Impromptu Kanzashi Hair Comb

Kanzashi Flowers are a Japanese process of using fabric squares to make flowers, often used for weddings.  Kanzashi flowers are always great way to use up fabric scraps. 

I did this project in about 15 minutes before work one day.

Here I'm starting with some squares I cut from the scraps of my Halloween costume

Fold Once, into a triangle

Fold Twice, into a smaller triangle

Fold Three, into an even smaller triangle, and vola a flower petal

Glue down 4 onto a hair comb

YAY, cute new Hair comb.

Ok there's still a little bit of work I need to do on it.  Can still see the metal on the hair comb, and it has problems staying in the hair in loose hair.  But I'm sure with a little bit more time and more creativity this project can be refined to a wonderful product

Easter Cards

Bunnies and eggs are for kids! I decided to stick with a spring floral theme for these Easter cards. Pastels and bright colors helped bring Spring to the cloudy gray rainy Sunday.



Cards are a great craft project for a crafting party! My friend Karen put the cupcake and chick designs together for her crafting party and then I got to make them and take them home. I love the little chick.



Little chick says "Cheep!"

Leafy Toss Pillows

I love pillows! Pillows are a great way to decorate a living room or bedroom and it is easy to switch them out as seasons change.

I have a pair of woolen winter pillows that I'd rather not store in the warmer months, so I created zippered pillow covers with some leafy fabric and slipped them over the woolen pillows.

Another pillow!

This little pillow has a zipper on the side, and the pillow form inside of it even has a zipper!

It is even easier to make pillows without zippers, just slip-stitch up the hole after you stuff the pillow form inside your fabric. Your fabric choices are endless!

Somewhere to Stick Those Needles

I discovered that needles get lost very easily when I just toss them on my magnetic pin catch-all.
That's why I decided to make this beauty:



This little emery was made entirely of scrap fabric I had lying around - some white felt (which I hope is wool, but probably polyester) some pink wool felt, and green linen. Ideally in making something like this you would want to use natural fabrics since fabric like polyester could dull your needles.

The button was leftover from a quilting project, and I used it to pull all of the layers together.

Quick Quilted Pillow Project

I made this pillow! Isn't it adorable?

I had fun picking out whimsical fabrics from my bloated collection of fat quarters.

I especially love the yellow print; it looks like it was inspired by Mary Blair! I tried to pick out coordinating fabrics that also looked like they could belong in a Mary Blair painting.

How To Make this 8"x12" Pillow:
Note: This pillow is pretty small; if I did this project again I would probably make it 12"x16" instead, or at least 10"x14".

1. Cut out strips of fabric 9" long and of different widths from five coordinating fabrics.
2. Sew the fabric strips together with half-inch seam allowances
3. Cut out a 9"x13" piece of fabric for the back and two duplicates of backing fabric (I used a plain yellow fabric which I had leftover from a Gryffindor Quidditch robe)
4. Sandwich quilting batting between your nice fabric and the plain fabric (make two "sandwiches").
5. Quilt the layers of each sandwich together by hand-sewing with three strands of embroidery threads in vertical lines one inch apart, alternating between two lines of orange and two lines of lime green thread.
6. After quilting both the front and back sandwiches, put the two quilted pieces together back-to-back and sew the edges (except for 4 inches on the bottom).
7. Clip the corners, then turn it right-side out and press
8. Stuff with polyester fill and hand-sew the opening closed.
9. Ta-da!