i can’t tell you how many people think that i knit or spin all the time. in fact, just the opposite is true. i work with fiber and yarn all day long for work. when it’s my down time, though, i prefer to do one of my other hobbies. don’t get me wrong! i love to knit and i love to spin but sometimes when your job is your art or your hobby you don’t necessarily want to look at it when the work day is done. luckily, being the spaz that i am, i have plenty of other hobbies to keep me more than busy when i have a free moment. this weekend i spent catching up on some paperwork, shipping and then decided it was time for some sewing! i absolutely love to sew. my grandmother taught me when i was wee and i spent a lot of my childhood making my own accessories. i think it was the mid 90s when those backpack purses were in style and i was in elementary school. i wanted one so bad. everyone in my class had one but we didn’t have a lot of money so i took some of my mom’s fabric scraps and a needle and thread and made my own. i was so proud of it. of course, they made fun of my hand sewn bag but i didn’t give a rip! i loved that little bag and i wish i still had it. it’s the little things like this that we all wish we’d saved. oh wells.

this weekend i spent piecing together a larger throw sized quilt and contemplating how i was going to quilt it when i got sidetracked by my ridiculous ADD and had to start a new project. it’s a modern windmill pattern with some white muslin and multi colored cotton fabric scraps.

yeah, that’s the new quilt on top of the one i was originally working with. oops. i’m quite in love with both of them but the windmill just rocks my socks off! i felt so clever when i put all the colors out like that. sometimes it’s the little things that get ya. i’m going to put a little white border around all four sides and quilt this bad boy next weekend.

i’ve also been a little obsessed with these little house blocks i’ve been seeing all over the interwebs. they looked like so much fun and i just had to try my hand at it. dudes! it’s like building with fabric! legos, but soft! i LOVE legos and i LOVE making these blocks. i see many more in my future. i’m damn proud of this first one even if the roof’s a little crooked.

just when i thought i’d had my sewing fix for a while, amanda had to go and be all awesome with her french coffee press and i wanted to try my hand at something that actually had an everyday purpose. it was a fun little experiment. i measured my bodum press and added an inch to each measurement. it worked fine for the length but it’s just a scant to tight width wise. i also sort of spaced out on the button measurements so only the middle one fits in between the handle. uh, derp. all in all, it’s a learning experience and i will enjoy my warm coffee.

just a little closer look at the quilting. just straight up and down all the way across. it took a whiiiile but it works for the look.

i’m hoping that i’ll get to do some more sewing this weekend. i’ve got a few friends that are expecting babies soon so i’ve got a few softies and baby things to make soon. oy. ;)

love-
fc

i’ve been sewing a little bit here and there. i forgot how much i love to sew. it’s such a fantastic hobby. you get to pay with gorgeous fabrics and threads and make things that are soft and squishy. truly an addiction.

the first thing i’m proud to show you is a quilted pillow.

i’ve never actually quilted anything by myself. my grandmother and i pieced and quilted a small flannel quilt a few years ago. this was totally solo. i took out some of my favorite fabric scraps and sewed a sort of wonky log cabin square/rectangle. i edge it with white, cut a piece of batting and randomly quilted the top.

i used some of my grandmother’s vintage fabric to create an envelope back for easily removing the pillow form. it smelled just like my grandparent’s house when i was ironing it. that made me miss them a ton.

all in all, i’m really happy with the pillow. it’s soft, colorful and mine. quilting is so gratifying.

the next project i want to show you is the cutest little plushie in all of creation! okay, that’s just my opinion. heh. i took a class with two of the red velvet girls this autumn. it was a really inspiring experience. they’re all very creative chicas. i’m thinking about taking their style school class now.

this little owl was one of the class projects.

the first time i saw it, i KNEW i wanted to make one but i sort of chickened out because i’d never sewn a patterned toy before. i shouldn’t have even worried because it was so easy to follow! his little wings and feet are uneven and that just adds to the charm. i used some of my favorite joel dewberry faux bois fabric and a fat quarter of blue floral fabric. i sewed his little button eyes on crooked and he’s so perfectly imperfect. if you get a chance to get any of elsie or rachel’s stuff, you should.

he likes to hang out with some gorgeous felted trees that eling of traveling rhinos sent me last christmas. it’s his own little forest.

i love him. i smooch him.

i’ll leave y’all with some of my weekly favorites from flickr. they’re inspiring me so click on the pic and be inspired. what’s inspiring you??

love-fc

i’ve been doing a fair amount of embroidery and sewing lately. i can’t seem to get enough of the almost instant gratification of sitting down to sew a zippered pouch or a pillow and being done in less than an hour. plus, you can just pick up where you left off without checking patterns or stitches. it’s been a nice rest from knitting.

my grandmother and mother taught me how to sew and embroider when i was a little girl. i was constantly making things that we couldn’t afford. i remember once in elementary school when all the girls were carrying around those tiny backpack purses and i wanted one so bad but we just didn’t have the money. i remember sitting in my room with some of my mom’s floral fabric scraps and a needle and thread. it took me a few hours but i sewed my own. i proudly carried that bag to school the next day and didn’t care when the other girls made fun of it. i knew then that making your own stuff was far more satisying than going out to the store and buying the same thing that everyone else had. that backpack was made by my own two hands. i wish i still had it or at least had a picture of it. i won’t get on a soapbox here but i think that all little girls (and boys) should have a hobby where they can express their creativity and make something with their own two hands.

the last few years have seen a surge of handmade goodness and a revolution to either make or buy handmade. i think it’s a really great time of year to try it if you haven’t.

here are a few goodies i’ve been making for myself and friends.

a small piece of embroidery that will hopefully become the center of a pillow. i quite love the tiny birds.

i love little mushrooms. i’ve noticed that most people do. don’t you?? ;) i embroidered this a tea towel and then cut it apart to put a patchwork strip of cotton fabrics. it’s going to be a pillow for my rocking chair.

ahhh zippers. i’ve always struggled with zippered pouches when lining is concerned. i can’t keep it from scooching around and puckering. this is the best one i’ve ever made! only a tiny little bunching at the corner of the bag. i’m calling it a win!

some fabric and thread for the next project. what will it be?

i love being inspired by all the embroidered and patchwork pieces i see around flickr. i’m back to the sewing machine for a little while before getting to work for the evening.