Bowl cozies or bowl hot pads

A nice lady called me and asked if I would make her 20 bowl cozies for gifts for Christmas.  I said yes and began making them.  I had so much fun that I made several extras to give as gifts of my own.  Tomorrow I take these to her and she can choose the 20 that she wants and I will have the rest for my own gift stash.

These work well with cold food like ice cream just as good as they do with hot food like soup.  They are washable and reversible.

Machine embroidery again

I have had my embroidery machine for many years.  I have enjoyed it very much throughout those years.  Its not a fancy one where you can transfer directly from your computer but instead you must pick your designs and put them on a card which is then inserted into your embroidery machine.  I have managed to learn this skill many times and forget it as quick as I learn it, it seems.  Anyway I have gotten back into doing machine embroidery and so I wanted to show you what I made this morning.

This design takes 32 minutes and 9 color changes.  That 32 minutes is just sewing time, it doesn't include changing thread time and replacing the bobbin time.

The designs I use give suggestions for colors to use in the design but you can change them up to your liking.

Here is the paisley design I am making today nearly finished.

Trimmed and off the hoop.  What a pretty tea towel it made.  Down here in south Texas they call tea towels (cup towels), I had never heard them called that until I moved here.

Buckwheat pillow

I made a buckwheat pillow. I'm at the lovely age where I get so hot at night that I don't sleep well, add to that my recent tummy trouble and I end up without much sleep. I like my sleep girls (and Wayne). So, I used 4 pounds of buckwheat and made a pillow. It's smaller than a regular pillow but big enough.

Last night was my first night to sleep on it and I'm sold. I wish I had remembered to add some lavender but I forgot.

It makes a little noise when you turn or move it but it's ok.

I'll take a picture of it later and add it to this post.

If I continue to sleep so well I'm going to be a happy girl.

Pillow is approximately 18 inches by 18 inches.  I just used a regular pillow case over it and folded it over.

I bought the buckwheat from my Amish friend who has a mail order botanical store.  I paid $4.10 per pound of buckwheat and used four pounds. 

If you are interested in ordering botanicals and spices here is the information you will need.

South Texas Botanicals

4156 Gaitan Lane

Beeville, Texas 78102

This is a mail order business only so you will first have to write and ask for a catalog, then once you get your catalog you can mail your order in.  It takes several weeks.  We live in a time where we are not used to things taking so long so be prepared.

I usually drive out there and hand him my order and then tell him I can come back in a few days to pick it up.  This is not normal practice and he does it because we are friends.  He does not have a phone or a store front and he doesn't take credit cards.  If I am in a big hurry for something he will go ahead and get it for me right then.  I try not to ask for that because its not polite in my opinion.

New table napkins

In my forever quest to save a few pennies and do things for myself, and avoid store bought I have made new table napkins.  The ones we were using had poinsettias on them.  I think it was time for some fresh new ones.  The last ones I had sewn, turned and topstitched.  They ended up being on the small size but we used them anyway.  This time I decided to just serge the edges and use only one layer of fabric hoping it wont hold in moisture.  And I wanted them a little bigger.  The first set I cut out ended up being more of a rectangle and made it harder to fold uniformly to fit in the napkin holder.  Finally I cut out 13 inch squares and serged them.  Ah, just right.  Now we have some bright colored new table napkins.

Neck coolers

I have made these neck coolers for a few years now.  I even made a video for YouTube about it.  I will try to link the video if I can figure out how to.  Anyway, you soak these neck band things in cool water and the beads inside swell up, you then wrap it around your neck and as the water evaporates it helps you cool.

I need to make a new video because I've made some changes to the pattern.  I have noted these changes in the comments under the video.

Last year I made over a hundred of these for VBS.  Right now I am making some really cute tie dye ones.  Hannah dyed the fabric. 

I made several for people Hannah works with and embroidered their names on them.  Generally though I just make them with patterned fabric.

I use a product called Water sorb.  One thing I learned is it takes very little in each pocket.  The new pattern I'm using has 4 pockets instead of two and it takes less than 1/8 a teaspoon of the water sorb in each pocket.  You would not believe how much water they absorb.  If you put too much in they will actually seep out of the fabric and it looks pretty gross.  Plus they wont work properly.

 

Machine embroidery

I bought several new machine embroidery designs several months ago but was never able to use them because my machine was not working properly.  I finally took it in to be serviced and am now able to use my machine again.  Here are a few of the designs.  I have been stitching out each design and taking a pix for my records.

I have stitched them each out onto a tea towel.  So far I have stitched 18 designs.  I have 6 more new designs to stitch out and then I will know what they all look like.  I have had my machine for at least 13 years and have always enjoyed using it.

