Chimera Threads

Pompom Puppet Tutorial

2011-11-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

Months later and I finally got around to putting together a tutorial for the pompom puppet. This would be a fun project to do with children. Bags of multi-sized pompoms with enough for twelve puppets can be found at craft stores for under five dollars. You can use a glove instead of sticks for controls. During the winter season you can find a pair of gloves (makes 2) for a dollar at a variety of stores. The tutorial as a pdf can be found here.

Little Red Riding Hood

2011-10-08T14:24:00.001-07:00

Even though a health issue has been interfering with life and has kept me from posting as often as I'd like, I have been creating some fun things. Here are two different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. I participated in a swap with the theme of Little Red Riding Hood. I couldn't bear to part with these two.

Cloth Doll-Merry Berry

2011-06-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Merry Berry-a cute little cloth doll I made just because. This fun easy project turned in to a learning experience. Lesson learned-make your own pattern from the start. I started with a pattern I liked but... Any how I ended up making a lot of changes. Trust me she doesn't look anything like the original pattern. She does stand up on her own two feet, all ten and half inches of her. I really like the way she turned out. And here is a close-up of her face.

Cute Little Dollhouse

2011-06-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

Along with the other umpteen ongoing projects in my studio, I've been working on this cute little dollhouse. The basic structure is made from foam core board and illustration board scraps. Both of which originally came from the dollar store. The interior and exterior walls are covered with scrapbook paper.

The windows and doors are also made from scrapbook paper.

The finished size is 6"w x 8.5"h x 4"d. Cute little things are so much fun and very addictive. Watch for pictures of the furniture and occupants.

Teacup Potholders

2011-05-13T20:14:00.000-07:00

A set of potholders made from the scraps of the apron. They were a Mother's Day gift for my mom to go with the apron.

Bunch O' Bunnies

2011-04-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Group shot of my newest for spring-bunnies by the bunch. Talk about multiplying bunnies. They might even out number the dust bunnies.

Close up of some bunnies. Notice the cute whiskers and perky bows.

I couldn't resist some fun shots. I rummaged through my kids' old toys and found this cute playset.

Free Bunny Puppet Pattern

2011-03-17T17:02:00.000-07:00

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Here's a free pattern for a bunny puppet made from a wooden spoon. I wasn't planning on making wooden spoon puppets. My daughter bought several packages of wooden spoons from the dollar store for her puppet making project. Of course, when she was done she left the extras in my studio. They were just lying there saying please paint me. Not sure why I picked bunnies but I did.

About a week after I designed them, I was in Anthropology and saw the cutest display of wooden utensils with painted faces. The bamboo fork faces had spiky hair. I'm going to have to get some of those bamboo forks. They might make fun monster puppets.

A few adjustments would make them a kid friendly project. You could glue them together except where the wooden spoon is inserted. Two layers of felt could be used instead of fabric with interfacing and one layer of felt. If you are going to make them to use in potted plants, I would use a sealer on the handle of the spoon.

Not only were these easy and fun to make. Made with a scrap of fabric, some paint, glue and a wooden spoon from the dollar store they are also a very inexpensive craft project. So there you have it, a wooden spoon bunny puppet pattern.

Retro Apron with Custom Bias Tape

2011-03-09T16:27:00.000-08:00

Bias tape tutorials seem to be popping up everywhere. Or maybe I've just become aware of them. I was particularly inspired by the one on Made. I knew when I found the retro looking floral print on sale along with the coordinating rick-rack striped fabric they would make a great apron. I love bias binding made from striped fabrics. Of course, in my magic studio (if you can find it) I happened to have the bias tape making gadget. I did not buy it. Like most things in there it magically appeared. Anyway the long and short of it is that I needed a birthday present for my mother. This here is the result.

And the Winner is...

2011-02-26T16:40:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the comments. All the different names were wonderful. I love naming things. It gives me a such a sense of connection.

Drum roll..

The winner is jmbmommy.

I factored in the comments from the previous post. There was a bit of confusion at the start. I would have actually have put a picture of the random number generator I used but due to technical difficulties on my part that just won't happen. Anyway, jmbmommy, I will contact you. Here is a picture of the actual prize with it's gift bag. Hope you like it.

Giveaway-Ladybug Brooch

2011-02-21T07:05:00.000-08:00

It seems I missed a great brooch swap at Creative Kismet. Embellished brooches are one of my specialties. I love making them. I love wearing them. So to make up for not being able to participate in the swap, I"ve decided to participate in the giveaway part of the swap.

Here are the details. I'm giving away this cute ladybug brooch. It's my newest. She could use a name. So please, for a chance to win a ladybug brooch wrapped in a cute gift bag, similar to the one in the previous post, please leave a suggestion for a name. Winner will be picked at random on Friday, Feb 25th. Thanks.

Ladybug Brooch and Gift Bag

2011-02-14T21:03:00.001-08:00

My oldest daughter really like ladybugs. I thought a ladybug brooch would make a great Valentine's Day present for her. I went through four different patterns before I decided on the second pattern I had designed. The black fabric seemed to have a mind of its own. It definitely stretched some. Oh well, next time I rework the pattern I will have to deal with that. I also made a small gift bag to put it in. My youngest daughter commented that the weeds in the backyard made a great backdrop for the photo. Nice to know they're good for something.

