Category Archives: Hand Crafts

Charity: Go Get Granny and Log Cabins For Linus

Log Cabins for Linus / Go Get Granny

For many years now, I’ve been a volunteer for The Linus Connection*, a small local non-profit charity that makes blankets for children in need in Central Texas. I’m a blanket maker, sorter and volunteer Webmistress for linusconnection.org. I’ve served a term on the Board, and was the newsletter editor for a time. Suffice it to say, Linus is very important to me!

Just as many other charities are suffering due to the current economy, Linus is suffering, too. Our demand has risen, while the number of blankets has decreased. When our numbers decrease, that means children that need a little extra security in a difficult time are going without. It’s a very hard call to decide who doesn’t get the security of a handmade blanket. If I had my way, every child touched by severe illness, injury, abuse, homelessness or other crisis situations would know the comfort and love of a handmade blanket.

My blog is a place I share my ideas, patterns, recipes and tutorials with the world for no charge, but this time I’d like to ask for a little something back. Throughout 2010, I will be collecting quilt blocks and yarn squares through my craft blog to assemble into Linus blankets.

If you are a quilter, please consider participating in Log Cabins for Linus! Make 12″ log cabin blocks (12.5″ unfinished) in 100% quilting cotton of any log cabin pattern, any color, any style you like.

Here are some patterns to get you started:

Log Cabin pattern from Quilter’s Cache
Log Cabin Variation pattern from Quilter’s Cache
Wonky Log Cabin Tutorial from Tallgrass Prairie Studio
Log Cabin Directions from World Wide Quilting Page

If yarn is your forte, then Go Get Granny is for you! I’ll be accepting 12″ knit or crochet blocks made in acrylic yarns of any color or style and will join those into afghans.

12″ Crochet Patterns from Crochet Pattern Central
Knitted Afghan Squares from Knitting Pattern Central
If you belong to ravelry, be sure and surf their pattern directory for lots of great ideas!

When you’re ready to send your block, email me for my mailing address and I’ll send it your way. Donations to The Linus Connection are tax deductible, so if you need a receipt, please include a note with your block and I’ll make sure one gets to you.

All blocks donated will be shared here on the sewhooked blog and on Talk To Me Tuesday as completed blankets before being donated to The Linus Connection.

I encourage you to post photos of your blocks to the Go Get Granny & Log Cabins for Linus flickr group. You can also see blankets I’ve donated since 2002.

Anything you can do is greatly appreciated.

For more information about The Linus Connection, please visit our website or blog or become a fan on Facebook.

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Disclaimer: This is my effort to increase blanket numbers for my own favorite blanket making charity, The Linus Connection, located in Austin, Texas. This effort is not in any way organized by TLC. All blankets will be donated to The Linus Connection by me, Jennifer Ofenstein. If you have any questions please contact me or leave a question in the comments.

*The Linus Connection is a small, local non-profit located in Central Texas and is not affiliated with Project Linus.

vlog: TTMT – The Big Four Oh

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I can hardly believe this is the 40th week of Talk To Me Tuesday!

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge
Honey Bee Quilt Store
Hot Dog Pillowcase Instructions
Green Bag Repair
Batiks On Black
hp_paperpiecing Complete Your Quilt Top Challenge
Rock Creek Quilts
The Linus Connection
Harry Potter Crafts
Leaky Crafts

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

Keeping It Green

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I have oodles of those 99 cent green bags that the local grocery store sells. It takes about 8 of them to carry groceries for our family of four home. Most of the bags are three or so years old, and they’ve definitely seen some wear since I avoid plastic bags whenever possible.

Since it’s the start of a new year and it’s too darn cold to do much outside, I thought now would be a good time to give them a bit of an overhaul!

This is more mending than craft, but it’s easy and helps maintain my reusable bags.

First, I checked for broken or damaged inserts that help keep the bottom firm and the bag upright. Several of them were completely trashed. After fishing around in my recycling, I came up with a couple sturdy cereal boxes.

The boxes were the perfect size, so I just trimmed them up with scissors, rounded the corners and popped them into the bag. Wallah, brand new bottom inserts!

Next, I checked for split or damaged seams. Most of them were okay because I fairly regularly check for popped stitching caused by one too many cans! There was one that had lost it’s stitching and was starting to lose the trim that holds the front and bottom together. A quick zig zag stitch using whatever thread was on my machine, and it’s good to go!

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

2010 UFO Round Up

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I’ve decided 2010 will be the year I finish some long-standing UFOs. I’ve made a list and added to the dry erase board I keep in my sewing & craft room. Here’s a more visual version to keep me inspired!

To Be Quilted:

Grannie’s Autograph Quilt – This was my Grannie’s and was previously a tied quilt. I’d like to hand quilt it, but I’ve been reluctant to start until I finish my Electric Amish project (see below).

Lost and Found Flour Sack Quilt – A quilt top my mom found when she inherited my Grannie’s house. It was originally much longer with holes in several of the squares. I removed a few rows across the bottom (which is not how it was pieced, so it was a pain!) and the damaged fabrics, then replaced those with some of that fabric salvaged from the bottom. The border is muslin, which is also what I’d like to put on the back.

