Ministry of Silly Walks Stencil

Here’s a fun stencil that I made for my son. It’s a fairly simple stencil and a great conversation starter!

My family are huge Monty Python fans, so much so, that I ended up making a shirt for my hubby,too.

From the classic Python sketch, Ministry of Silly Walks:

Supplies:

A t-shirt (or other item to be stenciled)
Freezer Paper with Ministry of Silly Walks Stencil (updated version also for great for embroidery, 2014)
Foam Brush
Fabric Paint (I like Lumiere or Tulip Soft)
Exacto Cutting Tool
Cardboard or newspaper
Cutting Mat

In lieu of individual photos of the process, take a look at my how-to video for stenciling, which you may remember from this post or from The Cullen Crest post.

Pre-wash t-shirt without fabric softener.
Print stencil (or alternative updated version) onto freezer paper (matte side).
Carefully cut out with an exact-o knife. There are loads of fiddly bits, so take your time and be careful.
Set iron to medium.
Place cardboard or newspaper inside t-shirt.
Place stencil on t-shirt with a piece of blank paper on top (that keeps the tiny pieces in place) then carefully press with the iron.
Use the foam brush to gently paint on the fabric paint.
Allow a few minutes to dry, then carefully remove the stencil. For small pieces, use a straight pin to help get them started for easier removal.
Finish drying according to manufacturer’s directions.

Black on White Silly Walks

kirstencan’s Silly Walk tee from the flickr group

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!

Photobucket

also posted on craftster and cut out + keep

The black Ministry of Silly Walks tee was one of the winners of the Knitted Icons contest on cut out + keep. (Knitted Icons was the prize…the craft didn’t have to be knitted)

A Little Flare

Recipe: Ranger Cookies

Candy Cups for Giving

2 Replies

Shared by my aunt, Amy, several years ago, Candy Cups have become a gift-giving standard for me. I’ve made them for Christmas and birthdays and with all sorts of candy.

They’re easy, inexpensive, and make gorgeous gifts for the hard-to-shop for. Think teachers, friend,s and anyone who likes candy. Sugar-free candy works, too!

Once all your supplies are gathered, it’ll take you about an hour to make one candy cup.

You’ll need:

Glass or Mug (I prefer clear, but any kind will work, the heavier the better!)
Candy with loose or twisted wrappers (example used approximately 40 oz. of peppermints)
Styrofoam ball (size depends on your glass or mug)
Filler for the cup – recycled paper or candy
Bamboo Skewer
Scissors
Hot Melt Glue
Greening Pins (also available at the hobby store with the floral accessories)
Ribbon
Cellophane

Push the bamboo skewer into the Styrofoam ball, all the way through the top. Put it in the glass to and push down until the ball is snug in the glass.

Snip off the excess skewer with your scissors. You can also use large fingernail clippers, a utility knife, or pruning shears.

With the skewer still in the glass, fill the bottom with candy. Ideas are like M&Ms, Hershey’s Kisses, or Peppermints (though you could really use any candy). Another option is shredded paper, but the candy on the ball will make the cup top-heavy, so having a heavier filler keeps it from tipping over and gives the gifted a sweet bonus.

Place a small dot of hot melt glue on either side of the rim of the cup. Gently press the styrofoam ball onto glue, holding in place until it sets. You don’t need much, just a touch for stability.

candies in twisted wrappers

greening pins

Use greening pins to add candy to ball by poking pins through the loose end near the twist of the candy wrapper. Depending on the candy, you can get two or three on each pin.

Start at the bottom and work your way up to the top, moving in a circular pattern.

First Round complete.

Second Round.

Third Round.

Fill in any holes with more candy & greening pins.

Final round complete, all the holes filled in.

Wrap in cellophane and embellish with a bow or ribbon. The cellophane is optional, but it provides insurance that your candy will get from point “A” to point “B” intact.

Gift it!

Variation with M&Ms and Coca-Cola glasses

Variations by Amy Maxey – toffee coffee & bubble gum soda glass.

