HAND STITCHED QUILT WITH FELT APPLIQUES

Though I have made two beautiful quilts on the sewing machine, this one below is truly really my first quilt- made way before I learned to sew on the machine. It was made by using ready-made quilted blocks from a craft store. My mom got me a garbage bag filled with these blocks that her school was not using. Before I got my hands on them, they resembled frames; they had wooden buttons on each corner and a hanging rope. I took off all the buttons, all the glue, all the ropes. I hand stitched each block together to make a large quilt. Finally I embellished each square with cutout felt and used embroidery cotton to sew them. It was a great craft project that kept me busy for a long while. I'm extremely proud that I upcycled those quilt blocks and made something really pretty!

PATCHWORK PINCUSHION & THREAD HOLDER

This weekend I made the patchwork pincushion from Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson and a thread holder from The Stitching Room.

I already have a few pincushions that I use on a regular basis- one for my sewing needles, one for the sewing pins, one for the embroidery/wool needles, one that I keep by the sewing machine that holds pins as I take them off- I really could do without another pincushion, but I couldn't help myself!!! I thought it was going to be a challenge sewing each segments, but it wasn't at all. I got really excited once I closed it off, and tightened everything with cotton to definite each segment. I have it sitting on my desk as a paperweight instead. It's too pretty to put pins in!!!

I also made a thread holder using the easy tutorial on The Stitching Room. I made one last year as soon as I began sewing with the intention of using it as a thread holder, instead, it sits on my desk holding little things like my cell, lip balm, pen drive etc. Now, I finally got around to making a second thread holder and I'm happy it's doing its job!!

...UNDER THE SEA... PRETTY KNIT MERMAIDS

The Little Mermaid is the first Disney movie I've watched and when I saw the knit mermaids in Sharon Welch's Knitted Toys, I knew I absolutely had to make them! My knit toys collection is growing exponentially!

Here are my three little girls!!! They are so pretty! I loved adding little details like a seashell necklace or "crimping" their hair by unraveling yarn strings. Their curly hair remind me of Taylor Swift!!! It would be so cute if these mermaids were paired with mermans. Well, that might be on the to-do list!

AS IF REAL CUPCAKES WEREN'T ENOUGH- KNIT CUPCAKES

I am so excited about knit cupcakes!!! I really love how the tops turned out!!! I searched high and low for a good cupcake pattern. I saw many crocheted cupcakes but I don't crochet well! In the end, I made mini cupcake hats, stuffed them and sewed a circle at the bottom. They are so cute, it makes me want to make more!

A SEA OF LITTLE KNIT FISH

Aren't these fish adorable??? I feel like making more! These are from Zoe Mellor's Knitted Toys: 25 Fresh and Fabulous Designs. I have them hung on a mobile and they are so cute to look at! You can jazz up these fish by filling them with potpourri or lavander and placing them in your drawers!

KNITTED HEARTS WITH SOME FLAVOUR

These hearts are super fast and super easy to knit! The pattern is from Anna Hrachovec and it is published on Mochimochi Land 

What's your flavour? 

[from top to bottom] 1) mint 2) cranberry 3) chocolate mocha 4) chocolate orange 5) zabaglione 6) mocha 7) lemon 8) carrot 9) dark chocolate chip 10) chocolate 11) green tea 12) lemon strawberry 13) lemon cherry 14) chocolate mint 15) chocolate chip

WARM KNITS FOR A CANADIAN WINTER

I'm keeping my head and my hands warm this winter with these matching hat and mittens. The hat is a 'grown-up' version of Wendi Dunlap's  cupcake hat for babies. I was googling the pattern for the cupcake hat and by chance, I came across her lovely pattern! You can download the PDF pattern here.

To match the hat, I knitted this pair of super warm thrummed mittens! I have knitted mittens before and I once saw someone knit thrummed mittens but I had no idea of what it was called or what was used to make them. After researching, I discovered wool rovings make these mittens so toasty. I got two packs of rovings, one for each hand, from The Workroom. If you want to make your own, the best how-to for thrummed mittens is found at hello yarn! As always, I knitted an i-cord and attached it to each mitten because I used to have the tendency to lose things!

HELLO ELE!

This is my finished ELEFANTE from Susan B. Anderson. The pattern can be found on her blog. He is just so adorable!

