July 2009 Archives

After making the little wristlet with the dots appliquéd on top I decided to make a pillow inspired by it.

First I took pieces of silk charmeuse scrap that I had dyed awhile ago and put a fusible adhesive backing on them.  For pillows and things I want more pliable I like to use Heat n' Bond Lite.  Then I cut circles ranging in different sizes and placed them strategically on my base fabric. 

After I figured out where I wanted them I ironed the circles down to the fabric so they would stay in place.

Since this was a pillow I stabilized it with some cotton muslin so I wouldn't have to tear it off like interfacing afterward.  Then I began free motion embroidering swirls and stars on each circle.

After completing the front I made it into a fully finished pillow with a purple back that closed with a zipper.  It's for sale in my shop now, so please check it out to see other views.

Cheers,

Kyle

I wanted to learn some new techniques on putting zippers on things.  I had done the traditional zip pouch but after learning a neat trick for pillows and I wanted to try it but for a clutch.  I was also inspired to figure out how to do a zip in the middle of the clutch while having everything finished on the inside.  After digging through my many books and online I figured it out.  I also wanted an excuse to do some small thread sketching pieces.  Here are pictures of my test projects.

This one is made of raw silk with silk charmeuse that I dyed fused onto it.  The purple is naturally dyed with logwood and the yellow is MX Procion dyed. Then I free motioned embroidered on top of the circles.  The embellishment was a test for pillow I want to make similarly.  The zipper is hidden down a bit instead of up and noticed like a normal zip pouch.

Here is the back.  I just did some fun stitching to hold all the layers together.  There is some heavy interfacing sandwiched inside to add more stability to it. 

The inside has the same logwood dyed silk charmeuse. 

Now, I love., just love this clutch so much I don't think I'm going to give it up.  I've already put my personal stuff inside it.  I took it out shopping and got a ton of compliments on it.  It's a great opportunity to pass my business cards on.  It's based off my Bird of Paradise Pillow, which my step mom now owns.  

It's made entirely of scrap fabric!   Silk, cotton, polyester, and unknowns.  I have this huge habit of never throwing any scrap or small piece of fabric away.  I pieced the bottom portion.  Some of the fabrics have been hand dyed.  Then I appliquéd the bird and free motioned a tree on the front.

Here is the awesome back.  I free motioned this tree too to coordinate with the front.

The inside is made of cotton dyed in logwood.  There is a little pocket big enough to hold credit cards.

Cheers,

Kyle

Here is a continuation of some of the other things I worked on in my 36 hour crafting spree. 

This is a pillow I worked on by doing some free motion embroidery.  It was inspired by those Jacobean print fabrics that I can't get enough of.

Here it is, Cream Jacobean, finished all pretty for sale.  I made the other two in this photo as well during this time.  I also have a fourth that is black and white for sale in my shop.

My step mom asked me to make a purse for her inspired by one she found online.  Here is a pattern I figured out for it.  The fabric had to be ordered so I can't finish it at this point.  I will make sure to add pics when I start working on the actual bag.

I had a bunch of little scraps left from the quilt I made for Richard's grandparents so I made this cute little set of napkins.  I pieced the scrap together and sewed it on some unbleached cotton for a cute detail.  I love reusable napkins.  We have a set and reusable "paper" towels.  Richard and I use them for everything and love that they are eco friendly.  We haven't bought paper towels or napkins in months.

I hope you enjoyed my projects as much as I enjoyed making them.

Cheers,
Kyle

Last week I went through a major insomniac faze.  I just started working on some projects and couldn't stop.  I was so in the creative zone that when I got into bed the first night I couldn't get my brain to stop thinking.  So I got up and worked through the night and continued to do so for another 36 hours!  I have no idea what came over me.  I just had this need to make things.  I still have this need but luckily my body is seeing the need to make me sleep now.  Here are some pictures of the first project I completed in this marathon of no sleep.  It's a quilt I made for my husband's grandparents.  It was their 60^th anniversary this past weekend so they had a family reunion.  We couldn't make it, so I made this for them and sent it in our place.  I hope they like it.

This is a log cabin layout ready to work on sewing.

Here are a few of the completed squares.

On a few squares throughout the quilt I free motioned embroidered leaves on them.

Here is the completed and washed quilt.  I love how quilts look after they've been washed.  They pucker up all cute.

Close-up of one of the puckery squares.

The back is made up of that fabulous Jacobean print I wrote about earlier.

