Canvass Tote Bag

I love a good bag, especially if you have kids, which requires having lots of extra things to go into your bag. This is a great bag for travel, since it can fit lots of toys and goodies for you and your child, or to be used as an everyday bag. I always have a ton of things in my everyday bag that I can't live without. So for me, having a big bag is essential. Of course I do love smaller bags/purses for those times I go out with out my kid.

When deciding to make myself a bag, I wanted a thicker more durable fabric. So I found this great outdoor canvass in this fantastic pattern color scheme. (It didn't have to be outdoor, but that is what it happened to be.) I am all about the stripes and I love the green as well. I wear a lot of black, so I like that this will match most of my clothes. I had a bigger bag that I have been using as my everyday bag which I used to see how to construct my bag. I knew I wanted a few pockets and some kind of closure, so my stuff doesn't all spill out.

I love the hardware that I found at the fabric store. I never had used one of those turn clasp things, but it was a cinch to put on. I made pleated side panels and a bottom so the bag would be roomier. It was sorta tricky to make sure that I matched up the stripes to go all around the bag, but it didn't matter as much for the inside. I basically made two of the same size bag. One for the outside, and one for the inside. That way my bag was lined and extra durable. I also added a pocket on the inside for my cell phone (a must have!) I would have added more pockets but I ran out of fabric. I used EVERY inch of fabric I had. Apparently one yard wasn't enough. I might go back to get a bit more and make myself a matching wallet or make-up pouch.

I also added a snap closure to the outside pocket so my stuff doesn't fall out. Because the fabric was thicker, I used a thicker thread, and sewing machine needle. I only have a basic sewing machine, so it can handle only so much sewing, so my lines didn't turn out as clean as I would have liked. But it is only for myself, so who cares. :)

Clothes I've Made

Lately I have been obsessed with sewing clothes. A few weeks ago, I found a cute wrap skirt on line and thought that it wouldn't be that hard to make. So I got the basic pattern idea by searching for "wrap skirt" on line, but then made my own pattern at home. I had some old wrapping paper that I used for my pattern paper and drew it out on the paper. I cut it out as my pattern, then pinned it to my fabric. After I cut out and sewed my fabric together added some bias tape for the top waistband and tie strings I was basically done. It was as simple as that! I have never been able to follow patterns very well. I always just make up my own, it seems easier to me that way.

Then came for the fun part- the applique'! As you know I have been obsessed with applique' as well. So I thought why not continue that in my skirt. I appliqued these cute flowers out of simple black and white stripe fabric. Stitched them on by my sewing machine and added some cute trim. I absolutely love this skirt! I even have a black and white striped top to match.

The next skirt I made was another wrap skirt, but this time out of linen. I had some extra green fabric from my other skirt that I used for the tie and for some of the applique' pieces as well. I absolutely love linen. It lays really nice and is a bit thicker than cotton, (although it does tend to wrinkle easily).

This time I decided to add some hand stitching using embroidery thread. I already had the flower and bird patterns made from using the same designs on my apron and oven mitts. So it was essentially the same designs. I used more of a "vine" detail to connect the pieces together.

From there I decided to try my hand at making a shirt. I bought some black linen fabric, made my own pattern again (I sort of followed a basic pattern from a shirt I already had, just to see how it was made). Then added the embroidery around the neck. I love the way this one turned out! I'm big into the baby doll look, so I had to have some pleated sleeves on this. It ties at the neck, and also at the back, to cinch in the waist a bit.

Detail at right side of neck.

Detail at left side of neck.

With the left over linen fabric I decided to make another skirt. Not a wrap skirt, but a simple A-line draw string skirt. I had the embroidery go all the way around, and did slightly different flowers than from the shirt.

Keep checking back for more of my sewing projects! (click on the images to see a larger version)

Mixed-Media Collage

I have taken my applique' technique to another level. Recently we painted our bathroom this great apple green color, got new towels, rug, and shower curtain. All that was missing was something to go on the walls. I had these three 10x10 canvasses that I made when I was in school, and never really knew what I wanted to do with them, until now. Having recently fallen in love with applique', I decided to applique' my same designs as my apron and other projects onto a square piece of fabric. I only did the paper back fusible web on these applique's and not any machine or hand stitching since I was going to be painting on them. I then collaged them onto the canvasses using an acrylic gel medium great for collage. After the pieces were dry, I then painted over the top of them with various washes of thinned out acrylic paint. I love the golden fluid acrylic paint best for this type of thing. I also mixed the paint with a glazing medium which works great for layering paint colors.

