turkey feathers

FAQ Friday

I had to skip FAQ last week due to the lovely weather we're having (that lured me back outside), so this post will be super-sized to make up for it.  A tad more than my usual blog-and-run at least.  This is the place where you will find answers to questions concerning my projects, patterns, and other things you may wonder about.  You can ask questions in the comment box or email them to me and I will select random topics to reply to here.  I'll try and let you know if your question has been selected earlier in the week, or just check back here on Friday for the answers.  But before asking a question, check here first to see if it's already been addressed. 

Q.  Can you tell me if there is a pattern available to purchase for the Heartfelt Mary Janes?  I would like to make these for my little 5 mo. Granddaughter.  She is going to be operated on in December for Craniosynstosis.  If you can help me I would greatly appreciate it.  ~Marianne

A.  First, I am deeply sorry to hear about your little granddaughter's situation.  My heart goes out to her and your family.  Maybe everyone out there reading this can help me send some healing thoughts her way.  At times like this, I find needlework can be a calming refuge to take comfort in. The pattern I used for the felt shoes came from a library copy of The Felt Book (ISBN: 0806908645--1994-oop) by Clare Beaton.   It's out-of-print, but a quick search turned up quite a few used copies here.  Good luck with everything!

 

Q.  Hey, Im soooooooo jealous, your items are gorgeous, I particularly liked the bags, the pink one with "Hers" on it? Do you sell the bags or is it just the patterns etc?  ~Chelsey

A.  Actually, I do sell a few bags and other things now and then, but I don't keep an inventory or anything.  Usually my bags are one-of-a-kind and made on the fly so I don't sell patterns for them either.  I've been hugely influenced by Japanese craft books and magazines though, which contain excellent detailed drawings of tote-bag construction, some even include full-size paper patterns if you need them.   

Q.  I was admiring the playhouse you made and we are making one for our daughter.  I was wondering where you got your blueprint and how big it is.  ~Carrie

A.  Our pink playhouse was designed by The Mister here, who wanted to create our house in miniature, so he didn't use a blueprint, just his noggin.  He basically made doodles and drew the dimensions while waiting out the winter.   (He's an engineer, very detail orientated, likes figuring things out.)  I can give you the general size though.  It's approximately 12 x 8 with a bay window that bumps out about two-feet.  The porch it sits on is 12 x 12.

Q.  I'm a big fan and love everything you do!  It's all so inspiring.  I wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed the vintage embroidery patterns I've ordered from you too and  I'm anxiously awaiting the next set of "free with purchase" transfers you offer each month.  Can you give some suggestions for ways of using them?  ~Karen

A.  Well thank you Karen, that's always nice to hear and the perfect segway to talk about my latest project.   I usually gather a new set of designs each month from my own private stash, just odds and ends that I come across that I think are fun.  These can be used on bibs, hats, clothing, aprons, pockets, tote bags, blankets, doll quilts, and, well, just about anything you can get into an embroidery hoop!  I recently made this potholder using the teapot motif from last month's design, and then added the words. 

So that's it for another week.  Enjoy the long weekend!