World Nutella Day- Nutella Stuffed Scones

2011-02-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

February 5th is World Nutella Day. What better way to celebrate than to make Nutella Stuffed Scones. So easy and so yummy. Basically I made a batch of my favorite chocolate scones, cut a slit in the top, enlarged the slit a bit and dropped a small spoonful of nutella into the opening. Bake as usual. More yummy nutella recipes can be found at the World Nutella Day website.

I Can See Clearly Now-Well I Could Then

2011-01-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

January a time for renewal and cleaning. Yep, I finally thoroughly cleaned and reorganized my studio. For the first time in months you could actually see the flat surfaces, walk through the room without hopping over the piles and find those lost works in progress. Everything got put away in its proper place. This means I will probably spend a lot of time looking for everything because it's not where I remember leaving it.

Of course it's always hard to start a new project in a clean space. You don't want to make a mess after spending many, many, many hours cleaning it. But this is no longer a problem. My daughter cut out a puppet from black long pile faux fur. Let me tell you, it makes more black dust bunnies than the dog ever did. I'll be vacuuming up black fuzzies for a long time. They even float out the front door. (I vacuumed a bunch off the outside front door mat.)

Good thing I took this picture on the very day I finished cleaning it.

Plushie Group Photo

2011-01-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

I just listed these cuties on Artfire. They insisted I post a group photo before they get adopted out to different homes.

Oh Christmas Trees!

2010-12-11T16:56:00.001-08:00

Alas, our Christmas tree is not up yet. This inspired my to create a whole forest of miniature fabric trees. Not quite the same thing, but very fun, nonetheless. Some of these are for gifts and others will be for sale on in my Artfire shop.

Exciting things have been happening here. I got a new computer. I went from a pc to a mac. So, if there are any mistakes in this post, it's the computer's fault. I'm still figuring out where everything is.

Puffy Magic Purse

2010-11-24T10:00:00.001-08:00

November is birthday month at my house. My daughters were born exactly 3 years apart minus three days. It is always fun to make them something for their birthdays. My oldest has been using a very sad looking small tote bag as a purse. So I thought she might like a new purse. I got the inspiration from this tutorial. The denim is heavy enough that it doesn't need interfacing.
If you're wondering why it is magic. . . I've used a metal tape measure for the top closure. Very simple actually. You make a casing, leaving an opening to put the tape measure in. Stitch the casing vertically where the side seam is. This keeps each piece of the tape measure on its side of the bag. Cut 2 pieces of the tape measure about 1" less than one side of the casing. You can use regular scissors for this. Though I don't recommend using your good sewing shears. Round the ends and cover with a piece of masking tape. Thread each piece into the casing. Sew opening closed and stitch the other side of the casing vertically on the side seam. If you use a dollar store tape measure, double it.
This is a close up of the hardware. I've used split rings to attach the straps and D rings to make the strap adjustable. If you're wondering why split rings. I have a lot of them. They seem to have magically appeared in my studio, as most of my supplies do.

Cute Hedgehogs

2010-11-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

The patterns for these cuties came from my Japanese craft book collection. The background fabrics are Japanese also.

In the Doghouse

2010-09-13T11:38:00.001-07:00

If doghouses were this cute, it might not be such a bad place to be. Of course, this particular doghouse is a bit on the wee side. Scotty, who is made from a wool blend felt, is only one and a half inches long and fits perfectly inside.

Hedgehog Cupcakes: A mini how-to

2010-06-28T19:43:00.001-07:00

My daughter loves hedgehogs. While she was on a trip to So Cal a friend bought her a hedgehog cupcake from a bakery. So, of course, when she came home she had to make hedgehog cupcakes.
Yummy and cute! They are easy enough to make with your kids.

You will need: caramels, mini chocolate chips, confetti sprinkles, sliced almonds, toasted coconut, chocolate frosting and cupcakes.

Frost a cupcake with chocolate frosting. Don't skimp, you need the frosting to hold the head and the coconut on.
Top cupcake with toasted coconut. Gently press into frosting or your hedgehog will shed.
Form a caramel into a cone for the head. Press well into the frosting.
Attach mini chocolate chips with a dab of frosting for eyes. You can put a little bit of frosting in a zip lock baggie and snip a tiny hole in the corner to make small dabs to attach eyes and noses.
Attach a small confetti sprinkle with a dab of frosting for the nose.
Add sliced almonds just behind the head for ears.
Admire your little creation before devouring.

Very yummy, very cute!

The Wedding Quilt

2010-06-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

It looks better in real life. This is a quilt I made in less than 3 weeks for a wedding present. It measures about 60"x60" and is quilted with a double wedding ring pattern. While it's not a complicated pattern, the color is very pleasing to the eye. My family was rather sad that I gave it away. So was I. We really liked it.I always have mixed feelings about giving this sort of a present. I'm never sure the recipients fully appreciate what it takes to put together a gift like this. My immediate family on the other hand, actually see first hand what it takes and absolutely love to get one of my quilts as a gift. In fact, they often ask who's it for in hopes I'll say it's for them.

