Mark Lipinski is all mine. For twelve minutes.

☆☆☆UPDATE☆☆☆

Well, I did it and I survived--I interviewed with Mark Lipinski! You can listen to the interview here. Just play the 03/30/11 show on the right-hand menu bar. My interview starts at the 1:30 mark.

No matter what kind of creativity you're into, Mark will inform and inspire you with his "Creative Mojo" show. (And take you from giggle to laugh to cackle to involuntarily spraying your Diet Coke.) If you want to know why he called his psychic cohost (yes, you heard me right, psychic cohost) "Pocahontas" during the show I was lucky enough to be on, just listen to the first 5 minutes. But take my advice--do NOT drink Diet Coke while listening.

Thank you Mark, for a fantastically fun 12 minutes!

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I'm thrilled to have been asked to join Mark for his next podcast of Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski! You can listen to the podcast live here on Wednesday, March 30 at 3:00 p.m. EST (1:00 p.m. MST). You can also catch the recorded version on iTunes (search for Creative Mojo in podcasts after the live broadcast).

 I love Mark. He's a prolific talent. He's shaken the world of quilting by its roots. He's rebellious. He thinks outside the box. His energy is fierce and infectious. He shares what's on his mind. He is fearless.

(And that's why I'm a teeny bit scared. Go easy on me, Mark.)

True American rebel? Right here, baby.

Hope you'll join Mark and me for talk and tweets about ReSew and the refashion revolution. And whatever else comes to Mark's mind.

Whether I end up bombing or just getting by, I can guarantee that with Mark at the helm it'll be lively--hope you'll drop by for a listen!

a wildcards tutorial: funky felted basket

FIRST, AN ALERT. (Not an "ALERT: Jackspeak." Although I'm sure he'll be alerting me about something any moment now.)

Today you can head over to the incredibly inspiring sewing site, BurdaStyle, for their "Project of the Week." This week, it's from ReSew!


Alison Dahl Kelly, Editor/Creative Director at BurdaStyle (and a competitor on season three of Project Runway), chose the "Sugar Stripes Dress" to feature from the book. The sewing community at BurdaStyle is helpful, encouraging, and jaw-drop-on-floor talented. I am so thrilled to be a part of BurdaStyle this week! I hope you'll head on over for a look, plus the chance to win a copy of ReSew.

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Okay, onto today's post!

If you missed it at Crafting a Green World, here's my way of making felted baskets out of thrifted wool sweaters. You can make them in any size, from big and fat to tall and skinny; just change the size of the rectangles and squares. I love the idea of making them for gifts, and then filling them up with little treasures like jewelry, small sewing supplies, gift cards, a stash of pens or pencils... stuff like that. Candy works too. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Lindt Mint Lindor Truffle Balls fit very nicely. Just in case anyone wants to make a basket for me.

The basket requires just a few basic sewing tools, and it's a hand-sew only project. Timid about hand-sewing? Don't be! You can be as beginner-ish as you wish--your stitches will disappear right into that plush felted wool.

C'mon, let me show you how to make it!

funky felted basket tutorial

This little basket was made from the leftover scraps of two wool sweaters I just couldn’t throw out. I opted for a solid color on the inside of this basket and a colorful stripe on the outside, but you can choose whatever color combinations you like. You can also make the basket from just one sweater, with the same fabric on the inside and the outside of the basket.

Here are “before” photos of the sweaters I used:


To make the basket, here’s what you’ll need:

Two 100% wool sweaters (or just one); scissors or rotary-cutting equipment; a ruler, measuring tape, or rotary ruler; long pins; thick thread or thin yarn to coordinate with your sweaters (I used perle cotton thread); a large-eye needle; sewing thread to coordinate with your sweaters; a piece of corrugated cardboard, about 9" x 9"; and buttons (optional).

Note: Your wool sweaters need to be “felted” so they won’t fray when cut. To felt a sweater, simply machine wash and dry it, using cycles you would normally use. You may need to wash your sweater more than once for it to fully felt; when you can’t see the stitches in the sweater any longer, you’ll know it’s felted enough to cut into it without any unraveling.