Pixie Camera Tote

I'm so happy to hear my embroidery stitch-guide will be of use to quite a few of you.  Thanks for letting me know that.  I've also finally gotten around to adding more traceable patterns on the PatternBee website.  To find them,  pop over here.  The folk dancer some of you asked about is included--and she has a dance partner!  I'll be adding more to this miscellaneous category again in the future.   Any suggestions?  More animals, flowers, sunbonnets?  Here's something new to tell you about.  Grace got a new digi-cam earlier this year and passed her old one down to Ginger, who was just thrilled beyond words to receive it and has been happily clicking away ever since---turned quite the little shutter bug actually.   I love watching her sneak up to bugs and butterflies for that really serious close-up shot.  Anyway, since the camera was second-hand I wanted to make her a new camera bag to keep it in.   Nice to have a little added measure of protection ya know, when riding bicycles and climbing trees with camera in tow.  But also because we all need some things we can call *our own*. PLUS. . .an extra pocket for passengers always comes in handy.  When you make something for your child it becomes a special treasure.  She was quite pleased with it for all those reasons.  And it matched her outfit perfectly on the day she modeled it for me.  (No, we didn't plan it that way, it was just a sweet coincidence.) *About the bag, I used pre-quilted cotton and lined it for extra padding.  The fold-over flap has a Velcro closure that's simple and easy to manage. All raw edges were finished with store-bought double-fold quilt binding, which was 7/8" wide.   It was the perfect width to attach to the twill strap, but I had to cut it in half (lengthwise) to bind the edges.  The sweet tree "applique", in case you're wondering, is made from a small scene that's cut-out from fabric purchased from Kitty Craft some time ago.  It was gone the last time I checked, but there are so many other wonderful Japanese import prints now available over here and here, that can be used in similar ways.  More pictures.

Happy Stitch Friend

Another week has flown by in a cloud of dust.  All of it good though, because I'm getting so much accomplished.  I won't bore anyone with a checklist of details, but let me just say that things are coming together like they should, and I'm feeling very energized by it all.  One of the things I just finished putting together is this embroidery stitch guide, that can now be easily accessed for quick reference to assist anyone learning the basics.   All I can say is, it's about time.  My PatternBee biz started out in earnest, as a side-hobby in 1998, and grew to include a website three years ago, so I guess a stitch guide is way over-due.  I'm happy it's up there now where it should be, instead of pointing to other sources (when asked).    I think just about every pattern design on the site is done using these six basic stitches.   There are hundreds of embroidery stitches though, and if you're up for learning more, check out this excellent book, and this one.  Here's another interesting book for inspiration.   

Aiting Star

It's time to send out *HAPPY BIRTHDAY* wishes to our dear daughter who is off scuba diving and sight-seeing in Vietnam with friends today.  Wishing you all the best where ever you may roam!  (Don't worry, we'll happily eat a few cupcakes for you.)   

Small Comfort

I'm here, resting up, after a very busy (and rather emotional) last week spent with good friends before they packed up their belongings, and started the long trek across country Sunday morning with two kids, a cat, and a chicken.  (This chicken in particular had become a beloved pet.)  I smile every time I think of them rolling down the highway with that chicken in the back seat.  They will surely be missed.  Meanwhile, my granddaughter turned three!  So we went up to Portland for her birthday party loaded down with lots of goodies.  This comforter, among them.  I made it using two curtain panels I bought last summer here.  I've since forgotten the name and I don't think it's available anymore, but it matches her other bedroom accessories and was the perfect size for her new "big girl" bed.  I used a king-size sheet of batting, folded in half, to give this extra loft.  Instead of quilting or tying the layers together, the eyelet feature on my Bernina (which is like a small, round button-hole) worked great.   I used safety pins to secure it, but still had to watch that I didn't catch folds on the bottom fabric.  So lots of smoothing and finessing as I went along.  The eyelet ruffle was added around the edges before sewing the three layers together.   (Sorry I don't have a tutorial to point you to.   Most basic quilting books will have directions for making a comforter though.) 

FAQ Friday

Is it really Friday already?  The week just flew by.  This is where you will find answers to questions concerning my projects, patterns, and other things you may wonder about. You can ask questions in the comment box or email them to me and I will select random topics to reply to here.  I'll try and let you know if your question has been selected earlier in the week, or just check back here on Friday for the answers if you're shy (tee hee) and don't want to post an email address. Before asking a question, check here first to see if it's already been addressed. OK, that's it! Here are this week's picks:

Q.  I get so much inspiration from your website and blog and love perusing your archives, but I wanted to ask a question about those adorable pom-pom slippers you made a while back and noticed your comment boxes for older posts are now closed.  ~Cheryl

A.  Thanks for the reminder Cheryl, I meant to mention this sooner.  Please know, I truly LOVE getting feedback from you guys and appreciate the time it takes to do that, I really REALLY do...but I'm closing comments on all posts, except for current posts on my home page, to discourage spammers from sneaking weird links and gross stuff into my blog thru the archives.  It's pretty effective too, so if you're having similar problems this might help.  Regarding old projects I've done; I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.  Just drop me an email and I'll either get back to you directly or add it to the FAQ Friday if I think others might also be wondering.

