Sweetbriar Studio Sewing

A way with pins...

2012-01-31T12:44:00.000-08:00

Photo from ThreadsMagazine.com

Even after writing several posts on pins and needles, I'm still learning a few tricks...ok, I'm still learning many tricks! And here are a few tips from Threads magazine called "How to Use Pins the Right Way". It's a very short article with some handy tips on the easiest and most efficient way to use pins while you're sewing. It's worth a click...unless you're one of those "old" dogs!

(Other posts on using pins and needles include:
"On Pins and Needles" about choosing the correct needle for the job.
"In the fast lane!" which is one of my tricks for zipping right along on a seam without starting and stopping to unpin.)

Eight of Nana's tablecloths equals one great bathrobe!

2011-12-15T15:38:00.000-08:00

One of my best girlfriends is a FABulous artist (with paint), so we decided to barter my sewing skills for her painting prowess. Two years later (that's right!), I got started on a bathrobe made from a bunch of her favorite grandmom's vintage tablecloths. Stained and holey, these weren't so enjoyable on a table. But repurposed into a robe? Cha-ching! Here is Happy Kim modeling her new robe...

So she gets to think of Nana and enjoy the cheery fabrics at the same time. Note: This was Kim's idea; I just executed.

Now about that painting.... :).

Ho Ho Holidays! Lots of merry fabrics

2011-11-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

I've just spent eons (ok, 2 days) photographing fabrics and listing them in my Etsy shop. They're not just for the holidays, but I admit many of them have red in them :). Here's a sampling:

These are just some of the new fabrics. And there are also upholstery, or Home Dec, weight fabrics like the one below...

I think I've listed about 15 new fabrics including a heavy weight iron-on interfacing. And there are more to come!

More Purse Organizer Smiles, this time from Lindsay ...

2011-11-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

Not to gloat, but I love getting photos and notes from those who have ventured to try one of my patterns. This is also a DIY Kit (the other here) for a purse organizer. Lindsay sent these photos - check this out:

She even made her own "signature square" for it!

And just as an encouragement to all you new sewers, here is what Lindsay said:

"I just wanted to let you know that the purse organizer turned out wonderfully! I think this is the third thing I've sewn...ever, so it probably took me a bit longer than it would someone with a bit more experience, but even with running out of bobbin thread and getting my thread all caught up in the machine (only once though, I'm getting better), the total time was less than 4 hours. I cut out patterns from extra pieces of fabric and can't wait to make more of these! I think every female in my family will be getting one for Christmas. The only change I made was that once I was all finished, I ended up pulling out the stitching from one of the pockets to create one bigger and one regular size pocket on that side, purely personal preference (my cell phone cover makes it too big to fit in one of the regular size ones, without the cover it's fine). Thanks again for a great product!"

I'm beaming :). And Lindsay, you should, too. You did a fantastic job!

Customer Smiles - they're the best!

2011-11-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

I got a great note from Carol who bought a purse organizer DIY Kit. She wasted no time sewing up a storm...I mean a purse organizer :). Here is a photo she sent:

and here's what she had to say in her note: "Just thought I would share a few photos of the finished organizer ...

and the purse I made for it. I love the organizer! Thanks again!!"

Way to go Carol!

All DIY Purse Organizer Kits are on Sale!

2011-07-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! Just to let you know that I just put all of my DIY Kits on Sale.

They are now 25% off of the original price. That includes fabric (already cut), interfacing, and pattern.

That makes an easy project that much better!

And purse organizers make a great gift...maybe get a head start on holiday gifts? And, by the way, there are many more kits with different fabric at my shop.

Making It Yours series - Signature Square

2011-02-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

I've never met a pattern or a project that I didn't want to change! Whether sewing or knitting or just about anything else, I always seem to find something I want to change. That's how I got started designing purses in the first place. So I decided to write a series of posts about how you can do the same thing. Yes, I want everyone to feel my pain! Not really, it can be fun :).

This post, I'll show you how to put your signature on something...like a purse. My signature square is easy to do and adds a personalized touch. I'll show you how I do it, but remember, you can change it!

First, cut 2 pieces of fabric, one from the lining fabric 2" x 4.25" and a second from the outer fabric 1.5" x 3.75".

Then fold each in half, right sides together, short ends touching. Stitch down each long side close to the edge, about 1/4" in. Turn both pieces inside out and push the corners out to a point.

Turn the unsewn edges in to make what looks to be a square. I just eyeball it. Pin the larger square if necessary.

Take the smaller square and position under the sewing foot so that the needle will start at the logical starting point for your initial. You can draw your initials first with a washable marker, but I just eyeball this, too. If your sewing machine has a setting so that the needle stays down when stopped, engage this.

Now start sewing! I go pretty slowly, lifting the foot slightly and turning the square as needed. This gets easier the more you do. Once you finish both initials, pivot the square on the needle and go back over your stitch lines slightly weaving over them. When you get back to your original starting point, pivot and go over the initials for the third and last time.

To sew your squares on your purse, position the little square centered on top of the larger square. Then position both somewhere on one of the purse pieces where they will show and not be in the way of seams, etc. Stitch just inside of the smaller square all the way around.

That's it! It's harder to explain (and read about) than it is to do it. As you can see, I don't try to achieve perfection. That's part of the 'signature'. Now there's no mistaking who made that beautiful purse you're carrying!

Hi-o Silver!

2011-01-07T07:48:00.001-08:00

It was a bright and chilly day.... I was busily stitching away in the waiting room of the car service station when up rode a cute little gal with a white hat (well, actually that was her hair) packing her own heat (more on that later). She saw that I was fighting off the frays and arrows of an organza shape with my trusty running stitch. Without much ado, she dropped a button hole stitch into my arsenal. And, as she rode off into the sunset, I began using a loose version of that. Wow! My enemy was defeated! Thank you to that (not) masked woman whose name I never learned.

Thank you, Seam Ripper Santa!

2010-12-28T15:14:00.000-08:00

What an unexpected surprise to find this beautiful seam ripper in my stocking.

Our neighbor turns wood and makes many beautiful objects.

And he is generous, too!

It is made of four woods and is about 7" long. It feels wonderful to touch and, because of the diameter of the handle, it should be more comfortable to use.

I may see about carrying them in my shop: stay tuned!

My other Me

2010-12-16T14:41:00.000-08:00

Recently, I started another blog devoted to the fiber artist in me. www.ChristieMinchew.com will be a place where I have photos of my wet-felting, weaving, cloth wall hangings, and all things related. www.SweetbriarStudio.blogspot.com will continue to have posts about sewing ideas and tips, new patterns I've designed, announcements regarding my etsy shop, www.SweetbriarStudio.com and showing you what others have done with my patterns.

So, come on over and see what My other Me is all about!

Dusting off the old weaving loom

2010-11-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

I bought this Frame Loom several years ago for a sweet $25. I have a floor loom (4'x4'), but I wanted to do some very small weavings and that loom was overkill.

I finally got this one out, dusted it off and started in.

First, to measure out the warp....

Oops, I'm a bit rusty, so I made a couple of mistakes. No problem, I'll just undo what I did and start over....

And in my haste and idealism, I created a tangled mess. About 3 hours later (yes, I'm that frugal that I couldn't bring myself to just throwing it away), it was ready to put on the loom.

Oh boy, oh boy, this is going to be fun!

She is fast!

2010-11-09T15:07:00.000-08:00

Linda, the inspiration for my "Eco Shopping Bag" tutorial, is definitely the over achiever. She has already made her first shopping bag... and only 7 more to go! I love to see photos of what people have made from my patterns and tutorials - Fun!

Eco Shopping Bag Tutorial

2010-10-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

I have officially jumped into the video pond with my first sewing tutorial on how to sew an unlined shopping bag. "Linda" asked me if I had a pattern for something like this and I thought it would be the perfect excuse to learn a little about making a video. So here is the video... and here is the pdf file for the supply list and instructions to accompany the video: Eco Shopping Bag Tutorial . Learning is fun - yea!

