Saturday, January 7, 2012

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 47

Hi everyone and happy Sunday...the start of this week's Sew Darn Crafty Party. There is so much inspiration out there in blog land and linking parties are great to find ideas all in one place.

A great BIG thank you to all who link up each week and to everyone who stops in for a peek all week long. If you are new to this weekly party, scroll down for a few tips on how to join in on the fun.


If you want to add the button to your blog...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button


If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long at Sew Many Ways).

WHAT IS SEW DARN CRAFTY...
  • "Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
  • "Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
  • Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
  • ...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!! 

WHAT IS A LINKING PARTY...

So now we all know what Sew Darn Crafty means, let's explain a linking party again. I subscribe to a linking service, which provides the ability to link thumbnail pictures on my blog. The picture is a link that other bloggers provide to share their projects.

Two things can happen at a linking party...looking and/or linking
  • you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
  • you can share what you've been up to (linking)
If you want to be inspired by all the great ideas...just click on a picture and it will take you to that post from a wonderful blogger willing to share her thoughts and ideas.


HOW AND WHAT TO LINK TO THE PARTY...

Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

  • link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not  search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
  • link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
  • anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
  • visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
  • grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
  • the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
  • linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
  • just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,
~Karen~

Friday, January 6, 2012

Purge Your Magazines...

For me, the end of 2011 meant putting away Christmas things and organizing too. However, that creates a domino effect. I pull things out to clean and then organizing snow balls...right down to the pile of magazines.

I receive subscriptions to different magazines for birthday and Christmas gifts and I keep all 12 months of the year piled neatly to refer back to. Guests can also thumb through the many issues if they don't have that magazine at home.



At the end of the year, I go through all the magazines and tear out all the pages I love or need for future inspiration.








To store them, I take clear plastic protector sheets from the office supply store.


The sheets work great in a 3 ring binder.


Just slip each page into a protector.


Now you can refer to your inspiration book at any time.


Categorize each notebook or section for Christmas, Kitchens, Sewing, Crafts, Recipes etc...


This notebook is the "Flintstone" version of my Pinterest account. Pinterest is a "virtual" inspiration notebook. When you see something you like on the Internet, you "pin" it into your own personal inspiration file.

Click HERE if you'd like to see my Pinterest account. You can also click the red "P" on my side bar. I add new things to that everyday. It is quite addicting. If you've joined Pinterest, follow me and then I can follow you...inspiration shared every where!!

If you tackle one little organizing project at a time, your house will be neat and clean in no time.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Thoughts on Thursday...

Ok, this is one of those "Thoughts on Thursdays where I have to say..."don't do this at home ladies"

but...

How many of you know just how far you can drive after your gas light comes on...(just need to get to that one last store) LOL

Come on fess up...I won't tell your husband, significant other or your father. Just don't tell my father though, because he would give me THAT speech...that even at 47 years old I cringe!

I know I'm not the only one!

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Why We Pick A Blog Name...

Do you ever wonder how someone chooses a blog name? I'm thinking most of the time people select a blog name because it has some personal significance to them. We all reach for something that touches inside...a special family name, special place, where we live, a family member, family history, our special hobby or interest, a pet's name etc.

Choosing a blog name may not be the most important thing, but it sure does bring visitors to your blog. That's the first thing they read that peeks their curiosity about what inside your blogging world. Does the title of your blog really matter...the content is what keeps people coming back for a visit. However, they did need to make that first click to come in for a looksee.

Sew Many Ways...why did I name it that?

Sew... sewing is my most favorite hobby. Although, I hang my head in shame, I haven't sewn or quilted in a while...blogging has taken over. That is my New Year's resolution though...to get back to my sewing machine.

Many...many interests, many hobbies, many blessing

Ways...this where my blog name becomes extra special for me! Way is my last name

Sew Many Ways to sew, create, make friends, blog, have fun, cook, thrift, recycle, craft, decorate etc




Ok...now it's YOUR turn to share.

