Boro Stitching

So I have a new obsession. It seems to be the "new" thing on my Pinterest feed. Come to find out, it is relaxing and forgiving. While I love perfection, it is nice to just go with the flow now and then.

I have (among other things) an extremely large basket of denim scraps.

Needing a small project to do at night while watching Dr Who (yep, one of my favorite shows) I decided on some little pouches done Boro Style.
Here are two more. Both are available in my Etsy store. Just click on the picture.

The appliques were from cut from various fabrics and a fusible interfacing was ironed to the back to hold everything down while I stitched. I used a heavy cotton embroidery thread for the stitching. 

These are great little projects that should only take a night to finish up. Think gift card holders, cell phone pouch, jewelry pouch. I'm thinking of doing some Ipad covers and some larger purses. 

To see more pictures of these pouches, just click on the picture and it will take you to my Etsy store. I post extra pictures there. 

Want to learn more? Here are a few books from Amazon to help you out. ( They do throw me some pennies if you purchase one. So thanks in advance if you do.)

As always, keep stitching and thanks for visiting!

A Work In Progress...

Trying to get my MoJo back after a bout of just not feeling it. It comes and goes of course. But I'm back to it with gusto!

The weather (hopfully!!!) will be cooling down soon. So time to get those sweaters out that need an overhaul.

I forgot to take a picture of the before on this... sorry about that.

It was just a plain grey turtle neck sweater with long sleeves.

Out came the scissors and I hacked up the front sideways and through the collar.

I had this pair of button panels buttoned together waiting patiently for me to figure out where they belong.  They begged and pleaded to play with this sweater.
I added a triangle of a very heavy green flannel from a shirt I have been cutting off of for a while now. The little black dot on the right is a horse. I might applique something over it because I think it looks funny.

So this is what I have so far. Oh, and I cut off the sleeves.

I know, it is a nice picture with my pretty background. Usually I do it in my messy sewing room. But I was in there anyway....

Here is a closeup of the inserts down the middle.

I sewed one side (the button panel side) with a serger and did a small zig zag stitch on the side with the dark green.

I"m in a pickle as to what to do about sleeves. I cut them off and tried these wonderful heavy black and white checked sleeves but they were too small for the armhole. This may end up as a vest.

Any whoo, back to work! So many ideas!!!

My Therapist Said There Would Be Days Like This.....

Woke up this morning with so many ideas in my little ADD brain. So I decided to gather the troops and let the hamster brain go.
I have 5 dress forms now. Anorexia, Skinny B, Mia (as in it fits me), Broken Blue, and Rosie. (she looks like Rosie the Robot from the Jefferson's.)

Here are three of the girls getting ready for my creative endeavors.

I have been reading a bunch of blogs and articles about how to make my blog better and how to stand out more. ( to my all of 4 readers...).One of the things that keep coming around was for your readers to see your process. (I"m sorry....it did say I had to do that.) Well, my process is a bit scattered most of the time. I have a sewing room filled to the brim with thrift store finds and donations from friends. Here is just a peek at my supplies.

The last one is a work in progress with a tall bookshelf behind packed with t-shirts. There are three baskets under the table filled with shirts and shirtsleeves. Soo much stuff!! I can't tell you how many times I have tried to organize everything.

It becomes a bit of an obsession to collect the perfect garment for upcycling. I do believe I will be purging to regroup soon though. I have more than I can ever use and it can get overwhelming at times.
So the girls help out. I chose three tops to fit the three girls and start there. It helps me focus to some point. So when I start to spazz out, I just make sure I'm working on one of the three outfits. Then I do't feel so out of control.
So that is a peek into my process. I'll post more later on.

Stay warm and safe!

How In The Hell Did I Do That?

I was sewing along the other day on  the sleeve of a sweater. The hard way of course because that's how I roll!

When all of a sudden my machine made a terrible sound and my needle did this....

I think I now have a special kind of fish hook or something!! I have been sewing for years.... and years... years.... and I have never bent a needle like this. I'm great at snapping those suckers in half. Bending.. never done it.

I really didn't want to do this again. (probably couldn't do it again if my life depended on it.) So what now. I have no idea what I hit to bend my needle anyway. But then I got a great idea. How about sewing this sweater the easy way!! Ya think?

Of course I had to drop the feed dogs and use my darning foot. The rest is freeform sewing. I love freeform sewing. It's so messy and well, freeform. No more bent needles for me.

Hopefully next time you have to sew something awkward and you aren't afraid of the darning foot... you can try this.

And here is the sweater finished... you can see it in my Etsy store too!!
One sale a day is all I need!

Cropped Blue and Grey Sweater


Enjoy!

Bunny

Published... again!!

I'm so excited! Two of my upcycled creations have been featured in the new Altered Couture magazine!
I also have a dress that will be in the Winter issue! Now if I can just convert this into some sales life would be perfect!

Altered Couture had a slip challenge. Here is my before:

I know... BORING!!!

Here is my after:

Big difference huh.

It was so much fun to make and  to have it in national magazine is an added bonus!

Here is a picture of the back.

Pretty funky if I say so myself.

Now the cool thing is this magazine is great at asking for submissions. Go outside your comfort zone and check out the submission challenges. Here is the link:  Altered Couture submission guidelines

Now go make something funky and cool! You can do it!