kerrykatiecakes

 I think I am becoming Queen of Small Finishes! Here is another very small project I made - a needlepoint bracelet.  This started when I found this small kit at the thrift store.  For $1.50 what do you have to lose?  And the idea intrigued me.  When I got it home and opened it everything was there although it had been started.  Granted, it was started with the wrong stitch and there were huge knots but the good news was it was not far along so I took that out and still had enough thread left to work the whole project. The whole thing is worked up pretty quickly with stripes using continental stitch and six strands of floss. The back is finished with a piece of satin ribbon stitched around with small tacking stitches, with the canvas edges turned inside.  Beads are sewn all the way around where the ribbon and canvas join and then a button on one end and a loop of beads on the other end for a closure. It's an odd project but it...

What a hoarder I am - saving every little bit of fabric and thread!  I had this little sample piece of canvas that was my practice piece of flower pounding  and of course I found a way to use it up.  When I measured it, it could be divided up into six pieces exactly the right side for ATCs! Since I have been feeling like I would like to try more canvaswork it was a perfect opportunity to experiment! I tried this one using a free cross stitch pattern.  Of course, I had to use my beloved Valdani variegated perle cottons.  This was the only one that disappointed - it is supposed to be a tassel. I tried making geometric designs and really enjoyed that.  I can see why people get hooked on canvas.

 I picked up this half finished needlepoint kit at the thrift store the other day for 50 cents.  Ugly, right? Well, the idea is that if I finish up the background, and tea dye the whole thing, it may be suitable to try to transform it into a Christmas ornament along the lines of the lovely ornament I was gifted with (below) in the EAC Winter Ornament Exchange this year.  Although this ornament I received was not an upcycled item, when I first saw it I thought what a great way to use old needlepoint pieces.  So, this experiment is in the works.  So is this lovely stitched card I received this Christmas.  Doesn't it cry out to be turned into an ornament to be enjoyed year after year? As you may have guessed, when I packed up Christmas this year, I didn't quite manage to get it all in the boxes.  Some items stayed out because they inspired me to do a little experimentation!  I picked up this cute little knit ornament this year and it insp...

I needed to make a two inch piece of stitching for a group project (more on that later) and so I thought I would do a bit of cross stitch for it.  This is a section of a Just Nan 15 sided biscornu pattern I bought and one of the sides worked out perfectly for what I wanted.  It is worked with good old DMC on some nice linen.  I really enjoyed the stitching and the colours and now I think I will have to put the whole biscornu on my to do list!  lol  The linen and pattern came out of my stash but I had to buy the threads so not much stash busting in this one.  You can never have too much DMC though so no worries.  I'm getting in my stitching time every day anyway. I really feel counted work, particularly cross stitch, calling me back lately!

 When I went into my sewing room a few days after Christmas, what was the first thing I saw?  Yes, you guessed it - this 2 meter piece of fleece I had intended to make into a nap blanket for my horse-crazy daughter in time for Christmas.  Didn't make it this year but have it done now in time for next Christmas.  I have made lots of these and around my house we call them nap blankets because they are so nice to pull over yourself when you are dozing off in front of the tv.  The ones I have made in the past were always fringed and knotted but this time I thought I would try a finishing technique on the edge that resembles a braid.  You can find tutorials around the internet.  This is how I did it.  First I straightened the edges and cut off the selvage edge.  Then I measured a two inch square in each corner and cut it out.  I love painter's tape for this and use it to keep my cutting lines straighter.  I went around all four ...

Another finish and another upcyled item and two more small items out of my stash!  This little crazy quilt pansy jewelry box started life as a round robin block made for me by Carolyn which I absolutely loved, especially the velvet applique pansy, and an ugly jewelry box from the thrift store. I will run through how I did the transformation below. Once you see how it is done, you should agree it is a real "trash to treasure"!  I am always on the lookout for wooden boxes at the thrift store that will accommodate a piece of stitching.  Here is the jewelry box I found in all it's ugly glory. The exposure on this photo is off a bit - the inside is actually jet black velvet with spaces for rings, chains, etc.  It appears to have never been used.  If you find something like this and want to try it, you will need to gather a few very high tech tools such as a butter knife to pry off the ceramic tile.  Step 2 is to toss the tile in the next box goin...

 One of the gifts I gave my daughter this Christmas was a body pillow but I neglected to give her any pillowcases for it ...oops!!  I went up to "the room" to see what I could find in the way of larger pieces of fabric that would work and came across a Daisy Kingdom wall hanging panel.  I cut down the sides and added it to the ends and then added a flannel cuff and voila!  - body pillowcase #1! I love that it says "Love Will Keep Us Warm" on it and that it is made of such nice flannel. Body Pillowcase #2 was made from a large tablecloth I picked up cheap at a garage sale because it had a couple small stains.  I was able to trim them off in the cutting out of the center portion of the tablecloth for the front of the pillowcase.  The back is made of two strips from the side pieced together.  Easy peasy and it made a very pretty pillowcase.  The tablecloth had a lot of embroidery and lace inserts and was very pretty. My daughter is happy and...

I wish everyone a Happy New Year and all the best in 2014.  January 1st is always a time of new beginnings and setting our sights high.  In recent years, it has been my tradition to set some stitching related goals for myself and to share them here.  I didn't do it last year and I wonder if that is why it seemed to be a "lost year"  as far as getting anything accomplished.  So, this year I am mending my ways and getting my goals down in writing here.  I usually aim high and then am happy with whatever I manage to achieve.  Sharing them here helps keep them in mind and keeps me honest.  So, without further ado, here is my yearly very long, very boring post! 2014 GOALS Stitch for 15 minutes a day - every day.  This is the best goal I ever set for myself and has kept me on track more than anything else I have done.  If you stitch for 15 minutes every day (yes, set a timer!) you will likely keep stitching longer on a lot of days. ...