Buon Natale!

Comfy Slippers part one

I am attempting to make some slippers for DH for Christmas.

These are his old favorites that were tosssed out (or so he thought).

I took one apart and labled each piece noting how the slipper was sewn together. Then traced out my pattern pieces. Now here's the problem - how do you get the comfy sole and soft cusioning, I tried batting but it was not enough.

I found these insoles at the local Walgreens and at $2.79 a pair, they are gonna fit the shoe (so to speak). I plan on using batting and the insoles. A plus they are washable insoles, way to cool.

WHAT? how many days till Christmas.............

I had no idea, it's coming way to fast!!!!

I have two more pairs of boxers done (will post pixs tomorrow) and now I am working on slippers. Also with DH away on business I can sew them and have son try them on for size and he won't know. I found an easy & cool way to make them comfy - more on that tomorrow too. Also I have been asked to make a purse for a gift and that's calling it realy close!! But I love staying busy.

I know a lot of you have Christmas all wrapped up (or at least some of you) I am no where close, but I work better under pressure.

I am a big let down

I am, I have been invited to go with a dear friend to a party Saturday (a really posh one at that) and I had to back out at the last minute. I feel like a real heel!!! My DH is going out of town on work and that means I have to be around the house 'cause my son is having friends over (and there is no way I am leaving a bunch of teenagers alone). blah blah mumble heel I am mumble.....


So as to not let blogger down, I am posting an update on Christmas sewing. I finished a robe for my husband (for the picture I have the robe on my body double, my shoulders are not as broad as DH)

Can you tell DH is a Washington fan? By the way - friends and family if your reading this don't tell him. It's Simplicity 3969 , very quick and easy!! I wrote a review at pattern review . I made it in fleece and used the serger (mostly) and for the trim on the front edges I zig-zaged over acrylic yarn.

This is the special order I did the other day, beautiful rainbow in fat quarters.

All dressed up and ready to go to its new home. I guess I will go and look at the fabrics in the stash, that always cheers me up.

Handbag project put on the back-burner

Well, the 'Share the Love' tote is now moved farther on the WIP list. I have been slow on getting all the Christmas sewing done. I have started another pair of shorts for DH, but haven't found the right fabric for son's next pair. The slippers have even been started yet, I am still trying out different things to make the sole comfy (if you have any great ideas let me know). I did get some fabric dyed for a special order - beautiful color wheel of fat quarters. They are in the wash now and I'll post pics tomorrow. The tuff part in all this is I dislocated my knee, but all is well and I am healing fine. So - I limp around, but sitting at the sewing machine ain't so bad after all.


Here's one of my partners in crime. Tessa was resting while I was hand sewing today and I just had to share this picture.

Serging Fun with Margaret Tully

Saturday I (and many others) got to spend the afternoon with Margaret Tully and learn a bunch of quick Christmas ideas for the serger. She has a wealth of sewing information and a hoot too!

We had so much fun!!

I know - get a group of sewers together and who couldn't have FUN!!

Call it my Red/orange phase

I call this my red-orange phase, because I crave the color orange and mostly red-orange. I use to hate orange, could not stand it- but all that has changed.

I can't seem to get enough, I even colored my hair auburn, to the surprise of my family. But then again - if you know me I love playing with color and that even goes as far as my hair. (odd pic but it's hard to take a picture of the back of your head)

I saw a dress at a local thrift shop and fell in LOVE with the colors!! It was a plaid in red-orange, orange, deep green and fuchsia. What a combo, just loved it, but it did not fit. Soooo.....

I used the plaid design and colors to inspire me to dye two pieces of cotton, in hopes of making a Fab'O handbag. I know it doesn't look like much now but just you wait.

Christmas sewing continued

The shorts are done, very quick and easy gift!! My DH's shorts are sewn with no alterations, but my son's I added 4 inches to the length. Due to the fact that he "will not show his knees EVER" that's a quote (it's a weird stage, those teen-age years). I even put cute satin name tags in them. If your in a pinch for a gift - sew up some cute sleep shorts, you can do it in an afternoon.

Christmas Sewing

I have started sewing my gifts. Like many other bloggers I am not buying premade things this year, but trying to make gifts that are special. So the first WIPs (work in progress) are shorts from McCall's OP 2568 .