Spring Quilt

2010-05-27T12:52:00.001-07:00

This is a quilt I started several years ago. Finally finished it. It really doesn't look anything like the quilts I've made recently. All my friends pointed this out. Let's just consider it one of my "vintage" quilts. The pictures really don't do it justice. It is very floral. It looks like a field of mixed wild flowers. The picture below shows some of the detail. Even it doesn't really capture the essence of the quilt.

Going Animal Crackers

2010-05-17T20:09:00.001-07:00

I realize it's been a while since my last post. Rest assured it's not because I haven't been sewing and crafting. Rather the opposite. I've been so busy...I can't keep up. I will start posting more now that I've taken pictures of all the current projects.

I'm on a bit of a mini box fad. It all started with those matchboxes. They are very addictive to make and have so much potential. Anyway I was doing a swap for swap-bot which is how I came up with this elephant and his animal cracker box. The box is two inches long by one and a quarter inches tall. Animal cracker boxes are fun to begin with. But miniaturize it and it's more fun. Of course, the mini size doesn't have any cookies in the box but that also means no calories. Thus the mini version is a no calorie treat.

This brings me to another version of animal crackers. Williams-Sonoma, a couple of months ago, had animal cracker cookie cutters which my daughter bought. They made the cutest tastiest cookies. Which, in spite of having calories attached to them, didn't last long. Unfortunately those cookie cutters are sold out.

Playing with Matchboxes Two

2010-04-14T10:17:00.001-07:00

This is another matchbox with it's inhabitant, Scottie. Decorating matchboxes is rather addictive. So is making the tiny stuffies to go inside. I made it for a swap-bot swap.

Spring is for the Birds - Um Bird Puppets

2010-04-05T21:17:00.001-07:00

Well it has been a while since I last posted an entry. It was a very busy month; spring breaks, spring cleaning the studio, projects and more projects. Spring cleaning the studio was wonderful. There is only one pile left on the floor. The surfaces, of course, are still cluttered with unfinished projects. In spite of the many projects unfinished, there were a lot of finished ones; a quilt, two sundresses, seven mini bird puppets and a few other misc. projects. The pictures are of the bird puppets. They are similar to the large one in my earlier post but much smaller. They were very fun to make. Just about the time we decided to make these my friend gave me some vintage craft supplies that had belonged to her mother-in-law. The beads were in that treasure trove as well as some vintage glitter. I'm looking forward to using that glitter. I realize these puppets look like toys for a children but not a chance. Adults think they are way to much fun. Anyway, I'm thinking about doing a tutorial on how to make them.

Playing with Matchboxes

2010-02-28T20:17:00.001-08:00

Decorating matchboxes is almost as dangerous as playing with matches. It sparks the creativity. They are both made from small matchboxes. The first one was for a matchbox bed and creature inside. I couldn't resist making the matchbox look like a bed. Of course if the mermaid wants she can also sleep inside.

The second idea came from The Tiny Traveling Doll's House. The recipient of this matchbox likes elephants. So of course I made an elephant to fit inside. The elephant in the room, literally. These were very fun to make.

A Little Bird

2010-01-27T21:35:00.000-08:00

January seems to be bird themed. The inspiration for this bird came from a very cute piece of Japanese fabric I bought recently. This silly looking bird is about 4" tall and his feet are made from paper clips. My daughter got me a wigjig for Christmas. I think she was hoping I'd make jewelry with it. It worked great for bird feet.

In case you're wondering why the very long gap in posts. First it was Christmas. I made at least 20 different batches of cookies in a very few days time. Then there was the few presents I made. I wasn't able to photograph them. There just wasn't enough time. Then just a couple of weeks ago my computer got a virus that took out windows. I'm still recovering data from the other drive. In fact, I just retrieved my pictures a couple of days ago. I hope that never happens again. It is very inconvenient.

For the new year, I have quite a list of projects. I'm looking forward to sharing them here. Blogging about my finished projects really helps to keep me inspired.

What A Cute Bird!

2010-01-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

It was a dark and stormy night. No, it really was. That is except for the flashes of lightening. This explains the bad picture. My daughter and I made bird puppets this last weekend. I had to hurry up and do a photo shoot before he was whisked off to his new home, the physics dept. at the local university. He's quite popular with the staff. Rocket scientists seem to like cute fuzzy things. At three feet tall, Schroeder, makes quite an impression. Not only that, his head bobs just enough to make him look very nonchalant when he's walking. In this picture he is standing on the bed (bad bird) and looking back towards his tail. Of course, with that cute face what's not to love.

Reusable Gift Bag

2009-12-02T21:50:00.001-08:00

I love making small gift bags. It can add a unique touch to any gift. A cute reusable bag is almost a gift in and of itself. This particular bag is a variation on my Treasure Bag. I've made it slightly bigger, added a separate casing and made it reversible(for those of us who like options). Of course, something special is going in the bag. You'll just have to wait and see.

