Americana door decor

Just in time for the fourth I managed to complete a project I started months ago - new art to hang on my door.

With an overabundance of embroidery hoops and unbleached muslin this seemed like a logical place to start. Then I used a small amount of my wool felt stash to create the stars and stripes. My field of blue measuring 2 x 3 inches and the stripes measuring 1 inch wide and varying a tad in length. I secured them in place using felt glue - something that should be used sparingly so hand stitching doesn't become difficult later. Then I stitched around the square and stripes which took....forever. I recommend this as a project for that late time of night when you're vegging out in front of the TV.

Then I needed stars. I didn't manage room for all 50 (just 42), but this was I think the most time consuming part.

Since it was so small I couldn't make a traditional star shape and opted for this instead.

And to try and help me keep the rows straight (I failed, but we'll just call it "rustic" okay?) I followed this pattern.

Finally! I can take down my Christmas cones which should have been taken down months ago except that without it my door look so boring and sad.

A length of jute string looped around the top holds it in place.

This will be perfect to stay up until Autumn. Maybe I should get started on my Autumn art now so it might be ready in time. ;)

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A thrifted shirt should not look like a thrifted shirt

Some people have a problem buying used clothing. I am not one of those people. :)
I bought two shirts at Goodwill and while they were the light and airy summer type stuff I was looking for, they just lacked...everything that would make this a better looking shirt.

Let's start with this one. The dedangle-jazzled tank that had a section of bedangle-jazzle missing. Niiiiiiiice.


I cut all those off and was left with a very plain tank.


Until I saw this tutorial at Along for the Ride and made myself some rosettes! I pinned them on and then hand-sewed them. Let's just say it's a good thing no one will see the back side. Since the tutorial was for hair ties I, of course, made one to match my shirt! :) (and didn't photograph it? no cookie for me!)


The next shirt I bought because I was desperate and needed something lightweight and comfy and this seemed like it fit the bill. What I didn't know, because I didn't try it, on was that this doesn't fit anything.


I didn't photograph me wearing it so I tried to recreate it with a pixel drawing...I do not have Allie Brosh's skills for communicating feeling through drawings so forgive me.
It was loose and sacky, had three-quarter sleeves that came to just above my wrist (what?) and an insane plunging neckline. What to do with this mess?

For starters I cut it down the middle in the front.

I measured an inch in on those cut front pieces and pinned it so I could run a stitch along it - like a cardigan front.


And then I sewed. I am not a sewing fan, but Disney gave me the confidence to try it so I went ahead (with plenty of troubles, don't get me wrong)

Then I needed to massively shorten the sleeves so I stitched two rows on the top and bottom...

And pulled them into a ruffle/ruche thing. Looking at it now...I think I might add more ruffle / ruche things. But the sleeves are perfect length now!



And then I bought these super cute button earrings from Lovie and Boo to match my shirt re-fashions. :)


All in all, I think I need MUCH more practice sewing before I get good...or even...ENJOY it, but I did have fun fixing and designing the shirts. I shall try it again I think!

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Creations by Kara

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The Shabby Chic Cottage

The Shabby Nest

The manly java jacket

I knew that calling it a "cup cozy" would not work with the word "manly" also in the title.

I craft almost every gift I give and that includes trying to figure what to make a guy (if you want to read my poetical woes on that count, go here). Is it just me, or is it really hard to make stuff for men? Besides food I mean. The men I know like cars, engines, mud, tires, chrome, trucks, and things that go vroom-vroom!


They also like coffee, maybe because it makes them feel like they go vroom-vroom! as well. To combine those elements I devised a plan to make a java jacket that looked like a muddy tire tread.

First you'll need a cardboard cup cozy or a pattern for one. I *had* to get myself a latte in order to get mine. Ah darn.

Placing it over brown felt, I traced it twice using a black Sharpie. One piece will be for the front, the other for the backing.


To make the tread pattern I studied a bunch of tire tread photos and decided this is the basic idea. If you draw a mountain/pointy tooth line as long as your felt needs to be, you only have to cut once down the middle and then a second time on the other edge, therefore making two pieces with only two cuts. Clear as mud?

If you line up your pattern close enough to the edge of the felt you only have to make two cuts instead of the three I show in my really sophisticated drawing done with MS Paint.

Once you have the outside frame, cut a strip of black felt approximately 3/8 of an inch wide and snip it off in 5/8 of an inch long pieces. I ended up needing 25 of these pieces. These will make up the center of the tread and should be laid out in a spaced out herringbone brick sort of pattern.