Knitting Heaven

2010-10-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kory, is going to a special wedding this month - her son's! So, dutifully, three of us got together and made a supreme sacrifice. We sat around one afternoon eating cheese, fruit and chocolate and drinking a little wine while Kory gave us a fashion show of all the dresses that were contenders for her mother-of-the-groom look. We successfully picked a great dress...but it needed a scarf or jacket to complete the look. One more sacrifice coming up! I'd knit if she bought. So off we went last Saturday to my favorite local yarn haunt, "Yarns, etc", and picked out these fabulous yarns - 5 of them.

I love to knit and love an excuse to knit for someone else...especially when the yarn is beautiful and the pattern is easy! I'll be back later with a photo of the finished scarf. It has a surprise ending :)

Patching things up for Louise

2010-09-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend, Kim, has a cute 8-year old "puppy", Louise.

Louise liked the bedspread on Kim's son's bed soooo much...

she ate a big hole out of it!

So Kim and I put our collective creative heads together and...

sewed bits of fabric from a suit of Kim's husband...

and now the bedspread is sportin' a fine, handsome patch.

And Louise has reclaimed her rightful position as queen of the house :).

Unforgotten in cloth, felt and stitches

2010-09-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I've been wanting to combine the various media and techniques I've learned into one piece. I challenged myself to do just that in this piece entitled "Unforgotten". Inspired by the poem by Robert Service, I wet-felted the background and then added details in fabric and stitches to render the written into the visual. The images can be enlarged by clicking on them.

"Unforgotten"

I know a garden where the lilies gleam,

And one who lingers in the sunshine there;

She is than white-stoled lily far more fair,

And oh, her eyes are heaven-lit with dream!

I know a garret, cold and dark and drear,

And one who toils and toils with tireless pen,

Until his brave, sad eyes grow weary – then

He seeks the stars, pale, silent as a seer.

And ah, it’s strange; for, desolate and dim,

Between these two there rolls an ocean wide;

Yet he is in the garden by her side

And she is in the garret there with him.

Poem by Robert Service

merino and corriedale wool roving, cotton, linen, embroidery thread, beads, cord, hand wet felted, machine and hand stitching

Xylem : Stitched

2010-09-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

The life of a wall-hanging:

From inspiration...

From "Heaven and Earth", published by Phaidon

to cutting and swirling and piecing and stitching...

to finished hanging...

to its debut at the "Come Out and Play" art show...

to sending it off to a new home :).

Adios Amiga!

In the Studio: felting fun

2010-08-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready for the "Come Out and Play" Sculpture and Art Show that starts next Saturday (August 28th). This year, I'll be adding some new pieces including hand-felted bracelets. So the last couple of days have been spent making "coils", and today I started beading them. Here's my very first one:

I was stumped as to how to make these adjustable and not have some dangling end underneath - horrors. I finally came up with this twist, literally, of wire that can be raised and lowered to tighten over the end where it fits the best.

I'm excited!

Discovering an Inspiration

2010-08-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

I'm excited! I love it when I come across something and, all of a sudden, my brain starts going bananas with inspiration. What a fun feeling.
I've been going through a book I bought recently: Collage Sourcebook. Many artists are featured including their techniques. But one kept catching my eye. And then I read an essay by her on her creative process. I could identify with so many things she said...or I aspire to become that kind of free artist, an artist whose creations are the outpouring of my heart and my soul through my hands. The artist is Deborah Putnoi. And her website has so many encouraging and inspiring words and works...even for those of us who "can't draw". I especially enjoyed her Journal pages.

I'm ripe for the picking on this, too, as I am starting to do more collage or assemblage with fiber-related materials. Yea for inspiration! :)

Both images are from Deborah Putnoi's site.

It's a treasure to be treasuried (Etsy treasury, that is!)

2010-08-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Kitty016 has been kind enough to include me in her treasury and I just love the shops that she's found. It's worth a look-see-click :)! (One of these days I'll learn the secret to copying the treasury in a smaller format...errrr)

Earth is loving wood and green

Maple Storage Bench, Ha...
AbleandBaker
$429.00 USD
Shipping Included- Hand...
SmilingKnitting
$49.00 USD
Floating Brass Butterfl...
BrillianceFound
$42.00 USD
4 Blue Buds Wine Tags /...
cooljane
$8.00 USD
Sitrin, Agat, Jade Gems...
SevimsDesign
$40.00 USD
Hooded Fall Folk Dress
qwink
$40.00 USD
Purse Organizer - Lime ...
sweetbriarstudio
$33.00 USD
total crock- vintage sp...
harmoniepark
$9.00 USD
NzLbags NEW Everyday Kn...
NzLbags
$68.00 USD
Copper Falls hearts and...
Sumikoshop
$21.00 USD
SALE - Sonoma Vineyard ...
RobertsArt
$55.00 USD
Primitive Tin Pumpkin S...
PioneerLoft
$3.95 USD
Men's Gladiator Sandal ...
TreadLightGear
$85.00 USD
o chalet V / original p...
coolranchstudio
$55.00 USD
Alone On The Branch 7 x...
bernolli
$20.00 USD
Free Shipping//The Anna...
Emmamaha
$18.00 USD

Geometry is my friend

2010-07-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

The last class that I took from Peg Gignoux was called "Finding Your Personal Geometry" and here is the result: my first all-but-finished wall hanging. I had so much fun 'working' on it, too. The only thing left to do is to put the finishing touches on the sides and back.

The best part of this class was discovering that I absolutely loved the design process and the meditative cutting and arranging and hand-stitching. I am newly encouraged to find my inner artist :).

cotton, linen, taffeta, organza, silk, pearl rayon cording, multiple colors of thread

Xylem Series - In the Beginning

2010-07-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun in my studio for the last few weeks coming up with a new wall hanging to have for the Art Show I'll be doing starting in August (more on that later). My inspiration for this piece is an image magnified 2,000 times of conifer wood xylem cells*. It has a very uneven, repetitive geometry that looked interesting enough to springboard from. Using some of the techniques I learned in my last art textile class, I sewed and cut and sewed burlap, suedecloth, cotton and organza to make 4 long segments that will make up the background cloth. And now, I'm appliquing organza, cotton, suedecloth and felt in swirly dollops down each segment. The hours have gone by enjoyably with each stitch.

* From "Heaven & Earth: Unseen by the naked eye", published by Phaidon

Thread, Glorious Thread!

2010-07-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

No one can accuse me of being afraid of color (but one could accuse me of being addicted to it). Since I discovered Atlanta Thread, my thread stash is almost as big as my fabric stash :). I love to use thread to add a zing or a subtle surprise. It makes sewing infinitely more fun.

So which did I pick for this organizer? Gutterman No. 16, my current fav (a pinky orangy red, 2nd from right). (The green herringbone fabric came from Fabric Factory, the Paula Prass (of Michael Miller Fabrics) print is Par Avion and came from Little Cherubs.)

Margery's Place, uh, Purse!

2010-06-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Margery recently bought the "A Place For Everything" purse pattern and sent the photo, above, of her finished purse (well, actually, it's for her daughter). I love it! She wrote me, "You can just see I added a magnetic catch - I'd never used one before but it was easy - I put two extra layers of fabric behind each part to give some firmness. Isn't the lining a perfect colour match? I was going to use a light colour (it's always dark inside handbags) but I found this in my local patchwork shop and loved it." It really is fun to see what people have done with my patterns. Thanks so much for sending the photo, Margery :).

"Home" Stats

2010-06-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

Recently, I published a post of Where In The World I had shipped my purses, organizers, hats, felted pieces and sewing patterns. While I was at it, I figured out where 'at home' I had shipped. So here are some little known (ok, totally unknown until now) fun facts...at least for me:

Sweetbriar Studio has shipped to 45 of the 50 states.
My birth state, Pennsylvania, has 27 of my creations.

Of the other states I've called "home"...

