful color schemes
    decoration that works for you
    materials that work as hard as you do (Interfuse, water-resistant, etc)

Now, I should tell you that this bag ended up a lot brighter than I intended originally. I wanted a much more somber bag, but I got distracted by one toddler chewing on the other toddler (17 month old twins will do that kind of thing…Who knew?). So both of the front pockets ended up orange, which is BRIGHT. But it won’t be missed, for sure. And after putting them together, I do like it. It’s just not what I’d planned. Happy accidents, I guess. Also, I wanted pen loops, but the Interfuse doesn’t play well with needles. You can sew it with a universal, you just need to take your time. So when I got to the areas that had a layer of interfuse, two layers of lining, two layers of exterior fabric, and wanted to add more for a pen loop, well. I decided my children might have heard enough interested swear words under my breath, we’ll put it that way! :) So no pen loops, because I don’t want to punch holes in my water resistant lining (that would defeat the purpose) and I don’t want to put the pens in the laptop pocket. Oh well.

Learn from my mistakes! Be inspired to make your own bag, or at least have one made. Don’t settle for what some department store says will organize your stuff. Get custom! And I’m planning on making this bag available in my Etsy shop as soon as I can take some good pictures. And I’ve got more custom ideas for you as the week goes on. So be inspired!

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st! It could even be a custom bag.

-Laters!

May You Be Inspired Days: Getting Mechanized!

2010-05-16T17:23:00.001-07:00

Okay, so to continue from yesterday's theme, I've decided to look towards other areas for inspiration. The existing craft fair booth images just don't rock my world, you know? So instead, I'm going to list OTHER things I find inspiring! Maybe I can better focus that way! :)

I love this. I think its rustic and distressed. I like that it is black and white. I love how edgy the lines are.

Then there is the artwork of Edward Gorey. Mystery on PBS gave me nightmares as a child and I LOVE how eerie it is!

Rodin’s Gates of Hell. I love this piece. This image is from Sophie.

This wallpaper is beautiful. I love the amount of purples and the feeling of deep dusk. So calming.

Then there are my favorite files from Urban Threads, like:

This is the cutest cupcake…. EVAR! :)

I have such a sweet spot for anything damask… ahhh.

These wings are rough and mechanical (like the hubby) but still swirly and elegant.

This car from Supernatural the TV series (and lets be honest, the guy on it, Dean) are VERY inspiring. Too bad we are both married… le sigh… :) But the car is STILL single…and HOT! :) Image from a Foreign Fan Site

So in summation, I seem to have a thing for the gothic, Victorian, black, and purple. Even better if it has an engine, leather, is distressed, or has roses. Yep, that would sum it up! :)

Funny, after all this looking at pictures of things I like, I ACTUALLY have some good ideas for my booth! Rock on! :)

May you all be as inspired as I am today! (And, a quick shout out to my new buds over at Team NorGA Etsy Street Team. You guys are REALLY inspiring!)

-Laters!

May You Be Inspired Days: Share your Crafting

2010-05-15T13:15:00.001-07:00

So today is a little different than the last two weeks. I’ve been crafting like crazy and have a ton of projects I could share today. But instead, I want to share how I’ve been inspired to share my crafting. You see, so many have pointed out that “I’d love to have one of those” at my one of a kind items that I’ve been talked in to setting up at a real, live craft show.

This is very different from the Etsy thing, as I’ll be the public face of my own work. I’ll provide a selection (a mini store) and be available for my customer to meet. And this will all be FACE to FACE! I’m extremely comfortable working with customers in a one on one setting. As a tailor, I do that ALL the time. I’m also extremely comfortable discussing my work… in text. I have tons of sales experience (dude, Girls Scouts ALWAYS pays off, just sayin’), but always hawking someone else’s stuff, never my own. So I’m a little overwhelmed by it all!

So, since I am inspired to get out and share my craft, today I want to share with you some of the ideas out there that are inspiring my public face of crafting and see what you think.

First, I feel compelled to send you to read this AMAZING POST by Girls Can Tell about how one might aspire to have the ultimate display for wares. This got my wheels really spinning.

So I found this lovely booth by Something’s Hiding in Here:

I love how organized it looks.

This is NOT what I want for my booth. I like that its so clean, but I dislike how its so monotone. Eeeep. I guess it works for jewelry, but I don’t think so for me.

So I want something more along the Alice in Wonderland, Nightmare Before Christmas, Edgar Allen Poe, Victorian Style. Any thoughts?

(All photographs in this post are from other sources and I have no rights to any of them and seriously appreciate their use.)

May You Be Inspired Days: Craft Army Needle Rollup

2010-05-14T05:57:00.001-07:00

Today’s piece is a fabulous knitting/crochet needle carry case! I decided that it was time to start recruiting knitters for the CRAFT ARMY! :)So it has tons of needle pockets, including ones that are big enough for round needles and a measuring tape. The inside has white pockets (to ease seeing if something is hiding) along with its US Army seal! It uses a black satin ribbon for tying it up around its army drab camouflage exterior. I think it’s awesome!

My little brother is currently serving in our Army overseas at the base that inspired M.A.S.H., so when I saw this fabric I had to buy it. Then I the stitch file crossed my path and I just knew it was perfect. I thought this might be great for someone serving who likes to knit or a gift of appreciation to a veteran. Or a spouse or parent of an serviceperson. And with Memorial Day coming up, it’d be the perfect gift! I’m listing it in my Etsy shop HERE along with some other pictures and details about it. Check it out and let me know what you think!

So my inspirations for this piece are Urban Thread's Craft Army art and their knitting needle roll. Honestly, I made it almost entirely from their tutorial, which is definitely worth checking out. I changed up a few things, like the size and the number of pockets, but it’s a good tutorial. CRAFT magazine has a crafty tutorial for tying up scissors, though it would definitely work for knitting needles. Really, any crayon, colored pencil, or silverware rollup design could be altered to hold any OTHER supply, so it’s not like this is incredibly original in PATTERN. I just think it’s inspired for its DESIGN! :) What do YOU think? Tasteful or tacky?

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st! All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

May You Be Inspired Days: Black & White Sister Dress

2010-05-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

I have a sister. She’s significantly younger than I, and as such, smaller. And up until recently, we had VASTLY different tastes. Well, the last time she was visiting, we started discussing dresses and outfits and realized that she LOVED a shirt I was going to make for me. I took a few glances at the pattern and the individual in question, and decided that it would look better on her as a dress and I could have a coordinating shirt! It seemed awesome. And I think it is! :)

Jessi is TINY. She’s BARELY a women’s 0. Don’t worry, she’s too young to drive a car, so you don’t have to hate her. Back to the dress. It has a white satin underlayer that you can see in the picture as it has a peekaboo ruffle on the bottom and an exposed smock. The top layer is a super sheer voile with a black swirl print. The sleeves are JUST the voile with half inch black satin ribbon ties at the shoulder apex for contrast. And then there is the romantic little tuxedo front! I love it! It has a black satin ribbon (super wide 2 inch) center with a white organza ruffle on top and then black gimp to either side. The top voile layer floats above the satin, attached only at the shoulders. It is just gorgeous! I can’t wait to make mine to match (and get pictures of us together!)

So the inspirations for Jessi’s Tuxedo?

The Long Thread has a tuxedo ruffle done on a little girl’s dress. Of course, ruffles are EVERYWHERE right now, so that wasn’t a hard leap, really. But voiles? Well, leave it to Anna Maria Horner to make me take a second look at a fabric I had previously only used as veils, linings, and curtains. And I am so glad I did.

No, it hasn’t been washed or worn yet, but I’m pretty confident that it can take a gentle setting machine wash. I’ll let you know if it can’t. Because I don’t do drycleaner around here and I WILL have one of the Sew Liberated Schoolhouse Tunics out of it. Or something similar. It’ll happen.

On to the giveaway…

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations (okay, obviously not today’s, as I’m giving it to my sister or else she’ll eat me alive) on June 1st! All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

Earn extra entries for commenting with other fabulous voile links (they CAN’T be to Anna Maria Horner’s Little Folks line…) on today’s entry! :)

May You Be Inspired Days: Ear Ring Display Frame

2010-05-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

I love earrings. I love dangly earrings. But I don’t love storing them. I hate the things that sit on your counter and take up valuable space while collecting dust in mesh that can’t easily be cleaned. I hate the boxes and holders that hide my jewelry away until my silver tarnishes (even though they CLAIM to prevent tarnish…whatever.) But I LOVE this earring collector! It hangs right next to my mirror (you can see the frame of my dressing table mirror on the left edge of the shot). This allows me to immediately select the earrings I want WHILE I’m getting dressed! And it’s right by my bathroom door, so I can hang my earrings up easily on my way to wash up each night, so no more hunting for AN earring!

