I have been working with my digitizing software this week working on some new techniques and I am so proud of how they turned out.  I wanted to try my hand at Trapunto quilting on my embroidery machine. Most of the Trapunto work I have seen is done mainly with White fabric or some type of Satin so you can see the negative space clearly on the fabric.  An extra layer of batting is used to make those areas very puffy.

Here is the work on my machine just after it has stitched out. Inspiration to design and sew for me more often than not happens one step at a time. I usually keep quite a stock of materials in my stash so I can work when I get an idea.  That is what happened here. I wanted to do a design that leaned more toward a masculine feel. Once it was embroidered, the white fabric was contrary to the design and I love it.

I also challenged myself to use some of the trims I found in one of my fabric grab bags. Here you see just using a little bit makes all the difference. Layering is a wonderful trick and even in a small area it can make your work look luxurious.

 So by now in this project I had pretty much decided to make a pillow, but not just any throw pillow. I thought a ring bearer pillow with a woodland theme would be very unique. Most of these little pillows are silky satin material with lace and wind up in a hope chest after a ceremony.  I wanted to make something that would be loved by the wedding couple and hopefully used after the vows in their home. The addition of elastic will make it easier for the item to be held and not dropped by the ringbearer.

Here is a view of the finished back. I love that it is cotton batiste. The additional batting really makes it feel substantial.  Of course the white color is traditional and very pretty but I wanted to see what another pillow would look like in a more vintage color scheme.

This one has a similar design with more detail stitching and a different trim. It is also a little smaller than the first pillow but with the addition of the extra embroidery, it still makes a statement.  On both of the pillows, the addition of a blue ribbon will help cover the something "new and blue".

Elastic was added to this one also.  There are many tutorials on the internet on how to tie the rings to the pillow so I simply tacked them to the front so the bows can be untied and used for that purpose.

An off white ring bearer pillow might not be traditional but I can imagine this fitting into a less formal affair or even a re-commitment ceremony. In our area, weddings held in barns and rural settings are very popular also.

These were so much fun to make and each one is unique.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

One of the sweetest gifts to sew is a baby blanket. I have some friends that are brand new grandparents and once I heard about their newest edition Emilio, I knew right away what my next project would be.

This knit fabric is so very soft and the timeless nursery rhyme theme is perfect for either a boy or girl.  It would work as a receiving blanket by itself, but I wanted to add some embroidery to the front, so I added a second piece of fleece fabric to the back of it to help stabilize my design.

I used my embroidery software to digitize a little cow jumping over the moon to look like the fabric.  Then I added the text and embroidered it on a cream colored fleece.

I used a zig zag stitch and attached the fleece to the middle of the printed knit fabric. Then I added some stippling all around the design to give it some dimension.  It would have been very cute just like that, but I wanted to frame it out. So I looked for a coordinating ribbon.

I cut four pieces to the length of each side of the fleece and with a fabric glue stick, I basted them in place.

A blanket stitch around the inside and outside perimeter  really gives it an extra detail.  It will also help keep the ribbon attached through many washings.

Using my software, I digitized his name along with some knockdown stitches so the pile of the fleece would not cover up the text.  Next I stitched it onto the fabric and then placed both pieces right sides together so I could sew all around the outside connecting them.

A four thread overlock stitch on a serger made it go very quick and I rounded the corners also. With a small opening on the side I was able to turn everything right side out.

Little clips helped hold everything together so I could go around the edge and do a stretch zigzag seam as well as close the opening. I also pulled the fabric a little as I sewed and created a lettuce edge.

Everything on the blanket it sewn in a very sturdy way so it will be able to be washed and dried repeatedly.

This was such a fun and easy project. I know little Emilio will be so sweet snuggled up in this one and as I sewed it for him, those thoughts made it even more enjoyable for me to imagine his mom and dad using and loving this blanket. It really is just as fulfilling for the maker as the receiver.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

My latest project came about because the seasons are changing and it is time to pull out those in between clothing items.  We have cool mornings and warmer afternoons. It makes it hard to judge what to wear. If you are like me, you probably have those few items in your closet that you will automatically go to because they either fit you well and they are most comfortable.