I have had this pattern since 2000, when I made my DH some shorts (sleep/lounge shorts). Those have since worn out and now I have been told more are needed.



I found this COOL fabric at my favorite little quilt shop here in town. It's called "Madame Butterfly" in the Opulance series by Paula Nadelstern. This pair of shorts will be for DH.


And this flaming colorful fabric from the Headgear series by Fabri-Quilt will be for my son. Saying all this my DH and DS don't read my blog, so I should be ok.

I have to be honest, I really wish I was sewing the 'Share the Love' ruffle bag- the fabric turned out very nice.

And I found a cute rose & vine print in my stash for the lining. I did get the 32 ruffles cut out, yep 32. See there are 8 on each side = 16 ruffles total. I am using the self fabric as the facing so that makes 32 curved pieces. If I was using suede or leather I wouldn't need all this, just 16 ruffles. Any-who this looks like its going to be very funky!!

Fab free purse pattern

If you don't already know, you need to check out the free purse pattern from Hot Patterns

'Share the Love'

It's way to lovely to pass up!!

I am very excited and ready to make one up for the holidays, in a soooooo HOT red fabric.

The fabric in the dye is sittin' in the sun as I type and by tomorrow I will have a beautiful piece of fabric to start on my new fab bag!!

Hmmmmm, what should I line the bag with? I am off to find something fun for the inside.
Happy sewing!!

Bookmark tutorial

I needed a quick gift for a friend, and this project helps use up the scraps.

I grabbed my supplies:

• 12 inch by 2.5 inch strip of fabric


• 12 inch by 2.5 inch strip of 'Wonder Under' (fusible)


• a scrap of Peltex (or Timtex, what ever that really stiff-stuff is called) - my scrap is about 2 inch wide by 5.5 inch long triangle


• pretty threads and beads.


• a sewing machine is handy, but you could do this all by hand if you wanted to

Fuse the Wonder Under to the back of the fabric, then cut in half, making two strips 6 by 2.5 inches.






Take one fused piece of fabric peel the paper off the fusible and fuse on to the stiff-stuff, I use a scrap of the paper from the wonder under to protect my ironing surface. Please pay attention you don't want to ruin the ironing board or iron (of course you can clean your iron - ask me about this I know well!). Make sure to let it cool!! Then peel it off.

Trim the fabric up to the edge, very close but not cutting the stiff-stuff.

Take the other piece of fabric and peel off the paper, then go back to the iron and fuse this to the other side of the stiff-stuff. This way both sides are covered with fused fabric. Remember to use a scrap sheet of the fuse paper or a teflon iron sheet. You don't want to ruin your ironing surface. Then trim the fabric away again very close to the stiff-stuff.

You end up with a fabric covered bookmark ready to embellish.

Now take care of the edges by using a satin stitch and some pretty thread. If this was done by hand a pretty yarn could be hand sewn in a blanket stitch down the sides.

These are some extras that can be used to help with fraying and the fabric pens are great to cover any tiny spots you might have missed with thread.

Add beads and its done. You can make these in any shape you like.

Holiday Purse

Yes - strange but true, I have made myself a Christmas holiday purse.

It's a basic bucket style bag/tote, big enough for a few extra items while out shopping this holiday. Inside are the simple pockets and a magnetic snap. I stitched angled strips of fabric onto a canvas foundation (sorta like easy crazy quilting), then various yarns and embroidery for the accents. The handles are made from fabric covered cotton clothesline, with a fuzzy black yarn added in between the two cords. This helped disguise the dip between two cords.

I got the strap idea from 'It's a Wrap' By Susan Breier , the clothesline is a good weight for straps and they hang nicely. I have this book and have to say it's full of fun ideas. Love the bowls, and it's a great way to use up fabric scraps.

Next I need to start on Christmas gifts. I know two guys who are getting slippers this year. I plan on taking a basic slipper pattern and adding something to the sole to make them very comfy, but more on this when I have figured that part out.

A day of Thanks!

The history of this day is really irrelevant to me. What this day means to me ..............



What I give thanks for:

• Family - all of them!! Alive and passed on, you are who made me who I am today.


• Good Friends, near and far away you keep me young at heart.


• To have found true love!