I can’t take credit for this fabulous idea, though I wish I could. It’s just so darn brilliant! I mean, who would have thought a can of spray paint, one rusted mirror frame, some extra batting, the remnant of a bridal piece, and a dollar spool of ribbon could solve so many problems! Just when you are making yours, make sure your little ones AREN’T helping. Then you might get your rows of ribbon straight (oops…). I’ve got to make more of these, for certain! So off to who I got the BRILLIANT idea from:

The Idea Room pretty much covers many of the options of how to display jewelry. The Recessionista definitely knows her ways to store her gems!

Remodelaholic has a wonderful version that features a frame I LOVE from IKEA (but they were sold out of it in Atlanta the last time I got to go shopping… le sigh). It would look pretty darn fabulous in my bedroom, too. And she also had a totally different guest, Alissa, who did a cork board version. Also, brilliant!

And this one is fresh and new, but a great way to use an IKEA bit to do the same thing (in case fancy isn’t your go to style).

I’m sure there are more out there I am overlooking, but feel free to link them in the comments!

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations (okay, obviously not today’s, as I’m really attached to it) on June 1st! All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

May You Be Inspired Days: Poetry Journal

2010-05-12T06:02:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Limerick Day! Enjoy a lovely rhyme such as:

The limerick packs laughs anatomical,

In space that is quite economical,

But the good ones I've seen

So seldom are clean,

And the clean ones so seldom are comical.

More importantly, write it in your new poetry journal! This will inspire you to WRITE (but I can’t guarantee limericks)!

I used my absolute favorite fabric, the infamous green brocade, to both line and bind a lovely purple cording. I’m down to bits and pieces of that brocade, but I will relish each inch! On the inside, there is the appropriate pockets to hold the binder in (I love these little six ring binders!). There is also a pen loop and page marker both made out of vintage velveteen. The page marker includes my fabulous faux-embossed StressTheSeams, which I love! And then, it also has my new logo tag sewn in over the ribbon tie!

Now it’s inspiration time, which starts with Urban Threads' Tutorial and their Write embroidery file. But I couldn’t stop there, so I added touches from the unabridged dictionary I loved as a child. It had the fabulous ribbon to keep your place, so I HAD to have that! :) You might find more inspiration at Bustle and Sew than I did, as I wasn’t in the mood for appliqué. But her stuff is GORGEOUS! So now go make yourself one! Or you can stop in at my Etsy shop and grab one there. I’ll even custom it for ya! :)

Sunday Favorites Repost of : May You Be Inspired Days: Lilac Apron

2010-05-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

Today I share with you a fabulous item. One I truly LOVE. I’m actually a little sad to part with it, in fact. And yes, I must part with it. You see, I am part of an online swap. This month, we were swapping aprons. Mine is for a wonderful apron-maker, Maria. You can check out her work in her Etsy shop Beautiful Blooms. Go look at her stuff and see if you think this is something she will appreciate. :) Best part is, it’s supposed to be a surprise for her, but I’m pretty sure she doesn’t read my blog…yet…so I feel pretty safe posting it here. So without further ado, here is my Lilac Apron:

It is a half apron with a patchwork base. I lined it completely in the lilac by Moda Bella Solids and then did a lined pocket in white duck cloth for the front pocket. That’s the lilac on the pocket, a Husqvarna pattern that I did in a mix of Mettler polysheen embroidery thread and Sulky embroidery threads. Then I also added a patchwork ruffle and a lilac ruffle, both with decorative stitching. Even the pocket has decorative stitching. I used variegated purples of Mettler as well as solid lilac Mettler Polysheen. I ADORE this apron. Thankfully, Maria is smaller than me, so it is a little bit small for my hips and short for my legs, or else I might just have to make her a new one.

As for my inspiration:

Red Pepper Quilts made two really cute ones for Mother’s Day. You simply MUST see her creative use of fabrics!

If you like aprons even SLIGHTLY, you simply must check out Tie One On. I have mad loves for Angry Chicken (the momma of Tie One On), too.

Want more ruffles? Here’s an idea from Mad Sewing Love.

And finally, I used a lot of this pattern from Moda Bake Shop, but I had the HATES for the detachable pocket, the way they do the ties/waist, and the absolute LACK of lining. The seamstress in me would NOT allow that many gnarly seams to walk out of my house. So mine has the lining, and even the patchwork ruffle is finished on the reverse (with French seams, no biggie). And I refuse to use a single fabric line for an item. Eh. To each their own!

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations (okay, obviously not today’s) on June 1st! All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

And I’m so darn proud of this post, I’m linking it up to

May You Be Inspired Days: Rogue Embroidery Case

2010-05-10T06:43:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of THOSE projects. You know, the one that was AWESOME in your head, then COOL on the drawing board. All the sudden you started to describe said project as INTERESTING as you started to pull materials together, and then OH DEAR HEAVENS when you actually started work. After much cussing and fussing, you then begin to think of THE project as a monster. I like to call these Franken-Projects. They start off sounding perfectly pleasant. I’m sure Dr. Frankenstein said “I just want to make friends”, too. And we all know what HE came up with. I mean, no one sane MAKES a friend. But that puts new meaning to turning your enemies into friends, I guess. Maybe I shouldn’t watch so much Supernatural……

So back to the Franken-Project. Isn’t this the most beautiful iPhone case you ever did see? (*snicker*)

(And, yeah, I know. My pictures need some color adjustment. This is what happens when you play with the settings on the camera, but don’t feel like doing more because, well, it’s bed time!)

Okay, so it’s actually a really cute pencil/craft case. Lovely velour exterior and bridal silver satin interior. Fabulous black ribbon trim to the inside of the zipper (yeah… that was DEFINATELY intentional…RIGHT…) It’s really cute. Is it what I wanted? Heck no. Will it still be incredibly functional and beautiful? Yep. Is it still well made? You bet your sweet @#$ it is!

So do you want to see what actually inspired this project? Here we go… And yes, I’m aware that NONE of these really look ANYTHING like what I ended up with. :) Can we call it a happy accident at this point?

So it all started at Urban Threads ,as so many things do since their embroidery files ROCK and are crazy cheap for the wonderful digitizing in them. It actually started with THIS tutorial for an electronics cozy. And I loved the Rogue Embroiderer's Guild file. That’s where it went downhill.

You see, the tutorial at Urban Threads doesn’t give exact measurements because it is meant to be custom. And I was measuring while enjoying a little mommy time (aka Nap Time for Twins). But I was interrupted by life before the cutting could occur, so when the cutting happened, I misread my measurements and thought that the Rogue Embroiderer’s file would be PERFECT. Wrong. Too big for where I wanted to put it.

But as I had done it on a large piece of velour, I figured I’d roll with it and turn it into a Business Card Box. But, alas, that was not to be. So then we (the sewing machine, named Helga, and I) discussed making Mushroom Villagers’ CD Pocket. Neither of these really worked for us, so we ended up with a zipper pouch. This one is longer than my others, so it is perfect for pencils. And I do end up toting around a decent amount of writing tools, as I’m never without my set of colored pencils and colored pens so that when an idea hits…And as the pictures show, it can also hold a decent amount of thread, which keeps the thread ninjas from running off with it. What? You don’t have thread ninjas in your sewing studio? I’ve got an extra. We could arrange something… :)

I’ll make all three of the other things mentioned here. Maybe not THIS month, but I WILL make them. :) (And I might just put this embroidery on them, after I’ve resized it, of course. Because that would prove a point. To someone. Somewhere. Right.)

May You Be Inspired Days: Craft Ninja Needle Kit

2010-05-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

It’s Mother’s Day. This is the first time I have children that can say “Momma” for Mother’s Day. While they rarely do unless they NEED something, they can. So I guess since someone can call me “Momma” I get to celebrate Mother’s Day. Which means I wrote this earlier in the week so I can sleep in today and avoid anything that resembles work. :) That’s my kind of a holiday! And, since the boys are a little small to get me anything (well, they can MAKE me presents, but they usually smell), I made MYSELF something! :)

I was in desperate need of a travel sewing kit. So, I made one!