I intended to knit each stripe in different colours, but I after starting with the chocolate brown and the pink, I realized that I was not going to make it, so I added two extra colours, yellow and green. Regardless, I love him!!!!

HEXAGON MADNESS- GRANDMOTHER'S GARDEN QUILT/ HEXAGON QUILT!

This quilt began when I headed to a rummage sale at the nearby Seniors home and found a box of partially completed grandmother's garden quilt blocks and HUNDREDS of hexagons still left to be sewn! I bought the box, two hexagon templates and a pair of scissors for $2

I began hand-sewing the rest of the fabric into GG blocks- a process that took on and off three months! 

I think I ended up with 50 GG blocks and since I wanted to use everything and I didn't want to use a solid colour fabric to divide each block I sewed everything into a HUGE mosaic. I REALLY wanted to get the quilt done!!!!!

After taking the quilt class with Johanna Maskow in September, I completed the hexagon quilt at home on my own in October. I used scrap fabric for the trim and it turned out quite nicely! 

SIMPLE PILLOWCASE SUMMER DRESS- FAUX SMOCKED

This was my first attempt at making clothes and working with elastic thread!! The dress was made from a 99 cent pillowcase and elastic thread! Total cost $5. A great tutorial for sewing with elastic thread is found here.

MORE ADORABLE BUNNIES

Here are my two lovely bunnies sewn from Romantic Home Sewing by Christina Strutt. Aren't they adorable? The girl bunny is the original pattern. She comes with a dress and a pinafore. I also made a boy bunny with a lovely tie! You have to pardon my embroidery skills!!

MY FAVOURITE CLUTCH

This was one of the first things I made on my own soon after I was comfortable with sewing. It's a simple clutch made with polka dot linen on the outside and strips of scrap fabric on the inside. I used batting in between layers to cushion it a little. I used a blanket stitch around the flap, used snap buttons for closing and added a strap, which can be tucked on the inside. It's suprisingly roomy!  I simply love it!

The yellow clutch is what I made for my sister. I used a vintage print fabric which I bought from a rummage sale for 50 cents!!!

BATHINA HANDBAG

Here is my take on the Bathina bag which you can find on Burda Style.

After cutting all the pieces, it came together easily enough until I hit a bump- I couldn't figure out how to place the handles!!!! I was playing with the handles for the longest time and I couldn't figure it out so I left it be for a week. Every time I saw the bag unfinished, I was thinking about this handle until one day, walking to the library, I figured it out!!!  I came home, I sat at the machine and finished it! 

Just a few days ago I saw an how-to that clarifies the sewing of the handles! If I had that before!

PRETTY, HOMEMADE, PERSONAL BUSINESS CARDS

I always wanted to have my own business cards and after graduating with my M.A degree, I figured it was the perfect time to get them done to show off my titles. I was also growing tired of scribbling telephone numbers and 

e-mails in pieces of paper.

I saw online ads that offer 250 business cards for free and you pay only shipping and handling, but two reason were stopping me: 1) I don't know what to do with 250 cards 2) I don't have a credit card. 

Being creative, I knew I could make my own cards! But how? I knew I wanted something pretty, inexpensive and I wanted to control how many I had. I realized that I had a box of perfume cards that I collected over the years at the mall. Why not use them? They are FREE, come in stiff paper, different shapes and sizes and I can pull out different ones every time!!!

After sorting through HUNDREDS of fragrance cards- men and women fragrances- I headed to Microsoft Word and 

I printed out dozens of cards!  

I absolutely love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So if you want to be creative, are looking for a cheap alternative to expensive business cards, reuse those pretty perfume cards!!!

For those interested here is a quick tutorial!!

1) Trace the outline of the card on piece of paper. Place the sheet in your printer.

2) Open Microsoft Word. Type your information in small font [size 7, 8, 9 depending on the size and shape of the card]. 

3) Set the colour.

4) Eyeball the position of the writing with the outline of the card.

5) Print it out. This first printout will help you figure out any adjustments to be made. 

6) Once you made your corrections, print it out again. 

7) If the printing is at the centre of the pencil outline of your card, you are ready to print on the cards!!!

8) Place your perfume card on the pencil outline using masking tape.

9) Print!

TIP #1) It is good to have extra cards in case you mess up- and you will mess up, believe me!!!!