Q.  I love my Miss Mouse Squeek and the Sachet Peeps I purchased from you last year, and wanted to know if you plan on making any more of these adorable things sometime.  ~Maryanne

A.  No plans for making them in the near future.  I may get the crafty bug again when cabin fever sets in though.  (grin)      

 Q.  I am enjoying my days of the week pattern I purchased from you awhile back.  I need some advice though. What is the best way to embroidery the words on my towels. I just cannot remember the correct way to do lettering. Do you use short running stitches? Any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks so much - Anne

A.  For towels, I usually use a stem or outline stitch for lettering with 4 threads of floss.  It depends on the type of letters too,  sometimes a straight stitch is sufficient if the lettering is small.   I plan to add a guide to basic embroidery stitches on my PatternBee website soon.

OK.  Now I have a question for all you dear readers out there.  Does anyone recognize this Bunny pattern?  It was embroidered on an old towel that one of my stitching friends found.  She sent me a photocopy of her towel hoping I could find the rest of the set and make reprints for her.   I've never seen it before, but was able to re-draw the one design from what she sent me, and then stitched up this demo towel for show.  (I'm also offering this as a free traceable pattern on my website here.)  Any help tracking down the rest of these cute critters would really be appreciated, and a *prize* will be given to the first person to send me the scoop. 

Out of Reach

Saw all this here and my heart went zing! . . .fairy cakes and coffee bowls. . .

. . .  and serving trays that made me giggle.

And. . . impossibly cute bags and smocks. . .

. . . embroidered trim tapes . . .

. . .pinocchio tops and jump rope. . . such cute stuff and none of it accessible...whahhhh! 

*Thanks* for the shirt love and interest.  I wish I could tell you that I made it myself, but alas that particular shirt was purchased so long ago that I can't even remember where I got it.   But since some of you asked,  I went looking for this pattern in my stash because it's similar, and I was thinking I'd purchased it fairly recently, since I still use it on occasion.  Looked at the date: 1992.  Um.  Not exactly current, (like my wardrobe!) but a quick search brought up this site, and another one here so it's still out there somewhere.  This shirt style is pretty basic though, so it's possible it may be re-designed and under another pattern number.   

Gee, I hate to leave you all empty-handed and wanty, so here's a free download I ran across.  Enjoy!

Garden Threads

Our summer weather sure made a quick comeback.  I practically live in my gardening shirts and smocks when it warms up, which is easy and comfy but they aren't the most attractive things either. So one way I like to doll them up is to replace the old buttons with buttons covered in different fabrics.  Sometimes I trim the sleeves with fabric scraps like this one, or chop the bottom of the shirt and add a ruffle, or do a little embroidery on it.    Rick-rack and woven trim tapes are always fun to experiment with too.    Take note:  the covered buttons should be slightly smaller than the buttons you remove.  In other words, make sure they fit through the button-holes before you sew them on.   I learned this the hard way, and I'm passing it on, so now you know too.

Grace saw what I was doing and decided to alter a linen blouse.  I love how it turned out. 

Doesn't it look great with her skirt?

Blogging Trail

Summer's not over, but it feels like fall's here already.  The seasons seem off-kilter.  I'm not complaining, the weather's been comfortable compared to other places, but I'm not ready to switch gears yet.  My plan was to ease back into blogging gently with the change of seasons.  Anyway, you just don't realize how long you've been away until you try and catch up on all the blog news you've missed.  Whew!  Goodness...babes have been born, crafty sewing books are happening (sometimes simultaneously), so many new blogs + fab indie-shops to peruse,  plus a new publication to support it all.   Very exciting, I say. *Congratulations* all around!  (You peeps know who you are.) 

