Love Letter for a Valentine by Amy Adams of Lucykate Crafts

 I Heart February Reader Project Linky - share the love!

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Holiday Mitten Ornament by Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S

 Pink Chalk Fabrics Handmade with Love 2011 Tutorial Contest - 153 amazing tutorials!

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12/22/11 Update: Winners Announced

Handmade with Love – the first ever Pink Chalk Fabrics holiday tutorial contest – is now open for voting (voting runs through Wednesday, December 21, limit one vote per IP address). The Pink Chalk Team selected 5 favorites in each category. Your votes determine the top prize in each category (a $100 shopping spree at Pink Chalk Fabrics). The tutorial that receives the most votes across all the categories earns the grand prize of a Hello Kitty Sewing machine!

Thank you to everyone that shared their sewing talent for all of us to enjoy. Visit the original post to see images and links to 153 amazing tutorials!

I’m pleased to present the following talented makers and their tutorials. Photos are listed in the order they were submitted to the contest.

Category: Gifts for Friends

#1 - Winter Warmers by Lisa of A Spoonful of Sugar

#2 – iPad Cover by Amber of One Shabby Chick

#3 – Personalized Type Key Bracelet by Emily of Em’s Scrapbag

#4 – Circle Zip Earbud Pouch by Erin Erickson of Dog Under My Desk

#5 – Snappy Coin Purse by Rashida Coleman-Hale of I Heart Linen

Category 2: Gifts for Little Ones

#1 – Munchkin Soft Book by Elizabeth Dackson of Don’t Call Me Betsy

#2 – Monster Baby Toy by Melanie of The Crafty Cupboard

#3 – Pencil Pouch by Gwen of Gwenny Penny

#4 – Chenille Blanket by Mama Spark of Mama Spark’s World

#5 – Number Bean Bags by Mary Jaracz of Craft Buds

Category 3: Deck the Halls (Holiday Decorations)

#1 – Embroidered Snowflake Tablerunner by Jenelle of Echinops & Aster

#2 – Patchwork Christmas Tree Softie by Teresa of TeresaDownUnder

#3 – Holiday Garland Pillow by Maureen of Maureen Cracknell Handmade

#4 – Charm Snowflake by Sunni of Love Affair with My Brother

#5 – Quilted Tree by Melissa of We Shall Sew

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Embroidery Hoop Applique by Katrien of a bit of pilli pilli …

 Pink Chalk Fabrics Handmade with Love 2011 Tutorial Contest - vote for your favorite tutorial December 17 (today!) through Wednesday, December 21

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The December Out of the Box challenge was to ‘Make a Real Woman of Your Choice!’ It was also a gift exchange. The perfect opportunity to work up this fabulous Sublime Stitching Roller Derby pattern.

I’ve been hoarding a series of these patterns for several years. Always with the best of intentions. The challenge finally motivated some action. A few Flickr searches later I had some very good inspiration. Photos of real Roller Derby gals inspired the addition of the fishnet stockings, my absolute FAVORITE part.

The stitching began without a plan for the final presentation. I decided to use it as an embellishment on my latest tote bag design. As I work through a design I always look for opportunities to make yet another version that won’t totally burn me out on the process.

I debated about the best way to attach the piece to the bag. It was embroidered on Ivory Aiden Linen. I was nervous to just sew it onto the surface of the tote bag pocket. Cleaning would be a problem. I had some of this plastic on hand. Usually sold for covering tables. I layered the stitching between the plastic and the pocket. Next time I’ll take pictures before making the sandwich!

My thinking was that the tote bag would mostly like wear out before the embroidery. The pocket could be easily cut off and saved for another use.

A point of advice on the plastic: I had a yard of this stuff in my stash and it had been stored for over a year folded up. Really bad idea. The creases appear to be permanent. Most corners where the folds rested contained tiny little tears in the plastic. I was able to selvage a piece that was free from both and still large enough to cover the embroidery.

I’ve already started on my next one. This one I’m keeping for myself.

(Here’s the original post where I explained how the Out of the Box group works. Click on the Out of the Box category in the side bar to see all the posts related to the group.)

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A blog birthday. Wow. It even surprises me. A huge hug for all of you that read, comment, blog, and shutterbug.

To celebrate I’m sharing my favorite embroidery book. I took these photos way back in December. They’ve been sitting out on Flickr waiting to be tended to. For the 3 of you left that didn’t ask me the name of the book it’s time to get this post written.

The book is the Reader’s Digest Complete Book of Embroidery. It’s my favorite encyclopedia of stitches book. When I searched Amazon for a link I also came across this version published in 2006. I haven’t seen the newer book in person so I can’t speak to the contents being the same but updated (which I’m assuming it is). I might just have to order it and find out!

Why I like this book so much.

The illustrations for each stitch are very detailed. They are presented in a step-by-step format. The scale and 3-D effect of the drawings provide enough information to reproduce the stitch accurately. On the left-hand side of the drawings is a short paragraph listing suggested uses of the stitch. If you click to enlarge the photo you should be able to read a detailed example of this.

