I have a confession to make: I've never knit a sweater flat. The first sleeveless top that I made was in the round, and ever since I've never seen a compelling reason not to knit all of my sweaters that way. Oh, I certainly knit certain parts flat and sew them together, but with every sweater I've made there's always been an "in the round" component (whether it was written into the pattern or not). I see the benefits of circular construction to be numerous: For one, seeing it in "body form" helps me visualize if it looks the right size, and if I still have doubts, I can try it on. For two, I personally hate knitting flat. It's not that I dislike purling, it's all the turning back and forth. It breaks my rhythm, and I always end up with my yarn and needles a tangled mess. And finally, knitting in the round means I have that much less finishing work to do when I bind off the last stitch.

Monster Babies with little diapers and matchbox bed with a scrap of a blankie to snuggle under. Are you hooked yet? that’s it – I’m taking up felting. If itty-bitty crafts appeal to you then you gotta order a copy of Microcrafts by Quirk Books. first spotted on curlybirds sniff sniff – who needs a [&hellip

Take your sewing projects to the next level using these sewing tips and tricks.

I want to be stereotyped, I want to be classified OH MAN I swear this is the best thing I ever came up with. HOWEVER if you don't love the band the Descendents, and you've never heard of The Reanimator (the brilliant early 80's scifi horror bloodfest) then...well, you won't even begin to get this joke. But, if you do, then you're my kind of person. So support a fellow punk/horror enthusiast, and buy this patch. It's brilliant, I think we can both agree on that. Black ink, cream fabric, 3.5 inches square. Heat set, and ready to sew onto your lab coat.

I'm very excited at the moment because I got a brand new phone the other day. Very thrilling. I also thought I'd use that as a goo...

Oh, my friends. I hang my head in shame. After posting this update on my hexie project earlier this week, I've had a lot of questions about last year's 2021 yearly sampler, which started here. And so, today, I'll update you on that. Shamefacedly. (But not really! It is, after all, ever thus!)

Received my first ever Dotee Doll from Lisa Ahmad. The doll is such a beauty - I love her figure and blue hair. Sweet smile too, oh, thank you, Lisa! Love the way you sign your doll too :) Brought my 2 girls for a scrapbooking class again last Friday. Each of them did 1 page. This first one was done by Kristine. And this 2nd one done by Joey. Cos' I chanced upon this book, The Art of Embroidered Flowers by Gilda Baron, I'm so inspired to sew. So I have been sewing, lots of surface embriodery on fabric ATCs. And I'm love water-soluable crayons, feel like a real artist painting on the fabric (cos' I never can paint)! How do they look against the photos in the book? These are all I managed so far, pretty time-consuming, but really satisfying! Some of them are works in the process :) To wrap this blog entry up, I attended this Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) last night at the Esplanade Concert Hall. This was their debut visit to Singapore. The ICO is critically acclaimed by Ireland's Sunday Tribune as "the best orchestra in the country (Ireland) by far". The ICO was joined by leading Irish accordionist, Dermot Dunne - first time I saw and heard music played from an accordion. The orchestra was made by of string instruments - volin, viola, cello and double bass. Not that I know much about classical music and all these instruments, but I sure enjoyed the night with the mix of celebrated classics and virtuoso pieces from Vivaldi, Mozart and Astor Piazzolla. Personally, I felt that "The Shanghai Set - A Medley of Irish tunes" topped them all!

I first came across this simple tip a couple of weeks ago via Emmie on My Oh So Vintage Life and it's now my favourite sewing tip EVER! It's a trick to eliminate gaping between buttons on shirt dresses, specifically at the waist. This is at its most noticeable when you sit down and invariably end up displaying the two inches of flesh you'd rather never saw the light of day again. Emmie's tip is sew an inward facing button in the offending area - the trick is to sew it on the inside of the button band so it's invisible from the front. Gahhh!!! Such a simple tip, but so effective! Secret button sewn on the inside of the button band (LHS), with buttonhole on the opposite side I can also confirm that it works for the dreaded boob gape - as soon as I discovered this tip I put it to the test on my Granville Shirt. I absolutely love this shirt, but thanks to my own slapdash methods of button placement (trying to eyeball them rather than measuring properly), it's always gaped at the bust point. It hasn't stopped me wearing it and it's not actually that noticeable, but it is a pain to keep fiddling and pulling the front of my shirt. Here I am, helpfully pointing to the offending area…. Here's the BEFORE picture… And here's the AFTER picture…. Yay, no gaping! When the shirt is buttoned up, the internal button and buttonhole are completely invisible from the front. Just to remind you, the hidden button is between the second and third button down. And here's what it looks like from the inside…. This solution may be blindingly obvious to lots of you, but it certainly wasn't to me, so please indulge me! Sorting out a dreaded waist or bust gape is just so satisfying! Two further shirt dresses have also been given the same treatment at the waist with great results. Thank you Emmie, for showing me the light! What were the sewing tips that changed your life? Please share, I'd love to know! x

Oh man, I just got back from New Orleans and my feet are trashed...I am a fairly smart cookie, but I learned never to ever ever ever again t...

