I’m using a tiny bit of this in my current project. It’s almost gone and I wish I had about a zillion yards of it. It’s so perfect for so many projects!
Fabric Friday
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Category Archives: Hand Crafts
It’s Bigger On The Inside
Free TARDIS paper pieced pattern, designed by me
and tested (as shown) by the ever awesome Shae.
Oh, fandom quilting, how do I love thee?
Bigger on the inside, that’s how!
In a fit of I Am A Fan, I made this a highly detailed TARDIS. I designed this pattern to be a 6″ block, but I would recommend enlarging it even bigger to work on, just for sanity’s sake. Shae made her’s 6″ and it worked out beautifully.
Why is the pattern purple? No idea. I drafted it back in May of 2009 and then it got lost amongst my files. When I unearthed it a couple of weeks ago, I realized it just needed numbering and separating. My guess is I had some really good wine and thought the purple was blue…
Need more Doctor Who?
How about a Dalek quilt block?
Sample pieced by Stephanie T
More hardcore fan, you say?
Need even more DW? Check out crafty_tardis on Livejournal and the Doctor Who crafts flickr group.
Happy crafting!
Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post.
Electric Amish
Electric Amish, 55″ x 73″
Some days are better than others. The day I finish a big project is always a good day!
I pieced this top in early 2006. Then, in a moment of complete insanity, I decided to hand quilt it.
I’d only been quilting a couple of years and I thought, for reasons I can’t even explain myself, that I needed to hand quilt a project in order to be considered a “real quilter.” Do I believe that now? Absolutely not.
Had I ever hand quilted anything? No, no I had not. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, what kind of thread to use, needles, anything. I just jumped in with both feet and started stitching.
I picked up and packed away this project more times than I care to mention. Dozens of other projects (mostly paper pieced!) were completed while this one waited patiently in its big red bag. To put it in perspective, I lost a pair of glasses for a whole year because I accidentally put them away with this quilt. It’s been on vacation to New Mexico to visit my BFF, sat with me through many movies, lots of sci-fi and true crime shows. It collected cat hair sitting on the arm of my chair.
The pattern came from an old magazine that I still have floating around somewhere. It’s a Storm At Sea pattern, set on point. I had never made a quilt this complicated at the time and had no idea what “on point” really meant. Part of that experience was chopping off half the blocks all the way around. If I remember correctly, I almost had a panic attack when I made the first cut.
I kept all those cut blocks. Earlier this year, I turned them into a small quilt for The Linus Connection, which I dubbed Baby Storm. Finishing that quilt gave me the impetus I needed to get this project out again and get it finished! If you’ve been following for a while, you might remember this was on my UFO Round Up for 2010.
One of the most special things about this quilt for me is what it represents. All bright and batik fabrics were gifts to me from my Bee friends. I pieced this top on my very first quilt retreat with those same ladies. It’s my first hand quilting project and my first big project that made for myself start to finish. 4+ years (really, almost 5!) and it’s done. I could not be happier.
Electric Amish was named by my friend Linda when I first started piecing it. Linda, do you remember?!
Tackett, helping me quilt (obviously!)
The quilting isn’t anywhere near perfect, but as time passed, my stitching did improve.
I take a fabulous close up of one of the blaring errors! Still, I think it’s pretty.
Baby Storm, donated to The Linus Connection, August 2010
Happy crafting!
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Way Back Craft: Snape Dammit Doll
If you’re not familiar with Dammit Dolls, the idea is this: a basic soft doll with long legs to hold on to, usually accompanied by a poem that goes something like this:
When you want to kick the desk or throw the phone and shout,
Here’s a little dammit doll you cannot do without,
Just grasp it firmly by the legs, and find a place to slam it,
And as you whack it’s stuffing out, yell,
dammit, dammit, dammit!
What? Sometimes a girl has to vent her frustration! Of course, I can’t do that in an ordinary way, it has to have a fandom twist to it.
My original post on Craftster, January 27, 2007:
I’ve been feeling a bit… erm, craftipated, and decided on a simple & fun project that might help me get back on the crafty track.
I’ve seen Snape as a dammit doll before and decided to do one of my own. I’ve left him with a, shall we say “blank” expression? (Read: I suck at faces.)
One of my friends has suggested Voldie, Umbridge & the Malfoys as possible future candidates to be dammit dolled.
Now I need a Snaperific poem to go along with him.
For the pattern, I drew out the shape I wanted then cut the hands, feet & head away from the body, cut those out of muslin and the body out of black adding seam allowance to all the pieces. I then attached hands, feet & head, then sewed front to back. I stuffed it & stitched up the hole I’d left for stuffing. For the hair… I wrapped black yarn around a 6″ ruler, then stitched it down the middle, hand-stitched it to his head then gave it a trim so to achieve those “greasy black curtains” of hair.
I had some issues with the corners (under the arms, neck, etc). I think it was more the fabric than the pattern. The black fabric was a little too loosely woven, so the stitching was pulling out. I think if I used a tighter fabric, I wouldn’t have the same problems.