Sadly though, a few of my favorite blogs have retired or left the scene.  I'm REALLY going to miss them, especially this one that kept us in stitches, but do understand their reasons.  I wrestle with blogging myself sometimes as I'm sure most do.  After all, there's only so much time for fun and games.   My summer vacation away from it helped bring a little perspective. Conclusion: Grandma was right.  "ALL things in moderation." (Easier said, than done, I know, but I keep trying.)  Anyway, I'm easing back in here, and suddenly got the urge to update my blog roll, even though I depend on a blog-subscription service to keep me informed.  It's still nice to have it handy and right at my fingertips whenever I need to refer back to someone's blog for a tutorial or if I just feel like clicking my heels (or my mouse) to pop in and say 'hello'.  And even though I can't possibly read every blog entry listed everyday, I am making the rounds and visit as many as I can, as (ahem) moderation dictates. 

My blog roll, incidentally, had outgrown the alloted space in my sidebar and made it impossible to add anyone new.  So as a result, I made a whole new page devoted entirely to blog links and moved them all over here.   It's making me very happy for a number of reasons and seems easier somehow.  I've kept all the old links and am still adding new ones as I have time.  I've also been reading blogs as I add them, and oh-me-oh-my, do the hours fly by when I'm doing this...but if I missed anyone, or you've since moved to a new site, want to exchange blog links, find a broken link, or whatever...contact me thru comments or send a quick email and I'll eventually do whatever needs doing.   

Yesterday:  scenes from our morning stroll to the top of the mountain.  The vista at the crest overlooking the Willamette Valley was breathtaking (still panting) in more ways than one.  (The lovely red foliage all along the trail is poison oak.  It's always the first thing to turn color.)

FAQ Friday

I'm back with another update...easing slowly into regular posting again as summer winds down.   Thank you dear readers, for the recipes and the chuckles over the zucchini.   At the moment there are seven more green giants piled up on the kitchen counter---AGAIN, for like the umteenth time.   I no sooner get rid of them only to turn around and see that same scene again.  And all this from only two rather small bushes.  I'm telling ya, we could feed the world if every backyard just grew one zucchini bush.  Well, moving on...I spent a most lovely afternoon discussing blogs (and other crafty things) with Toni yesterday.  She's been visiting family in a nearby town and she and Hannah spent the day with us.  It was great to see them again and their visit gave me a chance to wind down and catch my breath.  Just for the moment though.  I'm off to make crock-pot chili for a potluck tomorrow.   Might even sneak a little zucchini into it.  (But before I go, I bring to you the next installment of FAQ. ) Q.  My girls and i would loovvee to make those cute felted beads. by chance, do you have instructions on how to make those?  ~Brittany*A.  We love making felt beads.  They can be used for other craft projects later too.   You just need wool roving and a bowl of hot soapy water to felt the wool.  Follow this tutorial to make them.  Or this Japanese version demonstrated here which I think is really brilliant.

Q.  I  love your products and have already purchased a set of transfers.  My problem is finding the plain, unprinted baby clothing (bibs, sacques, jackets, etc.) and blankets upon which to do my embroidery.   I would appreciate  any information re this subject.   ~June

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A.  Check out  dharma trading company, embroidery etc., embellishments blanks, embroider this!  Most baby clothing blanks are made from interlock cotton though, which might be a challenge for handwork because it's stretchy, so iron-on stabilizers can be helpful.   (I make most baby items myself from cotton flannel or linen.)

Q.  I  really enjoyed the gallery about your  playhouse. I noticed it's not there anymore and am wondering if you put it someplace else or just decided to take it down.   ~Amy

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A.  It's back here temporarily for an encore performance.   

Have a great weekend!