| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 12 2017 : 08:45:27 AM
Hi everyone. I know it's July but is anyone else starting to work on the Homespun Christmas? I've given myself a heftier goal of making 50% of my gifts instead of 25%, basically for financial reasons.
My problem is narrowing down my ideas. My mind starts racing with things and I end up with a lot of unfinished projects which defeats the saving money aspect. Anyone else struggle with this?
What are some ideas some of you will be making?
KTBug
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Aug 29 2017 : 11:11:12 AM
Heather, those emergency candles are a great gift idea. I was given some as a gift a few years back and they are perfect with our emergency kit. Thankfully we haven't needed to use them but I'm grateful to have them.
Krista |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Aug 29 2017 : 05:34:35 AM
Joanna - I may do that for my MIL birthday gift, thank you. Guilty, I always put way too much thought into gifts.
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| JojoNH |
Posted - Aug 29 2017 : 04:07:41 AM
nnfolkways, that is a fantastic gift idea!!
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.RusticMountainPrimitives.com
http://www.eastwooddesignsinnh.com
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| JojoNH |
Posted - Aug 29 2017 : 04:06:53 AM
Katmom, why not consider doing gift baskets of home baked goodies? A simple homespun towel in the base of a flea market find basket, a couple of vintage tea cups as well. Add your favorite tea, cookies, some hand written recipes too. It is what comes from your heart that matters, not the actual gift  We tend to put to much pressure on ourselves for creating the perfect handmade gifts. Just look how much fun kids have with the boxes opposed to the presents. LOL!!
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.RusticMountainPrimitives.com
http://www.eastwooddesignsinnh.com
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| nnfolkways |
Posted - Aug 28 2017 : 2:08:04 PM
I'm doing homemade emergency candles for everyone. I may also crochet hot pads and dishcloths for some of my aunts.
How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| katmom |
Posted - Aug 11 2017 : 08:34:44 AM
I to am in a qwandry... it was my intention to hand craft this years gifts but now with the moving and house hunting...I am not sure how I will be able to pull it off... mostly because our stuff will be in storage...
I plan to haul my Featherweight machine around and some basic sewing tools...
'Necessity is the Mother (farmgirl) of invention!"
:>)
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom and Glamping Diva!
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Aug 11 2017 : 06:15:16 AM
Joanna that sounds like a fantastic idea!!!
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| JojoNH |
Posted - Aug 10 2017 : 08:09:34 AM
Love making gifts! This year I am hunting down some vintage/antique baskets. Will fill with hand embroidered towels, a couple of aprons, a hand written recipe, the dry ingredients needed for the recipe and of course the actual baked goodies too!
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.RusticMountainPrimitives.com
http://www.eastwooddesignsinnh.com
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| Cissik |
Posted - Aug 09 2017 : 7:44:51 PM
Thanks for the tip of using Transfer-eze. Sounds great.
Sylvia
Kent, WA
Farm Girl #5389
Back Door Farm Girls Chapter
http://vintagehousegoods.blogspot.com
http://etsy.com/shop/Vintagehousegoods |
| ceridwen |
Posted - Aug 07 2017 : 09:11:05 AM
Katie, I would start with checking your local quilt shops/craft stores. I'm all for supporting local business. Sadly, they are a dying breed! If not available in your area, I do carry them in my quilt shop.
Towels: http://store.fibrejunction.com/stores_app/Browse_dept_items.asp?Store_id=942&Page_id=17&categ_id=30&parent_ids=0&name=Tea+Towels+&+Toweling
I did do a blog entry on a similar product. I have since changed to Transfer-eze as it is easier to needle on cotton fabric. I guess it doesn't make much difference on towels, as it's an up and down motion due to the heavy fabric and not a one motion from the top. But, it saves me from having to have two products in my sewing studio. You can read the blog entry here:
http://www.carolesquiltingetc.com/2012/03/no-idle-hands-here.html
Here is the link for the water soluble stabilizer. It was originally designed for machine embroidery but has since been adapted to hand embroidery with lots of other potential.
Transfer-eze: http://store.fibrejunction.com/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Store_id=942&page_id=23&Item_ID=2112&Name=Transfer-Eze---8in-x-11in-sheets
The other options would be to directly order from Colonial Patterns Inc. - you will also find pattern iron transfers. Not sure they carry the transfer eze or Sulky product.
Have fun stitching and if you need any assistance, do not hesitate to contact me. I'm happy to assist.
Carole
Farmgirl Sister 3610 - Nov 7/2011
http://www.carolesquiltingetc.com
http://www.fibrejunction.com |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Aug 07 2017 : 08:31:36 AM
Thank you Carole, I will look into getting these products. If I may ask, where do you get the Aunt Martha towels? Is it something I must order online, or do craft and/or quilting stores carry the product?
I think I've seen the Transfer-eze so I will have to look for that as well.