These are awesome!! Peanut butter m&m kudos copycat recipe!

My Life Expanding Sampler Oh my goodness...I'm finally finished! I was beginning to wonder if this day would ever come. I never gave ...

If you love Disney and are planning on booking a trip...make sure to check out Get Away Today! disney is my favorite favorite things. favorite. if you remember....i was cruella for halloween.. and basically the

Oh vintage sewing patterns, how I love you so! (Sew?) I originally wrote this post a few years back--when I first started the blog--before I inherited my true treasure trove of vintage pattern designs. The original sewing patterns I posted about were fun--the ultimate gem was this beautiful vintage apron design from the 1950's. But aside from that one, the patterns and designs weren't really all that unique. (Which is perhaps why I never ended up sewing a single one?) Earlier this year, amidst the height of the pandemic, one of our old friends from NYC called to check in. She told me that while she was cleaning out her home (I mean, who isn't right now) she found a ton of her mother's vintage pattern design textbooks--from the 1930's and 40's. She ended up sending me all of her mother's textbooks and patterns, and I have seriously spent hours just marveling and looking at all of the unique, magnificent designs. These vintage sewing patterns truly are inspirational, so of course I had to share some of them with you guys. And I am actually going to start making one of the designs (!) once it finally starts to cool down here in San Diego. (I cannot make a coat when it's still 95 degrees out, I just can't.) (Looking to sew your own vintage sewing pattern? Well girl, you'll need a sewing kit first. Learn how to build your very own sewing kit with our downloadable step-by-step guide and you'll be sewing in no time!) Vintage sewing pattern inspiration: The matching dress + jacket Earlier this year I sent out a vote on which design to make--and you guys picked the one I will be moving forward with! The one you picked is absolutely gorgeous--and was secretly my favorite all along. The design is a matching dress and jacket combo (because of course it is) that beautifully complement one another. The dress is midi length and fitted--the short sleeve top closes with a center front zipper, with the midline sash showing off that waistline and tying in the back. A full 7 piece skirt flows from the waistline, voluminous and magnificent. The matching jacket is a bit more complicated--it falls at the hip, with the hemline echoing the curved seam lines of the dress' waistline. The princess seams create a fitted silhouette that flow seamlessly into those of the dress, with sweet little pockets along the breast that continue to echo the unique curves of the design. This vintage sewing pattern truly is a beauty--and I hope that I can do it justice! This project is going to be a long one in the making--like months long--so that I can truly spend the time on it that it deserves. I'm guessing there will be many muslins (unlike just the one that I usually do for our projects) and I will be sewing SLOW to ensure that everything is on point. So, for now, let's look at some additional incredibly inspirational vintage sewing patterns. (Maybe you can pick one for your own Fall sewing..?) Vintage sewing pattern inspiration: The pleated patch pocket skirt This design was a close second in the vintage sewing pattern vote--and even after I finally finish the design that was chosen, I think I'm still going to make this little beauty. It truly is timeless, and just absolutely gorgeous. And the design has all of my favorite things: A midi length hemline, patch pockets, and pleats! (Btw, we've covered how to sew both patch pockets and pleats in past posts. That's how much I love them.) The slim silhouette of the skirt truly is reminiscent of the 1930's and 40's, as are those thick, chunky pleats. I'm assuming the skirt is closed using an invisible side zipper, to help keep that silhouette minimal and clean. What more can you ask for in a perfect skirt? Pair it with a simple tee, some cute heels, and you are SET. (Looking to sew your own vintage sewing pattern? Well girl, you'll need a sewing kit first. Learn how to build your very own sewing kit with our downloadable step-by-step guide and you'll be sewing in no