From sea to shining sea: The Big US Quilt

You would think that after the afghan debacle, that I would be off blankets forever. Just the opposite--I just completed designing my FIRST quilt pattern

. 

I didn't design all of the elements, but I am taking two great projects by fabulous designers and putting my own spin on them. 

The first element is a DIY United States quilt kit designed by Haptic Lab. I received it as a birthday gift two years ago, but having been waiting for the perfect project to use it. 

Second is the awesome 50 States Stitching Club by my favorite embroidery designer, Mollie Johanson at Wild Olive. The club is little more than halfway done, so I definitely have some catching up to do! I am up for the challenge, though.

Here's the plan: I will stitch up all 50 of the state motifs and applique them onto a fabric from Spoonflower that evokes the theme of the motif. Then I will use the same fabric on the map and will applique the state. Leftover fabric will become the sashing on the quilt top. 

Today, after printing the backlog of patterns, I measured out some squares of plain fabric to stitch onto. Then, I transferred all of the patterns onto the fabric and started to work.

Isn't Connecticut so cute? It is the state flower, the mountain laurel. Does anyone have a line on where I can find some fabric with mountain laurel on it? What else typifies CT?

DIY Upcycled Clothes Pin Bag

When we are kids, we never truly value the cool things that are around us. I remember both my mom and grandma having a clothes pin bag that they scooted along the line as they hung out clothes. It was just there: something that always was. A part of life. As an adult, I have stored my pins in a wicker basket and have never been completely satisfied. It occurred to me that I wanted what we had growing up, but they are tough to find. Time to make up a pattern and get going!

Like everyone else that I know, I have a fabric stash. You could use something from there, use tea towels, old bath towels, a pillowcase, or do what I did: use part of a soft and sweet vintage sheet. It had been used so many times that it started to wear through and rip.

 A new life if in store for it here! I took a section about 14 inches wide (the width of the pants bar on my wooden hanger) and approximately 36 inches long.

I am obsessed so I knew that I needed to add some. I found this a local shop that resells donated fabric, trims, and notions a while back and have worked it in to many projects. I sewed a strip along the edge that will be the opening and another about two inches down. This is where you can be super creative with ribbon, applique, embroidery, whatever you love!

I knew that I wanted a pretty sizable bag, hence the 36 inch total length  but again you could make the bag whatever size suits you and your fabric. Once I sewed on the trim, I folded up the edge with right sides together. I sewed the sides up and turned it right side out.

Lastly, I sewed a strip of hook and loop tape to the top edge (which as nicely finished since I used the top edge of the sheet) and another strip about 3 inches down, both on the right side of the fabric. I folded it over the pants bar and loaded it up.

Ready to hang! 

How Tuesday: Craft Tutorial Round-Up

In the words of Calvin (to his good buddy, Hobbes), "The days are just packed." Although autumn is my favorite time for new beginnings and new projects, the week that play rehearsals begins is always a bit hectic.  Although I have not had much time lately to make a ton of new projects, I am constantly thinking of new ideas and gathering inspiration.

 I love to make things and learn something new. Please take a moment to check the blogs in my side bar, they are some of my favorites! 

In addition, these great websites and blogs are wonderful resources  for craft ideas and tutorials:

Craftahloics Anonymous

Totally Tutorials

Cut Out &  Keep

One Pretty Thing

What the Craft

Craftzine

Metalwork Monday: Custom Color Bobby Pins

Okay, so today is a little bit of a cheat. I didn't actually MAKE something, I just embellished. But if you know me at all, you know how I like to match. This is one of the busiest weeks of the year for me, so simple yet helpful is the way to go!

Thankful Thursday: Upcycled Cookie Tins

This has been one of THOSE projects. Boom! Great idea. Get supplies. Try it. Mess it up. Stash it for a few weeks. Try again. Another mess. Finally, quasi-success! 

How Tuesday: Confetti Tumblers

Today is one of those posts that you see all over Pinterest and just have to try yourself. These glasses are so cute and whimsical that I will enjoy my morning juice that much more. They would make a great gift for the upcoming holidays as well. 

Metalwork Monday: Upcycled Soda Can Jewelry

So, it is fall. Well...almost. For some reason, fall always brings out the Depression-era Weas. Maybe it is putting up food, maybe it is school supplies... regardless, I have decided to make things of other things this week (and if not actually MAKE things, fancy them up a bit!)  Welcome to Weasinart Upcycle Week.