The Show

2009-11-18T11:08:00.001-08:00

The above image is the mailer for this year's Craft Art Market. It's held every year between Thanksgiving and New Year's. I was surprised to find they used my "art". Hopefully sales will be better this year than last year. My "art" tends to be whimsical rather than useful or traditional. It's suppose to be fun, like bring a smile to your face, fun.
Here's the picture I took of the "Dotty Jester" a few months before the show. He was originally made as a challenge for the Central Coast Art Doll Club, which I am very involved in. Actually right now I'm the president. This is one of the most kick back but stimulating activities I do. The hardest part of being president is actually keeping everyone focused on the meeting at hand. The "other " conversations are very interesting. Probably more so than the current business we are trying to accomplish. In spite of this we actually accomplish a lot. We do a variety of challenges and projects every year. More importantly everyone has a great time. Lots of smiles!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2009-11-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

My poor blog has been a bit neglected lately. I haven't forgotten about it but I've been so busy that I haven't taken any pictures to post let alone log in. October means Halloween. Halloween means costumes. Guess what? Even if your children are grown up you still end up making them costumes. Bigger kids means more sophisticated costumes. Well... sometimes. My daughter found a tutorial online for a pretty easy and good looking costume. Any way you're probably wondering what this all has to do with pumpkin cinnamon rolls. It turns out I had a decent picture of the rolls and not the costume. I will give more details when I get a good picture of the costume. I have a great recipe for yeasted pumpkin bread and I turned it in to pumpkin cinnamon rolls. One word: yum. Of course, I put chocolate chips in them. Just about everything tastes better with chocolate. And maybe if I catch up with myself I'll have time to post the recipe.

The Pencil Bag

2009-10-07T20:51:00.001-07:00

This is the pencil bag my college age daughter designed to replace the one that died. I did help a bit with the construction. If I thought googlie eyes would survive the book bag I would have glued them on. Of course, I not sure how anything survives being in her book bag without getting smooshed . It's always stuffed full, coffee, water bottle, lunch, snack, extra snack for those with puppy dog eyes, books, notebooks, misc. and of course the pencil bag. Now the pencil bag the last time I saw it being stuffed into the book bag was also stuffed to the max. I asked her "What's in there besides pencils, a bunch of candy?" Oh ya! It's amazing she got it zipped closed. I was told the candy was every bit as or even more important than the pencils. Those kids do have their priorities.

Momiji Doll Birthday Greetings

2009-09-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Momiji dolls were a recent discovery for me. I'm not sure why it took so long to find out about them. They are small and cute. Just the kind of thing I adore. Of course, when I did discover them I just had to make my own version. I'm still tweaking with the pattern a bit. But I did make this one as a birthday present for a close friend who recently discovered zakka. I made a special coordinating gift bag.
And as you can see, she can hold a secret message. A friend of mine commented it would be a great way for little girls to pass notes to one another at school. My oldest daughter, who is a teacher, wasn't so sure about that.

Patchwork Bag Pattern

2009-09-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

It's a free pattern for a small patchwork bag. My birthday's coming up and I've decided to share one of my favorite patterns with you as a gift. This pattern was one of a line of patterns I had produced several years ago . It's been updated a bit. Hope you enjoy making it as much as I do. It is one of my favorites to make as a reusable gift bag. I've also made them using just the lining pattern piece and reducing the size a bit as goody bags for birthday parties. They can be reversible. The finished bag is about 4x4 inches.

You can get the free bag pattern here. Please use this pattern for your personal use and enjoyment only.

Birthday Bling

2009-09-03T21:38:00.001-07:00

It's that time of the year again-birthday time. Many of my friends have their birthday's either in late August or September. Of course mine is in September. This brooch is the first of several gifts I'm making. It's embroidered with an assortment of beads. I also made the small matchbox to give it in. Then I made a very small (3/4" x 3/4") birthday card to go with the present. And it actually did not get lost in my purse before I gave it to her. Good things can come in small packages.

Three Way Bag

2009-08-30T21:59:00.001-07:00

Yes it really is just one bag. One bag, three different looks. How fun is that, one bag for every mood. This is a pattern from a Japanese book. It was one of those you had to draft your own pattern from a diagram. Of course, this makes it easier for design changes. I prefer a shoulder bag, so I made the handles longer. I also wanted a completely reversible bag. The list of possibilities goes on and on. There are a few more changes I'd like to try. Hope I get around to it soon.

Ladybug, Ladybug

2009-08-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Remember that poem from when you were little. I was reminded of it while putting together this table. My daughter needed a project table for her classroom. We bought the table top and legs from Home Depot. They were raw wood. My husband cut down the legs a bit so that it was child-sized. Then we sanded and primed it. My daughter thought long and hard about how she wanted it painted. She couldn't decide. One night I had a dream, in full color, that the table was painted turquoise and red. I love that combo. Of course she wasn't sure about it. But I had a dream. The turquoise paint is leftover from painting the bathroom. I love that color. Maybe I mentioned that already. Anyway while buying the red paint she found the cute ladybug stencils. Her classroom has a plant and bug theme to it. Ladybugs are a perfect fit. If I still had little ones I would love to put this table in their room. Too cute!

