Appleton Dance

I saw these cute felt pins in a holiday catalog and wanted to try to make some. The ones in the catalog were all different. Some were layers of felt cut in the shape of petals, some were loops of felt that looked like crysanthemums, some were rolls of felt that looked like rosebuds. Some were a little of each. I made this poinsettia as a trial effort, but it seems to me that you could while away a winter afternoon cutting shapes, embellishing and building flowers to your heart's content. For ideas to spark your creativity, search for "felt flower pins" on Etsy . Equipment: Needle Scissors Materials: Standard copy paper for pattern cutting Heavy felt squares or yardage, as desired (For poinsettia buy dark green, burgundy, and bright red.) Variety of large (1-1/4 inch diameter), fancy buttons or large beads for flower center Beads and sequins (if desired) Large safety pins or stick pin with safety cap (clutch), or jewelry finding pin back available from jewelry fi...

I posted a story on our local LivingstonTALK.com website about a new enthusiasm -- Contract Bridge. Check it out at  Get in the Game: Contract Bridge .

F lannel binding and pocket detail of "manly" quilt From Janet D.: I wanted to make a "manly" quilt of my husband's favorite fabrics -- worn denim and soft, old flannel and I wanted it "sofa" sized because that is where he naps. I thought I had enough old blue jeans and flannel shirts and bathrobes around the house to do it which appealed to my frugal leanings.  No batting needed Virginia had told me not to put in batting as it would be too heavy and I took her advice. I cut 8 x 8-inch squares of denim, using all the parts of blue jeans that were salvagable including the pocket parts, both front and back.  I had various colors of blue including some striped. I backed them with flannel, about five different varieties, all plaid. I sewed flannel and denim squares together differently depending on what the denim was like and according to my whims. Many were with an X, some followed the pattern or seam of a pocket, some with a square and one wit...

A ghost from the past visited me today when I discovered that the Google newspaper archive came up with the directions for a heart-shaped box I wrote about in the  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette March 5, 1981, titled "Fiber box: A versatile artifact" . I no longer have that box -- but those prissy directions and anthropological background are all mine.

I had dinner with my friends Tom and Joy T. last night and Joy had the cutest purse ever. She said it is called a Trixie purse and she bought the pattern from Purse Strings : Unique Patterns for Unique Women . She plans to make the Scottsdale Satchel next. Joy also recommends the online fabric store at Hancock’s of Paducah , where they have (fabric) jelly rolls, layer cakes, charm square, and more, and equally great sales.

Here is another version of the Cato purse, this time with some directions for how to put it together. I saw this charm square trick on Moda’s Bake Shop blog and wanted to try it. I used nine “Fresh Squeezed” charm squares and followed the Moda directions , seaming together three rows of three, then cutting the resulting square into four pieces and rearranging the pieces into a new square and seaming them together to get my exterior bag bottom. For the exterior of the bag top, I seamed nine more charm squares into a nine-patch, cut the square into four equal pieces and seamed the four cut pieces together side by side to make my exterior bag top. Directions for the bag are given below for using a fat quarter or cut yardage. Materials: Fabric for bag exterior -- one fat quarter OR 1/2 yard fabric or pieced goods Fabric for bag lining -- one fat quarter OR 1/2 yard fabric Thread to match fabric 3/4 yard matching or contrasting grosgrain ribbon trim Optional: fabric-covered cardboard ins...

A friend's daughter made a cute purse for her several years ago and I tried to duplicate it. The pattern is fairly simple, just make the bag and lining for the bottom and a loop of fabric and a lining for the top with holes cut out and bound; then slip the top loop with the handholds between the bag and the lining and topstitch the two pieces together. I used fabrics from Moda's "Fresh Squeezed" collection designed by Sandy Gervais. I bound the handholds with self bias binding and I bound the seam between the top and the bottom with orange grosgrain ribbon with a loop for keys. I plan to make another one and document the process sometime this summer or fall. Front Back