Sewing: Birch Fabrics "Grove" Potholders (Tutorial & Giveaway)

Today I am sharing a collaboration with Birch Organic Fabric for their new, first ever certified organic line of canvas home decor fabrics. It's called "Grove" and you can see the line here.

This fabric would be great in a bag, or child's footstool, or my favorite: tablecloths and place mats (always the "what to do" when I find a great fabric but can't decorate a room in it). But we came up with another idea--potholders, or "hot pads" if you prefer.

Who can't use a new potholder? I know I can. And one that is nice to look at? Such a luxury! These would make great gifts for your girlfriends, or next Mother's Day, or Father's Day for that matter. These fabrics are beautiful, and one of my favorites is the Poppies print, but there are several that wouldn't be described as girly.

If you are a quilter, think of these as mini-quilts. A potholder is a nice size for experimenting. And if you aren't much of a quilter, don't be scared away because these are really very simple. In fact, you don't need to quilt at all. And, they work! I've included a lining fabric that reflects heat.

Want to learn to make a potholder? Click through for the tutorial.

Just wish you could have a new set of potholders? Then enter the giveaway! Birch Fabrics is giving away a pair of these potholders (sewn by me) to two winners? To enter see the instructions at the end of the tutorial.

Party: Arcade Birthday Favor Bags (Printables)

We celebrated Audrey's birthday this year by inviting a handful of her friends to a "fun center." It had batting cages, bumper boats, mini golf, go-karts and an indoor arcade. Not a lot of room for my own creative overlay, but then it wasn't my party, so... It turned out to be OK--I've learned May is a really busy month to celebrate a birthday so I was actually feeling grateful to have a shorter list of things to do. But I wanted to do a couple creative things so I designed the invitation and the favor bags with a retro arcade theme in mind. 

I happened to have these cotton muslin bags left over from Audrey's birthday party last year and decided add a "Game Bag" graphic with heat transfer paper. Just a simple thing but it was really fun to do and gave it the personalized touch I was looking for.

I used Avery t-shirt transfer paper (finding an inkjet printer was a bit tricky) and followed the directions. It worked without a hitch. Since I have a bunch of paper leftover I'm thinking I better do some summer t-shirts with this stuff!

Who knows if the party goers noticed the bag, but they did like the contents--a couple old fashioned twos, a big lollipop and some of my favorite candies (in the appropriate colors and loud graphics), Zotz.

If you would like to make some Game Bags, I've got a PDF file with the printable (it's a mirror image) here for you to download. (You'll need to get some transfer paper and follow the directions provided by the manufacturer.)

Review: So Pretty! Felt by Amy Palanjian (Book Giveaway)

Chronicle Books (one of my favorite publishing houses for children's books and art books!) sent me a preview of Amy Palanjian's new book, "So Pretty! Felt," which, as you may imagine, includes pretty things you can make with felt. I am such a fan of felt! I had to pull out a stash I've collected to see what colors might work for one of these projects (but I didn't get to the actual project yet given my very crazy month of May...).

I love 100% wool felt (and boiled wool too)--there is just something about it's natural feel, texture, weight and no fraying! The density is so cozy. And it seems Northern European to me (I may have to check this), which has big appeal. It's a bit hard to find, however. Luckily this book includes some resources for wool felt,  and a great blend (which is what I have stacked here), as well as everything else you'll need to make pretty things with this material.

This book is beautifully photographed and the projects are explained clearly so it seems truly possible to make something simple, such as embroidered pennants to top cupcakes, or something more complex, such as a pieced pin cushion. I really need a pin cushion. But I may have to make myself a felt Carnation Corsage first.

In addition to the fun projects, I love the introductions Amy has included for each of the artists contributing them--such a beautiful glimpse into their creative minds. The whole package is inspiring.

Would you like a copy of "So Pretty! Felt"? Chronicle Books is giving away a copy to one of my readers. To enter simply leave a comment on this post. One entry per person.

• Tell me why you love felt, or what you have recently made with felt, or what you have been dreaming of making?

This giveaway is open until midnight May 24th. Then I'll pick a random winner. Good luck!

Invites: Audrey's Arcade Birthday Party Invitation (Printable)

You know I love a good birthday party. And one of the best parts is coming up with the concept, which thus far has involved a set of carefully edited suggestions offered to the birthday girl so that she is excited about it and I am too.

The most important reason for having the party is of course to spend time with friends and family. But I like the little details too. It's a good excuse to get my creative wheels turning. That may be more of a challenge in the future, or at least less of a big deal, as my girl's come up with their own ideas. This year Audrey passed on a few ideas to land on "remote control car" party. Hmmm... I was working on it--it could be really fun--but then she decided she wanted to go and drive go-karts. "I think they have their own tablecloths, Mom," she said. What?!

So we are on our way to a fun center this year. Can you believe it?! There are fewer opportunities for me to create, but lots of opportunities for a group of kids to have fun, and that's what counts. Whether any of them is actually tall enough or brave enough to drive the go-karts is another story... Maybe we'll all play mini golf instead.

Turns out this simpler approach to her party comes at a good time as it feels like the busiest time of the year. But I still insisted on making invitations. I found these cute "speedway" pocket pinball games here at TinToyArcade (they have a lot of fun stuff), designed a simple two sided card and taped the game to the front. I made some customized labels for the envelope, which we hand delivered, but I think they would mail just fine in a padded envelope.

