You can hop on over to the Lark Crafts blog site right now and check out my latest last minute gift idea! The tutorial is all there and then of course you can attach the tag to my Simply Stitched Gifts book!
These tags are the thing I do when I'm feeling creative but don't want to spend too too much time on a big project.
And, add a few words of Thanks, Birthday Wishes or Encouragment and they'll make a nice little gift all by themselves!
Click here is find the exact tag!
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Yay ... it seems like forever ago that I was working on Simply Stitched Gifts, a free motion stitching book ... It's finally out in book stores and being sold on Amazon!
Here are a few of my very favorite projects in the book and actually as I was thumbing through it I was reminded that there really is something for everyone here ... and if you don't know how to free motion stitch, guess what ... instructions are included in the front basics section! Oh and thanks to Jen Osborn for contributing a couple of projects to my book. Jen's honey and wheat market tote is the best!
As you can probably see ... free motion stitching or free motion quilting is one of my most favorite things to do ... it's like sketching with you sewing machine ... it's freeing and really, there are no rules!
In Simply Stitched Gifts I've combined a love of fabric, stitching, sketching and painting to create super fun mixed media gifts to give or to just make and keep!
Here's the thing ... I love to teach ... be it free motion stitching, sewing, quilting, or photography, I just love to teach and I feel like with all my books, that's exactly what I'm doing! I hope you enjoy this book and I hope that you enjoy learning this fun technique ... free motion stitching!
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It's always a thrill to be asked by Stampington & Company to submit art projects ... in fact I'm working on a batch for some upcoming article as I type!
Here's the funny thing about the Guest artist post I did for Stampington Place. I was poking around the internet one morning and I came across Stampington & Company's blog! I didn't even know that they had a blog! So I was looking and ckickin here and there and thought, WOW this is really a fun blog that I need to check often.
I got up and went outside to water the plants ... you, know, it was Tuesday morning and that's one of the two days that us Californian folks are allowed to water the plants and lawn!
I came back inside, check my emails and sure enough there was an email from a Sarah that works at Stampington. So I opened up the email and it was from Sarah, Stampinton's Blog editor and she was asking me if I'd like to be a featured guest artist on the Stampington Place Blog! SERIOUSLY, I kid you not ... that's how it all started!
Hope you'll hop on over to the Stampinton Place Blog and check out the entire post. You'll soon learn that these free motion stitched girls were inspired by an online class I was taking through Jeanne Oliver, by Danielle Donaldson. Thanks friends for allowing me to post and share these girls!
She's a little awkward ... She's my favorite free motion stitched girl!
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Stitchy, stitchy goodness ...It's all I want to do these days! I love to free motion stitch ... ok, not that perfect type stitching where you have to follow a pattern and all but that freehand type of machine embroidery, where you let down your hair and let loose!
About a week ago I joined a friend of mine, Tracy Schultz and off we went to LA to take a class at French General.
Mandy Patullo was teaching here in the states for the first time ... The Bonny Birds! What a treat and what a delight to hear her story, inspirations and to learn a bit about her finger turn applique process while creating a bonny bird on an antique quilt square.
Here's how my bird started out ... didn't finish the bird that night cauase of course I started chatting with some of the gals including French General owner Kaari Meng ... only to find out that she's working with the same editor I'm working with at Sterling Publishing in NY ... Small, small crafty world!
So I pulled out my Boony Bird last night and I just started adding bits of fabric here and there to make a wing and an eye.
Added a little chain stitch around the eye and popped in a little button, right there in the middle!
Nexted I added a few French knots to the under belly and the wing, oh and embroidered a couple of bird feet as well.
The little tail was missing something so I grabbed some gold metalic thread and added a few sparkly feathers to the end.
And then the most fun part of this whole project ... a little free motion stitched tree with branch for the little bonny bird to perch on!
At this point I walked away from him for a few hours ... went to a football game then came back and without even thinking, I started painting the tree teal! I was moving so fast here that I didn't even have a water bowl around so I was using my ice tea to water down my paints and to clean my brushes!
Truth be told ... this is not the first time nor the last time I'll be using my tea as water ... gives it all a little antiqued look, don't you think?
I love the teal painted tree!
And branches!
Filled in a few little dots with red paint and set it all aside to dry.
At this point I'm not sure where this quilt panel will end up ... I may mount it to watercolor paper or even stitch it to this tote to carry my knitting supplies back and forth from my knitting group!
Stay tuned ... More stitchy, stitchy goodness to come ... for sure!
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In case you haven't figured it out yet ... I LOVE TO FREE MOTION STITCH!
I LOVE everything about it ... the imperfections that happen because I was going too fast, or not fast enough. I Love the buttery feeling under my hands as I navigate the sewing machine over simple plain muslin.
And then to see the outcome, after a little bit of stress and tense shoulders is always worth it!
Here's what I did:
First you want to go to the Burlap Tote Tutorial I have a few days here and cut out all the parts and pieces needed to make one of those totes.
What I did not realize was just how much the boots I was wearing was going to effect the control, or in this case, lack of control ... I had with the foot pedal! Oh, my ... total lead foot here!
And there you have it ... Easy Peasy and one so fun ... and the perfect size and shape to hold your laptop and wallet ... oh any you lipstick!
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Just playing around here.
Moving kind of fast and not thinking, just creating.
Being inspired by old botanical prints.
And finding the back side of some of these pieces to be even more interesting than the front.
Happy Stitching, Sketching and Doodling with your sewing machine!
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Here's a funny thing you might like to know about me ... when I have lots of projects on my plate and it seems like I don't have any time to really work on them, I tell myself to just start, just start even if I only have 10 minutes before I need to run out the door ... just start.