Colorado has 7.
Japan, well, I guess I haven't shipped there...yet!
Maryland has 12.
Virginia has 15.
California has 48 (yep, they're number One in the world so far).
and I've shipped 15 to good ol' North Carolina.

(Yes, my dad was in the US Navy which accounts for at least 4 of my moves.) So thanks to everyone out there, in my home states or not, who have been so great to me. I appreciate you!

Making (wacky) Fabric from (ordinary) Fabric

2010-06-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

I recently learned how to make fabric from fabric, and I love it! It gives me just one more way I can add my creative, personal touch to what I am making and can pizazz it up. Plus, it's one more way to use up those bits of fabric I can't seem to throw away.

So here's how you can do it, too:

Begin by sewing strips of fabric together. The strips should be 2 to 3 times the length of the finished piece you want to make.

The width of the sewn-together pieces should be about 2 times the width of your finished piece.

Now cut it up at angles...really, go ahead :).

Next, take these pieces and turn some of them in the other direction and rearrange them until they're all wonky...

Then, sew them together. Whoaaa, it feels a little off the grid!

Here's what mine looked like.

Now overlay your pattern piece wherever you want, annnnnd...

Cut it out!

Yep, that's it. Not bad, eh? And it's so much more interesting and fun than just using what you buy the way you buy it. Have fun!

Beads! (aka "More Fun With Fabric Scraps")

2010-06-05T14:19:00.000-07:00

Recently, a friend, who is also an all-things-fiber fanatic, came over and showed me a few things to do with those eeny weeny fabric scraps I can't part with. Among her many clever ideas were how to make fabric beads. Fast-forward to last week when I was making a prototype of my new Pocket Purse design (pattern is now in my Etsy shop) and I started fooling around with this idea. Wanna have some fun? It is so dang easy, I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it myself. Here are the easy squeezy steps:

First, lay a piece of fabric, ribbon, whatever, vertically....

Next, lay lots of little bits horizontally...

Place a coffee stirrer-type straw at the bottom...

And start rolling.

Put a dab of glue at the end just before rolling it all up.

Et Voila!

For one of the beads in the top photo, I wrapped wire around it and spaced glass beads every so often.

Soooo fun!

(Also see "Fabric Leftovers" by D'Arcy-Jean Milne for more ideas.)

Where in the World...?

2010-06-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

One of the very fun things about having a shop on Etsy is that I get to 'meet' people from all over the world. Just for grins, I recently figured out where in the world my oh-so-nice customers are enjoying my creations. Drumroll please! I have shipped:

29 to Canada

13 to Australia

8 to the UK

5 to Brazil

5 to Germany

4 to Malaysia

4 to Singapore

3 to France

3 to Norway

1 each to Austria, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey

...an all the rest to the US...

for a total of 550 orders to 21 countries in all. Fun! If I can't be a world traveler, I'm glad I can travel vicariously through my creative goodies :). Thank you World!

Jelly Belly Button: revisited

2010-05-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

I wrote about this piece last August as I described the felting process. But before I could take a good "The End" photo, I made the mistake of taking it up to my girlfriend's (for show-and-tell) and she convinced me that it had found its perfect home.

You see, she has a turquoise wall in her home that was the perfect compliment to my "Jelly Belly Button". And so it is.

[Why I didn't think to take a straight-on shot of it is a mystery (errr). Guess I'll just have to go back for a visit:).]

For those itty bitty fabric scraps...

2010-05-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite friends, and her very favorite man, just happened to mention that they were going to get married...that weekend! (They were flying to Vegas for a business conference.) You see, she didn't want any fanfare, no big deal made of it. Well, we showed her! Three of us took her out for a quickie shower :). You know, manicure, pedicure - all four of us lined up and chattering away. One brought flowers, one brought wine (do you know they didn't let us bring it into the salon - dang!), and one brought chocolate (of course). And I had a great time stitching up this card out of little bits and pieces of my can't-throw-the-minisculest-bit-away-fabric.
Two hearts. Intertwined. Just as it should be. Just as I hope they are for many, many, many years.

Bringing the art out of people and putting people into art!

2010-04-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege (and fun) of helping out a wee bit with Peg Gignoux' latest collaboration. This time it is with Newcomers School in Greensboro, North Carolina.

(Click to enlarge and photo)

Peg (at right in the photo above) is working with art teacher Victoria Wreden Sadeq (left) and her students to create a textile work that reflects the students' amazing diversity and what it is to be a newcomer to this country. Fifty-two countries are represented by the students who worked on this piece! Peg worked with the students to dye organza to create a myriad of beautiful, translucent colors. Then the students wrote down words about what the colors of that cloth meant to them. There were some powerful words that reflected the kids' rural (and in some cases, textile) backgrounds in their home countries. The students then translated those words into their native languages, made stencils and cut the words out of their hand-dyed cloth. They incorporated (and sewed and fused) canvas, world maps and their words to make a very colorful collage. But that's not where it stopped. They cut it all up! They mixed it up!!

Because of Spring Break, Peg has been hand-stitching these pieces together herself. But, once the students return from their break, they will help finish the two sections. The work under construction is being made in two sections that, once mounted, will measure 264 " wide by 56 " high.

The Community Cloth project is designed to fit into the Newcomers School library but, before its installation there, it will be included in an exhibition at Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art (who sponsored the project) in Greensboro from April 9- May 1, 2010.

Peg also teaches various workshops (one I posted about previously - so great!) and works with other community groups to develop wonderful pieces of art. Stayed tuned to hear about her workshops in France!

Felting is not for wimps!

2010-03-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

This week is officially "Felting Week" for me. I finally figured out that, although I can multitask, I cannot multi-focus. So I set all fabric and sewing aside and set about learning a new technique with fiber. "Not too exciting", you say? Oh, I beg to differ! It's all a matter of perspective.
And lest you think this looks pretty easy to do, let me just say this was one of the tougher workouts I've had in a very long time. Hello Hamstrings! Yep, I used my hands, my arms, my back, AND my feet and legs to beat this jelly roll into submission. But I do like the results :).

On Pins and Needles...well, needles anyway

2010-02-25T05:59:00.000-08:00

Just when I think I finally understand how to pick the right size sewing machine needle, I forget what those dang numbers stand for! But Julie at Thimble Pleasures has made it much easier to understand...and remember. Low = fine, High = heavy-duty. Here's more from their latest newsletter:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

General Needle Information
Needles range in size from very fine 60/8 to a heavy duty needle 120/19. Most needles use the two number measuring system. The higher number relates to the metric system used in foreign counties and the lower number relates to the system in the U.S. Both indicate needle shaft diameter.

For Standard Needles (Universal) - Used for woven synthetic and natural fibers

60/08 Very, very fine: for sheers, chiffon, silks

70/10 Fine : for blouse weight polyesters, silks, batiste

80/12 Most used: for cotton, rayon, blends

90/14 Mid-heavy: for bottom weight fabrics, wool, raw silks, corduroy

100/16 Heavy: for denim, duck cloth

110/18 Very heavy: for canvas, tapestry

120/19 Extremely heavy: for boat canvas, luggage handles

And, if that's not enough, there are:

Sharp Needles - light weight needles, great for "microfibers" and silk-type fabric
Ballpoint Needles - Used for knit fabrics
Stretch Needles - This needle is a super ballpoint needle. It is coated blue with Teflon and is used for more difficult knit fabrics.
Denim Needles - This needle has an extra fine, sharp point that pierces dense fabrics more easily. Also, the lighter sizes are used to achieve the "perfect" straight stitch. Teflon coated.
Embroidery Needles - This needle is for use with metallic and Sulky threads. It minimizes the shredding of these fragile threads.
Quilting Needles - This needle will not pull your batting through your quilt top, eliminating "pulling".
Handicap Needles - This self-threading needle is great for teaching kids to sew and for the "visually challenged".
Leather Needles - This needle has a special cutting point that makes it great for leather, vinyl, and plastics.
Topstitch Needles - This needle is great for topstitching with heavier threads.

How Nice!