There is room for EVERYTHING in there! You’ll find four spools of thread, one stitch ripper, 8 needles (currently, but plenty of room for more), a dozen pins (but, like the needles, plenty of room for more), a pair of scissors, and a tape measure! Got to LOVE knowing where your tools are! And because I hate being poked by random sharp things in my bag, I made a scissor holster and a safety loop for the stitch ripper! No sharp stabbies sneaking out and around where they shouldn’t be! :)

What I learned from this experience is VERY VALUABLE. Knits are NOT for covers. Nope. It might sound like a good idea (easy to stretch around the contents…yeah!) but then you actually do it. Well, it just doesn’t look…finished. Even after I turned and topstitched it. Somehow, it just looks as casual as knit is. Le sigh… But since it’s for me, it is WONDERFUL. Now I LOVE this knit. I’ve got more that I have plans for that are far more appropriate for knits. But it does make for a lovely theme. :)

Now to my inspirations, of which there were MANY!!

Urban Threads' Needle Case, which is also where the embroidery design comes from.

Mel's Hexy Needle Case, which is an AWESOME idea if you are a hex-quilter

Then you can check this one out to see how an Aussie does a needle case.

Messy Jessy's Version that definitely gets the job of storing needles done.

Heart-y needlecase – you’ll have to download the pdf to see how it’s done, but the cover is CUTE!

Vintage Ribbon Needlecase is a great idea for ways to use wide ribbon in a beautiful AND functional way.

A REAL deal sewing kit is pictured here, not once, but TWICE! (As in, two of them. And you can see them really well.)Anne Marie's serious kit

Another nifty desk style kit at the Monkeyroom.

Don’t miss Tipnut's page on wallet sized kits, either. They link to LoopyLace, which can show you how to make a beading book that is sticky!

May You Be Inspired Days: Chenille Face Cloths

2010-05-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

So, to gear up for things your mother will just love, I was inspired to make my own chenille. It’s actually a lot easier than you would think! I decided to use it to make face cloths, but you could do blankets, accents on clothing, hats, scarves, and pillows. I LOVE the pillow idea, as it would be SOOOOOO cuddly. If you use flannels as your middle layers, it becomes so soft and plushy that you just want to cuddle it. So, enough words…MORE PICTURES! :)

This one is done with four layers of fabric on each side, then stitched together with bias tape edging. I’m not in love with the edging, but I wasn’t in the mood to make my own that day. So I’m selling this one in my Etsy store with a wonderful Betsy Bar from Indigo Wild. If you haven’t tried their goat’s milk soap, it’s AMAZING. It’s Lavender and Lemon….and smells DIVINE. And I love the way it leaves your skin. And I love the Betsy Bars for other reasons besides the smell and feel, as they donate $1 of each bar to Breast Cancer Survivors. Gotta love that! And you can get your own

Anyway, enough about the soap. On to my inspiration.

First is this wonderful tutorial by Cami on Remodelaholic. This shows you exactly how to do the faux chenille.

Then there is a nice hotpad tutorial on Moda Bake Shop, but I didn’t like that one side wasn’t plushy.

Mine is available for sale on http://www.stresstheseams.etsy.com/, though I plan on doing custom ones with fabulous embroidery. And definitely some envelope style too. Okay....I'll be doing custom ones for sure!

May You Be Inspired Days: Chalkcloth Placemats

2010-05-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

I remember when the chalkboard paint started showing up everywhere and was SUPER expensive. I remember desperately wanting to coat my world in it, so I could write on EVERYTHING. But I didn’t. Too cost prohibitive, covering EVERYTHING in expensive paint.

But now there is FABRIC that is chalkboard! The teacher in me just jumps with joy and my OCD tendencies love that I can make LABELS for EVERYTHING and then CHANGE MY MIND! I could even make a suit out of it. Why you would want to, I don’t know. But you could. :)

But being the conservative that a busy mother of twin 17 month olds (goodness… time flies) MUST be with her time, I have not made anything extravagant. Nope. Since the boys are in the drawing on the world phase, I thought it would be perfect for them. And we are trying to learn table manners (insert lots of laughter on your part here), so I thought placemats would be great. Plus, there are tons of great examples out there! So here are mine:

They aren’t the most perfect in the world, but I love them. The stripe looks good with my kitchen. I learned a lot from making them. Wanna know a secret? DON’T use double fold SINGLE width bias tape on something that you can’t stitch rip without making holes. This WILL go poorly. Especially if said fabric prefers to move through your machine with the help of a Teflon foot. AND you’ve decided to line up stripes too. There was much… noise. (Let’s be honest. Swearing like a sailor. Thank heavens the kids were in bed.)

So on to the inspiration:

Really, if you want to do it right, do it with Smashed Peas and Carrots. Her tutorial HERE is the awesomeness. Seriously. And make sure you check out the comments where Alyssa shares her idea for using iron-on vinyl and adding a ribbon to tie it up and take it to restaurants. BRILLANT! ----Now I’ve got to go make more! :)

While you can get your oilcloth or laminated cotton at Amazon, where I LOVE this one:

Amazon doesn’t do chalkcloth. So you’ll need to check the OilCloth Addict. And while you are there, check out her awesome tutorials. I simply MUST make the gardening tool carrier. She’s got a fabulous etsy store that she’s CONSTANTLY adding things to.

My set of placemats are not currently available for sale, though I plan on doing custom ones with fabulous details. And definitely some that roll up and some other fun options. Those I have REALLY nifty ideas for!

May You Be Inspired Days: Fabric Notebook Folder

2010-05-06T06:14:00.000-07:00

I've been sitting on these three fabrics FOREVER. As in, I moved them into this house when we built it. Eeck.... need to do SOMETHING with them. You see, I got them at an auction. They were in a box lot of fabric that included a green brocade that I LOVED and had to have. Did I want the yellow and pink toile? Not so much. Was I interested in the Martha Stewart flowers on white? Nope. I didn't mind the odd pink sea coral on white that coordinated with the other two, but I just couldn't see them fitting into my world. So I tried to give them away. Everyone I knew was offered the fabric, hoping someone would snap it up. Instead, it languished in the basement of sad things.

Well, no more! I'm determined to put an end to the basement of sad things! :) So I used the Martha Flowers as the outside cover, the toile as the inner lining, and the corral as the pockets! With touches of fabulous vintage green velour ribbon, it is PERFECT!

I even did green topstitching to tie it all together. And I love that instead of a label, I sewed StressTheSeams down the ribbon, which gave it an embossed look! Thinking, I was!!!

It's perfect for a little 5"x7" notepad, a pen, maybe some colored pencils, a photograph or two, and a pattern tucked neatly behind the notepad! Yep....it's perfect for meeting with my tailoring clients!

Or I could stock it with a pencil, grocery list, coupon clutch, and grocery store entertainment for the kiddos!

Super useful! Want to know how to make your own?

Check out Vintage Fabric Tutorial

or Jezzeblog's Fabric Folder Tutorial

Mine is not currently available for sale, though I plan on doing custom ones with fabulous embroidery. And definitely some in the full notebook paper size. Those I have REALLY nifty ideas for!

May You Be Inspired Days: Cinco de Mayo Coaster Tutorial

2010-05-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

My mother just came back from a cruise that included Mexico and brought the twins a GORGEOUS set of Mexican hats. This has inspired me to full on celebrate the 5th of May, so happy Cinco de Mayo to you! As part of that, I decided the adults in the house needed something just as festive as the kids’ hats! So…… Hat Dance Coasters!

