salty // oat

settling in

2012-02-07T07:00:00.019-05:00

Thanks to my mom's help on a recent visit, things are actually now hanging on the walls in our house.

Photo and prints all in black frames.

Mirror above the hall shelf.

Modified chalkboard which now holds spools of thread.

Embroidery hoops.

Noah's Ark crewelwork, finally framed (and first blogged about here).

P.S. My Etsy shop is back open! I'm hard at work making new quilts and things for the shop, and my new business partner, Anna, is hard at work listing everything. To celebrate, we're offering a coupon: use the code "FREESHIP" for free shipping through Sunday, February 12!

embroidery project: many mountains tote

2012-01-31T07:00:00.006-05:00

An already well-loved tote bag I bought from Sublime Stitching and hand-stitched many months ago with coral red embroidery floss.

LMP+QG january challenge: colored pencil roll

2012-01-26T08:12:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Kait and I came up with a challenge for ourselves: each month, we would select a project from Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts, make it, and blog about it. [I've already done one project from this book and loved it: Luna's Puzzle Ball.] This month, for the first project, we decided to make the colored pencil roll:

I was happy with how my roll turned out, and amazed that I had enough of a range of colors in my scrap bin to create a rainbow. I've been using color more and more in my quilt sketches these days, so I think this will be a very handy accessory to have.

See Kait's pretty roll (and sketchbook!) here.

Coming up next month: Stacked Coins quilt

quilt: innocent crush brick quilt

2012-01-17T20:38:00.000-05:00

As a Christmas gift for my in-laws this past holiday, I made them a quilt:

{Made mostly from Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush fabrics, using Amy Smart's Easy Strawberry Fields Brick Quilt featured over on Moda Bake Shop. It was the very first quilt I've ever sent off to a long-arm quilter, and I was quite pleased with the results.}

log cabin napkin tutorial

2011-12-18T16:44:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm so thrilled to have a project featured on the Fat Quarterly blog! Please stop on by to learn how to make your own log cabin napkins and see all of the other projects created by talented sewists using Melody Miller's amazing fabric.

quilts for charity

2011-12-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

Though these quilts have been done for ages (like, since before I moved to North Carolina), I'm just now getting around to photographing them and sending them off to their new homes. Both quilts are currently on their way to Duke Children's Hospital, where I hope they give some comfort to two children and their families during the holiday season.

{Both quilts were made using this Made by Rae tutorial (a super fast and fun pattern!), from fabric entirely from my stash, including the fun Japanese print on the back of the pink and yellow quilt.}

embroidery project: labyrinths

2011-12-01T06:08:00.000-05:00

For my dad's birthday last month, I stitched up a pair of labyrinths for him to hang in his meditation space:

{Stitched onto scraps of linen and chambray using iron-on embroidery patterns designed by Sublime Stitching.}

happy thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T07:00:00.004-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my lovely followers!

{Two fabric pinecones I made while hanging out with new friends (!) last weekend. Tutorial can be found here.}

quilting project: red and aqua quilt

2011-11-08T07:00:00.025-05:00

Remember this stack of fabrics? Using this tutorial, it became this quilt top...

...which then made its way to Texas last week to join the Central Texas Wildfire Quilt Drive, organized by Modern Day Quilts.

cross-stitch project: more custom dog bandannas

2011-09-29T08:57:00.000-04:00

A few more custom cross-stitch dog bandannas for a client:

{Made with yellow gingham and purple embroidery floss. See past bandannas here and here.}

atlanta

2011-09-27T07:00:00.001-04:00

A few pictures from a surprise trip to Atlanta this past weekend:

{Ferris wheel at Music Midtown, mural at the World of Coca-Cola, and sign outside of the Ebenezer Baptist Church.}

carnations

2011-09-20T07:00:00.003-04:00

{Pretty carnations from the grocery store.}

cross-stitch project: custom dog bandanna

2011-09-15T07:00:00.019-04:00

Though quilting has definitely occupied much of my time the past few months, stitching has not stopped:

{Detail shot of a custom dog bandanna made from purple gingham for an October wedding. The original bandanna I made appeared both online and in Brides magazine this fall.}

presents for luna

2011-09-13T07:00:00.009-04:00

While we were in Texas over Labor Day weekend, my husband and I finally had the chance to meet Luna, the almost-seven-month-old daughter of some dear friends (This is the quilt I made for her after she was born in February.). We obviously couldn't arrive for our visit empty-handed:

{A puzzle ball, made from the pattern found in Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts, and the most adorable pair of mini, teal Converse All-Stars.}

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

On a personal note, I will be participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's here in Durham this Saturday. This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, and I'm overwhelmed by the amount of support my family and friends have already shown for my walking team. If you're at all interested in participating in a walk (they're being held all over the country), or donating to the cause, I hope you'll visit the Alzheimer's Association's web site. My personal team page can be found here.

salty oat cookies

2011-09-08T09:14:00.001-04:00

A quick trip to Texas over Labor Day weekend obviously had to include a stop at Quack's Bakery in Austin for some salty oat cookies:

stash report: sale fabrics

2011-08-25T13:22:00.000-04:00

I couldn't resist the sale at Sew, Mama, Sew! a few weeks ago:

{Bottom to top: Heath in Black by Alexander Henry, Summersault Raindrops in Midnight by Erin McMorris, 1001 Peeps Pearl Bracelet in Green by Lizzy House, Summersault Pixie Stick Posies in Turquoise by Erin McMorris, and Summersault Raindrops in Turquoise by Erin McMorris}

modern crosses quilt

2011-08-23T07:00:00.033-04:00

A much-deserved house-warming gift for my parents:

{Made entirely from fabrics--new, vintage, and thrifted--in my stash (so proud!), using the pattern featured on the cover of the excellent Modern Log Cabin Quilting by Susan Beal. A few more photos of my quilt can be seen on the Triangle Modern Quilt Guild's Flickr page, here and here.}

scrap swap: what i received

2011-08-18T09:23:00.000-04:00

Using her scraps and mine, Katie made me this amazing patchwork tote bag for our recent swap:

{Here's Katie's post about our swap and here's what I made for Katie.}

stash report: daisy pillowcase

2011-08-16T07:00:00.003-04:00

Pretty vintage pillowcase covered in daisies:

{Found at Dolly's Vintage, Durham, NC.}

scrap swap: what i sent

2011-08-11T07:00:00.014-04:00

Katie and I recently sent each other boxes filled with our fabric scraps, and this is what resulted:

{A pair of quilted place mats made using Katie's scraps, my scraps, and linen from Ikea.}

stash report: red and aqua fabrics

2011-08-09T07:00:00.026-04:00

Fabric cutting commenced this past weekend for a red and aqua quilt:

{Most of the fabrics are from Spoonflower, with the exception of a fat quarter from Purl Soho.}

quilting project: log cabin pillow

2011-08-04T07:00:00.060-04:00

A log cabin pillow made for my sister-in-law's June birthday:

{Made using this Sew Mama Sew! tutorial and pink and green fabrics pulled entirely from my stash, with a bit of hand quilting thrown in.}

quilting project: heather ross travel pillow

2011-06-28T06:00:00.022-04:00

Soon after moving to North Carolina, I joined the Triangle Modern Quilt Guild (which has been a lot of fun to be a part of). For this past month's meeting, I participated in a travel pillow swap and created a pillow for my swap partner, John, of Quilt Dad fame.

