Behold! My mother’s Singer Slant-O-Matic 401—the 1958 model. I inherited this dear old machine a few years ago when my mother passed away, and with it, wonderful memories. (Not to mention an assortment of machine attachments that look like tiny instruments of torture—more on that later.)
Mother had it set up in her “sewing closet,” a hall closet that my Dad outfitted for her with shelves and a piece of plywood on top of an old desk. The tabletop fitted the entire perimeter of the little square closet, and the machine was set down into it to create one big extension of the machine bed. Mother had an old wrought-iron pinup wall lamp shaped like a chicken, with a flowered shade, and it bathed the closet in cozy light while she sat and stitched.
On that Singer machine, in the closet, she sewed pretty much everything my sister and I wore—skirts, dresses, blouses, nightgowns, bath robes. Some garments, like my gold brocade Senior Prom dress and my beige wool Jackie Kennedy-style spring suit, I adored. Others—not so much. Some of those flannel nightgowns were a little, shall we say, clunky. But through the good, the bad, and the ugly, the old Slant-O-Matic never seemed to fail her; it just chugged along miles and miles of seams without flagging. Continue Reading…
The two lucky winners of the Fabric Dyer’s Dream Giveaway are….
klue!
i love dyeing fabric. it adds another level of creativity to my art. i think you book has filled a hole in the dyeing books market that has existed for a very long time. thank you for taking the time to put this book together.
and Debbie!
I used to dye and have lots of supplies. I hope that Linda’s book will get me working on it again.
Thank you so much to everyone who left comments – there were 270 comments in all! Now, on to our next giveaway which is taking place on the Stash Books blog.
Laminated cottons from Free Spirit/ Westminster Fibers
Jump over there are get yourself in the running for one of five bundles of laminated cottons from Free Spirit/Westminster Fibers plus a copy of Lunch Bags!, the latest release in the Design Collective series which will be available this July. Good luck!
If you missed seeing our live online show about Lesley Riley’s TAP Transfer Artist Paper a couple weeks ago on Cool2Craft webTV, you can still catch all the action by clicking right here and watching the archive. Give it just a few seconds to load, and then you can see the whole show and read all the side chats too. You get 90 minutes that are chock full of technique demonstrations and project inspiration…you won’t know how you ever lived without this stuff!
Tiffany Windsor hosts the show, which features C&T author Lesley Riley, designer Ann Butler, and myself. We answered loads of questions from the viewers and shared all the different ways you can play with TAP. So grab your favorite beverage and get comfy – this will be the best hour and a half you’ve ever spent sitting in front of your computer!! :-)
A creative life is filled with challenges and rewards, puzzles and curiosities. This ongoing series of poems attempts to express the “Aha”s and “What if”s, the deep ponderings and casual observations of an inquiring mind trying to make sense of reality. May it serve, for you, as a bit of “Everyday Inspiration” along your own creative path.
Lack of focus
Equals
Lack of
Confidence…
What better way to really show your gratitude than with a handmade note card? Using TAP™ Transfer Artist Paper in your card project not only opens up the creative possibilities, but is quick and easy too. This card, created by author Lesley Riley, shows is a fantastic example of how TAP can be used to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind thank you cards for the do-gooders in your life.
Read on for project instructions…
Continue Reading…
Now that June is in full swing, we are finding ourselves surrounded by sunshine, flowers, and inspiration. As C&T author Wendy Hill says, “You’ll find colors and textures all around you, from the garden outside to the cooking scraps in the kitchen sink.” Just by looking at the picture on the front of Hill’s card showing her quilt “Anything Goes” made up of brilliant colors, mixed fabric, and circles and squares, I can tell she really looks everywhere.
If you’re like me, I sometimes have trouble thinking of a good small gift for friends who are graduating. This year, try surprising a graduate with C&T’s quilting themed Inspired! Creativity Cards. Each of the 36 cards includes a helpful saying about where C&T authors find inspiration.
I randomly grabbed a few cards just to see exactly what kind of inspiration these cards contain. The three author cards I picked told me to play, laugh, and be surprised, and each quote was accompanied by images of daisies, maroon and yellow blocks, and multicolored fabric. I sure like these messages!
The authors’ quotes range from advice directly about quilting to positive ideas for any aspect of your day. Each card includes a picture of the author’s quilt and a special saying to encourage all quilters through inspiration, advice or a story. When thinking about what to give a graduate this year, think about giving him or her these cards that speak to creative energy, as well as passion for quilting. As a bonus, once they read the messages on these cards, they can include single cards with their own gifts to others, and in doing so will spread the inspiration to other artists and friends.
Stash Books author Cherri House’s pattern company Cherry House Quilts is teaming up with Canton Village Quilt Works for an interview and a giveaway! Visit the Canton Village blog on June 27th to learn more and enter for a chance to WIN an autographed copy of City Quilts or a Kona Cotton Hot Spice fat quarter bundle!
Nanette's Socks
Not mine this time ( I can’t do such fancy socks), but they do use yarn that I dyed. They were knit by Nanette Zeller, the whole story is on her blog. It’s a great story about her ingenious solution to not having enough yarn.
The C&T Publishing Creative Troupe sure is a bunch of crafty people! Upon visiting their blogs this week, I was blown away by their talent. Just take a look at some of the fun finds…
© Maggi Flynn
Have you been looking for a festive summer craft to do with (or for) the kids? Then you are going to love Maggi Flynn’s take on Crochet Today’s marshmallow and fire pattern.
© Nancy Burke
Love vintage things? Nancy Burke has created a very elegant floral arrangement and trinket box. And she’s kind enough to show each and every one of us how to create the flowers with a very detailed tutorial.
© Jillayne Wickware
Have you ever found yourself seeking inspiration, hoping your creative mojo would magically reappear? Jillayne Wickware has created a truly amazing Inspiration Board. It’s subtle, yet elegant—and the best part is that the items used in the piece can be disassembled and used as embellishments for other art projects.
© Deb Rowden
Deb Rowden has created a lovely patchwork quilt, don’t you think? What’s fascinating about this quilt is that it is made from scraps and includes both hand and machine stitches. It’s the perfect craft to take to those summer baseball games. Just imagine the curious looks you’ll get as you cheer your child on between stitches.
© Gabriela Delworth
Do you remember those music boxes with the ballerina doll twirling round and round? Gabriela Delworth has given the ballerina new life with this stunning children’s necklace. Is there a little girl in your life who would like a necklace like this? Use Gabriela’s tutorial to design and create your very own ballerina necklace.
Again, these are just a few of the amazing projects the C&T Publishing Creative Troupe has been creating. Are you a Trouper yet? It’s free. It’s fun. And it only takes a moment to sign up!
Click here for all the details about Creative Troupe membership. Then check out the Creative Troupe’s blog links here for a little more artsy inspiration.
A creative life is filled with challenges and rewards, puzzles and curiosities. This ongoing series of poems attempts to express the “Aha”s and “What if”s, the deep ponderings and casual observations of an inquiring mind trying to make sense of reality. May it serve, for you, as a bit of “Everyday Inspiration” along your own creative path.
“Let go,
Let go,
Let go,”
I said.
“You’re clinging to
My shirt!”
Have you ever noticed
That a cat’s claw
Is shaped
Just like
A rosebush thorn?
And a rose petal
Like a little, pink, tongue?
