Our Kitty is Inspiring

Axol is wondering why his fur is on my daughter.

OK, our kitty can be a little aggressive.  He comes from a long line of feral street kitties from Senegal.  Who knows, maybe he has a little African wildcat running through his blood.  We all live peacefully these days but I still keep my eye on him when company comes.  No one can pet him but our family.  Those souls who are sympathetic to animals and usually can overcome the hardest animal heart are saddened by the hostility our kitty shows.  He is a tough little nut.  We affectionately call him our demon kitty.  He is almost as good as an attack dog.  Woe to any trespassers here.

See the demon horns?

My daughter is especially enamored with him.  I think she admires his fierce nature since she is a more gentle spirit.  So, for Halloween this year, she requested to go as Demon Kitty.  That is, our cat Axol.  With horns.  So you can see the evilness.

Her request inspired me to create a repeating design fabric based on photographs I took of his fur.  I then printed the design onto Spoonflower's minky fabric so that it would have a bit of a furry feeling to it and be a bit warm for a chilly trick or treat night.  Another bonus, the fabric has a bit of sheen as well.  I only ordered one yard to make her outfit but I wish I had ordered 2 because I had to make her shirt from the left over material and would have preferred a different design with longer sleeves.  But, I made do with what I had.
If you are inspired by our kitty too, the fabric is available on Spoonflower in a natural, ginger fur color and a magenta, Cheshire Cat color.

He doesn't look so tough.

Seahorses

While visiting Ames, Iowa my family stopped by the Ames Main Street Farmer's Market (every Saturday 8-12) to pick up some veggies that are hard to get in Ghana.  It's definitely recommended if you find yourself in Ames. My daughter decided to wear her new Seahorse outfit designed by mom to the farmer's market. 
I created the seahorse design during Spoonflower's design a day block print daily prompt back in March.  This week Spoonflower posted a seahorse ditsy weekly challenge prompt so I used that print to create the ditsy print.  I also used the block print to create another coordinating seahorse print. The material was then printed on Organic Cotton Knit.
I designed the shirt to have a curved hem which is slightly longer in the back.  Instead of traditional sleeves I used a ruffle.  The shorts also have a curved hem in front in back.  I have further plans for a dress and wide pants.
Fabric info: Seahorse Symphony Ditsy on Peach for her shirt and the contrasting ruffle is made with Japanese Fan Scale Dots Green and Teal.  Her shorts are made with the coordinating fabric Seahorse Symphony on the Reef on Peach. 


Seahorse Symphony Ditsy on Peach

Japanese Fan Scale Dots Green and Teal

Seahorse Symphony on the Reef on Peach

 

 

Sunshine and Relaxation

Here I am relaxing on the couch after finishing these lounge pants.  As soon as I completed my Art Gallery Printed Paper Play print, I said to my nieces this print needs to be made into soft pants.  Spoonflower recently made available Cotton Spandex Jersey, perfect for my project; so soft and comfy. This colorful organic print was made from a leftover printing project from my daughters class last year.  I cut out a bunch of shapes that were used by her class as an ink resist for Gelli plates.  I scanned in the shapes and then played with them in my design program.   Summer Blossoms Garden and the other color variations (below,) part of my Monoprint Variations collection, were designed in collaboration with my daughter using the same process.

Spoonflower will soon be changing the format of it's contests, so this may or may not be my last entry.  The theme is weather and love.  I chose to draw elements with colored pencils to make a sweet and sentimental ode to my children.  I have been singing You Are My Sunshine to them since they were infants.  Sometimes I still serenade them to wake them in the morning.  :)  Please consider voting.


You are my Sunshine

Here is a brief clip of the Soggy Bottom Boys singing You Are My Sunshine from the excellent film O Brother Where Art Thou.

Ghana Fish Market, Star Dress and Animal Families

Myrtle Dress at the fish market

Yesterday, I got out of the house and went to visit the international fish market in Tema, Ghana, a waterfront and factory town outside of Accra.  I have been to a couple of other markets in other countries and this one was cleaner and less chaotic than most.  Although, anyone planning on going should be aware you may be mobbed as soon as you exit your vehicle.  It might also be a good idea to know what you want to buy before you get there.  This is not a market to casually stroll.

Kai the fisherwoman cleaning some Tilapia

 In addition to the fish market, I visited a couple of Korean grocery stores, a German butcher shop and had a very nice lunch at a Korean restaurant.  The town felt very relaxing because there is more space between buildings and lacked the close packed feeling of the city.


Another version of Star Attraction

I wore my the dress I just finished sewing the night before from Sprout Patterns.  Sprout Patterns is a new service from Spoonflower.  At Sprout Patterns you can select a Spoonflower fabric which is preprinted with the cut and sew pattern.  I am wearing the Myrtle Dress from Colette Patterns with my own design Star Attraction in Mint and Deep Teal.
Today, 1 day only, this pattern is available for 25% off.  Other patterns will be on sale at Sprout Patterns until Thursday, November 26.

