Embroidery Floss Storage

Howdy!

Awhile back I saw someone on Pinterest storing their embroidery floss using clothespins.  When I saw this I realized how ingenious it was.  Clothespins are cheap and easy to come by and they store beautifully.  So before the move I decided to convert all of my opened floss to clothespin storage.

The original Pinterest Pin stopped at winding the floss on the clothespins, but the worst part of having opened floss is that if you run out during a project and need more of a specific color you're pretty much up a creek without a paddle.  So, I trimmed up the bands I had saved from freshly opened skeins, slid them, on the ends, and taped them down.  Now I have ingenious storage and I know the color number if I need more of that color (or just love it, like the one to the right).

Sew Attracted

Howdy!

I mentioned in this post a few tools I found incredibly helpful, if not vital to my hand piecing project.  I now have another!  Mama gave me a magnetic wristband my Dritz that she found at a thrift store for practically nothing.  It was on some horribly uncomfortable and pretty much useless Velcro that kept falling off (sorry no picture of that, Ducky confiscated it to play with immediately lol).  So I took my happy butt to Wal-Mart and got a kids sized sweatband from the sports department and super glued that baby to it.  And the angel chorus proclaims its glory.  Now I have a comfortable and convenient wristband for holding on to my needle or helping me if I drop it :)

Reversible Bag

Howdy!

Man, long time no blog!  My bad, y'all.  Life has this funny way of getting in the way.  Anyhoo, today I have a fun little bag for you.  It's actually a Reversible Bag by Novita, but I have no intention of flipping it because I added this cute embroidered pocket (which is the perfect size for my cellphone ;)).  I also added an identically sized pocket on the inside for my keys.

For the embroidery I printed the art I liked onto the paper side of freezer paper and ironed it to my fabric.  Then I simply stitched over it. I also poked extra holes with my needle as I went to perforate the paper well, because the next step is simply to pull off the paper when finished.  I did this on just one layer of my pocket fabric and then stitched a second layer to the back, so that the back on my embroidery was enclosed.  It's much neater and I don't have to worry about catching and undoing knots and such.

I didn't do the straps the same way as she did in the tutorial.  Honestly, I got going and forgot to look at the instructions and just did them the way it made sense to the at the time. lol. Her way is wonderful, too, but I thought you might want another option.

First, I pressed my seams and pinned the last 4" to be sewn (after all other steps), leaving one side raw.

The second side I pressed the edges under.

Then I pinned the raw edged straps inside the "finished" ones.

Next I sewed a nice double lined seam to add a professional finish and strength to my bag :)

If you make one I would love to see it!

Mini Tote All Grown Up

Howdy!

Like I said in my Brother, O Brother! post, I decided to make a the Mini Tote that I made for my sister a little bigger for me.  I used the exact same pattern, but I used just under a yard of fabric (four fat quarters if you want to minimize cutting).  For my lining and main bag I cut the panels to 16x18" and my straps 18x6".  My bag ended up about 14.5 squareish.  For the embroidery, I again just printed off of a font I like and then I drew a little bird.  I used a reverse chain stitch, running stitch, peking knot (that I anchored) and french knot for the pattern (tutorials can be found by clicking on stitch name).

Mama requested a bingo bag, so I made one just slightly smaller for her since she didn't want one so deep.  She also requested an inside pocket to I cut a pocket on the fold so that it would be double layered and then  put bias tape around the edges to finish it off.  As with the embroidery (please excuse the deformed dauber , I added it to the one of the lining pieces before I started assembling the bag.  For the embroidery I used all of the above mentioned stitches except for the peking knot.  I also didn't divide my thread since I wanted a thicker lettering.

Brother, O Brother!

Howdy!

Creativity runs in my blood, so naturally I have a few hobbies - cooking, baking, canning, knitting, tatting, beading/jewelry making, and Zentangles to start.  Growing up my mother taught my K and I to sew, and we would piddle here and there for school projects and stuff, but neither of us really took to it as a real hobby like my mother (she made one of my prom dresses!).  Until now.  I have bitten by the bug and I am IN LOVE.  Not just with sewing, but hand embroidery, as well.  I have the most wonderful Mommy, too, because she gave me a brand new sewing machine and TONS for fabric and supplies from her own stash to get me started :D

So, what did I do?  Got busy for K's birthday, which is this week but since my daddy is out of town we celebrated this past weekend.  Since K is just starting to really outfit her little apartment she got all sorts of housewares for her birthday.  I started by making her an apron in her favorite colors - yellow and black.  I thought that it would be a good "first" project to get me reacquainted with the art.  I used Simplicity 1934 View A, which I already have fabric and alterations ready for one for myself very soon :).  Then I made her pot holders to match - three in yellow with a black border and three in the black print with a yellow border.

And because I am nothing if not an over achiever, I made her a little bag since a girl can never have enough bags.  I mean really.  I used this free Mini Tote pattern on Craftsy for the bag.  It is super quick and easy to follow and beautiful when finished.  For the embroidery pattern I printed off a font that I liked for her and got busy.  She loved them, but what do you think? :)  I'm super excited!  I have already made myself a bag and am working on a bingo bag for my parents now (another posts on these soon).