Category: Creative Life

The japanese-english dictionary online says that suwappu = swap so I thought it was the perfect title. Jen in Tokyo and I did another fabric swap. I sent her FunQuilts fabrics and she sent me some fabrics I picked out from Cotton Bow-wow. (eek – Jen, I just clicked over there and saw that the new Nani Iro stuff is out! So pretty!)

Here are the fabrics from Cotton Bowwow…quarter meters of these…

A half meter of this … More

I had what my Mom would call an “outing with the ladies” this past Friday. Brandy & Cinnamon came out to Oak Park to play with me. We got to check out some places that amazingly I hadn’t yet made it to, the Buzz Cafe for lunch, a fun bead shop Bead in Hand, and the new Brown Elephant thrift store. I got some lovely beads and buttons at the bead shop and found some great trim & vintage greeting … More

Here’s my new favorite book – patchwork and purses! Another excellent Japanese craft book to play with. The instructions on this one seem very complicated. Or very simple depending on how you look at it. They basically (I think) say, sew quilt, make bag. Got it! Many thanks to sweet Valentina for offering pick me up something from Kinokuniya (Japanese bookstore in NY). Poor girl didn’t know what she was getting herself into!

I want to make almost every single … More

Here’s my square for the Tsunami Quilt project. The yellow rose is from some feedsack fabric and the background is some Marimekko fabric I’ve been saving. I so struggled with this project. I really wanted to do something more elaborate and, I don’t know, symbolic, evocative, meaningful? But I’m crap at embellishment. So here it is. Bright and simple. At least this way the Marimekko isn’t all mucked up with my poor embroidery/embellishment skills!… More

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 … More

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 … More

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 … More