Blackbird singin' in the dead of night

New project! YAY!

I had been working on this piece off and on a work, but I ended up running out of red thread, and never got around to finishing it till now. I got some seriously weird looks from my co-workers for attempting needlepoint at work during the slow spots.

The black fill in the raven was created from water color pencils, which smeared with some water. It's not the most permanant fix, but it's rare if my pieces get thrown in the wash, WHICH they have and thankfully, my skills have proven worthy enough to last through the wash without disaster.

My thread on Craftster:

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=365724.0

Just a couple of old bags

Oh wow, it's been a while!

I have one slightly brand new bag, and one I just made hours ago.

I have been occupying my time with work, and also Project Runway, the most greatest inspiring show in the universe! ((GO MONDO!!))

Anyways, I have completed some sewing projects at work, but I sadly having sat down to take any pictures of them, but I will go ahead and show these little lovelies off!

I made this elvis inspired tote for the rockabilly swap on Craftster. I was fairly please with it, and hopefully, so was the recipient.

BAG # DUEX

I cranked this purse out in a whopping two hours! Take that Chinese sweat shop children!! Actually, I'm quite sure they could sew this purse in minutes.

I fell in love with the flapper button at JoAnn's. My hubby was kind enough to buy me a few things on a date night, and they'd been sitting in my craft stash for a while, and I finally found a home for her.

The other black and white buttons are actually brads, which are mostly used in everyday offices for reports, booklets... etc.

The bag is made of black canvas, and includes some nice white piping to jazz it up a bit. Insanely enough, I have a black hat with white piping that matches this perfectly. Talk about trendy!

SPEAKING of trendy, thanks to my fabulous husband Paul for showing the world that my bag can be doubled as a hat in case of a bad hair day.

Thanks, Hunny!

An overdue update (part 1)

Ha ha. Okay, I lied. I wasn't going to post any projects like I said in the previous post, because I had a very good reason. I moved eight hours away to North Carolina, which has been a bit of a whirlwind. I've accepted a full time at a corporate office. Just think, when I started this journal I was barely working, and trying to find time, and now I can barely find time for myself. :)

That is why I am going to treat you today to a VERY large update. That's right. I'm cleaning out my sewing bin and showing you a few finished projects, and a couple that are almost finished.

There may possibly be two updates today to accommodate the amount of items I'm wanting to show.

This first update will show you a couple of random things that have been started, finished, etc.


Yes, that blasted martini glass beading project! It's beaded and done. I loved how it turned out. My next plan is to sew it to some felt, and add a pin hardware on the back. It's around the size to make a lovely jacket pin.
FYI, Seed beads are nearly impossible to thread using a regular wide head needle. Beading needles are amazing. They're nice a flexible, and in the end you don't have to sort through all your beads, because some won't fit around the thread hole.
Lesson learned. Lesson. Learned.

NEXT!



I found some of the cutest Rockabilly-esque fabric at JoAnn's, which I used in my Rockabilly swap on Craftster. My items have not been posted yet. I don't think my partner has received them yet, and I was a big dummy (more like busy dummy) and forgot to take pictures of everything I made.

I however, received her swap box, and all I can say is that it was a humbling experience. The girl is an amazing sewer, and I feel like I should have been paying her money for all the nice items I received from her.

If you click the craftster link, and scroll down till you see my name (mrs.christopher) and a lot of pictures, then you can view what goodies I got.

Swaps are amazing things. Sometimes you end up with utter junk that you let your dog eat off of, and other times you end up with the gold mine I ended up getting. Score! :) I will definately be doing it again.

An overdue update (part 2)

This post will be all about the pinups. Here's a couple more projects that are almost completed.



This is a small handbag I am working on. All it needs is the handles, and then some finished stitching around the arm and leg. I originally made this for the Rockabilly swap, but didn't want to bombard my partner with pinup items, because I know some ladies (who are probably jealous) find pinups revolting and demeaning. I personally like pinups, because it shows the beauty of a long forgotten era. I all about figures and art as well. It beats looking at pictures of trees all day. :)


Sorry about the wrinkles, guys! These came out of my sewing bin, so everything's folded, creased, stuffed... etc. Heh-heh.

Face close up



The Koi Tattoo


Another shot of the pinup

The Tattoo pinup project is intended to become a pillow. I finished this a while back. Surprisingly it didn't take me too long to finish.

Do you like Zombies? Hell yeah, you do. Zombies are one of the newest and quick growing pop-culture phenomenons. In dedication to all you Zombie lovers I decided to do a simple stitch project crossing two of my favorite subjects, Zombies and Pinups.