TIP #2) If you like your cards to smell pretty, spritz the perfume and let it dry before printing.

***These cards are strictly for personal use only. No infringement intended***

MY FIRST NINE PATCH QUILT

In September 2008, I took a three part class at The Workroom and learned to make the nine patch quilt!

The class was taught by the renowned Johanna Masko, quilt-master par excellence!

We were supposed to  complete a 9 blocks quilt, instead I did a 36 blocks quilt. I worked on the other 27 blocks the week prior to the last class and used all the fat quarters I bought for the project. I considered that I couldn't really 'use' or enjoy a baby nine patch quilt. I wanted something big enough to throw on my lap.

The quilt turned out so HUGE [64"x80"] that for the back of the quilt, I headed to Goodwill and bought a king sized bedsheet!!! Boy oh boy! Prepping the top layer, the batting and the backing took LOTS of pins and patience! I had never sewn anything that large before and I was afraid it wouldn't get through the machine but we made it work!

Johanna was so impressed that she mentioned my quilt on her blog!!!!

From 9 fat quarters...

To a completed quilt!

BUNNY PENCIL CASES

This week I worked on three bunny pencil cases from Zakka Sewing. I was very happy to come across this pattern on Craftzine.com! I'm so happy with the way they turned out! I used linen, scrap fabric for the lining and I did not use the batting in between layers. I also embellished the bunnies by using embroidery floss for the nose and eyes! I'm getting addicted to sewing with zippers!

Here are two other Brazilian hipsters that I made for my best friend. I really hope she likes them. I'm mailing them out tomorrow. It would be quite the kicker if she received them before Valentine's Day! I got the wide stretch lace at Downtown Fabrics for $3.50/m. I highly recommend going there!!

FIDDLING WITH METAL FRAME PURSES

Finally I made my 2nd coin purse [the first was for my sister]! I bought the frame about a month ago and even though it's a quick project to sew, I waited all this time to get it done! I used the U-Handbag tutorial and the instructions were easy to follow which made it all a breeze. 

I used a sew-on frame not knowing there were frames you sewed on and those your glued on. I just thought the scalloped edge was cute. As of now I'm comfortable with the sew-on frames. I can always take it out if I make mistakes or if I feel like changing the fabric, I can redesign a new purse. I would love to make an elegant clutch but I have yet to find the perfect frame!

UNDERWEAR ADVENTURES- PART 2

In the second class we made the hipster. I was excited about this class because now we were making something that was more of my element! 

I got 1/2m of 55" wide stretch fabric for $2.

The first pair was challenging as I was trying to work out each step, the elastic and the zigzag stitches  [was I pulling too much or not enough! arrrgggghhh!] . Once everything was done, I was pretty happy with the result considering that with a serger the sewing would have been a snap. 

I made 3 of the green ones and 4 of the lilac ones. The ruffled elastic is very pretty but it's scratchy so I found other pretty elastics which are softer to the skin. I am going to use those for the boyshorts!

UNDERWEAR ADVENTURES-PART 1

I am so excited to have learned to make underwear! I took a two part class at The Workroom and learned a lot about working with elastic and stretch fabric. We used the Jalie women's underwear pattern #2568. It comes with a camisole and 3 styles of underwear: Brazilian hipster, hipster and bikini.

The first pair I made was the Brazilian hipster. I admit I was a bit apprehensive and embarassed at the thought of making such 'sassy' underwear, afterall my drawer has always been filled with cutesy cotton printed underwear! 

Due to my hesitation, I didn't dare to buy expensive or a lot of  wide stretch lace. I went to Fabricland and got a great deal [buy 1m get 2m free at $3!!!!].

I was blown away at how easily the hipster came together!!! At home I made two other pairs! I'm absolutely in love with them. They are sooooo pretty and comfortable! Now I can have beautiful,  "expensive looking underwear for a fraction of the cost. 

2009 CRAFT TO-DO-LIST

Make underwear

Make a pencil skirt

Make a tube top

Make a convertible/infinity dress from rostichery

 Make a string quilt

Make a pair of shorts

Make a pair of pjs

Finish knitting the shoulder wrap

 Make a second snap coin purse

  Make a bunny pencil case from Zakka Sewing

Make a strapless dress

Use bamboo handles for a handbag

 Make a camisole

 Make boyshorts

 Get a serger

 Make a thread holder