A LITTLE LEFT OVER!

 So while I am still working with the old jeans - up cycling them into purses and things, I stumbled upon yet another cute little idea for some of the leftover pieces.

After I cut the straps for the purses from the legs of the jeans, I had a little bit left over on the cuff end of the leg.  These were obviously skinny leg jeans,  but still useful in making a couple little cute decorative snugs or holders, bowls - whatever you want to call them.

I turned the two pieces of the skinny leg jeans into little holders for my studio.  But if you used a larger leg, you could make these for going around pots with plants in them, or even into little fabric baskets.

Just by adding a bit of trim, and bling, you can have a cute little accent piece for your desk, your kitchen window, your bathroom, your patio table - whatever you want to use it for.

They are simple - just cut the bottom off a leg of a pair of pants.  Because these were skinny, I cut about 8" from the cuff.  If I was covering a flower pot, I might start at 12".

Sew the cut end together, and box the ends by sewing across the ends of your seams,

 turn your piece right side out and roll down the cuff to the length you want and embellish as you want.

 

                                 
















I went with this in the end.  And another of my little flowers!

I think we still have some pieces of jean material left - Hummmm.... What's next?

A PERSON REALLY SHOULDN'T CLEAN!

When I was cleaning through the studio, I stumbled up a bag of 4 " fabric squares.  I had forgotten about the idea I had to cut all my scraps up and make a tied quilt of assorted 4" squares.    I piled them beside the Elna, just to let it know I wasn't giving up without a fight.

A day or so later, I decided to try sewing the squares on the Elna.  I had about 40 squares, and I managed to string piece them all in a very short time.  The machine ran - not real speedy but better than it had the last time I tried.  Progress!

I had been watching a lot of video's during the time I waited for the Elna to make up it's mind what it was going to do, and one of the video's was of a woman making over the shoulder purses from jeans.

Jean purses are not a new concept, and I kind of get my dander up a bit when people make video's about their creations and portray the notion that they invented the idea.

Well not in this case.  My Aunt Margaret made me my first jean purse, made from the top part of pair of blue jeans in the 1980's.  So it's been around awhile...

I have made some myself over the years, and I just happen to have a lot of old blue jeans in my stash - So why not?

I like to use fancier jeans for the purses, and if you hit the thrift shops, you can find a lot of really cool jeans to work with...

So I got out some jeans and started cutting out purses.

You can either use the whole bum part for a full size purse or bag, or you can cut the top of your jeans in half right beside the zipper - this way you get two smaller purses.

So you cut across the jeans at the crotch and then cut down about 1/2" from the zipper from the waist to the crotch, and the picture below is what you have when you open one side out.

Here is the first one I have been working on...

I have been doing some embellishing.. I stitched some contrast fabric behind the pocket, and I think I will also add some tiny lace along the angle opening of the pocket, just to finish it off.

I sewed a scrap of fabric on the small pocket. and added a lace flower at the bottom.

On the back I appliqued a butterfly over a piece of scrap fabric.

Purple is the accent colour on this purse.

This will be the front of the purse

and this will be the back.

I decided to add one of my button flowers on the lace flower..

I like this now.

I am toying with the idea to add a Boho tassel on the back, but not sure yet if I like it.  This one is just lying on top  of the piece so far.

As this purse in intended for a younger person, I still think it needs more bling!

I will probably do something at the band of the jeans, and now I have to fully line the purse, and I will be using the same material that is at the back of the front pocket, and I will add some sort of closure as well.

I use the legs of the jeans to make the strap for the purse, and this one will be an adjustable shoulder strap,

Oh - and you will never guess how I have been sewing this so far. .. 

Machine sewing - on the Elna - which has decided that it likes this project much more than the wall -hanging, I guess!

You see - I have decided that I deserve a brand new computerized crafting/ quilting machine... and I have been muttering about it constantly as I have been sewing...

And it's not an idle threat...

Have a Great Day!

STITCHING AND - - - WELL - YOU TELL ME!

Last week I decided to go through my bags of scrap fabric with the idea of making a small wall hanging for my dining room.   The walls are a terracotta colour and the colour that looks absolutely gorgeous against those walls is a dark blue, so I pulled the bag of blue scraps.

I had stitched a little saying on some muslin with blue thread, so I decided to make two crazy quilt squares in different colours of blues to attach above and below the saying to form my little wall hanging.