There's still some minor-teeny details I need to finish on her.



Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper/blood stains on her apron. (Bad quality photo) :(



Just a close-up. How nice.. she baked you a cake.

Well, this is all the updates I have for everyone. I hope you've enjoyed browsing.


See something you like?
If you are interested in purchasing anything, or even commissioning an item, then please don't hesitate to contact me. :) I'm fair with pricing.

Coming soon!

Uhgh. Look at all the dust around here. I've been slacking again. Actually, not really. I have some sewing projects that are complete and just need pictures. I'm writing to update, and say I'll be posting pictures within this week when I get a chance.

Look forward to:

* Zombie retro housewives!
* PINUPS!
* A sun dress!

If you are on CRAFTSTER I am also involved with a Return of Rockabilly Swap

I am Mrs_christopher
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Before I leave I also want to share a small snippit I've found.

WHAT THE CRAFT has some AMAZING sewing tutorials. There you can learn to sew various types of skirts in the easiest way possible, and WITHOUT having to spend all that time cutting out a pattern, pinning it, un-pinning it, and THEN sewing.
They're also a beginning-seamstress friendly site. Have no idea about how to sew a button hole, or what thread setting to use while sewing lingerie fabrics? They will be able to help you.

What the Craft, gets my thumbs up for this week. It's like CRAFTSTER, but you won't have to sift and search around through hundreds of threads to find that tutorial on making a circle skirt.

Well, it's been fun.

I will be back shortly before the week is done! :)

Lions, Tigers, and Textiles.. OH MY!

Any Project Runway fans out there? This past weeks episode was about the designers creating their own textiles, and fabrics to use in their design.

I liked how they made it seem like only the biggest, and best of main stream designers are the only ones who can get their grubby little hands on their own custom made textile. NOT TRUE! I was researching and came across a lovely little site.

SpoonFlower

Not only can you create your own textiles from ANY image, but you can also buy other customer designs, and on top of everything, if you submit your textile design for public use you'll get a 10% discount! So, maybe someone else will want an apron made with fabric picturing your favorite Boxer Puppy.

Who knows... it's a crazy world.

Their prices are pretty good considering you're paying 16+ dollars a yard for that awesome designer print at JoAnns. They also feature organic cottons, which make the earth happy, and also a lot of other fabric varieties.

*It's an all around great site, and I recommend it if you're not one to pull up your sleeves, and pull out the silk screening kits.

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There's not a whole lot on the home front of sewing. I've been working on a sun dress for the lovely weather here in Ohio, but won't post picture until it's completed. Throughout the process I've learned that empire waist lines absolutely hate me, so I'll be making adjustments.

Okay, I won't leave you entirely hanging... Here's a quick 5 minute photoshop sketch of what I hope to be a final copy. So far my skirt is completed, and I have some adjustment to work on the bodice to lower the waistline on it. I'm thinking of incorporating some hand embroidery to make it a more personal piece.


I hope everyone has a lovely Easter weekend!!

Tootles! :)

Make your own dress form

Like every other DIY fashion designer in the world you come to a point in your life when you decide to dressform, or not?

My answer is simple. If you are made completely out of Benjamin Franklin's then be my guest and spend 200 dollars for your dressform. Oh wait, you're NOT a size 0-10? Well then, since the sewing industry still doesn't recognize that a plus sized civilization exists perhaps it would be best if you spent $600 on a one size mannequin, because we know you'll remain the same size for probably the rest of your life.

Okay, enough with the Andy Rooney Sarcasm.


While surfing about the web looking for decent Plus size patterns I decided to do a quick search for plus size dress forms, because I'm not the skinny teen I use to be who could try on garments unscathed by the pokes of pins and needles, and also because I'm no dummy. I can make my own patterns. I've watched project runway enough. Heheh.

I came across this E-HOW tutorial:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4425108_make-dress-form-mannequin-from.html
It seems that one can now make themselves a working dress form from duct tape, packaging tape, and other forms and objects.
Phew, and I thought my last option was going to be plaster molds.

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If you are looking for embroidery projects, then I'm posting. Nothing of course is completed, but I'll give a glimpse into what I've been putting my fingers to off and on for the past month.

The spiral tail has only merely been touched.
I suppose I need to just suck it up and stop procrastinating, and just finish the damn thing.



Au revoir, Lovies!