The gray shirt above is one of those for me and since I can't find it in the store, I figured I might be able to duplicate it.  The floral shirt is just one of several I have been able to sew after drafting a pattern from the original shirt.

I used folding techniques, a couple of rulers and some brown paper to trace off the pattern.

I had fun shopping for several pretty fabrics and I didn't spend a lot of money either.

Here are a couple of pictures of me wearing my shirt.

I think it turned out really nice and it is so very comfortable!

Here is a picture of part of my drafted pattern. I think the secret to this one was I chose a very easy shirt to copy.  If you are interested in the process, I have two you tube videos below you can watch.  The first one goes over how I did the pattern and the second one shows me sewing the shirt with my serger and sewing machine. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

 Recently I made the decision to upgrade my embroidery machine.  
  I have actually been researching different machines for about two years.  Although I love my single needle machine, I have been fascinated with the thought of putting a design on and not having to sit to change the colors.  Also, the idea of having a much larger sewing area is a great option to have.

So I made the decision to purchase the Happy 12 needle machine.  It was based on a lot of good comments from the online forums as well as looking at how the machines are made and a lot of investigating at stores and conventions.  The only concern I had was could I maintain a commercial machine. There is so much more to them than what I am used to with a home machine. 

It has been a learning experience even with all of my research and my prior embroidery experience. I ordered the machine sight unseen and didn't have much trouble setting it up once it arrived in the crate. I can say the instructions that come with it are cumbersome and if you want to start embroidering right away, you may have better luck going to the location where you are purchasing and getting a crash course. 

I put the machine on a cabinet from the hardware store so it would be nice and stable.  If you are considering purchasing one, keep in mind that they are much taller than the home based machines.

This cabinet holds all of the hoops I have purchased so far really well and it is very sturdy although the machine does not move around as much as I thought it would.

There are a lot of tools to keep up with and maintenance procedures so make sure you really look into it before you make your final decision.  As with most things in my studio, I want to know how they work so I don't have to depend on anyone unless I absolutely have to.  With this machine, I did have problems getting the tensions set up right.  I just could not get it together. Then one day it clicked after I had just about given up.  If you are interested in seeing what I did to figure it out, I have uploaded a video to my youtube channel here.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.  If you are in the market for a multi needle machine, they are wonderful to sew on. Once you do your research, go for it.  Happy sewing!

My latest project has truly been a labor of love.  I brought two things together that make me very happy: sewing and French Bulldogs.  If you have read any of my previous posts, you know that I am learning how to digitize in my embroidery software. Although it has been a journey, I think I am starting to see some success. 

For these projects, I started with a picture of a French bulldog that I got from the internet. I made sure I used one that was free for use from the public domain.  I pulled it into my software and hand digitized the image.  If you have done any digitizing you know that any design can be challenging, but animals are unique because of their fur.

I did a second French bulldog that resembles Jean Luc.  Once I had both dog images the way I liked them, I added other elements and text around. 

I decided to embroider both designs on duck fabric.  I was really pleased with how they turned out.  In the digitizing, I wanted to see if I could reduce the amount of jump stitches and keep the density down so the sewn out designs would stay soft.  It has become kind of like a game to see if you can retain the best qualities of the design while reducing stiches and time to complete.

I had some beautiful decorator weight fabric and ribbon that helped complete the pillow wraps.  These are a really great way to change the look of a pillow for seasons.

I cut the decorator fabric about 2 inches larger than the embroidered front, tacked the ribbons to the front with a basting stitch and then wrapped the decorator fabric toward the front with a 1/2 inch bound edge mitering the corners.  Then I sewed an overcast stitch all around the perimeter of the wrapped edge.

For a 14 inch square finished pillow wrap, the decorator fabric was cut 16 inches square. I also made sure that my ribbons would be long enough to go around larger pillows so each one of them was cut to 24 inches.  That means the pillow wraps could also be used on a chair back.

This picture shows one of them on my sewing chair.  This would be a great gift for someone in an office that wanted to have a little personalization. You could also use something like these on your dining chairs.