Using Ashley's quilt block tutorial as a starting point, I created the pillow from limited-edition Heather Ross for Spoonflower fabric and coordinating solids. I opted for an envelope-style back and straight-line quilting for the front. All in all, I was pleased with how it turned out.

P.S. Have you seen Heather's newest line, Far Far Away III? Love!

quilting inspiration

2011-06-23T09:34:00.000-04:00

Amish quilt spotted at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City last weekend.

quilting project: ziggity mug rug

2011-06-16T00:00:00.005-04:00

When I spotted John's tutorial for an adorable mug rug over on Sew Mama Sew!, I was instantly inspired and decided to whip one up. Which I did. In one evening.

I opted to use all solid scraps on the front, and a floral thrift-store print on the back. This literally took me three hours to make (that included picking fabric, piecing, and hand-sewing the binding), which made it such a fun and satisfying project.

quilting project: zig-zag quilt

2011-05-24T10:33:00.000-04:00

Back in February, my friends had the most adorable baby girl named Luna Maria. I, of course, wanted to make a quilt to mark the special occasion. Using this tutorial from the Purl Bee, which I'd been eyeing for quite some time, I created this zig-zag quilt for her.

I stuck to solids on the front (most of them from my stash) and a 1920s/30s reproduction kids' print on the back that I picked up at G Street Fabrics. I quilted it on my machine, used a solid turquoise fabric for the binding, and added a hand-embroidered tag to the back with Luna's name and birthday.

I really love working with solids (and half-square triangles!), and was so pleased with how this quilt turned out.

potholder swap: what i sent

2011-05-10T00:05:00.014-04:00

So my dear blogging friend Adaiha and I recently decided it was time for another swap. (We've done a few successful crafty swaps in the past.) This time, we decided to swap potholders. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity for me to use up some of my scraps (I love scrap-busting projects!) and practice the English paper-piecing skills I picked up in a hand-quilting class I took at Spool in Philadelphia a few months ago. So using little one-inch hexagons, I made Adaiha a blue and green potholder, lined with thermal fleece.

I then used this tutorial to assemble the back of the potholder. Everything was completely hand sewn---a first for me in a very long time!---and I was really pleased with the results.

quilting project: half-square triangle placemats

2011-05-03T00:00:00.009-04:00

Before I moved down here to North Carolina (which I'm loving so far, by the way!), one of the projects I managed to finish, and gift, was a set of four quilted placemats.

Each one was made up of half square triangles, which I made from green and turquoise scraps in my stash, and backed with a coincidentally complementary print by Kathy Davis (also used on the back of this project and this one).

I've been experimenting a lot with half-square triangles lately--the layout possibilities are endless!--so I'll try and post some of my other projects in the coming weeks.

quilt tops for charity

2011-04-07T00:00:00.015-04:00

So things have been quiet on the ol' blog for a number of reasons lately, including this one: I'm moving to North Carolina! To prepare for the big move, I've been organizing my sewing room and finishing up some projects including this one:

This is one of two quilt tops that I'll be sending off to Wrap Them in Love. My friend Andrea and I started this project over a year ago, while I was still living in Austin. I must say that it's so nice to finally have these tops done and on their way to such a great organization!

Small stack of quilt tops, blocks, and fabric now on its way to Wrap Them in Love.

patchwork napkins

2011-03-10T00:00:00.006-05:00

Lately, I've been buying a lot of fabric--too much fabric. I blame this on my day job. At a fabric store. So in an effort to keep my scrap bucket from overflowing, I've been looking for quick and easy stash-busting projects. I quickly found that Film in the Fridge's patchwork napkin tutorial fit the bill, and I whipped up four new napkins.

The tops of all four napkins--prints and solids--are pulled entirely from my scrap bucket. The patchwork stripes are a mix of designer, Japanese, vintage, and shirting fabrics.

The napkin backs are made up of fabrics from my main stash, including fat quarters from Purl Soho and CityCraft that I've been hoarding.

I loved working with fabrics I had on hand, and definitely felt a sense of accomplishment when I saw that my scrap bucket had emptied out a bit. Know of any other good stash-busting projects? Feel free to share them in the comments!

crocheted pincushion

2011-03-08T00:00:00.002-05:00

A pretty little pincushion (a birthday gift!) arrived in the mail last week. It's so pretty in fact, I'm kind of hesitant to stick an actual pin in it...

sewing project: pillowcases

2011-03-03T10:06:00.000-05:00

I've been on a pillowcase-making kick lately, so I whipped up a pair for my parents for Christmas to coordinate with their blue-and-white bedroom. Using some P&B fabrics I picked up from work, I made the pillowcases from Heather Ross's pattern in Weekend Sewing.

I love being able to customize my bedding, and I think this project is a great way to feature large pieces of favorite fabrics (my next set will be made from one of Lizzy House's Castle Peeps prints).

quilting project: big stripe pillow

2011-03-01T01:00:00.021-05:00

I fell in love with Sparkle Power's quilted stripe pillow the second I saw it, and immediately used the tutorial to make a lilac and maroon pillow as a Christmas gift. It was such a quick and easy project (particularly since I did it after having just finished this one), that I'd love to do it again and make one for myself.

the juki

2011-02-24T01:00:00.003-05:00

Thanks to a very generous birthday gift last week, a pretty new sewing machine arrived on my doorstep yesterday. I think I'm in love.

2011 calendars: rosettes

2011-02-17T01:00:00.004-05:00

So for the third calendar panel (here's one and here's two), I decided to keep things simple. I tacked down some grosgrain ribbon in the top left corner and hand-stitched three turquoise rosettes to the panel that I had made as potential wedding accessories back in 2009, but had never used. I finished the calendar by backing it with this fabric.