Charm Square Purse

2009-08-09T22:27:00.000-07:00

This is a bag I see frequently in Japanese books and magazines. It is made from 17 squares. I used a charm square pack (Clementine by Moda). The 5" squares make a nice size bag. Or a least I really like it, not too big, yet big enough. The extra squares from the charm pack can be used to make pockets on the inside and/or the handles. If you don't have a charm pack, you can use leftover pieced squares from a quilt or even make some just for this bag. You can use a different size square to make a different size purse. It is a very versatile pattern. I plan to post a tutorial on how to put it together as soon as I edit the pictures.

The Quilt Yuko Made

2009-07-31T19:55:00.001-07:00

July was one very busy month. We went to Santa Barbara for a week. Had a great time. We went to the Museum of Natural History. The live butterfly exhibit was fantastic. There were butterflies everywhere. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera. Thus no pictures. Of course we went to beach etc. Also my daughter's college roommate visited for a week this month. She decided she wanted to make a quilt. The three of us cut and pieced a quilt top in four days. Which is pretty amazing considering she's never sewn before. I really like this pattern and might just have to make one for myself. I'm not sure August is going to be any less busy. I'm doing a craft show this weekend. I've spent this week getting ready for it. Hope sales are good.

Happy Scrappy-Me Three

2009-07-10T14:09:00.001-07:00

Well this is the forth quilt I've finished this year. The first is a picture of the overall quilt. The second picture is a detail of the border. Sometimes borders just add the right finishing touch. This quilt has a polyester batting in it, so it is a bit fluffier than some of my other quilts. I prefer to use warm and natural or flannel as the batting. One thing to note is the scrap pile is a bit smaller. Well the scraps are much now much smaller pieces. I'll have to make some smaller scrappy projects. I really like these fabric baskets. I keep making them but they don't stick around. They make great gifts and gift baskets.

Kangaroo Pocket Purse

2009-07-01T09:53:00.001-07:00

The pockets on this bag remind me of a kangaroo pouch. I love pockets in purses and bags. It helps separate out those important items or the really small ones that tend to get lost. So, I designed this completely reversible bag. Because of the way it is made it has four pockets. I love making new designs. I'm seriously considering publishing patterns for sale again. This bag pattern may be one of the first.

Oooh Baby. . . It's a Quilt

2009-06-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

The latest quilt, a baby quilt, made as a gift. It is kind of scrappy. I went through my stash and used everything that coordinated with the sashing. There was a bit of frustration with the backing fabric. It was 1" too small for the quilt. I measured 6 times hoping each time that some how it would change. Not a chance. So there is a row of the left over rectangles in the center of the backing. I really liked this block and may make another quilt with different fabrics.

And the Winner is. . .

2009-06-15T18:13:00.001-07:00

Yes again, it was me. Let me explain. A couple of weekends ago was the Central Coast Quilt Shop Tour. Many of the shops had challenges or contests. Quilt'n Cousins theme was Surf's Up. So the challenge for that shop was decorated flip-flops. So here are my decorated flip-flops. They won as well as the pair my daughter decorated. Of course we were the only two entries. Still though, we each won a very nice gift certificate to one of my favorite quilt stores.

The flip-flops have ribbon glued on to the straps. The medallions are based on one of my popular brooch designs. They are made from fabric covered with sequins and beads. Anyway I thought they dressed up plain black flip-flops rather nicely.

And the winner is. . .

2009-06-08T17:36:00.001-07:00

You're going wait a sec, the May giveaway day is over. Yes it is. But this weekend was the Central Coast Quilt Shop Tour. And I won :) one of the daily gift baskets from Betty's Fabric. It was a tote bag stuffed with lots of quilting related goodies. That bag was heavy let me tell you. The contents are pictured below.
Lots and lots of fabric, books, patterns and notions. There was even a package of bamboo batting. I've been wanting to try this since I heard about it a few months ago. So I'm off to sort all that fabric out and find projects to use it up on. More about the tour on the next post. Hint: another prize.

And The Winner Is. . .

2009-06-01T22:27:00.001-07:00

And the winner is. . . But before I announce the winner let me thank each of you for your wonderful comments. They were all much appreciated and I loved reading each and every one. I apologize for not posting the winner this morning like I was going to but, it has been one of those days. Anyway the random number generator picked mmmoffitm. She will not only get the treasure bag but the coordinating kitty pin (see picture) as well. I will be contacting the winner to get her address. Thank you all again for your participation.