Yellow/Green Linus X-Quilts (from fabric donated by Laci L) – made from the Layer ‘Em Up book by Sharyn Craig. Easy peasy tops made from just 2 yards of fabric, both are baby-size. To finish by the next Linus meeting, January 16, 2009.

Electric Amish (hand quilting project, about 1/3 complete) – modified Storm at Sea pattern. This is the first large quilt top I completed that I intended to keep for myself. I’ve been quilting on it for at least five years. To say that hand quilting is not my strong point is an understatement!

Tops to Finish:

Brown Bear (blocks are done, need more borders and to be pieced) – from a pass around with my bee. We made the bear paws for each other. I’ve pieced the units, which still need borders.

HP swap received (blocks are done, need layout, piecing) – from various online quilt block swaps 2007-2008. Not all of these will go in the finished quilt because a few were the wrong size. I’ll save those for something else.

Christmas Cottage swap received (blocks are done, need layout, piecing) – blocks received from the 2009 All About Paper Piecing Christmas Cottage Swap. I’m not in a huge hurry for these since I just got them all, but they’re officially a UFO, so they’re on the list.

Layer ‘Em Up 2 for Linus (blocks are pieced, need to be squared and top pieced) – To finish by the next Linus meeting, January 16, 2009.

Batik Beauty (finish blocks) – this will likely be my quilt retreat project for March. I’d like to have this top done by April in order to show the NYB class I’m teaching at Honey Bee.

Sewing:

Pillowcases to donate to Honey Bee for the 1 Million Pillowcases Challenge
New Bag with pockets for BB & camera

Crochet

Twilight Crafts Black & Red Swap Received (layout and finish) – knit and crochet squares. I might make a few more, or I might just border these and make them into a lapghan.

Turn Around Granny Square ‘ghan (more rounds? and finish) – Oh geez, these have been sitting for at least a year. I’m uninspired as to what I need to do next. More rounds? Just put them together? No idea!

Do you have a list of UFOs to finish in 2010? I’d love to see!

vlog #38 – TTMT – Resolute

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In which I talk about Christmas crafties given and received, think about 2010 and have a hatterific slideshow.

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

vlog – TTMT – Bee-riffic Holiday

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Recycled Gift Bags

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

Recycled Gift Bags from Paper Bags

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The holiday head cold has grabbed me with both hands! Fortunately, I finished my gift making and wrapping before I could spread cooties along with my Christmas cheer.

I did something I almost never do and *gasp* bought pre-made gift bags for holiday treats. When I opened the packages, they all had a bottle neck. After I forced my eyebrows down out of my scalp, I realized the cute little bags were practically useless unless the entirety of my holiday giving included M&Ms.

Without any time to spare, I started digging around in my “keep just in case” drawer and came up with a stack of paper wine bags that I’ve been holding on to forever. Jackpot!

To make your own holiday gift bags/wrap from recycled wine bags, you’ll need:

paper bags (any size)
tape or glue
hole punch
ribbon
iron
Something to cut the bags (paper cutter, rotary cutter, decorative or plain scissors)
stamps, stickers, or other embellishments

If your bags are like mine, they’re likely to be in all different states of crumpled-ness. So, first things, first, iron those bags if needed. Medium heat works. Ironing on a paper bag will also clean your iron, so you might want to start with a sacrificial bag, just in case your iron has any Ghosts of Craft Projects Past lurking around.

Much better!

I happen to have a snazzy wavy blade for my rotary cutter. Try scissors, decorative or plain, or fun rotary blades.

Each wine bag will make 2 gift bags. Determine how big you want each side to be, leaving about 1″ for folding for each bag.

Bottom and top (L-R)

If you’re making more than one gift bag out of your original bag, you may need to seal the bottom. Glue works for this, but so does tape or a cute sticker.

This is also a good time to embellish your gift bag with stickers, stamps, or doodles.

Top finish off, fold the top down and punch two holes through all layers. Insert your gift and tie a ribbon through to close.

Repeat the steps for all bags. The bottom half of your recycled gift wrap will only need the tops folded and punched since the bottom is already sealed. I stamped mine, but you can embellish your bags any way you like. Now, fill with holiday goodness and gift it! If you’re stuffing your gift bags with edible homemade goodness, I suggest wrapping it in plastic or wax paper before placing it in the bag.

Find my free patterns on Sewhooked & Fandom in Stitches.

♥ Jennifer O

Posts on this blog may contain affiliate links to help cover the cost of my website. I thank you for your generous support. ♥

vlog: TTMT – Hats, Blocks & Sue

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In which I share lots of hats, Christmas Cottage Swap blocks, a few ornaments and an update on Operation Save Sue!

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

TTMT – Brown is the new Brown

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Brown yarn and big feet!

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.

It’s starting to look a lot like slippers!

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You know what they say about a guy with big feet? He needs big slippers!

The the first sign in my house that colder weather is coming…The Big Guy needs new slippers! This is the only kind of slippers he’ll wear, made by me and designed years ago just for his size 13s.

In about two weeks, it’ll be a year since I posted this little gem of a pattern, which itself was designed in 2000. This year’s pair was made with my favorite new yarn, I Love This yarn. I love how the earthiness of the colors all come together for the finished product.

If you make a Sew Awesome Craft or any pattern, craft or recipe from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the sewhooked flickr group.