Sewing - sock monkey

I made a sock monkey today!!!  One of the girls at Gramma Link Africa asked if anyone was willing to make one for her granddaughter who lost her whole collection to a house fire.  I agreed to make one and here it is!!!!  I perused several patterns and how to videos on line and instructions were fairly similar so I just printed out a set and got started.  I had batting on hand and the socks (it takes one pair) were sourced locally.   It was an enjoyable day of sewing - both by machine and by hand to get it done and it is rather cute and I hope it will bring healing to the loss.  

Therese
 

Valentine's card featuring a serendipity heart, embossed mesh over a collage background

A Valentine's card for my DH!!  We are celebrating a week farther into February because we were doing Christmas last weekend with family who just returned from China!!!  

I started with a large black card and created a collage background in tones of gray.  I stamped the outside edge in red to coordinate with the heart.  I laid the serendipity heart die cut (from my stash) over the mesh which was embossed with gold and silver embossing powder (from my stash) and stitched an X with gold thread and tied to the back.   I added a piece of printed deli paper which I tore and added red watercolour to the backside and then mounted this large element to my card!!  

Therese

 

Sewing - small quilt - heavy weight cotton outside, dotted fabric inside - self bound

I have stitched up another small quilt for the Linus Project which supplies ambulances with blankets for anyone who needs one when they are called out to an emergency.   The inside is fun polka dot fabric and the outside is a heavy weight floral fabric.  The batting is one layer of flannel.  They appreciate quilts that are less bulky as these have to stored in the ambulances where space is at a premium.  It measures 40" c 50".  It will share space with the others I have ready to go and will be dropped off after my sister picks them up.  Therese
 

Sewing - Potholders from scraps using QAYG technique

Another set of potholders made in my more traditional way - backer that comes to the front to bind them, a loop in the corner and scraps sewn to the flannel ( 3 layers) using QAYG.  I added several rows of stitching to the blue strips after I added the backing which very nicely quilting the layers together.  I used a few scraps from the construction of the previous set of potholders I made for the Sewing Group Challenge.  

Therese
 

Sewing - large shopping bag with flying geese border and scraps on the back and a zipper

I set aside the supplies for this bag last year and a few weeks ago I dug it out and got started.  The "flying geese" were already done and only needed to be framed with the brown strips.  I see from the photo that the geese are somewhat disguised with the strips in between being too much the same colour.  They read more like arrows but that works as well.  I used a blue green broadcloth inside and a flannel layer in between.  The two sides were sewn up as french seams so there are no raw edges inside.  I boxed the bottom and added handles when I finished the top edge.  I created a finished zipper assembly and added it to the top.  I ended up a bit wider than I expected so it filled the top opening.  

I ended up adding a twill loop and two buttons to allow the zipper to be opened conveniently.  I did add two stitches through the layers on the back end as well to secure the flaps for better closing and opening.  I added a braided thread pull to the zipper to make it easily accessible.  I may have been better in a brighter colour.  

It measures 20" wide and about 18" wide so has a lot of room for anything that needs being carried from one place to another in a very fashionable manner!!!  

Therese

 

Sewing - potholders with a front pocket in blues, browns and yellow

I have issued a challenge to the GLA Sewing group to make up a set of potholders.  We will have a really good selection for our first event in May.  I made these from the same fabrics I used to make an apron last year for our Gramma Link Africa events.  Several at the sewing group meeting preferred potholders with a pocket to protect their hands on both sides.  I did some research on line and found a tutorial and made it my own.  The pocket is made of the beautiful floral fabric and hemmed at the top.  The potholder base is made from cottons and flannels - top layer is yellow and blue below, 3 layers of cotton flannel, and a backer which is wider and taller in the speckled blue which comes over an is used to bind them all the way around.  I added a loop because several people hang theirs and there is no harm in adding one as they can just as easily be stored in a drawer or basket.  The loop lays flat on the potholder and therefore does not stick out from the side which I think is a better presentation.  I am really looking forward to seeing the potholders these wonderful sewers will be creating!!!  I did not set any limits so it will be great!!  Therese

 

Cardmaking - Birthday card featuring watercoloured candles, a decorative border and shimmery background

 So fun to be making cards!!!  The candles were stamped (SU) a while back and I watercoloured them and made a long strip of them.  I bordered punched a rectangle and mounted the candles piece to it then border punched the bottom edge.  I layered this piece over the shimmery background and added a folded circle over the edge, added an eyelet and tied on a gold thread.  I then adhered this large element to a purple card front!!!  Theres

Sewing - finished the mushroom bags and added embellisments

I have been working on these bags off and on for quite a while.  I finished them this week.  I finished the seams and added ties and buttons so the handle could be shortened for carrying at the end of the arm instead of over the shoulder.  You simply tie the twill tape to one of buttons to shorten the handle and it easily can be changed whenever you need.  I chose heart buttons and a flower one for my daughter in law who is such a wonderful gardener.  