Like the above super sophisticated drawing done with MS Paint, not like the spaced out brick below.


Using felt glue to hold the pieces in place until they can be stitched, lay out the pattern like so.
Because mine wasn't exactly measured I had to do a little trimming and wiggling around to get everything to fit.



Once everything was glued and dried I used embroidery floss that I divided in half (three strands instead of the full six) and stitched each rectangle and peak in the pattern shown below with the white dots. It's a lot of stitching, but this is for a man and I haven't known one who doesn't manage to tear up their things with regular use.


Not exactly pretty but you can see how sturdy I wanted to make it. It won't matter as it'll be covered up with backing anyway.


For a fabric java jacket you usually need a button and loop closure or Velcro. Since the cup size is likely to change, I went with button and loop - making the loop out of an old elastic hair band to allow for adjustability.


Using my felt glue and some clothespins I placed the end well inside to make sure it won't accidentally pop out when in use. When it is dry, apply several stitches around it (hiding them in the black felt on the front).


Next, sew on your button of choice and make sure it is sewn on very well. I placed mine about 2 and 3/4 inches inside the edge - this will keep it taut on smaller cups but still allows for adjustability to larger cups as well.


Once the elastic and button are stitched you are ready for the backing to go on. This is going to hide all your stitches and add an extra insulating layer.


I cut my backing 1/4 of an inch shorter than the front piece, applied felt glue and stretched it out and held it in place with clothespins while drying. Cutting it slightly shorter and stretching it should prevent rippling in the felt when it folds around the cup.


I then used my divided embroidery floss to blanket stitch the back and front pieces together.

And there you have it - a manly java jacket combining two of man's most beloved things: coffee and muddy tires. :)


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Today's Creative Blog

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Eco-Felt needlebook tutorial

Constantly losing needles? Pincushions not working for you when you travel about doing sewing/embroidery/quilting? That was my mom's problem. She was always losing a needle, or she'd go to a quilting group and have trouble transporting what she needed. That's when I decided she needed a needlebook! And then one of the ladies in her group noticed it and commissioned me to make her a few.

As fair warning this tutorial does not offer specific measurements - I used scraps for all of the ones I made so just use the ideas to make what you have work.

For the first one I started with a rectangle of eco-felt that, when folded up, would fit comfortably in the hand yet not something so small it would get lost in a quilting bag (you can see the measurements on the grid).

And for aesthetics I trimmed the corners off the side that will make the closure.

Once you've got your size figured out and how it will close, sew on the button and sew on any appliques. I did hearts for this one and I recommend using a felt glue to stick them on before you stitch around them, just so they stay in place evenly and don't end up crooked like mine. :)

I stitched around each heart all the way to give them a "poufy" sort of look and to make sure they were securely attached.

Now that you know how big your book is, cut the rectangles that will make the "pages" of the book. I recommend five pages - two to line the covers and three that will be loose.

Using a felt-glue I adhere a piece to the inside of each cover - this will add some thickness and help stiffen it while it also covers the stitches from your button and applique.

And don't forget to cut your button hole! :)

You can also cut your cover support as one chunk it just so happened I forgot to do that with this one. Each book I make ends up completely different, but they all work.

I like leaving just a bit of space between my interior cover and the outside edge.

Carefully line up the three interior pages and close the cover - now you're ready to stitch the whole thing together!

For all my stitching I use embroidery floss that I've divided in half. The regular size is a combination of six indivual threads...

and dividing it will give you three - still strong but easier to work with and doesn't look so bulky.

The first needlebook I made I hid my knots inside the last page and the back cover, but I found it made my binding really uneven, so if you are more expert in this area than myself (and that wouldn't take much!) it keeps your cover nice and clean. This time around I put my needle through back to front and made a series of six stitches like so...

My subsequent stitches placed so as to cover my knot. I think it was easier!

My finished needlebooks made using only supplies on hand (woohoo destash-along!):

Some variations I made:

Instead of making the front cover have a huge flap I used an extra scrap to make this which I adhered using felt glue and then stitched to secure.

I put my stitches on an angle. And don't worry they weren't this big or horribly spaced that's just as well as I can draw using MSPaint.Another variation was to make a pocket in the back for storing those long needle things (you can tell I know what I'm doing when I use terms like that) or maybe a small pair of scissors. I simply cut my piece extra long, then folded it up and stitched the sides together.

This piece is glued to the back as the back cover support.

There you have it! No more losing a needle in the carpet and finding it with your foot! Or going to a quilting group and digging around your bag thinking don't I have needles in here somewhere? Ow, ow, ow. Found them.

Happy stitching!