Xmas Swap

The Buffyfest Swap has come and gone. More than enough time for the recipients to get their goodies and for me to show them off.

This year I went with a stuffed stocking theme.

And had fun doing it :)

Fruity Oaty Bar Girls...Finally Done!

I finally finished up this piece completely! I had added some scrap fabric to each girl's hair. I am much happier with that than the plain embroidery. Gives it some texture.

This is the front of the pillow. I used a blue diamond Matelasse fabric to frame the embroidered area. The girl's faces still seem a bit dark. I am debating on whether to add some paint to their eyes and dresses. What do you think? Too much? I'd hate to take it one step too far when there is no way to undo.


The back side was simply the Matelasse. I used a zipper so the pillow insert can be changed. Or so the cover can be washed I suppose. Although, I would stick to spot or dry clean because of the embroidery and crayon tint. I know people do wash them...and someday I will have to be brave & try it. But I am not so big on brave :P

One last pondering I have...should I pillowize my embroidery pieces or mount them in finished off hoops...hmmm...maybe I'll go halfsies.

Done and To Do

My progress from last week's to do list...eh, not so much.

• Bike ride was a go, twice
• Library - check
• Clean upstairs - check
• Embroider - check
• Playground - check & check
• Sew bags - half checked
• Iron interfacing - nope

Not too bad I guess. I plan to do the ironing tonight while (re)watching Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

So...the bags: The first one had lots of problems & still needs some reworking. Thankfully my "problems" led to a neat idea. Since the bag's image is a zombie - I did the bag purposefully patchy so the ends looked frayed...although it's on the back side, so you can't see it here. But in the process, the sizing got out of whack. So I need to "trim it down". You can see it in the front view picture...the flap is too long. Should be an easy fix.



I went back to the messenger bags I had already cut and fixed the gusset lengths...turned out it was an easy fix. I still don't know how I cut them the wrong length. Oh well, the measurements are now correctly noted. This is the Firefly bag:



Both bags still need to be ironed - they will look less puffy then. I plan to do that when I am ironing the interfacing I did not get to last week.

So... embroidery: It's turning out pretty good. It took a while to find the right quote. The first few were too long. I liked

• "This being Sunnydale and all, I guess we can rule out something good" ...not too long, but not quite right either
• "...you gotta stand up and salute their death rate"...needed something more, although looking at it now, it would have worked. Maybe I'll use it on something else later.
• "…he's some kind of demon looking for an all-powerful thingamabob and I've got to stop him before unholy havoc's unleashed and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale." ...much too long

This is what I ended up with:


So, my to do for this week....


I think it's doable.

And We Shall Call it This Land...

Ok - for those of you who are not Firefly freaks like myself - this piece is from a quote in the pilot where the pilot (no pun intended) Wash is playing with his plastic dinosaurs on the ships console. This is the entire quote:

"Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Yes...yes. This is a fertile land, and we will thrive. We will rule over all this land, and we will call it...This Land.
Wash: (as Allosaur) I think we should call it...your grave!
Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Ah! Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
Wash: (as Allosaur) Ha ha ha! Mine is an evil laugh! Now DIE!
Wash: (as Stegosaurus) Oh no, God, oh dear God in heaven..."

This embroidery piece is my version of that quote. The dinos here are based on the dinos he was playing with. I got lucky and found a screenshot image from the show.

And then there is the big pile of fabric that is cut & needs to be fused to interfacing and sewn. Well, after I finish off these 2 Venus handbags from last week. And since these pics, I only have to sew the lining shut & put on the buttons.

Firefly::Check

Remember that piece I had in the scroll frame? I finished it. I had some undoing to do in the text. I tried doing a highlight fill, but it did not look right. At least embroidery can be easier to take out than seams.

And the scroll frame? I liked it. It was nice because the bar could rest on my leg as I worked. It was pretty easy to turn too. My next project really needs the frame because the image goes to the edge...a circle hoop would be a pain in the tuckus. I have a pic of the next WIP below the Firefly pics. Anyone know what it is? Ruthie, I know you know :)

I'll be adding a "Grr Argh" text to the pic too.
Anyone know what it is? Ruthie, I know you know :)

Trying a Scroll Frame

I have been working on some more embroidery for messenger bags - mostly geekery, mostly Whedonverse. I was getting frustrated with a hoop, so I decided I am going to give a frame a try. I looked at square hoops, but did not care for the price point. Plus, I am hoping for less "Hoop Dent" in the material.

Has anyone used these? I'll have more to say on it's effectiveness in a day or two after I've used it more. I do have some pics of the frame with the material, which is still a work in progress. Plus some more pics of "why it is hard to take pictures at my house". I think you'll know which those are :)

Whedonverse Swap by Me

Okay...my partner has received these goodies, so I can post them for your viewing pleasure...or laughter...your choice. The swap was "Whedonverse"...as in Joss Whedon...as in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible, & all the comics (these always tend to exclude Toy Story & Alien, but that's ok...these are more fun...)

The first large picture shows the mini duffle bag I made with the Buffy "B"
and the painting entitled "Actual Size".

FYI: the painting is based on the BtVS episode Fear where the Gachnar demon reveals himself...only to be squashed by Buffy's shoe. Giles did not notice the "actual size" notation in the book describing this particular demon.

This second picture shows what was inside the duffle...a bunch of felt stuffies...

From Firefly/Serenity there is Jayne's aviator glasses/mask, "leaf on the wind", Independant badge, Blue Sun, Simon's stethescope, Wash's dinosaurs and "two by two hands of blue". Then from Buffy there is Mr. Pointy. And of course, the Grr Arrgghhh dude (Mutant Enemy) :)

Click here to see all the goodies she made for me.
Click here to see my Whedonverse inspired treasury.

Team Challenge Creation

I am part of the etsy team Big Damn Crafters. It is for fans of Firefly and Serenity...TV show and movie by Joss Whedon. Last month we had a Secret Santa serenity challenge and my character was Wash, the pilot. He loves to play with his plastic dinosaurs and wears Hawaiin shirts. So I created this messenger bag for him to discreetly carry his dinosaurs while camouflaged with a Hawaiin floral print.

I did not take a lot of before and during pictures because I had started the bag before this blog. But since it was my first bag completed since starting this blog, I decided to post what I have.

This first picture is of the bag's exterior. Denim was used for the bag so it would be sturdy. I had used an old Hawaiin shirt of my dad's for the "camouflage" aspect of the bag. This was the first time I had upcycled an article of clothing for one of my bags.


The lining I added was a simple navy and white striped cotton. I put a denim pocket on the back wall...I tend to put pockets in all my bags that are large enough for one. There are pockets on the exterior sides and under the flap as well. I would normally line the pockets, but being denim I felt this was not necessary. I did use turquoise bias tape to cover the raw edges. The side pockets turned out to be a perfect size for the small plastic dinosaurs. You can see them in all the "after" pictures below. There is even a pocket on the flap...the original pocket from the shirt :)




This bag is for sale in my Etsy shop if you are interested.