2010-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

What a nice way to start my day: a note from Emma letting me know that she has featured me on her blog, http://noogalcreations.blogspot.com/. Please check her Etsy shop out, too - what fun feathery and oragami-inspired accessories she's made...

Prayers for Melyssa

2010-02-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

(Click to enlarge any image)
This little number is my version of "prayer flags". I was inspired by the photos of prayer flags that my step-daughter showed me after her trip to Nepal and by the fun garlands that Debra Cooper over at littleblackkittyart makes. But my biggest reason for making this is that one of my very best friends (and college roommates) recently found out that she has lung cancer.

So I set about doing just about the only thing I could think of doing to give her something cheerful to look at in her already quite cheerful home. I came up with as many prayers and quotes and words as I could and scattered them across some happy fabric swatches (of which I have many!).

Now she can stand under these and let them rain down on her.One of Melyssa's passions is birds. So what more appropriate holder of the prayer flag chain than some wire birds with curly streamers flying behind them?

If any of you out there pray, would you please send a prayer up for her? I know she'll feel them...and smile.

BYOCd (Bring Your Own Casserole dish)

2010-01-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

I have the good fortune of living in an area loaded with talented, artsy people. And a bigger blessing is that many are my friends. Last weekend, one friend provided her ample studio with sink and microwave and covered tables at the ready. She and another friend bought and brought many silk scarves that were white as snow. A friend of one of those friends brought her dyes, iron and ironing board. And off we went! Jane set to twisting, spiraling and eye-dropping, above....

Alison ironed a beautifully patterned creation ...at the food table! (I think the food tasted better for it, too. )

And I went home with these and more - my first attempt at scarf, or any kind of, dying. It was very fun, indeed.

In the fast lane!

2010-01-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

I am a woman of few pins (and many words :)) and usually am willing to forego pins altogether if I think I can get away with it. In the case of my purse organizers, though, there are a few steps where pinning really is necessary and my patience is tested with the constant start/stop of the machine. (Yes, patience has never been my virtue.) The other day, it (finally) dawned on me that I could just put those pins in a little farther away from the outside edge and that would leave enough room for me to blow on by. I could almost feel my hair flapping in the wind as I sewed - ahhhhh!

Shopping for fabric in the comfort of your fuzzy slippers!

2010-01-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

I'm getting more accustomed to shopping for fabric online especially since I live 20-30 mins from the local fabric stores. I love to touch fabric, see the colors, take one bolt over to the next aisle and match it with a second bolt. But there is a lot to be said for walking upstairs in my comfy clothes, dogs by my side and hot tea in hand and going on a shopping spree!

Threads Magazine just sent an e-Letter with a list of online resources for fabrics and notions. I have found a few gems , in addition to their list, that I'll share, too:

* Little Cherubs for great medium to high end fabric

* Burkholder's Fabric Store - great prices for designer cotton fabrics

* Fabric Factory - limited selection, but great prices, for upholstery weight fabrics

* Atlanta Thread - super duper prices on Gutterman thread and other notions

So put on your pink fuzzy slippers and...Happy Shopping!

Artistic Worms?!

2010-01-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

We live on a very wooded lot in North Carolina and one of the perks for my woodworking husband is the ability to take advantage of the "standing dead or lying living" trees we have. If they are dead or close to it, he often harvests them and sets to work cutting them into manageable boards. Last year, he harvested a cedar tree, took off the outer wood and tossed it aside in our woods. The other day, he was outside and came across this piece and couldn't help but notice the transformation.

Worms have apparently been busy all year leaving their artistic trails all over this piece of cedar. It looks almost like a topographical map or a maze or something. Needless to say, it is no longer lying to rot in our woods. I don't exactly know what we'll do with it, but there just has to be a great way to enjoy it. (This is the same logic I use on just about every object I come across which makes for big problems when one is trying to tame the growing piles of "objects of great potential"!)

Ta Daaaaa!

2009-12-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

Well, here is the last project I worked on in my "Memory Cloth" class with Peg Gignoux. During the six weeks, we had played with different techniques including stamping on fabric, sewing pieces together, then cutting those and reassembling in a different way, embellishing...and a bunch of other stuff.

The last class, we made a book (our final technique to play with). I was ambivalent. But, of course, after mine was finished, I loved making a book. I want to do more! So many fun things to do, so little time....

On some of the inside pages I sewed other pieces of paper to the plain paper pages. It made a neat treatment for both sides.

Most all of the paper that I added (that has color, etc), was from something I had done years ago and still had. I chopped it to pieces and loved adding it to the book. And so, here is my very own memory of the class and the wonderful women that were a part of it. Beam :)!

Fun with Fabric...and Paint...and Paper...at the same time!

2009-12-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

I finally took some more pics of things that I made in my "Memory Cloth" class with Peg Gignoux. I had such a great time in that class. Here is one of the pieces of cloth that I made. Several years ago, my mother gave me a large, wooden stamp (I think used for wall embellishments) . I mixed up a thin solution of white acrylic paint and stamped a pattern on this linen fabric I had. The paint is faint in the photo, but it has a nice effect.

I was practicing doing some french seams and decided to add some paper. I grabbed an old pattern that I knew I wouldn't use again and started ripping away by hand - long, thin strips. Then I sewed these onto the fabric, whirling it around and around to make these frilly pattern posies. I love the effect. I know stamping and french seams and sewing with paper isn't new. But it's the first time I really played with it. What a great way to learn - by playing!
More pics soon of my last creation....

Coaster Confections

2009-11-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

These little confections are the beginnings of my getting back to my felting. I just needed to do a little project to steer my attention back to my very favorite of creative endeavors. So with a cloud of natural white corriedale wool and a few twists of red and burgundy merino, the felting began!

And after a while....

Voila!

I Found My Thrill!

2009-10-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge photos

I've had two of six classes so far in Peg Gignoux's "Memory Cloth" class. Unfortunately this cloth doesn't provide better memory (ohh, how I wish). Creating a piece of cloth that is in memory of someone or that is a memory or celebration of a particular event (wedding, anniversary, etc) is really the idea here. I didn't pay very close attention to the theme of the class when I signed up. It was the skills that caught my attention. And I am LOVING it so far!

Peg is an artist who has created wonderful (and I do mean wonderful) pieces and she is such a talented teacher as well. For this class, she asked us to stick with neutrals and to bring in fabric, laces, and any odds and ends that could be used to create a bit of cloth. She brought in fabrics and laces, too. And we were invited to share hers as well as use our own.
The piece above was done in about 45 minutes and was one of the most freeing projects I've done. I'm usually too concerned with what the other person is doing or what they think of what I'm doing. I end up getting creativity-paralysis and do something very uncreative. But this was so much fun to just experiment with putting different materials together and not worry about what it was going to be (yet), or whether I could sell it, or whether the teacher would approve (I am stuck in my teenage years wayyyy too often). I used Peg's toffee colored dupioni silk, her pretty geometric lace, and my cheapy muslin and cotton and came up this.
I had so much fun and got so many ideas .... The second class was printmaking which opened up even more ideas. Did I mention I love this class?

Getting organized...not that anybody needs that :)

2009-10-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I design and make purse organizers...

to keep all those little (and big) things in your purse not only organized, but at your pen-seeking, cell-seeking, key-seeking fingertips. Well, I was doing a little market research the other day and came across a great blog on getting organized - anywhere. Jeri Dansky actually has several sites that are devoted to tips on getting organized, the products that help you get and keep organized, as well as addressing the 'why', or should I say "why aren't you", of being organized.

If you need to clean up your act...or you are a helpless neat freak, check out her sites.

