A Different Kind of Stitching...

I know it's not a card, but hey, this blog is called Stamped and Stitched, and it's generally pretty heavy on the stamped, while the stitched is almost non-existent.  A couple of weeks ago I finished this crocheted blanket.  I've been working on it since the summer.  In fact, I spent most of my days at the pool making what seemed like millions of granny squares.  All the kids would ask what I was making, and when I told them a blanket, they just looked at me like I had two heads.  I know they were all thinking "Duh, lady, how can you make a blanket out of all those little circles?"

I had to take several breaks because of inflammation in my elbow (yes, it's a crochet injury...bet you didn't know that was possible, did you?), so it took a lot longer than I had planned.  But I'm so happy with how it turned out, and it matches my living room perfectly.

I had some squares left over (because this was the first time I made granny squares and really had no idea what I was doing...I made way too many), so I turned them into this little lap blanket.  It's actually not that little...it's just the right size for my nine year old.

In case anyone is wondering, I used this pattern.  You'll have to have a Ravelry account and sign in to see it, though.   For the yarn, I used this in Chocolate, Taupe Heather, and Oatmeal.  I probably should have made sure my curtains were in the pictures so you could see how perfectly this matches.  But if you'd like to see it in person, you'll just have to come over and stamp with me!

Stitched Gift Wrap

I thought I'd resurrect this post from the archives, as it's one of my favorite ways to simplify and save time at Christmas.  If you hate wrapping gifts, this post is for you!

You may not necessarily realize it unless you know me well, but I'm a pretty crunchy girl.  And I HATE waste of any kind, not just because it's not great for the environment, but because it's not great for my wallet.  For several years, the piles of wrapping paper littering my living room on Christmas drove me crazy (not just from our immediate family, but from the extended family that gathers here later in the day.)  It seemed so wasteful, but at the same time, how does one unwrap gifts if they aren't wrapped with wrapping paper?  I thought about it, and three or four years ago, decided to make a change:  cloth gift bags.  I asked my kids if they'd miss tearing into the wrapping paper, and they really didn't hesitate to say they could pretty much care less (they're awesome like that).

These are very simple bags:  three seams and a hem at the opening.  There are no drawstring closures, just an open bag.  I close them by tying a ribbon around the top.  So if you can sew a straight line, you're pretty much set and able to make these.

You may be thinking that purchasing all the fabric to make these will cost a fortune, but that doesn't have to be the case.  I didn't spend a dime on these bags.  I had piles of fabric in reds and greens that I was able to use.  Most people I know don't sew, so I tend to be given fabric on occasion.  Or perhaps my thriftiness is more commonly known than I think. ;)  If you aren't the hoarder that I am (I'm not really that bad, I promise!), you can often find fabric at thrift stores.  And while you're there, you may find old sheets, or even clothing that you can pick up inexpensively to recycle into gift bags.  It's easy to turn a shirt into a bag...many of mine were made from old uniform shirts that I had left over from an former part time job (see, now you do think that I am a hoarder.  I do tend to hang onto things that I think I'll use for something else...like gift bags!)  I even used the sleeves to turn into smaller bags.  Those were the easiest, because I didn't have to sew the sides. 

We only use these gift bags for our immediate family.  I still use wrapping paper for gifts for anyone who doesn't live in my house.  And the first year I did this, there was a mix of about half gift bags and half wrapping paper.  It took a couple of years to make enough for us to use them exclusively on Christmas, but now we're set.  Last year I picked up four rolls of wrapping paper after Christmas.  It will last us for at least another four years, unless my kids go through it more quickly.  They tend to me a bit more generous with the amounts they use than I do. :)

Flower Folds Stitching

Want to see how I spent my weekend? Cute, huh?

I've been wanting to make a messenger bag for a while.  I homeschool my kids, and we often go on field trips to museums or other places that require walking around all day.  I tend to carry a very large purse, and it starts to hurt my shoulder and back after a couple of hours of lugging it around.  What can I say?  I like to always have a book with me at all times, plus my wallet is really a day timer that weighs a ton.  Throw in keys, a couple of notebooks, a small Bible, some Epi-pens, and various other items, and it adds up (and no, I don't always carry all these things with me on a field trip, but it still gets heavy!)  I thought that making a messenger bag that I could wear across my body would help tremendously on these field trips.  But I've only thought about making one, and haven't done it.  Until I saw my cousin after Christmas.  She had a super cute messenger bag that she had made.  She also had a super cute flower pinned to it.  So I decided to copy her. :)  And I'm so glad I did!