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. ♥

Smiling Santa Gift Bag

3 Replies

I’ve been making these Santa bags for a lot of years now, but this is the first time I’ve ever shared a how-to for it.

Other similar bags I’ve made include Rudolph, Christmas kitties and Christmas trees. Change the basic bag to any color and add polka dots or stars for an easy birthday bag!

Smiling Santa is reusable, giftable, and darn cute. He’s fast to make with simple embroidered stitches and a button nose. If hand stitching isn’t your thing, fabric paint will work in a pinch!

You’ll need:

Smiling Santa reference
9″ x 12″ acrylic felt – 2 white, 1 red, 1 flesh
scissors
large needle
embroidery floss: white, red, blue & green
red button
ruler
optional: sewing machine
optional: rotary cutter

supplies

I use eco-friendly acrylic felt. It’s easy to find, cheap (20 cents a sheet) and sturdy.

Find the bottom of your bag and cut 1″ squares out of the opposite corners for each white sheet. This will create a faux gusset and allow your gift bag to stand up.

Cut the flesh-colored felt sheet down to 8″ x 5 1/2″. Fold in half and cut a gentle curve.

Open flesh-colored felt. Align 1″ from top of bag, centering so that each side has approximately 1/2″ of white felt showing.

Using the white embroidery floss, hand stitch a running stitch around the two sides and bottom of the face.

Add eye details with a straight stitch (eyebrows) and chain stitch (eyes).

Add button nose with red embroidery floss. Add mouth, also with red embroidery floss, using the chain stitch.

Pin two pieces of white felt together, face inside. Machine stitch 1/4″ seam on two sides and across the bottom.

Optional: hand stitch on the inside OR hand stitch on the outside using red embroidery floss.

Fold the open corners on the bottom together, matching outside seams. Fold seams in opposite directions to reduce bulk. Pin in place.

Machine stitch bag corners.

Turn bag right side out.

Fold 1″ down on top of bag, overlapping face. Pin, then straight stitch around. Stitch under side seam.

Finished stitching on the top of bag.

Cut two 12″ x 2″ strips from red felt.

Fold straps lengthwise. Straight stitch along the length with green embroidery floss.

Pin handle to outside of bag 2″ in from the sides.

Straight stitch snowflake or asterisk to hold handles in place. Repeat for the back of bag.

Stuff with goodies and gift it!

Feeling creative? Try your hand at a Christmas Tree!

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. ♥

Crochet Granny Handbag

2 Replies

add this pattern to your ravelry queue

Printable Pattern

From the Way Back Vault today, I have one of my old fabvorites.

The Crochet Granny Handbag dates back to September 29, 2003.

I don’t remember who received the original, but I’ve made several as gifts since then. It’s a quick and easy pattern and makes a sturdy little bag, especially when it includes the optional lining.

You’ll need

Small amount of 2 Worsted colors (listed as A & B). Shown are Red Heart Country Blue (A) and Windsor Blue (B).
I Hook
for optional lining: fabric, needle, thread, zipper
scissors
tapestry/yarn needle

(Note – all stitches after the first round are in the back loops except on the corners, when you crochet over the chain.)

Front/Back (make 2)

Round 1 – With Color A, ch 4, join with sl st. Ch 3 2 dc, ch 2 in ring. (3 dc, ch 2) 3 times, sl st into starting ch 3. Do not turn.

Round 2 – Ch 3, dc in BACK LOOPS to corner ch 2 sp (2 dc, ch 2 2dc in corner sp, dc in back loops across), rep to beg ch 3, join with sl st. Break off Color A. Do not turn.

Round 3 – Join Color B in any ch 2 sp. Ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc, (dc in back loops across, 2 dc, ch 2 2 dc in corner sp) around, join with sl st in beg ch 3.

Round 4 – Join Color A, rep pattern of round 3.

A close up of the strap side, using single crochet to join.