I added a mushroom embellishment on the one for my youngest grand daughter so she could easily be able to see which one was hers.  I am sure they will get lots of use as they use the library services often.  It is so fun to create gifts for family!!

Therese

 

Crafting - shrink plastic embellishment for a bag featuring a cute mushroom image

I wanted a little embellishment for my youngest granddaughter's bag so I decided to create a fun mushroom embellishment with shrink plastic.  I found the mushrooms image (Pixabay), sized it and then printed it about 6" or so.  I laid a sheet of transparent rough textured shrink plastic over it and traced the outline with a fine tipped black permanent marker and then added colour using pencil crayons with various levels of pressure to provide different values of the colours.  It does not require too much colour to really get a very good result with pencil crayons.  Once I was finished colouring I cut the circle out with scissors and punched a 1.4" hole at the top so I could add a  hanger.  I heat it with my heat gun until it was flat though it did go through quite the convulsions getting there.  It finished up just over 2" around.  I am very happy with the finished piece!! She will be able to use it any way she wishes as she grows up.  Therese

 

Sewing - mushrooms sewn into book bags with an inside zippered pocket

 

I started by cutting strips of red fabric to frame the mushrooms which will finish at 16".  I created a square with an enclosed zipper the same size as the embroidery which will be sewn in at the same time as I sew the bag and create a zippered pocket on the inside of the bag.  I stitched on the two sides, pressed the seam allowance towards the red fabric and then top stitched the seam at about 1/8" to secure the seam allowance and protect the seam.  Next I stitched on the top and bottom pieces.  The bottom section and the back are one large piece with a fold at the bottom. I top stitched those two seams as well after pressing them towards the red.  This securely creates the pocket with a zipper.   I stitched the two sides and top stitched both of those seams as close as I could to the bottom corner.  I cut a handle  - 25"x 4.5" - folded a seam allowance on both sides to the middle and pressed them.  I then folded the two edge to each other and top stitched both edges at about 1/8".  I created inside facings, pinned my handles into place and stitched the top edge.  After pressing it down I top stitched this seam twice - 1/4" and then again at 1/2" which captures the handle twice.  I then folded and pressed another seam allowance and stitched the bottom edge of the facing to the bag.  Gives a neat finish inside the bag.  My next blog post will show the finishing touches!!  Therese

Sewing - Gramma Link Africa Fabulous Fabric Sale at Gaetz United in Red Deer

 You are all invited to come and enjoy a great shopping experience at our Fabric Sale. 

We have fabric  - quilting cotton $4/m, all other fabric is $2m.  

There are $1 rolls and you can stuff a bag for $5.

You can stuff a bag of scraps for $1 - two bins - cottons and everything else!!

There is a whole room dedicated to sewing, crafts & knitting supplies and notions!!!

Admission is $2 and come early to get the best selection!!

Therese

Sewing - jar openers with fabric scraps and shelf liner

I brought home some shelf liner from our sorting session for the fabric sale last week.  I cut the piece of liner into 9 pieces and then dug into my scraps to find some fun fabrics to make up some jar openers.  I enclosed the shelf liner on the edges just like I do potholders - fold over the edge and then fold over onto the liner and stitched it in place.  I added two lines of stitching in the middle to keep the layers together when it is being used.  I used a piece of scrap paper on top of the shelf liner so that my presser foot would travel well when sewing.  It is easy to remove the paper because it has been pierced by the needle.  Just simply press a finger near the seam and pull on the paper on the other side and it separates easily.  These will be dropped off to be added to our inventory of merchandise for our next event.  

Therese

 

Cardmaking - birthday card featuring a cute cake with lots of Chinese greeting stickers

A fun birthday card for a little girl who will enjoy it!!!  I adhered the red polka dot layer to a red card and then added the watercoloured birthday cake (Melonheadz) layer using 3D foam tape.  I added some paper piercing around the cake, some glitter to the flames and then mounted it all to a yellow rectangle which I distressed around the edges.  Finally, I added some fun stickers!!!  

Therese
 

Cardmaking - all occasion card featuring floral doodle, gold foil layer and sanded and embossed background

Cards for family!!!  I started this one with an embossed background which I sanded to reveal the white core.  I rounded the corners and mounted it to a large white card.  The flowers are one of my doodles which I watercoloured to coordinate, paper pierced four lines with my pattern tracing wheel and then mounted onto gold foil.  I added this layer to my card front and added some fibers with a fun sticker.  