What's the significance of your blog name? Share with us the reason for your blog title...helps to get to know you better.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Monday, January 2, 2012

Tool Time Tuesday...Fabric Heart Bookmark

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday. It's Tool Time!! Today's tool is your sewing machine. This is a quick and easy heart shaped bookmark perfect for anyone or anytime, but with Valentine's Day coming next month...it's extra perfect!

This tutorial really is easy, but it's picture "heavy"...you know me with my pictures! Lol...I just think it so much easier to explain each step in a picture. If I got my act together and started doing video tutorials, this would take 5 minutes vs 40 pictures!!

Here is the finished heart bookmark...I made up this pattern, so with lots of trial an errors...I hope you like it!


The heart hugs the page and keeps your place...


with this little pocket on the back.


and it's thin enough for the book too.


Here's what you'll need...the heart pattern I found fits in a 4 inch square. Your heart may be a different size so adjust accordingly.
  • heart pattern
  • 2 pieces of scrap fabric 4 inches square
  • 1 square at 3 inches (I'll explain later why it's 3 inches)


The most important thing about your heart patter is the point. It MUST be at a 90 degree angle to fit at the corner of the book.

I found a free heart pattern online somewhere and then placed it on the corner of a piece of card stock to get the 90 degree corner. Just adjust the shape to get the correct point and look.



My heart fits a 4 inch square.


Here's where the 3 inch block comes in.


Measure the distance from the point of the heart to just where the rounded part starts. Yours may be different, so make your square the size of your side.


CUTTING...

Place your 2 larger (4 inch) squares together with one wrong side facing up.


Place the point of the heart in the corner of your square and trace the heart


Cut on the line.


to get 2 hearts...


Now take one of the hearts and measure about 1 inch up from the point.


Draw a line horizontally across and cut on the line


So far you should have one full heart, one heart with tip cut off and a 3 inch square.

Are you still with me? Lol


Take the 3 inch square and fold into a triangle on the diagonal.


Press




ASSEMBLY...

Take the full heart right side up and place the folded triangle on top matching the points




Now take your trimmed heart and place it on top of the other 2, right sides together...matching the rounded top.


Here's a peek inside before I continue...


Please pin, pin, pin.


Now sew with a quarter inch seam allowance.

Here's a few tips for sewing curves...
  • keep your stitch length tiny so it takes the curves better
  • keep needle DOWN when you have to stop and pivot.
  • when you feel like it's not taking the circular shape, stop (needle down) and lift presser foot to take the turn better. Sometimes the foot drags the fabric and lifting up the foots release that


Tip for the "V" section of the 2 rounded parts...draw a pencil dot a 1/4 down from the "V" shape. That's where you will stop, needle down, and pivot back up to the next curve. You may have to go one stitch passed the pencil to be sure.


Always needle down before you turn.


Sew ALL THE WAY AROUND without stopping....back stitch at the end to secure. There will be NO opening. The secret is that trimmed off point...that's the turning opening



Make little snips in the curved sections to release the tension especially in the "V".


FIRST TURNING...

Open up that trimmed area and turn the heart inside out.




It should look like this at first.


I used a chop stick to poke out the edges.


Now flip the heart over.


SECOND TURNING...

Take that little pocket and turn it down towards the bottom point and over to the other side.


Now this little pocket is on the other side and you are DONE!!! WOO HOO... no opening to whip stitch closed.


Iron  flat.


That little pocket on the back is where the page slides into to keep your place in the book.


ok...I have to say...I just LOVE this. Nothing like tooting my own horn.


I might even read more with this little heart bookmark.

I hope you love this too. Perfect gifts for just about everyone...
  • teacher gifts
  • classmate Valentine's
  • friends
  • family
  • easy gift to mail...just put in a card with a little extra postage
  • quilting/sewing friends for their quilting books
  • mail to your kids in college to let them know you love them...and that they should be reading! lol
  • great for cook books too
  • buy a book for a gift and tuck it in as an extra treat
Hope you have fun making these,
~Karen~

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