time!) Vintage sewing pattern inspiration: The pleated dress So I'm guessing you can tell I love my pleats. This design actually reminds me a bit of a project we did a few years ago--The Michele Chevron Pleated Dress. That project was so incredibly difficult (chevron pleats, anyone?) but I absolutely loved the look of the pleats underneath a sweater or a jacket.. And now I know why! It's a pretty classic look. While this design looks like two different pieces (a pleated skirt and a separate top) it's actually just one dress. Separates are more of a modern development in the industry--which I am incredibly grateful for--but there is just something so elegant about how this dress flows as one. Of course, the pleats are the dominating feature of the design. The top has a sort of shawl/cowl-like collar, which closes with some center front buttons. As a girl that loves a dress she can just throw on and off--I am ALL about the ease and comfort of this dress. Vintage sewing pattern inspiration: The open back top Designing tops has never been a strength of mine, so when I see a unique one, I am IN. Not only does this beauty have some pretty unusual seamwork, but that open back is just gorgeous. The top is very fitted along the waistline, while being a little less so along the bust. Both the bust and sleeve caps are gathered to help break up the design and, I'm assuming, to help create some interesting fullness in the design. But of course--that open back is the main feature of the design. I have always loved pieces in which the back is the main feature because most designs tend to really only feature the front. And rightfully so--but I still love me a design with a beautiful construction detail in the back. Also, the closure is just so elegant--the top just sort of swoops together, and is truly just so unique. The seam lines along the waist also echo those of the front, tying both the front and the back of the design together. (Looking to sew your own vintage sewing pattern? Well girl, you'll need a sewing kit first. Learn how to build your very own sewing kit with our downloadable step-by-step guide and you'll be sewing in no time!) Vintage sewing pattern inspiration: The fitted kimono dress This was another of the designs that you guys voted on earlier in the year--and it is one of my absolute favorites! I feel like I have truly never seen anything like it. The unique seam lines of the dress are absolutely gorgeous, and are also incredibly flattering. The dress ties in the back, cinching in that waistline, creating an even more dramatic and flattering silhouette. It's hard to decide what is the more unique feature--the seam lines or those kimono sleeves that sort of perk up. I feel like those sleeves would be a bit of a challenge to draft and sew correctly (you would absolutely HAVE to have the right fabric for it) but I think I'm kind of down for it. While this definitely wouldn't be an everyday dress to wear.. it would absolutely be a (slightly more minimal) showstopper. And who doesn't love having one or two of those in their closet? So. Are you inspired? Whether you are looking to make the pattern yourself (you go girl!) or sew up an already existing vintage sewing pattern, I hope you will have found this post inspirational and useful in some way. Fashion and design truly was in its own league back in the 1930's & 40's--it was elegant and graceful, all while being pretty minimal. Looking back, a lot of the fabrics used in the 30's and 40's were also pretty plain. Which means that the designs truly speak for themselves. (Stay tuned on which fabric I will end up choosing for our vintage sewing pattern design.. I'm definitely going to need your help!) I hope that you will follow TFM as I work through drafting, fitting, cutting, and sewing our very first vintage sewing pattern. It's going to be a process, but it's going to be a beautiful one! I will of course share tips I learn along the way, and what ultimately goes into drafting and sewing a design you really only have a picture to go off of. Are there any vintage designs you want us to make here at TFM? Or perhaps make yourself..? (Looking to sew your own vintage sewing pattern? Well girl, you'll need a sewing kit first. Learn how to build your very own sewing kit with our downloadable step-by-step guide and you'll be sewing in no time!)