Welcome to my studio :)

2009-10-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

I love seeing where people work, play and live. And here is where I do all three - at least part of the time. My studio is upstairs in our house. There's nothing else up here - just my studio. It doesn't take up the whole top floor, but it is huge compared to what I was used to. As I come up the stairs, this is what I first see. I have different things throughout the studio that make me smile, inspire me or call to me. I'm sure if some scientist hooked up a bunch of electrodes to my head, they would see my brain do flip-flops everytime I come up here. Jake, our Border Collie mix, comes up here to help me. Unfortunately, that includes getting into my wool roving. Maybe the smell of sheep is still deep within and he can't help himself :). That crazy thing to the left of my bookself is just that. A crazy thing. I made it years ago of chicken wire, lattice backing, and a whole lot of ribbon and plastic what-nots. Over the years, it's become somewhat of a bulletin board to tuck memorabilia into.

And here is the nook where my sewing table is. With windows that look out onto our woods and everything at my fingertips, it makes "coming to work" a pleasure. Well, actually, my whole studio does. I love it.

More Botanical Garden fun

2009-09-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is a follow-on post to my previous post on the sculpture show at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. There are so many great sculptures on display, it is like an Easter egg hunt trying to find them all. (click on the photos to enlarge) Happy metal man greets all who come through the main entrance. The gates are some of my favorites.

"Silent Wings" was so fun to watch move in the breeze. Very peaceful. It was inspired by an owl who flew past the artist one day and never made a sound.

"Happy Gardeners" is a permanent fixture at the Garden. I can't help but smile when I go by.

And last, for this post anyway, is this cute puppy. There were several puppies, but I chose him. Wag :).

Art: "Going Around in Circles" by John E. Michael is the happy metal man. Unfortunately, I neglected to get the other names. Anyone out there know the ones I missed?

Come Out and Play! and look, and eat, and enjoy!!

2009-09-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

For the last eight years, my neighbors and friends, Debbie Meyer and Eric Brantley, have held an art show starting the last Saturday in August and then every Saturday through the end of September (that's right, there is only one Saturday left!).

They, and their daughter Beckett (about the cutest 4 year old in the world),open up part of their 17-acre farm for "Come Out and Play" and very generously provide food and drinks to any and all who come (all for free!).

The Sweetbriar Studio tent is filled with my fabric and felt creations and my husband, Chuck's, wood works. My (84 years not-so-old) mother even joined in with her paintings recently. Here is a photo of Chuck's "Sunbursts" displayed on Debbie and Eric's home.

Their front yard is sprinkled with sculptures and art that goes all the way around their pond and into their back yard.

Everyone, really EVERY one, has a great time looking at art, socializing, eating, looking at more art, and maybe buying (:)).

What started as a sculpture show to honor the victims of 9/11 has grown into a rather large event that now includes other types of arts and crafts.

This is such a gift that Debbie and Eric (and Debbie's parents Ginger and Jim) graciously offer to the artists as well as all who attend. So, to them, Thank You (times infinity!). (If anyone wants more information, just contact me.)

Art: glass and metal sculpture/Teddy Devereux and Ken Maynor ,red sculpture/Ed White, mosaic planter legs/Pam Isner, Typewriter Totem/Brian Mergenthaler

Felting...no, studio shots...no, inspiration...Just Blog!

2009-09-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

So many creative things to do, sooooo little time! And just when inspiration is the last thing I need, we went to the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. It's such a great place to go. For two months in the fall, they feature sculptures from sculptors worldwide. Just to prove it, here is one of my very favorites called "Water, Wind and Fire" by Margarita Leon from Maracaibo, Venezuela. The 'elements' are prettily arranged in a pond full of lilies, frogs and tadpoles.

My husband and I had both cameras clicking while my mother kept saying, "oh, take one from this direction. Take this through the reeds...."

I'm a sucker for color and I love the creativeness of the cutouts and the add-ons.

Kinder, gentler...and faster!

2009-08-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

After designing and making purse patterns and all those purses for about eight years, I finally hit on something that made life just a titch easier: fabric pattern pieces. Now, this is probably a yawner to some of you (especially if you don't sew :)), but it fairly well changed me into a kinder, gentler pattern cutter-outer. All I did was to find some material that I had gobs of and no immediate use for (natural denim from an attempt at slipcovering - eesh) and cut out all the pieces of one of my patterns. If I needed to "Cut 2" from a particular piece, I did so in the denim. I labeled them just in case I had amnesia someday and voila! Now I can lay out my pattern, no pins required, and ...

easily cut the pieces of fabric out. The fabric pattern sort of grips the other fabric so it stays in place while I'm cutting.
The other advantage is that the fabric pattern pieces might last longer than their paper sisters. This works great for purse patterns or a pattern you tend to use many times over. And, of course, you don't need denim for your pattern pieces. Just find the oldest scrap in your stash that isn't slippery, and that's probably a good candidate.

Now to find some trick for making me a kinder, gentler wife :)...!

Some wool, some water, and a whole lotta shakin' goin' on!

2009-08-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

Although there's been a bit of a gap since my last blog post, I think I'm back in the blog saddle again :). Happily, one of the things that has been keeping me away is a felting project. It all started with a blank slate, or in this case, a blank rubber mat... (click any photo to enlarge)

and some inspiration - a photo out of National Geographic Magazine.The photo is of a jellyfish relative called a blue button. So I'm naming this, Jelly-belly button :). I am mostly enamored with it's tentacles, but the overall design is pretty neat, too. I also was inspired by the technique Linda Brooks Hirschman used on her "Floating Poppies" in Carol Huber Cypher's book "how we felt".

So, on my blank slate, I started adding wisps of colorful merino fiber. It's like laying out cotton candy, but not that sticky...or tasty.

This is just the first layer. The second goes in the perpindicular direction.

After laying out the basic design, I took it down to our kitchen and soaked it carefully with water, laid some bubble wrap on top, and started shakin' it, well, rubbing it with my fingers back and forth. About mid-way through, I added some yarn highlights to the design. I kept adding hot, soapy water and enlisted the help of a hand-sander with a washboard attachment to help me with the agitation. I think I was getting more shakin' than the fiber! The water, soap and agitation all help the fibers to interlock. A long time later (did I emphasize long? :)), it was felt! I rinsed and squeezed the water out and inverted Jelly-belly over a bowl to shape it while it was drying. It doesn't look so great at this point....

But then, the part I love the best - flipping it over to reveal how it looks once dry. Yea! It's so fun to see the colors come out and see how the added yarns worked.

There's more to come on this. But I'm excited so far. Stay tuned....

Heeeeere's Kate!

2009-07-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

That's Kate on the right. She is one of the first creative friends I made after moving near Chapel Hill. At the time, she was dying silk using a shibori technique. Wow, what beautiful silks she created! And, with those beautiful silks, she created beautiful scarves and garments. Then hand, wrist and arm injuries put the ol' kabosh on that artistic work. Below is just one example of a detail of her pieced scarves. She still has a few left at http://www.ktracton.etsy.com/.

I think it was while she was trying to give her hands a rest that she started beading. And she's jumped into that with both feet (well, actually, hands :)). Thank goodness this artistic endeavor doesn't seem to hurt her hands (or her feet!). Below are some of her more recent creations. A simple, but beautiful, necklace...

Or, a not so simple, and gorgeous necklace...

I love the charms on these earrings...

A bracelet sure to attract attention, this is loaded with color and interesting beads and so prettily done. Although I wish Kate never suffered the injuries she did, there is a silver lining in it for us all :). And if you ever want to help Kate at one of her shows, she lets you wear one of her creations. As she would say, "Sweet"! Check out her blog, http://www.shiborigirl.blogspot.com/ for more of her creations including those in her kitchen!

Happy Independence Day, America!

2009-07-04T06:05:00.001-07:00

Today, the United States of America celebrates her independence. Historically speaking, July 2, 1776 was the day that the decision was made by the Continental Congress to declare our independence from Great Britain. At that time, John Adams (one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence) wrote to his wife Abigail, "The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.... It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." And we have.

The second paragraph of our Declaration of Independence starts, "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...." Amen.

There really ARE people behind those Etsy handles!

2009-07-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

What a warm and fuzzy I received in the (e)mail when Jill sent a note to me with a photo of her wearing the hat I had just made for her. It is so rare that I get to meet the wonderful people who wear my wares :). I love it! (thank you, Jill ♥)

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Tea Party!

