SweetPea and Co.

Tattoos I would actually get

2011-08-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

I have a phobia of needles and this has prevented me from ever putting ink on my skin. I love how beautiful and expressive tattoos can be, but I can't think of what I would want permanently on my skin. So IF I were to ever get one, which MAYBE someday I might, I might do something like one of these (but maybe smaller because I hate needles)....

Everything you need to know about doing a craft show

2011-08-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

November and December are big holiday craft fair times. There is a ton of prepping, planning, buying, inventory, bags, on and on and on. And that's if you have done it a few times. Seriously though, it's not too hard and once you finish up your first show it all becomes a breeze!

For all you newbie's, here is a couple of lists of things you should 9and shouldn't) do, what you might need, and some good old fashion advice on how to do a successful craft show.

Pre-Gaming It:

1. As soon as you apply for a show, start planning as if you got it. That means research. Find out where you can get bags, business cards, credit card processing, ect. Once you are accepted, the dirty work is done and you can go ahead and order what you need.

2. Ask a buddy or two if they are free to help. More on this later.

3. Make! Use the majority of the pre-show time (what time you have available) to build up your inventory. The more you have the better. Remember that what ever is left over and doesn't sell can be sold on your online shop or at your next show.

4. Promote! Announce your show on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, to friends, family, co-workers, everywhere. These are the people who will pass on that info. If the show has posters to hand out, make sure to post those up in your neighborhood.

The Days Before:

The week leading up to your show is a good time to finalize your inventory and price your items. DO NOT do this the night before. I repeat, DON'T DO THAT!! You will work late into the night versus doing it slowly over a couple of days. The best way I have found is to bribe a friend or two with an alcoholic beverage or two and dinner to help. Two of my very good friends have helped in the past and I couldn't have been more thankful!

Historically I have always taken the day off work the day before a show. If you can do this it will help. If that's not an option, just relax. That day I gather up everything I will need and put it into one spot so nothing gets left behind. All my goods go into clear plastic bins. Last minute stuff gets wrapped up but the goal is to chill with your feet up and relax. Go to bed early. Seriously. Your mom is right.

Do's and Don'ts of a Craft Show

Bring lots of cash and if needed change. To avoid change, I use whole numbers on everything.
Take credit cards. You will loose business if you don't. Shoppers are more likely to buy if they can use plastic and it's possible they might buy more. Think of going into Target with only $20 versus your check card. Wanna bet you spend more with that card?
Don't ignore your customers by only talking to your friends! This can be very unfriendly and unwelcoming. I have passed by a few booths because they couldn't stop and say hello. And for heaven sakes, don't read a book!
On the flip side, don't hound shoppers. You can tell when someone works commission and you don't want to be That Guy.
Have a plan for those Awful Questions. You know, where do you get your supplies? Did you know So and So sells something similar for less? Would you take X for this? Be prepared so you don't stumble for an answer.
Wear comfy shoes. Wear layers. Bring tall stools to sit on when you need a break.
Snacks are good, but try not to have a big chow down in front of people. Make sure to bring water.
Remember that buddy or two you asked way back when to help? Here is where they come and help you load up, unload, set up and sell. I in no way could manage doing a show with out my friends Natasha and Kelly.
Have a range of price-points. There is that magical $10 or $15 price-point that appeals to shoppers on a budget (and who isn't?). This doesn't mean that your couldn't have your $1000 paintings there either. The point is to have a range.
Do carry pens, tape, scissors, safety pins, Ibuprofen, extra business cards, and a notebook for custom orders or a newsletter sign up.
Do have a story. Why do you make these? Are the beads in your jewelry handmade by you or vintage? Do you like to use vintage sewing patterns or fabric? Where do you like to go as a photographer? One of the most important things to remember is that YOU made this, not a factory in China. People who go to craft shows go because they like to meet the artisans and crafters. Build up a good repoire with your shopper and you may develop a long-term and repeat customer!

Tips for the Eye-Catching Booth:

Buy bed risers to raise your table up. This brings everything to eye level. That brings me to the next item...
Bring your merchandise up to eye level. Think about those crowded shows where people are huddled around a table. Can't see anything, right? I use dress forms and vertical stands to help make my items more visible. If you have walls, use those too.
A large banner or sign with your business name.
A colorful tablecloth (or neutral if you don't want things to clash)
Keep things tidy and approachable.
Keep things consistent. Similar types of displays (wood, painted, ect), neatly printed or hand lettered signs, clever packaging - all these make your booth very pleasing to look at and enticing!

Embroidery

2011-08-15T21:44:00.001-07:00

A sample of some very cool embroidery projects:
Design Sponges Napkins
The Purl Bee's Sashiko Pillows
Wild Olive's Valentine Heart

Joel Dewberry

2011-08-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

Some Lovely things made with Joel Dewberry fabric....

Mermaids

2011-08-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Another quilt added to the shop! This print by Heather Ross is so cute and so out of print : ( I should have bought more when I had the chance.

Mid Century Modern

2011-08-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

Etsy Seller - Tabletin

2011-08-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

A very talented gal from St. Paul, you can check out her Etsy shop here.

Treasury -Mad Men in Gold

2011-08-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

I have become addicted to making treasuries in Etsy!

Tutorials - The Office

2011-08-01T04:50:00.000-07:00

Fabric covered notebook - Between the Lines
Closet into an office - Country Home Gardens
Fabric covered clips - Dandee
Pantone chip magnets - How About Orange
Cork containers - Design Sponge
String tie envelope - Simply Modern Mom

Flying Geese

2011-07-31T05:35:00.000-07:00

Purl Bee, Red Pepper Quilts, Delightful Disaray
One Flew Over, Nifty Quilts, A Quilt is Nice
Msmcporkchop, Never Enough Hours, Make it Modern

New goods in the shop!

2011-07-30T04:44:00.000-07:00

Just a little peak...

Hello There

2011-07-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

I'm back. School is over. Time to sew. Things are slowly getting crafty and messy while I job hunt but it feels good to have fabric in my hand again. More to come very soon. In the meantime, here's some pretties to look at...

Sewing Room 2.0

2010-06-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

Things needed to change. I was dragging out the ironing board, moving it back. It was a mess. So I moved furniture around to best utilize the space, keep the board out and keep access to the closet door available. Ta Da!

The ever-growing containers of fabric. The left two bins on the bottom shelf are all scraps. I need to find a use for these or purge.

My vintage button collection. Having them in plastic containers makes it much easier to sort.

The table has moved to the front set of windows. This allows for better light and a view of the neighborhood. Also great for cats who wish to be on the lookout. For squirrels. And birds.

The ironing board has a home! This is where the sewing table use to be. It's a bit tricky to get at the thread, but a room with more windows that actual wall doesn't allow much space to hang things.

Oranges and Browns Quilt

2010-06-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

The latest project: a boy quilt. Kinda. It does have flowers but the colors are more boyish I guess. All the fabric is from Denyse Schmidt's Katie Jump Rope line.