These pillow wraps were not difficult to put together and the possibilities are endless. With the decorator fabric on the back and the way the ribbons are sewn into the seams, they are completely reversible.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Sometimes, you just want to sew with no plan in mind and see where it takes you.  When I made this shamrock block, I wasn't sure what the finished product might be but I really enjoyed the process.

One of my new tools in my studio is an electronic cutter. I had some glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl and I thought a shamrock would be an easy object to cut out with it.  I used my cutter software and my embroidery software to create the cutting line as well as the placement line so I could applique the vinyl to a piece of denim.

If you are thinking about purchasing an electronic cutter or if you already have one but are afraid to use it, take a close look at the text.  That is not embroidery. It is the fabric background from the text being cut from the vinyl.  This is so precise if you have a good blade and all of the correct settings.  Once I had it cut out, I embroidered a placement line, put it exactly where I wanted on the fabric and then tacked it down with a zig-zag stitch.  A warm iron applied on the vinyl secured it to the fabric and finally the outline stitched around the shamrock. At this point it looked so pretty I knew I wanted to make something that could be displayed.

So I went into my fabric stash and found the floral quilting print.  I recently attended a seminar at my local quilt shop and the floral was part of a free sample.  I only had one piece so I knew I had to do something on the small side.  I cut the center fabric to 8 x 8 inches.  Then I cut four 2x2 squares for the corners and four 2X8 pieces of the floral.

I pieced everything together and ironed the seams.

Next I added a piece of quilt batting behind the pieced front and started playing with several stitches on my machine.

I lowered the feed dogs and did some free motion stippling

I tried a decorative stitch along all four sides and also quilted in the ditch.

I used heavy duty interfacing and made a couple of tabs so I could hang it like a sign.  My sewing machine has a decorative stitch that sews a circle. This was perfect to pass some organza ribbon though.

I used the remainder of the floral print for the back without any quilting. So it was a simple sew around three sides turn and then topstitch the perimeter.

This was a very relaxing way to bring a project together.  I just kind of played with materials I had on hand and I used the tools in my studio. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post and that it inspires you to sew for relaxation once in a while.  Share what you have learned and be generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

We have a new furry buddy "Rambo" and he likes to chew and drag everything.  So much that he has already gone through two beds. Luckily they were older beds that we had already.  Instead of purchasing a new bed, we decided to make one that wouldn't be a great loss if it too went to the trash. 

Here he is enjoying the new bed.  The project was very easy and the addition of elastic helps keep it looking neat while hopefully deterring him from pulling the pillows out.

He really was excited to have a new place to call his own and so far it is working out great.

Of course we made one for Jean Luc as well.  He looks so content here. If you are interested in making a pet pillow, download the pattern below.  We hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

I have been having way too much fun working on embroidery items.  If you have read any of my previous posts, you know that I am trying to learn various embroidery software programs.  I have to say that practicing really is the best way to learn. There have been some boo boos and several projects that have gone into a pile for "future" upcycles.  Here are a few of my recent items that I got finished and felt pretty satisfied with.

I found this apron at Harbor Freight (no affiliation)  It cost around $4.00 so a definite bargain.  The denim is not too thick and easy to embroider on.  I wanted to make something for my husband and since he is the "Grill Master" and thought this would be great to keep his clothes protected when he is cooking for us.  The pocket on the apron is sewn on with a long stitch so it was easy to pick out one side of it, hoop for the design and then reattach.  I used my software to digitize the little grill.

Once I had the apron done, I thought a mopping towel would be another helpful thing when he is cooking so I digitized the bottle and the fire extinguisher with my software and used the same grill from the apron. I think this is so much fun and a griller would love to have it.

The apron was such a big success that I embroidered another one for a relative. He absolutely loves "Uncrustables" (no affiliation) and there are several family jokes surrounding his affinity.  I have seen other similar designs referencing chocolate on the internet so I swapped it out.

I even did a little applique of an "Uncrustable" on the pocket after moving it to the lower right side of the apron. This way he has a place to stash his snacks. I love how it turned out. I used a very soft and fluffy fabric for the bread so it really simulates how it would feel. This picture was passed around the family via text and we all had a lot of fun picking on him but he was a great sport.

I made this little holiday pin for myself.  It is done completely in the hoop with canvas material on the front and back.  The inner layer is quilt batting.  All of the design stitches and the last outer line that sews attaches the back piece.