Also today, a new Spoonflower contest begins with the theme Family Portraits.  My entry is based on animal families of the American southwest.  Pictured here are the quail, armadillo, prairie dogs, porcupine and black tailed jack rabbit.  This pattern coordinates with others in my Southwest Animals collections.  Please consider voting.

Fierce Little Rose

This week's post features more sewing for my daughter.  She is still really into pink, so, while I have other colors of this design in my shop I went with her favorites.  I made two items for her in organic cotton knit, a drop waist dress with a Peter Pan collar and scalloped skirt and a pair of pants with a tuxedo strip.  I just love this photo of her looking fierce.
For the dress I used two of my designs, Hexie Roses Deep Hues (the top) and Profusion of Roses in Reds (the skirt.)  For the accents, I used Damask Matisse Style by littlerhodydesign.
The pants have a flower button waistband and use my Hexie Roses Deep Hues design and littlerhodydesign's Damask Matisse Style for the tuxedo stripe.
 My daughter is such a fun model it provides and extra incentive to sew for her.

Recent Fabric Projects: The Leaf Edition

After four years of living in warm climates it is nice to see the colors and smell the scent of fall leaves again.  All of the projects in this week's post have been inspired by leaves.
I love it when customers give me permission to share their projects.  Here is Rose Leaves Ditsy Vintage as a very lovely dress.  Thanks for sharing!

I took my own advice from back in July sewed this easy project.  I lined a yard of my Trash Art Rose Leaves Multi on White with a golden khaki knit to make a terrific scarf for cooler weather.

And I am very excited to continue supplying the wonderful children's clothing designer, Dandy Lion Company, with my Yellow Gingko Leaves design. It is used in a tunic that is part of their fall line.

Another Artist in the Family & Lunchbox

 My younger son takes after his mother artistically.  He has seen me share blog posts of my projects and asked if he could also share his art with the world.  He happily creates almost every spare minute he has and like to explore almost all kinds of materials.  Here he is 'fishing' for his Lego Mindstorm scorpion.  He both assembled the robot and engineered the hook/line assembly.  He even dyed the shirt he is wearing.


The next few pictures are a peek into the Gallery of his bedroom.  Mostly the walls are covered with 2D and 3D art he has designed, however there are two pieces of art he has purchased from local artists, Ismaila Manga (small square pencil drawing on canvas)  and Ousmane Sow, artist/painter-not the famous sculptor of the same name (portrait of a young girl.)

In the drawing of the swirly tree and column, he has hidden faces and shapes. Also on the wall, a drawing from a couple years ago of an axolotyl, his favorite animal, made into a Spoonflower wall decal.











 

Now for a couple projects not a part of the 'gallery'.


Clay sculptures, beeswax candle and cyborg doll

cyborg doll on bench of salvaged VHS parts & needle felted cushion

Generally he enjoys planning and creating his own projects, however, he did allow me to make him a lunch box from my It Can Be Hard to Keep Your Hands Clean Greens and Blues Small print. I lined the lunch box with PUL, to make it water-proof and wipeable and Insul-Bright for insulation. The outer fabric is Spoonflower's Silky Faille, and I was able to create this lunchbox from just a fat quarter piece of fabric.

Simple DIY tween gift

My oldest children and nieces are at the tween age and it is sometimes hard to come up with gift ideas for them.  I buy a lot of books for them but I wanted to try something else and then I discovered that friendship bracelets seem to be popular again.

Friendship bracelet gift pack

Supplies: fabric, thread, elastic, buttons or closure, gift pack supplies (see list below)

The Process:

I used 7in squares leftover from a quilting project and sewed together with binding tape but you could simply cut out 2 rectangles 15 x 8 in (includes 1/2 in seam allowance) of fabric or felt.

Lay out your items on the interior rectangle.   I am using safety pins and elastic to secure my supplies.

Pin elastic in correct position and sew in place.

Sew squares right sides together leaving an area to turn inside out. 

Turn inside out and sew closed the opening.

Place bracelet supplies inside case to determine placement of closure.

Sew on closure.

Voila!

 

Included in gift pack

Embroidery Floss (or other pliable string)

Safety pins for the string and when making the bracelets holding the weaving in place

Scissors

Optional:  clasps, beads and buttons in small bags, instruction booklet, needle

a pre-made friendship bracelet, instructions.

A great tutorial to get you started making bracelets:

http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/7/10/mollys-sketchbook-friendship-bracelets.html

I have included a modified form of her write-up as a booklet in my gift.

Learn from videos!

Bordered Chevron Bracelet

Heart Friendship Bracelet

Alternating Leaves Bracelet

Wave Bracelet with Beads

There are many, many more video tutorials on Youtube!

