Saturday, February 21, 2015

Patchwork Fabric Bracelets

Here are some of the bracelets I make from scrap fabric. I sell them on my Etsy store, Erika's Chiquis Jewelry

Just to see all the Bracelets here




















Sunday, February 15, 2015

Sewing Room Organization Part 9-Organizing Fabric



This is the way I keep my fabric. Folded on  boards is so much neater and easier to see and use. I used to have it all folded. As you can see from the pictures below.


This way was awful especially the brocade fabric. It would pull out more than I wanted and dump half of the pile everywhere. It sucked. The brocade fabric was put in a see through container.

Other fabrics like my flannel for my cloth diapers are put in rubber maids facing up so I can all the prints. Some of my other fabric is also in these clear containers including my Halloween and Super Hero fabric. Ideas on how to organize using containers check out Fabric Therapy here

The Little Green Bean shows you how to cut the foam board for fabric  here

How to fold it on the foam board From Molly and Maddie's here

There are many other ways to store fabric but this is how I do it and it works for me.
Previous blog about fabric stashes here

Update
since we have such a problem in Maine with mice and squirrels, I had to put my fabric in containers so they couldn't get into them. I actually had to put everything in containers because mice were so bad this year for everyone. The local hardware store was selling out of mouse traps. I had to put many other things in rubbermaids cause I couldn't keep them out even with 5 electronic mouse traps. The traps worked fantastic but so many out there.
https://www.necn.com/news/new-england/Maine-Residents-Are-Rats-on-the-Rise-497062091.html



Saturday, February 14, 2015

John Wick

I actually saw this movie when it came out along with a few others that I'll write later about. It was an accident that we saw this because I didn't know this was coming out and saw a small preview. I thought it looked pretty good but we were hesitate because Keanu Reeves is known as a pretty boy(not into pretty boys) and I haven't seen anything from him since ??? I don't even remember.

Anyway, I was surprised when I saw this movie. Keanu did a very, very good job- I mean really awesome job. The scene where he reads the last letter, with the gift, from his wife made me want to console him as I felt so bad for Wick. This scene , for me, showed how Keanu has grown as an actor.
The physical scenes he did were terrific and he was very convincing as a bad ass.

I won't tell you how the movie goes since you should go and see it yourself. Fantastic fights with or without guns. Michael Nyqvist and William Defoe costarring and do a terrific job.
I hope Keanu continues his great work. I was really impressed as was my son who saw him only in Dracula and Bill and Ted.

Now about the pretty boy image. Keanu is now 50. I am happy to say he has lost that pretty boy look and he is just absolutely a beautiful man.




Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Sewing Room Organization Part 8-Fabric Scraps


This is how I keep my fabric scraps that are almost a fat quarter or less. Many of these are almost empty since I use a lot of scraps for quilts. There are many ways to organize but this is the method that works for me. I bought these containers at the Dollar Store.

I used to have it in a shoe organizer and it would take forever to find anything because you can't see it and once you pull out one item everything else falls. I've actually used 85% percent of all these scraps you see on this picture. I use this mostly for my Xmas present quilts.



 
 
 
 
I store fat quarters in this type of container that I also bought at the Dollar store.

I actually got this idea from Fabric Therapy. She has her entire collection of fabrics, fat quarters, strips, projects, etc. all organized, labeled and neatly stacked in her sewing room. It is fantastic how organized her sewing room is. She has five parts to it and you have to see it. Fabric Therapy


I've previously blogged about her here

I've also previously blogged about scrap organization here

I also have in 3 colored small bins to put scraps too small(small strips) to go in the other containers for making blocks. The red bin containers scraps that are for red, black, pink and orange colors. Blue is for blue, purple and combos of those colors. Green container for green, yellow and combos of those colors.
 
For really small pieces of ribbon, lace and fabric I use mason jars. These pieces are used for my scrap bracelets.
 
 
 

 
I hope this helps you organize your scraps.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

New Year's Sewing/Crafting List 2015

Here is my list for 2015. It looks like 2014 and 2013 lists. Yes, I know sew for myself once in while.

1. Finish Pirate Top for Costume

It just needs the elastic put into it. Finish the skirt too.

2. Make Two Summer Tops -one in skulls and one in Super Heroine fabric
this is the pattern


3. Yes, that Halloween Quilt or Duvet cover that I have been waiting for years to make. I think it is more of  dread to cut all that fabulous fabric up.

Halloween fabric on the right.

4. That beautiful Gothic Dress that I fell in love with for a few years now. I would at least buy the fabric for it.


5. Finish Two Raggedy Ann Dolls -one in Green Hair and the other in Purple(I did finish my gothic and blue haired one)


6. Finish a green, black and purple elephant like the one above in blue.

7. Finish that darn Mata Hari Costume.
At least it is on a mannequin so it can shame me each time I go in my sewing room.

8. Other things to get done are
Laptop cover for me
IPod cover for son
IPhone cover for son
Repurposed Bustle skirt from a pair of pants.

We will see if I get this done.