Once finished, I trimmed around the edges and used a small brass brush to fray all of the edges. Kind of like a chenille brush.  I picked up mine at you guessed it "Harbor Freight" for around .87 cents.  I also did a small tack stitch to add a safety pin onto the back so I can wear it.

This wall hanging was really easy to do since most of it is text. The internet is a treasure to find the cutest sayings.  I had some leftover stretch denim and I embroidered the design first.  Once completed, I cut the front and a back as well as some batting for the middle.  They were sandwiched right sides together and sewn around leaving a space to turn.  The hanging ribbon was sewn into the seam as I went around and then a top stitch was sewn to close it up.  An elf button and yarn tassle completed the project. All of these were short and easy and would make fantastic gifts.  If you are learning how to use your sewing/embroidery machine or software and have gotten a little frustrated, don't give up. I will usually start simple, complete a project and then give it away. Each time, you will learn more and get more confident and if you see the enjoyment on the receiver's face, it will make you want to do it again. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.  

 A tissue box cover is one of my absolute favorite things to sew and then give away.  They are really easy because all of the fabric cuts are rectangles. If you can sew a straight line, you should be able to create as many different varieties you want.  There are many patterns on the internet.  I decided to add pockets to my cover because I always seem to have small items near my bed or couch.  I thought the pockets would be a great way to keep up with small things. If you move your box of tissues to another room, all of your stuff moves with it!

I designed this one for one of my favorite people and as you can see they live in Louisiana.  So an applique with the state was a great way to personalize.  These covers would be an awesome gift for any time of year.  You could use the seasons, hobbies, monograms or professions. I mean really the possibilities are endless.  Tissues are kind of universal.

I have a download below with the measurements and several color photos showing my process.  The seam allowance is an exact 1/4 inch. That is the only thing that I would advise you to stick to. When you make your cuts, anything more and the cover probably won't slide on the box. You may want to measure your brand of tissue and make sure the measurements will work for you just in case. I tend to buy whatever brand is on sale and haven't had any issues but you never know.

My receiver had a little extra "Lagniappe" tissue holder. I sewed a quick personal cover that they can either keep in a separate area of their home or in their car.  I used the flannel material from the applique for the inside of the cover.  Like I said this is a wonderful universal gift.  They don't take long to sew either. If you are looking for a project to donate to your local retirement homes this would be fantastic. Also, your dentist, veterinarian, doctor, hairdresser etc would love to have something like this. If you have embroidery software and can personalize for their business, they will be thrilled.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Recently I was shopping in one of my favorite discount stores and I found this clock.  When I got it home, I was very disappointed that even after putting batteries in it, the timepiece did not function.  Maybe that is why it was in the "deep" clearance section.  Well, instead of trying to take it back to the store, I thought about doing an upcycle project with it. 

Look how cute it turned out and it was relatively easy.  I think the hardest part might be taking the timepiece out. That will depend on how it is assembled. I was not concerned if I bent the clock arms, but if you are going to try and keep your project as a usable clock, you will need to take it slowly when disassembling as all of those pieces are very easy to damage.

I used a purchased digitized sewing machine design from "Designs By Sick" along with some standard text in my embroidery software.  You could really get creative with this project.  I can think of so many ways to customize with names or themes for kids bedrooms and nurseries.  You could also make yours for different occupations.  I think your hairdresser or veterinarian would absolutely love to get one of these.  My local thrift stores always have clocks that have been donated.  Once you get them home and take apart all of the pieces, you could have unique gifts in a very short time. An added bonus is you are helping the environment by keeping a clock out of a landfill.

Mine has a special place on my wall right above my sewing machine.  I have a download below to show how easily you could make your own Upcycled Clock. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

If you are a crafter, you are probably like me always on the hunt for free projects.  I use fiberfill all of the time and there is a pattern on the back of the Poly-fil bags.  As you can see from the photo above, it is a stuffed elephant.  I was curious to see how it would turn out.

It was an easy project and could be completed within a couple of hours.

I decided to make three elephants. They were going to be a gift for three different children in the same household, so I made them exactly the same. You could do a monogram on the rump area which would be very sweet.

