Month: April 2008

Pillow Project

| terriaw

I love love love the chocolate lollipop fabrics by Anna Maria Horner! Since I can’t get enough of these fabrics, I have been stockpiling them before the stores and online shops run out, and before Anna Maria’s next line of fabrics – Drawing Room – comes out (any day now). I have big plans for that line of fabric too! While trying to find space on my sewing chair… (silly cat!)

silly cat!

… I made this cute pillow for my sewing room. I used the pink icing fabric for the front side of a 16″ pillow form.

front of pillow

Here is the back of the pillow, using the azalea dotta polk fabric, which shows the envelope opening I made so I can change the cover as the mood strikes me. I sewed two tabs of Fabric Fusion evenly spaced on the under side of the edges to keep the back closed and neat.

back of pillow

Here is a close-up shot of the rick-rack trim I added around edge of the pillow, which I think turned out sooo cute! I had some extra wide hot pink rick-rack in my stash, and this seemed like the perfect way to use it. I struggled to sew it around the corners but after pinning, sewing, and turning, it turned out quite nice, if I do say so.

close-up of the rick-rack

With the fabric scraps, I made these coasters, which are so bright and cheerful to me. (I used the pattern from Amy Karol’s Bend-the-Rules-Sewing book.)

coasters

Can you tell I’m having a blast with these fabrics?! I have two more completed projects to photograph for another post, and three more projects in progress on my sewing table.

Apron Challenge

| terriaw

Aprons have become so very popular these days, with this blog about all things aprony and many books specializing in aprons.  I am beginning to like aprons more and more, not just for their primary purpose to protect my clothes while I cook, but for their girly prettiness.  Like an accessory to wear while you’re in the kitchen!

One of the local fabric stores in Madison is hosting an apron challenge. Entries are due to the shop this weekend, at which time the wonderful ladies in the shop will hang the aprons on clothes lines strung throughout their shop. Customers will be invited to cast their votes.

I am going to enter this apron, which I made from the Holly Hill fabric line designed by Laurie Bird for Windham Fabrics. The front side is the white trio floral fabric with the green white dot fabric for the pocket and waistband / ties.

It has a small pocket on the right side, and it’s reversible.

reverse side of apron

This is one of the few times I didn’t use anyone else’s pattern. Yes, I actually made this up on my own! I am happy with how it turned out. I made binding strips out of the green white dot fabric to finish off the edges all the way around. I also made extra wide binding strips for the waistband and ties.

Two things I will do different for the next apron are to make the skirt slightly shorter and to make the pocket much bigger. A recipe card would probably fit in these smaller pockets.

If you’re in the neighborhood, stop in the shop and cast your vote.

The First Market

| terriaw

One of my favorite things to do is go to outdoor markets. I especially love the Dane County Farmers Market, held every Saturday around the Capital square here in Madison. The market was founded in 1972, so this is the 36th anniversary. This weekend was the opener for us to get ready for the 2008 growing season!

the first market

There are usually about 200 vendors, selling everything from bakery, pesto, produce, cheese (of course, it’s Wisconsin!), maple syrup, beeswax, perennials, jerky, smoked fish, and so much more!

Our spring has been cold and damp so far, making us wait another week or two to buy plants for our gardens. One vendor was selling tomatoes, grown in a greenhouse, I assumed. The winter lettuce sold out very early in the morning (before we arrived). But there were a few nice containers to choose from.

containers for sale

Some containers were hard to resist, but we exercised our will power to wait until the chance for frost is gone.

beautiful containers of geraniums

What a beautiful way to spend a gorgeous Saturday morning!

Gardening with Chipmunks

| terriaw

It’s hard to keep some of our bulbs right where we planted them. Those cute but pesky little chipmunks love crocus bulbs. We planted over 20 of them a couple years ago, and one day I watched a chipmunk carry them away. (wish I had a picture of him with a bulb stuffed in his mouth)

Tamias rufus

Now I’m finding crocuses blooming in places I didn’t plant them. I’m not complaining. I’m just surprised to find a few left.

Next fall, we will have to plant more bulbs all over the yard to keep those chipmunks on their toes.

Luckily, the chipmunks and rabbits don’t bother these spring flowers.

