Stampin’ and Stitchin’: Elf Shoes

December 9, 2015 ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

Hey Sewers!

there’s lots of Christmas preparation and decoration going on around here

these cute, cute elf shoes were stitched using my Bernina 750 embroidery module

the design is from Kimberbell

it is an in-the-hoop project

I used leftover fabric scraps from my stash

the base of the shoe is felt

the fabric is then appliqued onto the felt

all the embellishments (twine, button, etc.)

are Stampin’ Up products

a number of fun items will fit into the opening

I chose these yummy Reese’s peanut butter cup canes

I’m not in love with the look of the label, however,

so I chose some Stampin’ Up envelope paper (it is a little lighter weight than the DSP)

in cucumber crush to cover those tubes

plus, the stripe looks like elf socks, don’t you think?

I cut each piece 4 1/2 inches by 9 inches

added some tear and tape to the front and back of one side of the paper

and rolled it around the cane

there, that looks better

and here’s a decorating idea that I came across in my

Better Homes and Gardens Christmas from the Heart book (2015)

they used silver egg cups

I used my vintage silver bowl that I found last year at a local consignment shop

the greenery is from my shrubs that I finally got around to trimming

and I picked up the pine cones that dropped from the pine trees at the grade school across the street

are you preparing for the upcoming holidays, friends?

whether it be Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Christmas

I would love to see your handmade goodness

Happy Decorating,

Stampin’ and Stitchin’: Handmade Baby Gift

May 5, 2015 ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

#handmadeisthebest

Here’s a sweet baby gift for a special couple who recently added a baby boy to their family.

The diaper carrier is based on the tried and true pattern that I’ve sewn up a number of times.

This go ’round, I added some little machine embroidered bees to the front.

If you look closely at the fabric, you’ll see the fabric is printed with bees as well.

I hand stitched an oversized snap in place for the closure on this one.

The self-made binding on the pocket opening edges

was attached using the Bernina binder attachment #88.

#stampinupdemonstrator #stampinup #berrybasket

The Stampin’ Up Berry Basket (Bigz L Die, item #137366)

is the perfect size to hold baby wash cloths and travel size toiletries.

To make a fabric covered berry basket of your own:

– cut the base from vanilla coaster board (Stampin’ Up item #129392)

– choose a Stampin’ Up cardstock color of your choice for the inside

– and finally, use some iron on stabilizer or interfacing on the wrong side of your fabric

and run it through your Big Shot (item #113439) one last time with the Berry Basket die

When you have those three sets of components cut,

spread a thin coating of Tombo Multi (item #110755) onto the coaster board

and adhere your cardstock to one side and your fabric to the opposite side.

I also adhered some ribbon to the trim piece.

Then assemble your Berry Basket and fill it up with gifty goodness.

I used a storage bag (not the kind with the zipper) to enclose my basket for gift giving.

#stampinupdemonstrator #handpickedframelits #stampinup

The top of the storage bag is kept closed with a tab which I cut using

Stampin’ Up’s Handpicked Framelits Die set (item #137361).

The “sweet as can be” phrase is part of the From the Garden stamp set (item #137139).

Once again, cut this one first from coaster board, then cover it

with a piece of card stock stamped with your sentiment.

The final element of this sweet baby gift is a handmade garland for baby’s room.

Using the Woodland Creatures Clip Art set from Amy J. Delightful’s Etsy shop

I printed the images on card stock, carefully cut them out,

and then stitched them together using my sewing machine.

#amyjdelightful

Here they are all packaged up in a cello envelope and sealed with washi tape.

Gift giving is so much fun!

Have a great week, my friends.

Lotus Blossom Hoop Wall Art

February 21, 2015 ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ Leave a comment

Here’s another stampin’ and stitchin’ project for you, my friends.

The lotus blossoms are stamped with the Lotus Blossom stamp set from #StampinUp.

Sorry, but you can’t buy this stamp set – it is free!

Yes, that’s right, it can be yours for free when you place a $50 order.

But it’s only available until March 31.

It’s part of the annual #Sale-A-Bration:

To step up my stamping, I added some sewing.

A few free-motion stitches on top of those lotus blossoms

adds a nice touch of depth and dimension to an otherwise ‘flat’ surface.

With just a few stitches, you can go from one-dimensional:

without stitching

To three-dimensional lotus blossoms:

I like to use the quilting foot (Bernina foot #29)

because it is clear and it has a nice amount of surface space

with an enclosed needle area

so my threads don’t get caught on the presser foot toe.

Just drop the feed dogs, and use some stabilizer on the back

(I like OESD’s Ultra Clean n’ Tear)

with stitching

My thread color is Isacord #1730 (persimmon)

Then I took it a stitching step further and added

some Asian-inspired machine embroidery.

This is a built-in design in my Bernina Designer Plus v7 embroidery software.

The thread is Isacord (#3953 & #3853)

To line up the embroidery design with the center of the stamped images,

fold the stamped image in half and finger press.

That gives the vertical center line-up point.

For horizontal line-up, I matched the bottom of the embroidery design

with the bottom of the stamped image.
Most embroidery software programs allow you to print
a copy of your design (use that to line up the design).

A water-soluble marker works great for marking the center point.

Be certain the stabilizer from your free-motion stitching
is still on the back of your project

and use your see through grid to line up the center point,

then hoop it and let your machine stitch away.

For my fabric, I used an inexpensive tea towel from Wal Mart.

When your design is complete, tear away the stabilizer,

use a water bottle to lightly mist the water soluble ink, and let it dry.

I then added iron on non-show mesh to cover the back,

but feel free to use a light-weight fabric of your choice.

Just be aware that a dark color or print might show through to the front.

Then line it up in the hoop

in which you plan to display your new wall art

and trim away the excess fabric and backing.

Back of design covered with no-show mesh

Ta da!

That’s how easy it is to add stitching to your stamping.

Enjoy your weekend, my friends!