Tree of Life

January is going out with sunny skies and above freezing temperatures! It's a lovely day outside with no wind here in Pine Grove, NS.

On another note:

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I'm the librarian for the Mahone Bay Quilt Guild. As a perk of this job, I get to see the newest magazines before anyone else. The latest issue of Quilt Mania, The Quilt Magazine # 135, (which will be at guild on Monday), has a small applique felted wall hanging of a Tree of Life  This one is geared to Valentine's Day. To view a thumbnail sketch of the pattern, go to their site HERE. Scroll down and click on the picture to make it bigger. When I glanced at this particular pattern, I immediately thought that it could be adapted for various occasions such as Easter, Christmas, Autumn, Winter, Spring, Birthdays etc by adding pieces of Velcro to the background and to the small shapes to be used. It can be as simple or as complicated as you wish!The skies the limit!

 

See a few other trees of life HERE, HERE and HERE (this link has printables)

Enjoy!!

From 2008: In All Its Glory

Easter has silently crept upon me! Yesterday, I realized that it's next weekend. Where does the time fly. I wonder how many of you have all your Easter Projects finished and in use? Me, I don't have anything to put out at the moment. With no studio yet and most things still in boxes, I'm managing to keeping up with production orders and not much else. I am chief gopher for studio renovations which is important.

I posted this textile seascape, In All Its Glory, on Instagram and FaceBook today:

Now check out a few links:

• For all the scrappy quilters out there, check out SCRAPtistic on Persimon Dreams
• How to make a Craft Bag 
• Free Easter Patterns at the Quilt Gallery   
• Easter Baskets and Eggs Tutorials 

Enjoy!!

A Crafty Afternoon

Monday was a school holiday here, so we had Gale for most of the day. She wanted to do a craft. We looked through some books and found a Santa ornament. We didn't have any paper plates so a plate was traced onto red computer paper and cut out. The circle was folded in half for extra strength and glued into a cone. The directions were followed but with modifications. Children do come up with great alternatives when the suggested materials aren't available.

• No black construction paper for the boots so Gale drew a pair and coloured them in
• No cotton balls. Wool roving instead
• No arms in the book pattern but Gale made them anyway

We both had a good time. She was happy with her santa ornament!

•  Santa Plastic Ball Ornament 
•  Santa Face Pillows    
•  Santa Hat Ornament    
•  Cross Stitch Santa on Pinterest HERE  
•  Faces of Christmas Wall Hanging   
• Santa Quilt Block 
• Patchwork Santa Wall Hanging    
• Santa Quilt Blocks on Pinterest    

 Enjoy!!
   

Freebies!

Are you familiar with the site, Freebies For Crafters? If not, it is well worth a look. I follow it via email. They have lots and lots of links to FREE patterns and tutorials related to craft, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, knitting, crochet, embroidery and sew much more. Scroll down to the categories section for a list of what's posted.  

The Missouri Star Quilt Company has lots of videos related to Quilting. I was interested in the Improve Tote Part One and Two. Looks like a nice tote.

Here at With Heart and Hand, I found lots of free patterns for sewing accessories. Worth a look.

More free tutorials at Emmaline.

Sewing Tutorials - Bags and Accessories on Pinterest.

Freebies and Tutorials on Pattern Pile, Sewing Support and Katie's Quilting Corner.

Free quilting tutorials at Cluck Cluck Sew and Free Sew, Quilt, Craft Tutorials.

I hope you find something worth sewing!
Enjoy!!

Easter Projects

Have fun checking out the Easter related links below!

• Coiled Fabric Basket
• Patchwork Easter Wall Hanging
• Silk Easter Eggs Tutorial
• Easter Peeps
• Easter Crafts
• Eastern Patterns
• Free Easter Patterns
• Easter Quilts on Pinterest
• Easter Craft Projects
• Easy to Crochet Easter Eggs
• Free Craft Projects for Easter
• Crazy Easter Eggs
• Easter Egg Placemat
• Honey Bunny Applique Quilt Pattern
• Embroidered Felt Easter Egg
• Needle Felted Eggs

Check out an older Easter post with links HERE.

The Perfect Apron!

I just came across this perfect apron for crafters! And the best part, the pattern is free.  In fact, this pattern can be adapted to your own particular taste. Have fun with it. It would even make a great gift for a crafty friend. Visit The Magic Bean to see lots more free stuff.