The two crazy quilted squares went together without a hitch, and are gorgeous.  Then I got the brainwave to use my old sewing machine to do a decorative heart in blue daisies around the saying... so I did that.

Well that didn't turn out quite as I planned because the daisy embroidery stitch pulled the muslin kinda wonky.

I added my batting and backing to the piece and decided to just do a simple machine quilting, so I started on the lowest blue square - yeah - I know you are supposed to start in the middle - but in this case,  nope - not happening.

About 6 rows into the quilting the Elna just quit.  Lost power - Finished!

Oh boy - the squares were not the only thing blue, I can tell you!  What the heck??

So I oiled the machine... nothing, I worked on it for a couple of hours, and I did manage to get it to a crawl, but that's it.

I was so frustrated because I have two machines, one the light just blew, and the other dead!

Well I showed them both - I cleaned!

Not only did I clean - I completely tore the whole studio apart, rearranged the layout, reorganized everything -

And still the machine wouldn't run faster than a drunk snail!

So there that projects sits beside the machine.... waiting!

A CATCH-UP ON THIS THAT, AND THE OTHER THING TOO!

Here we are, another new week in a new Month.  I can't seem to catch up with these weeks, no matter how hard I try!

I guess that means I have been keeping busy - and I'd say that was a good thing.  The busier I am, the faster the time goes, and the sooner it becomes spring... Right?

Well it sounds good, anyway.

So what has everyone been up to?  I have to tell you that I am so excited with the success of my Geranium seeds.  I planted 30, and I have 28 healthy plants growing.  They have pretty much all gotten to their real leaf stage, and in a week or so, I will be transplanting them in larger pots which they will stay in until they go outside.

You can even see the classic red stripe beginning to happen on the leaves...

The Pansies, did not go nearly as well.  I have abut 10 plants, but they are puny at best, and none have got to the real leaf stage.  I only have 1 Bee Balm up, and no Marigolds.  I am counting the days until March 25th, when I will be starting my vegetables for my outside garden.

IN THE MEANTIME...

I finished my quilted eggs.  My gosh they are so pretty.  Take a look...

I am pretty sure the Catbird who left me this nest last year would be horrified to see the eggs in it now, but I happen to think they are quite nice.

I attached ribbons to the rest of them, and instead of hanging them in my old window, like I originally thought I would, I have them hanging from twigs in a vase which is sitting on my piano.  

and then I found this little sweetie for .10 at a local thrift shop and decided she needed to be on the piano as well...

How adorable is that!

I have lots to show you this week - so check in for more finished projects, and some in progress as well...

See you soon!

SEEDING SUCESS AND EGG QUILTING!

How is it possible that it's already Wednesday, and only a week before the end of February?

I'm happy about the last bit - as I just want the winter to be over - but like someone reminded me yesterday - March is often our worst month for snow and really lousy weather.

No matter - I am looking way further along than March.  I'm thinking about late April, and early May - and beyond!

I did manage to get all Geranium seeds sewn on the weekend - and much to my surprise - seeds that were supposed to to take 12-14 days to germinate are up.  So far all but 3 are through the soil.  I think I can safely thank my hot steam registers for this occurrence, as I have the seed trays sitting on a foil pan right on the registers, so not only are they getting light and heat from being in the south facing window, they are getting heat from below.

The pansies, are not nearly as advanced, because they are germinating in slightly cooler temperatures and also under a dark cover of a heavy towel - but they too are popping through the soil - very slowly.

So today I am going to start some perennial Bee Balm or Monarda-Didyma, which also is supposed to take 14-21 days to germinate... I guess we shall see.  I love this plant, but have never been successful growing it in my former yard in the city - so I am hoping it will grow out here... fingers crossed.

Also today I am fooling around with a sloppy project - and having a total blast.

I am "quilting" some eggs to be used as decorations on my old window for Easter.

I have done this sort of technique using paper napkins and large goose eggs, years ago when I used to  make the elaborate eggs with my Mom  and our "egging friends" - but never have I done this with small chicken eggs and fabric.

To my surprise it is working out really well - and I think they are going to be a very pretty decoration.  

This would be a great project to do with children -  I would be happy to do a little tutorial here, if anyone is interested... let me know!

So I am going to have a bit of lunch, then get on with my seed sewing and egg quilting!

Whatever you are doing today - enjoy doing it!

Till next time!

IT'S FRIDAY FINALLY!