2009-06-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Vanessa Valencia over at http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/a_fanciful_twist/ is certainly mad...but in a good way! Energetic and creative, she's having her second annual Mad Tea Party all day Saturday, June 27th (2009).
What is a Mad Tea Party, you ask? I wish I could tell you, but this will be my first. It is something of a blog-fest where anyone can visit her blog and meet other bloggers and creative types. And it has heavy overtones of Alice In Wonderland. That's gotta be fun!

Sewing Tip: Resuscitate a favorite pattern!

2009-06-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Talk about a well-loved purse. This is my prototype for my design for the "Belt It Out" pattern. I loved this purse to death - literally :). When I decided to make a replacement, I wanted to do something different. So, I made my own fabric. It's easier than it sounds. And here was the result for my winter purse (see my summer purse at bottom).

To make your own horizontal striped fabric (with 3 stripes):

1. Take the height of the outer piece, add 2" and divide by 3 (ex: 7+2 = 9/3=3).

2. Take the width and add an inch (ex: 10+1 = 11).

3. Now cut 3 strips of fabric 3" high by 11" wide.

4. Arrange them the way you like and sew together on the long edges.

5. Press and topstitch on either side of the seam line (see the photo above).

6. Now cut the original dimension (7" by 10") out of your new piece of fabric (center the pattern piece so the stripes are evenly distributed).

I also decided to do away with the belt and belt loops since there was plenty of action goin' on. I liked it so much that I made my summer purse the same way only with 4 stripes (add another inch to the original width for additional seam allowance and divide by 4).

Or, of course you can do it any way you want -that's the beauty! This general idea will work on many different kinds of patterns. Just remember to consider seam allowances and, for purses, any bottom dimensions (for the bottom of the purse - add 1/2 of that dimension to the bottom stripe height). Have fun and Happy Sewing!

It's my birthday and I'll farm if I want to...

2009-06-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right, it tis me birthday! And what a great one it's been so far. Among the ways I celebrated was to go visit my friend, Trudy, at her farm in Chapel Hill, NC (http://www.genesisfarmnc.com/). I was hoping to score some fresh veggies, but I was too late for the last batch and too early for the next one. Ah, well, I had fun snapping a few shots and catching up with her in between her chores. Meet Molly, the miniature donkey. She just came by to see what I was going to feed her. Sadly, I disappointed her. Her best friend Patches, the miniature horse (both of them rescued), is out of sight of the camera, but not out of Molly's sight. They stick pretty close.

I love the guinea hens. I need to steal a few to clean up the ticks and fleas on our trail. Is that not a knock-out set of feathers on her? And they're good 'watch dogs', too! Then there is Tuilly who just showed up one day at the farm and never left. She knows a good thing when she finds it. One of the chickens is taking her job of getting insects very seriously.

I love her coloring as well and am trying to figure out how to capture her and the guinea hens in felt.

And, last, is the red clover (definitely click this one for to enlarge). Too pretty to qualify as a weed. What a fun birthday field trip. It's great to have friends to share a birthday with and doubly fun when they live on such an entertaining spread!

Just another Schitzo Monday

2009-06-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

It's working! My new anti-Spinning-Top-Syndrome is going very well so far. Yesterday was a "Schitzo" Monday where I devoted the morning and part of the afternoon to designing a new purse.
My sister is my 'inspiration', though I've made a couple of these before (see bottom photos). She needed a small purse that she could wear around her neck when she's at work to carry her cell phone. I made her a "Pendant Pocket Purse" from a pattern designed by DJ Bennet. My sister has since been encouraging me to make more of my own design.
Yesterday, I started my design process with brainstorming. I go through several of my idea-folders and pick out ideas that I might incorporate. But before I get too far, anyone out there have ideas of what you would want in this type of purse? Would you use a small purse around your neck (like a medicine bag/amulet) or on your shoulder to carry just one or two things like a cell phone and a lipstick? What would you want to carry in it? (I'm trying to get a idea of size.) And any other wanna-haves that you can think of? I'd love to hear what you're thinking so I can make something useful as well as fun and hopefully artsy.
These I made a couple of years ago. The purse is in two parts: the outer sleeve (with the print) and the inner pocket (black). The outer sleeve slides up the cord to reveal the opening of the pocket. Put a few things in the pocket and slide the outer sleeve back down to keep it all secure and out of sight.

Right, Left, Schitzo or Chinese?

2009-06-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

I don't like writing self-indulgent posts, but I have a confession to make. I suffer from STS (Spinning Top Syndrome). You might be familiar with my symptoms. I set off to be creative and... Oops!, I've got an email to open.... Now I need to go check the calendar downstairs but Wait!, I should put a load of laundry in first, and Drat! I need to put laundry detergent on the shopping list.... Hey!, look at that article in the paper - better read that.... Oh gosh!, I've got to get out there and walk the dog while it's cool. Eesh, time for a shower.... Wow!, lunch already?

So, yesterday, I listed allllll the things I want to, or have to, do. I lumped like wanna-dos and hafta-dos together, organized them into a schedule and, the result? Right-brain Day, Left-Brain Day, Schitzo Day, and Chinese Menu Day. (I love it when a plan comes together!)Right-Brain Day is all about designing, experimenting and learning new techniques. Left-Brain Day, while not completely left, is when I sew or complete other projects that I've already designed, post new creations, blog, and do "back-studio" (my version of back office). Schitzo-Day, of course, is a morning of Right and an afternoon of Left (or visa versa). And Chinese Menu Day is where I get to pick one from Right and one from Left ...you get the idea. And, since I am also Ding Addicted, e-mail has been relegated to strict times of the day and NO MORE! Otherwise, everytime my email dings, I will to rush over to see who loves me, for pete's sake.

I'm pleased to report that the new plan is working very well (it's been a day and a half :) ).

To Boldly...Knit? You bet!

2009-06-02T12:41:00.001-07:00

Colleen Davis is not your ordinary knitter. She's the mom of a friend of a friend of mine :) and lives in San Diego. Wow, I wish I lived nearer to her to get, via instruction or osmosis, just a thimble of her creativity with knitting needles and yarn. The great news is, Colleen just launched http://www.toboldlyknit.com/ and it is packed with patterns, workshop info and at-home instruction dvds and cds. I know it’s only June, but I've got my eye on “Introduction to Freeform Knitting” for the top of my Christmas list :). What a way to use up my stash of yarn - woohoo!

If you’re a knitter, a wanna-be knitter, or you know a knitter, Get Thee to Colleen’s shop! for some real eye candy. And be sure to click on all the category links to see all the photos of her very neat pieces.

She also has an Etsy shop, http://www.toboldlyknit.etsy.com/. (Photos above are from Colleen's website with her permission.)

2009-05-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

Please ignore this...just some curious requirement for a blog directory :). Technorati Profile

Not your everyday Yurt!

2009-05-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

(click any image to enlarge)

"A yurt?", you ask? Well, I did, at least. Yurts are round structures built with a wooden frame and a felt cover in Central Asia. In the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City, part of their "Fashioning Felt" exhibit is a contemporary interpretation of a yurt by the studio of JA Felt (Centralia, WA) that is stunning. The photo above is the main room, and below is the roof of the structure.The roof is a beautiful composition of felted diamond shapes felted onto silk organza. By felting the wool with the organza, JA Felt created a light-filled space of pattern, texture, and ...wow!
And the longer I stood looking, the more details I noticed like the "gems" they applied to the felt that was at the top of the 'wall' (left) and lettering they added onto the felt (right).

If you are interested in how they made the elements in this beautiful structure, here is the link to the Cooper-Hewitt You Tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qv23mvOfcE&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fblog%2Ecooperhewitt%2Eorg%2Fcategory%2FFashioning%2DFelt%2F&feature=player_embedded
It was really a fabulous exhibit with so many different felted materials that had distinctly different characteristics and uses. It was incredibly inspiring and, though I am certain I won't be making a yurt anytime soon, I might be trying my hand at some of the techniques on a tad smaller scale :).