Oh you guys... this is one of those quilts that I've had on my mind for well over a year. Ever since I saw my fellow guild member Cherri's version of this quilt, I wanted to make one! I love the inspiration I get from my friends, don't you? The quilt block I used is called Converging Corners, a tutorial done by Ashley at Film In the Fridge. This is a good block to use up scraps! I had so much fun making this quilt. I started off with the Lush fabric line by Moda. It has birds and deer on it, with a paint by number look. I loved all of the colors in it, and those fabrics are my center squares on each block. This is my first "rainbow" quilt I've made. I decided to add purple to this quilt last minute, and I'm glad I did. Purple isn't my favorite color... but this one needed every color! This is the first block I made. Then it slowly grew.... and grew!! I decided to free motion quilt a large flower in each 14" quilt block. It looks really cool. I used this beautiful Anna Maria Horner print on the back, it looks so gorgeous. I am now on the hunt for my next big project! This was a fun and creative one for me, loved every minute of it!

My Life Expanding Sampler Oh my goodness...I'm finally finished! I was beginning to wonder if this day would ever come. I never gave up on it. I just kind of pushed it aside for a bit. My original intent was to learn something new with each little segment. I really didn't want to just fake it and add things I already knew. So, instead of keeping to my schedule, I kept to my intent. I'm so happy with all the little things I learned and I love the charm of the finished work. I've been seeing my sampler, unfinished on Pinterest. I really hated that it wasn't done, but I was so thrilled with how it kept showing up on some really neat boards. I did these little pin wheel flowers about a month ago. It is said to be the easiest and fasted flower in embroidery. I have to say that it was fun and very easy! All you do it to create an wheel with each spoke the length of the finished flower. Just wind the floss or thread around, going through each spoke to anchor it. I used fishbone stitches for the leaves, using a variegated thread. I then added french knots to the center of the flower. Its very cheery and quaint in the end. I adorned a square I did in February. It just seemed too bare. Maybe its spring eating at my spirit. I just had to add a little sumptin sumptin. My post today is about doing the things we dream about. I wanted to learn how to applique the old fashioned way. I thought I wouldn't have the patience. Turns out I do. My first project was my sampler. I created a sweet little pansy. I really love it and hope to add applique to many of my shop items on Etsy. My last square involves a stitch very similar to the bullion stitch. Its called the cast on stitch. I liked it more than the dizzle stitch because you don't have to re-thread the needle. Its like the bullion except the shape you get from casting on instead of winding the row of dimensional stitches. Its very easy. I added some bullion stitches to the outside, just to give it a soft edge. Its kind of small, but very sweet. The final touch was to sign the sampler and date it. I think I am going to frame it in a shadow box frame. I'll keep in on display to remind myself to keep learning and honing my craft. It will remind me to be curious and to attempt things I'm not sure I can do. What happens when I fail... the earth still spins and I just need to try again. I hope you enjoyed this project and that you try a sampler of your own. I'll be posting a tutorial on how to applique later this week. Thanks for Stitching with Me! March 14, 2012 My (ever) Expanding Life One of the reasons I took on this sampler is to not only learn new stitches, but also to practice some techniques used by my favorite fiber artists. I think by studying the works of others, we absorb some of their wisdom. While it is very important not to copy, it is okay to reflect their vision and express it through our unique point of view. I love the work of Sue Spargo. I would love to be a student in one of her classes. She has a style that is totally unique to her vision. But she shares her point of view with so many. To be so talented and so generous is such a gift to those who create. You can visit her blog by clicking on her name above or look for her on my blog list. I have another example of her work at the bottom of this page. Scroll down to see a bunch of her lovely embroidered leaves. Sue has a nice balance of being very traditional in her stitching, with a new twist and real heart. Here is an image from her last class- Here is how my "Sue Spargo" leaf looks on my sampler. To create my version, I used a few recycled wool pieces from my scrap stash. The idea is to do a bit of layering with simple shapes and enhance them with complementary embroidery stitches. I liken my own aesthetic to hers in that I think it's important to respect and learn from those who really stitch well and then to practice your craft until you feel comfortable and proficient. However, I love to see an artist reveal her or his vulnerabilities and idiosyncrasies to the viewer. I guess what I mean is that an artist should know the craft, but not be too proud to allow his or her heart to show now and again. I can see that I have some practicing to do with this technique. Hopefully, through this exercise, I am one step closer to adding another embroidery tool to my box of stitching tricks. March 3, 2012 This little square should have come first, but better late than never. I had to use my favorite go-to back stitch for the lettering. Wish I had room for "ever" on that little square of linen. Linen is a beautiful fabric to stitch on. The weave is loose making it so easy on the fingers. The irregular spaces make for a sweet, natural look. Some linens are tightly woven and hard to get through, but this is my favorite. I have some lovely yarns that I like to untwist. I removed the glittery black strands and was left with this bumpy, bright synthetic scrap. I couched it onto the square with a minimum of stitches. I think it works. Ribbon Embroidery....oooh aaaah. I just got a few colors in from Stitching Bits and Bobs. I had to jump right in and give them a try. I watch Martha's Sewing Room at 5:30am on PBS and they always feature a group of very adept embroidery experts. I've watched them stitch with ribbon and I've seen it done on-line and I guess I couldn't resist ribbon one more day. There are different methods used in ribbon embroidery. For instance, a little ribbon is gobbled up quickly. Wish I had ordered more. The good thing is that you use it sparingly. The ribbon is attached to the needle before you begin so you don't need larger pieces to work with. I recently ordered some pretty silk ribbon, a long overdue luxury purchase. I ordered just a few colors, and