Oh boy!  I can't tell you how happy I am that it is finally Friday!  In particular - Friday with nothing planned for the upcoming weekend.  It's been three weeks since I had a free weekend, and I am so looking forward to it.

Okay - contain your excitement Dale - they get it!

The reason I am so excited for a clear slate weekend, is that I am going to be designing some new mug rugs, new for 2019 - and making some of my other designs to put up for sale in my Etsy shop which I am working on.  I will also sell from here - if you see anything you would like, just leave me a private message on my Ernadales Face book site, or message me here at the top of blog page ( I hope it works - I just added it).

So here is the new design that has got me excited.  I cut this and laid it out yesterday, but then I kept waking up in the night thinking about the crazy thing.

So first thing this morning I went up to the studio and appliqued it down using black thread - and I totally loved the results. 

This will be quilted into a mug rug now, and I will add the ties and daisies at the neck last.

The I needed to do another - so I did this one...

 I won't tell you how many more I have cut out, but you know what?  I still love the shoe one the best!    Next is some evening gowns - without apron's of course.

I also finished cutting and laying out the yellow truck.. now to start appliquing it down.., the fun part!

So I think I might be having a great weekend in the studio, this weekend..

I also sewed my first seeds for spring yesterday.  I seeded 25 Mammoth Mix Pansies, which are now sitting in a tray in the south sun, with a heavy thick towel wrapped around them, as they germinate best in heat and dark... of course they would have to be different.  Once they are up, then they want it very cool - so they will be going into the nook where it is bright but cooler...

Tomorrow I am starting three colours of Geranium seeds.  I have never grown these from seeds before, and I understand they are quite tricky to get started.

First you soak the seeds between two layers of wet paper towels in plastic bags for 2-4 days until they sprout.  Then you plant the sprouts in jiffy pots and put them under lights for 24 hrs a day for the first 3-4 days or until the first leaves start to show.  When that happens you cut back the light to 16 hrs a day, and after 6 weeks they can be transferred out to larger pots.

So tomorrow I start this process, in hopes that I actually will be successful with these seeds.

What are you up to this weekend?

I hope it something you love doing - or perhaps you are just spending time with those you love...

Whatever it is - have a Happy Weekend - and if you are like us and have an extra long weekend due to a holiday Monday.... 

Then enjoy!

TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Share the love!

We had one nice day, and today we are back to skin freezing wind chills - like one local man put it this morning as we were once again clearing snow in front of the Post-Office - "Welcome to the Winter from Hell."

It may be that, but no one can ignore the increasing amount of daylight happening every day.

Now that there is more natural daylight in the studio, I have been able to work on a few projects for gifts.  I made a few mug rugs - which I haven't done for quite a long time.

I managed to finish five so far...

 
 

 


 and I have a couple more in various stages of completion, like these two, as well as a VW bus,  a couple of vintage campers and one yellow truck!

While I was clearing off the cutting table, I came across a few projects that I had started last year - and a couple more that were started even before that.  So I have them out on the table waiting in line to be finished as soon as the mug rugs that I am working on, are finished.

This one I really want to finish soon - it requires a lot of hand-stitching and layering of fabric.  This is just the first layer.  It will be very dimensional when it is done.   There will be a hand-stitched shooting start in the dark blue area where the rabbit will see it.  The rabbit will be embellished, as will be the moon.

There is still a ton of work to be done on this little wall hanging.

This piece is going to stay in my home where I can see it often.  It is for all our loved ones now gone; for those I love whom are still here and are suffering from disease, life's cruelties and disappointments, and for those who are living far from me, that I don't get to see very often.


It felt good to be working in the studio, and I realized that I have missed it very much these many months that I have not stayed up there more than a few minutes at a time.

I haven't really been in the right frame of mind to do much up there, I have been struggling with a few things and I have also been hurting physically with some pretty major pain issues.  But hopefully I can continue moving forward from all that, and get myself healthier for spring.

I have managed to stay on track with my plan to loose weight.  So far I am down 10 lbs, which really does feel wonderful.  I have a long way to go, but I am determined to get it off and this time keep it off, with a lot of help from this season's garden fresh home-grown vegetables.

There is much to look forward to just around the other corner.  Good health, gardening season, being able to be outside all day long; enjoying guests throughout the summer months, and hopefully some day trips with Gary - and the camera, of course.

Tell someone you love them today - tomorrow waits for no one.