The calendar is simple, and came together the quickest of the three, but I love how it turned out. Now I just need to finish the fourth calendar panel which is for our house, which is currently sitting on my workbench, untouched...

featured on brides.com!

2011-02-10T01:00:00.001-05:00

Photo by Shannon Renee Photography

Last fall, I was contacted by Brides.com to create a custom cross-stitch dog bandanna for a photo shoot that would be featured on the wedding web site. I stitched one up using some lovely yellow gingham from the local five-and-dime, and after a bit of waiting, I'm happy to report that my bandanna is among the adorable wedding day accessories for dogs that are now featured in the online photo spread!

Photo by Shannon Renee Photography

I will soon be adding a custom bandanna listing to the shop (which is now reopened after a much-needed vacation!), but feel free to contact me in the meantime if you're interested in a custom order or have any questions.

2011 calendars: embroidery

2011-02-03T09:49:00.000-05:00

For the second 2011 calendar I worked on (here's the first), I decided to incorporate a little bit of embroidery. Using only navy embroidery floss, I stitched up a pattern designed by SeptemberHouse.

I used a variety of embroidery stitches, including the satin stitch (which I usually avoid, but now no longer fear), and I then backed the entire panel with this fabric by Kathy Davis.

2011 calendars: patchwork

2011-01-27T01:00:00.026-05:00

Two years ago, I fell in love with SeptemberHouse's calendar panels. So last year, I decided to order a few and customize them for the family members on my holiday list. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing the calendars that I made with you.

For the first calendar, I made a mini quilt from scraps in my bin. I appliqued the patchwork piece to the calendar panel and then used navy embroidery floss to quilt it.

To finish it, I added ribbon loops to the top of the panel and then backed it with some Japanese fabric I was given a few years ago.

P.S. Thank you to Melissa for spotlighting "Welcome to Our Year" on her blog, Oh, My Darling!

embroidery project: potholder

2011-01-20T01:00:00.010-05:00

Last summer, I made my grandmother an embroidered potholder for her July birthday using this tutorial by Maggie Makes. (These pictures were taken last summer in Vermont, hence the bright sunshine and green grass in the background. Sadly, Maryland looks nothing like this right now.)

The potholder is lined with ThinsulBrite and embroidered with variegated floss I found at a thrift store in Austin before we moved. I love how the potholder turned out so much that I'm currently putting together another one for myself.

This Will Be Our Year (Took a Long Time to Come)

2011-01-13T01:00:00.023-05:00

Tomorrow, a new collaborative show opens at Assemble Shop and Gallery in Seattle, and I'm so excited to be one of the exhibiting artists. The show is centered around the theme This Will Be Our Year (Took a Long Year to Come), after The Zombies' song. This is my contribution to the show:

Here's my artist statement for the show:

This piece is about the highs and lows of relationships, and in particular, about deciding to embrace a moment, a year, and making the most of it. I used traditional "Welcome to Our Home" cross-stitch samplers as the inspiration for this piece, since those samplers often have a prominent place on a home's wall, welcoming visitors. In this case, the piece is meant to welcome the inhabitants of a home and serve as a daily reminder, an affirmation, of the possibility of a fresh start, no matter what has come before.

The piece is 10 inches wide--it's the largest piece I've ever stitched--and is done on linen aida cloth. It took what seemed like ages to stitch, but I'm happy with how it turned out. If you're in the Seattle area, I hope you'll stop by the show; it's up until February 8.

happy holidays!

2010-12-25T23:04:00.000-05:00

To all of my lovely blog readers, customers, friends, and family, thank you for a wonderful year. This has been a big year for this blog and my little business, and I truly appreciate all of the support I've received. I'll be back in 2011 with more projects to share, but until then, I wish all of you a very happy new year!

merry mart

2010-12-16T01:00:00.003-05:00

Here are a few pictures of my table at the start of Merry Mart, my very first craft show, a few weekends ago. I was super nervous about the event, and stayed up very late the night before sewing, but I wound up having a blast.

I met lots of new people and saw some old friends, learned how to work my new Square reader (it's amazing!), sold lots of napkins and pins, and left feeling very inspired and ready to create new things.

Christmas presents are currently taking over my worktable, as is a cross-stitch piece for an upcoming show at Assemble Gallery in Seattle (this is the last piece I did for them), and I promise to share pictures of everything with you in the coming weeks.

merry mart this sunday!

2010-12-02T01:00:00.005-05:00

This Sunday, I'll have a table set up at Merry Mart---my very first craft show! I'll have lots of new embroidered napkins, cross-stitch pinback buttons, pincushions, and cross-stitch wall hangings. The event runs from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson in Baltimore and will include lots of handmade goods, food, free gift wrapping, and card making for kids. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello!

salty oat banner

2010-11-18T01:00:00.000-05:00

Sneak peek of the banner for my table at Merry Mart, coming up on December 5 in Baltimore.

gallery of gifts

2010-11-11T01:05:00.002-05:00

New embroidered lunch napkins, backed with Japanese fabric.

This Friday, Gallery of Gifts, a craft show and sale at the Library Arts Center in Newport, New Hampshire, opens. The show features lots of talented crafters (including my mom!) and I'm super excited to have a few of my own things included in the mix.

Eloise, Wallace, and Conrad

I've been experimenting with how to finish off the back of my hoop pieces, and I'm super happy with this latest incarnation!

Cross-stitch snowflake pinback buttons--a new design!

The show runs through December 18, and if you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by the show and support a great arts space.

knit candy corn

2010-11-02T20:20:00.000-04:00

I realize Halloween has come and gone--and I don't even really like candy corn--but these are too cute to pass up. I can't knit (except for squares, of course), so would someone be kind enough to knit up some of these adorable candy corns for me?

Knitting pattern by Mochimochi Land. Image from Craft.

P.S. I'm swamped with work at the moment, so posting will continue to be lighter than usual. But, you'll have a few opportunities to see me and/or my work in the upcoming months around the country. Check out my sidebar for more info!

christmas wish list

2010-10-28T02:00:00.001-04:00

In case you were wondering (you were, right?), here's what's topping my Christmas wish list this year:

Many Mountains Stitchable Tote Bag by Sublime Stitching

Made in France: Cross-Stitch and Embroidery in Red, White, and Blue

Zipper Purse by Made by Hank

embroidery project: sashiko pillow

2010-10-20T00:09:00.000-04:00

Inspired by this post on The Purl Bee earlier this year, I decided to try my hand at sashiko (Japanese embroidery). I purchased my supplies (sashiko kit, needles, cotton thread, and leather thimble) from KimonoMomo on Etsy and got started stitching. I did most of the stitching during our trip to Seattle last March--including while on the plane--and I turned the finished piece into a pillow a few weeks ago.