I wish I had ordered more. There is something so traditional and vintage to silk ribbon embroidery, no matter how modern the artist. I then hand dyed some vintage seam binding. Its 100 % rayon and took the Sei Tumble Dye well. I use this quick and easy dye to customize many trims, fibers and fabrics. Take a look at how easy it is. This tutorial can be found on my Tutorials page. I began stitching on some lovely recycled cream colored wool from blazer I found at the Goodwill. I dove right in and fell in love with how easily the ribbon glides thru fabric. This lovely 4mm ribbon is hand dyed. I stitched this directly onto my sampler using embroidery cotton and a blanket stitch. Wish I had some tiny vintage trim to slip behind the edges of this patch. It would add the perfect touch. I used the wider, seam binding to do another form of hand embroidery. Its not so much couching as it is tacking. I created the flower by cutting a 5-6" piece of ribbon. The short ends are sewn together to form a loop of ribbon. I then used the wire in the ribbon, only on one side, to scrunch and gather the middle of the flower closed. I then stitched the flower shape onto one of my sampler patches, tacking it down with french knots and beads. A few long stitches and french knots form the drooping stamen. I took another piece of ribbon and manipulated it into a bit of a swirl. I tacked it down with french knots and beads. You can combine cotton or floss with ribbon embroidery. The pretty rose you see is built on a version of the star stitch. You simply weave the ribbon in and out of the spokes and the rose magically appears. The red flower next to the rose is made with the ribbon stitch, which is so easy. The leaves you see are the same stitch! With the leaves, you put the ribbon taut, the flower has very loopy stitches. Here are some stitch lessons from Better Homes and Gardens. This shows how the ribbon is attached to the needle. You simply thread the ribbon into the eye of the needle. Poke the tip of the needle into the ribbon about 1 inch from the end of the ribbon, (near the threaded needle). Hold onto that short little tail and pull the needle until the knot is up against the eye of the needle. This image also shows the ribbon or straight stitch. Come up thru the fabric. Decide how long to make your leaf of petal. Poke the tip of the needle through the ribbon at that point and push it thru the fabric as well. Gently pull the ribbon through. As you get to the end of the pull, the ribbon will form a lovely "v" at the entry point of the stitch. If you want to make a fluffy flower petal, do the same stitch, just don't pull it taut. I found this ribbon work on Pinterest. It comes from Better Homes and Gardens. And here is the sampler as of this weekend. Only a few more patches to go!I can't believe that I am nearing the end of this project. I can't say its in my typical speedy style. I wish I had the time. I will say this project was very necessary to my moving my skills forward at a lover of embroidery. I tinkered with new materials. I learned many new stitches, which I've applied to other projects as well. It is given me a sense of real accomplishment. It has taught me that working without pay, is play. I have been lacking in play time lately. Its about time I had some fun. I can't wait to get started on that large blue spot. I want to do something special there. Its time to decide what that may be! When all the patches are filled, I want to do some stray stitches here and there. I have some beautiful vintage buttons to add and lots of pretty little beads to attach. How are you doing? I'd love to see your work! ------------------------------------------------------- February 17th Time....I need more of it. Either I am squeezing in late night stitching sessions or I am struggling to record, photography and post my progress. What can I say? I'm sure you can relate. I love how my sampler is coming along. I am learning so many new stitches! I am rediscovering my stash of fabrics, which is such a treasure trove of inspiration and I am finding so much delight in seeing this project finally come to life! So where do I start? I guess I'll begin by showing you the blocks I've completed and list the stitches I used for each one. I also have a few stitch tutorials to share with you and more to come. Here are the blocks I've completed so far. My goal is to learn new stitches. I have about 7 favorite stitches that I tend to use over and over. I'm happy to say I've used some stitches I know but rarely use, and I've learned some new stitches I can't wait to use again! I love this block. I used a light blue batik cotton on top of a dark blue cotton fabric. The block is attached to the base using french knots. I framed the patch with a lovely little bit of french lace I had. I think it looks like a little translucent window. The stitches used on this block are easy. The wings of the larger birds are bullion stitches, (click to see Mary's video tutorial). Its a variation of the french knot. You can see this and other video tutorials on Mary Corbet's Needle'n Thread Blog. She has so many wonderful video tutorials on her site. The smaller bird are simple straight stitches with french knot bodies. This block is rather simple and is itching for some beading or companion stitches. The fabric is flannel which has been hand dyed to a bright yellow. I attached it to the base with simple running stitches and sewing thread. I added a little patch of yellow print fabric from my stash. I used a coral stitch to create the stems and branches on this little tree. I found this and many more wonderful stitch tutorials on the Hand Embroidery Network. Created by Sarah Whittle, one of my favorite stitchers, the Hand Embroidery Network is a lovely community of fabric artists who love hand embroidery. Its easy to join the group. Take a look and see if you would like to belong... This block is a simple tree using back stitches with a fern stitch on the tip of each branch. The Fern Stitch is very simple. I'll be adding my own tutorial soon, but you can find this stitch on both websites I've shown above. I worked these stitches on a scrap of recycled wool. It is attached with blanket stitches. You can find this stitch, the back stitch and many other stitches by clicking on Stitch Tutorials. I really love this block. It was created by stitching a series of Open Picot petals in pink. They are attached to a scrap of red cotton for the center. I added yellow french knots to the center as well. The tutorial for the Open Picot stitch is on my blog on the Stitch Tutorials page. I stitched this flower on the same yellow cotton print fabric I used before. I added some outline stitches to create some playful swirls. A few french knots in pink finish the block off. You can find the outline stitch on my Stitch Tutorials Page. I really like this sweet