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! 

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Merry Monday: Crocheted Snowflake Garland

As the days get colder and the nights darker, I find myself snuggling in and just wanting to sip tea and and make things. I have resolved that at least 85% of my gifts shall be hand-crafted. Between embroidering, crocheting and sewing, I decided that my house needed some handmade holiday cheer of its own. 

The crocheted snowflake garland was the perfect solution.

To make the snowflakes:
Ch 5 on hook size 3 mm  and form a ring with 1 sl st in first ch.
Row 1: ch 1, 11 sc in ch-ring, finish with 1 sl st in first ch.Row 2: ch 2, * 1 dc in next sc, ch 6, 1 dc in next sc *, repeat 5 times, 1 dc in next sc, ch 6, finish with 1 sl st in 2nd ch from beg of round = 6 ch spaces.Row 3: ch 1, * 1 sc between the next 2 dc, 4 sc in ch space, ch 3, 4 sc in ch space *, repeat from *-* a total of 5 times, 1 sc between the next 2 dc, 4 sc in ch space, ch 20, 4 sc in ch space, finish with 1 sl st in ch from beg of round. Fasten off.

I made a snowy pile of flakes, some for the garland and some to give as small tokens.

To make the flakes more defined, I used t-pins to stretch out each one on a cardboard copy paper lid covered with wax paper. The lid allowed the pins to do as deep as necessary and the wax paper kept the cardboard from getting soaked with the starch.

I sprayed them all liberally with laundry starch and let them dry overnight.

I tied each snowflake to a string of white lights and finally wrapped a doubled length of strung sequins around the strand. I love how the lights shimmer off the sequins and the silver threads in the snowflakes. Because the garland is not Christmas specific, I plan on leaving it up though the winter for a little glow on those dark winter nights.

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.

WIP Wednesday-TARDIS Plushie

Do you ever start a project, just to have it migrate to the bottom of your work basket, forgotten? Sadly, I started this TARDIS months ago with plans to make it into a plushie. I am happy to say that it is ALMOST done!

Stitchy Saturday: Embroidered Shirt

I have long loved embroidered Mexican blouses and skirts, but I am a small gal. That much pattern can overwhelm a small frame. I have also always wanted to try stitching on a knit. This project allowed me to control the amount of embroidery and experiment with a new technique.

For this project, I used a cotton v-neck shirt from

Old Navy, T-Shirt Stabilizer from Sublime Stitching

and was inspired by a pattern from So September.

Because I was free-embroidering, I wasn't sure how big the

stitching would become. I decided to iron stabilizer to the

entire collar area.

I began with vines stitched with split stitch.

I used two different shades of green.

To add flowers, I used lazy daisy stitch, 

french knots, and satin stitch.

I am really excited to layer this over

a coordinating cami and rockin' it

with a pair of jeans. Love it!

Stitchy Saturday: Birdie Brooches

When it rains, sometimes it really pours. Right after getting over walking pneumonia, I had a show premiering and life was just a little bit overwhelming.


 I was really bummed that I had to take a week off, I was concerned that once I took a break that I wouldn't be able to come back with vigor. I admit that I lost my zeal for a little while there. I haven't made anything in over a week. That is rough. I signed up to do a quilt block swap this month (whoops!) and I have until Friday to design, make, and ship four blocks.Yikes!


 My sweetie and I went to a great plant sale this morning and spent several hours working on his plot in the community garden before he left for a business trip. I dropped a pretty sizable chunk of change on flowers, veggies and herbs for the many gardens that surround my home. Not one of them is ready for them. 


But, I will hit my stride again. I can finally run again, albeit in small amounts for now. I will come back, on the rad and in the studio.


A little something that I whipped up just before the show was a series of birdie brooches to spruce up my spring wardrobe. They will help me wing my way back to normal.

The supplies: felt, fun fabric,
embroidery floss, and a pin.

I cut out the pattern out of both felt and a fun fabric. I cut
the wing out of the same fabric.

I stitched the wing on with the back stitch, used the satin stitch for
the beak, and a couple seed stitches for the eye. I sewed the pin to the
right side of the fun fabric. I used the blanket stitch to connect the two
pieces (wrong sides together.) I love them! They are so quick and are
a great way to use small scraps.