The lovely, graphic patterns used in sashiko are my favorite part, and I've used them in the past--like on this cross-stitch travel mug--without even realizing it.

new goodies for the wondercraft

2010-10-15T00:20:00.000-04:00

A package of new Salty Oat goodies is currently on its way to The WonderCraft, just in time for the holiday season and EtsyAustin's November Craft Riot. Packed in the box are:

Walter the Whale and Elinor the Elephant

Pincushions

Heart and Letter Pins (including a few sparkly ones on gold and white aida cloth...)

If you haven't already, be sure to stop by The WonderCraft's shiny Airstream trailer and take a gander at all of the awesome, locally made things they stock; they're open every Friday and Saturday.

fabric by small talk

2010-10-12T01:00:00.004-04:00

Two weekends ago, I had a chance to run through my very first Crafty Bastards Arts + Crafts Fair (I was on my way to work, so I couldn't stay long). While there, I picked up a swatch of screen printed fabric by Small Talk, a studio based in Baltimore.

I still haven't decided what to do with my swatch, though a pillow, like the one that Small Talk sells in its shop, is on the top of my list.

P.S. Thank you, Seaside Siblings, for the lovely mention!

sew!

2010-09-23T01:02:00.000-04:00

Limited Edition Sewing Kit by sammade

With a new job (at a fabric store!), a quilting class, and crafty preparations for the upcoming holiday season underway, things are busy, busy, busy in the studio. I promise to share lots of projects with you in the coming weeks, including some exciting Salty Oat news. In the meantime, if you're in need of some sewing encouragement, check out this adorable sewing kit which supports a great cause.

P.S. If you're in Austin this weekend, be sure to stop by the opening of the brand-new Visual Arts Center on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin. The weekend events promise to be spectacular!

cross-stitch furniture

2010-09-21T01:00:00.007-04:00

Back when we first moved into our new apartment, my husband and I took a trip to Ikea (many trips, actually) to pick out some new seating so that we'd have something other than the wood floor to sit on while we waited for the movers to arrive.

We wound up picking up an armchair and an ottoman covered in--wait for it--cross-stitch flowers! Though it's nearly impossible to photograph, the fabric is pretty amazing and its fun to incorporate more embroidery into our decor.

stitchable stationery

2010-09-16T01:00:00.023-04:00

I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to stitchable stationery.

Last week, I visited the Renwick Gallery (the Smithsonian's craft museum) with my mom and aunt who were in town for the weekend. I picked up a package of Sublime Stitching's Stitchable Stationery in the museum's gift shop, and for the past day, I have been furiously stitching away.

I love the look of floss on paper, and I'm excited to come up with a few stationery designs of my own. In the meantime, I'll be sending these cards to my pen pals and including them in birthday packages.

treasuries

2010-09-14T01:00:00.055-04:00

Recently, I've had the pleasure of being included in a number of Etsy treasuries. Here are a few of my favorites:

Nautical Notions by SheepishKnitCrochet

Fabric Wall Art. Cr... merriweatherco... $26	printable ephemera ... EverythingNew $2.95	ROXANNE Ring with V... hiyapapaya $12
Navy and White Stri... fanciness $32	Silver Hatteras Sna... FavreBijoux $180	Soft Teal In the Ga... EasyBaby $38
Nautical Fabric Flo... No144 $15	A life on the ocean... claireyhairey $25	Navy Blue Cross-Sti... saltyoat $5
Vintage Swimsuit flyinghorsevin... $18	Sterling Silver and... one9designs $50	Wall Decal Vinyl Wa... luxeloft $20
Three Primary Color... withaflourish $15	Necklace Pendant Vi... kcompliment $14	Ahoy There Aqua Sho... WhiteRabbit7 $22

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Color Lines by merriweathercouncil

Sparkle - 4 x 6 Fin... jessicatorres $20	William the Cross-S... saltyoat $35	Sofi and the fish, ... holli $35
Fallen antique silv... DelicacyJ $24	FIONA Ring with Vin... hiyapapaya $12	9 Turquoise Guinea ... curiousnook $4.75
Green Love Chain Ne... FUDUMUDU $49	Detailed Sterling S... taniacavenecia $20	Dreaming, fine art ... InmostLight $21
Linen pincushion -... namolio $14.5	Sailboats in the Mo... AliciaBock $35	Rain Drop Necklace TheAngryWeathe... $45
Fine art photograph... moonthroughfog $15	Caribbean - 7 piece... PartyPoms $30	Set of Three vintag... littleveggievi... $22

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Round Color by zime

Cutting Board - Han... grayworksdesig... $52	Fabric Wall Art. Cr... merriweatherco... $22	Fabric Flower Shoe ... No144 $28
linen rose kagikagi $10	s a l e Colorful Wo... fanciness $5	Coral Pink Flower -... mohenz $12
I-Pokie dotie butto... BoutiqueButton... $5.8	Red Cross-Stitch He... saltyoat $5	Red Shells and Crys... waterwaif $14
SUNSHINE Ring with ... hiyapapaya $12	Jawbreaker amypryorfinear... $1495	Yellow Star - Fine ... DovieMoon $15
Lemons IV - 8 x 8 F... jessicatorres $25	Red Kaleidoscope Ad... smafactory $15	Hand-cut Baroque cu... onefinestache $20

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

custom cross-stitch buttons

2010-09-07T01:00:00.007-04:00

Custom cross-stitch buttons are back in the shop (I'm the proud new owner of my very own button maker!), and this past weekend, I worked on a custom order for an October wedding.

In place of boutonnieres, the groomsmen will wear buttons with the first initial of their last name, and the groom will wear a heart. I think it's such a cute idea, and one I wish we'd done for our wedding (these were the buttons we gave to our guests)!

cross-stitch + gingham

2010-09-02T14:33:00.000-04:00

I've been experimenting with cross-stitching on fabrics other than aida cloth, and lately I've turned my attention to gingham. With its built-in grid pattern, it's the perfect backdrop for cross-stitch--and so much fun to stitch on!