Sunday Funday: Doctor Who Craft Round-Up

I have had a lot of fun making Doctor Who-themed crafts lately. Doubtless, there will be another one coming up before too long! Until then, I have scoured the galactic interwebs for other sources of Who crafts for us all to enjoy and to serve as inspiration!

An obvious choice: Doctor Who Crafts

Cakes, crochet, quilts and more: BuzzFeed

Awesome paper/cube crafts: CyberDrone

A great collection of every type of Whovian craft imaginable: Craftster Who Crafts

Awesome crocheted TARDIS bag: Geek Crafts

Enjoy and please share anything that you make with us!

If you have any ideas for any upcoming Doctor Who-themed weeks or any projects at all please comment here or on our Facebook page. Thanks!

Stitchy Saturday: TARDIS Plushie...finally!

I will finally have sweet dreams tonight! I finally finished my TARDIS plushie. The Doctor and all things Whovian will be dancing through my dreamland.

TARDIS Thursday: TARDIS Bleach Tee

Who doesn't want a TARDIS tee? Sadly, my bleaching didn't photograph very well but I am super happy to have a little Doctor in my wardrobe.

How Tuesday: Peeking Doctor Bookmark

I think that everyone who stops by Weasinart knows what a huge geek I am. I make no apologies. Doctor Who just happens to be one of the things that I adore. I have enjoyed all the Doctors, but 10 is my favorite. Today's project is just a quick little craft to have a little doctor in your day.

Thankful Thursday: Seat Belt Cover

Some days, I have a tougher time identifying what I am thankful for than others.

Today though, I do not have to struggle. 

I am thankful for this blog and the ability to share. I am thankful that with prior planning, I can make life simpler down the road. 

I am thankful that my sweetie always has my back.

I am thankful for many little things. I am not thankful for my seat belt digging into my neck while I drive just because I am petite. I AM thankful that in just a few minutes I could make something that solves that problem and shows a little bit of my personality!

Thankful and Thinkin' Thursday: Blog Love

This week, I have been all about becoming a better blogger.

 In addition to my lil' idea Moleskin, I have started a blog binder with ideas and weekly plans. I was already doing that in my little book, but it was so crammed, it was tough to find anything.

While I was out flea marketing and thrifting this weekend, I bought several blog styling items (just wait until you see the vintage kitchen scale that I got got $3.99!). In speaking to the vendors about the blog, several wanted to check it out and I had to scrawl the URL onto scraps of paper. So, I decided to make blog specific business cards. They should be here next week!

How Tuesday: Paint Chip Dry Erase Board

I have been in love with paint chips since I was a kid. As a child, I would carefully place folded chips in my kiddie purse. They were my make-up compacts, my palettes, my tiny yellow brick roads. With the uber-popularity of Pinterest, paint chip projects are everywhere. This is my interpretation of the paint chip dry erase board. And yes, that is a framed photo of David Tennant hanging in my kitchen. 

How Tuesday: Upcycled T-Shirt Tote Bag

Everybody loves an event with swag. At least most of the time...too much swag just becomes clutter or things that we never use.

I could and would never wear half of the t-shirts that I get at races. What I would use is more reusable shopping bags. Problem solved: turn on into the other!

After choosing your shirts, lay them out on you work surface.

Cut off the sleeves, preserving the side seams.

Use a template to shape the opening around the neck.

Cut around template. I used a bowl.

Mark the bottom where you are going to sew the short shut.

I also decided the angle some side seams so the bag would be 

wider on the bottom. The angle sides serve as a psuedo-gusset.

Sew along your markings. I did two hems around each

side for added stability.

I filled one with running gear...

...and used the other for some groceries.

You can keep the memories with these great shirts,

but use them more frequently and usefully!

Sunday Fun Day: Button Headband

Some days start in the middle of the night. Today was one of those days. Mid-August marks the peak of the Perseid Meteor Showers. When you have a sweetie that was an astronomy major in college, this is a big deal.

