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TTMT #119 – 110° in the Shade
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Tag Archives: hand crafts
Sewhooked: Jumping In With Both Feet
Grandma’s House Quilted Potholder Set
It’s been a while since I talked about my business. I post a lot of crafts and patterns and, of course I talk about Harry Potter (no, no…really!?).
Sewhooked is not just the name of my site and business. It’s become a community of crafty people that are near and dear to me. As you probably already know, I design and sell quilt patterns. What you may not know is that I also sell hand crafted items, including custom-made buttons and hard-copies of my patterns on Etsy. All of my available patterns are ready for instant purchase and PDF download in my shop here on Sewhooked. For quilt shop owners, my patterns are also available for wholesale purchase. Email me for details.
After a year of working on Sewhooked part time, I’ve decided the time has come to try my hand at running my business full-time. Up until now, I’ve worked on Sewhooked whenever I have time, squeezing in minutes here and there between other things.
At the end of the summer, all that will change. I’m leaving my part-time job at the quilt store where I work and am going to take a session off from teaching to build my inventory and focus on my business. There have been some changes in my life recently which make me feel the time is right to work hard, to work longer and to make Sewhooked everything I want it to be.
What can you look forward to? Well, more patterns, for sure! Creating patterns is my first love, and there are lots of ideas rolling around in my brain, just waiting for their chance to make an appearance. I’m tentatively planning a Block of the Month quilt for my shop next year, which I would love to be guided by those that would like to participate. More on that once the Project of Doom has wrapped up.
There will also be new hand-crafts available through Etsy. After a brief hiatus, Custom 1.5″ Buttons are back, including optional graphic design services. Soon, I’ll be adding grab bags of fabric from my crazy-huge scrap stash, as well as limited edition cards featuring photos of some of my quilts.
Photos in this post include some of the items currently available for sale through Etsy. PDF Downloads are here.
Tree Trimming, Hard Copy Version
What kind of quilt patterns are you looking for? What handcrafts would you be interested in seeing on Etsy (keeping in mind that I do not sell items made from my Harry Potter and other fandom patterns out of respect to the authors/creators)?
I’d love to hear from you!
Add your Sewhooked photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!
Keeping It Green
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.
Have a sewhooked little Christmas
A little Christmas Cheer from the sewhooked flickr group!
by sewtobed on flickr
by ramblequeen on flickr
by Jennifer T.
by liljabs on flickr
Lots more great quilts in the flickr Christmas quilts group!
More Christmas cheer from sewhooked:
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.
freezer paper stencil: Torchwood Me
Fandom is not just a noun, it’s a verb. To be a part of fandom is to participate, geek out and show your love by wearing your fandom literally on your sleeve, or in this case, on your chest.
Oh Torchwood, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
22 hexagons worth, that’s apparently how much!
The amazing calypsobard shared her Torchwood stencil with me, which I photoshopped up to make it more user friendly. This one is easy to cut out, but, in calypsobard’s words is “a bit hinky,” so I’ve added directions to the stencil itself that will hopefully make it more user friendly.
You’ll need:
- Torchwood stencil, printed on the matte side of freezer paper
- X-acto Knife or other stencil cutting tool
- cutting board or other safe cutting surface
- fabric paint, I recommend Lumiere by Jacquard, available online and at craft stores
- sponge brush
- iron
- cardboard or newspaper for inside the shirt
Pre-wash t-shirt without fabric softener.
Carefully cut pieces out with an exact-o knife. Start with the hexagons first, keeping them in order. Then cut and discard the gray area. (Or, if you’re my teenage daughter, pinch it from the trash and put it in the clear pocket of your binder.)
Set a dry iron to medium.
Place cardboard or newspaper inside t-shirt to help prevent bleed through.
Place stencil on t-shirt, aligning the hexagons until they are even. Carefully press in place with the iron.
Use the foam brush to gently paint on the fabric paint, being careful to not push it under the edges of the stencil.
Allow a few minutes to dry, then carefully remove the outside of the stencil.
If the stencil is still wet, use a straight pin to remove the hexagons. Otherwise, just gently peel away each one, setting them aside as you go.
Finish drying according to manufacturer’s directions.
Final product.
Freezer paper stenciling is my favorite stenciling technique and can be used for any of my stencils and for most stenciling on fabric.
More Free Stencils on the Craft Page!
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Candy Corn Hat
As seen on Talk To Me Tuesday, September 29, 2009.
Add to your ravelry queue
also on cut out + keep
As I walked around my local craft store last week, I noticed little Halloween displays all over the store. Almost all of them had candy corn.
I spent the rest of that trip repeating to myself, “You do not need candy corn! You do not need candy corn!”
I guess you can see why I jokingly refer to candy corn as Halloween Crack!
Mellowcreme pumpkins?
One bag of those + me = sugar coma. Danger, danger, danger!
I created an homage to those last year with my Mellowcreme Pumpkin Earrings.
To continue the homage to my favorite Halloween candies, how about a candy corn hat? It’s easier on your teeth, works up in a jiffy and isn’t particularly hard on your yarn stash, either!
It sure as heck is easier than taking candy from a crafter baby!
You’ll need:
- small amounts of worsted yarn in bright orange, white and bright yellow (Red Heart used in example)
- J hook
Round 1: With white, ch 4, 11 dc in fourth ch from hook. Join with sl st at top of beg ch 3. (12 dc)
Round 2: sl st to the sp between the next two dc , ch 3, dc in same sp (cluster). (2 dc) in between each dc around. (12 clusters)
Round 3: sl st to the sp between the next cluster , ch 3, 2 dc in same sp. (3 dc) in between each cluster around. Finish off white. (12 clusters)
Round 4: With orange, join with sl st between any cluster. ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (4 dc, ch1) in between each cluster around. (12 clusters)
Round 5 – 10: sl st to ch 1 space, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, ch 1, (4 dc, ch1) in between each cluster around. (12 clusters), finish off orange at end of round 10.