Gingham and cross-stitch heart pincushions are now in the shop!

selection of etsy favorites: red

2010-08-31T10:28:00.000-04:00

DIY Embroidery Card Kit by Curious Doodles

Cherry Bomb Headband with Wool Felt by Lou and Lee

Coral Ampersand by OhHi

embroidery project: vintage birds

2010-08-26T01:41:00.000-04:00

So in addition to the doily that I made during an embroidery class at the Stitch Lab earlier this year, I also worked on this piece, which I finally got around to framing last week. After falling in love with this vintage bird embroidery I found on Flickr, I decided to use it with a new-to-me image transfer technique: printable fabric.

I printed the image out onto printable silk, removed the paper backing, and ironed it to a navy blue cotton. I then stitched over the image's lines using a lovely greenish gold floss, passing the needle through both the silk and the cotton.

I love the final image and had a lot of fun experimenting with stitches. If I were to do it again though, I would try another transfer technique. I would have loved to have seen the floss directly against the navy background; I think the color would have really popped. The printable silk is better suited for full-color images, like photographs, which could be beautifully embellished with different stitches. Have you ever tried stitching on printable fabric? What did you think?

anna maria horner scarf

2010-08-24T12:44:00.001-04:00

During a day trip to Burlington, Vermont, back in July, my mom and I stopped by Nido, a lovely fabric shop with a carefully curated selection of beautiful fabrics. I picked up two pieces of fabric from Cloud9's My Happy Garden line (which I used for this project), as well as a scarf kit which included two strips of voile from Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks line.

I completely fell in love with the voiles, which are soft and silky and so easy to work with. The scarf came together very quickly and is the perfect weight for cool fall days.

salty oat logo

2010-08-19T13:14:00.000-04:00

Remember this sneak peek? Well here's the finished piece, all stitched up and ready to go on the wall of my new studio:

And here's a pic of the back:

P.S. I've been updating the shop and have added a few new buttons!

more thrifting finds

2010-08-17T01:00:00.025-04:00

As promised, here are pictures of some of my other thrifting finds from around Silver Spring:

Juice glasses ($2 for a set of four)

Vintage floral napkins ($3 for a set of six)

Bedside table ($10)

Vintage sheets ($13 for two, almost complete, twin sets)

quilting project: stitch dc quilt along

2010-08-12T15:08:00.000-04:00

Our stuff finally arrived on Friday (though sadly, our beloved couch couldn't fit through our oddly shaped entryway, so we had to find another, smaller one to take its place) and I've begun to unpack my studio and slowly get back into the swing of crafting. I have a few things in my to-do pile that I started before all of the craziness of the move, and a few new things I've been waiting to start, including my quilt blocks for the Stitch DC Mystery Quilt Along.

I cut and sewed my blocks together this week, after a lot of time going back and forth on color choices. In the end, I wound up using a cornflower blue solid with two organic Cloud9 prints that I picked up at Nido in Burlington, Vermont, and two green prints (from Amy Butler's Daisy Chain collection and Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane collection) from City Craft in Dallas, Texas. My question to you is, do you think this color palette works? I've been going back and forth on the greens. In some lights I totally think they work together, and in others, I'm less sure. Any thoughts or feedback--and alternate fabric suggestions--would be much appreciated!

fabrics on my wish list

2010-08-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

Coloring Garden by Anna Maria Horner

Cabo by Leah Duncan

Ele-fete by Cloud9 Fabrics

Castle Town by Lizzie House

latest thrifting find: floral laundry hamper

2010-08-05T16:11:00.000-04:00

While waiting for our things to arrive (the movers are scheduled to come tomorrow--woo-hoo!), I've been busy exploring our new surroundings and scoping out the thrift stores in the area. Though I have yet to find one with a selection of craft supplies to rival Austin's Thrift House, I have managed to find a few places that stock some great vintage items at very reasonable prices.

Yesterday, I picked up this vintage floral laundry hamper for $6 from The Pennyworth Shop in downtown Silver Spring. I plan on using it in my studio to store all of my quilt batting and fiberfill.

Once the sun comes back out again (it's currently storming here), I'll take pictures of my finds from today--including a bedside table, juice glasses, and a heap of matching vintage floral sheets.

we made it!

2010-08-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

This is what Elton did for most of our 1500+ mile journey.

We're still waiting for our furniture--and my crafty supplies--to arrive, but I promise there will be posts filled with cross-stitch furniture (!) and recent projects coming soon!

sewing project: embroidered name napkins

2010-07-29T01:00:00.001-04:00

Before the sewing room was all packed up, I made personalized, embroidered lunch napkins for my co-workers as going-away gifts, using thrifted cotton and recently found vintage sheets.

Each name was stitched with a simple running stitch, using lime green floss.

thank you!

2010-07-27T09:00:00.026-04:00

A salty oat cookie (!) made by the lovely Beth Hempton.

Everything's packed, the movers have come and gone, and we're currently camping out on the floor of our Austin house, getting ready for our drive to DC, which starts early tomorrow morning.

I grew up in New England, so I'm excited to live on the East Coast again for the first time in eight years, but there will definitely be things I'll miss about Texas (including our friends, queso, and the melt-in-your-mouth fresh tortillas from H-E-B). However, one of the things that I will miss most is the Austin crafting community. I've met an incredibly inspiring and supportive group of women here in town, and I'm sad to say good-bye. And so, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who's helped me along the way, answered my crafty business questions, taught me new skills, cheered me on, and made me feel so welcome.

Thank you to the gals of EtsyAustin. Though I joined this enthusiastic and active street team only weeks before finding out we were moving, I've had so much fun meeting members, attending events, and learning more about running a craft business in Austin.

Thank you to Jennifer Perkins of Naughty Secretary Club, who took me on as an intern, let me help her make lots of cool crafts, passed along oodles of business advice, and shared books and supplies. I had so much fun working behind the scenes at NSC and learned so much about the day-to-day operations of a small craft business.

Thank you to all of my teachers at The Stitch Lab (such an amazing space and resource for crafters!), including Kat McTee and Rachel Hobson who taught me so much about embroidery and challenged me to try out new stitches and techniques.

And finally, thank you to the amazing women behind The WonderCraft (especially Beth H. who made the uh-mazing piece pictured above and wrote the sweetest blog post to go along with it), who have been so supportive of Salty Oat, dispensed great advice, and carried my items in their boutique. I had a blast interning for them (and using their button machine!) and will miss them dearly. (For those of you lucky enough to still be in Austin, I highly recommend you go visit them this weekend at their new location in East Austin!)