Missing: A good camera

Uhhgh. I wish I had something to update for everyone. I've completed a few projects, but I am having some technical difficulties with a digital camera and it's memory card. My computer is refusing to read the memory cards.

My only option is my scanner at the moment, but I suppose It'll have to do.

I'm alive and well and sewing.

I'll have a post maybe later tonight.

As a consolation prize I wanted to share this little goodie.
http://www.impactlab.com/2009/08/03/unique-embroidery-tattoo/


How cool is that? It was a tattoo inspired by her Grandma's embroidery. Talk about sentimental tattoo. That's more than just getting a tattoo of a butterfly on your ankle.

I'm back!

I'm back from a quite busy holiday season, which I hope will explain the lack of updates around here.

While I haven't fully completed my projects I wanted to at least upload them up to show progress.

My first project I've been working on is another pin up lady holding a heart in her hand. I'm going to make this into an accent pillow. It measures a little under a foot. I think it turned out nice. I'm excited to finish it up. Underneath the white fabric is already padded with some polyester filling just to give it more of a 3D effect. I ALSO have taken up some bead working. I actually had some extra Christmas money and invested in a small container of seed beads. I never realized how much of a hassle they would become. I suppose I need a smaller needle, because I'll spend an HOUR trying find beads that will actually thread. It's a beginners error I suppose. :)
Again, it's another incomplete project. I hope someone can tell that it's a martini glass in the making. There's plenty of holes I need to fill as well as finish up the stem of the glass. Hopefully, it won't look too crappy when I'm though. ;_; I'd hate to of wasted all that time.



My poor fingers. >_<

Anyways, happy trails, Everyone!

Delivered

I promised you better pictures. I've also included a 50's housewife that I'm not crazy about for numerous things.
I hate how the powder-puff turned out. I looked at my husband after I finished it and said, "Uhhgh, it looks like she's eating a fuzzy doughnut." The other project I've included is a gamer phrase from the game "Portal" on the "Orange Box". "The Cake is a Lie!" Is scribbled across the wall in one scene. Since in the point of the game you're testing a companies new weapon and at the end you'll get freedom AND CAKE. I'd go into more detail, but this blog is a sewing blog and not a gaming one.

Pinups

You should have figured out by now that I LOVE pin-ups. It's a common bond that my husband and I enjoy. We love the 1940's-50's thing. I think we're intrigued by the simplicity of life back then, but everything was so elegant and classy. Women don't do their hair and makeup everyday, wear skirts, stockings, garters, or even dance anymore. Nobody throws on their furs and pearls, and heads out to a nice restaurant with a swingin' big Band.
I've always believed I was born during the wrong era. Now, figuring out which era I'm suppose to be in is the hard part.

My completed project this week is a pin up with fishnet stockings. I'm so sorry about the picture. Pillows and scanners = disaster picture. Whenever I get a chance I'll be sure to get out the digital camera. This project was fun.

Also, a little secret between you and I.... her boobs are padded as well.

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Not into pinups? Don't fret, I'll most likely be uploading some more goodies soon. :)

Live long and prosper.

Time? What's that!?

I'm a frequenter of http://www.craftster.org/ It's an amazing site, and a HUGE creativity burst. People often find out such things like placing plastic beads in a metal bowl and baking them for 15 minutes equal one groovy looking lampshade. Anyways, I wanted to show this post, and how AMAZING this lady is!

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=311679.0

There is NO WAY I would have the time, or patience to even attempt something like that! It's truely amazing and over 30,000 stitches! Talk about being cross-eyed after working on that for a day.

If you happen to find yourself on craftster my user-name is mrs_christopher.

Okay, here we go.

You know, writing a "real" blog is kind of a scary thing. It's not like a journal where you can just spout off random things about what you ate for breakfast, who you hate that week, or how much you hate work.

Well, it's December 7th, 2009. My husband Paul after being on unemployment for over six months has returned to work, and I am once again stuck around the house. I work part-time for a photography studio, but my hours are limited. I wanted to start this blog to achieve a goal. You know how people make resolutions? Well, I wanted to do something different. I want to involve something that I can ACTUALLY finish. Yeah, many people say, "I'll quit smoking.", or "I'll lose 50 pounds."

I want to take that concept, but apply it to hand-sewing, and needlework. I've recently taken a keen interest to embroidery and cross stitching. In fact, I want to do this every week. I want to challenge myself to complete ONE needle-work project per week. That's 55 weeks.

Who knows about now, but I'll most likely set up a store to sell everything. So keep an eye open.

Be well, Fellow Citizen.