Category Archives: Sewing

DIY: VW Bus Pillow, Part 1

Posted in Fabric printing, Home Design, Kids, Sewing, Stuff to make by

After many pleasant minutes ogling fabric online for Zeke’s VW bus pillow, I ended up with a print I grabbed at whim at Gather Here (370 Broadway, Cambridge). The print is geometric & groovy, flower-like without actually being flowery. But I only found a wee scrap–a fat quarter! I don’t care. I’m forging on.

I considered using linen for the VW bus print, but fabric paint is tricky stuff, and I wasn’t sure how it would sit on linen’s bumpy texture. Instead, I went for Kona natural cotton and neon orange fabric paint.

Is it boastful to say that I found my VW bus stencil from a couple of years ago helpful? I printed it out and cut the freezer paper stencil following my own instructions (you are being kind and optimistic if you think I could have retained this information unaided). I will post the complete pattern for the pillow when I’m done (for future me!).

Fabric stacks for new projects

Posted in Home Design, Materials, Quilting, Sewing, Stuff to make by

I have a green bookcase in my bedroom that I am really not fond of–what possessed me to buy a translucent green plastic bookcase? But I’ve decided to embrace the green and make cushions and a quilt with yellow, green and blues. Here is a stack of colors for a yellow cushion. I am thinking of a simple squares of color around a center of off-white. All these Kona cottons were purchased from Marmalade Fabrics–my favorite online source for solids.

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And here is a stack of colors for a quilt. It’s practically spring here in Florida (sorry New Englanders!) so these colors are perfect for a room refresh.

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12 Fabrics for Happy Campers

Posted in Sewing, Stuff to make by

The best part about planning/procrastinating about a sewing project? Fishing online for fabrics.

I’m on the lookout for something campy or woodsy that will work well with a VW bus homemade print (a revised version of this project). Campers will be happy: there are prints with faux woodgrain, forest creatures, tents and teepees, and summer skies alit with fireflies. Now I wish I had an Airstream to outfit. Here are a dozen prints that go great with s’mores:

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L to R, top row: Teagan White, Fort Firefly, Critter Camp; Jay-Cyn Designs, Mod Basics 2, Knotty Bois Coral; Monaluna Circa 52, Woodland Party

Second row: Deena Rutter Scenic Route, Woodgrain Teal; Eric & Julie Comstock for Moda, S’more Love; Sarah Jane, Wee Wander, Glow Friends Sea

Third row: Jay Cyn Designs, Feather River, River Rally; Deena Rutter, Scenic Route, Trees Blue; Deena Rutter, Scenic Route, Critters Cream;

Bottom row: Allison Cole, Happy Camper, Teepees Orange; Allison Cole, Happy Camper, Woodgrain Orange; Teagan White, Fort Firefly, Jars Gold

Many of these prints are from Birch Organic Fabrics, which you can purchase at Fabricworm.com.

Honey, I Shrunk the Quilt!

Posted in Kids, Sewing by

My 2013 resolution: make a quilt.

Check. Completed, and just under the wire.

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OK, enough already. Maybe I fudged it a bit and made a teeny-tiny wee quilt. Don’t be so particular! But ain’t it cute? It only took about 15 minutes to make versus the never-endingness of its queen-size version. (If anyone’s curious, I cut 2-inch squares, pieced together, made a mini-quilt sandwich with some on-hand batting, and finito. That’s how to quilt, man.)

And to go with the little quilt and the little bed, a little cupboard that I recently found in a Concord, Mass. junk shop:

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Bunny ornaments

Posted in Holiday, Sewing, Stuff to make by

img_24381These little bunnies are easy and addictive to make–plus so cute! I had some left over wool felt from a tree skirt I made last year and wool stuffing that I bought ages ago and have used countless times. (I love when a seemingly extravagant purchase turns out to be perfectly practical.) I made a cardstock template and cut out two felt bunnies for each ornament. I added the embroidered details and then blanket stitched the two sides together leaving a gap for stuffing. I learned after a few bunnies that more stuffing is better and it’s important to fill all the spaces. Then I just closed the gap and left a loop of thread for hanging. Simple!