I've scheduled a recent craft project post (the first in a while!) to appear on Thursday (we'll be driving somewhere through Tennessee), and when I come back on Tuesday, I'll be blogging from our new apartment in Silver Spring---while hopefully surrounded by our recently delivered furniture. Until then...

sneak peek

2010-07-22T09:34:00.001-04:00

snapshot from our new city

2010-07-20T01:00:00.024-04:00

Shark tail sticking out of the Discovery Channel world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland--just a few blocks away from our new apartment!

selection of google reader favorites: rainbow

2010-07-15T01:00:00.002-04:00

I'm back from Vermont (where I, among many other things, made an embroidered potholder for my grandmother for her eightieth birthday, stitched up a scarf using pieces of voile from Anna Maria Horner's amazing Little Folks line, and received a lovely new print for our new apartment), but we're now jetting off to DC for the weekend to explore and hopefully find a place to live (!). Crafty updates will have to wait, but in the meantime, here are some colorful, recently starred items from the good ol' Google Reader:

New hair bows by The Pin Pals

Adorable camper painting by Elsie over at Red Velvet Art

Amazing paintbox floor pillow by Holly at stitch/craft

selection of etsy favorites: bunting + garlands

2010-07-13T01:00:00.013-04:00

Scalloped Garland - Green Marine by thisneckofthewoods

Ocean and Map Decoration Pack by kategreiner

Pretty Party Bunting A by paperklipdesign

selection of etsy favorites: yellow

2010-07-08T01:00:00.020-04:00

Daisy by y0ommi

Chrysanthemum Hoop by Gora Handmade

Little Knit Heart in Mustard Yellow by YesJess

Woodland Owl Wing - Sleepy King Hair Accessory - Mustard by sleepyking

giveaway winner!

2010-07-06T09:33:00.000-04:00

Names were pulled from an oh-so-lovely pitcher hand painted by Anna Betts.

And the winner of A Rainbow of Stitches is . . . Seaside Siblings! Congratulations, Lou! I'll be e-mailing you shortly for your mailing address. Thank you so much to everyone who entered and for all of your great suggestions about things to check out in the DC area!

I'm off to Vermont today for a week of crafting and family time. I've scheduled a few posts to keep you entertained in my absence, and I'll check back in next week, hopefully with a new project or two to share. Hope you all have a lovely week!

sewing project: fern-stitch napkins + train tote

2010-07-01T11:15:00.000-04:00

For my sister-in-law's June birthday, I sent her a package filled with cupcake-making supplies and some handmade goodies, including a set of four hand-embroidered napkins with a fern-stitch border. (I sold a teal pair in my shop not too long ago.)

I wrapped everything up in a little tote I made a few years ago from some amazing train fabric found in my mom's stash.

The tote was lined with pink polka dot fabric, which was also used for the handles, and I sewed coordinating green buttons at the base of each of the handles.

big news + book giveaway!

2010-06-29T01:00:00.011-04:00

Salty Oat (and the rest of my family!) is moving to Washington, DC, the home of the other famous salty oat cookie! Lots of packing, planning, and traveling will be happening in the upcoming weeks, so you may notice things are a bit quiet in the shop. But have no fear! I will continue to check in and report on some recent craft projects and the progress of our move, and I've scheduled a few posts (full of lots of pretty pictures) to keep you entertained while I'm on the road and in the air.

In the meantime, as I prepare for our move to the East Coast, I've started to go through our house, looking for things that we no longer need and can donate to charities around town. One thing I came across on my shelf was an extra copy of A Rainbow of Stitches, one of my favorite sources for contemporary cross-stitch and embroidery patterns (this project was made using a pattern from the book). I thought you, my dear readers, might find the book useful, and so, I've decided to give my extra copy away.

For a chance to win, either become a follower of this blog and let me know in the comments (or let me know if you already are a follower) or leave a comment and share your favorite thing about DC, whether it's a restaurant to try, a must-see craft store, or a fabulous museum. Please be sure to include your e-mail address in your comment so that I may contact you if you win.

There is one entry per person. Comments will close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, July 5, and a winner will be chosen at random and announced on Tuesday, July 6. This giveaway is open to international readers.

*Full disclosure: There's a small coffee stain on the top of the book (it adds character!), but it's otherwise brand-new and full of lovely patterns.

sewing project: bias tape bag

2010-06-24T11:01:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday night, I came across this tutorial for a bias tape bag on Prudent Baby, and decided to try it out.

In under two hours, I had an adorable, reversible bag. I used recently thrifted polka dot fabric for one side, and Japanese fabric featuring sheep for the other. The light blue bias tape is handmade and leftover from the quilt that I made for my parents for Christmas.

I was hoping to use the bag as a new lunch tote, but sadly, it was too shallow for my needs. (I seem to have a history of making too-small lunch bags.) I may attempt to make another, deeper one soon.

noah's ark

2010-06-22T01:06:00.002-04:00

During a recent thrifting excursion, I fell in love with this fluorescent crewelwork Noah's ark and snatched it up for the excellent price of $2.50.

Lovely giraffes set against a beautifully stitched green and blue roof.

Some friends for Curtis.

The stitching is pretty amazing (I love the clouds and the elephants!) and I now need to decide how to frame the piece. Stretcher or frame? Any tips or suggestions?

recent shop updates

2010-06-17T11:54:00.000-04:00

Since opening up my Etsy shop a few weeks ago, I've been busy stitching up goodies to fill my "shelves." Today, I thought I'd share some of the items I've been working on.

I love the cross-stitch patterns of andwabisabi (I featured Grace's work here back in November), so some of my newest shop items are wall hangings I've stitched up using andwabisabi patterns.

Curtis the cross-stitch crocodile

William the cross-stitch whale

I've also been making one-inch cross-stitch pinback buttons, featuring a semicolon and hearts.

And I've also been working on a number of custom pinback buttons for my lovely customers, using various colors of floss and aida cloth. I love seeing what color combos people come up with!

In the next few weeks, I'll also be adding embroidered napkins and quilted placemat sets to the shop. In the meantime, you can find a large selection of buttons--letters and even math symbols!--and vintage sheet cocktail napkins at The WonderCraft, here in Austin.

Salty Oat display at The WonderCraft

rainbow of stitches contest

2010-06-14T01:36:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, it was announced that my embroidered doily was the winner of the white category in Feeling Stitchy's Rainbow of Stitches Contest--wow! Being new to embroidery, I'm so honored and flattered to be in the company of so many talented stitchers.

