From The Scrap Lab: Experiment #2 It's a Give Away!!

For an upcoming project I needed to sew a test sample for a bear. I don't often work in 3D, so I was excited to give this a run through. Of course I pulled from the scrap box, and I found this soft and foresty (my own word) quilters flannel that was left over from a baby quilt I made for my girl before she was born.
Oh lord yes, - I have scraps of fabric from long before I was even born.




He turned out so sweetly. He is a little skwooshy (my daughters word), in the good way, he's got just enough flop to make him interesting, he's a wee cockeyed (because he's an optimist), he has been told that he bears a slight resemblance to a Mr. W. Pooh - especially in the belly area, and he needs a new home.

I've been wanting to do a give away for ages and I thought this would be a great opportunity to do so. So...

All you have to do is leave a comment for this post and you will have a shot at the bear. Oh, that didn't sound right. What I mean is, you comment - I put your name in a hat - my lovely assistant will randomly select the recipient of little bear. I will check posts through Sunday, April 5th, 7:00 PM (my lovely assistant goes to bed at 8). I will announce who gets little bear on Monday the 6th. Tell your friends.

Details: Bear is about 15", made from 100% cotton quilters flannel, stuffed with poly, and his eyes are embroidered on so he's safe for the babies.



When my daughter saw little bear she said, "Oh, it's for me?"
I told her that the bear was for someone else.
Then, in her best Clint Eastwood, she looked me up and down and said, "Just who is this someone else?"

It could be you!

Felt Egg

Just a quick post as a follow up to the egg pattern. I have to thank Feltorama for reminding me that I had wanted to test out my pattern on felt. I am excited to say it worked great! In the photo you can see that I'm not done yet. I think I might add some embroidery decoration.



A couple of tips using the egg pattern with felt:

Because felt is thicker, I definitely recommend clipping your curves (making sure not to clip though your stitches).

Also, leave as big an opening as you can, making it easier to turn right side out.

I will show you more when I finish.

Just Us Girls

With my husband away on business, it's been just us girls here in the cottage. We are both down with the ick and the weather is keeping us in our comfy clothes and slippers. Today was a rainy day dream, all about blankets and imagination. We dutifully drank our tea (pinkies out of course) from the good china, worked puzzles, made up our own rules to Candy Land and whispered secrets into each others ears. We only left the warmth and safety of our lair to venture out to the "movie store" to rent fairy epics and animal adventures.



After the popcorn and final credits, we began building. First, we had an old fashioned barn raising, a town sprang up around us, soon the railroad came - we captured wild horses, then set them free again. There was peace in the valley until...Godzilla and Rodan reduced the town to rubble. After the monsters were banished, we celebrated with a wild dance party 'till our stomachs growled. We ordered pizza and then desserted on fresh peeled oranges while on the couch (oh yes we did!) We stayed up late telling "real stories," cuddled up in bed. As I sang the last how I wonder what you are, my girl said to me, "Today was awesome!."

...and I whispered in her ear, "Yes, it was."

From the Scrap Lab: Experiment #1 Fabric Eggs - Free Pattern!

Remember when I said I was gonna have a make-fest out of my scrap box? Well, this was experiment #1. I have been thinking about fabric eggs, actually eggs in general, a lot lately. So I conjured up a pattern and commenced to sewing some up. I thought I would share this pattern with you all. What better timing with Easter hopping down the bunny trail? I didn't quite make it to the pdf so, just click on the picture below and print the page. You can enlarge as you see fit but, this should be pretty close to the original size.



Funny thing about this is, after I did all the work with the pattern and then the sewing up and the instructions (and was rather pleased with myself), it finally occurred to me to look up such a thing on the www. Turns out there are a couple of similar eggy things floating about. Not eggsactly (groan) the same though, so feel free to whip some up.

More experiments are on the way!

Edited: I fixed the instructions a little, they still aren't very detailed but at least they have less typos. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thanks

Sprung!

I was inpired by Claire, who was inspired by Diane, to take some snaps of the signs of Spring.
So here is what I found in my own back yard.

Daphne: My husband thinks it smells like fruit loops.

Daffodils

Crocosmia

Camellia

Garlic and Shallots in the vegie garden.

Lambs Ears

Black Elderberry

Ill Communication

Sick.



I wish I could just crawl under a quilt on the couch and watch an Ann Of Green Gables marathon, or The Hell Raiser movies 1-3. O.K., I just realized that those two options reveal totally separate but equally questionable things about me.

Just hand me a tissue and say Gesundheit!

Tales From the Scrap Heap

Check out this sweet little doll quilt The Lovely Miss K made for my girl. I especially love it because many of the squares were from my grandmother's scrap box. I gave them to Miss K for another project but, they ended up in this vibrant quilt that is ready to make any dolly comfy and cozy.


Speaking of Scrap Boxes...

Here is mine. Once upon a time it was a well organized, neatly folded, color coded, not filled to the top box of pleasant. Now...well, I am on a mission to re-configure and gussy up my work space, which means I must organize and deal with some of the detritus of my crafty world.

So, I have given myself the challenge of creating my next project entirely out of this box. I don't have any ideas yet, no direction known - chances are an experiment in improvisation may be afoot. Think scrappy thoughts for me and I will keep you posted on the progress.


P.S. Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement during The Big PINK. I think I have actually aquired a new appreciation for my daughter's favorite color.

The Party's Over

So, she partied like a Rock Star, blew kisses to her adoring fans, got totally wasted on frosting and came home and trashed her room. Awesome!

Happy 4 my sweet pea (officially tomorrow). You Rock!