Hexagon Quilt Update

2010-06-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've found that doing these little hexagons is very relaxing and considering the about of stress as of late it's been good to work on. This is a good tutorial from Thimble Blossoms on how to make a hexagon quilt.

With the paper pieces on the back. I used just a little bit of glue from a glue stick.

The Hexagon Quilt

2010-06-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

I found a couple packages of pre-cut hexagon pieces in a antique store. They're gorgeous. They're feedsack fabric. Did I mention they were already cut out and waiting to be turned into something pretty after years of neglect?

Wedding Quilt

2010-06-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Sweetpea saying hello.

My uber-talented sister Heather made this gorgeous quilt for Tyler and I for our wedding. It was almost 4 years ago. We got it this spring. I like to tease her for the lateness but I have done the same so really I can't.

Sassy approves.

Flea Market Fancy

2010-06-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

My collection has grown a bit and now I have to decide what to do with my precious stack. The problem is that once you collect cuts of discontinued fabric, it's very hard to cut them up - regardless of what the project will be. I managed to find a few yards of the pink florals in a fabric shop in Hudson, Wisconsin. Please don't ask which shop because I literally took the last of the bolt!

Craftstravaganza 2010

2010-05-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Fun was had this year at the show, though sales (for everyone) were a bit lower. I was very happy with my display and again I was blessed with the help of my friends Kelly and Natasha!

Kelly chilling out before things begin.

Kelly and Tasha scoping out the crowd.

New Goodies in the Shop

2010-05-11T19:10:00.001-07:00

I'm digging cross stitch right now!

I love the lime green with the orange, wonderful contrast.

This is from a vintage 50's pattern.

I love this.

And now I can breathe...

2010-05-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

Classes are done, the craft show is over and now I have (some) free time! I have several new dresses and onesies that will be posted to the shop this week.

Stay tuned.....

Sew up some Love

2010-02-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

From birchberryfarms

A holiday is always a good excuse to make something pretty. Valentines Day should be no exception:

The Purl Bee's Heart Pouch
and Valentine Pins
Martha Stewart Heart Potholders
Craft Magazine's Heart Pins
How About Orange's Heart Garland

Other sweet ideas... I know the time of mixed tapes is long gone (does anyone else really miss doing that besides me?), but how about a custom CD or songs downloaded to your Sweetie's iPod? Melt different shades of pink and red crayon and pour into a heart mold. Pair with some coloring sheets and give to a young child. Any sort of flower besides a rose. Roses are gorgeous, but during the week leading up to Valentines Day they are so over-priced and cliched. What about Peonies? Tulips? Daffodils?

Craftstravaganza 2.0!

2010-02-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

Version 1.0 (aka Spring 2009)

If you will be in or around St. Paul, MN this May, come check me out at the Craftstravaganza indie craft show! Here's the low down:

Saturday, May 1
9 AM - 5 PM
MN State Fairgrounds - Fine Arts bldg
free admission!

This show is so fun and easy to navigate. There will be crafters selling jewelry, prints, ceramics, clothing, soaps, toys, and so much more.

So Cute!

2010-02-04T14:02:00.001-08:00

I sold this dress a while back on Etsy and Kate sent me a picture of her absolutely adorable daughter Carolyn wearing it! At the time Carolyn wasn't big enough to wear it so I'm stoked to see it on her now. I love that fabric. I have a little stash of it left, but not much. I'm deciding if it should go into a quilt or another dress. Tough decision....

Gorgeous Quilt PDF

2010-02-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this lovely quilt on Etsy's front page and had to share it. Etsy shop kellymccaleb offers this wonderful pattern and it looks like at one point she sold the quilt as a kit. Her red and aqua color combination is beautiful!

Quilt Show Goodies

2010-01-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

I had a bit of time to pull some older pictures from my camera. These were my fabric purchases from this past fall at the Quilt Show.

I was lucky to find these Moda Swell fat quarters. The colors are so vivid. These will be turned into a quilt.

A very pretty retro print. I'm starting to see a trend...

I have a new appreciation for Kaffee Fassett. I bought several yards of the bottom print for dresses. His colors are just lush and down right happy.

A few Moda pieces. Not quite enough for a quilt, but this collection may grow. I love the basic primary colors.

My wonderful stash!!

You say hello and I say goodbye

2010-01-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010. In 2009...

I went from a part time student to a full time one. Yeah! I can finish school by 2011 instead of some far far far away time.

I sold my first quilt. In 2 days.

My first nephew - Lucca - was born. I absolutly adore that little boy.

I did two major craft shows. I'm now hooked.

Fell more in love with my husband.

In 2010 I hope to...

Clean my sewing machine. I keep promising to do this.

Eat more fruits and veggies.

Do more crafts shows. As I said, I'm hooked.

Sell more quilts.

The Coolest Thanksgiving Runner You'll Ever Make

2009-11-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

image from the Purl Bee

This runner from the crafty chicas at Purl Bee is so cute and is such a cool way to dress up your table without pulling out the fake turkey or the gourds. I love that this could be used any time of year as well. Plus, since it's quilted you can put hot plates and bowls directly on it without damaging the table! Follow the instructions here.

My Book Wishlist

2009-11-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

With my birthday coming up soon and X-Mas, I re-loaded my book wish list on Amazon. There's so many neat things out there and several that are due out this winter. In no particular order:

A wonderful typography book.

I have three words for Ms. Garten: Kick Ass Cook.

It's patchwork. It has to be amazing!

By MN's own Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins. Trisha and her husband Matt own the very cool and very amazing fabric store Crafty Planet, located in the same Minneapolis neighborhood where my mother grew up.

31 Days

2009-11-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

This is how many days I have to get ready for the biggest craft show I have ever been in. Two days long. Twice as much inventory as the last. I'm not panicking yet, but I'm waiting for that to settle in. I need a really productive marathon weekend. I have all these great sketches of dresses. Some with lots of yo yo's. One with folded flowers. I have about 5 things cut out and waiting. I have at least 3 quilt stacks that are ready to go. What to do first? I'm focusing in more on a select few different items unlike last time. Dresses, overalls, pinafores, onesies/t-shirts, and bibs. If time I will try making some cute little shoes. No pincushions. Maybe a quilt or two. We'll see.

The image above is the logo for the 2009 Vendor page. I tried to make something that would pop out. What do you guys think?

Naive

2009-10-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Strolling through the graphic design section at the book store I came up this amazing gem of a book: Naive : Modernism and Folklore in Contemporary Graphic Design. It's filled with wonderful eye candy from designers around the world. Think of Scandinavian meets whimsical meets early 60's paper cut outs. This will be ordered by the end of the week! Bonus: Minnesota's very own Miss Amy Jo is featured!

(All images from Amazon.com)

Hello there...