From each of the sweaters, cut 1 square, 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"; and 4 rectangles, 3 1/2" x 7". Determine which sweater fabric you would like to show on the outside of the basket and which sweater fabric you would like to show on the inside.

Lay one of the outside and one of the inside 3 1/2" x 7" rectangles wrong sides together. Lay the two 3 1/2" squares wrong sides together. Place the square layers on top of the rectangle layers, making sure the pieces that show on the outside of the basket are facing out. Align the edges of the squares with the short sides of the rectangles; pin.

Knot a long double strand of perle cotton onto the large-eye needle; hide the knot in between the layers. Starting 1/4" from a corner, hand sew the four layers together using a running stitch 1/4" from the edge. Make stitches about 1/4" in length and about 1/4" apart. Leave the needle and thread in place; do not knot or cut.

Lift the square layers away from the rectangles. Place another set of two rectangles on the square side adjacent to the side you just sewed; make sure the rectangle you want to show on the outside is facing out.

Align the square edges with the short sides of the rectangles; pin. Following the same sewing directions above, sew the four layers together.

Repeat the same sewing steps on the other two sides of the square. Your basket should now have four sides (above are photos showing the inside (red) and the outside (stripe) of the basket.)

Using the same sewing technique described above, pin and sew the four sides of the basket, starting at the bottom of the basket and continuing to the top.

When you reach the top of each side, tie off and bury the thread knot in between the sweater-fabric layers.

From the cardboard, cut 1 square, 2 3/4" x 2 3/4", and 4 rectangles, 2 3/4" x 5 3/4".


Slide a cardboard rectangle in between the sweater layers on one long side of the basket; repeat for the other three sides. (If your cardboard rectangles are too wide to insert, cut a little strip away from one long edge of the cardboard until the piece fits snugly in between the sweater layers.) Push the cardboard down firmly, until it fits tightly in each bottom corner. Place the cardboard square inside the bottom of the basket; push the corners of the cardboard securely into the corners.

Using doubled sewing thread and a whipstitch, sew the tops of the sweater rectangles closed, enclosing the cardboard in between the sweater layers.

TIP: Hand-sewing wool with regular thread can be a little tricky; the tiny knot will likely slip right through the wool. Follow these steps for securing your stitches:

1. Thread your needle; then knot the two ends of the thread together to form a loop.

2. To start a line of stitching, guide the needle through the sweater fabric where you want to begin. Hide the knot in between layers or along the inside edge. Before you pull the knot tightly against the sweater (and it pops right out the other side of the sweater fabric!), thread the needle through the loop of the doubled thread. This will hold the thread in place so you can begin your line of stitching.

3. To end a line of stitching, tie a large knot in an inconspicuous place; then take 3-5 tiny stitches over the knot and cut the thread close to the sweater fabric.

Okay, let’s finish this basket!

I found these cute vintage buttons at yard sale.

You can add buttons wherever you like, or not at all. I liked these buttons off to the side of this basket. When you’ve decided where to place your buttons, tip the basket on its side and sew them onto the basket using your regular sewing thread (see “TIP” above for securing your stitches on wool). You won’t be able to knot your thread on the inside of the basket—your needle will hit the cardboard!—so I hid my thread knots underneath my buttons.

I added buttons to the centers of each side on this basket (my trial and error basket).


You can vary the sizes of your squares and rectangles to make your basket taller, shorter, wider, or skinnier. Once you’re done, go find something to put in your pretty wool basket and display it for all to see!

Hope you enjoyed it; thanks for stopping by. Cheers, crafties!

ALERT: Jackspeak

"Okay, Charlie. You can poke me anywhere except my butt, my nutsies, and my eyeballs."

share the warmth! (or, got blankets?)

If you're like me, you'll make a quilt for most any reason. For a gift, for a child, for a baby on the way. For a wedding, for an anniversary, for a birthday. For yourself. Or for no reason whatsoever. Sometimes, it's just about enjoying the process of creating something. Just because. And that's a wonderful thing.