I have no idea what these dainty white flowers are or where they came from, but they are cute. Anyone know what they are?

I sure wish I could let her out to help me keep up with those cute garden pests.

Painting

| terriaw

Spring is s l o w l y starting to show itself around here, but it’s coming s l o w l y.

Our weather outside hasn’t been cooperative enough lately for us to be outside, gardening or just enjoying some sunshine.

Instead, we decided to paint a couple rooms over the weekend. We bought our house three years ago, and still, all the walls are white. How boring and sterile! We finally settled on this color for the main wall in the kitchen:
2 OZ.

and this color for the rest of the kitchen and the living room.

2 OZ.

We are almost done, just need another half gallon to finish up. Then we get to put everything back together and rehang our pictures. We have a lot of photographic art throughout the house, and the inspiration for these colors came from two gorgeous photographs we purchased from Scanlon Photography while they were exhibiting at the Madison Art Fair.


A. Le Logge, Tuscany


Barchetta, Bellagio

These pictures will hang on the main wall in the kitchen; just need to buy one more and some frames.

I have never painted before, and I’m surprised how much I enjoyed it. Next, we’re trying to decide what color to paint our family room.

family room

Maybe we will be able to settle on one of these colors.

Simple Sewing Projects

| terriaw

I finally got around to making a couple projects from Amy Karol’s new book Bend the Rules Sewing. I love her website and I fell in love with her book as soon as it came out. I’m not a beginning sewer, but there were so many helpful tips in the beginning section. I loved the tip of using cotton flannel instead of heavyweight interfacing, especially for these simple-structure projects.

The first project I made was the Artsy Clutch, which is the perfect size handbag when running out the door for coffee or to a movie. The step-by-step instructions were easy to follow, and the illustrations made this piece go together in minutes, literally!

Artsy Clutch

Here is the subtle lining fabric and the fancy button my husband helped me pick out!

Lining of Clutch

The next project I made was the No-Cash Wallet, which was also very easy. Again, simple instructions and wonderful illustrations to guide you along the right track.

No-Cash Wallet

I used the same lining inside the wallet for the lining and the pockets. Next time, I would choose a different fabric for the inside pockets so there would be more color contrast next to the lining. But I still like it!

Clutch and wallet

The clutch and wallet, along with a book or magazine, fit nicely into this fabric tote bag, which I made up on my own. (Once I figure out which fabric I used for these three projects, I will amend this post. I just can’t remember right now, darn it.)

Tote Bag

The next project I’m looking forward to making from Amy’s sewing book is the mixy matchy napkin set, using Heather Bailey’s fabric Freshcuts.

New Books

| terriaw

I bought some new books lately to spark my creativity, and I’m excited to share them with you.

I will start out with the best purchase of all – I broke down and bought Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern, which feels more like a coffee table book for my craft room, tempting me to call it my inspiration room.

Midwest Modern book

I have to admit, the first time I looked at this book, I was a little hesitant to buy it because I thought it would be a project book, like Amy’s first book In Stitches. However, on a recent lunch hour, I found a comfy chair in the back of the book store, and studied this book, page by page, as if it were a textbook. I found out that it is instead a lifestyle book, portraying different aspects of Amy’s life, from her house, to her studio, to her designs, to her garden, to her travels. I was so caught up in the images, the inspirations, and the messages that I just lost track of time. Every time I look at this book, I lose track of time.  It inspires me to sew more, decorate my house, plant more in the garden, and even learn to draw!

Next, I fell in love with Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray, which gives general embroidery techniques and project instructions for many, many projects. This inspires me to try more embroidery, to practice my doodling and to learn to sketch.

Doodle Stitching book

The last book I bought was Pretty Little Patchwork by Lark Books, which begins with basic patchwork techniques and moves on to lots of adorable patchwork projects.

Pretty Little Patchwork book

I recently heard someone suggest that if a book has three or more patterns in it that you would make, you must buy it. Here are at least three projects I would like to try:
patchwork clutch

patchwork belts

patchwork clock

One last note, I can’t wait to purchase Anna Maria Horner’s new book to be called Seams To Me, which won’t be out until October. I just know it will be fantastic because Anna Maria and ALL her work are fantastic!