2009-10-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

So it's been shamefully long since I posted but school has eaten up (most of my ) time. Anyway, good news, I have been accepted into the No Coast Craft O Rama! Happy Joy Joy! Check out their website. Past vendors are currently up, but 2009 won't be for a few weeks yet. So excited!

Typography

2009-09-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

Typography (Etymology: typos—type, graphos—written) is the art and technique of arranging type, type design, and modifying type glyphs. My homage to typography:

Click on the image to be taken to that Etsy shop....

Bold and Noble

eternalmagpie

spinspin

1girl1boy

Gearing up for Fall

2009-09-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

New goodies have been added to the shop!

Halloween Etsy Style

2009-09-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

I'm getting into the Halloween spirit already. Browsing through Etsy, it's obvious others are as well. Click on the image to be directed to their shop.

From Nostalgiclinks

From prismmoon

From NattyKnits

From CrowBiz

Stitch Magazine

2009-09-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

all images from Interweavestore.com and quilting arts.com

If you haven't picked up a copy of this magazine yet, do so. The fall issue comes out early this October and is avaialble for pre-order on Interweavestore.com. What is so great about this magazine is that the projects are more unusual and creative. You won't find instructions for how to fit a jacket, but how to make an awesome patchwork pillow, how to do free-form machine embroidery, and much more. It's very hip.

You can find the pattern for this funky bicycle skirt here.

200 Hearts!

2009-09-10T21:57:00.001-07:00

Happy Day!

Going to the Quilt Expo!

2009-09-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

All my mom had to do to lure me away to Madison for a short weekend, including missing a day of pay, was show me the brochure for the Midwest Quilt Expo. Umm, yeah I'll go! I have never been to a quilt expo. I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I know that being surrounded by fabric, quilts, and creative women will do my tired spirit some good. If you happen to be near Madison this weekend, here is the low down...

Over 100 vendors (so so much fabric!!!)
Quilt exhibit including a contest
Presentations
Classes
so much more!

Will post pictures and more when I return!

Darn Cute Bag

2009-09-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

oh so pretty!

So for my future sister in law's birthday I choose to make her the Buttercup Bag by Made by Rae. I love how it turned out. I used Amy Butler prints. The great thing about this pattern is that it's very easy to follow and uses very little fabric.

A few suggestions to those making this....

With just a quilting weight cotton for the exterior and lining it could use some ommf. A heavy fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the lining would help it hold it's shape a little better.
The instructions calls for sewing the handle to the inside of the bag after the lining is in. I tried sewing the handle in with the lining for a little extra support. It works well, just make sure you don't twist the handle! See the little seam on the handle. Yeah. Don't twist it. Opps.

The very important and handy inner pocket. Magnetic snap. Also handy.

Hope Valley is out!!!!

2009-08-29T06:11:00.000-07:00

Denyse Schmidt's next line of quilting fabric is now viewable online!

Finishing the Quilt

2009-08-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

After getting all the squares done, I sewed the top together first by rows, then sewing the rows together. When connecting rows, be sure to start at opposite ends on each row. This helps to ensure that your quilt won't be slightly curved to one side.

Here I laid out the back piece, right side facing the floor, then the batting, then the top of the quilt. You can either hand baste it, but I liked using quilting safety pins. They are curved so it is easier to pin then in place. Be sure to start from the middle and smooth all your layers.

I managed to get about 3 inches of sewing done when I decided it was time to buy a walking foot. Well worth the investment. Of course I was also suckered in to buying a 1/2 inch seam foot as well. I managed to hold off when the sales woman asked if I needed more bobbins.

The finished product!

The greatest part of this, aside from seeing it all come together, was that it sold, on Etsy, in about 24 hours!

Calling all Flea Market Fancy Lovers!

2009-08-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

A goof friend of mine sent me a link for this blog that is solely dedicated to bringing back Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy line of fabric. Currently it is not being produced and fat quarters go for a hefty sum like it's a black market for quilters. So if you would like to join along - and you know you do! - sign her petition that will be sent to Free Spirit, the company that prints Schmidt's fabrics.

The Next Quilt

2009-07-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

(A bit wrinkly)

I'm getting the quilting itch again. I found a stash of fabrics that I bought a few years ago just after graduating from college. To me they looked sweet and perfect for a girl's quilt. I'm using a log cabin pattern. One block left before I assemble the top. I'm already thinking about the next few...

The Earring Holder

2009-07-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

I had decided it was finally time to retire my crappy window screen earring holder for something slightly more glam. Debating whether to do a cool tree like hanger (cats would play with it) or maybe another vanity top contraption (took up too much surface area) I decided to make a wall hanging version. This is super easy to make with the right tools:

8 x 10 or larger frame in decent shape
Stamped metal mesh (think vintage upright radiator screens. You can find this at any hardware or home center)
Tin snipers if you are lucky or have a brother in law who loves tools.
Little metal tabs for holding glass (in this case metal) in the frame. Available at a craft store such as Micheal's.
Small felt pads (under the chair leg floor protectors)

Start by finding a neat frame. I found this guy at the Goodwill! Can't beat 99 cents! Use the glass as a template to trace out the size directly onto the stamped metal.

Using a tin snipers, cut your metal.The trick with tin snipers is to hold it paralel with the metal. Found that out the hard way.

Insert into the back of the frame. If it's tight enough you may not need to secure it, otherwise use pointy metal tabs that can be inserted with a flat knife edge or an edge of a putty knife.

If the frame will sit too flat against the wall for the hooks of the earrings, then use small sticky-backed felt pads used for under chair legs. This will raise it off the wall and keep it from sliding around too much.

Free Spirit Fabrics Free Patterns

2009-07-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

Free Spirit Fabrics, which carries several designers like Anna Marie Horner, Joel Dewberry, and Denyse Schmidt to name a few has several free quilt patterns! The quilt above is called Good Folks by Anna Marie Horner.

Darla

From David Walker's Robots

Cool Blog - Film in the Fridge

2009-07-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

The cutest dang potholders you have ever seen!

I had to think about what this name means and then I remembered back to high school and my photography classes. Oh yeah, you keep film in the fridge to preserve it. Cool!

This woman is uber talented! Maker of quilts and other sewn goodies she also has a fabric collection to die for - including many rare out of print Flea Market Fancy pieces. Her quilts are lovely and she has many great tutorials and images of her quilt squares.

Be sure to check out her string quilt tutorial.

She also has an http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7001061 where she sells her cute quilts. I love her Baby Girl Stripes quilt here. Great color combination, not too girly, but just sweet enough.

All images from Film in the Fridge

Design Sponge

2009-07-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

hannah berman of pie bird press

Every so often (very often ) I get the urge to re-decorate. My color palette's seem to change but due to my (lack) of great income and the color of my couch, I am limited to just planning for the house I will one day move into.