• The chance to wake everyday and start a new adventure


• That I have so much to be thankful for

Yummmy - The feasting will commence

Happy T'Day

Everyone!!

Everyone is blogging about thier menu for T'day,

so I am not one to ruffle the Turkey feathers (grin)

Smoked Turkey

Cornbread Dressing

Fresh Baked Sweet Potatoes

Butternut Squash

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Home-made Rolls

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle (sugar free)

~

So to that I say.................... COOK ON!! EAT ON!! GIVE THANKS!!

A Mess - No More

Ok, I am very tired now. The after shots are so rewarding!!

This is looking in through the door. Yes, the table was covered with all kinds of things in the before shot. I pulled everything out of the armoir and rearranged, and found homes for the items.

This is the other side of the room. A blank wall - which will be fixed soon (more on this later).

Remember the fabrics that were all over the floor, they are now neat and organized by type in the small closet. My sweet hubby made the closet so cool by installing movable shelving.

I am going to have some tea and figure the next game plan.......................

What a mess!!

Mess can not even describe the truth of this:

my studio has been taken over and I have spent the last 8 hours fighting the beast and taking back my domain.

Can it really be place of creativity? The answer is "YES" but I am still at it..... so I will post pics tomorrow and that way I 'have' to get this done today ;0)

New bag

Well, the last few days got swallowed up by sewing. I made a few 2008 planner covers and was commissioned to create a handbag. The really fun part was creating a handbag out of recycled military BDU fabric. Her name is 'Cami',

Cami

She's a beauty that 'Cami'
all dressed in her camouflage,
ready to take on the world.
Just like you she's a tuff one on the outside,

but really very feminine and girly.
She is a wash me in delicate type
and with her convertible strap
she will cross-over or hang on you shoulder.

kira bell ©2007

Stitching up samples

Today is sample day - so I shall be locked in the sewing room all day. I am taking a break this morning to post and off I shall go. This is what I have gotten done so far today:

I'll post more info later, and maybe a little tutorial ;0)

Quilt Star Motif

I was asked about the quilting I used in the baby quilt. You can click on picture to get a closer look.


Well, for starters I used the same quilting as in the pattern 'Tennessee Waltz' for all but the snowball blocks. Inside the snowball blocks I used a simple star, made into a continuous line. You can see here my crude cardboard template, I scanned it to show. (you can save this, re-size and print it out, if you would like to use it).



You can easily create quilt motifs out of any simple shape. And with time, patience and practice even some complicated designs.

Babies and the Tennessee Waltz

Well, here it is.
This is the baby quilt made for a special friend. I used the pattern called Tennessee Waltz. It turned out wonderful, although this is not the first time I have used this pattern, but in these bright colors it was wonderful!! Quick easy pattern designed for beginner to intermediate quilters. The use of the snowball blocks makes this a very interesting quilt.

I used all cotton fabrics, batting, and threads.
I had a heck of a time deciding what to quilt in the snowball blocks. I ended up just mimicking the stars using a primary variegated quilting thread, which turned out great.

The backing is a cute flannel with stars and dots. I can't wait to
see pictures of the baby crawing across the quilt.

What does this fabric have to do with Tennessee

I can't say just yet, because I am working on a special project for someone (so its a secret, sssh) but its a fun piece that's for sure.

Do you think they can dance well together? (that's a hint)

I have been stalking the mail box in anticipation for the catalogs and fabric swatches. I just know the postal carrier is starting to wonder about me. My fingers are itching to get started playing in dyes. I have a list of the dyes I must have on hand (not that I don't already have most of them) : lemon yellow MX-8G, golden yellow MX-GR, deep orange MX-2R (one of my favorites), Chinese red MX-GBA, fuchsia MX-8B, cobalt blue MX-2G, cerulean blue MX-G, turquoise MX-G, sky blue MX-R, new black MX-CWNA, & grape MX-G. I get most of these from Dharma Trading .

Now you don't have to have all of them, you really only need the 3 primary colors and you can make a world of color. I just like color and love playing to see all the variations that I can make. I only used fuchsia, turquoise, and lemon yellow (these are very bright colors) when I first started dyeing fabrics. Then once bitten by the dye bug I slowly started collecting colors.

On a crafty note, I love these flower pins . They would make great package/present bows, and the recipient could use it after unwrapping their present.