The pocket game is pretty irresistible! The recipients all ripped it off the card and starting playing with it immediately. Which is probably nothing compared to the wide eyes we'll get when they see the arcade at the fun center. Wish me luck!

Here is the PDF printable if you'd like to make similar invitations (it can be edited with your party information).

Sewing: Blue Wool Bateau Neck Tops (Pattern Soon)

Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

...

Can't help thinking about this Robert Frost poem (beautiful, brooding, true, though tinged by popular culture). I am crazy for this spring green covering some of the hills. Weeds or not, I love this color.  And it is fleeting.

We've been spotting these flowers while carpooling this past week, so I took the girls to wade through them, and get some pictures for the pattern-in-the-works. If only that work were more fleeting!

Seems like it is taking forever! This Bateau Neck Top is not at all complicated, but there are multiple versions. And I am reinventing some things about how I produce patterns (excited about these!). And there were the Easter dresses and other projects I interjected. So I guess that explains it! Everything takes time.

But it's almost ready to go into testing. (Thank you thank you for volunteering...I'll be in touch!) Which means it will be available for purchase soon thereafter. Fingers crossed. Notice I'm not mentioning any specific dates!

Audrey and Scarlett are wearing Bateau Neck Tops in one of my favorite fabrics: boiled wool. It's pretty hard to beat for cooler weather. All the great properties of wool, but soft and stretchy. I wish it were easier to find! I purchased this light blue boiled wool here and have purchased other wool-blends ("Lana Bollito") here. They also carry some boiled wool blends here. I've even purchased some wool fabric and boiled it myself but I wouldn't say I've perfected that method!

I'm excited about sharing this pattern because I think the Bateau Neck Top may be the answer for every outfit. At least for my girls. I love the ruffle at the neck, and Audrey is wearing it with a pleat. The variations means it doesn't get old and using fabrics of different weights means it's a year round solution.

So anyway, that's my update. Back to work. I hope you have great color where you are too!

Giveaway Winners: Guide to Sewing Techniques Book and Shabby Apple Gift Certificate

 

Ready to shop for some vintage-inspired clothing courtesy of Shabby Apple?

 

Or read all about whatever sewing technique has you stumped?

 

We have two winners!

 

Receiving the Shabby Apple $50 gift certificate will be:

 

jenicini who said...

My favorite thing about vintage clothes is that they seemed to flatter the feminine parts of a woman which I so appreciate!

April 2, 2013 at 11:12 PM

 

And the winner of the Vogue-Butterick Step-by-Step Guide to Sewing Techniques is:

candacek who said...

I only know basic stitches, have only done one zipper, and never done button holes. This book would be super handy!

April 3, 2013 at 8:27 AM

 

Please contact me via email so we can get these goodies out to you.

 

Thanks.

Sewing: Easter Dresses 2013

Happy (belated) Easter! It's amazing to me how each day matters in Spring. One day greener. A few more leaves on the bare branches. Bulb shoots multiplying. Thank goodness. We need those signs, don't we?

The weather switches between warm and cool, cloudy and crazy bright. We have to take advantage of the clear blue days when they come.

I hope Spring is treating you well. Reminding of you of all that's good and beautiful.

I need to appreciate more the everyday joys.

Such as these funny girls. So difficult to get a good photo of all three. (And never mind about the overdue haircuts.)

But if I shoot enough I get a few, even if they aren't exactly what I had in mind. They're probably better than the image I had in my head anyway.

And the best thing is, as I'm reviewing them all I remember that these are the faces I get to look at everyday, in real life. And these are the little people I get to take care of, in small ways and really important ways. And occasionally I also get to make something for them. And I have a lot of fun with that.

I love the tradition of new Easter dresses. I shared detail's about Scarlett's square yoked dress here, and Audrey's double-breasted dress here. And for Tess I decided on a velvet tulip skirt and a ruffled bateau neck top (same pattern design as this one). I'll have to share more about her outfit later.

If you'd like to see past year's Easter dresses you can view them here:

2012

2011

2010

2009

Sewing: Double Breasted Easter Dress for Audrey

I gave you a peek of this dress in the giveaway post earlier this week. Nothing says Easter like blue velvet, right? The thing is, it's not quite full-blown Spring around here at Easter time. It's often chilly. And, before the grass has greened and the bulbs are blooming I can't get enough color--this fabric is about as saturated as it gets. But most importantly, this fabric (Anna Maria Horner LouLouThi Velveteen Coreopsis Marine) is gorgeous! I had to use it for a dress for Audrey.

 

I think it was the right decision. Easter Sunday the blue velvets stood out like hyacinths in a snow of pastel dresses.

The design for this dress was inspired by the Christmas dress I made Scarlett a couple years ago. But I knew Audrey wouldn't like the gored skirt. She is more tailored. So I found a pattern with inverted pleats, changed it from a back zip to a front double-breasted, drafted the new collar (love this peterpan front and sailor back!), added some length, piping, and (count them) eighteen velvet covered buttons. (Which by the way, are working better now that I'm using this tool--the shanks on the buttons are so much better than the ones I was buying in fabric stores.)

It was a bit much for my short deadline but I am happy it happened. Can't wait to share photos of the girls wearing their dresses, but I don't have the photos yet....

 

Wondering about making a pattern for this. That always seems to be the question...

 

Hope you are having a good week.