But, if you like to get ideas and check out some amazing interiors, then check out Design * Sponge. This amazing blog has a plethora of ideas and inspiration!

hannah berman of pie bird press

Oscar and Emma

Check out the framed piece over the bed. This is a piece of fabric stretched and attached to a wooden frame. This is a very inexpensive way to create a neat visual piece. You can also use different sized frames and prints to form a collage of work.

Kimberly Austin

Urban Outfitters Gets Crafty

2009-07-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Known for it's teen and 20 - some duds, Urban Outfitters has caught on to the DIY movement. Everything from iron transfers, to vintage buttons, books, and even a sewing machine.

A heavy duty beast of a machine!

You can even paint your walls with milk paint.

Book Review - Patchwork Style

2009-07-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome book! Originally published in Japanese, this book of patchwork How To's from Suzuko Koseki has now been translated to English. The colors and fabrics used are simply delicious and so bold - it's like eye candy!

Both images taken from Make Good Books via Flickr

The book features several quilt, purse, pillow, and other household patterns including place mats and tissue holders. Projects include log cabin quilts and pillows, free-hand stitching, square patchwork, applique, and square applique. Etsy featured a great How To article that gives instructions on how to make one of the potholders from the book.

Featured Etsy Seller - Speckless

2009-07-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

Heidi, a fellow Minnesotan, has a wonderful Etsy shop where she sells really neat crocheted bowls, dishcloths, containers, and scrubbies. Her dishcloths are made from %100 cotton yarn are long-lasting and very environmentally friendly!

Yummy yummy green...

or pretty cranberry red!

So Sweet!

2009-07-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

I had to post a picture of the cutest little girl - Carolyn - wearing a custom order that I made for her. This was her Easter outfit. I love the little gnomes on her bottoms. I wish they still made that print!! Thank you Kate for allowing me to post this picture!!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

From Martha Stewart

Happy Independence Day fellow Americans. To pay tribute to the Red White and Blue, here are some 4th of July inspired food, crafts, and more!

Food
Martha Stewart's Flag Cake
Martha Stewart's Summer Shortcake

Easy Layered red white and blue desert:
Alternate layers of blueberries, strawberries, and whipped cream in a trifle bowl or individual clear glasses.

From Purl Bee

Crafts
Martha Stewart's Party Pom Poms
Martha Stweart's Red White and Blue Garland
Quilted Firework Table Runner from Make It Do
Firework Pom Poms from Make and Takes
Purl Bee's 4th of July Baby Hat
Purl Bee's Stars and Stripes Felted Hotpads

Free Bag Pattern from Made by Rae

2009-06-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

This bag is so cute! Find out how to make it at Made by Rae. Please note she has posted this for personal use, not for re-sale.

2009-06-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

General Deasil's All Natural Cleaning Solution (available on Etsy)

It seems our grandmothers (and great-grandmothers ) knew how to be thrifty in the depression days of the 30's. Though we haven't quite reached that economic crisis (and I hope we never sink to that point) it does make you think about ways to reduce spending and waste.

There are countless ways to do things on the cheap or ways to reuse or fix a material object. The first question should be - "do I need it? Is it a want?" And "could I make that?"

Things to make....

Obviously the handmade movement is in full swing and many many things now are being crafted in our very own homes, but what can we make that is a normal everyday necessity?

Cleaning products.

What you say, make my own Lysol! Ok, some things I don't know how you would create without a lab equivalent to S.E. and Johnsons, but simple everyday cleaning products can be made in your very own kitchen. Not to mention these products are all natural and therefore much kinder to mother earth. It's a win both ways.

These recipes were taken from Better Homes and Gardens

Soft Scrub
Add enough soap to 1/8 cup baking soda to make a creamy mixture. Apply with sponge to clean; rinse the surface well. Use and discard.

Appliance Cleaner
Dry baking soda shines up small appliances and even removes bread wrappers burned onto the toaster. Try rubbing a teaspoon onto your grubby blender or food processor with a clean flannel cloth.

Toilet Cleaner/Deodorizer
Sprinkle toilet bowl with 1/4 cup baking soda. Drizzle with 1/4 cup vinegar, then scour with a toilet brush.

Oven Cleaner
Sprinkle oven with 1/2 cup baking soda (more if needed) and spray with water. Let sit for several hours or overnight before scraping up stains and spills. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner
In a pail or bucket, mix 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar in one gallon warm water. Mop wood or linoleum floors, then rinse with water, making sure not to leave large pools to dry.

Need more ideas, try looking at these books for more recipes and tricks.

Real Simple's 66 natural cleaning products
Tree hugging family 25 homemade cleaning supplies
Being Frugal's homemade cleaning tips, plus loads of comments and other tips from readers

Hygiene products....

What's gentler on your counters also works on your face. Bath soaks, soaps, face wash, you name it.

All natural beauty has a huge list of homemade goodies for your body such as ginger skin cream and yogurt body mask.
More ideas from Kristin's guide

Food....

Cooking at home is definitely cheaper than eating out each night (not that you need to completely give that up). Try making things in large batches and freezing them. You can make waffles, pasta sauce, ice cream, and so much more. Make extra of dinner and freeze it for a later lunch. Use a re-usable container instead of buying frozen dinners with extra packaging. Go pick hordes of strawberries in early summer and freeze them for year round use.

Grandma would be proud!

Featured Etsy seller - HARE and DRUM

2009-06-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

New to my list of favorites, Hare and Drum's House of Color hosts a wide assortment of gorgeous hand-embroidered wall art, boxes, and business card holders among other goodies.

Pretty!

Craftstravaganza

2009-06-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

This was my first time doing Craftsravaganza and really a large craft show at all. What an amazing experience. Mix in equal part of nerve racking prep work with last minute trips to Target and then this wonderful show that literally flys by in what seems like only a few hours when it was a full day event.

I have to say I was impressed at the group of vendors that were there this year. I recognized a few from last year, have had the pleasure of getting to know a small handful over the last year, and met some really amazing and talented people. To see pictures from the show, check out this Flickr link

My two awesome friends were there to help me and I couldn't have done this show without their support.

Kelly made that new sign for me and I love how it turned out.

Overall very happy with the display and the clothing rack. Didi find out it wanted to collapse on me at one point and a few times I had to gently warn little kids not to step on the bottom poles. That would have sucked. Big Time.

There are some things I have learned and hope that may be of use to other craft fair newbies:

wash and tag clothing as you make it. Don't spend a solid 3 hours doing this at 9:00 the night before. That and ironing everything at once really sucks.
Take pictures of your goods (if you need a reference for future re-makes) before the show. I ran out of time and scratched this off the major to do list. I regret that now.
Get lot's of sleep the night before. Make a cut off time where you just stop and go to bed. Some things can be done in the morning.
Eat breakfast. I don't remember if I did this, so probably not.
Bring lot's of quick snacks to nibble.
Make sure to smile and greet everyone who comes up to your table. I don't believe in being pushy or hounding, but DO NOT ignore people by chatting with your friends.
Go in with low expectations in sales because you will be sure to surprise yourself! Or, have a reasonable goal and just make sure to have enough inventory to meet that goal.
Having things at different price points is good. Some people look for gifts, others for something small for themselves.