flower. I stitched it on a lovely pastel batik cotton. I used some pretty yarns to create the stem. Some ribbon yarns were used to create the rose and the leaves. I'll show you how I did this in a tutorial. I added the larger beads on top while I was stitching some lazy daisy petals. The tiny glass sead beads were done after the flower was complete. The patch was attached with a simple blanket stitch. The last bit I have to share with you are a few simple touches I added using some vintage crochet pieces and glass pearls. I love how vintage bits and pieces add a bit of history to new works. Thats all for now. I'll be adding those tutorials soon. Check out my Stitch Tutorials Page for my favorite old stitches and a few of the new stitches this sampler has inspired! I hope you are creating your own sampler. Don't forget to let me know about your work. I'd love to post it on my blog! ----------------------------------------------------- February 10th Here is how my awful computer sketch has translated into fabric. I'm so excited! I can finally envision what I want to do. Thank goodness the days of indecision are behind me! I am using a color palette that is rich and varied. I love each and every one of these fabrics. These are the base pieces. I just sewed them down, (bottom layer only. I mostly used a simple straight stitch on my sewing machine. Where the edges will show, I used a fun zig-zag and some sketchy triple stitching. I the patches down with a spray bottle and ruffed up the edges to give them a more worn-in look. I would suggest a run through the washer if you really want the edges to get ragged. I'll photograph it when dry. I have 2 stitched pieces finished. The stitches used are shown on my Stitch Tutorial section. Click here to see how to stitch my 7 favorite stitches. As each sampler piece embroidered, I'll add it onto the base. This sweet leaf features 3 very easy stitches you will find in my stitch tutorials. The leaf is outlined with a back stitch. The top section contains a few chain stitches, or lazy daisy stitches. I added a french knot in the center of each flower. The bottom section is filled with satin stitches. This fun little bird contains many of the same stitches. The fishbone stitch I used on the wings is new so a tutorial will be added. It is basically a satin stitch. Instead of it going down a single column, it alternates between the right and left side. It reminds me of a feather. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- February 4th Well, my deadline is here. I think if I didn't have these deadlines, I wouldn't be moving forward. Deciding on one design was excruciating. I didn't get my squares done, but I did a lot of sketching this week. I wasn't sure how to share that whole design process with you. My most productive and visually vibrant way of working was on Photoshop. I created 3 different ideas. Each has a very loose interpretation of what I want to do. I am not fond of drawing with a mouse. But I wanted to work on the line work on a different level than the color work, so Photoshop it is. My criteria is as follows. I need to have the freedom to incorporate both lines and solid color elements. That way my use of stitching is virtually unlimited. I didn't want to obliterate the foundation. I really love those fabrics, so I want to be able to stitch on my base fabric and add more fabrics. I also want to include some machine stitches. I love how some artists are using the machine to draw with thread. Here are my 3 ideas- This image has all the benefits of the bird idea but it is more airy. I think it has a sampler feel to it, while the first image is more of a stitched picture. If I really want to keep give it a sampler feel, I need to break up the elements more. While many samplers have a lot of squared off edges and areas, I wanted mine to have a different, more original flavor. I ran across an adorable illustration. It was a springboard for this last idea. This is such a messy version of what I picture in my head. Time to finally dig in and get some real work done! I want to shrink the image area and stitch in a simple border. Each color block will be a different fabric. This will allow me to have complete freedom in how I stitch each block. If I mess up and it doesn't fit, well, then it can be replaced. I can't wait to finish this one and try the other 2 ideas. I think they will all be fun to create. This design process has pointed out some real issues I have in what I create and how I create it. If a project is going to be a long term commitment, much like this sampler, I have a real problem finalizing my design. A part of me wants to have an out, in case I work for 50 hours and then do something so horribly wrong that it ruins the entire project. To tell you the truth, I can't tell you when and if that has ever happened to me. Often I make mistakes and then correct them. It may come from my days of painting when my commission work came at a high price. Especially when working with oil paint, errors were hard and sometimes impossible to fix. I have to remember that one of the things I love most about stitching is that nearly ever mistake can be pulled out and restitched. No big deal. Fix it and move on. I'll post my 2 sample elements soon. I also have some nice little stitch tutorials to share with you. I hope you enjoy them. They will be posted on a separate tutorial page. I hope you are starting your own sampler. I'd love to see it if you are. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 29th MY BACKGROUND FABRIC IS FINISHED! Well, It took me 3 tries and finally, last night as I faced my deadline to get this started, I just began. Whew! Why was that so darn hard? Here is the base fabric for my sampler. I decided that this sampler should be made from recycled and re-loved fabric and clothing. I have so much on hand. I want to do my part to respect our planet. So, I stared with a piece of 12" x 12" cotton, (bleached muslin from a previous project). I ripped and cut pieces of linen, cotton and brushed cotton from my scrap bag, I add cloth from a vintage table cloth and fabric from a blouse I found at the Goodwill. I love the white. It gives it a blank canvas feel. The many layers of recycled cloth infuse it with history and texture. This is actually one of 3 attempts at starting this sampler. My first idea was to simply use a single piece of felted wool. I like the softness and the loft of wool felt. Needles just seem to glide through it with ease. But, it just didn't seem special enough for this project. My second attempt was to use recycled and re-claimed fabrics from my stash. I love the color blue. I think I will save the blue patchwork for a future project. Back to my lovely white background..... I simply cut pieces of white fabric into varied squares, rectangles, strips and parts. I placed them haphazardly on top of