I love this bag.  The best part is that it cost me less than $10 to make, and that was only because I had to buy thread, zippers, and a magnetic snap.  I had tons of the heavier weight brown fabric laying around, waiting to be put to use in reupholstering a piece of furniture (who knows when that will actually happen!)  I wanted to use Stampin' Up!'s Spice Cake Designer Fabric for the lining and ruffle, but I didn't have enough.  So instead, I repurposed one of husband's old shirts.  It was a favorite of mine, so I'm glad I could give it a new life.

I even copied my cousin's flower.  I used the Flower Folds Die and my Big Shot and am thrilled with the result.  Oh, and the button in the middle...it came off my husband's old coat.  Yeah, we don't waste a lot around here. :)

Hope you enjoyed a peek at my latest sewing project.  My kids both want to make smaller versions for themselves, so more pictures are sure to come!

Stitched Wrapping "Paper"

You may not necessarily realize it unless you know me well, but I'm a pretty crunchy girl.  And I HATE waste of any kind, not just because it's not great for the environment, but because it's not great for my wallet.  For several years, the piles of wrapping paper littering my living room on Christmas drove me crazy (not just from our immediate family, but from the extended family that gathers here later in the day.)  It seemed so wasteful, but at the same time, how does one unwrap gifts if they aren't wrapped with wrapping paper?  I thought about it and three or four years ago, decided to make a change:  cloth gift bags.  I asked my kids if they'd miss tearing into the wrapping paper, and they really didn't hesitate to say they could pretty much care less.

These are very simple bags:  three seams and a hem at the opening.  There are no drawstring closures, just an open bag.  I close them by tying a ribbon around the top.  So if you can sew a straight line, you're pretty much set and able to make these.

You may be thinking that purchasing all the fabric to make these will cost a fortune, but that doesn't have to be the case.  I didn't spend a dime on these bags.  I had piles of fabric in reds and greens that I was able to use.  Most people I know don't sew, so I tend to be given fabric on occasion.  Or perhaps my thriftiness is more commonly known than I think. ;)  If you aren't the hoarder that I am (I'm not really that bad, I promise!), you can often find fabric at thrift stores.  And while you're there, you may find old sheets, or even clothing that you can pick up inexpensively to recycle into gift bags.  It's easy to turn a shirt into a bag...many of mine were made from old uniform shirts that I had left over from an former part time job (see, now you do think that I am a hoarder.  I do tend to hang onto things that I think I'll use for something else...like gift bags!)  I even used the sleeves to turn into smaller bags.  Those were the easiest, because I didn't have to sew the sides. 

We only use these gift bags for our immediate family.  I still use wrapping paper for gifts for anyone who doesn't live in my house.  And the first year I did this, there was a mix of about half gift bags and half wrapping paper.  It took a couple of years to make enough for us to use them exclusively on Christmas, but now we're set.  Last year I picked up four rolls of wrapping paper after Christmas.  It will last us for at least another four years, unless my kids go through it more quickly.  They tend to me a bit more generous with the amounts they use than I do. :)

Some Stitching

I thought it was about time to share something stitched.  I actually made these skirts waaaaay back in the spring.  Recognize the fabric?  It's the Flirtatious Designer Fabric from Stampin' Up!  I have one purple-lover, and one who will always choose pink over any other color ever, so this fabric was perfect for my girls.  Since they each chose different fabrics, I only used five (maybe 6?) packs for both skirts, and had tons of the darker pink left over.  Considering it was a Sale-a-Bration selection, and ALL the fabric was free, I'd say that it was a good deal. :)  These are VERY twirly skirts, as you can see below, so a non-twirly skirt would take a lot less fabric. 

They were so excited to show off the twirliness of their skirts for the camera. :)  Oh, and in case you are wondering about sizes, I'd say that the purple is roughly a 12 (or maybe just a really long 10), and the pink is an 8, so smaller sizes would require fewer packs of fabric.