Free Pattern from Anna Marie Horner

2009-06-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Horner has teamed up with Amazon to provide a free pattern from her book, Seams to Me. By the way, amazing book and I highly recommend it. Her use of color and pattern is out of this world!

I love Burda

2009-06-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon Burda Style about a year or so ago and absolutely love this site. People post their patterns for their sewn creations which are either free or for a small fee. Directions along with the pattern are then printed out at home on your very own printer.

Patterns are rated by those who have made them along with a difficulty meter. You can also see pictures of people's results.

Craftstravaganza on the News!!!

2009-04-29T20:48:00.001-07:00

Fox 9 News did a little morning ditty about the upcoming show. Two vendors made an appearance and while I did not want to make an ass of myself on camera my little orange onesie made an appearance! Check it out!!

It's a Boy!

2009-04-03T10:40:00.001-07:00

Not mine, but my sisters. I will be an auntie in July!! See, here he is....

And because this is a craft/sewing/creative type blog, let's see what's out there for baby boy stuff : )

The Urban Thimble
www.theurbanthimble.etsy.com

Amy Gaines
www.amygaines.etsy.com

Simple Wooden Toys
www.simplewoodentoys.etsy.com

What to do with a fat quarter...

2009-03-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Fabric Mobile from Sew Mama Sew

Lots!

Napkins from Purl Bee
Ponytail scarfs from Sew Mama Sew
Baby booties from Stardust Shoes
Pinch Frame Purse from The Small Object
IPod Cama Cozy from Sew Mama Sew

With the purse strings closing a little tighter, it's comforting to know that you can still do a lot with $2.50.

Featured Artist - Kat Singer

2009-03-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

Kat Singer

Not only is she a friend and classmate of mine, Kat is an amazing photographer!
Check out her website:

(Point.Click.Upload.Enjoy)

"I soon became intrigued by the concept of a photo blog. To post a different photo everyday would give me the opportunity to critique and improve upon my work and then share it with others. I posted my first entry on August 22, 2006 and have been repeating that process daily ever since."

She posts a new photograph every day. Be sure to check it out!

New Goodies

2009-03-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

It's shameless promotion time!!!! (click on the picture to go to my Etsy store)

Etsy Shop - Sugarloop

2009-03-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Yeah, super cute, right?
*Jungle Boogie in Orange*

Sugarloop was the first shop to go into my favorites on Etsy. Bernadette Sipkes makes the most cheerful, lush, and all around happy prints. Her work has been featured in many blogs including Print Pattern, Purl Bee, and Designsponge not to mention Domino and Real Living Magazine.

Starburst Tree in Green

How To - Pincushions

2009-03-04T10:26:00.001-08:00

I love em. SO many styles, some crazy elaborate to simple and functional. As an ode to the functional craft thingie, here are some very cool patterns to try out...

Better Home and Gardens

Heather Bailey Square Deal Pincushion

How about Orange Tiny Pincushion

Joelle Hoverson's Very Easy Pincushion

Paper.String.Cloth Pincushion

Printing your own fabric

2009-02-13T12:30:00.000-08:00

If I had an infinite amount of time I would do two things... post more on this blog and try printing my own fabric. While this isn't a new thing in textiles (duh..) it's certainly becoming more popular and there are even places now where you can send in an image and have them print fabric for you.

Here's how to try this at home:

From stitch.rip.repeat
http://stitchriprepeat.blogspot.com/2007/01/little-lesson-for-you.html

So great books on printing...

Lotta Prints

Very organic designs, some almost 60's looking. Good descriptions. Overall a great book.

Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens

Demonstrates lots of different techniques (sponge, stencil, screenprint, ect.) with some niffty little projects and patterns that you can use.

Blog Feature

2009-02-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Moms Blog is blog where mothers can write about their life, parenthood, and other sorts of things. They are based in New Jersey, but have sister sites for Chicago, Phildelphia, and more. I was asked if my little Polka Dot Dress could be featured in one of the stories and viola!! Check it out!!!

*I totally agree with what she is writing about. It seems like when we get our late dumping of March snow, boots and mittens are gone! http://svmomblog.typepad.com/new_jersey_moms_blog/2009/02/oh-if-only-we-were-in-the-season-the-stores-say-we-are-in.html#comments

Blog Feature

2009-02-10T10:33:00.000-08:00

I had the lucky fortune to be featured in Karen Fields, owner of Karen Fields gallery . She posted the picture of my Japanese Cherry Blossom Onesie (which just sold today!). I was super delighted to see that the number of views for that doubled and I gained 20 new hearts!

Check it out!

http://karenfieldsgallery.blogspot.com/2009/01/favorite-etsy-shop-of-day_28.html

100!!

2009-02-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Today I hit 100 hearts on Etsy. Happy day!

All things Japanese

2009-02-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, she looks European, I'm aware of that.

This is not a news flash, Japanese made things are huge!

Starting a few years ago (maybe longer?) people starting seeing bits and pieces of fabrics imported from Japan. Then came the whole soft toy movement, now books, packing tape, t-shirts, paper goods, and so so much more. I have to say I am as eager and enjoying it as much as the next person. Why you ask?

Well, let's start with fabric, my favorite import. Japanese fabrics seem to fall into two categories, traditional

and modern/trendy/juvenile/funky/ect.

Colors are bright, the cloth is heavier in most cases, and the patterns are often simplistic to juvenile to just downright odd.

Good sources for Japanese fabric....

www.beautifulwork.etsy.com
http://www.kitty-craft.com/
www.craftyplanet.com

Books!

I have to say that Japanese designers are some amazing people. I would say that a lot of the children's clothing I have seen is very simple, but also very unique. I currently have three books right now, all in Japanese so I can't give you the titles. Most books are still written with Kanji, so I have no idea what the written directions are, but if you have used patterns enough, you can figure out what it is you are suppose to do.

One of my favorites!!

Sources for Japanese books..

www.alittlegoodness.etsy.com
www.pomadour24.etsy.com

A whole blog dedicated to Japanese craft books!
http://www.craftlog.org/craftingjapanese/

A few books are now being imported with English translations. Some interesting ones....

Good sources for lots of Japanese imported goods.

www.modern-craft.net/shop/
www.3point5dollars.etsy.com
www.fromjapanwithlove.etsy.com

Feature Artist - Denyse Schmidt

2009-01-30T08:42:00.000-08:00

I want these...

This woman is awesome. I bought a fat quarter on my honeymoon back in 2006 and from there was fascinated by her fabric designs and later her quilts.

The Fabric

Her fabric can be best described as very vintage, but with a little modern twist. She uses patterns that would have been popular in the 30's and 40's but in lime green, gray, or bright orange. So far she has introduced three lines...