Round 11: join yellow in any stitch, ch 1, hdc in same st and each st around, including ch 1 sps.
Round 12: ch 1, hdc in same st and each st around.
Round 13: ch 1, hdc in same st , (2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st), repeat ( ) around. Finish off.
Easy as candy!
Add your Sewhooked-related photos to my flickr group and you might be featured in a future post!
vlog: TTMT Too Much For One Week
In which I show the crafties I’ve finished up the last week, along with my starknuts challenge prize!
http://www.sewhooked.org
http://blog.sewhooked.org
- Vertical Ribbons Crochet Pattern
- The Linus Connection
- twilight_crafts black and red swap
- Lots of reasons to be in the black/red swap
- starknuts Harry Potter knitting and crochet community
- All About Paper Piecing
- Christmas Cottage Swap on AAPP on Tina’s Blog
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 – When Harry Met Data
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.
Craft: Stampin’ on Stained Jeans
I found these fabulous unfinished kitchen chairs at the thrift store for $3 each. A little wood stain and some clear coat later, and they are fabulous and in-use.
Unfortunately, I managed to forget to not put my knees down on the tarp I had covering the garage floor and got matching brown spots on both of my knees. Did I mention I was wearing one of my favorite pairs of jeans? You might remember them from the Hem Extension post.
I wore them once with the stained spots and it drove me crazy, so I had to think of something else.
My first thought was applique patches, but I’m really busy lately and that would take a bit longer than I have to invest. I have loads of paint and a lot of stamps, so, hey, why not? They were already in bad shape and I couldn’t possibly make it worse.
You’ll Need:
- Acrylic Fabric Paint a shade or two darker than the spot you want to cover
- stamp big enough to cover the spots
- small paper plate or piece of freezer (or wax) paper
- foam brush
Smooth jeans out, with spots facing up and easy to reach.
Place a small amount of paint on the plate or paper. Use the sponge brush to add paint to the stamp. Don’t dip the stamp in the paint or you’ll end up with a blob of paint on the fabric.
Place the stamp on top of the stain and gently press.
Repeat.
I added a few more stamps to give a sort of pattern and now my favorite jeans have a bit more wear!
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
Way Back Craft: Gryffindor “Canopy”
Elena’s Gryffindor Canopy, approximately 2002
Well, we’re way past due for a Way Back Craft!
So, you want a Harry Potter bedroom? The very first thing I think of when I think of Harry’s dormitory, is the four poster bed with house-colored hangings. Wouldn’t that be fabulous?
It definitely would be.
Unfortunately, not all of us have the means or the space for a four poster bed.
This is the problem I encountered when designing a Harry Potter room for my daughter. Her room has a ceiling fan and the room is just too small for a four poster bed. The Gryffindor canopy was on her Must Have list when the room decoration was being planned. I have the great fortune to have two very DIY parents and the first thing that popped in my head was mounting something lightweight on to the wall.
How about a faux canopy that gives the feeling of those hangings without the actual expense or space requirements of a real four poster?
Then I started thinking price. Cheap would be good. Very good. PVC. PERFECT!
A fun aside on this project – when I was buying the fabric, the woman at the cutting table at the fabric store asked if I was making a dress. When I told her I was making a Gryffindor canopy for a Harry Potter bedroom, she stared with her mouth open. It was the first of many stunned looks directed at my fandom crafting!
Supplies
- 3 lengths of 1 to 1 1/2” PVC pipe cut into 18” (45.7 cm) pieces (use a hacksaw or have it done at your DIY store)
Note: PVC under 1” is not recommended because it’s too flexible. Make sure the threaded plug & metal flange will work with the pipe you chose. They’re easy to test at the DIY store.
- 3 threaded plugs
- 3 metal floor flanges
- 3 flat PVC caps
- 3 decorative wood rosette with a flat back
- Epoxy, Liquid Nails or other cement-like glue
- Primer spray paint
- Gold spray paint (Use silver for Slytherin, bronze or silver for Ravenclaw and black for Hufflepuff)
- Pencil
- Measuring tape
- Screwdriver
- Drill (optional)
- Screws with anchors
- 5 1/2 yards (5 meters) of red satiny fabric (Use green for Slytherin, blue for Ravenclaw or yellow for Huffelpuff)
- matching thread
- sewing machine (optional)
Instructions
- Prewash fabric then hem on both ends, set aside.
- Following manufacturer’s directions, use epoxy to glue the threaded plugs to one end of each of the PVC pipes. On opposite ends of pipes, use epoxy to attach the PVC caps. Epoxy the wooden rosette onto the cap. Allow epoxy to dry. Screw pipe into metal flange. Stand up on it’s end in a well covered, well ventilated area.
- Paint with primer. Allow to dry according to manufacturer’s directions. Paint gold. Allow to dry overnight.
- Find the center of your bed, mark a light line on the wall. Depending on the width of your bed and where you want the fabric to reach on the sides, you will need to attach the flanges lower or higher. If you have someone helping you, it’s a good idea to hold the center pipe in place with the fabric, centered, on the pipe. You can then determine how high the center pipe should be and where to place your two side pipes. They can be low or high, depending on your preference. Use measuring tape to assure the three pipes will be symmetrical.
- Attach the metal flanges to the wall using screws and anchors, using the drill for pilot holes if necessary.
- Screw pipes into each flange. Arrange canopy fabric.
Makes a great window treatment, too!
Also for your Harry Potter room: HP Bookcase Mural
p.s. I made the afghan, too. 😉
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 available on The Leaky Cauldron- Crafts
Sewhooked 