giveaway day!

Welcome to everyone visiting as part of Sew Mama Sew's giveaway day! If this is your first time at Salty Oat, here's a mini round-up of some of my most popular posts over the past few years, to get you up to speed:

• One of my first quilts was made from the bunting I hung up at my wedding. 
• When learning to embroider, I stitched a sampler using a doily as my inspiration. 
• I think napkins are fun to make and give (see evidence here, here, here, and here). To make your own, check out my log cabin napkin tutorial over on the Fat Quarterly blog.
• I was lucky enough to have two embroidered pieces (this one and this one) included in group shows in Seattle a few years ago.
• I love to quilt. Here are a few of the quilts I've made this year: for my parents, for my sister-in-law, for a friend, for me. 

Now for the giveaway! This year, I'll be giving away a mini charm pack from Moda (each square of fabric measures 2.5" x 2.5"), featuring the fabric line Kissing Booth by BasicGrey. I'll also be giving away a hand-stitched, cross-stitch pinback button, featuring the letter of the winner's choice.

To enter, simply leave a comment below, telling me what letter you'd like stitched on your button. Please be sure to include your email address, so that I have a way to contact you if you win. Comments will close December 7, at 5:00 pm PST, and a winner will be chosen at random and notified by December 9. This giveaway is open to everyone, domestic and international.

*Giveaway is now closed.*

walk to end alzheimer's + cross-stitch buttons

For the second year in a row, my husband and I will be doing the Walk to End Alzheimer's. This is a huge event, which happens in cities and towns all over the US; this year, we'll be walking on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

The event raises money for the Alzheimer's Association, an organization that offers support to those affected by Alzheimer's, sponsors research, and promotes brain health. My own father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year, at the age of 58, so this is a cause that is very, very important to me.

As part of our participation, my husband and I hope to raise at least $3,000 for the Association, and we could use your support. For any blog readers that make a donation of $5 or more---Just $5! The price of a fancy coffee drink!---I will send them a cross-stitch pinback button as a token of my appreciation. Here's how it'll work:

1. Check out our team page or my personal page and make a donation of $5 or more (every little bit helps!) before the walk on Saturday, October 27.

2. Come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me that you've made a donation to the walk and what letter you'd like stitched on your button (You get to choose the letter, but the color combo will be a surprise!).

3. I'll verify with the Alzheimer's Association that you've made a donation and send your button on its merry way! I'll use the mailing address that you gave to the Association when you made the donation, unless you tell me otherwise.

Questions? Let me know! And thank you so, so much for your support!

paintbox pillow

A pretty patchwork pillow to brighten your morning, made by my mom for my birthday last year:

gallery of gifts

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.

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.

cross-stitch goods for the wondercraft

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. 

The package includes cross-stitch wall pieces, cross-stitch pincushions, and cross-stitch pinback buttons!

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.

custom cross-stitch buttons

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)!

recent shop updates

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

pincushion swap: what i received

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.

quilting project: little trees quilt

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!

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

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!

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. 

or

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

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!

cross-stitch project: silver floss

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.

embroidery project: doily

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 sent

 

After the success of our embroidered button swap, Adaiha and I decided to do another swap. For our second go-around, we decided to make mini embroidered pieces (I used a three-inch embroidery hoop). Knowing that Adaiha liked matryoshka dolls, I stitched one up using a pattern I found in A Rainbow of Stitches, one of my favorite sources for cross-stitch and embroidery designs.

I used some mint green aida cloth that I found at a thrift store as my background, and I again used this helpful tutorial by Maximum Rabbit Designs to finish off the back, which featured a scrap piece of matryoshka fabric and a salty // oat button.