Unfortunately, the wire shelves in my laundry room are beginning to bend under my stash of "just because" quilts. And there are more "just because" quilts on their way in from the sewing room. I've tended to keep my "just because" quilts for "just in case" reasons--a baby on the way, a birthday around the corner, a special something for an out-of-town guest to sleep under. But there's a new charitable-giving campaign that inspired me to part with some of my stash for a good cause.

Martingale & Company's share the warmth campaign encourages quilters, knitters, crocheters, and crafters around the world to join them in creating at least 3,500 quilts, blankets, afghans, and throws for donating to local charities.

(Make them globally, donate them locally. I like that!)

To celebrate their 35th anniversary of publishing "America's Best-Loved Quilt Books" (not to mention ReSew), Martingale is combining their charitible efforts with a great giveaway--35 random winners will receive a whopping 35 Martingale & Company books. You can learn all about getting involved with the year-long campaign here.

I'm already planning "because" quilts for this campaign. But in the meantime, I'm donating these four baby quilts to The Road Home, a Salt Lake City homeless shelter in great need of blankets and other items (see their wish list here). Hey, locals! Anyone care to join me?

Quilted, knitted, or crocheted--whatever your favorite way is to get from beginning to end--I hope you'll consider making up a blanket or more to donate in your area. Or, if you're a quilter like me, you can head over to your quilt stash. You know those made-with-love blankees will be thrilled to find a home. Other than on the bending shelves in the laundry room.

ALERT: Jackspeak

Last week was "Family Connection Week" at Jack's elementary school, a week dedicated to encouraging students and their families to spend more time together. One suggestion was for students to ask a person in their family ten questions about themselves. I was the lucky person in the family that Jack decided to interview.

After the first question--"What's for dinner?"--received gentle redirection, Jack came up with the following questions for me. I didn't think it was important to include my answers. They sort of paled in comparison to the questions.

1. What is your favorite animal in the water?

2. What is your favorite height?

3. What is your favorite stuffed animal that is not a bear or a dog or a bunny, and is not pink?

4. What is your favorite thing to get for Christmas? Oh wait, I know what that one is for you. A hug.

5. What's your favorite kind of hairstyle--goth, or beautiful, or weird, or crazy?

6. What is the prettiest thing you've ever seen before?

7. What is your favorite kind of flying bird in the water?

8. What is your favorite food, that you haven't told me was your favorite food before?

9. Who is your favorite person? Not including you.

10. What is your favorite planet? Is it Earth?

Yes, Jacky. Today, it's Earth.

ALERT: Jackspeak

We're all in the bathroom. Jack's in the tub. Brett has just removed a weird, Yosemite Sam-style moustache that he's kept on for most of the weekend. I'm glad.

Me: "Bretty, you are really more of a goatee guy, I think..."

Jack: "Yeah, you're more of a goatee guy, daddy. Because people with moustaches, they have skinny heads, and they have tall hair, and they use hairspray. And they're like, waiters."

Brett and I stop. We turn and stare in great confusion at Jack in the bathtub.

Jack: "Trust me. I know what people with moustaches look like."

a wildcards tutorial: fly, fabric frisbee, fly!

Snow? Goodbye. Cold? So long. Wind? Please leave now. We wanna go OUTSIDE!

Spring is appearing in bits and pieces here in northern Utah. We can stare at our snowcapped mountains while the tips of tulip leaves pop up at our feet. During winter’s final flurries, I wanted to cozy up and make something fun for my two boys to play with outside. During spring’s start-ups, we’ll have something fresh and fun to enjoy.

Enter a fabric frisbee!

You can use this frisbee outdoors or in, actually… we’ve tried it both ways. My advice when using it indoors? Set a rule for low-flying only. Then hope for the best.

This little frisbee is a cinch to stitch, and promises no black eyes or goose eggs when it hits you directly in the face (and you can bet with a six- and two-year old flinging it around, it will). The rope encased inside gives it a sturdiness that will guarantee high-flying feats. Outdoors only for the feats, of course.

Let’s get started!