And here is how you can make them yourself! :)

Materials:

Mexican Hat design (or other Cinco de Mayo appropriate design) (Mine was downloaded years ago from one of the many “free” embroidery websites that only gives them away for 10 minutes or something like that and I honestly don’t remember which one and the file doesn’t have it in it. If anyone recognizes its original creator, I’d love to give credit where credit is due!)
   4 4”x4” pieces of Moda Bella Solids in Country Red
   4 5 1/2”x 5 1/2” pieces of Black Eco-fi Felt
   4 4”x4” dollar store cork boards (mine were puzzle piece shaped, had magnets on the back, and were blue)
    Embroidery Thread ( I like Mettler, but I also use a ton of Sulky)
    Embroidery Stabilizer (I used Totally Stable, but anything will do)
    Sewing Machine (and its accompaniments)
    Ruler
    Chalk (or disappearing pen)
    Coordinating sewing thread
Begin by transferring your Mexican Hat design onto your red fabric squares, keeping in mind that you have a half inch seam allowance all the way around. You could paint your design, screen print, or even appliqué your coasters into the spirit of the holiday.
I put all mine in one hooping by turning them 90 degrees and spacing them as far as my little hoop could handle. Then I chalked how to cut them apart, which you can see in the above picture because tailors blue chalk LOVES to be photographed with a flash. Did you know that? Blue chalk LOVES the paparazzi. Who would have guessed? :)
Then cut out 3/4” squares out of each corner of the black felt. It should look like this.
At this point, you can do like I WANTED to and use 505 spray to tack down your red square to the cork. Or you can do what I DID, which was realize that I was out of 505 spray, so I tacked it down with a bit of glue stick. When it all works right, it looks like this: When it doesn’t, it looks like this:
Don’t worry, you can fix it by doing this:
Make sure your design is where you want it on the front. And then use your rotary cutter to take off the excess from the back. No biggie. Not that I would know, as I NEVER make mistakes! (Didn’t you know that Cinco de Mayo is ALSO Opposites day?)
Now, sew the felt to your cork, folding the flaps around the square like this.
GO SLOWLY, as you are working with THICK stuff here. Even knowing how thick and heeding my own advice, I managed to do have a mangling accident on the second one: Haven’t you always wondered what a needle ISN’T supposed to look like? If I hadn’t been going SLOW (and I mean hand-cranking it sometimes), this would have snapped and I’d have been picking it up from everywhere… no fun.
As I went, I mitered my corners. This is an option. You could also just square them off. Your choice. Since I was using a solid, it made sense. If I had been using a pattern, I might not have. If I was using a stripe, I DEFINATELY would have mitered them. That’s me. You do what works for you! :)
Here’s something to keep in mind, if you choose felt for your backing fabric like I did. Felt doesn’t fray, so you don’t have to worry as much about getting things EXACT. You can always trim back to your stitches. It’s more important that you sew where you want it and LESS important if the fabric is folded perfect.

These coasters were inspired by:
   Quilt-style square coaster tutorial Great way to use LITTLE bits of fabric.
    Pinwheel Quilt Coasters For a non-quilter, she certainly fakes it well!
    Circle Square Coasters :) This is a great way to get the look of a circle without the work of sewing curves. And she finishes her edges in a fabulous way!

And don't forget!

I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st!

I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner.

The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

EARN AN EXTRA ENTRY!!!

1. Follow my tutorial and make your own coasters. Then brag about it with a link to it here so I can see what you did!

May You Be Inspired Days: Map File Folder Organizer

2010-05-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation week, I decided to utilize one of my old teacher items in a more appreciative way. Okay, I know that’s not the normal spirit of the holiday, but as I did teach Middle School for 3 years, I’m not exactly normal. Anyway, I had this unloved plastic hanging file folder hiding under my desk to sort important paper in. Why was it hiding under my desk? Look at it:

So pitiful, but still crazy useful. So it hid, waiting for a chance to look nice again, and not 20 years old.
With the remodel going on in my studio, I just couldn’t resist throwing a little
Mod Podge - Gloss - 16 oz on it. And I thought I’d tie it into the drawers, which have map page fronts. Here’s how it ended up!

Ta Da!!! I’m really proud of it. Now for my inspiration, besides my own project http://stresstheseams.blogspot.com/2010/04/studio-rehab.html, which has a tutorial available at The Chipped Hammer, my hubby’s blog.
Then there is Little Miss Momma's Mod Podge Clipboard, which I STILL need to do to all of my clip boards (of which I can see ONLY four in use from my current location… jeeze).
And oh my heavens do I need to do THIS to my kitchen. Brandy’s idea is FABULOUS, especially the chalk cloth ones!
And The Cottage Home also has a fabulous tutorial HERE for covering magazine holders, which my studio could use as well.
And since I haven’t shown her enough love this week (hehe…okay, two days so far…but she is LOCAL!), here’s Delilah's Momma waxing poetic about Mod Podge too!

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st! All you have to do is:
1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams
2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!
International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!
I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

May You Be Inspired Days: Brocade Business Card Holder

2010-05-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

First Monday in May....back to work. So I picked an item that just screams work, but of course, I had to do it my own way. I hope it inspires you to get out and pass around your digits!

The exterior is a warm brocade and the interior is a swirly gold (you can just barely see it in the second shot). I guess now I've got to get more business cards printed up so I can make use of it! The blank card isn't really up to 'snuf!

Now to share my points of inspiration:
I fell hard core for this tutorial over at Delilia's Mommy's blog. She's also from the ATL!! (Atlanta.... yep, I'm dorky like that.) A WONDERFUL idea for a gift card. I'll be doing those for EVERY gift card I need to give! I also dig her funky fabrics. Got to love that!
Then there is a business card holder featured in craftzine that just....WOW. Check it out! I mean, wow. Done by hand, too!
But maybe you need a little LESS business in your pocket and more.....MONSTER! Here Ya Go!
And then there is this incredibly cute tutorial at weefolkart. It's darling!

Mine is available for sale on http://www.stresstheseams.etsy.com/, though I plan on doing custom ones with fabulous embroidery. And definately some envelope style too. Okay....I'll be doing custom ones for sure!

And don't forget! I'm gonna give away one of the items from this month's inspirations on June 1st! All you have to do is:

1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams

2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!

International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!

I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)
So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

May You Be Inspired Days: Craft Army Zipper Bag

2010-05-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

I am continuing my feature of one item each day that I have either created or find amazingly inspiring! I'm calling it May You Be Inspired Days! Today, we've got another zipper bag, as I LOVED some many done by others, I had to have one for me!

I found the totally awesome army camo at the wallyworld (our's still has fabric) for $1 a yard!!! It's silky and takes embroidery fabulously. Then I lined it with a black cotton/poly blend bottomweight and added the vintage metal zipper and green velour vintage ribbon. I love it! :)Check out how the embroidery just looks so darn awesome with the camo. Who would have thought? :)

And what inspired this?

This review of Card.Paper.Ribbon. by Kristin Roach has a great image of a paper zipper pouch. You just have to see it to believe!

And this Wristlet Tutorial by Jen on Or So She Says is WONDERFUL! The next little zipper pouch I make will need the wristlet added! :)

And then there is this simple but beautiful design featured on Design*Sponge. I'm digging the triangles by Lisa Rinnell.

And then, there is the quilter's version at The Moda Bake Shop. I'm gonna have to get scrappy on this one!

If you want this bag, or a custom one like it (or heck....like any of the inspirations even!!), let me know. This one is available in my Etsy Shop. And, who knows? You might even win it as part of

And to sweeten the deal, I'll give away one of the items featured this month on June 1st!

All you have to do is:

1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams

2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!

International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!

I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)

So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

This post was linked up to:

May You Be Inspired Days: Pocketwatch Bag

2010-05-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

Since it is the first day of May, I thought I would start featuring one item each day that I have either created or find amazingly inspiring! I'm calling it May You Be Inspired Days! Today, I thought we'd start with an item I made that was inspired by several others that I also love. Here's mine:

I call mine a Pocketwatch bag. But my sources of inspiration call it by many other names. You should definately check out:

Paper and String's Handstitched Cupcake Purses

Bluegirlxo also has a fabulous zipper purse tutorial

And make sure you check out Floyd's Coin Purse over at Urban Threads

And if you don't want to make one yourself, dart over to my Etsy Store and you can pick up one there. I love to do customs. And if you tell me you saw it in my blog, I'll even ship it for free! What would you love to see on a bag? :)

And to sweeten the deal, I'll give away one of the items from the

on June 1st! All you have to do is:

1. Become a Follower of StressTheSeams

2. Comment on one of the posts this month telling me what you would love to win!

International readers will have to pay their own shipping, but American followers will get it for free!

I'll close entries at 1am eastern standard time on June 1st and use the fabulous random number generator to select one wonderful winner. The prize will be a surprise for the reader, but I might just be looking at what they say....hint, hint! :)

So go become a follower and comment! And there will be other ways to get extra entries as the month goes on, so don't miss a day!

And check out another fabulous giveaway at Twice Remembered!

Magnet Tutorial

2010-04-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know how awesome hot glue is. But some people still need to be reminded how easy it is to make one's space better. So today, in pursuit of the better work space, I share with you (dum-dd-dum-dum!)

THE MAGNET TUTORIAL

I know, you've been waiting on pins and needles for this. Okay, well, I've been sitting on pins and needles because of this.... but that's another story for another day!

Step 1: Start with a sad little clip. I found my sad clip in the basement. (hmmmm.... maybe there is lots of sad stuff in my basement....I see a trend)

Step 2: Take a length of make-you-happy ribbon. Mine was 8 inches.