I also chose to use two different fabrics.  Convertible toys are a unique gift item and will add to the imaginative play.

The original pattern did not include a tail, but I thought it would be an easy addition by using ribbon and yarn.  You can really customize these as much as you want.  The eye for my elephants was done with an embroidery machine. You could hand embroider or use buttons, ribbon or paint.  Just be mindful of the receiver and be safe with things that might be a choke hazard.

The Poly-fil brand is very common and I use it a lot because it is the brand my local stores carry(*No affiliation*). They also have a website that has many more project ideas. You can click here to be redirected. I have a download below with more detailed instructions than what are printed on the bags. There are color pictures and my process.  I also have a download below for the embroidery file of the eye. This was digitized by me and you are free to use it for any projects. There should be several different file types in the zipped file so I am hoping you will be able to use it on any embroidery machine with a 4x4 hoop size. If you use the file for any projects, I'd love to hear about it. Let me know through the comments below or on my contact page.   I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

Cords for electronic devices are just a fact of life.  I always seem to have some kind of bag, purse, or backpack with me and my cords were becoming quite messy. I was beginning to worry about the wires becoming frayed so I knew I needed to sew some kind of keeper for them.  Although you can find  other patterns for these on the internet, I wanted to customize mine with the device that each one belonged with so I used my embroidery machine.

I used very little fabric and was able to make four in just a couple of hours. I did use canvas for the outside and soft flannel for the inside. My thoughts were the flannel might protect the cords from friction and excessive wear. 

I love everything about these, especially the cheerful color combination.  They have also made it easier to find the specific cord if they wind up in the bottom of my bag. So I went from a tangled mess.....

                               To a much better alternative.

There is a link below to my process and it is very simple.  If you don't have an embroidery machine, you could still sew several of these and decorate with applique or puffy paint. Using different ribbon or buttons would also be a great way to tell the keepers apart for specific devices. These would be a most welcome gift to sew for birthdays or Christmas.  I have not seen anything like these in my local stores so it would be something unique.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work.

This post is a follow up to my remnant worksheet blog.  I thought as long as I showed you some great deals on remnant pieces, I could also tell you about fabric store grab bags.  As you can see from the picture, This bag is about the same size as a quart zipper baggie.  I paid $5.00 and rolled the dice when I got it because there were so many trimmings stuffed inside, I couldn't really tell what I would wind up with.

Here is a close up. Can you see any good items in there?  Let's open it together.

Well immediately, I have already made my money back on this purchase. There were two brand new packages of lace and chenille trim.  The only thing wrong with them is the packaging. So if they don't look pretty on the shelf, they may wind up in a grab bag.  As you can see from the price, just one of them is regularly $2.99. I am feeling pretty confident now. Everything else will be bonus treasure after this.

Fabric remnants were included

About a yard of hook and loop tape and some cording will come in handy.

Beautiful eyelet trims

Lace, lace and more lace!!

Pearls, crystals and decorator trims

So many possibilities with these wonderful trimmings!  If you are wondering what can be done with them, just use your imagination. They are all end pieces or left overs, but I bet you can think of something a small piece of lace would work on. Perhaps a T shirt pocket or inserted into a too low V neck?  Purses and bags can always use additions.  What about hair accessories or socks? Handmade belts and choker necklaces.  Anything that has a small pocket or diameter would be a possibility.  Doll clothing is another great way to use smaller pieces.

Have I convinced you to look for these grab bags?  You may have to dig around for them. Most of the time they wind up underneath all of the other clearance items and because they look so messy in the bags, most people don't want to take a chance. You can see that when they are laid out, $5.00 was an excellent investment.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Are you a person that loves to look for discounts or coupons?  If you currently sew or are thinking about starting you may be hesitant because fabric can be expensive.  When I talk to most people about my sewing hobby, I usually get a similar response. "I'd love to sew but I can buy it cheaper already made at XYZ store."  You can fill in the blank for any big box location and that will be mostly true. If you truly love something you will find a way.  Most of my sewing projects involve using remnants.  These are small end pieces or precuts that are too short to go back on a bolt. They are usually rolled up and put in a separate section of the store with some kind of discounted price.
 Warning! They are Addictive.......