Flea Market Fancy

Let me just say I loved this line. I loved it so much I almost cried when my last piece of the cute brown print at the very bottom of the picture was cut and I cut part of the pattern backwards. Note to sell, don't cut out patterns after midnight. Bad. Very bad.

Katie Jump Rope

I'm so in love with the color palettes she chose for this. The orange flower is my favorite and (shameless plug here) was used in this dress:

(go ahead, click on it!)

County Fair

This is her first decorator weight fabric. Ok, I'm going to come out and say it...not really my favorite. The patterns are the same as before, but the colors are more subdued and washed out.

Denyse, bring out your next line!

She came out with a book - Denyse Schmidt Quilts - a few years ago and I'm embarrassed to say I just bought it, though I've thumbed through it at bookstores many a time...

Her quilt patterns are wonderful. Again, very vintage, but not formal. The color pairings and almost haphazardness of the patterns make it very different. I think quilting has been a little stuffy for awhile until some modern ideas like her and Amy Butler have come around.

Craftstravaganza Part I

2009-01-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

2008's Poster

I made it in!

Here's the low-down...

Saturday, May 2 2009,

9am to 5pm

Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Fine Arts Building

The vendors...

Craft Tote

2009-01-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

Two dear friends of mine have begun a new tradition this past year. We have formed a craft night or Stitch N Bitch! This involves some crafty project of sorts, a movie - usually a horror flick - and a bottle of wine or two. As presents for the girls I came up with these perfect sized craft bags.

The Japanese fabric is perfect with little vintage sewing machines. It has a nice heavy weight to it and with a removable insert in the bottom, it holds up nicely. I made sure it would be large enough to hold a embroidery floss case.

Little Pincushion

2009-01-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

I had to show off this awesome pincushion my friend made me for X-mas!!

Things to make: The Home

2009-01-10T16:44:00.000-08:00

Wool blanket from Purl Bee

Living Creatively
Place mats with chopstick holders
Wall organizer
Sew, Mama, Sew!
Patchwork kitchen mat
Fabric art Quilted hot pads
Better Homes and Gardens
Fabric covered lampshade
Martha Stewart
Nip and Stitch Pillows
Leaf Print Linens
Purl Bee
Knitted Coasters
Lined Curtains
Wool blanket

New Goods

2009-01-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

I had some time to whip up a few things this weekend. I'm getting into making bibs and burb cloth sets such as this one.

I love this Amy Butler print. It's called Pressed Flowers, but to me it looks like Moroccan tiles. I also tried out some of the decorative stitches on my machine. This one is a fun egg shaped satin stitch.

Photo Collage - Sewing Mchines

2009-01-08T18:16:00.001-08:00

I have yet to name my machine. I think she might need a name. Yes, she is a woman of course. Any suggestions?

Applique

2009-01-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

I've always thought applique was pretty cool. I've tried it out with dishtowels, a pinafore, and a few little Onesies.

There are two ways to do applique - Hand embroider or by machine. The vintage yellow flower above was done by machine, all my other goods were done by hand. Both work just as well, it's more a matter of preference and could be determined by the style or what the item is made of.

Good example of how to do applique. If you want to sew by hand, just use a straight stitch. The edge of the fabric will naturally fray a little unless you do a zig zag stitch. I personally think the fraying adds a little character!

New to the Shop

2009-01-08T10:52:00.000-08:00

Some newly added goodies!!

Graphic Arts of the 60's

2009-01-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

Before Illustrator, Photoshop, and well the computer graphic images were all done by hand. Duh you know that! The style of the 50's and 60's have recently been more of an interest to me. I love the geometric shapes and the overlapping vivid colors.

Images by Paul Rand

The Sewing Room

2009-01-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

With the introduction of a new member into the sewing tools - a new serger - my sewing corner has now become way too small! After some creative brainstorming and a little pleading with the husband, I now officially have the front sunroom as my sewing room! It took most of a day to re-organize and set things up. It actually doesn't look very different from before to the untrained eye, but I made some big changes.

The shelves are a great way to store the more need at hand items. If you can't build out, build up. Scissors, pins, and embroidery patterns are a couple of bigger necessities.
This metal shelf does double duty as a plant stand and holds all my fabric ( for now ) , patterns, and other goods.

I have found the best way to store sewing notions is with a hanging shoe rack. Clear is best so it's easy to see what's in the pockets. If it doesn't fit well over the door - like mine - half a dozen or so of those 3M removable sticky things work well.

I now have room on this table to cut out patterns and sew. This eliminates me using the dining room table and spreading my things to all four corners of the house.

First Craft Sale!

2008-12-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

Friday morning I had just enough time to check my e-mail before work and found myself equally delighted and shocked that I had been invited by my friend Betsy to to a craft show! The Soo Sweet Crafty and Bake sale had it's first go this past Saturday at the CW Lofts in Minneapolis, MN. I used my meager lunch break making a list of what to buy,organize, and make. After some frantic running around after work my dear friend Kelly came over to help. She created the hang tags and made this super-amazing sign for my table!!!

Went to bed way too late, woke up a little too late. My sister Karen met me at the lofts and had armed herself with coffee, chai, and scones for the both of us. Not a coffee drinker, but dang that Chai hit the spot that morning! The woman who was running the show, Jenny, was so kind and helped me out with a a portable clothing rack for my little outfits. And Ta Da, we had a table set up!

Betsy (Tart Design - please check it out! ) was set up next to me so we had a fab time chatting it up.

I had managed to score an excellent spot near the entry and across from the fireplace. Didn't exactly get toasty warm by it, but the ambiance was nice...

In all, it wasn't as crazy busy at No Coast, which I think draws in thousands of people, but I have to say I was very happy with how my sales turned out! I sold a couple of onesies, a dress, pinafore, two pincushions, and a couple sets of hairpins. In all, I learned some VERY valuable lessons for next time....

Give yourself weeks and weeks to make things. I wish I had more on stock, but that was the situation.

Don't do ANYTHING last minute. Granted this was the situation, but prepare far in advance.

Have a friend help you get ready, set up, and be with you at the sale. Kelly was there to help me prepare, my sister to set up, and Betsy and I watched eachother's tables for our quick little "I gotta check out their stuff!" runs. Kelly also came by at the end of the evening to help me take stuff down.

Bring food. Bring water. No exceptions.

Use hang tags to price everything. Groupings of things (hairpins, pincushions for example) use a sign. I found cool little chalkboards at Michaels.

Bring a calculator that works.

Have a receipt book with carbon copies. I didn't have enough time to make an inventory list, but the carbon copy receipts helped me keep track.

Have change on hand. Bills of $20's, $10's, $5's, and $1's. I didn't end up needing quarters as everything was rounded to the nearest dollar.

I found an apron with pockets the most useful and safe way to hold onto my cash. I did take checks, but only with seeing and writing down the information from their driver's liscence.