My doily is now in the running for the grand prize, and if you have a moment, I recommend checking out all of the finalists and voting for your favorite one. Voting closes at 12:00 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, June 16, so be sure to get your vote in before then. And thank you, everyone, for all of your lovely comments here and over on Feeling Stitchy and Flickr!

sewing project: handkerchief invitation pillow

2010-06-10T13:36:00.000-04:00

A few months ago, a friend commissioned me to make a wedding gift for her friend, Annette. The gift was a pillow featuring Annette's wedding invitation, which had been brilliantly printed on a handkerchief.

Using fabrics that my friend had selected, I sewed together a button-back cover (this tutorial came in very handy) to fit over a fourteen-by-fourteen-inch pillow form. Since my machine is ancient, I borrowed a friend's machine to make the buttonholes.

I sewed the handkerchief to the pillowcase by hand, using embroidery floss that matched the yellow stitching around the edges of the handkerchief. I also embellished a few of the invitation's pink and purple flowers, using isolated chain stitches (my favorite part!).

It was fun doing a commissioned project, and after spending so much time with the invitation, I loved seeing pictures of the actual event--Annette's amazing-looking and craft-filled wedding (which can be seen here).

quilting project: hourglass quilt

2010-06-08T01:00:00.005-04:00

Shoshone Point, South Rim of the Grand Canyon

Site of our friends' wedding

A few weekends ago, the husband and I flew into Las Vegas and drove out to the Grand Canyon to attend the wedding of two of our friends. The wedding was lovely (the Grand Canyon is a pretty spectacular backdrop for a wedding ceremony), and when we returned, I finished making the couple's wedding gift, which I gave to them this past weekend.

Using Red Pepper Quilts' tutorial for an Hourglass Quilt (this is the second quilt I've made using one of her tutorials; here's the first), I created a lap quilt from scrap, thrifted, and new fabric. I decided to stick with a blue palette, which is both my favorite color for quilts and the couple's wedding color.

After about an hour of standing in the fabric store, holding the quilt top up against all of the cotton fabrics I could find, I eventually decided on a muslin for the back. The quilt is tied with navy pearl cotton and bound with navy bias tape.

On the back, I embroidered the couple's name and wedding date, and included a Salty Oat button.

pincushion swap: what i received

2010-06-03T01:00:00.007-04:00

So in exchange for the succulent pincushion I sent my swap partner Ina, she sent me an absolutely ginormus patchwork pincushion (it's about four inches tall and seven inches in diameter!).

The huge pincushion was actually the second one she made for me; the first was the tiny one pictured above, which Ina also included in my package, along with some pins, buttons, and ribbons.

Both of the pincushions are beautifully pieced together, and I especially love the buttons sewn around the top edge.

embroidery project: sparrow

2010-06-01T01:00:00.012-04:00

For a dear friend's birthday last week, I stitched up one of Jenny Hart's bluebirds (the transfer is available in Embroidered Effects). The pattern reminded me a lot of the sparrow necklace that my friend often wears, so I knew it was the perfect motif for her gift.

Inspired by my friend's living room, which is filled with yellow accents, I used gray embroidery floss and a vintage yellow napkin that my mom sent to me after cleaning out one of her linen drawers. I used a chain stitch for the entire piece.

pincushion swap: what i sent + new giveaway winner

2010-05-27T01:24:00.000-04:00

In March, I took part in a pincushion swap organized by Claire over at Claire's Crafty Blog. For my swap partner Ina (who lives in the Netherlands--my first international swap!), I made this succulent pincushion out of felt.

The pattern is taken from this excellent tutorial for an appliqued succulent sachet, created by Laura of Bugs and Fishes (I love Laura's blog and felt projects!). All of the elements are handsewn, and the pincushion is stuffed with leftover quilt batting.

In other news, I never heard from Kristin, the gal who won my giveaway day pinback buttons (sorry, Kristin!), so I've gone ahead and drawn another winner.

Congratulations, Kitten Delicious! I'll be contacting you to get your address so that I can get the buttons out in the mail to you ASAP. Thanks again to everyone who entered!

quilting project: little trees quilt

2010-05-25T01:53:00.001-04:00

After much slacking on my part (and a failed attempt at using stretchy seersucker as a quilt backing--not a good idea, in case you were wondering), I've finally--finally--finished my little trees quilt.

I made it using this Purl Bee tutorial by Sharilyn of Lovely Design, which was based on one of Sharilyn's lovely quilts.

I used a combination of new and vintage fabrics for the trees. Each trunk is made from scraps of Japanese fabric featuring sheep on a brown background. I tied the entire quilt with dark red pearl cotton and used black binding tape on the edges. The back features a green fabric I picked up from the remnant pile at the fabric store.

P.S. I have yet to hear from Kristin, my Giveaway Day winner. Kristin, please e-mail by Wednesday, May 26 (tomorrow), to claim your prize. If I don't hear from you by then, I will draw a new winner on Thursday.

giveaway winner!

2010-05-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you so, so much to everyone who entered the giveaway and welcome new followers! After taking out a few multiple comments, I used random.org to select the winner.

Congratulations, Kristin!

Kristin, please send your mailing address to saltyoat [at] gmail [dot] com, and I'll get your package in the mail.

I loved reading everyone's comments and suggested cross-stitch motifs (boy, do you guys love owls!). Some of my favorite suggestions included a goat, poppies, records, and an elephant.

Didn't win but still want your own set of "I "*heart* U" buttons? Head on over to my Etsy shop and pick up a set.

cross-stitch project: anchor button

2010-05-19T10:04:00.000-04:00

Here for the Sew Mama Sew! giveaway? Check out this post for a chance to win a set of cross-stitch pinback buttons. Thank you so much to everyone who's entered so far, and for all of the eclectic and creative suggestions on cross-stitch motifs to try out (bacon is among my favorites so far)! Keep them coming!

This past week, I continued to play around with the button maker a friend lent me and turned my newest cross-stitch design--an anchor--into a big ol' button. The design is simple (it's the first one I've ever created from scratch), and I used cream aida cloth and red floss to stitch it up, to fit with the nautical theme.

giveaway day!

2010-05-17T02:07:00.001-04:00

Welcome, Sew Mama Sew! readers! I had such a blast doing giveaway day last December, that I've decided to do it again. Today, I'll be giving away a set of three cross-stitch pinback buttons, one of the new products that will be available for sale in my Etsy shop in the coming weeks.

Each button is one inch in diameter and is made from brown and cream aida cloth that I found during a thrifting trip last year. The three little buttons spell out the phrase "I *heart* U."