As you can see from the picture, this remnant is 44 inches wide and regularly sells for $6.99 a yard.  The quantity of this piece is 5/8 of a yard.

Now look at the new price. It is $2.62.  You might ask, but is that really on sale or if it is cheaper, exactly how much? The fractions make it hard to work out because of the conversion from inches to yards and price per yard. I can help you figure that out with a new Excel spreadsheet you can download below.  I was curious because I buy my fabric when seasons change, holidays are over and also when I find great remnants that I know from my sewing habits I will eventually use.  I just store them in my studio until inspiration hits.  I keep them in fabric baskets divided by fabric type and color.  This way they are always neat and accessible. In my mind I knew I was getting a better deal but to see it in black and white really makes me feel better about purchasing something I don't need but want.

Here is a screenshot of the spreadsheet.  It is free to download and use.  I'll go through how you fill it out but it also has comments in the cells so it is pretty easy.

Let's see how much cheaper this remnant actually was when I purchased it.

Enter the normal full price first

Enter the discounted price

If the remnant has the yardage written as a fraction, enter the top number here

Enter the bottom here.

The worksheet will calculate the inches for you and round it up just a bit.

Take that number and use the pick list to choose the inch number. Some remnants may just have those inches written on them so you won't need to convert from a fraction first.

 Once you hit enter, it will show you how much you are saving with the quantity you are buying to include the percentage.

I saved $1.85 or 41% on that remnant!

Some have even better savings like this sateen. I saved 64%.

This piece was a full yard of fabric that was in the remnant section so a great find! If you want to figure that, just enter a 1 in both places on the yardage calculator since it was a full 36 inches.  I saved 64% on this piece also. This spreadsheet is a lot of fun to play with and if you have an Office Excel App on your cell phone, you could download and do some calculations while in the store. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work! Happy Sewing Savings!

Football season is upon us and in our state, it is a favorite pastime.  I had some remnants of quilted muslin which I really love to sew with. Whenever I visit my local fabric store, I am always on the lookout for it.  If they have any, I grab and stash for future projects. Using this fabric for the Football Season Pillow was very easy. I cut two 12 inch squares and then embroidered the football and the saying on the front of one fabric piece.  Then I put the two squares right sides together sewed around four sides leaving a space to turn.  Fiberfill helped fluff it up and I hand sewed the pillow closed.

Here it is about to be wrapped up for a door prize. If you are attending a tailgate party, something like this pillow would be a great last minute hostess gift also. The best part about it is if you don't make it team specific, anyone who receives it can enjoy.  As it turns out the person that won this at our gathering absolutely loved it and said she knew exactly the spot in her home it would be decorating. Sometimes, simple really is the best kind of gift! I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you make.  Someone will appreciate your hard work!

This summer is rapidly coming to an end here and it has been a great growing season.  Most of my flowers and plants have done really well.  I have several beautiful pots on my front porch that were not so lucky.

Most of the day these four planters are in full shade.  I tried several different plants in them but nothing has prospered. As you can see from the photo above the light just does not make it to that area.

Yesterday I visited my local Dollar Stores and picked up several wooden birdhouses and some small wooden fairy fence.  I was also able to find some artificial cattails and other grasses.  I even looked in the toy section and picked up some frog bath toys and figurines.

A small bag of polished rocks helps pull everything together.

So now when you walk up to the front door, you aren't disappointed by dead plants. Instead the pots have some magical whimsy.

All of it was very inexpensive and it took me longer to shop for everything than to install in the the pots.  This will last until the seasons change and I pull out my fall decorations.

This would be so much fun to do with children. The shopping trip to your local Dollar Store may surprise you once you start thinking miniature.  There is a wealth of creative possibilities there.  I may even paint the houses or decorate them with some twigs and pine cones in the future.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

Dollar Stores are fun places to browse.  I love my local spots and frequent them often.  It is hard to pass up things that have bright colors and are inexpensive.  I look for things that can be embellished with personalized embroidery. If I can alter something to give it a new purpose or look, it makes the creative process even more satisfying.