I draped it on the lazy boy just for some fun pictures.

I almost didn't want to give this quilt away.  When I finished it I was so in love with it.  Richard had to remind me to send it on.  Well, I just hope they love it as much as I do.

I'll post pictures of the other projects in my Insomniac Create-a-thon soon.

Cheers,

Kyle

So I finally made it to JoAnn's fabric after a long dry spell, mainly to keep my spending down.  I was on the hunt for two projects I'm currently working on, a quilt for the grandparent-in-laws, and a purse for the best step mom in the world.  Of course I always get sidetracked with cute fabrics.  I found these and couldn't resist them.  I even had to have them in all their colorways!  The fabulous thing is they are 108" and cotton.  I love a great Jacobean print.  The brown main, is going into the quilt I'm working on.  But enjoy these irresistible beauties...

Cheers,

Kyle

Finally after sorting through about 800 pictures I can post on my recent trip to NYC.  My trip was primarily around good food, museums, and good friends.  Bobby Bear, my little traveling stuffed bear enjoyed his trip hanging out of my bag sightseeing and getting funny photos.  My friends have said he needs a blog since he's a world traveling bear. 

The first day consisted of finding, my friend Annie at the airport, catching a cab, dropping our stuff at our friends Brandon's, then catching the subway to lunch.  We had sweet desserts from Serendipity 3 that probably made us diabetic but so worth it.  Walked around getting lost in FAO Schwartz, Times Square, and goofing off at the Toys R Us Ferris wheel.  We managed to find the ever wonderful fabric store featured on Project Runway, Moods.  I could have died there.  Then her, our friend Brandon, and I had dinner at WD 50, a restaurant Annie had seen on Iron Chef.  We asked and got to meet the pastry chef who sent us extra desserts that were fantastic.

The next day we wandered the Cloisters and then the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was fantastic.  It goes up there with my top museums.  I have no interest in being a sculptor but I always find myself mesmerized around them.  It was also nice to see those works of art in person I studied in college.  We changed in the bathrooms to get ready for dinner and then to see Chicago.  I got us second row seats.  After the play we had Chandra Wilson from Grey's Anatomy sign our playbills and get a picture with us.  I also ran into someone I knew from elementary school while waiting for the actors to come out.  Small world.  We attempted the Empire State Building but it was closed for observation.

The following day started off with Doughnuts, yum, from a place I had seen all over food and travel networks, the Doughnut Plant.  They were everything they hyped about.  On our way to finding the nearest subway station we came across Zarin Fabrics which is known from the Real Housewives of New York City.  I of course had to go inside to find pretty textiles.  We spent the afternoon in MOMA.  I really loved the modern furniture and textiles.  We left to wander downtown Brooklyn to find the best place, Etsy Inc, where they gave us a private tour around their cute and quirky offices.  I'll write more about that in another post.  That evening we went to Ninja New York, where Ninjas performer, set things on fire, and tried to kill you during dinner.  My neighbor for life, Julia, met up with us that evening where we three girls towered the Empire State Building for a night time view of the city. 

The next day we went back and got more Doughnuts and wandered happily lost through China Town and Little Italy.  New York Pizza is pretty awesome.  Annie later left us to go back to Georgia.  That evening Julia and I partied with Brandon and his roommates NYC style.  I don't remember how I got home.  But it was a good night. 

We pulled our hung over selves out of bed the next day to lunch and more museums.  On our way a shoe designer bought my $20 ballet flats off of my feet for 50 bucks to test in research to make next seasons better.  He gave me some brand new flip flops too to get around the rest of the day.  It was funny.   We got the Guggenheim where they are celebrating their 50^th anniversary with a gleaming white newly renovated museum and exhibit dedicated to Frank Lloyd Wright.  I loved his architectural sketches.  Afterward I had to drop my Julia off at Grand Central Station to return home to Connecticut.  I wandered the city alone for a few hours.  I found myself at the World Trade Center.  It was blocked off by covered fences.  I managed to find some holes in the fence to get a glimpse.  While at the memorial to the fire fighters I noticed how quiet it was there in the city.  There were tourists all around me but no one dared speak a word.  I found my way to the Brooklyn Bridge and ended up walking the whole thing because it was a beautiful day out.  That evening I chilled at Brandon's and got an early rest to get up again at 4am for my flight home.  I didn't want to return I loved NYC so much. 

Pictures will be posted soon.

Cheers,

Kyle