Category Archives: Stuff to make

Quilt block blocks–part 2

Posted in Home Design, Kids, Materials by

 

 

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I got a little obsessed with painting blocks. In fact, I want to paint some more! I like this batch better than my first attempt. I used fewer colors and repeated the same pattern on all sides. I also used 2-inch solid maple wood blocks that I ordered from Etsy (snuggly monkey!), and they have a satisfying density. I think another type of paint might work better than the acrylic craft paint–maybe oil paint? But, imperfections aside, it was a super enjoyable activity. Even my daughter wanted to make a block. She normally has very little patience for crafts but declared painting blocks surprisingly fun and not as weird as it seemed. Success!

–Brigit

VW Beetle Pillow Progress!

Posted in Fabric printing, Sewing, Stuff to make by

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It ain’t done yet! This is an anticipatory photo in which I revel in possibilities without actually completing the sewing. Those same possibilities stall me: orange pom poms or green? Orange wouldn’t provide much contrast with the orange-y fabric but it would offer consistency with the VW bus pillow–also orange is available at my local fabric store. Green pom poms require a car drive into the Dreaded Land of Strip Malls. Magenta pom poms are another possibility (available locally, too). Zeke and his friend Rowan agreed that magenta would be OK. But Rowan has green hair, so can we trust him?

See what I mean by stalling?

 

 

Felt Tooth Fairy Pillows

Posted in Kids, Sewing, Stuff to make by

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I was under deadline to make these little pillows. My niece and nephew are now six and their milk teeth are bursting out of their mouths like microwaved popcorn. I was working fast and late at night, and although I wasn’t drunk, I was certainly punch drunk. Which proves that felt is very forgiving–as is the Tooth Fairy.

If someone you know is losing their teeth (in the cute way, mind you), whip up this Tooth Fairy Pillow and pair with these terrific picture books: April and Esme, Tooth Fairies by Bob Graham or Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions Around the World by Selby Beeler and Brian Karas.

Felt Tooth Fairy Pillow

What you will need:

  • 3 pieces of felt (not the synthetic stuff!) in 3 colors
  • Scrap of ribbon
  • Cotton stuffing
  • Sewing machine (although you could sew by hand, using a blanket stitch)

1. Trim two 6.5 x 4.5″ pieces of felt in contrasting colors. One piece will be the front of the pillow, the other the back.

2. Trim one 3 x 3″ piece from the third color of felt. This will become the pocket.

3. Sew the ribbon to the pocket, making sure to wrap 1/4″ of ribbon over each side to hide the ends of the ribbon.

4. Place the pocket right side out on the front of the pillow. Align the bottom edge of the pocket with the bottom edge of the pillow, centering the pocket across the width of the pillow. Edge stitch the sides and the bottom edge of the pocket to the pillow. (Leave the top open for tiny teeth and cash!)

5. Place the pillow front and the pillow back wrong sides together and machine stitch with 1/4 ” seam around the edge of the pillow leaving about a two-inch gap.

6. Stuff plumply. Machine stich the gap closed.

 

DIY: Quilt block block!

Posted in Free Tutorials, Stuff to make by

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Maybe you are like me–I love traditional quilt blocks but I find an entire quilt of neat geometric blocks just a little too quilty. Well, I found the perfect way to enjoy the pleasing geometry of quilt blocks without committing to an expanse of pinwheels and flying geese. Wooden blocks turn out to be ideally suited to painted quilt blocks. A two-inch wooden cube, a pencil, a ruler, and some craft paint are all you need to satisfy your quilty enthusiasm in a brief hour or so.

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First, I marked the lines of my pattern using a ruler and a regular pencil.

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Then I painted the pattern starting with the main color.

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Then I added the secondary colors. When the paint dried, I used a wax finishing paste to protect the painted surface. I think I applied it a little too liberally. But, I have plans to make a few more blocks so I can perfect my technique. For my next block I going to paint the same pattern on all sides. I am thinking of a navy and cream flying geese block block. Can’t wait!

 

 

VW Beetle Pillow — Planning Stages!

Posted in Stuff to make by

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I’m working on a stencil of a VW beetle–to print on fabric and make into a throw pillow for my son’s window seat. A VW bug is trickier than a VW bus–it’s less obvious which parts should be negative/positive space. Right now, I’m leaning toward the image on the right (the parts shaded in purple Sharpie will become the painted areas). What do you think?

Here is the neon green fabric paint and the groovy orange-pink print I’m considering for the pillow. At the fabric store, I told the folks at the checkout counter that I was aiming for the opposite of tasteful. “You’ve done well,” they assured me.

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