Have fun!!! Meet other crafters, talk to new customer's, enjoy seeing new products! I had a great time meeting some new people and learning a bit about who they are and their craft.

Outraged!

2008-12-11T19:52:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to get my first big sale. The Kimono dress...

and my little Pagoda set sold!

But I just found out about a new law that just passed this fall, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). According to this new law, my hand-made goods are deemed dangerous for small children. It's still a little unclear what exactly has to be tested, but items made for children under the age of 12 would have to be tested for lead and other chemicals. I would like to say that while I am not against the idea of testing children's products, I see this law as an axe to small business owners like myself. Those who enjoy and create crafts, in this case children's goods, take great care into what they make. These tests would make us all bankrupt! We can not aford these tests. Below is a great article written by the administration at Etsy:

The following is an open letter regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This Act, which will go into effect on February 10th, 2009, puts forth much more stringent safety measures for products intended for children under the age of 12.

Under the very important auspices of child safety, the Act may have grave unintended consequences: fewer choices for families who are looking for handcrafted alternatives. Many Etsy artists and craftspeople have expressed fears that they won't be able stay in business due to the burdensome cost of testing and certification pursuant to the proposed legislation.

As a venue for handcrafted and vintage items from small entrepreneurs, Etsy has invited the Ombudsman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to join us in a webchat in our Virtual Lab. Etsy would very much appreciate the opportunity to provide a forum for discussing the concerns of artisans who make toys and children's products as well as their customers who support handmade products.

We urge members of the Etsy community and anyone concerned with both child safety and conscientious consumption to contact their governmental representatives; ask them to consider how the Act will impact independent craftspeople.

The office of the CPSC ombudsman: 888-531-9070.
Visit the Handmade Toy Alliance for information about writing your representatives.

Over 200,000 artists, crafters and vintage collectors sell their items on Etsy.com. Many of these artisans make toys and other items for children. Made with love, care, the human touch and—often—all-natural materials, these items bring the consumer marketplace back to a personal level where customers can chat with toy makers and even create custom items for specific needs. Etsy members are part of a larger movement that seeks to creatively provide people across the globe with alternatives to mass-produced goods.

Many Etsy sellers are work-at-home-moms and dads. Among them are crafters with the skill and heart to preserve traditions of toy-making or to innovate their own methods of making children's items with a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) hands-on philosophy. You can meet an Etsy toy maker and seller by watching this five minute video portrait (all of our videos are published under open Creative Commons, so please feel free to repost). Amber Dusick, aka woodmouse.etsy.com and Los Angeles-based toy-maker/work-at-home-mama, is an artist who would be impacted by this proposed legislation if it is enacted. Amber uses sustainably harvested woods, non-toxic paints and beeswax along with her wood-burning tool to create simple, natural wooden toys. Her imagery is reminiscent of a child's crayon drawing come to life in wood.

Amber, like other Etsy toy makers and sellers, is fearful that as a sole proprietor she will not be able to afford the stricter regulations of the Act; the cost of testing and certification is likely beyond her means. She told Etsy, “I'd be more than happy to have each of my toys tested, if it wasn't so cost prohibitive. It is the COST involved in testing that will shut us down, it isn't that anyone refuses to have their work tested."

The Small Business Administration defines "small business" as under 500 employees. Most of our Etsy members are either sole proprietors or maybe a family or studio of friends working together. Many craftspeople on Etsy have told us that they could be put out of business if forced to comply with the proposed legislation. This is the painful irony bound up in the CPSIA.

Etsy wanted to reach out with this open letter to see what can be done to ensure that small businesses and micro enterprises are being taken into account with this legislation. Our members would like to better understand how the CPSIA took into account these smaller businesses operating with fewer resources for testing and compliance. We believe Etsy artisans are pro-testing and pro-safety; the problem is the prohibitive certification costs relative to their small businesses' incomes. Our community is concerned that this legislature disregards small businesses in its attempts to regulate large corporate entities.

The U.S. House and Senate passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the CPSIA), and on August 14, 2008, President Bush signed the Act into law. Further information on the Act is available at the CPSC website at http://www.cpsc.gov/ and helpful FAQs are located http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/faq.pdf.

Please, I urge anyone reading this blog to contact your goverment whether that be your representative or sentor. You can also sign a petition created by the handmade toy alliance.

I love what I do and I refuse to put away my sewing needle and thread just yet....

For The Guys

2008-11-27T11:02:00.001-08:00

If you are like me - and I hope I'm not the only one - the guys in your life are impossible to buy for. Perusing Etsy lately I have found so many cool guy gifts. I would just like to say thank you to those people. You make my X-mas shopping so much easier. Here's a sample....

(click on the picture to be taken to their shop)

A Handmade Holiday for the Wee Ones...

2008-11-27T09:09:00.001-08:00

Peanut the Wee Elephant

Go down any toy aisle in a big box store and you will find row after row of mass-manufactured plastic toys. Things that make noise, light up, and as we are finding out possibly made with toxic chemicals. My point is not to scare you, but to encourage parents and those buying for children to look for hand-made toys this holiday. There are so many books, patterns, and creative crafters out there who have patterns or have created great hand-made toys for children. Here's just a sampling of what you can find out there.

Joelle Hoverson's great book, Last Minute Patchwork+Quilted Gifts has a couple of sweet gifts including Peanut the Elephant and a sweet idea for a baby quilt.

No loud obnoxious noises here!

Heather Baily just came out with a slew of fabulous patterns including a pincushion set that will eventually need to go home with me. These stacking toys pulled at my heartstrings as I had the same type of toy - in plastic - at my grandmother's house.

These puppies are very cute!

Indygo Junction has many fun stuffed toy patterns out. Check out Repotdepot.com and PurlS oho.com to find these.

I'm so in love with these! I just saw these for the first time at Crafty Planet and love these patterns by WeeWonderfuls. These patterns are simple enough the older kids could make them themselves. Check out the awesome butterfly!

The Cute Book is a series of books that feature fun hand-made toys. The designer, Aranzi Aronzo, creates these Japanese inspired toys. Many many more Japanese craft books are now coming into the country. A few are being translated into English, otherwise you can find several in Japanese. That's a whole other blog post right there...

Here's a list of some wonderful online tutorials of toys and baby/children gifts that you can make!

Martha Stewart

Purl Bee

Sew Mama Sew! Baby and Toddler Ideas

Craftzine Magazine

Firefly Booties

Home-made playdough (everyone loves playdough!)

Yes, I'm a dork.....

2008-11-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

When you have a chance stop by The Cotton Factory and check out there really fun T-Shirts. I absolutely had to have this shirt.......

and I love it!!! So that must make me a little bit dorky...

A thing for vintage

2008-11-05T10:41:00.001-08:00

Perhaps this will be made into something?

I don't know what it is about vintage goods but I love them. Put me in an antique store and while I love looking at dishes, painting, and just about anything show me a little tucked away corner of vintage sewing notions and the rare pile of fabric and I'm a kid in a candy shop! Spools or ribbon, cards of rickrack still in their packaging (the designs on the package enough are worth looking at), loops of old lace.....I love it all.