Therese
 

Cardmaking - anniversary card featuring fussy cut hearts and a hand decorated background

Working on cards for family  and made up this fun card with hearts (Melondheadz).  I modified a hand decorated piece of paper using an embossing folder and then inked it to create highlights.  I printed the hearts, fussy cut them and then tied on coloured raffia.  I mounted them to the background with 3D foam tape, folded the raffia to the back and secured the end and then mounted this large element to a blue card!!!  

Therese
 

Cardmaking - all occasion card featuring a decorative background paper embossed with cattails and a duck with fussy cutting

The minute I found this duck in my stash I knew exactly which paper it needed for a background!  I love how it worked out!!  I embossed a blackbird with cattails (CB) to create interest and texture in the paper and highlighted the raised areas with a green stamp pad.  I watercoloured the bird to give it more definition.  I fussy cut around the duck and left a bit of "ground" to give him a place to stand and tore away the extra to create an organic line.  I watercoloured the ground and stamped on a bit of texture.  I adhered it over the background with double sided tape on the bottom and 3D foam behind the duck.  I added some dashes and lines around the background and the ground using a fine tip black marker.   Totally  fun!!!!  Therese
 

January Card Club - Card #3 - quick and easy card featuring an embossed background, embossed layers and a framed postage stamp

Postage stamps are wonderful little pieces of art and I really like using them in my cards.  These ones are from a series which featured one for each province and territory of Canada.  I have my collection sorted so I was able to just take the envelope and sort through the stamps.  I chose the ones with the least obtrusive cancellation marks and soaked them in warm water to get them to release.  It only took a few minutes and I laid them flat with the image down for them to dry.  Once they were dry I cut little black cardstock rectangles to provide them a firm base and frame them nicely.  The backgrounds were embossed and highlighted gently with light coloured ink pads (top - Linen Distress ink, bottom - Memories dye ink - Gauze).  I provided a variety of cardstock scraps to provide some elements to create a design along with a variety of embossing folders to give them interesting texture.  I added paper piercing and distressing along with a torn edge on one of them.  Lots of options!!   With our elements created it was just a matter of creating an interesting layout - so many possibilities!!  The lobster is for Nova Scotia and the buffalo is for Manitoba.  I do not have a full set but there were about eight to choose from.  Nice to have versatile cards appropriate to more than one occasion in your card stash and I like to provide a variety of options in the design elements as well.  Therese
 

January Card Club - Card #2 - a layered card that features a fun bookmark

 For our second card I designed a card whose focal accent is a bookmark!!!  We adhered our backgrounds to our cards and then moved on to making the bookmark.  The top layer of the bookmark is pieced and then stamped with an image and embossed with embossing powder before being adhered to a coordinating cardstock rectangle.  We punched a hole at the top and added coordinating fiber.  The bookmark is held in place by a strip of cardstock applied across the card and only adhered on each side of the bookmark which allows for flexibility.  After adding paper piercing to my strips and tying on a piece of fiber, I positioned the strip upside down on the card front, positioned the bookmark and then applied double sided tape to each side avoiding the area where the bookmark will slide under.  After adhering the strip to the card front the bookmark slides nicely into place.  Therese

January Card Club - Card #1 - a few giggly bits on a panel over fun backgrounds

 So great to be back to cardmaking and sharing it with friends!!  We were a small group and we had a good time making the cards our own!!!  

This card features a giggly or wobbly accent which is created by adhering shapes to a thread with tape and then threading both ends to holes in the layer and then fastening the ends to the back with tape as well.  How much movement you get depends on how much slack you leave in the thread - the stars are less wiggly than the buttons!!  The buttons are wonderfully wiggly!!!  I tied crochet thread in the holes of the buttons to give them some texture.  The stars are double layered - silver metallic on gray!!  I mounted my elements to an embossed layer which I added to a card to which the background had already been added.  I did add some paper piercing as well with my pattern tracing wheel!  

It was so good to have like minded people in for a creative evening and even the new person had a good time.  Therese

Cardmaking - wax resist backgrounds coloured with watercolour and some fun little birds

I am finally getting to making my Christmas thank you cards!!!  I fussy cut the birds (TH) and was looking for something cool and interesting to layer them onto and found a small stack of backgrounds I made a while back using wax resist and watercolour.  I used texture sheets and embossing folders under my cardstock to create the wax resist layer and then had fun adding colour!!  You can see that I used several different ones on each background just for fun and variety!!  These so belong together!!!  I did not cut out the space between the legs  - instead I coloured it to coordinate with the background. It was fiddly enough as it was to get the little feathers and the bulgy eyes cut out well.  I treated the tops and bottoms with different techniques - layered on embossed and paper pierced strips, little multi coloured hearts, gold sticky dots, border punched and added little holes and dots made with clear glitter gel pen!!!  I did highlight the edges of their eyes and pupils with a bit of clear glitter gel pen which adds just a bit of dimension - perfect!!!  Love them!!!!  Therese