 Hence, a Sunday that started very early, had a flurry of activity early, and was never destined for huge projects (MAJOR disaster this afternoon trying to do a project that was just too much...more on that later). The button headband project was made for sleepy days like today--easy to make, necessary when doing your hair is just not a priority and ideal to wear when life hands you a day to beautiful to stay in the studio. I wore mine on a gardeny photo shot (more to come on that front too) and while augmenting our bounty at the farmer's market and it got a lot of smiles.

Big buttons, teeny buttons, nothing matchy...perfect for the weekend.

I started with some of my very favorite mismatched buttons,

a headband with an elastic back (you could also make your

own headband or sewing them onto elastic), an embroidery needle 

and some white floss.

I forgot to take a photo of the inside, but I simply placed 

and fit each button, sometimes overlapping them, and secured them 
through the button holes with the embroidery floss. I did 

not cut and tie after button, but rather went right from one to the next.

I love it--easy, fun, and it goes with everything!

Stay tuned to hear about my misadventures in spray paint

and to check out my current photo project :)

Thanks for reading and have a great week!

Regrouping

Three steps forward, four steps back.

 Just as I was starting to re-focus and re-align my priorities, life has thrown me another curve ball. Everyone deals with hardship, it is true, it just seems like I have gotten more than my fair share recently. I have to have surgery...nothing life-threatening or even huge, but still costly and a more than a little stressful. That being said, my sweetie and friends are super-supportive and caring and they bolster me everyday.

I have been taking baby steps towards normalcy as I prepare for my "work"--I have cooked more seasonal dinners, reconnected with more friends, resumed my half-marathon training (though barely), begun work on my script for the fall play and have walked back into my studios.

Projects lay unfinished. Fresh supplies lay heaped on my cutting table and bundled on my work bench. New tools cry to be used and patterns beg to be begun.

So I have started to organize...chose what projects I want to complete first...brainstormed themes for upcoming posts...planned more yummy dinners...and move forward.

I want to finished my bird embroidery, complete my TARDIS plushie,
make a tote for school, and make some metal pieces with
my new embossing die...I need another Craftcation!!

I took the time to smell and arrange the flowers. And my
favorite retro cookbook has inspired a theme week!

Can't wait to make a retro inspired apron as
an awesome holiday gift!

As I deal with it all, I will run my
way to serenity...I hope.

Sunday Funday: Back in the Saddle...again...

Life sometimes just takes you away from what you would like to be doing. Granted, so many aspects of my life are astounding. I haven't been able to make many things lately (or at least record many)--I have run a huge race and am training for another, I have had a really great summer jewelry show (and VERY stupidly got NO photos of the work that I made and sold), and have been loading up on quality time with my sweetie before the busy autumn overtakes us.


That being said though, I feel a little hollow not producing things and sharing them on this blog. It is not that my readership is huge. Some posts, I am the only one. But in times of uncertainty, it has lent so stability and predictably to my life.


So, here I go again...dusting of the Weasinart and giving her priority again. Baby steps, but any steps are better than standing still. 


Tonight, my sweetie and I made a lovely vegetarian feast, full of produce that we grew or got just 'round the corner. And I finally took photos of it...enjoy.

Salad that we grew, squash and tomato tian and pesto rice...yum!

To make the tian, I sliced up two yellow squash, two zucchini,
and two heirloom tomatoes. 

I layered them in a casserole dish and topped with thyme.
It baked in a 400 degree oven (covered with foil) for 30 minutes.
I then sprinkled a light layer and shredded Parmesan and
baked, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes.

We had a load of basil in the garden,
so we whipped up a couple batches--one with walnuts
and one with pine nuts.

We mixed one scoop with some basmati rice and sprinkled on some cheese.
The rest we scooped onto a parchment lined sheet and popped them into the freezer.
Once they are solid, we will individually bag them to use thus fall.

After dinner, I walked by the studio and noted that I wouldn't be likely
to make anything when the bench was still cluttered from my
last session.

Ten minutes later, and I am ready to work again soon.

So, here I am again. Feeling a teeny bit more focused and ready to zip into autumn with scissors in one hand and my lap top in the other--ready to share it all with you.

TARDIS Thursday: This doorstop is bigger on the inside

Today's post is short, sweet, and freakin' awesome.

An awesome addition to my studio.

An ordinary brick, some craft paint, a foam brush, some tape,
and a marker are all you need.

Tape off the sign and windows and then draw in the panes and panels.

Simple but so much fun.
A quirky gift idea too!