New Lunch Sack

sad old lunch bag

After a year of hard use the children's lunch bags are looking pretty sad.  I have been trying to convince them all that what they really need is mom to make them a new one.  My oldest is a middle schooler and so anything mom might make him is NOT COOL.  I think I almost have my middle child convinced but my daughter was enthusiastically in support. OK, I know this is ANOTHER pink item but anything for sewing, right?  She picked out the fabrics and we were able to rescue a few princesses from the scraps leftover from her dress.  I have lined the bag with PUL (polyurethane laminate which can be purchased here.) so it is water resistant and washable.

the new lunch sack

In Honor of Earth Day & A Dress Not on My Daughter



Drawing of finished bag

 
 In honor of Earth Day this year, Spoonflower is hosting a contest for a shopping bag.  The idea is that the bag can be made with one yard of fabric and reduce the reliance on plastic shopping bags.  I have used prints from my Pond Life collection since it is a celebration of aquatic plants and animals.  The prints feature blue herons, turtles, amphibians, insects and other creatures found in and around freshwater ponds in the northeastern United States.  Please consider voting in the contest.  The Heron and Cattail prints will be available soon.
And finally is a picture shown below of someone other than my daughter wearing one of my fabric designs.  She purchased Red Rose Argyle from my Garden Path collection and had it made into this stunning retro dress.  Thanks for sharing!


Full yard view of the fabric on Kona cotton



 

Sharon in Red Rose Argyle

Play Clothes

 Here is my daughter sporting her new play clothes from some of my fabric designs.  The capris and skirt are each made with just a fat quarter of the Modern Jersey.  The yellow capris are Acacia Flowers on Yellow, the blue and violet capris are Garden Path Jeans, and the skirt is one of my Floral Ikats, in this case, Pink and Violet Floral with Ikat Petite.

Kitchen Chickens

Around a year ago I started designing fabric seriously, although part time.  My first designs seemed to feature chickens frequently.  I didn't really think about it but when I was explaining to a friend my "chicken fabric" as I jokingly call it, I wondered out loud why so many of my early designs feature the poultry.  It occurs to me; I can blame it on my mom.
My mom loves the decorative aspect of chickens. I admit they can be beautiful animals. Many years our family purchased Hen on a Nest glassware for her on gift occasions.  Travelling for so long and living so far away from my family has made me a little nostalgic, especially since I have my own children now.  So, here's to you mom and here are your new kitchen curtains.
The curtains feature my design Garden_Path_with Rhode Island Red Hot Colors from the Garden Path collection.  Also shown, a swatch on silky faille of Rhode Island Red Roosters Ditsy on Green.

Fabric Fashions with Free Shirt Template

 I am very excited to share with you some clothing made from some of the fabric I have designed.  These capri pants are made with the African Lace in Midnight Blue print in a twill. 
 The second print, Rust Gold and Blue Grey Asian and Insect Collage is made with Spoonflower's polyester silky faille fabric. For this project I created a shirt of my own design.  The template below shows the outline of the shirt I created.  Please feel free to adapt the pattern for your own shirt.  This shirt is a simple pattern with the same shape front and back except along the collar.  It has a half inch french seam except on the collar which has a quarter inch seam.

Island Jewel: Sewing a Harem Style Jumper

 Almost a year ago I purchased some pretty jewel tone prints with the plan on making something for my daughter.  At the time she would not wear any color other than pink.   Finally, she ready for other colors (although I did have to promise to sew her a pink dress as well.) 
The Process
The Aladdin Pants on the Blooms N Bugs blog were inspirational, however, I used my own process. While in the United States this summer, I purchased a tank top that coordinated with my fabric.  Using a pair of her pants I traced a template for the inseam of the pants but left the outer edge open--about 18 inches out.  I sewed the pants along the template I created so far.  The next step was to pin and baste box pleats around the waist with the exception in the center front, center back and about 4 inches on the sides.  I did not pleat the center front and back to avoid weird pulling in the crotch.  The sides were unpleated so I could adjust the last pleats to the diameter of the waist.  I sewed the sides up and then created the final box pleats on the sides. I trimmed about 4 inches from the bottom of the tank and then sewed the pants on to the bottom edge of the tank. The next step was to gather the bottom edges of each leg and fit them into the homemade binding tape cuff from contrasting fabric. The gathers should be lighter on the inside of the leg and fuller on the toward the outside.  Lastly, I added the contrasting belt. 
My girl seems to be enjoying her new jumper.

Cape Cod T-shirt

My husband has been going to Cape Cod nearly every summer since he was a child.  I was inspired by the One Yard Wonders contest on Spoonflower to create a t-shirt for him for his birthday this year.  I printed my Cape Cod Boats fabric on organic cotton knit and sewed a t-shirt for him using one of his t-shirts as a template.  The design continues on the back of the shirt as well.  Despite his serious look in this photo, he assures me he loves the shirt. 

26 April 2013 edit-----Here he is again in the shirt looking much happier this time.  :)