There are two ways you can enter to win these pins (though there is only one entry per person):

1. Become a follower of this blog (or let me know if you already are) or subscribe to it using a feed reader (or let me know if you already do) and leave a comment below.

2. Leave a comment and tell me what cross-stitch designs you'd most like to see on buttons. Patterns? Woodland creatures? Pancakes?

Be sure to leave your e-mail address in the comment form (it will remain invisible) so that I can contact you if you win. I will ship internationally, so this giveaway is open to everyone. The giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. CST on Thursday, May 20, so be sure to leave a comment before then. The winner will be announced on Friday, May 21. Good luck!

renegade craft fair + cross-stitch buttons

2010-05-13T20:31:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't heard (though I'm sure you have), Renegade Craft Fair will be coming to Austin for the first time this weekend. I went to Renegade in L.A. last year and had a blast, and I'm super excited to attend the Austin version.

Not only am I looking forward to checking out all of the vendors, I'm also excited to see my first line of cross-stitch buttons for sale in The WonderCraft's Airstream trailer boutique, Stella.

Pinback buttons featuring letters, semicolons, and math symbols stitched onto thrifted pink and brown aida cloth will be for sale, as well as sets of buttons that say "I *heart* U." All of the buttons are mounted onto book pockets, which are left over from our wedding invitations (which I'll post about someday!).

If my sewing machine decides to cooperate (and it hasn't lately, so who knows), I may also have some handmade napkins for sale this weekend too.

For those of you that can't make it to Renegade, keep an eye on my Etsy shop, which I will be stocking with buttons and napkins in the next few weeks--and of course feel free to contact me with any custom button requests.

P.S. Thank you to everyone who has left lovely comments the past few days. Sorry it took me until now to figure out how to have them show up!

embroidery project: not for all the tea in china

2010-05-11T09:51:00.001-04:00

For those of you lucky enough to be in the Seattle area on Friday, you should stop by Assemble Gallery and Studio's May Artwalk Extravaganza. In addition to the opening of their show of Emily Katz's embroidery work, Assemble is also hosting an embroidery contest with the theme, "Not for All the Tea in China.

I visited and fell in love with Assemble during our trip to Seattle, and I'm so excited to have the chance to participate in their contest. My piece, which is currently untitled, will be on display alongside the other entries starting on Friday.

The eleven-by-eleven-inch piece of fabric features cross-stitch text in the center (the first time I've ever done cross-stitch on a surface other than aida cloth), French knots (of course!), large isolated chain stitches, and buttonhole stitches (which I learned how to do during an embroidery class with Rachel Hobson at The Stitch Lab).

I chose the design after a lot (a lot!) of deliberation. I ultimately decided to stitch a phrase that was a variation on my husband's response to the question, "What wouldn't you trade for all the tea in China?" The flower frame was inspired by the Liberty of London line of products that recently hit Target shelves--and the floral storage box I picked up from the clearance shelf during a shopping trip last weekend in particular.

For those of you that can, I do hope you'll stop by the event, check out the entries and vote for your favorite one, and support a great crafty and creative space.

UPDATE: Though my piece didn't win the contest (you can see the winning entry here), it did sell. Thank you for all of your lovely comments, both here and on Flickr!

cross-stitch project: silver floss

2010-05-06T10:38:00.003-04:00

I'd heard the horror stories about working with metallic thread--"It tangles so easily!" "It's such a pain to work with!"--but I foolishly didn't believe them...until last week. A kind crafty friend generously lent me her button maker, and I decided to test it out and make a cross-stitch pinback button. Armed with blue aida cloth and silver floss, I set to work cross-stitching a c design that I'd found in a pattern pamphlet I picked up from Half Price Books. About two stitches in, problems started to occur. Strands separated, knots formed, and I missed stitches, which led to me pulling them out and starting again. Thankfully, my project was small (the button is 2 1/4" in diameter) and I finished it relatively quickly.

I love the finished button and would like to use metallic thread again--but only for small projects.

news and link love

2010-05-04T01:58:00.000-04:00

This goofy guy turned one yesterday. Happy birthday, Elton!

Big things have been happening behind the scenes here at Salty Oat. Between DBA and tax ID number applications and late-night stitching sessions, I've been getting ready for the launch of the first line of Salty Oat goodies. In the coming weeks, I'll be setting up shop to sell crafty items like monogrammed cross-stitch pinback buttons made from thrifted aida cloth in a rainbow of colors and handmade embroidered napkins.

I have some more fun projects to share with you (like a pillow made with a wedding invite printed on a handkerchief, pincushions from a swap I participated in, and more details from our library-themed wedding) in the coming weeks as well, but I haven't had a chance to photograph everything yet, so today, I thought I'd share some of my favorite recently posted projects and Etsy finds.

*This nesting doll pincushion by Maximum Rabbit Designs would be the perfect project for the matryoshka dolls I still have stashed at my parents' house (via Craft).

*Love this espresso maker print by Sandra Juto (via A CUP OF JO).

*Platter + cross-stitch = best housewarming gift ever.

*This brooch covered in vintage fabric from an obi is totally modern and adorable.

*I would love to make a quilt from these precut blocks of vintage fabric.

*The best kind of plant: one made from yarn that never needs to be watered.

*Prudent Baby's makeup bag looks like it could fit all of my toiletries and then some.

*This tiny little wall hanging would be the perfect way to commemorate an anniversary.

Have your own great crafty find? Please share in the comments!

embroidery project: doily

2010-04-29T09:59:00.002-04:00

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of taking the Artistic Embroidery class with Kat McTee at The Stitch Lab in South Austin. After falling in love with this doily-themed embroidery project, I knew I wanted to try out something similar.

I started off using a simple circular design that I found in a book at the sewing studio. I transferred the design to my piece of linen and then started stitching, embellishing the pattern as I went along. I experimented with a variety of stitches, including a modified blanket fan, to create a sampler of sorts.

One of my favorite sections of the doily is its center, which features a cluster of French knots.

I finally framed the piece last week and finished the back off with a vintage sheet.

UPDATE: This piece won the white category in Feeling Stitchy's Rainbow of Stitches Contest!

mini embroidery swap: what i received

2010-04-27T01:01:00.000-04:00

So in exchange for the matryoshka cross-stitch I sent Adaiha, she stitched up this adorable crafty kitty for me, using this vintage transfer from doe-c-doe's Flickr stream.

I love the little cross-stitch details, especially the little x's that form the pattern on the fabric spilling out of basket below.

The back of the hoop is finished off beautifully with a piece of goldenrod floral fabric.