Step 3: Add the hot glue to the clip.

Step 4: Add the ribbon end to the hot glue.

Step 5: Fold the ribbon around and add the other end to the same blob of hot glue.

Step 6: Wait for it to cool.

Step 7: Add another blob of hot glue to the center and press 1/3 of your ribbon loop into it.

Step 8: Press your furthest 1/3 of the ribbon loop into the same blob, making three total loops.

Step 9: Wait for it to cool.

Step 10: Add a bit of glue inside the center loop and press the center loop into it. USE A PENCIL OR OTHER NON-MELTY DEVICE TO HOLD IT DOWN.... I capitalize that because hot glue burns. Don't ignore this advice unless you like to swear and hold your finger a lot.

Step 11: Wait for it to cool while applying pressure with the afor mentioned pencil or other non-melty devices.

Step 12: Add a bit of hot glue to the top of the center ribbon. Attach little things that make you happy. I used three little rocks that I tumbled a few years ago. They are pretty, but too small for so many other things. So they rescued my magnet. Not what you were expecting, huh? :)

Step 13: Attach magnet to magnetic surface and enjoy having one of your random notes off of your desk!! :)

You can even turn other things into magnets.

Old Earrings :)Seashells! Poker Chips!

My favorite little budda!

Even your tools! Now I'll always be able to find ONE of my many tape measures! :)

Now go GLUE SOMETHING!!! :)

Dinner Plans Tutorial

2010-04-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of the "What's for Dinner?" My twins can't even talk enough to ask this yet, but I'm already over it. So I decided to do something about it. And the solution was this little, sad index card box.

Step 1: Find sad index card box. I had mine, but I've seen them for a few pennies at thrift stores and yard sales. It doesn't matter what it looks like to start with, though I liked the tan color of mine.

Step 2: Clean it up as much as you can. This one had the sticker on the front (which was going to get covered up entirely, so I left it) and other strange substances from living in the garage for a little while. After some cleaner and GooGone, it looked better and was cleaner.

Step 3: Get your Mod Podge, paint brush, and fabric of choice. I like to get my Mod Podge here :

Step 4: Coat your surface with the Mod Podge.

Step 5: Apply fabric while Mod Podge is tacky. Use your finger to smooth out all the bubbles.

Step 6: Apply a second coat of Mod Podge to the entire covered area and let dry. I left mine overnight.

Step 7: While your recipe box is drying, make an index card for each meal option you like preparing for your family. I had things like spaghetti, homemade pizza, lasagna, cheeeseburgers, tuna salad, and fried pickles on my cards! :) Yes, EVERYTHING. Even scrambled eggs or cheese sandwiches. Make a card for everything! This way you can "get ideas" when the dreaded question is likely instead of staring hatefully at your cabinets. :)

Step 8: Put the ingredients for each on the front of the card.

Step 9: Put the recipe on the back of the card.

Step 10: Put cards in the box. I put mine in alphabetical order so that I could find a recipe fast, but you might just want them random so you can work from the front of the box back. It's up to you.

Step 11: Look at the ingredients on most of your cards and create a pantry needs list. This is the dry/canned/frozen goods that you have space and need to keep to make the majority of your items.

Step 12: Purchase dry/canned/frozen pantry needs items WHEN THEY ARE ON SALE or IN BULK. That way, you pay as little for them as possible and always have them on hand.

Step 13: Make dinner!

Studio Rehab

2010-04-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

This is the oh so boring studio before. Not exactly a creative space. And yes, I cleaned out the clutter BEFORE taking the before shot. Sorry. Throw a ton of crap in there and you'll imagine EXACTLY what the desk looked like. And the corner was just BLAND!

And here is the after!!! It was a long, hard day of work, but it was TOTALLY worth it! I'll show you more of it in detail, as there were literally dozens of projects that went into this. But I wanted to get to show you the new spaces today. There is far more to come, as the cutting table and ironing area are next on the list. But I'll try to share as I go! Wanna know what projects you have to look forward to? Well.... a little sneak would be trim storage for pennies, custom shelving for a song, and upgrade your organization with magnets! :) But off to bed, as this is a very tired penguin!

Pirate Curtain

2010-04-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Twins' bedroom needed a curtain. It had a piece of black fleece covering the window to keep out light. Not exactly swanky, but it did the job well enough. But to get with the pirate theme, I made them a curtain! It's got the black center panel and then colorful trim down both sides and the bottom. Right now, they have wide slat blinds behind it, which is working well. This window is one of the five on the front of our house, so I want them to look relatively cohesive from the outside. The master has two of the other windows in question, and it has the exact same matching wide slat blinds. Maybe that means I should put the wide slat blinds in my sewing studio, too? Though I have been doing more painting in there than sewing of late! :)

Anyway, back to the pirate curtain. So it has the middle black panel with the colorful pirate trim (color blocks with skull and crossbones in them!) that is also in the quilts I made for them. Then we hung their pirate flag over the black section (for now.... I don't like it as much now as when we did it earlier).

At the moment, it is hung rod pocket style, but I'm thinking about turning it into a roman shade instead. I love this tutorial over at Remodelaholic

* Remodelaholic: Gotta wear shades; Roman Shade Tutorial, Monthly Contributor

So, what do you think? Hate the flag? Think it needs to go roman? Think it needs a topper? I need some ideas! :)

Big blog changes....

2010-04-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

So I want to apologize to anyone trying to read for, oh... the last several hours. I've been determined to up the coolness factor of my blog, so I was playing template and format games. Unfortunately, I need to brush up my CSS and HTML, so I'm working on that. Let me know what you think. I've got to figure out a way to get my banner that Tara made me into this header space, but that can wait until tomorrow. I've got to share with you my fabulous fabric folder, but we've got horrible storms here that are killing the ~~internet, satelite,~~ ELECTRICITY. Maybe once they pass....

My new banner and logo!

2010-04-23T05:24:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed my new banner at the top here.... and my fabulous new little penguin that is showing up on stuff. If so, please jump over to Graphic Designs By Tara to get one yourself! She's awesome, has amazing customer service, AND does pay it forward designs for free! You've got to check out her work. And no, she's not paying me in ANY way to say this. In fact, I gladly paid her for the WONDERFUL banner and logo she did for me and I can't wait to get more work done by her. So go grab some of her fabulous work. You won't regret it!

Pirate Growth Chart Tutorial: Hanging it!

2010-04-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

To hang your lovely growth chart, begin by leaning it up next to the bit of wall you want to hang it on. Then yell for your husband to come hold it. When he comes to your aid, begin gesturing wildly at things while holding his drill. Then watch as husband shows you "proper respect" for said tool by drilling your pilot holes in the chart.

Make sure you do them on both sides, but I wanted to avoid putting them in the pretty stuff, so mine are offset.

Then measure up the wall to six inches. (Somehow, with all the help, this step didn't get photographed at all. Not even in bad light. Go figure.) Then make sure your 6 inch from the floor measurement matches up with your 6 inch measurement on your growth chart. At this point, since your holes are predrilled, attach it to the wall with screws. We use drywall screws with zipit drywall anchors in this house that can hold 25 pounds easily. Why? Because the man who often buys said screws and zipits says so. And since he's maning the drill for this part of the project, I do what he says. (We'll not talk about what I do in MY husband-less projects, okay?)

Attach your lovely growth chart, then marvel at how much you hate the screws. But we PLANNED for this! So plug in your glue gun, grab your initial letters, your pirate ship, and some gems, and lets get busy!

See? (okay, except for the flash-blinding part. I'm not a photographer, nor a photoshop expert yet. Anyone want to teach me?) Now the bling TOTALLY covers up the attachments! Rock on, hot glue! I did the same thing at the bottom, near the treasure chest (see, secret planning!)

(Okay, BAD picture. Sorry) And the pirate ship covers the ones in the middle!

Beautiful!

Whew.... I didn't think this project would ever get finished, but I'm SO glad it did! It looks lovely, has tons of color, and really looks great on the boys' walls. Right now, as you can see in the pictures, they have wall clings around the rest of the room. While the match the theme, they are the only other real DECORATION besides some cute pictures their Oma and Opa gave them. So on to more plans. Tomorrow is the day for a NEW CURTAIN! I'm sure you are just drooling with.... excitement. Not the Thursday at 10pm glazed look....right.