May Giveaway Day

2009-05-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's May Giveaway Day at Chimera Threads. Thank you Sew Mama Sew!Blog for coordinating this event. It sounded like to much fun to miss out on. Sew here are the details for participating on this blog. I am going to give away a treasure bag. It will, of course, have a treasure or two or more in it. To qualify for the treasure please either comment on ways I can improve my tutorial (previous post) or what is your favorite thing about craft type blogs. By this, I mean do you like seeing what others are making, or are you looking for good ideas or inspiration, etc. You get the idea. I am trying to improve my blogging skills. Only meaningful comments, please. I will randomly pick an appropriate comment the morning of June 1st. I am willing to ship internationally as I love getting international mail. I will accept comments from this post and the previous post (treasure bag tutorial).

Treasure Bag Tutorial

2009-05-25T11:29:00.001-07:00

This is a tutorial for a small gift bag. I've been making them for my family to hold chocolates and small gifts for the various holidays. I like to use theme fabrics when making them for the different holidays, hearts for Valentine's, shamrocks for St. Pat's, bunnies for Easter, etc. The finished size is about 4 1/2" tall x 3" wide. This is my first attempt at a tutorial. I would appreciate comments that would help my tutorial writing skills improve. So here goes:

Materials needed:

2-5"x6" pieces of fabric for the sides
1-3 1/2" circle of fabric for the bottom
7/8-1yd 1/8" ribbon or cord for the drawstring

Due to the small size of the bag the casings get pressed before sewing the side seams.
Press down 1/4", then 1" from that fold. Unfold and sew the side seams (1/4" seam allowance), leaving a 1/4" opening 1 7/8" down from the top edge. (See above picture).Press the seams open.

I usually stay stitch just a bit less than the seam allowance on the bottom edge. This will allow you to clip to the stitching to help it lie flat when sewing to the bottom.

Now fold down the casing, 1/4" and then 1", edge stitch from the bottom fold and stitch again 1/4" away from the edge stitching. Make sure the side seams are flat or you will not be able to get the drawstring threaded through.

Next pin and sew the bottom to the sides,1/4" seam allowance. I divide the bottom and sides by quarters, match these up, pin on these marks and then sew. You may need to clip the bottom edge of the sides to make it fit and lie flat enough to sew. Just be sure not to clip through the stay stitching.

Turn the bag right side out. Cut the ribbon or cord in half and thread it through the casing as follows: start on one side and completely go around and come out where you started, then start on the opposite side and completely go around and come out where you started. Knot the ends together. TIP: Because the casing is so narrow I use a large blunt needle to thread the ribbon through. Thread the ribbon into the eye of the needle and push through the the casing with the eye end of the needle.

Your bag is now ready to be filled with treasures for that special someone.

Happy Scrappy Too

2009-05-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

This is scrappy quilt number two for this year. It did use up some of the bigger scraps but it didn't make much of dent in the scrap pile. I'm still working on it. Scrappy quilt number three is waiting to be quilted. It will have to wait until I finish the baby quilt I'm working on.

The pattern I used for this quilt can be found here. It's hard to believe that it is the same pattern. The fabric choice makes a such difference.

A New Pincushion

2009-05-12T18:13:00.001-07:00

I finally made a new pincushion for myself. My old one was about 16 or 17 years old. Time for an update. My mom and I attended the Seven Sisters Quilt show and she bought this pattern there. So we went home from the quilt show and made it that very evening. The fabrics are all leftover scraps from my scrap quilt. I just finished that quilt a few days ago and hope to post a pic soon. Hope my new pincushion serves as well as my last one.

Eco-friendly Lunch Bag

2009-05-05T16:21:00.000-07:00

After shopping for quite some time for the perfect lunch bag/box, my daughter found a picture of one she really liked in a Japanese magazine. Unfortunately the directions were almost undecipherable. So we found a bag of the size and shape she wanted and I drafted a pattern using the design elements from the magazine picture. It worked perfectly as you can see. And has the added bonus of being machine washable. By-the-way sushi is one of her favorite lunches.

Miss May Flowers

2009-05-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Miss May Flowers looks like a folk dancer ready to do the May pole dance. When I was in elementary school we had a May day celebration. All the classes would learn different folk dances, dress in costumes and then perform their dances for the whole school on the playground. I can't remember if it was the third or fourth graders who got to do the May pole dance. I do remember doing the May pole dance. It was fun. What a great way to celebrate spring.

Bunny, Bunny

2009-04-20T14:40:00.001-07:00

I designed and made these very cute bunnies to go in the baskets I made for Easter. See previous post about the baskets. I really like the way the larger prints work for their bodies. I will definitely be making more of these soon.

3 Baskets Full

2009-04-13T13:11:00.001-07:00

Baskets photographed while waiting to be filled by the Easter Bunny. There's a great tutorial here for making these cute and useful baskets. It is also a great pattern to use up some of those smaller scraps. Of course nothing I make with scraps seems to make a dent in the scrap pile. I'll keep trying though.

Pumpkin Scones

2009-04-07T18:08:00.001-07:00

I know this seems to be a bit out of season but, here's a recipe for pumpkin scones. I recently made these because I found an open can of pumpkin in the refrigerator. My family has no problem eating these any time of the year.