The friend I made these items for absolutely loves to be in her kitchen. Blue is her favorite color and she loves the beach.  So when I saw these bright blue potholders and the tropical towel, I knew I had to come up with something cute for her.

I was lucky to have a dish drying mat in my stash that matched the towel perfectly so I incorporated it.

The entire gift came together nicely and she absolutely loved it.  I have a video on my you tube channel showing the process. You can watch it here.

Personalization is always a great choice for gifts.  I really love to create special items for people that would be difficult to find in retail stores.  When their name is on the gift, it shows the receiver you went that extra step.  It doesn't have to be fancy.  The little burlap sign above is made entirely with remnants.  Burlap is a homey textile and the family this was designed for loves that style of decorating.

The embroidery is a combination of a purchased design and software creation. Red canvas material really makes it stand out while muslin gives it a solid background to frame the design.  Layering fabrics and trims helps to give the sign a more substantial look.

The best part is seeing the sign in the home of this wonderful family. They really loved it.  If you would like to see my process for sewing this sign, there is a download below. I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you learn and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work!

There is always a need for homemade items where commercial markets may leave a gap.  I am constantly looking for things that are easy to sew or construct and useful.  If you have read any of my other posts, you can see that I am fond of dish drying mats.  They are usually made of forgiving materials and can be transformed quickly.  I have read many blogs about Blankets or mats for Alzheimer's or dementia patients.  The idea behind these is to stimulate the reflexes and keep idle hands busy as people with these ailments fidget and repetitively work things they can grasp.  

I thought the dish drying mats would be a great thing to use because most of the work is done on the material. They are like a blank cushy canvas. I wanted to have a very soft back on my mats in the event they were placed on a lap or hugged to someone's body.  

I used fleece cut slightly larger than the mats and sewed it right sides facing around the perimeter, then turned right side out and closed up the seam.  This made for a larger finished size and also allowed me to do all of the decorating on the mat enclosing the unsightly seams inside once complete.

If you have small scraps or leftover ends and pieces of lace, elastic and ribbon, you can have a lot of fun with these. I also used some rubber stamps and heat set ink to do small details like the little pillow above.  Buttons, beads, Ric Rac can also be used.  The most important thing I did was use industrial strength thread like you might use for upholstery.  I also made sure to use an anchor button on the back of all buttons that could be manipulated on the front.  This should help with aggressive twisting.

Small pieces of hook and loop tape, will provide a wonderful sensory experience.

Little plastic pockets can hold pictures of family members and be changed out.

Fussy cutting material that has themes like this recipe will stimulate reading or memories of cooking

Zippers and ribbon can be sewn directly on top of the mat using decorative stitches.

Appliqued fabric shapes and different stitches will help imaginations go to work.

Beads and buttons can be moved back and forth across ribbon or twine.

Sweet pieces of lace can be held and admired.

This mat even has two bows that can be used to attach the mat to wheelchairs or the arms of a sitting chair.

Here is another color combination with more ideas.  It is really up to your imagination and creativity what you decide to add to these mats. There is a gallery below with more pictures to inspire you.  If you have small scraps, don't throw them out. We used several embroidered items that were on other projects but had to be cut apart because of mistakes. Everything is a possibility. For a minimal investment, you can create something that will be helpful for the patient and it may also assist the caregiver as it will help comfort the loved one they are watching over.  I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you make. Someone will appreciate your hard work

Mermaids are very popular right now and I have a little friend who is redecorating her bedroom.  I have been collecting fleece remnants for a little while and they are starting to fill up my stash.  This gave me the perfect excuse to sew something really sweet for her and reduce my fabrics a little bit.

The embroidery is from Designs by Sick. (*no affiliation*) This little Mermaid stitches out beautifully.  The applique is very easy to follow and it doesn't take  long to complete. I didn't have a pattern to follow, but I did create some instructions to show how I worked through the process. You can download below. My little friend really enjoyed receiving this pillow and the fleece is so soft. It is a forgiving fabric to work with as it does not ravel.  The applique is not very big so there is not a lot of detail work in this project. If you are looking for something to sew in an afternoon, this might fix the creative urge for you. 
 I hope you have enjoyed this post, share what you have learned and are generous with what you create, Someone will appreciate your hard work.