Squeaky Toy Tribute

2009-05-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Last New Year's Eve, we said goodbye to our playful girl, Pansy. She loved her squeaky toys... a LOT! And she had plenty of them. So when she passed away, I decided to make a little sculpture out of them as a grave marker. We buried her along our trail that goes around our woods.

I just finished and "planted" her sculpture, so now we'll be reminded of her and her antics whenever we pass by. Besides her toys, I also added beaded wire thingys that have washers and nuts on them. She loved shiny things almost more than her toys. Her food dish is at the bottom and her dog collar is attached to the pole. (You can click on the images to enlarge them.)

Meet Carol Cypher: Beader and Felter Extraordinaire!

2009-05-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, my husband and I were in Brooklyn visiting my step-daughter and son-in-law (very fun trip :) ). We went to the Cooper-Hewitt museum to see their "Fashioning Felt" exhibit. (IYIYI - more on that in a future post.) While in the exhibit, I met Carol Cypher (left). Her hair had been..., well... felted! She had strawberry blonde dreadlocks that were...well...beaded!! How fun is that?! We started talking and I couldn't help noticing her wonderful necklace. It had big round 'beads' made out of colorful felted fibers mixed with equally colorful and textured glass beads. Oh, and she had felted a flower pin full of felted petals of beautifully blended colors. She mentioned that she does workshops both on beading and felting as well as being the author of books. But it wasn't until I got home and really looked at her card that I realized she is the author of a book I had requested (and got!) for Christmas, "How We Felt". It's a terrific book, very inspirational as well as instructional.

If you are interested in her books or workshops, visit her at http://www.carolcypher.com/ .

Hot Fun in the Summertime!

2009-05-05T14:32:00.000-07:00

Hot off the sewing machine, here is my latest creation. And I think I'll keep it for myself :). I've been having so much fun mixing up fabrics for my purse organizers, that I decided to mix it up on a new summer purse.

For those of you unfamiliar with this purse design, it has three "pockets", 2 zippered and the middle pocket divided into 4 vertical compartments. The middle pocket is open, but the compartments are snug enough to hold on to my cell phone and sunglasses even if my purse falls over. I've come to prefer this design for my everyday purse because it can handle a long (or short) strap. Alas, my shoulder can't take a short strap for very long :( .

For you do-it-yourselfers out there, this is the "Belt It Out" pattern (see http://www.sweetbriarstudio.etsy.com/ ), medium size. I cut strips of fabric about 1-1/2" wide and the length of the main bag pattern piece. I stitched them together lengthwise and cut out the final piece from that. I only did this to the front and back pieces. The other pieces are one piece of fabric but all are bright and colorful.

So there's my latest fun...and it has my name written all over it!

Tips for my T.e.a (Take everything anywhere) Bag pattern

2009-05-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

For the uninitiated, I have designed what I call the T.e.a. Bag and sell a pattern for it as well. And for those who are initiated (read: those who sew and have that pattern!), here is a tip from a fellow sewer, Etsy handle bholg933, who has made two T.e.a. Bags so far:

"Outstanding pattern, beautiful and very useful bag. You will definitely need a strong denim needle. Pattern calls for designer weight fabric, but if you baste two layers of lighter weight fabric together it will turn out just as good. I've made two bags so far and both materials work equally well. "

Thanks so much for the tip!

"Art for your heart * Fun for your soul"

2009-05-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

"Art for your heart * Fun for your soul" is the byline on the Arthead Studio website. And it is fun, fun, fun! And clever, too. Deborah Kracht does so many different, very colorful, and fun pieces using wool fibers (she needle-felts them) and/or found objects...and paint! I bought a felthead that is entitled "Anger Management". It hangs on my studio door and makes me smile everytime I see it. Her website, http://www.artheadstudio.com/ , is worth visiting. She also has an Etsy shop with prints of her watercolors as well as some of her felt and recycle/found object pieces.
And she has an impressive Show schedule. So you might be able to catch her live and in person. As with most art, seeing her pieces up close is even better than the photos, so much easier to see the details and fun to see what titles she has named them.

I find her pieces inspiring. They are a reminder to me to have fun with my creativity AND that there's a LOT you can do with a thrown-away colander and bottlecaps!

All photos, and the title of this posting, are Deborah's from her websites.

Inspiration o' plenty!

2009-04-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed last weekend with two of my favorite people - my college roommates. In between eating, talking and shopping :) , we went to a botanical garden. Yow, was there every plenty there to get inspiration from! Colors, textures, shapes, color combos... and that's even if you don't garden! I may use inspiration from both of these flowers in a future felting project. The tulip, left, is a pristine white with the prettiest stamens of inky blue with creamy yellow pollen. And the peony at right is great for texture and edge treatments (and the color ain't bad, either). Click on them to enlarge and enjoy.

These flowers were at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, and info can be found at http://www.lewisginter.org/ .