 

fly, fabric frisbee, fly! tutorial

What you’ll need:

• two coordinating fat quarters--one lighter, one darker


• large scrap of fabric for the background square and background letters


• circular template (such as a pot lid or plate)


• ruler, scissors, and glue stick


• length of ¼"-wide rope (two feet, just to be safe)


• safety pin


• needle and thread for hand-sewing

NOTE: I used 100% quilting cottons because they're what caught my eye in my stash. But I think you could use just about anything you have on hand—flannels, denim, or even fleece could be fun. In fact, when I make a second frisbee, I think I’ll try denim for even more durability.

From the lighter fat quarter, cut two 7 1/2" circles. (The circle size need only be approximate.) From the other fat quarter, cut one 5" square. Round the edges of the square, if desired.

Find a font you like and print out the word “FLY” in an extra-large point size. Since sizes vary from font to font, you’ll have to experiment a bit to find the right size. Spaced out, the letters should fit at least 1/2" inside the 5" square edges when the square is turned on its side to make a diamond shape. Cut out the letters from the paper and trace them onto the first fat quarter fabric. Cut the letters out just inside your drawn lines.

NOTE: As you can see, there is a second black square in the photo above. I had planned to sew it onto the back of the frisbee, but I removed it to make the design simpler. Please ignore it for our purposes.

ANOTHER NOTE: Try to choose a font that doesn’t feature an “L” that looks more like a “C.” You know, if possible.

Place your fabric letters onto the background fabric you’ve chosen. Using your glue stick, adhere them to the fabric, spacing the letters at least 1/2" apart.

Cut around the letters, leaving the background fabric about 1/8" wider than the original lettering.

Before you arrange your pieces on your circle, cut one 5 1/2" square from your background fabric, rounding the corners if desired. (I tweaked the design in process and didn’t photograph this step earlier; my apologies.) Now, arrange your pieces on one of the circles: first the 5 1/2" square, then the 5" square, then the letters. Using your glue stick, adhere all the pieces in place.

Sew the 5" square to the circle using a 1/4" seam (it will automatically sew the 5 1/2" square to the circle at the same time). Sew the smaller, darker letters to the circle using a 1/8" seam. Finally, pin and sew the two circles together, leaving a 1 1/2" opening at the bottom for turning. Because it’s hard to see the stitching on my black-and-white fabric, here’s a look from the back side.

Turn the frisbee inside out. Insert a long, blunt tool (such as a knitting needle or a capped pen) into the frisbee and push out the seam around the outer edges of the circle so it lies flat.

Wash and dry the frisbee using normal cycles so the edges fray up. Press.

Sew a 1/2" seam around the frisbee. This creates your casing for the rope.

Grab your 1/4"-wide rope and cut it to about two feet in length.

Insert a safety pin into the tip of the rope, making sure to thread through all plies of the rope if needed.

Push the safety pin through the casing opening. Gather fabric onto the safety pin; then pull the fabric past the pin and onto the rope. Continue pushing and pulling the rope through the casing until the safety pin comes out the other side of the casing. Distribute the fabric around the rope until the frisbee lies flat.

Overlap the ends of the rope, making sure the point of overlap snuggles up closely inside the casing. Sew through both layers of the overlapped rope; then backstitch to the beginning of your stitching. (Pin the frisbee fabric away from the rope if needed for sewing.) Cut the long ends of the rope close to the stitching. Push the rope back into the casing.  Turn the raw edges of the opening under 1/4" and whipstitch closed.

Now you’re done.

I’m not sure why, but a poem seems fitting at this juncture.

 

It’s easy to wash,

it's easy to dry.

Head out with your littles

and make that frisbee FLY!

Okay, maybe it’s not a POEM… not in the fancy sense of the word. We’ll call it a rhyme.

Not worth a dime.

No rhythm or time.

So bad it’s a crime.

I do it all the time.

 

Cheers, crafties!

(P.S. If you're looking for cool new stuff to make out of secondhand stuff, check out my book ReSew. If you click through, thank you!)

ALERT: Jackspeak

Early morning. Jack is coloring in a coloring book he received in his Christmas stocking.

Jack: "Look mom. I'm speed coloring."