PUMPKIN SCONES

1 c. flour

1 c. ww flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 c. brown sugar
6 tbsp butter
1/c c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. sour cream (reduced fat will work)
1/2-1 c. dry mix-ins (any combo of chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruits)

Preheat oven to 400*f. Mix together first 10 ingredients. Cut in the butter until it is the size of very small peas. (You can freeze the butter and then on the large holes of the grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture. Work in the butter with your fingers.) Stir in the mix-ins. Thoroughly combine the pumpkin and sour cream. Stir into the flour/butter mixture until it comes together. (You may have to use your hands.) Divide the dough in half and flatten to a 6" disc on a lightly floured cutting board. Cut into 6 wedges and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of the dough. (I like to make smaller scones. This way you can eat more than one with no guilt.) You could also flatten all the dough and cut into 8 wedges. Bake @ 400*f for about 15 minutes, longer if you make bigger scones.

Nesting Owls

2009-03-29T21:21:00.001-07:00

Here is the latest design in the nesting set series, owls in fun spring colors. They're based on my matryoshka doll design. I'm still tweaking with the design details, but for now I'm happy with the shape and size.

Old Top-New Bag

2009-03-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

Out with the old- in with the new, spring has sprung around here. We've been out in the yard taming weeds and laying out new planters. This means I haven't been sewing quite as much as I would like to. My daughter on the other hand is on spring break and has time to sew. She made this very cute bag out of a halter top. She has a whole bag of clothes just waiting to be re-purposed. I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with.

Happy Scrappy Quilt

2009-03-05T15:52:00.000-08:00

This is the first quilt I've completely finished this year. I made the quilt top last year. I have to admit my favorite part of quilting is designing and sewing the top. This one was made from a wide variety of scraps. And no it didn't make a dent in the scrap pile. I keep trying. Stashbusters (a yahoo group) has a hundred yard dash challenge that started late last year. The goal is to use up 100 yards of fabric from your stash. They do give specific guidelines as to how the fabric used is counted. Since I got a late start and many of my projects are quite small (under 5") My personal goal is a 50 yard dash. I like to set realistic goals.

Spring Things for Swap-bot

2009-02-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

This is a picture from a Japanese zakka swap I did on swap-bot. It is a sakura (cherry blossom) bag. I love Japanese craft/sewing projects. They are usually quite clever and very cute. The word zakka generally means cute and useful. I'm not sure how useful this particular bag is. The bag (which is behind the flower) is only about 2" in diameter and about 1 1/2" tall. But it is very cute.

This is a set of matryoshka dolls for a swap-bot swap. I love making matryoshka dolls. I love the concept of small nesting dolls and animals. I've been working on many variations of them. Currently I'm designing a set of nesting owls. I'm almost done and will soon start on the next set of nesting animals. Hopefully I can post pictures when they are done.

Ankie Daanen Class cont.

2009-02-23T16:52:00.000-08:00

Here are the pictures of the doll I created in the Ankie Daanen class I took a couple of weeks ago. It was a wonderful experience. Also look at the finished doll. One of the best I've ever made. I would have posted these pictures sooner but I have been busy quilting. As in finishing quilts. I've machine quilted two quilts this week. Stay tuned for pictures of completed quilts. Not quite the same caliber as the doll but...

Ankie Daanen Class

2009-02-10T19:13:00.001-08:00

I had the most wonderful four day class with Ankie Daanen. I learned how to sculpt heads, hands and feet out of clay. As you can see from my almost finished head I learned a lot. Not only did I learn how to do some sculpting but also how to paint it with watercolor, a new medium for me. Because there wasn't enough time in class Ankie made costumes for all the dolls. They are exquisite with much attention to detail. As soon as I get pictures of my finished doll I will post them. I am looking forward to practicing my newly learned techniques and hopefully improving on them.

A pile of potential

2009-02-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a trip to your favorite fabric store, especially when everything is on sale. I love splurging every once in a while. My budget of course doesn't much like it, but oh well. All that new fabric-so many possibilities. So many things you can make-quilts, fabric journals, bags, softies, etc... Now I all need to do is find the time and an empty flat surface in my studio to work on them.

Time to Declutter

2009-01-25T19:02:00.000-08:00

It's January. It's time to declutter the studio. What a mess! What a job! Decluttering seems so anti-productive in the short picture. But in the long view it really is very helpful. I've had a very productive year which means there's more clutter than ever. I don't really understand why the clutter goes up exponentially with the creativity, but it does. Also it's time to evaluate those UFO's. Are they really worth finishing? Sometimes you make something just to learn the process. Hopefully when I'm done reorganizing my creativity will be renewed. Not only that, but maybe I'll also be able to find the supplies and tools I need to support my new found creativity.

First Gift of the Year

2009-01-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

The first gift of the year was this set of towels. It was a birthday present for a very good friend. I bought a set of plain towels. For me this is like a blank canvas, lots of possibilities. I embellished them with a charm pack, some lace and ribbon. My friend liked them very much.

