Twirly skirt

Fancy dresses

This was a fun, quick little project.  Directions are here, but not in English.  The dresses are made of cotton fabric and felt sandwiched together with Steam-a-Seam.  The buttonhole stitch around the edge almost looks like crochet or lace.  So cute.  I looked on the internet to try to find colored elastic, but then I remembered that I had some elastic headbands in my craft cupboard.  They worked great.  I probably could have used the bands just the length they were, but I shortened them a bit.  I will be making more when I buy more headbands!

PS:  I just found some colored elastic at JoAnn Fabrics.  But I think I still like the headbands best.

Recent finishes

Boxy pencil bags for Zara's birthday party...

another bag for church ladies who are diagnosed with cancer...

another doll quilt, this one made of 1/2 inch hexies appliqued in flower design...

with some lace around the inside panel.

My doll quilt collection is growing.

Bags for benefits

All of these cuties are going to different benefit auctions.  More on the way...

Mail Call

What could be in this mail bag?

Mail for the whole family!

All of the pieces are made of felt and velcro together.

 I printed out the names on fabric using freezer paper to run it through the printer.

Can't wait to have some of these letters delivered.

Hexie flower towel

This towel was so fun to make.  I got my inspiration here.  The front is made of unbleached muslin and the back is an old feed sack.  The trim is old and from a stash I inherited, as are the buttons.  I don't know how practical this towel is, but it sure is pretty.

 The hexagon pieces are 1 1/4 inches on a side and made from feed sack scraps.

I enjoy handwork so it was fun to outline the flower and the seams with a running stitch, using embroidery floss.

Simple Thread Catcher

I love to do hand sewing.  But I don't love the threads that often end up on my chair or the floor.  So I decided to make a thread catcher.

Here's how I did it.

5-inch circle for the bottom (one for exterior, one for lining, one of interfacing)

NOTE:  I don't actually cut the circles right away.  I cut a square a little bigger than 5 inches out of each fabric.  I draw a 5-inch circle on the right side of the lining fabric.  Then I stack the exterior fabric right side down, then the interfacing, and then the lining with the circle drawing on top.  I zigzag just a little way inside the drawn circle through all three layers.  Then I cut out the circle.  It seems like my circle is more accurate this way.

5 x 14 inch piece for the side (again for one exterior, one for lining, one of interfacing)

Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior fabric piece.  Then match that piece up with the lining piece, right sides together.  Stitch along the long edge, using a 1/4 inch seam.

Fold this sewn rectangle in half, along the shorter side (which is now around 10 inches long.)  Stitch together (1/4 inch seam).

Refold this piece in half along the long sewn side, right sides out.

Now you will sew the circle to the side piece by placing the circle and side piece right sides together (1/4 inch seam.)

NOTE:  I like to have some marks to show how to match these pieces up easier.  I fold the circle in half and make a mark close to the edge at each end.  Then I refold the circle with these marks together and make a mark at the ends again.  This way you have a mark showing each 1/4 of the circle.  I do the same thing with the side piece.  Then I pin the pieces with the marks touching.

Fold the top down about an inch so the lining shows on the outside...and start filling it with little threads and scraps.