Pirate Growth Chart Tutorial: Finishing Touches

2010-04-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

I love when you get to that point in a project where you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even better when you can tell it isn't a train! :) So here's the details on the details. Pardon the LOADS of pictures. It's hard to get good photos of a 6 foot board! :)

Begin by using your speed square to find the nice straight line of the bottom. Then use your ruler to start measuring up each inch from there. This is where you use a pencil. But write LIGHTLY, in case you do need to erase.Slowly work your way up the board, just marking the inches. I chose to put mine in the middle of the board so that the measurements of my boys could be on either edge. That was totally personal preference. Do what works for you.

Then you need to go back and count out your foot lines. See behind the X that marks the spot how there is a dark line? That's my foot marker. Also notice how it is NOT at the edge of the board. I know that I want to hang my board above my baseboards. This means I need to start my chart at something greater than 4 inches. I chose 6 because it made more sense to me. So I counted up 6 inches to my FIRST foot mark and made that 1. Make sense?

In places where the foot marks fell on an image, I ran the line like it was actually behind it, though it wasn't. I guess you could have done your measurements FIRST and then your decorations so that they would actually be ON TOP, but that's a personal preference too. You'll also notice from this picture how I added the numbers (freehand, though you could print out a font to copy) OVER the lines in red paint.Then I added the boat we made earlier in the week. Hot glue, baby, hot glue.And I transfered the measurements (along with dates) for the boys so far. I got these from the pediatrian's report cards. I LOVE our pediatrian! :)

Then I decided it needed more bling. So I used some glitter glue to make my bouty chest more "treasure" and less "paint". It also gave it an extra tactile thing for the boys to enjoy now while they are small and close to the floor.

At this point, we were all pretty done, so it was bed time. No hanging of the chart, as the boys prefer no drilling in their walls while they are sleeping. Party poopers. :) So tomorrow, we HANG IT, baby!

Pirate Growth Chart Tutorial: Paint by Number

2010-04-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

Now that you have a plan, let's fill it in. If you've missed a step, please review the last three entrees about how to make a pirate ship, doing a good base coat, and planning BEFORE you paint. So next is making your chalk into a paint-by-number. I used acrylic paints, which are easy to deal with and cheap. And I used a cheap paint brush and a toothpick to do ALL of my painting (and my fingers...cheapest tools ever).

Start with :Add the base colors (in this case, a light brown for our treasure chest and green for our palm frond).Since I was using acrylics , it is easier to do all of one color while you are working so that the paint won't dry on you. So I worked all the way up the board, taking care of all the light brown and greens.Fill in the main sections of each of your pictures with the main background color (unless it is BLACK....avoid black and white as your bases because they are HARD to undo and often too sharp a contrast). See how I moved on to the next color but am still doing MAIN sections? This will help you establish depth for your work.

Best part of using chalk to plan your work and then using acrylics can be seen right here on my X that marks the spot. I realized that it wasn't actually that straight as I was painting it, so I just painted it where I want it. The beautiful thing is that you can paint right over your chalk and since acrylics are water based, the chalk just disappears and doesn't discolor your paint! No worries about staying inside the lines! LOVE THAT! And, they clean up with water. Also a happy thing when your 16 month old grabs your paint pallet (aka, paper plate) and runs with it. Thank heavens for laminate floors.

Okies. So the detail pictures have run off with the husband, so you'll have to wait to see my excellent shading tomorrow. And I'll show you a super excellent method for getting the measuring marks in the right place the FIRST time. But not now because it is BEDTIME for BOYS! :) -Night!

Pirate Growth Chart Tutorial: Adding the Details

2010-04-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

On to the details! Since we've painted our pirate ship and given our board a good base coat, it's time to add the pretty stuff. I grabbed my fabrics that I'm using in the room as well as some books on pirates and a pirate coloring book to inspire me. Oh, and the all important goldfish to distract the twins while I worked! :)

I started by chalking out my ideas, which meant finding a potential spot for my pirate ship and placing my letters near the top to show which measurements belong to which son. Then I started adding things like a palm leaf, a treasure chest, a sword, a compass rose, an island, and even a pelican.

But I didn't like the way the pelican was turning out, so I used a wet paper towel to get rid of him and add some barrels! :) Nothing like cargo! Then I added that magic dotted map line. You know, because X marks the spot! I put the X at the top, near the letters.

I freehanded my drawings with regular chalk on the latex paint. This would work on most dark colored surfaces, but you could always use colored chalk on light surfaces. I don't suggest a pencil (though we will use one later) as it will make impressions in your wood, which will stick around even after you erase.

So you don't freehand or draw? You can still do this! Remember the coloring book I said I was looking at for inspiration? Well, instead of JUST being inspired, you could take and find coloring pages you like. Then copy them to the size you want (reduce or increase on a copier or scanner). Cut them out on the outside line, draw around them with your chalk. Then you can cut them to the next interior line, trace around that shape, and so forth, until you get all the pieces on there. Or even copy it onto transparencies and overlay and draw your shape. No excuses for non-artists!!! :)

So gather up your favorite coloring books now and get ready! Next is the painting... and it's not scary at all!

After snack, I'll try to zip in and share some of the wonderful painting (that is EASY) with you! :) So check back later for more!

Pirate Themed Growth Chart Tutorial

2010-04-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

Today I'm sharing with you how to make the base for our totally awesome pirate growth chart. You will need a 1x6"x6' board, a router, a palm sander, paint, paint brush (I used foam), flathead screwdriver, and wooden letters from a craft store. I purchased my board from the Home Depot, which stocks lumber precut in 6 foot lengths. This is useful, as you can make a FABULOUS growth chart with this length. I liked the 6 inch width because I want to measure both of my kids on the same board. If you have more kids, you might want more boards, or something like a 1x12". I started by using a router to take the edges off of one side. I just wanted them rounded so that there would be less risk of injury! :) Then I used the palm sander to slick it all up nice and get it ready for paint. You could do this entire step with sand paper, a plane, or even skip it if you wanted to. It really is a personal choice, but with twin boys, I like rounded corners. :)

Then I wiped my board down to get the loose dust and dirt off of it from sanding. This is important and don't skip it, or else you'll get a bumpy, crumby paint job. And no one wants their board to look like it has the pox. Then I started giving my board a lovely coat of blue latex paint. I had this color from a previous project and thought it would be a great pirate background color.

Then I let it dry, which wasn't really hard here in HOT, DRY Atlanta. So I got to give it a second coat almost as soon as I finished the first. If it is cooler where you are or humid, make sure you wait until your paint is dry. Your paint can should tell you how long, but I usually allow overnight when it's humid or cold here just because I don't like surprises. Give it a good second (and maybe third) coat so that you have an even, smooth base coat.

Then grab your letters. In my case, I need an M and an N. I grabbed them at Michael's the other day on sale, but I know they usually have them for less than a dollar for this size (the 3" tall). They also have smaller ones, rounded ones, and even LARGE ones. Definately enough options to please most projects. If not, carve your own. Or sculpt them out of Fimo clay. There are options. I then took my letters and sprayed them with a lovely coat of brass spray paint. The brass really didn't photograph well, so I'm avoiding showing you them right now. I promise, you can see them when we move on to assembly!

So at this point, you should have a lovely painted pirate ship (from yesterday's tutorial, if you missed it), painted letters, and a painted 6' board. Excellent! Tomorrow, we'll add details, which is the TIME consuming part! :)

Want to see some other people's growth chart projects?

Kristen's "So Big!" Fabric Covered Growth Chart

How to sew your own from Make-Baby-Stuff.com

Making a banner style growth chart

How to make a pirate ship (An Upcycling Tutorial)

2010-04-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

So I want to show you the first step in making a fabulous pirate themed boys room. We are going to start small. Really small. With a magnet. I know, that seems silly, but I promise it will get us to an entire room soon enough! So step one is get your boat magnet. Maybe you get lucky and a family member gives it to you. Free boats are the best.

Grab your handy paints (I prefer acrylics as they dry faster and cleanup is EASY!) and lets get started. My boat had a lovely wooden deck, which I wanted to keep. But I didn't like the hull color. It needed some pizzazz! So I started by giving my hull a sandpaper massage to rough up the already painted surface. Then I gave my entire hull a coating of base brown. This gave me a great starting point for my colors.

Then I decided to add some color. After a little research (okay, google pirate boat pics), I realized that all the popular pirates have red boats. I guess they go faster or something. :)

Then I decided to distress the sails, as they were too white. I also added a lovely black line (use a toothpick) and some portholes. I went for square because it made me think of canon bays instead of actual windows. And what pirate doesn't want lots of canon bays? I also named my ship the "Sea Cat".