Strap

Ch 120, hdc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in each chain to end, finish off. Starting in the center stitch on one front/back square, join strap by sc through the back loops only of the strap and the square. Sc in first 25 st to join strap, continue sc st in back loop of front/back square across top of bag. Sc in last 25 st of strap from the 2nd ch in the corner of the square back to where you joined. Join with sl st. Sl st ends of strap then around to back loop on opposite side of strap, crochet around same as for opposite side.

Lining (optional)

For a sturdier bag, line with a scrap of coordinating (shown) or contrasting fabric of the same size. Hand-stitch inside the bag below the sc round (round 4).

To add a zipper, sew it to the lining before you stitch the lining in the bag, then stitch whip-stitch on the lining seam to inside of round 4.

Other Options

For a longer strap, or bigger bag, simply add stitches or rounds to suit your needs, taking into account how many stitches you will need to get the strap all the way around the bag. For more depth, make the strap two or even three rows wide before attaching to the granny squares.

As always, if you make any pattern or craft from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the Friends of sewhooked flickr group.

Happy crafting

This is part of my “Way Back Craft” series; patterns, crafts, tutorials and general crafty memories before the days of this craft blog.

Jennifer’s Best Peanut Brittle

4 Replies

If I could make one candy to give away every year, it would be peanut brittle.

This is probably my most miraculous of recipes due to it’s ability to cause sheer happiness in it’s recipients. I’ve actually made friends by sharing this at parties and functions.

Every year someone tells me that this is their favorite peanut brittle recipe, which of course gives me a reason to keep making it for them!

You’ll need a good, heavy saucepan and a candy thermometer for this. If you’ve never owned a candy thermometer, it’s really worth having. I recommend investing a few dollars (a very few, really!) in a good quality thermometer. Glass thermometers are cheap, but they tend to break easily. I have a professional metal candy thermometer that I picked up at a local restaurant supply store, but they’re easy to find online and at other stores with cooking supplies, too.

Peanut Brittle

2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup (Golden Syrup works if you don’t have access to corn syrup)
1/2 cup water
2 cups raw peanuts (I like Spanish peanuts)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon baking soda
real butter for greasing pan

Grease a 10″x15″ baking sheet thoroughly with butter.

Combine first five ingredients (sugar, corn syrup, water, peanuts and salt) in heavy saucepan. Stir using a long-handled wooden spoon.

Boil until candy thermometer reaches 293 degrees F.

Remove from heat and cool for a couple of minutes. Add vanilla and beat. Sprinkle baking soda into the mixture and beat will. It will foam and change colors, which is just what you want it to do!

Immediately pour into baking sheet. Be very, very careful because liquid candy at high temperatures is like lava! Make sure the baking sheet is on a towel or cooling rack because it will be extremely hot.

Allow to cool completely (time will vary, usually an hour or so) then flip over and give it a whack! Break the pieces up however you like, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Do not store peanut brittle with other candies because it will absorb moisture and become sticky, sticky, sticky.

For best results, share with friends!

more of my recipes

Photobucket

Paper Piecing: Holly Jolly Christmas

4 Replies

Last week, I shared three paper pieced patterns for Lil’ St. Nick, Mrs. Claus and Santa’s Elf.

ETA July 12, 2010 – These patterns will be available again November 2010 through the Sewhooked Shop.

Over the weekend, those three patterns were combined with a new pattern, Little Wonky Christmas Tree to give you the wall hanging shown, made for our friends, Eric & Dominae.

Little Wonky Christmas Tree

The wall hanging was created by sewing the blocks two by two with a 1.5″ strip of fabric in between the two rows.

The border is also 1.5″, in the background fabric.

Echo quilted by machine.

The star on top of the tree (which was received as part of a craftster swap!) is attached with fabric glue.

Hand stamped label on the back and large jump rings for hanging.

find more paper pieced patterns on sewhooked

As always, if you make any pattern or craft from sewhooked, I’d love to see a photo. Email me or add it to the Friends of sewhooked flickr group.

Happy crafting

also posted on craftster, cut out + keep and deviant art

Recipe: Bon Bon; Bon Bon

9 Replies

O! Christmas Candy! My house smells like chocolate…and peanut butter…and coconut…and sugar and and… Christmas!