I can't bear to part with these yet

I also like finding vintage patterns. Children's patterns are especially cute because the designs are so intricate and well thought out. The downer however is that they are usually much more complicated than modern ones. Adult patterns are easier to come by but to find a size that fits a woman a size 8, 10 or larger is hard to find. Most vintage patterns come in one size only unlike modern ones that are broken up into 2-8 and 10-14/16. Don't look for your dress size, but rather your individual measurements like bust and waist. If you can find something close but perhaps a little larger or maybe smaller, you can adjust the pattern and finished piece to fit you.

I'd like to think Sophia Loren
would have worn this

When looking at yardage it helps to remember that most fabric came about 33-36 inches wide, not 44". So generally you can get away with a little less than it requires, but check the directions for how they lay it out first. Also pre-wash your fabric! If it was made before the 1970's it has a very good chance it will bleed the colors. With trims you should try handwashing it, though lighter colors should be fine. Red's should be washed, don't mess with those..... You may be surprised - if you find a very old pattern - to come across one without any type on it what so ever! In that case look at the directions to see what each piece actually is and good luck!

Happy November 4th!

2008-11-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

This is a friendly reminder to......

Get out and VOTE!!!!!

In the 2004 election only %60 of Americans voted, let's see if we can beat that this time!

Holiday Gift Tags

2008-11-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

I've been having fun with Adobe Creative Suite and TA DA, gift tags! You can download these here.

Print tags on heavy card stock and cut out, use a small paper punch for a hole and add a ribbon!

The anatomy of a pincusion

2008-11-02T10:09:00.001-08:00

I found a great use for all those fabrics scraps I accumulate... Pincushions! I love pincushions. So many different styles, colors, shapes. I like the patchwork style of these.

Cute!

Start by creating or using a pattern. I lay several pieces of fabric in a stack to make the process go a little faster....

I love these prints from Denyse Schmidt. You can go for a certain color scheme (think all blues and browns) or go for a kaleidoscope of color like here.

Buy this from Etsy!

Out of the Ordinary

2008-10-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

So this is not a typical post for me, but I wanted to share some advice to anyone who reads this blog....

Our home was broken into and they took our iMac and my jewelry box. Everything was on that computer. All our music, our pictures, budget, and anything and everything that had to do with my shop. And our tax information...

I see the importance now to backing EVERYTHING up. Put all your pictures and important documents on a separate flash drive or burn them to a CD. If you have passwords saved, don't. At least not for anything that could be compromised. If you have homework or in my case the beginnings of a portfolio, keep that on a separate flash drive too. And most importantly don't forget to take your flash out of the computer.....

I will probably never get my jewelry back. There are things in there that can never be replaced and hold sentimental value to me. To some jerk who took it it's worth nothing and I hate to think of which dumpster it ended up in. Scan or take pictures of all your jewelry. Save receipts or photocopy them.

It sounds so paranoid to do this but I never imagined getting robbed. I have equal bouts of extreme anger, helplessness, and sadness. I don't know if I will ever see the necklace my grandmother made me or my hair comb I wore in my wedding, but take pre-cautions and safeguard your possessions.

The Stash

2008-10-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

We've all been there. You find a cute piece or something unique and YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT! This is how fabric stashes are formed. It's like collecting pieces of artwork or cute sweaters. I inherited this trait (passed down on the X chromosome) and have my very own fabric stash.......

I came across this article from Craftzine.com and the similarities are eerie....

This article has some good advice for de-stashing that stash. I'm just happy I haven't gotten to this point yet....

2008-10-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

So I stumbled upon this woman, Anna Maria Horner, and I just have to say how AWESOME is her fabric!?

Just a wee sample of the awesome goods

She has a link to her online shop and blog plus information about a book she wrote that will be coming out October 20th.

The Woman of Honor Dress

2008-09-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

My dearest friend had a beautiful outdoor wedding at her parents on a lake this fall. An amazing crafter, she created everything from the invitations to the boutonnieres. As the Matron of Honor I chose to make my dress and she and I picked out the fabric. I used Amy Butler's Lotus Dress pattern.

We also made a little shrug out of some knitted delicious orange fabric. After I put the dress together I decided it needed a belt to give me a little bit more of a waist. I found some great pumpkin orange velvet ribbon that did the trick and a leather belt loop.

In typical Rachel mode of operation I finished this the day before the wedding. Overall this was a great pattern to use. Butler's directions are very straightforward and takes you step by step. Where it could use improvements is by having more diagrams of some of the steps. I follow directions easier with visuals than with the written directions. If you do the same, a few steps may be a little frustrating. This was also my first lining and it went rather smoothly. A few tips:

Use the silky nylon lining, don't bother with cotton. You will want something that lays smoother under the dress.
When doing the lining on the top where the neckline meets the dress panels, hand sew it first to match it up.
Hand sew the hem. It looks 10 times nicer and gives a smoother finish at the bottom.
Try it on and adjust the darts. I did a few times and was able to get a better fit.

Coin Quilt

2008-08-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is a stacked coin quilt I've started. The pattern came from Joelle Hoverson's book Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts . Most of these fabrics are now out of print. I had enough that I should be able to make a second quilt. I'm thinking a railroad pattern....

Business Cards

2008-08-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

Yeah they finally Came! The top picture is the back, the bottom would be the front. I ordered them from Overnight Prints. Not quite overnight (about 5 days), but the quality is amazing. Now to find a business card holder.......

Overdue

2008-07-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

Orange reversible dress

and the inside (or is it the outside?)

I'm embarrassed by how much time has lapsed since I last wrote, my apologies! So I have a bunch of new fun things up. Last weekend was totally devoted to my sewing machine and I loved it! I have some more that are waiting in the basket that are calling my name.

I just ordered some Onesies from Zee Spot. Brown, blue, red, orange, and yellow. I'm sketching down ideas....

In the works

2008-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

My first few pieces are almost ready. The fabric for the dress I bought a few years ago from an amazing shop in New York City. I'm excited to have a good use for it. The apron fabric was just dying to be turned into an apron. Perfect for a little one to help out in the kitchen...

Hello Hello!!

2008-06-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

You say goodbye...

and I say hello!

She's been a strong and reliable girl, but the old Singer had to go. I recently acquired a beautiful new Janome that purs softly like a kitten. It's been fun playing around with the fun different stitches and my fingers are now aching to sew! I have a whole stack of dresses and outfits cut out and ready to assemble.

Welcome!

2008-06-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

Too much fabric....not a big enough closet....

I will soon be setting up a shop through Etsy.com once I get all the not so fun things like obtaining a Tax ID number done. I'll be creating baby clothes like really sweet embroidered Onsies, frilly girlie dresses, bibs, shoes, and who know what else!

Check back soon....