Then it was time for the flag. Every pirate ship needs a flag, so I cut a small piece of black fabric, added a white circle and some crossed straight bits.

Once the white was dry, I added some TINY black dots for eyes, nose, and a line mouth. Then I glued it on my middle mast.

Ta Da!!! Pirate Ship Sea Cat! And it was FREE!

I plan to attach this lovely pirate ship (which is only 3 inches wide) to the growth chart for the twins' room. Come back tomorrow to see how to make the growth chart for only $6!

How to rescue a pair of shorts

2010-04-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

So last summer I found a wonderful pair of Talbot's blue seersucker shorts at a thrift store for a buck. They were in great condition, to the point that I don't think they had EVER been worn. I loved the fabric, but didn't care so much for the lines of them. When I got them home, I also discovered that the pockets pulled funny across the front. You see, I'm weird about pockets. I want them to lay flat, no puckering. I want them to stay closed, no flipping or turning. So since the pockets had issues with being tidy pockets, I couldn't wear them. Sigh. So they got shoved into the forgotten realms of the closet at the end of last summer.

Fast forward to last week, when I realized that it was NOT cold outside any more. In fact, pants are almost uncomfortable, as it is so warm and muggy here in Atlanta already. Thus, it is time for shorts, skirts, and capris. Now, I was post-pregnancy weight loss last summer. And I was pregnant with twins the summer before. So I really don't have much of a summer wardrobe that fits my current body. So I started digging for things I could save, salvage, and possibly wear without too much discomfort or work. Out of the depths of the closet, comes the Talbot's shorts.

But, lo, the pockets STILL pucker. Now, I've lost PLENTY of weight in the key areas that SHOULD make the pockets not pucker. Thus, I know why these shorts were new and at a thrift store. POOR DESIGN. Yes, my dear reader, it does happen to every brand. Thus, there is no choice for these shorts but to become something else. Sure, I could turn them into a skirt. But really, I'm too old for a skirt that length and the thought of adding ruffles or layers to it just didn't suit the fabric somehow.

So instead.... BOY SHORTS!!!

Aren't they adorable? If only I could get my model to cooperate! I added cute little pockets on the rear out of white and put belt loops around the waist band. The inside has the fabulous elastic casings that pull through to buttons to adjust the size (which I figured would be useful as one boy is currently skinny and the other has a bit of a belly).

I declare these shorts SAVED! And I have some leftover fabric from them that will likely become some type of an applique for a shirt to match and maybe even a coordinating outfit for the other child to wear. I'm thinking of using the blue seersucker on blue Moda solids for pockets. That would be darling!

The Picnic Table from Knock Off Wood

2010-04-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

So here is the picture of the awesome picnic table that the hubby made for the boys

What is even more exciting is the price tag. $7!!! Yep. He needed one 2x4 for the legs, but other than that, it was all scrap lumber! And it only took him one evening to build it. So now the boys can sit on the deck and play in the wild outdoors without me having to worry about carting in and out furniture and toys! Now I get to finish it (but it's all pressure treated, so the big deal is keeping the kids from eating it). Find your own inspiration for something so awesome over at http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/

Her stuff is amazing!

Little shorts and coloring pages

2010-04-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy busy week around here. The twins are growing like weeds and the weather is gorgeous, so I've been working on shorts for them to enjoy their summer in. So far, my favorite pair is actually made from a pair that no longer fit me properly but had lovely fabric. As soon as I can get them fitted to a cute bum, I'll show them off. But it seems silly to wake the children to try clothes on them.

I also managed to complete the coloring activity book pages. I'll share how I did some of it with you as I get the time.

I made an attempt at a rag rug. I'm sad about it, as I have to take it back apart to it's braid, so you might just end up getting a "what NOT to do" for it instead of a tutorial-esque entry. Sorry!

I finished both a headband and shirt for my spring outfit. I needed something new and alive. I'll post pictures as soon as I wear it, which will likely be tomorrow, as the hubby is at a CPR class until late tonight.

I aided the hubby in completing a table for the twins. I've got to do the final coat of sealer on it, but it's darn cute! You'll get to see it soon, too.

I'm working on a tissue box cover, a front door wreath (my other one didn't last like I had hoped. Silly weather.), a tablecloth for said new twin table, and fabulous wash mitts. You'll get to see them all as soon as I get them done. And I'm trying to decide on fabrics for my next quilt (a Drunkard's Wave). So yeah, I'm busy! And of course, this is all the stuff I'm doing for my household. This doesn't count the custom work I'm doing for customers right now. So forgive me if I'm scattered! Speaking of which, it's time to SCATTER ZOOM!

Ironing Board Tutorial

2010-04-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

Whew... we've been busy here! Between our anniversary, Easter weekend, two grandparent visits, AND our air conditioning dying, it's been wild! But I've gotten a TON done, so I want to share with you how to make this totally awesome ironing board cover!

You see, I HATE ironing. Actually, I love the success of watching the wrinkles melt away. I HATE waiting for the "pressing" to occur at low temperatures. Too slow. So I decided I needed to make an ironing board cover that would make ironing more pleasant! I also wanted to make another quilt, but had no use for another at this very moment. So I decided to compile the two needs into one!

I decided to recover my 30 inch ironing board, which is the work horse in my sewing room. It lives on a rolling changing table (I know, a weird thing to keep in your sewing room) but it works great to keep the twins from pulling the iron off since it has a guard rail! :) If you are doing a different size ironing board (like a normal full size or a mid size wall hang style) then you'll need to change my measurements to match. ( I took the measurements of my ironing board, 30"x12", and added 4" to the length because it seemed to fit and 6" to the width, as it was shrinking off my board).

You will need:

1 piece of backing fabric (I used an ugly piece of upholstery weight cotton that I had inherited from somewhere) - 34" x 16"

1 piece of low loft batting (100% cotton is best) - 34" x 16"

Enough quilting cottons to cover the top of the board. In my case, this is 50 pieces cut 2"x6" and 50 pieces cut 2"x2" square.

1 yard of fold over elastic (mine is black)

1 ironing board in desperate need of love

I started by cutting 2" strips from a bunch of fabrics I liked. I then placed them on my cutting mat, which I marked with masking tape to my goal size. (I'm sure there is some magic math out there for exactly how many of what I needed, but this is how I did it. Honestly.)

Then I decided that I wanted squares and rectangles, so I cut my 2" strips into 2" squares and 6" rectangles. I then played with a design on my cutting mat, once again making sure to cover my marked goal size.

I then began assembling the rows. Sew each piece to the one before it, chain piecing them (don't cut your threads between... just feed another one in after the first one finishes), until you get all the rows assembled. Then make sure you press (NOT IRON) all your pieces. See this fabulous entry by WhipUp here http://whipup.net/2010/04/08/mini-quilt-month-day-8-how-tos/ for more on seams and ironing. They do an AMAZING job of explaining both!
Then you can put your rows together! I'd lay them out on the cutting board again to make sure you are assembling them in your design, but that's just because with twins, I tend to get distracted! You might not have the same.... hurdles to completion that I do! :)

Once again, press your rows. Then lay your assembled top on your batting, which you can place on top of your base fabric. I then sewed all the way around the edges of all three to create my "sandwich". (Speaking of distractions, this is where the hubby came in to "help" me.... thus, no pictures....sigh)

I then placed my icky old ironing board cover flat on top of my sandwich and cut it to the desired size (which in my case, was 2 inches wider than the original, as it was too small) and shape.

Now it's time to add your fold over elastic. This stuff is AWESOME! In my case, it is a 1 inch strip that has a natural fold line made into the middle. I used it like bias tape and elastic all in one to finish the edge of the cover AND pull it tight. Some advice.... STRETCH IT while you sew it. And make sure you use a zigzag stitch. I didn't stretch mine quite enough the first time so I had to remove it and do it again, but it works like a dream when done correctly!

And that's it! You are done! And your work space is more beautiful and inspiring all during the course of one nap time! Yippie!!!

Need more info?
Check out WhipUp's fabulous ironing board tutorial (no piecing necessary) http://whipup.net/2010/03/17/ironing-board-cover-tutorial/
Or 33Stitches has an awesome tutorial on how to do it with squares (lots of piecing but no FOE)
http://33stitches.blogspot.com/2010/03/as-promised.html
And MaggieMakes addresses some things to look out for here
http://blog.maggiemakes.com/sing_forever/2009/09/ironing.html
And Make Something also has a FABULOUS photo tutorial here
http://makesomething.ca/2008/07/23/tutorial-ironing-board-makeover/

What love looks like (for a fabric artist)

2010-04-01T18:15:00.001-07:00

Yes, that is the menus from The Melting Pot. :) Chocolate....cheese.....yummy!!! And nothing says love like industrial strength velcro, spray starch, grip gloves, needles, and a Gingher seam ripper! :)

And in his infinite brillance, the hubby also added to my stash! 14 (WOW!!!) new solids and 3 new prints. Granted, the prints are for he and the boys, but still!!! Bot Camp, baby! And this is some serious yardage. All are at least a yard, but several are 2 or 3 or -gasp- even 4 yard cuts!!!