I grew up with my mom making Coconut Bon Bons (which we called Bon Bons) every Christmas. My mom still makes them and it’s one of the candies I make that my friends start asking about in mid-November.

Peanut Butter Bon Bons are a more recent family favorite. My hubby calls them Peanut Butter Cups on Steroids. It’s a fairly apt description of spherical pb and chocolate goodness!

Coconut Bon Bon Filling:

2 pounds (or 7 1/2 cups) of powdered confectioner’s sugar
3 cups coconut
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups of chopped pecans

Chocolate Coating:

12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 pound of food grade paraffin (optional – but the chocolate will look nicer and hold together better if you use it)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. The mixture should be firm and hold together. If not, add a little more powdered sugar.

Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop out balls. Round them with your hands and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Melt the chocolate chips and paraffin in a double boiler over low heat. Using a toothpick or skewer, dip each of the coconut balls into the chocolate and place back on the parchment paper. Let stand to room temperature and store in an airtight container (unless you eat them all first!).

PB Bon Bons Filling:

2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cup powdered confectioner’s sugar

Chocolate Coating:

6 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/8 pound of food grade paraffin
(if you make Coconut Bon Bons, too, you’ll have plenty of chocolate coating left for these, too)

Mix peanut butter, butter and sugar. It will look crumbly, but it’ll hold together.

Roll into balls place on parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Melt the chocolate chips and paraffin in a double boiler over low heat. Using a toothpick or skewer, dip each of the coconut balls into the chocolate and place back on the parchment paper. Let stand to room temperature and store in an airtight container.

Look for more holiday recipes later in the month!

Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post.

Photobucket

Guest Designer Spotlight: Julie Pyka

2 Replies

Patterns designed by Julie Pyka

click on photo for pattern

This week in the Guest Designer Spotlight is Julie Pkya. Julie is a quilting gem I met through hp_paperpiecing. The first block Julie shared with me was her Dobby, which remains one of my favorites she’s designed. Her wonderful Howler block was the winner of the hp_paperpiecing Design A Harry Potter Paper Pieced Block Challenge.

Photobucket

First name and where you’re from: Julie- San Diego, California

Website/blog/online store or other place where your patterns or photos of your work can be found? – patterns/pictures on sewhooked and just photos on yahoogroup, PCPiecers.

How long have you been paper piecing and/or quilting? – I can’t remember when I first started quilting, but really the last two years I have become a more serious sewer. I started paper piecing this last summer. I made my first paper piece quilt called Crazy Birds. (http://quiltmaker.com/currentissue/qatf13/project1/) and of course the Harry Potter blocks.

What do you use your own blocks for? – I make quilts that are usually lap size.

When did you start designing? – This past summer I started designing portraits of presidents.

Was there a particular inspiration to draw your first pattern? – I was making a quilt top with my mom and grandmother were you take fat quarters and stack them together and for the number of fabrics the number of cuts you make. Then you shuffle and piece them back together. That’s when it dawned on me that this is exactly how paper piecing works.

Do you remember what your first design was? – My first pattern I designed was President Benjamin Harrison. I am planning on designing all of the United States presidents, but it will be awhile before I get them all drawn out.

Photobucket

Do you have a favorite among your own designs? My favorite pattern is the Howler I designed for the September challenge.

How has the online community changed the way you craft/quilt/design, etc.? – A few Yahoo groups and Sewhooked is really helping me grow. It wasn’t before joining and being active within these online communities that I have tried new techniques and expanded the level of difficulity. Now instead of whiping together straight sewing that takes a weekend I am putting a lot of work and have a lot more pride in my finished pieces.

What do you use to design your patterns? Paper and pencil, a specific software, etc. – I start with pencil in paper and scan them into Adobe Photoshop CS. The online tutorial that you created really helped me figure out how to make it clean and perfessional. THANX!

find more of Julie’s patterns on the sewhooked Guest Designer Page

Happy Crafting!