Happy New Year and Happy Hedgehogs

2009-01-02T11:01:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone and happy hedgehogs. Why the happy hedgehogs? Well, my daughter has been asking for a real hedgehog for the last couple of years. You know how kids can be when they want something. But, they are illegal in Ca. So then, my daughter decided she wanted hedgehog earmuffs for Christmas. This was the only thing she asked for. So of course I had to design them. They kind of look like a green Princess Leah hair style when worn. They look very cute on on my daughter and I know she will wear them. The hedgehogs detach from the headband. This is useful if you just need to hold a hedgehog. The picture of the other hedgehog is one I designed for a swap-bot swap. He's about 4" long. I'd better mail him quickly before my daughter discovers him...

Merry Christmas-a bit late

2008-12-27T22:11:00.001-08:00

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone. The month of December is always so busy, baking, sewing, shopping, etc. I baked/made 10 batches of cookie and candies. There are a few left. My family is always sad when they are gone. Many gifts were made, like the nesting snow folk in the picture. I also designed and made hedgehog earmuffs for my daughter. I'm hoping to post a picture of those soon. As well as all the making and baking there were the parties. One of the most fun was the neighborhood progressive dinner. Appetizers and drinks at one house, main course at another and dessert at our house. Maybe this will become an annual event.

Pretty Present

2008-12-08T10:19:00.001-08:00

I really haven't been ignoring my blog. I've been so busy making Christmas presents that just today I found time to take pictures. This Matryoshka doll is a tree ornament I made for an ornament exchange. She is made from my own pattern and happens to fit perfectly in the pretty pocket I made from this pattern. This pretty pocket is very fast and easy to make. I also think it would look great hanging on the Christmas tree.

Group Photo

2008-11-20T10:16:00.000-08:00

My studio is starting to look empty as I pack up all these cute critters. I am participating in a local craft show that runs between Thanksgiving and New Year. It is always such fun to be in a frenzy creating lots of different things. It adds so much color and makes a huge mess. Yikes! After a while you can't find the work surfaces much less the tools you need. Hopefully all these cuties will find good homes.

Wips

2008-11-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

Lots of works in progress. It's that time of the year. My studio is a complete mess. There are so many piles of projects to be completed. Not only are there piles of unfinished projects but there are piles of supplies everywhere. Fabrics, ribbons, threads, beads and patterns make a colorful collage. Now only if I can only find what I need, when I need it, that will be an accomplishment.

Latest Pin Design

2008-11-05T21:58:00.001-08:00

I love creating new designs. This is a picture of one of my latest pin designs. She's about 2" tall. The fun thing about this design is the beading free flows based on the design of the fabric. You'll never be able to make two the same. As well as designing new pins, I've been working on some new softies. If time permits they should be done in a couple of days.

Almost Black Cat and Friend

2008-10-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

The black and pink (not very Halloweenish) cat and his companion the elephant are the latest of my creations. This photo doesn't do justice to the elephant's nose. It has a very nice curve at the end. I have more variations in the works for this basic pattern which I hope to share soon.

My Matryoshka

2008-10-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. I've been very busy sewing. This is a good thing. Two scrap quilts have been cut out. The center of one is completely sewn. It just needs borders. I walked into one of my favorite fabric stores and found the border fabric in just about 2 minutes. I'm still working on the four patch squares for the other one. As well as sewing quilt tops, I've been making fun small things. I'm involved in several swaps at Swap-bot. These swaps can be helpful for stimulating creativity. Anyway there is a Matryoshka doll swap which lead me to create my own. Yes, they do nest. Some more details need to be added, like some decorative embroidery. Because I'm so pleased with the way these turned out, I'm sure they will multiply in my sewing room, hopefully faster than the dust bunnies.

Dust Bunnies and Scrap Quilts

2008-10-08T17:19:00.001-07:00

I'm not vacuuming. I've been cutting and sewing scrap quilts. So far I've cut out two quilts and it hasn't even made a dent in the scrap pile. The scraps multiply like dust bunnies. I should know. There are plenty of them in my house. You know it's time to vacuum when the dust bunnies get as large as the smallest animal in the house. Wouldn't want them to take over the animals or anything like that. But back to quilting. I love scrap quilts, especially brightly colored ones. My family loves them too. They use them while reading, napping, watching t.v. and a variety of other activities. Now back to sewing.

Monkey, monkey, monkey

2008-10-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last week making monkeys and other fun stuffed animals. The monkeys were designed for a swap. I also went to the bay area for a few days. Got to shop in Los Gatos. Located there are three of my favorite cookware stores: Williams-Sonoma, Sur la table and Domus. Also checked out a fabric/bead store called Natural Expressions. They had a great selection of fabric and beads. How good does it get? For a light snack we got cookies from the bakery, Icing on the Cake. Before I left I managed to go to Kinokuniya, the Japanese bookstore. I love Japanese craft books. I was lucky enough to get the current issue of Cotton Time. They have some very fun projects in that magazine.

A blog for my birthday

2008-09-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday and as a present to myself I've decided to start a blog. With this blog I can chronicle all my sewing and crafting adventures. Hopefully this will stimulate my creativity and productivity. Finally, I would like to be able to encourage others in their sewing and crafting ventures.