Look What My Hands Have Made

My New Bed Skirt from Damask Table cloths

Oh it has been too long since I have written, I am ashamed to say...however, I have been creating a bit around my home and thought I would share what I have been up to. This last summer I was given a big bag of beautiful linens. I couldn't believe the generosity of my dear sweet friends, Carolyn and Tom. Tom's mom had passed away and they were dealing with her estate and gave me these linens because they knew I would appreciate them and use them! So of course, I had to put them to good use. Not only to remember them by, but also because these linens were so beautiful.   Well in and among this bag were several antique, white, Damask, table cloths and of course dollies galore!

 My Sweet Little Lamp Shades

                                                                       

Believe it or not I decided to cut up(yes I did and yes I cringed when I did it!) and use the table cloths for skirting for my king duvet in our master bed room and I used one of the cut work, round doilies,  to make designer- like covered lampshades to fit the antique sconces I purchased from the Farm Chicks Show last June. I chose this doily because of the heavy scalloped edge and simple but raised thread work.Yardage at the fabric store, for this project, would have cost me an arm and a leg because of the design I wanted. Not to mention, I would never be able to find anything this fine and durable. For the lamp shades, I found  a self adhesive, designer shade at Joann Fabrics-perfect! This handy and simple product, allows you to remove the protective covering, use the covering to trace the paper as your pattern, then cut and stick on your fabric.Super simple! Both shades took me less than 15 min. to make!

Details of Skirting

The old saying the right tool, for the right job is so true. So instead of spending my money on yardage, I spent it on a ruffler foot for my Bernina sewing machine. Oh- my- word- this baby is worth it's weight in gold!! AND it  allowed me to create my dream bed covering in- oh about 30 min.- Waaa Hooo! Now I already had a handmade duvet cover that my mother had passed down to me and this is what I used to attache my skirting to.Then I put my decorative duvet on top. This way I can change out the duvet if I need to wash it or just need to change decore.  So here it is in all its lovely-ness!

Summer Preservation Project

This summer I have taken on a preservation project. My daughters “NeeNee” has become so frayed with love that she is in danger of, dare I say it? Becoming extinct. So I am attempting my hand at quilting. So far it is a very rough and amateur attempt. However the good news is I think it will do its intended job and protect NeeNee.

My inspiration was to make a quilt using pretty fabrics on the top and then to sew the NeeNee onto the back. This way my daughter can still see her and feel her NeeNee. I am hoping that by sewing her directly onto the backing she will be girded up and won’t fall apart.

Now NeeNee can live forever…can you hear the fairy music?

I know that when I am feeling worn and frayed it is a good hug from my hubby and the word of God that grids me up, reassures me and steadies me on. The word of God also talks of sowing seed could I be so bold as to interpret the imagery of that to a different picture? How about, sewing the seed of His word onto my heart? Aaaahhhh I feel an art inspiration coming on! Oh happy day….

I will post the end results when I am done with the art and the quilt.

Thank you Lord for your word and the gift of words your inspiration is astounding to me. Lord I hope I will always bring you glory with my creativity. You are the song I hear in my heart and the colors by which I create. I love you Amen.

Coming In Mid-March E~Patterns

I am really excited. I will be launching a new category on the website- e~patterns! This spring towards the middle of March this category should be up and running with the first e-pattern. I have been hard at work writing, sketching, photographing and of course sewing, cutting and making these fun patterns for you to enjoy at home.

I wanted to give you a sneak peek.... This will be a great addition to my website because it will allow you, my beloved customers, to easily purchase and download patterns and instructions right to you own computer at home~ISN'T THAT COOL? I think so! I love not having to pay for shipping, but even better is getting started right away on that project I am dying to do!

The first series called: The Cottage Posy Patch E-Pattern Series. This series of patterns will give instructions on how to make some really fun cut felt flowers. Each pattern consists of pattern pieces, instruction and lovely photos giving you step-by step examples of the finished project.

I sure hope you will check out the websitehttp://www.thepatchworkheart.com/ and go to E~Pattern category. Once online payment is made you will be emailed a link to access and download PDF file and save to your computer. It is that easy!

Girls Gone Thread Wild project #2

Prayer for a Cure

I had the greatest time this week. I love it when an inspiration finally becomes the tangible! Often when I create I see it in my mind's eye, I like this process and I am given many good ideas
this way. However, it does have a downfall, sometimes it is hard to get away from this idea too.

I have had the materials for this project from Monica Magness for a while but I sat ruminating on these "other images" for a few months, needless to say life got in the way and I wasn't able to get to my idea right away.

This really turned out to be a blessing! Because what I had in mind was completely different than what I ended up with! Gotta love that! This 10in. x 10in. block has a totally different color scheme, less complicated design, just enough detail. Frankly, I like this creation much better than the original inspiration!

