Getting closer to curtain time...

We have been in this house for almost 3 months and I have yet to made curtain one. And not only do we need curtains for all the windows, upstairs and down, we also need curtains for all the bedroom closets. This very small house with its tiny bedrooms has no closet doors... at least they are not hanging. They are stacked neatly in the basement. I asked the real estate agent, who will list this house in a couple years if we should hang the doors and he didn't think it was an issue either way. Great... this just gives me more opportunities to hang Sew To Speak fabric in the house. No fabric purchases have yet been made for curtains so I plan to blog my way through each room and share with you the transformation.

But I have been sewing... This past weekend I did finally make my step-daughter, Esther a blanket. Esther went back to Otterbein last weekend and I wanted to have it ready for her to take to her dorm. She picked the fabrics back in June and although I loved all of them I wasn't really looking forward to making a blanket from this Echino print. I like it much better in small doses and Esther wanted it as the primary fabric. I did however get super excited about her choice of Anna Maria Horner, Spotted velveteen. She had also picked a black and white polka dot which I had to edit out of the project... too much.  I used this solid Kona "curry" to pull the two fabrics that she really wanted together. This Spotted velveteen was perfect for the back. It is plush, luxurious and warm. Maybe a bit too warm for now but we will move quickly into fall. The velveteen washed beautifully and is soft on the skin. 

As I was planning this blanket I actually thought it would be a duvet cover. Esther informed me that she doesn't really get very cold so the idea of the velveteen and a down comforter seems too heavy. Jim suggested I make the same blanket I made for Sonia's baby, Zoey.... brilliant!! It went together so easily. The size is 50" by 80." The pattern works well small and large. Stop by Sew To Speak if you want the pattern (see last post). 

Today I will bring home 5 yards of white linen. On this long holiday weekend the curtain marathon is about to begin!!

Happy Sewing,

Anita

ps... we are having a big sale all week at the shoppe but we are closed Monday, Happy Labor Day.

Who Is Responsible for This?

Who can I thank for this wonderful pattern? I know I thanked you when you first brought it to the shoppe but I want to thank you again because it is sooooo good! And simple! Your gift of the blanket pattern was written to be used with flannel. I think your name is Sally but it could have been Barb. You gave it to me along with showing me your sweet sample. I have given the pattern to countless people and I wanted to share it again. It's free but it's not my work so I didn't want to put it out to the world. Just stop in if you want a printed copy. And if you are the wonderful customer who gave it to me... "much obliged."

This one is made from a Japanese print and Moda Quilted Texture.

My friends Sonia and Jason are having there first baby, a girl. A group of women and men (yay for men at baby showers) at our church put on a lovely baby shower. I love that my church does bridal showers and baby showers. It takes the pressure off those of us who are in homes that need work (me). They send out the invitation to all the congregation, no exclusions. Jim didn't really want to go to the shower but I promised him they were serving lunch and that got him there.

This project started with a pot holder that Sonia spied in my kitchen. It had a matryoshka on it. April made it for me for a Christmas gift. She actually made me a set, 2 pot holders and an oven mitt but I burned the oven mitt on my electric stove (hey, I am used to gas. You can see when gas is on. I burned up many so things with those darn coils that we dc'd the smoke alarm). Anyway, Sonia saw the pot holder and loved the matryoshka doll on it. We had just gotten a re-order on our Japanese matryoshkas and I knew then I was going to make something out of it.

This little blanket is made from two pieces of fabric one 30" and one 40". The pattern says use two coordinating 2 yard pieces of flannel and you get two blankets with the pattern reversed on each. I chose the Moda Quilted Texture because of the obvious; texture and a quilted look without quilting. It is an amazing fabric. It is often over looked in the shoppe because before washing and drying it looks virtually flat and out of the dryer it poofs and scrunches and turns into a luscious fake quilt plus it is 100% cotton!

You can see the before and after effects of washing and drying. It comes in natural and white .

What baby gift would be complete without a Target gift card?

Sonia opened my gift first. There were some "Ahs" in the room and the look on her face was pretty sweet. She seemed to like it a lot. Her husband, Jason was sitting next to her and said, "Wow. This sets the bar pretty high." I don't know about that. I see fabulous quilts that you guys make all the time. And I know our friend, Savannah did something fabulous for them too... Jim and I ducked out of the shower early so I didn't get to see much else.

So really, this was an hour project that goes together beautifully. I love it for that and I was happy with how it turned out. I will make it again soon, probably with linen!! And one with the white Moda.

I think this combo of Japanese prints and leather colored linen would be sweet. Know anyone having a boy?

So if you are responsible for getting this pattern to me... Let me know. And anyone who wants the pattern... I'll make you a copy because the lady who gave it to me said I could share it. If you live out of Columbus and don't make it in the shoppe but want the pattern... send me a self addressed envelop stamped and I will mail it to you. Anita at Sew To Speak 4610 N. High St. Columbus 43214. Share the baby love!!