The book is divided by Stitch Family. At the beginning of each of these chapters is a photo of a sampler that uses all the stitches represented in the chapter. It is keyed at the bottom so you can identify by name the stitch you see on the sampler.

Happy Stitching!

***

Caitlin ordered a set of Newberry Award winner Lois Lowry’s books from the Scholastic book order. She really enjoyed The Giver and asked me to read it. It was a very provocative look into a future world defined by rules and structured sameness. A book that begs to be discussed out loud. We’ve had a lot of fun mulling over this fictional society on the way to and from the bus stop. Reading the same books as my daughters. Definitely something I want to make time to do more of.

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I had my moments with this project. My original completion goal was December 1. As that date passed I thought of trying to catch up and then make sure the next ornament was done as each day came. Thank goodness I never caught up. Who needs that kind of pressure. My little blog along idea was stressful enough! I did finally complete it. Ready for Christmas 2007. Sometimes that’s good enough. I love it.

As I went outside to photograph the quilt it started to hail. As I set up the foam board and got the quilt straight the hail stopped and it began to sleet. As I write this it continues to sleet with thunder and lightening in the background. I have never experienced a more wacky season of weather. A very long winded way of saying I plan on a better photo shoot and will post those to Flickr for all of you who’ve patiently followed my progress with this project (Pattern Making, Pockets, Indecision, Quilting, Ornaments).

For the very observant, a note about the lack of any visible mechanism to hang the number side of the ornament over the pocket. I’ve spent yesterday trying to solve this. The small white buttons I intended to use didn’t look right. Off they came. I tried a large pearl bead. I really should have taken some pictures of my various versions of that. When I put a small seed bead to secure my thread at the top of the bead they looked liked perky little breasts. Too funny. After sleeping on it and discussing my dilemma at this morning’s ASG meeting (yet ANOTHER post that’s never been written) I’ve decided to wait until the Sew Expo in March to search out a vendor that I’m told carries Czech glass buttons.

I’m going to enter this in the holiday Whiplash challenge. Too bad they don’t have a ‘longest to complete’ category.

OK, Christmas is officially done.

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Caitlin chose the Darling Dachshunds pattern from Sublime Stitching. Her embroidery stitches are so perfect. She loves how her shirt turned out. The colors… well… I think I’ll be encouraging some plain white cotton next go around. I’m always inspired by Sally’s (shim + sons) use of shapes and patterns. I was definitely thinking about her creations when I added the paw print fabric squares on point.

After uploading my previous post I realized I’d attached the Lucky symbol upside down! I used a seam ripper to cut the fabric out just inside the machine embroidery. I then proceeded to re-attach the Lucky symbol upside down for a second time! Geez. Please tell me I’m not the only person that does this type of thing. Out came the seam ripper again to undo those beautiful leaves. Then a final re-attachment:

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Last year for her birthday, Caitlin received a Stitch-It Kit by Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching. We fell in LOVE with all her embroidery patterns and had to have more. This is Leil’s creation. She chose the Chinatown pattern which includes this Chinese symbol for Lucky. (As I was testing my links I realized I put the symbol upside down! I’m off to fix that.)

I ironed the transfer on to the lavender Kona cotton. I left the fabric big enough to fit in a hoop so Leil could easily do the embroidery work. I then backed the fabric scraps and the completed embroidery with Wonder Under, my fusible web of choice. I’m heavy handed with the iron and Wonder Under likes high heat. Heat n Bond requires a low heat setting, if your iron is too hot you’ll melt the webbing and it won’t stick. Please don’t ask me how long it took me to figure that out. After fusing the pieces in place I used decorative stitching to give it some strength in the washing machine.

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This is my entry for Booga J’s June/July 2006 Pincushion Challenge. The theme was Flowers. Last December I made scarves for my sisters and mom for Christmas. One of the kimono scraps I used had the most spectacular flower print on it. Like so spectacular that it was a true act of love to part with the final product! I scanned the print before sending it off in the mail. It was the inspiration for this month’s challenge.

On the subject of kimono scraps. When the Denyse Schmidt book was published last year I fell in love with her foundation pieced scarf pattern. When I made mine I left the kimono pieces in larger sections. It was quicker to make and I liked showcasing the prints. Esther’s had some fat halfs of 100% wool suiting which was perfect. I also cut up a pair of wool trousers, one of those expensive pairs that I used to wear to work (has it really been 8 years!) and that I would NEVER fit in again.

The orange kimono fabric that I photographed the pincushion on was my find at last week’s guild auction. It happens once a year and is called the Guild Guilt Auction. Members bring in all the unused books, tools and fabrics from their sewing rooms. If it’s valued under $25 it goes in the silent auction, over $25 is auctioned off live. It’s the first one I’ve been too and I had a really fun time. I thought this kimono piece was just scraps but I loved the color and pattern, I put a bid on the ticket. After the meeting a friend asked me what I had purchased. As I went through my bag of goodies I pulled out the kimono and realized it was a full 5 yard obi! Very exciting discovery. It has a storage stain down the center. I plan to cut it given the damage unless I can get the stains out (any tips?).

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