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| ceridwen |
Posted - Aug 07 2017 : 08:15:01 AM
Katie, I too love to hand embroider towels. Once the design is stitch, it's done! lol
And NO, not all flour sack towels are created equal. I like the Aunt Martha ones. She has two sizes 28" x 28" & 33" x 38" (nice as a small table cloth) - they allow you to stitch a larger design. I have also used Aunt Martha's smaller tea towels. I always pre-wash.
A product that I like to use is Transfer-eze. It allows me to stitch without having to transfer the design. It is a water soluble stabilizer that you can photocopy/print your pattern on. It also acts as a stabilizer making the towel a tad stiffer for stitching. I find the flour sack towels not as stiff as the other tea towels. Once you're done stitching, you rinse it off and voila! A done deal!
Carole
Farmgirl Sister 3610 - Nov 7/2011
http://www.carolesquiltingetc.com
http://www.fibrejunction.com |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 29 2017 : 05:21:32 AM
I don't know how to crochet. I'd like to teach myself after the growing season.
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jul 28 2017 : 11:18:12 AM
I love wool ornaments. My grandmother used to have some on her tree and they were beautiful. I have found a couple of patterns on Pinterest for some crocheted ornaments so I am thinking of starting there. I would also like to make some handprint and footprint ornaments of my boys.
Krista |
| Cissik |
Posted - Jul 27 2017 : 11:39:09 AM
I have found thicker flour sack towels online. The thickest ones which weren't bleached, don't dry as well. Real tight weave and you didn't have to put any backing to them. So now I'm trying some new ones. Will post update later.
Sylvia
Kent, WA
Farm Girl #5389
Back Door Farm Girls Chapter
http://vintagehousegoods.blogspot.com
http://etsy.com/shop/Vintagehousegoods |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 27 2017 : 10:14:58 AM
I haven't done any designing but I will probably do wool applique. I want to research 1900 Christmas trees and see what they would have hung back then and do my designs based on what I find. You?
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jul 27 2017 : 09:21:14 AM
What sort of Christmas ornament decorations will you be making for the Homespun Badge?
Krista |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 27 2017 : 06:01:06 AM
I love to embroider but never used the flour sack towels before. I actually just had a bad experience. Are all flour sack towels not created equal? I picked up a few at Walmart they seemed very thin to me. Did I just get a bad batch or should I pick them up somewhere else? I was expected a higher quality, thicker cotton. It was almost like trying to embroider on cheesecloth. Needless to say, they are being re-purposed for another project.
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| Cissik |
Posted - Jul 26 2017 : 2:24:46 PM
I also like to embroider flour sack towels. Love those towels and love to personalize them. Often use them to wrap a jar of jam.
Sylvia
Kent, WA
Farm Girl #5389
Back Door Farm Girls Chapter
http://vintagehousegoods.blogspot.com
http://etsy.com/shop/Vintagehousegoods |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 24 2017 : 12:36:54 PM
I really like hand applique. I was thinking of going that route.
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| ceridwen |
Posted - Jul 22 2017 : 08:53:46 AM
How about infinity scarfs - you can either knit them or make some with fabrics on your sewing machine. Here are a couple of links I found for sewing:
http://hellocreativefamily.com/tutorial-how-to-sew-an-infinity-scarf-30-minute-project/
https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/11/how-to-sew-an-infinity-scarf/
I like to do a lot of hand projects (hand embroidery, hand applique, English Paper Piecing) ... this way I can work on them as I watch a documentary or listen to an audio book. I can take them anywhere and work on them.
Catch you later!
Carole
Farmgirl Sister 3610 - Nov 7/2011
http://www.carolesquiltingetc.com
http://www.fibrejunction.com |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 15 2017 : 1:12:29 PM
Thank you so much Sylvia!
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
| Cissik |
Posted - Jul 15 2017 : 10:57:32 AM
Here's the link: http://yesterfood.blogspot.com/2014/11/mason-jar-gift-bags-tutorial.html
Sylvia
Kent, WA
Farm Girl #5389
Back Door Farm Girls Chapter
http://vintagehousegoods.blogspot.com
http://etsy.com/shop/Vintagehousegoods |
| Cissik |
Posted - Jul 15 2017 : 10:54:26 AM
 
Here it is. Had to change it from PDF to an image.
Sylvia
Kent, WA
Farm Girl #5389
Back Door Farm Girls Chapter
http://vintagehousegoods.blogspot.com
http://etsy.com/shop/Vintagehousegoods |
| farmgirl68 |
Posted - Jul 14 2017 : 1:42:45 PM
Sylvia it is but a gift and a curse we are blessed with.
Krista, thank you for the words of encouragement. I've been working on a merit badge the last 2 days straight because I am scheduled to go to a concert tomorrow and that is the expert level. I have to finish my intermediate - I'm almost there. Then, I will go to my sewing room and take inventory.
I gave salsa and relish out last year. I love the idea of making bags. Do you know where online you found the instructions by any chance Sylvia?
Katie #7422
Friends are the flowers that bloom in life's garden. |