Cathy Kiffney Ceramics: It Feeds the Soul

2009-04-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

~~~ Update: Cathy Kiffney will be holding an Open Studio Show & Sale May 16th and 17th. See her site for more info. ~~~

The area in which I live has the distinct advantage of being home to many extremely talented artists. Cathy Kiffney is one of them. I am struck by her colors, shapes and textures. Her ceramic pieces, like oil paintings, are best seen in person to really appreciate the details. But, in the absence of presence :), her photographs (these from her site) convey the essence of her talent.

Her website is http://www.cathykiffney.com/ and is candy for the eyes. It also includes a bio of her and a description of how she makes these beautiful pieces.

Tips for Stitchin'

2009-04-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Since making life easier is always a nice thing, here are 3 things that make my sewing a little more fun:

Tip #1: When I think I'm going to be using pattern pieces over again, I cut them out in inexpensive fabric first and use the fabric pieces for cutting the real thing. The fabric pattern tends to cling to the 'final' fabric, so I don't have to use pins.

Tip #2: Reinforce pockets at the "top". Just a few back-and-forth stitches at the corners and top of 'divider stitching' will make pockets sturdier. While this one doesn't exactly fall under the 'fun' category, it does fall under 'pain avoidance' of not having to repair ripping pockets.

Tip #3: Turn the music on! Especially when doing tasks that are...well...tasks and not the fun stuff. When ironing on interfacing or ripping out seams, I find that a spoon full of music helps the boring stuff go down (to paraphrase a famous seamstress :). I use BB King, Delbert McClinton and Steve Ray Vaughn to get me going and Jose Feliciano and Diana Krall to calm me down (usually when ripping out that seam - arrgh!) ...to name a few.

I hope one or more of these gives you a few more Ahhhh moments in your day :).

More Scrap on The Hill

2009-04-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

This was another Scrapel Hill challenge entry.

Someone said they wanted this as their gravemarker. Despite the morbid thought, what a great idea:). If you click on the images, it's a lot easier to see the lightbulb brain and light switch nose on one side, horseshoe mouth on the other, the crazy bottlecap/button/wire hair, the copper pipe ears (or is that steam?), pop tabs, keys, a whole lot of glass and ceramic bits ... and more!The artist is Jeanette Brossart. If I meet her, I'll tell her she needs to visit Luna Park!

This is great inspiration for my garden. Someday, there will be sculptures of our bits and pieces - wine corks (too many of those!), plastic caps of all kinds, bottle caps, plastic newspaper bags.... and the list goes on.

Scrapel Hill in Chapel Hill (North Carolina)

2009-03-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the kick-off of the "Scrapel Hill" event cooked up by the town of Chapel Hill, NC. It is a competition with the objective of creating art out of scrap. There are 16 artists competing and the exhibit of their entries lasts for about a month at University Mall in Chapel Hill.

Ginger and Paul Bauer have worked (and played) for months getting ready. And if you study the photos (single click to enlarge), you'll see why. Their version of a grandfather clock has a zillion pieces (well, almost) ranging from springs to chains to gears to sawblades...and one very old rotisserie motor, all put together with a lot of thought to make a working clock.

If you live in the area, try to get by the mall and check out Scrapel Hill. You can cast your vote ($1/vote) for whichever artist you like best.

Tooth-Friendly Easter Eggs...and cute, too :)

2009-03-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

If you sew, you might want to go to Sew, Mama, Sew's blog and see these oh-so-cute "Secret Pocket Easter Eggs" that have a teeny tiny pocket for surprises. They have a pdf pattern on their site. The blog address is http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=431 . (Photo is from their site.)

Their shop, http://sewmamasew.com/, is also a treasure trove of fabrics and patterns including many designer versions.

Not-for-the-faint-of-heart Art

2009-03-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

There is an artist in Chapel Hill, NC, near where we live, who is not only a wonderful painter, but a delightful and interesting person. He was born in Argentina, moved to North Carolina in 1976 and did cardiovascular research in thrombosis and arteriosclerosis. Near the end of his 35 year career, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He had to retire in 2002 and decided to take art lessons...and the rest is, well, see for yourself. It's worth a visit to his website http://eduardolapetina.com/ (and be sure to enjoy the video there) to see his colorful abstract paintings and to get to know him. His paintings are layer upon layer of beautiful, bold colors complimented by brilliant gold. We have two of his paintings over our bed and one in our living room where we can enjoy them in different light throughout the day.

How-tos out the wahzoo!

2009-03-23T13:05:00.001-07:00

How is wahzoo spelled, anyway?!

If you'd like some tips and hints on a particular hobbie-type interest, try going to http://www.taunton.com/ . You can subscribe to a variety of newsletters on different crafts from gardening to sewing to woodworking (and more), and they do have some fun ideas and helpful tips. I've been getting their CraftStylish and Threads newsletters for a while and find that they usually have at least one thing that's worth getting more info on. They also have how-to videos online. And all for free...or for the price of getting a solicitation every now and then.

Looney Luna Parc - WOW!

2009-03-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't had the fun of being introduced to Ricky Boscarino, here is a bit of the whimsical, wacky Alice-in-Wonderland-esque place he has created. If you go to his site, http://www.lunaparc.com/ , you can take a tour of the house, the grounds, and see Ricky's other creations including jewelry. Nothing is typical, "normal", or conformist. And that's why I love it! He has to be one of the most prolific, creative people I know of. Enjoy....

Ohh to weave such inspiration...

2009-03-14T11:17:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my friend, Kim (once again), I was introduced to http://www.byhand.me/ and discovered a weaver extraordinaire. Mirella Cherchi weaves not only beautiful scarves and shawls, but also does weavings on a grand scale for room screens and even a ceiling of woven 'tiles'. Her colors are wonderful, deep, rich and eyepopping combinations. Even though she is somewhat of a competitor of mine with her purses, I've got to sing her praises. And, by the way, her items on her Etsy shop are extremely reasonably priced. What a special and unique purchase any of her things would be. Her online shop is http://www.mireloom.etsy.com/ . Her blog is definitely worth visiting (and be sure to scroll way down) at http://mirtextiles.blogspot.com/ .

French Roast: a little caffeine, a lot of creativity...

2009-03-13T12:21:00.000-07:00

It's not your everyday, everywhere jewelry at http://www.frenchroast.etsy.com/ . And that's what I like about it. Something a little different and very affordable. But, also, her bead and wire jewelry inspires me to do something different in my own creations. Check her out for a little inspiration or for a great gift for someone (maybe you!).

Yes, I am sewing-challenged :) , so here's a sewing tip

2009-03-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

This should be intuitive, but I kept forgetting to consult my intuition. I am gradually getting better at remembering this tip and thought I would pass it along to others who are planning-ahead-challenged :).

When making a bag (or anything) with pockets, I keep forgetting that the pockets will cover up what's underneath. I would cut out a perfectly wonderful base piece with a cute part of the fabric print nicely centered...only to cover it with a pocket. So remember to plan your pockets that will be covering a print before you plan the background piece. At left are 2 of the pockets for an Inside Out Bag and, above right, the placement of one of those pockets on the background. Same goes for the Purse Organizer.

A Little Wild and Crazy

2009-03-06T14:32:00.001-08:00

I love it when I see something that has a combination of fabrics that don't match...but that somehow look good together - very fun. So today, I made my first, nothing-can-match organizer. And here it is! If you sew and you have this pattern (http://www.sweetbriarstudio.etsy.com/), here's one way to use up some of those little pieces of fabric that you just can't throw away! (I used 6 different fabrics) ...or even use fabric from garments at the thrift store...or from clothes you no longer wear, but can't part with.

And on a musical note: BB King, Eric Clapton (Riding with the King) and The Be Good Tanyas (Chinatown) helped on this project, too!

Fashioning Felt at the Cooper-Hewitt

2009-02-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

Starting next week, if you are in the NYC area, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum is having a Fashioning Felt exhibit. "The exhibition explores the varied new uses of felt in a range of fields, including product design, fashion, architecture, and home furnishings." (William Berry on http://coooperhewitt.org/ .) It runs through September 7. Sounds right down my alley! (Joy, can we go?!) And thanks to Kim for finding this first!

Fun with Fiber

2009-02-27T06:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a very fun, creative day in the studio and kitchen. And it didn't involve sewing or cooking :). The kitchen part is the last step of the felting process and this (at left) is the result. It is
inspired by a painting I saw. I love the colors - deep salmon, raspberry, butterscotch, buttery yellow, soft olive green and a shot of citrusy green on a sourdough white background. (really, I wasn't cooking!) And, if all goes as planned, this is the first of a series of four. It is roughly 17" x 17". I first thought these could be used as placemats, but now I have ideas of using them as seat covers for chairs, as pillows, or in a wall arrangement.
The background is wool from Corriedale sheep, and the stripes are of dyed Merino wool. One of these days, I plan to put together some photos or a video showing the wet-felting process....one of these days.

Fearrington Folk Art Show

2009-02-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

"Be'th Good
or
Be'th Bad
Just'th Be'th"
C Hub

What do bottle caps, tar paper, wrenches, tires, plywood and paint (lots and lots of it) have in common? Folk Art!

Two girlfriends, Kim and Lindsay, came down from Richmond to see the Fearrington Folk Art Show this past Saturday. Soooo much to see.

One of my favorite artists is Theresa Isbell Gloster (shown at left) whose art depicts her childhood growing up with 12 other kids in her grandparents' house. You can see more of her art by 'googling' her name. And she can be reached at 828.757.3992 or bam1963bam1963@yahoo.com .

Out in the parking lot, there was still more art...on (and I do mean "on") the cars, trucks and vans of the artists at the show. I seem to be blog-photo challenged right now, so I won't include the other photos I have. But suffice to say, it was very entertaining!

Pierce-ing the night

2009-02-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

A few nights ago, I went to see Pierce Pettis at a house concert in our area. In spite of a serious bout of asthma, he managed to give a great concert with plenty of energy. He plays acoustic guitar and sings songs he has written as well as some that other artists have written. You can hear his music at http://www.myspace.com/piercepettismusic . (One of my favorites there is "Just Like Jim Brown".) Garth Brooks recorded Pierce's "You Move Me". Give a listen if you're up for some good, Alabama-grown music - some sweet and mello, some foot-stompin' good - with thought-provoking lyrics.

1-2-3 GO!

2009-02-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

I have finally decided to take the plunge into the world of blogging :). So don't be surprised if the look of my blog changes a million times over the next few weeks while I get it juuust right. I'm aiming for a bit of inspiration, how-to's (or how-I've-done-it's), and stuff of interest to those who love the handmade world - either doing it or enjoying what's been made.

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Check out http://www.spoonflower.com/ if you've ever wanted to design the fabric of your dreams. They will print any length of fabric for $18/yard. Not bad.

Fellow Etsian, http://www.sudiosu.etsy.com/, has a fun idea: Art Card Editions and Originals or ACEOs. They are 3-1/2" X 2-1/2" compositions that she does for some quick creativity. Original art for $15 - can't beat that!