I’ve been dying to try my hand at sashiko embroidery ever since I found a book on it at Mitsuwa. I decided to try out an apron pattern for my amazing accomplice Miss Mariko. (If there is ever a crafting version of The Amazing Race I want her as my partner!) Hopefully this will keep her neat and tidy while she bakes all her yummy goodies.
I’m bursting with ideas these days. So many projects and inspirations – great fuzzy things from the thrift store to transform into stuffeds, so many beautiful new fabrics to sew up and quilt and display, and so many great childrens books I’ve discovered. All the distractions are keeping me from finishing the how-to I’m in the middle of. And my house is overflowing. I’m running out of shelf space for stuffeds and my basement is so packed with leftovers from my vintage business there is no room to move all this outgrown baby stuff. And yet my wishlist keeps growing. I’ve convinced myself I need felting kits and teddy bear joints, jars of vintage buttons and fabric fabric fabric. I’m having all sorts of inspired ideas about trading and selling. At least they seem inspired in the shower when I come up with them. Everything is a little less brilliant after I’m toweled off. I’ve got gifts to buy, decorations to make and a stack of magazines to read through that is almost menacing.
Here’s a little bear I made last week to look at while I get my act together…
**updated to add** it’s getting to be Halloween time again and I always get a ton of emails about this costume. I made this 4 years ago for my son. I didn’t use a pattern, I don’t know of an ewok pattern and I no longer have the costume. The only suggestion I have is that if you’re going to make one be careful what you use because this type of thick, stiff fake fur is not really meant for an allover costume – too hot!
the small, furry Ewoks live in harmony with the natural world around them.
ok, here’s Oscar’s Halloween costume. He’s Wicket W. Warrick, the Ewok from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Being the brilliant first-time Mom that I am I though ‘oh, how he’ll love to be all snuggly and warm in a furry costume on a crisp October night!’ Of course the fake fur is heavy, hot and itchy. Of course, this is the boy that screams like you’re pulling off his toes when you put any clothes at all on him. Of course he hates anything on his head. And, oh yeah, of course it’s 75 degrees in Chicago this Halloween!
Here’s Wicket with Aunt Katie the Star Wars fanatic and the originator of the Ewok idea. Thanks KT!
It’s a good thing that many of the items in Oscar’s thriftstore-bought wardrobe look like Halloween costumes anyway. A backup plan is underway.
Today is Halloween costume making day. I’m under strict orders to “get cracking”!
But I just had to make this cutie squirrel first. When I saw how wonderful the felted camel sweater and the feedsack fabric matched I just had to bump up Squirrel-y here to the front of the line.
ok, now to tackle this bag of fur. Hopefully this is going to work out and I won’t need to make an emergency trip to the Target for a backup costume.
If you want to be surprised don’t click on the photo above (or look at any comments!) But if you want to see what’s headed your way – peek away!
Here’s a little bear I made from that same big head kitty pattern. The bear is much smaller and made of this great soft velvety fur I found at Hancock Fabrics. I love it because it has sort of a vintage look to it. I used some cool buttons I found in the sale bin for eyes and I love them! So does Oscar. This is immediately his new favorite stuffed because it has detachable parts that can be yanked off and choked on. Guess this guy is going on up the top shelf for a while.
Yesterday was such a fun day. I had a 3 hour reprieve! Tim watched Oscar for me while I went into the city to have lunch with my best crafty girlfriend. We caught up and then did some scheming. In the works are learning how to silkscreen our own fabric, joining the local stitch n bitch, practicing our embroidery (which I really need!) and visiting a fabric warehouse she unearthed over in Pilsen. I’m so excited!! After lunch we went to this cool shop Penelope’s that had great stuff including these excellent bags by Queenbee. I’m inspired now to finally try out a bag in the vinyl I picked up a while ago. Also at the shop was this great book Mascotte!… which lead me to Lulu. This is the bit that was in the book that lured me in.. cutyzoo. And be sure to click the icon collection too!
So, maybe after some practice I’ll be able to embroider as well as this gal.. craftlog.
Here’s the bag I made with those buttons from the flea market. I used soft fuzzy brown fleece for the outside, floral napkins from the thrift store for the lining and handles from a thrifted bag. My favorite part is the soft soft fleece. All bags should be this cuddly!
I just finished up another bag last night that I like a lot! So much so that I think it’s magnetic clasp worthy. Must make a trip to the fabric store today to pick one up.
A new discovery in the current Country Living magazine… FunQuilts A quilting studio that makes modern design quilts and that is located right here in Oak Park! Right in my own backyard! They write books and design fabric and even have classes. I’d love to take a class there. Then maybe I could make this!
A captivating gang of 24 huggable, lovable creatures to sew—from classics like Margot, a topsy-turvy doll, and the button-jointed teddy bear Bjorn Bjornson, to irresistible Evelyn, a wool felt inchworm decked out in mod glasses and a kerchief, and Koji, a fiercely cute spiked softie monster. There’s something for everyone here—from kids to grown-ups and from beginning sewers to advanced dollmakers. Published by STC Craft, August, 2010.
