Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

This and That Friday

April 24th 2009 13:22
Recycled Jeans Idea

I wish I had come up with this idea, but I can't claim it. SueNTX on the Craftster forums saw aprons in her old jeans. recycoed jeans aprons

What a great idea for wedding/bridal gifts, mother's day, etc.

Slightly Coherent Ramblings from a Moderately Lunatic Mind

I have too much stuff to do and not enough craft time this weekend. I currently have three quilt tops in development and no time to work on them this weekend. One is a hand-appliqued twin-sized quilt, one is a crazy log cabin lap-sized, and the third is a crazy stained-glass twin. Throw in several knitting projects, and I'm over my head in new projects.


I think I'm more than a little schizophrenic with projects. There are so many that I like and I start, but so many more times that I lose interest before the project is complete. What if I behaved this way with my kids? Would I have discarded them when I got bored with them? I need to develop the attitude that my projects also are my "kids," and I need to work with them from birth to graduation. If I don't I won't have enough to show at a local art festival this fall.

Anyone else have orphaned projects?

67
Vote
   


Spring Fabric Harvest

April 23rd 2009 14:11
Fabric harvest? What the heck is that? Fabric harvesting is my term for finding fabric for quilting or other projects in unlikely places.

I recently "harvested" about twenty pounds of denim from jeans my daughters had outgrown. It takes some time to find the usable pieces and to trim out the waistbands and zippers, but it was worth it. I have enough fabric to make several denim totes or a denim quilt top. Several of the jeans had decorate embroidery that I've painstakingly trimmed around to use as focal points for the tote bags or a center medallion for the quilt.

Since harvesting the denim, I've gone on a repurposeable fabric hunt around my house . . . and on eBay. I've always saved fabric remnants from dresses or costumes I've sewn for my girls, but I never thought about using fabric from store-bought clothing. My girls have outgrown cotton print skirts and blouses that I love (I don't think they have the same affinity for their clothes that I do). Many are of a weight and finish I want for other quilting projects, and I'm in the process of cutting them into usable squares.


My husband should block my computer from eBay. There are pages and pages of new and vintage fabric, but I realized there are other auction items that can give your projects a unique flavor. I won on auction yesterday a Cynthia Rawley tablecloth that is a handkerchief-weight cotton. It's an adorable ladybug print that is perfectly sized for a lap quilt and was about $10 including shipping--at nearly 2 yards, it averages $5/yd. I plan to use it as a quilt back. The last time I was at a fabric store, designer fabric was about $10/yd, so the ladybug material is a good deal.
Cynthia Rawley ladybug tablecloth
Cynthia Rawley ladybug tablecloth


Other eBay items I've purchased or am bidding on are vintage handkerchiefs and vintage flat sheets. The handkerchiefs make beautiful quilt tops, and the flat sheets are a very affordable alternative to purchasing yards and yards of fabric for quilt backs.
vintage ladies handkerchiefs
Vintage Ladies Handkerchiefs
vintage sheet for quilt back
Vintage Sheet for Quilt Back


If you have any ideas for fabric harvesting, I'd love to hear!
91
Vote
   


Let the Crafting Begin!

April 22nd 2009 18:20
I have a passion for crafting. Knitting, quilting, sewing, painting, photography, scrapbooking, embroidery--these are my favorite creative outlets. I also write fiction, love to read and sing, and am an avid TV viewer.

I'm a wife and mother of two girls, who also like to craft. This blog will cover crafts I love, new craft experiments, and family-friendly crafting projects. I will also post links about craft books, magazines, websites.

I hope you love to craft as much as I do!

81
Vote
   


More Posts
3 Posts
3 Posts dating from April 2009
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:

CraftyBlogger's Blogs

45 Vote(s)
0 Comment(s)
1 Post(s)
Moderated by CraftyBlogger
Copyright © 2012 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]