Usually that piece that I really quick "just start" creating, will become something at some point.
This piece above was one of of those quick start projects. Seriously ... the kids were all hanging out at our house, which is almost always the case, and they were hungry, of course, so we all decided to go out for dinner. While everyone was putting on their shoes and deciding what's for dinner, I quick created the background for this little panel.
Then, when I returned from dinner and did have a bit more time, my creative juices were flowing and next thing you know ... this little free motion stitched panel has been stitched, painted and embroidered on!
The same thing happened with this stitched and painted panel. While at first it was just a stitched and painted panel, I thought how fun it would be to make a little free motion stitched sampler book.
To make the pages for the book, I used vinyl that I bought at my local fabric store, and stitched pockets on several pages ... slightly wider than the tags I wanted to use.
Next I free motion stitched on a big panel of layered muslin and batting, then cut up different motifs and patterns that I liked. Then, stitched the samples onto the tag and there you have it ... a little book of free motion samples.
NOTE: Before I free motion stitch any project, I do warm up drills on a sandwich of muslin and batting and more often than not, I'll use these stitched warm ups in project or cut them up and make them into a banner or bunting.
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My son's high school prom is just around the corner and I thought I would make his girlfriend's corsage and his boutonniere ... out of paper, and a little fabric!
So, I'm just playing here and moving kinda fast ... paper, cotton print fabric and a bit of green linen.
Here's what I did to make this flower:
First I cut out petal shapes from old book text and a printed cotton fabric. Using spray adhesive I then layered them together.
Next I stitched around the cotton , then around the paper.
Then I hand pleated the petals and machine stitched across the pleat, holding it in place.
Next I used a bit of Elmer's glue to hold the petals together.
Then I cut out a circle from a green linen scrap and then cut the circle in a spiral pattern ...
And twirled the spiral up adding Elmer's glue as I went ...
forming a little bud.
Ok, so, not sure this is the direction I will go for the prom flowers, but stay tuned and I'll let you see just how they turn out!
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Of all the treasures and info I took away from last Saturday's workshop with Lisa Englebrecht, I must say that these paper towels are high on that list.
My job description included cleaner and helper and so I was eager to gather and "throw away" all the old and discarded paper towels that everyone was using to blot their fabric.
Oh my ... the colors and textures are to die for. Really, some of the shapes and designs that happened could never have been planned.
At one point during the day these paper towels were actually taken out to the trash ... I had to dig them out ... so worth it! After I got home, I did lay the towels out to dry ...
And so ... here are a few art projects made from these fabulous painted paper towels. I guess I have patchwork on my mind ... hmmm ... wonder why?
This is probably my favorite ... I was moving fast here and not really thinking, kind of just doing. A little rubber stamping, a little free motion stitching, and a little gold ink rubbing.
And then I added a bit of linen, just to mix it up a bit.
And more free motion doodling and a little extra punch with my new favorite glitter and white gel pens ... Uniball Signo pens, love them!
Then I started rummaging around in a bin of odds and ends and came across a free motion stitched alphabet.
Here's what you do:
Gather used paper towels that have been stained with paint and glitter. Iron lightly to flatten.
Cut the paper towels up into 1" squares and arrange in a patchwork pattern on a panel using a temporary spray adhesive.
Next, stitch around the squares and then add so doodles of scallops, dots and hearts. Color in with glitter pens.
Oh, and attach free motion stitched heart to the corner then attach to a folded card and stamp a small word in the corner.
Ok, so ... the sky is the limit here ... and ... I am in love!
With love ... your free motion friend!
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So fun ... so easy and so beautiful ... if I say so myself.
After making the first batch of envelopes with brown bags and linen, I decided to try a more elevated look using the same technique.
I started by pulling out a group of patterned paper that I liked along with some linen, old ledger paper, rubber stamps and white card stock.
First I made the envelopes and then free motion stitched small collages on the front, before folding and gluing the back together.
Then I made the matching cards, again with small stitched collages and a little stamped sentiment or word.
I have to admit I'm addicted and could just make these all day ... but ... I had to stop after making these three sets.
I love how the light shines through the card where the stitch marks are ... so pretty!
This envelope is my favorite by far. The free motion stitching can look so organic and, well, free!
Oh, and as you can see, after I stitched the envelopes and cards, I added a little highlight with a white pen. This really helps to pop the stitched shapes.
More card and envelope making is in my future ... I have a bunch of invitations to make for my mothers birthday party ...
Betty will be turning 80 on the 4th of July!
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Oh how I love Trader Joe's ... not only for the fabulous food they sell, but also for the hardy brown paper bags you get when you forget to bring your own reusable bags.
My Husband is in Japan and so it was a craft night tonight ... Check out my brown bag and linen envelopes!
What a great gift they make, all tied up with matching cards.
Some are very simple with just a few free motion stitched scallops ...
All have a bit of linen and ledger paper stitched to them ...
One has with a stitched heart ...
And one has a flower and few dots ...
This envelope is addressed and ready to be mailed ...
And they all have a tiny bit of free motion doodling on the back flap!
Here's what I did:
Cut down the side of a hardy brown paper bag.
Using a craft knife, carefully open up an envelope.
And then trace the envelope to the inside of the paper bag.
Using a ruler and a stylus, score the fold lines.
Cut a small panel of linen and ledger paper and glue to the envelope using a fabric glue stick.
Next, free motion stitch around the linen and ledger paper, then add the scallops.
Next, glue the envelope together.
Oh, and don't forget the back ... add a little free motion doodle to the back flap.
Happy Gift Giving!
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