Friday, August 12, 2011

Inch Worm August Challenge


Oh hello! Let me introduce you to Nene. She is going to the market and is wearing her favorite market scarf so she won't mess up her hair. Her favorite kind of fruit is cantaloupe and she thinks chili is disgusting. Her hobbies are going to the mall and singing songs to her babies.


This was a fun project that doesn't take a lot of energy and time. I worked on it while doing reading lessons with my Izzy. While she read I hand stitched. I wished I used green thread rather than white but it's not that big of deal since I used a polka dot felt. For the scarf I used a pocket from some Heather Ross Munki pajamas. I never wore the pajamas but used the material for my own projects. It seemed a shame to cut up perfectly nice pjs but do you realize how hard her fabric are to come by and the harder to find the more expensive it is?! I love the orange and green color combo.


We have this fantastic collection of all the bugs Izzy has made during her preschool career. I throw away a lot but for some reason the bugs get to share a shelf with my books. Too bad you can't see the spiders and more butterflies from our collection. Izzy insists that I make her a boy inch worm with a top hat and scarf. I try to do a lot of projects with my daughter. While I sew she paints, draws and creates her own projects. We like to talk about what we are making and come up with fun stories about them. This project does not require a sewing machine and is a good beginner project.

Sewing My Brains Out

This last Sunday I spent the whole day watching Mad Men and sewing. Because I got sucked into a show I wanted to keep watching, which meant I had to keep sewing. I ended making/finishing Violet's tent. Above is a little sneak peak of what it will look like. I will make a tutorial, don't you worry your pretty little heads. It will also help if you go out and buy the book. That is also a nice segue into my next project: The hooded cape.

This is Izzy's very special friend. It was his birthday on Monday and I decided to make him the cape he's been asking for every play date. I made it with a black satin type material and a cotton bias tape. The hood is lined with the same cotton as the bias tape. The pattern is from Growing Up Sew Liberated.
Now he can be a magician or a Harry Potter wanna-be.

I also decided to finish the quilt I started for him. The kid loves band aids so I found some sock monkey fabric at M&L for $2.99 a yard. I still see it in quilt shops for $9.99 a yard. I bought it with big J in mind and also to have some boy fabric in the house.
I used a simple four patch pattern that is one of my favs and also he wanted one just like Izzy. For the back I used the polka dot flannel that is on the four patch on the top. A while ago I made him a stuffed elephant with the polka dot flannel so his other toy will match his "nite-nite".
It took a couple hours to make and another hour to quilt and bind. I didn't hand bind it rather I machine sewn the binding on. It was faster and it will be more durable for a 5 year old boy.


I also made some pointy kittys. I will show another pic with all the heads attached and the hair and details stitched on. This is a fun pattern and might make it on one of our monthly projects.
My next post will be showing that I am a teacher's pet and finished my inch worm project. A quick shout out to Tammy for her adorable pillow! Now you have to show off the quilt!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Tammy's Pillow Project-Amy Butler Style

Surf Widow is coming to visit on Monday and when I saw her a couple weeks ago I made the goal to finish my pillow that I had started the last time she was visiting and bind my quilt that she had helped me make the visit before the previous one.
So, good news the pillow is done and it turned out just how I had wanted it to.



It is actually a super easy pattern to make and follow.  Good job Amy Butler!
I bought the pattern at Material Girls.  (see side bar)

Hot tips on this pattern:
Make sure to place the fabric you really love in the middle because the top, bottom and side rows are cut off and as you can see you can't really see them.
I also had the amazing idea to shred old clothes and use them for stuffing.  This will not work for this pattern.  I was going to do this because I thought I would need a lot of stuffing but I only used about 12 oz.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Donde Esta Senora Mushbelly?

Oh Michelle! Yoohoo! Mushbelly! Hellllllloooooooo?
We have yet to hear from our third contributor so I am calling you out with a little online peer pressure to say hi and to contribute something. All those that are anxiously awaiting to hear from Mush raise your hand. And by raising your hand I mean, make a comment to get her on here.
XO~Marie
p.s. I bet she is busy getting her house ready for my visit!

Announcing the August Project!

I'm excited that I get to be the person to pick the first monthly project for this blog!
It is from the Wee Wonderfuls book.  
It is a sweet, little inchworm and I picked it because I want to make it for my mom.
Has anyone seen the movie Hans Christen Anderson with Danny Kaye?  My mom loves Danny, loves the movie, loves the music and he sings a song about inchworms.

Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigold
You and your arithmetic
You'll probably go far
Inchworm, inchworm
Measuring the marigold
Seems to me you'd stop and see
How beautiful they are


This is a sweet little inchworm whom I'm sure enjoys each marigold.  I am excited to make her.


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Looking For Some Cowboys


I recently purchased this wonderful book, Growing Up Sew Liberated. I have to say I am a little in love with the author. I want to eat her brain. (with a little Chianti and fava beans)
Ok, really, I don't like Chianti and fava beans but I do love this book. Let me give you a little book review and then we can get on to the good stuff, like my bragging.
She was/is a mother and a Montessori teacher. Her projects have purpose, not only would they show off your mad sewing skillz but she incorporates teaching, education and developing your child. There were too many projects to pick from but I finally chose to do what was on the cover, the tee pee tent. My niece's birthday is coming up and we are flying out to celebrate it, amongst other things and I thought, what would be more fun than a tent to hide out in? Anyone have any better ideas?
It didn't take much time to make and I bought the upholstery fabric for $3 a yard. The whole project cost about $20, which includes the pipes. Once I figured out the pattern, because you have to make your own, I plowed right through it. This being the Summer of Perpetual Visitors 2011, I wanted to have the majority of the tent done so I wouldn't have to deal with a huge sewing mess while everyone was coming in and out of my home. I decided that this tent would be my prototype and this week I will be making another. All I need is one comment saying that you want me to do a tutorial and you will get it.



Can you guess who is the Indian? I actually climbed in there and tried it out. It was big enough for me (in the fetal position) and Eva sitting on my chest while feeding me popcorn. We did end up seeing some cowboys but they were going to the beach to go surfing. I love outdoor play with my daughter. It develops her senses and teaches her to feel responsible for her surroundings. We go out every day. We spend a lot of time at the beach. This is going to be a perfect little changer and shade for when we go exploring tide pools and sea shell hunting.
~Marie aka tent maker master!

Blog Title *Update*

You probably are wondering why we named our blog "Pinchushion"..... Well, it was about 2 or 3 in the morning and Tammy and I were just trying to think of something besides a racist, "Asian in the Basement". What Tammy thought was pincushion was really pinchushion. That's what we get for doing this beyond the stupid hour. I was so surprised that pincushion wasn't taken, but it is and we are sticking with Pinchushion. Mental note: Nothing good comes out of anything at 3 am. I was swearing and unpicking the very last step of the Million Dollar Mermaid bag.
When my husband came home refreshed from early morning surfing, he not so subtly pointed out the other bags that were made, under my eyes.
Much love, Marie

Monday, August 1, 2011

Tammy's Dog Project.

I made some dog necklaces.
They were really easy.
I got the pattern from the Wee Wonderful book.



Here are some things I would have changed about the instructions:
I would have stitched the ears on before I stitched and stuffed the dog.
I would melt the edges of the rickrack rather then hemming it.
I would have sewn the back rickrack with the stitching of the dog.
I would have only used one piece of rickrack instead of two with a tie.
I did not hand sew the dog I machine sewed it with a really small tight stitch and it worked great.  I tried hand sewing for a second and it took much too long.

I think they turned out cute.
Eva's dog is Merryweather, Belen's dog is Clarabelle.

-Tammy