the muslin until I liked what I saw. I didn't worry about traditional piecing methods. I like raw edges. So I just cut and pinned the fabric down. I then sewed along the edges of each piece of fabric. I mainly used straight stitches. I added a sweet rick-rack type of stitch from my basic sewing machine stitches. Now on to my stitch samples! Stitching is not a problem, especially when working small. If I don't use a square for this project, I can use it for another. Its important for me to remember to learn new stitches. I fall so comfortably into the old. For instance, the back stitch. Its so fast and easy. So I decided to honor it. I then moved onto a new stitch. But I wasn't very good at it. I think the flannel I used was just too flimsy. In retrospect, I should have ironed on a piece of interfacing or stabilizer. But, I just happened to stitch this piece at the laundramat. I do a lot of stitching there. I had to add a few tiny stitches in the center to keep the star from getting too wonky. I used a metallic thread from a little sampler pack I found at Hobby Lobby. I like the antique look of the tarnished gold color. Since I was creating stars, I added a moon and a few tiny french knots to give my stars some depth. My little blue bird stitch scrap on recycled woven wool is one of my favorite happy images. I used back stitches, satin stitches (beak only), seed stitches for the body and I added some beads to give it a bit of sparkle. I'll be posting some quick little tutorials on the stitches I used this week. My goal for next week is to focus in on a final design. I was just so happy to have finally jumped in and started my sampler. I can simply add one little square after another, but I'm not sure I will be happy with how it turns out. Having a vision of what I intend to express in my sampler- a theme...a style...a color palette...these are elements that make a good idea - better. I'll add 2 new stitch samples to my project as well. My next deadline is Saturday,February 4th. If you are just finding me, please feel free to join me. I'd love to hear from you. If you want me to add your images to my blog, send them to me. Lets have some fiber fun! Enjoy these samplers I found on Pinterest. i think the one thing that makes them so amazing is that they have a pattern, a plan, a rhythm and continuity. That is what I will be aiming at this week. I hope they inspire you as they inspired me! Medical Sampler Jillian Tamaki Embroidered Monster Quilt Jennifer Bee Stumpwork Kits -------------------------------------------------------------------- I see so many lovely samplers and I have avoided creating one pretty enough to stand alone as an embroidered piece of art. I went to a lovely blog called 39 Stitches. Each tiny square is a little piece of art in itself. I love that idea. I love the joyfulness of each little stitch. She is such a talented fiber artist. I see so many samplers not quite as organized as this. I love them equally. Here is an sampler I found on Pinterest. It was created by Kelli and it can be found on her blog My Lovely Life. I hope you visit my "A Stitch in Time" Pinterest Page. I find so many inspiring works there that I'd love to share with you. Things I have decided on. Since I have been putting this project off for a lack of time, I am just going to have to make time for this. It makes me crazy to think that I have lost the time I once used to simply please myself. I forgot to play without the results somehow being integrated into a new Etsy shop item. I love to share my playtime with others- don't get me wrong. However, play for play's sake is something even more joyful. I will simply make time each week to add 3 new stitches to my sampler in whatever form I finally pick. My sampler will feature new stitches that I want to learn. It will be a reference sampler to use in my creative design process. I have a number of little stitched fabric scraps laying about the house. I use them as backgrounds in my Etsy Shop and also as a tool to apply what I've learned to my new work. I often think how nice it would be to have these little scraps in one place to reference over and over. Of course, I could make myself one of my Stitch Diaries. Somehow I have not found the time for that either! Its so easy to fall into a rut using the same tried and true stitches over and over again. I often find and learn new stitches. Using those little lessons is a whole 'nother matter. How do those each stitch work in combinations with others stitches? Could a repeat of this stitch be a great border? How about the colors? The possibilities are endless. But one stitch, alone on a scrap of fabric is usually not terribly useful. That is why a sampler is a great idea for stitchers who love embroidery. I am hoping that seeing a stitch on white and then a patterned fabric will offer some inspiration for something original. If you would like to learn new stitches, I have two wonderful websites to help you. I love Mary Corberts site Needle 'N Thread. She shows each stitch in an image, often with other stitches and multi-color threads. She has both a photo tutorial and a video image of each stitch. My other favorite stitcher is Sarah Whittle. She features Stitches A-Z. Here stitch list is long and I find her directions easy to follow. Sarah is also the founder of The Hand Embroidery Network. Its a great place for stitchers to get together, share their work, find supplies, etc. My greatest obstacle has been indecision. There are just so many options! The above samples are so lovely in their traditional approach to embroidery. After all, these stitches have been stitched for hundreds of years. However, there are so many lovely contemporary approaches! Here is a cloth by Jude Hill, of the Magic Feather Project. Her philosophies about cloth and personal markings are really lovely. She may be of this day, but her creative soul is of a slower, more patient time. I love her work! What if I chose to do some tiny vignettes? Here is a bit of embroidery from The Fabric of Meditation blog by Sara Lechner. I could attach them to patchwork blocks and create a 12 x 12 piece and display it in a shadow box. Each piece could have dimension and I could even add objects! Hmmmm. I could do new stitches, each on a leaf or a flower- very Sue Spargo inspired. She always makes me feel like stitching. More dimensional fabric art. This is by Sally Mavor used in book illustrations for children. What if flowers could be created like this? Oh no! Here we go again. Idea overload!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then...indecision creeps up and stops me from starting. Dang. I have to get past this and just start. I'll keep you posted on my progress. A tutorial will be available once I'm finished. If you would like to join me in this sampler challenge, let me know! I'll add your link to my blog. HAPPY STITCHING!