Stitchy Saturday: Felt Needle Book

I absolutely love to make things that are both adorable and really useful. Since I always like to be making things, I often travel with a project. Knitting and embroidery are much easier to take on the go than metal work or quilting, but it is never fun to reach into my project bag and poking myself with a needle. A handmade needle book was just the ticket!

This would make a great Mother's Day gift :)

I started with 4 pieces of felt, the largest being 8 1/2 x 4 1/2
inches. I cut the pages with my pinking shears to about
8x4 inches and I also cut two pieces of ribbon about
4 inches long to create the closure.

I pinned the ribbon to the inside (the "wrong" side) of the cover.

I stitched all the way around the edges, taking the ribbon down as I went.

I pinned the pages in and stitched down the center.

Complete, but a little plain :(

I cut two pieces of green felt for grass and several
pieces for flowers. I also choice some fun  buttons for the centers.

After stitching on the felt, I added some stems and leaves.
I added some bees, too...I love them!

Ready to go!

Thankful Thursday: DIY Leather Thimbles

I get great joy out of creating things. It makes me want to get up in the morning, knowing that by the time that I go to bed, I will have made something. Many say that beauty takes pain though. I agree. I don't mean botox or shoes that pinch. I mean bashed fingers, broken nails, and sore finger tips. Anyone who has done a TON of French knots for an embroidery piece knows what I am talking about. Thimbles are fine, but they can be unwieldy and frankly, for those of us with small hands they are often too big.

Craftsanity to the rescue! The spring issue had a great pattern for leather thimbles which could be sized to fit specifically, so I knew that I had to give it a whirl.

I cut pieces of soft leather (I recycled mine from an old
backpack), 2 pieces of felt, and 2 accent pieces (one fabric, one ribbon)
to approximately 2 1/4 inches long.

I stitched the thee pieces together. I wasn't worried about
a little overhang since I know that I would be trimming.

I wound it around, trimmed, and stitched by hand. Not
my prettiest job, but I can live with it.

Ready to take on those knots now!!

WIP Wednesday: Felt Flowers

Sometimes an outfit needs a little something. A flower is always a good way to spruce things up, even when they aren't in season. This flower works great a a brooch or you could attach it to headband to liven up your 'do!

I started by drawing a template on a thin piece of cardboard.
I drew a flower and a circle.

I traced them onto the fabric using a sharpie. You could use pencil
so you can cut over the lines or just hold the template
to the fabric so there are no lines. I wanted my petals to have a "dipped"
edge, so I went with marker.

On some flowers, I extended the edging the make the petals
look really dipped.

I folded each flower in half and then in half again. I snipped off
the point and applied hot glue. I attached each flower to the circle. I started
on the edges and filled in the center.

Once the petals were all attached, I glued a small piece of fabric
over a pin. You could apply the same technique to a headband.

Ready to brighten up your day!

Metalwork Monday: Folded Flower Pendant

Being sick has one or two tiny advantages. Instead of roaming around spreading the plague, I have been able to do lots of designing and some creation between meds, tissues, and tea. Yay!


I spent time this week experimenting with new techniques and tools and am pleased with what I have learned. Stay tuned for future posts featuring these great new design elements! 


One of the simplest new techniques that I tested was folding my flowers rather than dapping or doming them. It needs a little refinement, but am happy with my first attempt!

I folded and curved a nickel and copper flower blank and
riveted them to a brass filigree flower to create the pendant.

The tools: blanks and filigree, hole punch, design stamps,'
round nose and chain nose pliers, rivet/riveting tool, hammer,
bench block, marker, liver of sulfur.

I drew a large asterisk on each flower. It is a little
messy, but they will buff out when I polish them.

I punched a hole in the center of each and stamped
the edges of each flower.

I used my chain nose pliers and folded each flower by
placing my pliers on the marker lines and bending
the flower towards the pliers with my fingers.
After I bent the flowers all the way around, I used the round
nose pliers to curl the ends of all the petals.
Because the hole in the filigree is larger, I also punched
a hole in a small copper blank to hold the rivet on.

I layered the 4 pieces and attached all three with an eyelet.
It is ready for a jump ring and chain!