April's Mini Matryoshkas

Little two and a half inch dolls, made to spread 

joy and cheer. 

These tiny girls love to be hung alongside the glowing lights of a tree or just carried in your pocket

strung amongst your keys. 

They're happy to be anywhere that they'll be smiled upon and praised. 

So sew some up for yourself and friends, and have 

Happy Holidays!

What you'll need: 

printed pdf pattern for Mini Matryoshkas

several colors of felt including skin toned felt for the doll's faces (I like to use 2 shades of the same color for the body of my dolls)

fabric marker or chalk pencil

pink (rosy) colored pencil

hand sewing and embroidery needles

applique pins - optional

fabric scissors (a small sharp pair helps greatly with the detailed cutting of little things)

paper scissors

clear, fast drying fabric glue like "Unique Stitch"

thread to match felt for doll body

black pearl cotton or floss

hair colored pearl cotton or floss

other bits of pearl cotton/floss to sew on flower embellishments

6 inches of complimentary yarn (or floss) for hanging

fiberfill/stuffing

How to make one:

First print and cut out all pattern pieces.

Choose the colors for your Matryoshka's hood, back and tummy. 

Next, you can either trace your pattern pieces onto the felt with a fabric marker or pencil, or you may opt to use itty bitty applique pins to pin the pieces down and cut around them. I use both methods depending on the pattern piece's shape and size.

Cut out you doll's face, hood, tummy and back of body. Be sure to mark where her hood overlaps her tummy piece.

Apply a tiny amount of glue around face and top edge of tummy. 

  Front view        -       Back view

Glue her face behind her hoods opening and then line hood up with the top of her tummy (along overlap line).

While the glue is drying choose and cut out your flower design. Feel free to play around and come up with your own flower and leaf combinations.

Click on photos for a larger view ;)

Attach your flower design to your doll's tummy. I use a single straight stitch to attach my leaves and either a french knot or cross stitch in the center of my flowers.

After the glue has dried, using a single strand of coordinating thread, take some small stitches around the base and opening of the hood, to secure your gals face and tummy.  

Next using a double strand of hair colored pearl cotton or floss, satin stitch her hair. Use the pattern as a guide for placement and stitch slightly under the hood as you go, so as to avoid any bald spots.

Now mark eyes, lashes and mouth placement and stitch with a single strand of black pearl cotton/floss. Use a twice wrapped french knot for the center of her eyes and straight stitches for her lashes and mouth. Draw on your doll's blushing cheeks with your pink colored pencil.  

On the back body piece, using a large needle, pass the 6" of yarn, knotted at the end, through center of felts loft and come up at the top of your dolls head, this will secure your dolls hanging loop, but you should not be able to see the stitch from the doll's back side (see photo bellow).

Wrong side/ inside doll    -     Right side/back of doll

Draw needle back through the center of the felt and out next to your original knot. It helps to hold the felt at the doll's head secure between two fingers as you do this, and you may need to reshape the felt a bit at the needles entry point. Knot the yarn an inch from the end, trim off excess and pull loop taut.  

Sandwich the two body pieces together.

Starting at the bottom right corner of your little lady's body, blanket stitch her front and back pieces together using a single strand of coordinating thread. Stop at the opposite corner, leaving the bottom open.

Stuff firmly. Use the end of your pencil to help push stuffing into her head and body.

Finish by closing her up with blanket stitch across the bottom.

Yay!! 

You've made a sweet little dolly to hang from your tree or anywhere that brings you joy.

Now make some more and give them to your friends. Everyone is sure to delight in their delicate cuteness!

Happy crafting! 

Lots of love, 

♥

April

Janelle's Scottie, Fabric and The Paper

Made as a gift and soon to be shipped, I had to steal away this little scottie for a quick photo shoot. Super cute softies must be shared.

The pattern is a freebie from the wonderful Denyse Schmidt. You can get it from her site or simply click here. Janelle opted not to embellish her scottie with eyes and a scarf or collar. She said she couldn't find the right buttons for his eyes that didn't make him look scary. I laughed, but only because I'm familiar with this dilemma. Anyhow, I support her design decision to leave him this way, because he's super cute just as he is!

Designer Denyse Schmidt is also the genius behind my current favorite fabric line Hope Valley. And now that I've mentioned it I realize that I never shared photo's of these beauties with you here (only here and here and here)... oops, sorry 'bout that.

Here you go.

These prints have been in the shoppe for a few weeks now but a bit newer, from Denyse, are 4 great quilt patterns. Traditional with a vintage-modern charm, they make me look forward to my up coming quilt class with Mary, even more than I already am.

And one last share before I go...

My awesome mom (Anita) is in the paper today! Yay! I am so happy and proud.

She was interviewed last week for a Q&A article about our little shoppe. Find it in the Life and Arts section of today's Columbus Dispatch under "Shop Talk". Or view the article online, here.

That's all for now,

:) April