Me: "Speed coloring?"

"Yeah. It's actually just scribbling, but I like to call it speed coloring."

The <i>ReSew</i> blog tour ends with luv: Luv in the Mommyhood

Welcome to the final day of the

INCREDIBLE

BLOG TOUR!

Today I'm gonna pile you into my cybercar and cyberdrive you over to the "mommyhood" to meet Shannon, the heart and soul behind Luv in the Mommyhood. Crafty? Check. Inspiring? Check. Addicted to Pyrex? Check! Along with her great tutorials, Shannon has a "weekend wishes" series that will inspire you to live your best weekend, every weekend.

Head on over to Shannon's place for a special ReSew Q & A as part of her "Moms in the Mommyhood" feature; then enter for your chance to win a copy of the book!

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I want to thank all the creative women on the tour who helped get the word out about ReSew. My little book has sprouted her own wings because of you. I am grateful.

Here's one more look at all the hosts from the tour--some of their giveaways are still open, and there are a couple of tutorials to grab too.

If you've been following along but your luck hasn't panned out, you can purchase your own copy of ReSew here.

Thanks everyone for following along--I hope you enjoyed the tour. It has been such fun for me to meet all of you!

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SEW, MAMA, SEW!
(where you can grab a pdf of my "Elephant Cuddle Cushion" project from ReSew) 

AMY'S CREATIVE SIDE

CRAFTGOSSIP
(giveaway open through Thursday, March 10)

CRAFTY NEST
(giveaway open through Friday, March 11)

I AM MOMMA ... HEAR ME ROAR

RESWEATER

THE LONG THREAD
(giveaway open through Saturday, March 5)

V AND CO.

CRAFTING A GREEN WORLD
(funky felted basket tutorial; giveaway open through Wednesday, March 9)

MAKE IT DO
(giveaway open through March 6)

The <i>ReSew</i> blog tour, day eleven: Make it Do

Welcome to day ten of the

INCREDIBLE

BLOG TOUR!

I love the blog we are visiting today. Calli at Make It Do has a philosophy that is close to my heart. She captures it in a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that she features on her front page: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." With tips and advice for not only sewing, but cooking, cleaning, and including your little ones in stay-at-home fun (marshmallow shooters, anyone?), Calli has a gentle way with words and a practical, quiet approach to life that I admire.

I hope you'll join Calli today for her review and giveaway of ReSew--I am tickled to hear that she may be raiding her husband's closet soon! Be sure to browse her blog while you're there--she'll inspire you to make your house even more of a home.

The <i>ReSew</i> blog tour, day ten: Crafting a Green World

Welcome to day ten of the

INCREDIBLE

BLOG TOUR!

Today's inventive site is going to give ReSew a run for its money! Kelly at Crafting a Green World will lead you into a innovative world of eco-friendly crafts where recycling, upcycling, and repurposing is revered. If you love "re" anything, you will flip OUT over this site. Once you get there, just try to remember to stop once in awhile to eat and sleep. Seriously. Set a timer or something.

I'm sharing a special tutorial over at CAGW today--grab your wool sweater scraps! While you're there, be sure to enter for your chance to win a signed copy of ReSew. Hope you'll join us today; I know you'll fall in love with Kelly's really cool, really green site.

The <i>ReSew</i> blog tour, day nine: V and Co.

Welcome to day nine of the

INCREDIBLE

BLOG TOUR!

With sharp, stylish designs, straight talk, and a good dose of humor, Vanessa's posts at V and Co. are just plain 'ol addicting. Her Fabric Flower Ring tute and Fabric Bracelet pattern make me wish I would've thought of them first. She's got categories called "It's All About Me," "My Crazy Kids," and "Somebody Shoot Me." Go for the craft, stay for the talk.

Head over to Vanessa's blog and read what she has to say about ReSew. She'll be hosting a giveaway of the book at a later date--she's offered to share her experience with the book by actually making one of the projects from it. Talk about an honest review! Got me shaking in my boots a bit, even.

Hope you'll join Vanessa today! If you do, I bet you'll want to visit her again tomorrow.