Here are a few more places for apron patterns / tutorials:

Tipnut
Brassy Apple (lots of different stuff + an apron for dolls
Rosy Corner Creations
Zig Zag Apron Tutorial
Crossback Apron

Happy Thanksgiving America

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American relatives, friends and visitors to my blog! Today we are having a glorious, sunny day in St. John's - not even a breeze is blowing. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this area of the country, the wind rarely rests. Newfoundland is a very large island in the middle of the North Atlantic so we are affected by the ocean currents.  I hope you are having a fabulous time with family and friends. It's never too late or too early to plan for next year, so here are a few free Thanksgiving projects to check out:

Sewing Org
Thanksgiving Turkey Wall Hanging
Placemats
Thanksgiving Ideas
Thanksgiving Projects

Enjoy!

Projects for Canada Day

I realize that Canada Day is only a month away but you just might like to have a look at some simple projects to help you celebrate! Even if you don't have time to do something for this year, check out the Canada Day fabrics at the various quilt shops. Get some now for future use - make some napkins!

Anyway, check HERE and HERE for my past posts with lots of links.
I've also listed a few more place to visit - some free stuff, some eye candy, but maybe they will trigger some ideas!

Enjoy!

A great Notion just posted a free machine embroidery maple leaf
Free Download machine embroidery HERE
Canada Day cross stitch motif
Canadian Quilts to see HERE
Cross Stitch to see HERE, HERE (scroll down),
Table Runner
Small Quilt

 

Fabric Books

I have been asked where I come up with some of the various topics for my blog posts. Well, some ideas are directly from my own art while other ideas are the results of reading other blogs. Sometimes a word or picture will also trigger something. Today's post idea is the result of reading an email from Pin Tangle. Sharon Boggon found a great tutorial from Shade Tree Art with a step by step tutorial on how to make a basic fabric book. Take a look at it.

For the most part, we consider fabric books as those for young children. Consider making one for your sewing samples. Or make a Sewing To Go Book (that name just popped into my head) with pockets to hold floss, needles, scissors and other small supplies!

This is my sewing portfolio that I designed and made a couple of years ago. It has a magnetic bag closure and lots of pockets. I could have added take out pages using velcro strips -  maybe another time. However, the glue stick is kept in place with velcro. A strip of the soft side of velcro is stitched on the wide fold over section and the sticky piece is stuck on the glue container. It works quite nicely.

I think this book from Shade Tree Art, can also be made with children in mind. For example, each page could be a different colour with applique figures added. I found a couple of tutorials for children's books here and here (this one is made from scraps). Add this one about shapes. You get the idea!

Enjoy!

Cabot Quilt Guild - Program

Last evening was the monthly meeting of the Cabot Quilt Guild. I have to congratulate the program committee for a wonderful presentation. It's sometimes very difficult to come up with ideas for a large group of ladies but they managed to do it. Several quilters got together and found some simple projects on-line for the sewing room. They took photos of the steps in each of the projects and did a power point presention. Not only that, they were very generous and had draws for the projects they made. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the projects but I do have the links.

• Ironing Board Caddy with Thread Catcher
• Patchwork Pincushion
• Heart Needle Case

Here's a great site for freebies! Lots to see and if you are an eager beaver, lots to make. . .
Also, take a look at some previous posts on this site:
Sewing Portfolio
Sewing Stuff HERE and HERE

The photo is of a couple of my scissors holders made from 'fantasy' fabric. No two are ever the same.

Enjoy!

Make It In March

I decided to post some Christmas in July ideas for the month of March! It seems I'm always a bit late posting for various holidays. This time, I consider myself the early bird for gift ideas to make for Christmas. I probably won't have time to make anything this early but some of you might be searching for gifts to make.

100 Holiday Crafts

Whimsicals Threads (ideas)
Christmas Projects
Free Christmas Quilt Patterns
Christmas Ornament Tutorial
Felt Ornaments
Wee Folk Art free patterns
Wonky Whimsical Christmas Tree
Festive Felt Christmas Trees

Of course, here's a few links from my previous posts for Christmas stuff:
Here, Here, and Here
Enjoy!

A Gem of a Find!

Bugs and Fishes by Laura "Lupin" Howard, UK, came to my attention today. One of the embroiderers (thanks Jewel) tagged it as a place to visit for a free cross stitch heart brooch. However, Laura's site has lots of other interesting handmade felty things too. Yes, she works mainly in felt.  Laura shares lots of free projects and writes tutorials for various craft publications. I own a copy of Fa la la la Felt in which she has original designs for a Gingerbread House; Star Bright; Cherry & Bright, a christmas stocking and Layer Play, a rainbow of circles ornament. Her own published book is Super-Cute Felt.
Why not drop by her site for a visit. You won't be disappointed!
Enjoy!           