It’s not really magic. It’s algebra but maths is rather magical, especially when designing (or even altering) patterns means it’s way more useful than you ever believed in high school. Sometimes the number of decreases (or increases) you want to do divides neatly into the number of rows you have available. And sometim

Oh my goodness, have you SEEN Rachel from Maybe Matilda? She is the.cutest.thing.EVER!!!! Not sure if we love her designs more or her hair 😉 We are so thrilled she is here today to show off her tute on a DARLING tee…. take it away, miss creative! ____________________________ Hi Lolly Jane readers! I’m Rachel from...

Hi everyone! Today I have what is possibly the cutest bear lovey ever for you - that's right, I said it! He's the perfect size and oh so perfect for any

Sewing tips and tricks you need to know

***UNFORTUNATELY, THIS PATTERN IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE*** Jeli Quilts is no longer selling her patterns and since they are not my patterns, ...

Luckily there are two things you can do to help your curved seams sit just right...clipping & notching!

This is a “jail bird”

Looking for ideas for preschool circle time activities? Find flannel board ideas and preschool and toddler classroom activities here.

Really? A sewing tutorial blog post from me? A year ago, no one could have convinced me that I would ever blog a sewing tutorial. But I am proud to say that I've been stretched and inspired to sew. Look what I made! And not just one, but eight of them! These beautiful bags were made for my small group. This year as we kicked off our fall Mothering Matters bible study, I wanted to give the girls each a bag for their book, bible, etc. They loved them. And was Patrick ever proud of me. So, if you want to know how to make them, I tried to organize pictures as a tutorial. Please note: I am a not a sewer, so you will not get a professional tutorial. :) Materials Needed: Two Fat Quarters (they come pre-cut at most fabric stores 18 x 22, or you can just purchase 1/2 yard of your favorite fabric and cut it in half) Slightly less than a fat quarter iron-on interfacing1. Fold over the fabric lengthwise, and cut the tote out 15 inches leaving 3 inches for the tote handles. 2. Pick your outside print and center the interfacing and iron it on to the wrong side of the fabric. 3. With right sides together, sew around the edges of the fabric. Leave about the center third of one of the long sides unsewn to allow you to turn right side out. Trim the corners. Turn right side out, pushing out corners. Iron seams flat. Topstitch at 1/4″ around the entire outside of the rectangle. 4. Cut the 3" left over strip in half to make two tote handles. Iron on interfacing on both. Fold over to make each handle 1" in width and sew 1/8" down both sides. 5. Measure 3" from each side of your tote and sew the handles on the wrong side. I sewed the stitch like a square with a X through it (sorry, told you I don't know the professional sew lingo). 6. With right sides (outside fabric) together, fold in half width-wise. Sew the two ends together at 1/2 inch seams. 7. Fold in the outside edges that you just sewed, towards the center, so that the seam is laying along the center bottom of the pouch. 8. To give the tote some inside space, sew across the corner of the bag, about 1.5″ in from the point, on both ends. 9. Turn the whole thing inside out and iron again to make it flat. Of course, I forgot to take a final picture of this print (probably because I was too excited!), but here's another bag to show you the final product. Believe me, it was sew unbelievably easy and the nice thing about pre-cut fat quarters is you increase your ability to sew straight because the fabric is cut perfect. I'm all about easy! Considering that I never sewed anything before (by the way, thank you Mom Ring for my sewing machine as a birthday gift), I want to inspire you as I've made some ladies very happy with their new beautiful bags! Now, after doing eight in a row, I need to find the energy to do one for myself. Or maybe you....

The #herringbonesinglecrochet stitch is one of my favorites🤎 Have you ever worked with this stitch before? This two-row repeat stitch is a nice way to add texture to a variety of projects. I...

Really? A sewing tutorial blog post from me? A year ago, no one could have convinced me that I would ever blog a sewing tutorial. But I am proud to say that I've been stretched and inspired to sew. Look what I made! And not just one, but eight of them! These beautiful bags were made for my small group. This year as we kicked off our fall Mothering Matters bible study, I wanted to give the girls each a bag for their book, bible, etc. They loved them. And was Patrick ever proud of me. So, if you want to know how to make them, I tried to organize pictures as a tutorial. Please note: I am a not a sewer, so you will not get a professional tutorial. :) Materials Needed: Two Fat Quarters (they come pre-cut at most fabric stores 18 x 22, or you can just purchase 1/2 yard of your favorite fabric and cut it in half) Slightly less than a fat quarter iron-on interfacing1. Fold over the fabric lengthwise, and cut the tote out 15 inches leaving 3 inches for the tote handles. 2. Pick your outside print and center the interfacing and iron it on to the wrong side of the fabric. 3. With right sides together, sew around the edges of the fabric. Leave about the center third of one of the long sides unsewn to allow you to turn right side out. Trim the corners. Turn right side out, pushing out corners. Iron seams flat. Topstitch at 1/4″ around the entire outside of the rectangle. 4. Cut the 3" left over strip in half to make two tote handles. Iron on interfacing on both. Fold over to make each handle 1" in width and sew 1/8" down both sides. 5. Measure 3" from each side of your tote and sew the handles on the wrong side. I sewed the stitch like a square with a X through it (sorry, told you I don't know the professional sew lingo). 6. With right sides (outside fabric) together, fold in half width-wise. Sew the two ends together at 1/2 inch seams. 7. Fold in the outside edges that you just sewed, towards the center, so that the seam is laying along the center bottom of the pouch. 8. To give the tote some inside space, sew across the corner of the bag, about 1.5″ in from the point, on both ends. 9. Turn the whole thing inside out and iron again to make it flat. Of course, I forgot to take a final picture of this print (probably because I was too excited!), but here's another bag to show you the final product. Believe me, it was sew unbelievably easy and the nice thing about pre-cut fat quarters is you increase your ability to sew straight because the fabric is cut perfect. I'm all about easy! Considering that I never sewed anything before (by the way, thank you Mom Ring for my sewing machine as a birthday gift), I want to inspire you as I've made some ladies very happy with their new beautiful bags! Now, after doing eight in a row, I need to find the energy to do one for myself. Or maybe you....

Click the image you want, wait for it to load and then right click to save to your computer. Then print at your leisure!

Luckily there are two things you can do to help your curved seams sit just right...clipping & notching!