A dress for Kastyn and a dress for her doll

My granddaughter received a doll for Christmas and asked me to make matching dresses for her and her doll.  I made these pillowcase type dresses in answer to her plea.  If they fit I will make more of them.  I took lots of measurements and notes so I will be able to adjust as needed.  I hope both dresses fit because they are so cute.

Altered neckline t-shirt

I am not fond of the neckline on t-shirts.  It feels too close to me.  I am one who doesn't care to have fabric or even necklaces up close around my neck.  So t-shirts make me feel uncomfortable.  I decided to alter the neckline in an old t-shirt.  I figured I didn't have anything to lose since I don't like to wear it the way it was made anyway.

First I cut the neck close to the stitching.  Then I folded the fabric over and pinned it.  Next I used a long straight stitch to hold it down.  This is all that needs to be done and I did that on two t-shirts.  This morning I decided to go one step further.  I added lace.  Again thinking no harm no foul.  If I didn't like it I would only be out the lace since I didn't wear this t-shirt because of the neck.  Soooo, I added lace.  I used a three step zig zag and went slowly so the lace laid down just right.  I paid attention to how far away the lace was from the edge as well.

This is how it turned out.  I really like it.

Walker bag

I was privileged to be invited to a dear friends 90th birthday party.  I wanted to get something for her but at 90 you pretty much have everything you need.  WELL, she called me a couple of days ago and asked if I could make her a new bag for her walker.  Of course I said yes.  She doesn't know it but now I have a useful gift to give her.  I went over to her house and picked up the one she has now and loves but its just worn out to use for a pattern.  I like the way it turned out so much that I am thinking of making a few more to sell.

                                                       This is the front of the bag.
                                                    The straps attach it to the walker.
                                                     There are two large pockets on the outside.

                                                  This is the back of the walker bag.

This is the inside of the bag.  There are two large pockets.

Her party is Saturday.  I will try to get a picture of her with her new bag attached to her walker.

 

Courtney did it again

This is the second dress that Courtney remade into a skirt.  This time I didn't even have to give advice.  The first one I told her what to do and she did it.  This time I wasn't needed.  She really has a knack and vision.  I'm very proud of her.

Dress remake

Courtney is here for meema camp.  She loves to sew and always has great ideas of things she wants to do.  This time she brought two dresses that she wants to remake into skirts.  Here is the first one she completed.

Sewing and crocheting

Ive been keeping busy sewing and crocheting.  I had an order for 30 dish cloths and that is competed.  I also have an order for 100 neck coolers.  I am just getting started on that one.  I have also been making purse pockets.

 These are the purse pockets.

This is a pillowcase I made for myself.

 

 These are the two pillowcases Courtney made for herself.

This is a sample of the jewelry I have been making.

I've been busy

I have been busy the last few weeks, crocheting and sewing.  Hannah and I go to craft sales and fairs on weekends so I have been trying to get my stock built up so I can sell things too.  Lately I have been making more bibs as always and crocheting nylon net scrubbies and just recently began crocheting the tops of kitchen towels.  I used to do that all the time and kind of got away from it.  I found some real nice towels the other day so I decided to make more.  If they don't sell I know my kinds would like them.

     I'm very excited because it appears that this new to me computer is letting me post text as well as pictures from my files.  Jeff got a new one at work and they let him buy his old one, which wasn't very old for a reasonable price so we bought it of course.  He had to send it in to the company so they could wipe out any of their company files and now I have a super nice laptop. 
     Now that I can post more I will try to keep up on my blog a little better.

Im a busy bib maker

This is some of what Ive been up to lately.  My bibs are selling well at the craft shop I belong to so I have been making more to replace the stock Ive sold.  Ive also been making other things like bag bags and bowl covers.  This week I also have the four square hot pads on my adjenda to make.  It seems like Ive made a lot of bibs but when you actually count them there are not that many.  I need to be making things every day.

Im pretty excited that I am able to make blog posts today.  I miss being able to blog more often.  I am hoping the issue resolves itself or I figure it out.  One way or another.
Take care everyone and leave me a comment so I know you are out there.
Debbie

Fiber Arts

This is the little sundress I made of muslin fabric.  Hannah died it after I made the outfit instead of dying the fabric.  I like doing it this way better for this application because when she gets done with the dying all I have to do is iron it and my part is done.
Since Hannah is getting into tie dying we decided to just make it part of her school.  We put together a class where she will be doing her tie dying as well as learning to track inventory, order supplies, market, advertise and package her product.  A fun entrepreneur class.