Stitching Stuff

Here lately I have been looking at a lot of stitching sites. My search is for free-style embroidery that can be both functional and decorative, and can be stitched on just about any surface. I've been using the Pintangle site (I'm a member) as a jumping off place to find 'stuff'. Since TAST has started up for another year, most members signed in giving their blog or web site address. Find them HERE (scroll down). In case a blog is not written in English, use Google Translate to help you out. Just follow the directions - it's easy to use. These sites also have favorite places to visit that may be different from anything you have seen so far.

Here's some places to visit:
Antique Pattern Library
Freebies from Kissy Cross (mostly cross stitch)
Free charts at Tantes Zolder
The Work Basket
Gazette 94 - more freebies
Tom Pudding Designs
Britain's # 1 Cross Stitcher
One Day a Grid Cross Stitch
Pattern Maker Charts
Albums D'Anyan
Craft Ideas
Tams Creations (Black work & cross stitch)
Elsa Mora (two free embroideries)

This applique is an original design based on an Elizabethan Embroidery that I had previously designed. It was done a few years ago as part of an embroidery course. My intention was to make it into a cushion but so far it just sits in my cupboard.

Crafty Blogs - UK

On Sunday, I blogged about the Patchwork & Quilting Blog List at Red Pepper Quilts. Today I came across another source of blogs. This time it is Crafty Blogs exclusive to the UK. Reading down through the list of blogs I came across some very interesting names. A lot of the sites listed are for paper crafts. I found it a tad frustrating trying to find the sewing /quilting / stitching blogs among all the paper related ones. A search engine for the site would have been nice.
Since there are so many sites to view, I've selected a few blogs (some with free downloads) related to quilting, sewing, and needle craft.

Cross Stitch Charts
Needle Work & Knitting  (lots of different stuff here)
Tutorials at Flossie Teacakes
Knitted Toy Box
Bustle & Sew (interesting stuff)
Very Berry Handmade (list of some more blogs)
Crafty Corner
Ellieskeepers Creations (list of blogs)
Hand Embroidery Network (HEN) I have a link to this site on my blog list
The Magic Bean(patterns
The Patchwork Heart 
Hand Knitted Things
Indigo Blue

I went only as far as the end of page 12 to find these.
 

Crafts and stuff

I just received the Eastern Edge Quilters (EEQ) February newsletter. One of the sites it recommends is Cut Out & Keep, which shares step-by-step craft tutorials. I clicked Sewing and found lots of stuff. Last month, one of our guild members used the Tsumami Kanzashi Flower in her project.

Now I need more time to check out the 'stuff' on this web site!

Here's some other craft sites to see:
All Crafts
Craft Site Directory
Art Craft Marketing
Free Craft Stuff
Free Pattern Site

 

Spring

Well, tomorrow is the first day of spring! I must say that St. John's has experienced a full week of beautiful weather. Maybe we'll even have a spring this year as the weather is often quite unpredictable. I have finally gotten some work done in the studio. It's been a struggle to get the mind in gear and do something productive. I have signed up to take a seminar next weekend on Cultural Product Development. This should prove interesting.

Last evening, I did some searching for Spring projects for both embroiderers and quilters.

• Erica's site has patterns for machine embroidery. Welcome spring with a free embroidery of flower pots and a watering can. 
•  The Floss Box and Needlework have lovely free line drawings for hand embroidery.
• For quilters, You Can Quilt This, has lots of free projects to help welcome spring! Here's a spring basket from Quilters Online Resource. This site has lots of nifty stuff for quilters.
• A floral sampler, from Coats & Clark , might be the right project for you !
• About.com has some spring paper piecing patterns for scrap-booking. However, why not use them with fabric instead. The baby lamb is a cute one for a baby quilt!
• I like this spring-colored felted bowl. This also comes from About.com.
• I love the spiders introducing Homeberries! Scroll down to see the little 'Whimsical' free hand embroidery designs.
• Check out e Quilt Patterns for a Spring Treats Quilt Pattern and Spring Celebration. These are paper pieced.
• There is a Welcome Spring Quilt at Cranson Village.
• Hoffman Fabrics, Spring Fling, is ready for quilters.
• Need a new tote for spring? Try the Luscious Bow Tote from Kaufman fabrics.
• Cross stitch your way into Spring with Free Patterns Online.
• McCall's Quilting has a simple Flower of Spring quilt block.
• I like this coiled fabric basket from Cultured Expressions. This is a nice site to visit.
• If Easter is your thing, go to Craft Ideas.
• If you like Baltimore Album applique, check out the block at Marcus Fabrics.

I think I have exhausted the list of Spring stuff I found last evening. Enjoy looking at the sites I found. If you find some more interesting sites, please let me know. You can reach me at judy@cbiz.ca 
or leave a comment at the end of this post.