I’m may make some shoes and a cloak for him, but I haven’t decided yet. I kind of like him just the way he is.
ETA: No cloak or shoes, or anything else for that matter, but Dammit Snape still lives in my sewing room. He still makes me smile, even without a Snapetastic Dammit Doll poem.
Happy crafting!
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Fabric Friday – Ninjas!
This fabric Friday comes with a bit of a story. During my Hot Dog Pillowcase kick earlier this year, my darling hubby jokingly commented that’d he’d love a set of ninja pillowcases. Not long after that, Honey Bee got the Ninja Kanji fabric in from Alexander Henry. Fate intercedes? Oh, yes, I do think so!
So, darling hubby gets his set of ninja pillowcases and he loves them. Adores them, is more like… He hasn’t had them a week when he comments how awesome the fabric would be for his favorite kimono. I started making kimonos for The Big Guy way back in 1996. He’s just shy of six and a half feet tall and finding a robe that fit him comfortably was impossible. I had a kimono jacket pattern that I liked and ended up using that basic idea and tailoring it to his height. I’ve probably made one of these every three or four years since.
Soooo….the next time I was at work, I bought the rest of the bolt. It took about 6 1/2 yards of fabric.
Don’t let the serious look on his face fool you. He loves the kimono, he just doesn’t love the idea of being on my blog! And, ignore the mess. I’ve been cleaning out closets and dressers and have a pile donation stuff going in the only (formerly!) clear spot in our bedroom. Can you spot Sunbonnet Sue in the picture? (Hint: she’s not with the junk!)
I did document the kimono making process and I *might* make a tutorial. If you twist my arm and/or bribe me with chocolate. Maybe!
Happy Crafting!
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Tire for Hire
Back in July, Katrina sent me the above image and told me she has a car enthusiast in the family.
Between my family, working, teaching, volunteering and designing patterns for my shop, my schedule has gotten pretty crazy. The result of that is that I don’t usually take many requests anymore unless it’s something I think others might be interested in making as well. Highly specialized requests fall under the category of “commission,” but from time to time, I still create freebies (like Contessa’s Canoe).
I mean, seriously, this is a tire! How many quilters out there might need a tire to throw into their auto enthusiasts quilt? At least a few is my thinking, and, Sewhooked started as a free website, and I like to keep the free content coming as much as possible.
I told Katrina about my crazy summer schedule and promised to get back to her. Last night, a glass of wine and I sat and worked it out. Thanks for your patience, Katrina, I hope the pattern works for you…and hopefully for a few of my other readers as well!
Happy Crafting!
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Way Back Craft: Potter Puppet Pals
You already saw Edward, now see what inspired him!
Original post on craftster, April 2006:
I had “sewing camp” with my kids over the summer and taught them both to use a sewing machine, how to hand stitch and some other basic stuff. After the basic lessons were over, the first thing they wanted to do was to make Potter Puppet Pals! We’re big fans of the videos and they thought it would be awesome to have versions of their own.
We’ve made Harry, Ron & Hermione so far. We’re hoping to make Snape, Dumbledore & Voldemort the next time they have a school holiday.
Made out of felt with recycled polyfil. Small amounts of fabric pain used for the faces. My 12 year old daughter made Hermione and my 9 year old son made Ron. I made Harry. I also painted all their faces.
Hope you like them!
Happy Crafting!
TTMT #72 – Pants!!
Way Back Craft: Teeny Goblet of Fire
Once Upon A Time, I entered a Challenge. It was called The Little Tiny Challenge. I was beaten soundly by a tiny fast food meal made of real food, though I did come in second (even though second was hundreds of votes from first!).
Here’s my original post made on craftser way back in April of 2006.
The Pattern:
Sewing one of the center segments. Man that’s small!
Individual segments ready to be pieced:
The block is pieced! Photo from the back!
Finished block next to the original 5″ version (pattern available at sewhooked.org )
The finished block, front & center! All 1.5″ of it!
Happy Crafting!
Way Back Craft: The Spud Who Lived and The-Tater-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
Continuing with the Way Back Craft theme is a little project my sister and I did together. The original post is here on craftster.
Harry Spud and Lord Tater journeyed with us in 2008 when we drove to New Orleans, LA together for Phoenix Rising, a Harry Potter Conference. These starchy boys were also the mascots in our hotel room during our stay. They now live with my sister.
My sister collects Mr. Potato Heads and we’re both huge Harry Potter fans. There have been Spiderman potatos, Darth Taters and all kinds of other popular characters. Why, we wondered, aren’t there Harry Potter ones?
We decided to make our own.
Some spray paint (Volde), some fabric paint, lots of hot melt glue, felt, a couple of pipe cleaners, and a couple of old Mr. Potato Heads and their bits… and you have.
They were really easy and fun to make. I hope you all enjoy them!
Happy Crafting!
Sewhooked 