Almost all the fabric is painted over, for example the bird's fabric was originally white, but I painted it a bright yellow to stand out. I found these really great paint pens by Elmer that are perfect for outlines and details that is hard to get with a paint brush. After all the painting was complete and dry, I then painted them with a satin varnish for protection. The varnish is important in finishing the pieces. It seals in the paint and protects it from chipping, and also has UV protection- great for any direct sunlight that might shine in through the windows.

Applique' Kitchen Towel

I don't know about you, but I am always straightening up my kitchen towels that hang on my oven. They always wrinkle and hang lopsided, and it is just in my nature to fix them whenever I walk by. So I decided to address that issue by making my own towel that stays put! I appliqued my design to a piece of fabric, and sewed another piece to the back. I then attached buttons to another piece of fabric that could wrap around the handle of my oven. I always use two dish towels at a time, one more for decoration, that I still use to dry my hands on etc. and another one that usually gets used more.

Applique' Oven Mitts

Here are my new applique' oven mitts and hot pads. I used the same coordinating fabrics as I did with my apron so everything would match. I also used a fusible fleece as well as batting for the inside to make them extra thick.

I like to use two oven mitts at a time, one for my right hand and one for my left. So I kept the design on the outside, and it plain on the inside or the part that would get used most.

I absolutely love how the flowers and birds turned out, and now I'm finishing up a matching kitchen towel set that will hang on my stove.

Applique' Apron

My recent passion has been learning to applique'. I am in love with it! It is so much fun, and can be really calming when you get into it. So I knew that I wanted to make an apron, and I had found this really adorable half apron at Anthropology that I couldn't resist buying. The pattern was simple, a basic "rectangle" of fabric with a folded over waist band and apron ties. I had tons of fabric in my craft room so I didn't need to go out and buy a whole bunch, I just needed a big enough piece for the actual apron, and a long enough piece to make the apron ties. A hot iron and my sewing machine was all I needed to create my apron, which was now my "canvass" for the applique'.

I found this really great book on Applique' by Janet Pittman. Since I had never done any applique' before, I wanted a book that just covered the basics. I read through the whole thing before I went out to buy the supplies, that way I would know what I needed to get, and not waste any money on anything unnecessary. Sometimes it can be confusing when you are starting out a new project or idea, and going to the fabric store can be overwhelming with all the different choices. This book really helped me decide which applique' method was best for me, and for the project I wanted to do.

I always make sketches of what I want to design. I knew I wanted a pocket and an owl and flowers. My sketches then turned into patterns that I traced and cut out on card stock white paper.

Using my patterns I appliqued my pieces on the apron using a paperback fusible web transfer method (which is basically an iron-on technique.) I used both hand and machine stitching to embellish the applique's. The machine stitching was a bit more unpredictable and harder, since I only have a basic sewing machine with a few different stitches. I like the look of the hand stitching better. I used a thicker embroidery thread so It would show up better.

After the stitching was completed I then added buttons and a ribbon at the bottom for extra cuteness.

The owl was the first thing that I appliqued. It took several tries to get it right, and it took some time to figure out the various stitches on my sewing machine. *Note* Keeping tabs on which stitches you used on what setting makes it easier when you want to use the same exact stitch again.

My apron is completely machine washable, (which I think it needs to be) and my next applique' project is going to be matching oven mitts and pot holders. Yay! I'm really excited about my new art technique. As soon as I get the hang of it, I'm going to make a bunch more in different colors, patterns, and styles and then post them for sale in my Etsy shop. So keep an eye out for those in the future. But for now, this apron is mine to adore! (click on the pictures to see a larger version)

Painted Art Dolls

So here are my painted art dolls. This first one is finished, painted with acrylics and protected with a satin varnish that is painted on. She has movable arms and legs, and her dress is sewed out of fabric and permanently attached to her body. I added a loop to the back of her dress so she can be hung on a wall. She sits by herself or can even stand against a wall.

The second art doll is the one that sits on her base. She is unfinished and will have movable arms as well. I think I like the first one better as she is a more "traditional" doll with arms and legs. So I don't think I will be making anymore dolls with bases. I also like the first doll's shape better. She has a more defined head and neck, whereas the other one is wider.