Yep.... my husband is the best. I'm so glad we've been married for five whole years. And I'm also very thankful for the grandparents who kept the 15 month old twins!!! :) And have volunteered to do it AGAIN!!! YIPPPIE!!! (I really hope that isn't an April Fools Joke.....I'll be LIVID....)

And I'm working on a tutorial for you. Here's a sample!

Work in progress. With the help of said twins. Can't wait to get it done!

5 years tomorrow.... :)

2010-03-31T15:25:00.001-07:00

So tomorrow is my fifth anniversary. I love my husband and am so happy to have him! He teaches me such amazing things and helps me in ways I cannot begin to explain. I'm so thankful. I just wanted to share that with the world.

In other news, I've taken the plunge and have commissioned a logo and banner for StressTheSeams. My horrible attempts at digital graphics just didn't result in ANYTHING I was happy with. So the hubby and I agreed that it was time to step it up.

Why is it time? WELL..... I got a huge project today!!! An ongoing headwear creation and garment repair job that is likely to pan out to MANY others. I'm in the process of drafting the pattern right now. The hubby has already started picking out fabrics.... hehe. He's excited!

I've been working like crazy this week on the cloth activity books (quiet books). I've finally gotten all the color pages planned out and pieces cut. Now I've just got to do the structural parts and I'm ready to sew. When you see the pictures of these pages, you'll understand why it's taken me a week to figure all this out. They ROCK!

Here's a sneak peek :

Super Fun Weekend

2010-03-29T04:31:00.000-07:00

So the husband took me thrifting on Friday, which was good until the twins melted down in the glass aisle....eep! That was scary! I have some good things to show for it too! I found a cute pair of hollister shorts that are just begging to be "happy" with some additions and subtractions.

Then I found some orange for the boys' quiet books that I am working on. I realized last week that for someone born at the University of Tennessee, I didn't own ANY orange. So that has been rectified.

Micahman found the bandana. Who knew that 15 month olds are good at thrifting? :) And with his love of satin, I couldn't pass up the top from the women's section. Then the baby seersucker in orange and white was just too adorable.

Then Tater found this

Which I HATE the frogs on, so I'll be removing those for sure, but the fabric is amazing and in great condition. So it will most likely be repurposed into bedroom decorations for the master redo I'm planning and collecting for.

We also found a ton of fiestaware, which included a bunch more dinner plates, some saucers, and two serving bowls, all in colors we didn't have. Which is happy. Now I have loads of color choices!

Then we hit Sam's for some pizza in their noisy food court area (which is perfect if you have toddlers!). Since they have the pizza ready ahead around dinner time, it's super quick and easy. And there is plenty going on, so the boys have a ton to entertain them. Tater ate his OWN slice of pizza! Yowza! We picked up some essentials as well as a roll of butcher paper. 1000 feet for $17. Not bad!

After that, the hubby took pity on me and entertained the boys so I could run in Michael's. I got some felt, a few ribbon bits, and some SHRINKY DINKS!!! :) I don't know what to do first with them, so I'm totally open to ideas!

So I'm off to make Monday morning happen, but you'll hear more from me later. I've still got to share my WONDERFUL Saturday and crazy Sunday.... and get your ideas for this week's project!

Ack!!! Where did the week go?

2010-03-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

So I'm sure I'm not the only one looking at the CALENDAR and wondering where it went (forget looking at the clock...that thing moves WAY too fast these days). So hard to believe that it's nearly April.... jeeze.

So I've been working furiously this week, just not blogging. I know, bad me. No cookie. (Ha ha... I already had PIE!)

I finished up the hand work on my Primate Party quilt. It's hanging out on my Etsy if you want to look at it http://www.etsy.com/shop/stresstheseams . I'm really happy with how it turned out, as are the boys, so I won't be too unhappy to make another. :) And it's available for a song (okay... a little more than a song, but compared to the work and material cost....a song), so I'm hoping someone will snatch it up or ask me to make one for them... a girl can hope for more monkey time!

I've also been using up fabric scraps, as my scrap stash was getting pretty darn deep between the monkey quilt and the quilting classes of late. Lots of odds and ends. So I've started a spring bouquet that isn't far enough along to share yet and a quiet book for the twins. Okay, so it's gonna end up being more of a quiet trilogy or so. I've got lots of plans! You can check out some of the places I'm getting my ideas from by clicking the buttons on my sidebar. I'm so happy to share them with others!!! Here's a short (haha) list of some of the pages I have planned!

Colors (I've at least started these pages!)
Count to 3
Zip, zip, zip up
Match the shapes
Unwrap a present!
All buttoned!
Pick a Basket of Fruit
Put Teddy to Bed
What time is it?
Traffic Light
Tie my shoe
Chalkboard (I've got the chalkcloth!!!)
Dress me up
Lace the football
Color match balloons
Compare Textures
Numbers 1-10
ABC's
Backseat driver (steering wheel)
Parts of the Face
Parts of the Body
Sewing
Hot or Cold?
Animals in their Habitat
I spy
Who is it? (pictures of family)
Mailbox
Rocketship
My name is . . .
Family Tree
Flower garden
Barn with Farm Animals
Picnic Basket with Table Setting
Weave a blanket
Make a cherry pie (also weaving)
Fishing
Bake me a cake
Road map
Closet (for the dressup pages)
Write me a letter with fabric envelopes
Build a burger
Tic Tac Toe
Fish Bowl
Climb the Stairs
Build an ice cream sundae
9 piece square puzzles
Counting Beads on strings
Laundry Day (with clothes on a line)
Color Wheel
Drive the car (with car window that changes)
Seasons (changing scenery)
Peekaboo (face with flap hands and googly eyes!)

Topics I need ideas for actual pages:
Weather
Months
Days of Week

Some of these are stolen from places like:
http://kmckaydesigns.com (who also has an awesome idea using drawerpulls and can lids that I want to do in the kitchen!!!)
http://naptimejournal.blogspot.com (who has a great easter egg decoration up today!!)
http://creatingbycami.blogspot.com (who has reminded me that I need to use some of my flannels and such to make chennel!!!)

Please visit them and my buttons! They all ROCK! Must go get the boys dressed now, though. The husband has promised me a thrifting trip and grocery shopping tonight! Nothing like an EXCITING Friday night!!! :) Maybe I'll be able to post awesome shots of my thrifty finds tomorrow. Here's hoping for good stuff and cooperative toddlers.

Busy quilting weekend!

2010-03-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

So Saturday I went to class at Kiwiquilts. It was on speed paper piecing. It ROCKED!!! As part of the class, I learned how to make a Desert Corsage square. Here's a picture of my completed square, which is currently hanging behind my desk as a motivational token of what I CAN do! :)

I'm realy happy with it. I should take some micro shots for you so you can see how precise the points came out. I picked the layout and fabrics, so I LOVE them. They are so darn bold!!! This was really the tested for the color combination for our master bedroom. I LOVE the batiks that are red and black (the center) and then black and red (the outer points). And the black and white points are AMAZING!!! So this color scheme is DEFINATELY a hit. MetalMan is more than willing to let me do the entire master in this color scheme, so that's a good thing. He's not sold on this quilt pattern, though. But that is okay, as I'm not either! But I LOVES me some paper piecing now!!! So quick and easy! Low stress and highly productive, which in this household is a GREAT thing!

The other thing I've worked on this weekend (aside from the family schedule.... woooboy) has been the monkey quilt. It's so close!!!! Today I got the top finished, backing trimmed, and sandwich made. Whew! Then, to top it off, I managed to stitch in the ditch the outermost row all the way around. Here's a pic of it in Helga's arms :

Don't worry. I think I'll be able to finish the quilting tomorrow and then get the binding done on Tuesday. Which gives me Wednesday to fix the binding on the Tator's pirate quilt (washing machine ate it.... but thankfully, it's easily repaired!). Then I'm going to start on the color quiet book for the twins. I'm already collecting up all the stuff for that, so I've just got to get started now!