Detail of tag with glitter

This not only has material but also paper decoupaged to it, a paper tag, ribbon, scraps of lace, and buttons, a safety pin, stamped material(wings and crown) glitter, beads and trim.

I also discovered another thing... I have been missing my sewing machine! Boy was it fun to get my stitches and threads out and start playing. Different materials and textures! I really like velvet and canvas together, who knew?

Summer is A-Coming!

Can you smell the summer season coming? It smells to me like dirt and fertilizer and flowers and herbs too. Speaking of herbs June is a wonderful time to plant lavender and I have just the kit to inspire you mothers and daughters to get your hands dirty! Go to my website The Patchwork Heart, Co. and featured this month is my The Loveliness of Lavender Kit! It has all you need to start your own lavender plant, as well as, make a luscious silk lavender sachet together. What a wonderful way to kick off summer fun than to work side by side doing this project together!

Girl Time Tidbit #1

I have two daughters, one has left the nest and is in college, the other still at home :o) The younger one and I enjoy what we call "Girl Time". I don't know how we coined the name. I think it was to deter any brothers from wanting to be in on the action... anyway, I thought I would start sharing some of the things that we do together. I will share "Girl Time Tidbits" and projects too. My hope is that it will encourage you or spark your creativity to start a "Girl Time" in your own home with your daughters.

Building healthy mother/daughter relationships is a heartfelt desire of mine actually, all relationships among women are; in friendship, as mentors, family relations. I also have a great love for the womanly arts of sewing, hand work, crafts, writing, hospitality, cooking and caring for my family. I want to share the things of my heart with my girls so I started spending special time with them, talking, sharing and having tea with them. What fun this has been! The wonderful by-product of this is that my daughters have also grown to love this time and lovingly share their hearts with me!

"Girl Time Tidbit #1"

One of the great things we decided was to make up a special place where we would have "Girl Time". For us this is the living room our nicest room. We sit by the front window at an antique table that I inherited from my paternal grandmother. She is who my younger daughter is named after. This table is extra special for me because there are many wonderful memories associated with it. Recipes I wrote down as my Mimi (my grandmother's nickname) dictated them, heartfelt talks, card games, I would eat fresh raspberries and milk with a sprinkle of sugar on them, that my Papa had picked from his garden that very morning. I even learned to crochet at this table.

This is our "Girl Time" spot

This special spot doesn't have to be fussy make it suit your style and decore! I have created it so that it can stay that way all the time. If you don't have a space to do this in, not a problem you can creat a "Girl Time" box (a plastic tub with lid or wicker basket) and put your special things in it. Then when you want to have "Girl Time" have your daugther get it out and set out your sweet smelling candle and special table cloth, tea cups and devotions or projects. When you are done it can go back in the plastic tub and back into it's storage spot.

We have made our spot inviting and special with candle and special books on poetry, our bibles, devotionals and our Girlhood Home Companion publications and a basket filled with our stitching and handiwork. There are many days that I long to just sit and spend time with my growing girl. The time is short make it count even if it is lots of small times they will add up to big memories and cozy feelings of love. I would love to hear your "Girl Time Tidbits", tales and memories, so please leave a comment.

This is some of our favorite tea!

Wool Felt Tutorial

Hello Fellow Wool Felt Lovers and Wannabes!

Thanks for your interest in a tutorial on how I make wool felt and what I do with it. I appreciate you tuning in after a week, (holy cow sorry about that) this home schooling mom of 3 is pretty good at multi-tasking but I am NOT that good. So, thank you for the grace period.

I love, love, love taking old things and making them new and useful, with new purpose and practicality! I admit it I am a recycling junkie! Frugality is part of my personality, it must be the Scottish stock I come from. I am all about efficiency and being a good steward of my time. Why do something in 5 steps when you could do it in 2? Wool felt is wonderful for all of these reasons!

Wool felt is utilitarian in nature but that is what I like about it. I favor wool felt over common craft felt, believe it or not, there is a difference. Wool felt is a natural fiber and uniformly dense. Common craft felt is a synthetic fabric and often irregular in it's density. Craft felt is good in a pinch and comes in a variety of types, plush for example. But my favorite is wool, it is durable, wears great and nowadays comes in an array of amazing colors. I love using this fabric as the base for fabric collaging and other sewing projects because it doesn't need to be hemmed or finished-super cool! It is a great fabric to teach young ones how to sew and stitch on too! SO...Let's begin.

Wool comes in different forms:

1. Roving which is loose combed wool before being spun into yarn.

2. Wool fabric is woven wool yarn

3. then store bought wool felt.












The process I am talking about is taking wool fabric and turning it into felt . This process is so easy you are going to be amazed!

Take your 100% wool fabric and wash it alone, with a small amount of gentle detergent (woolite) using warm water cycle. Dry on hot heat. This can be done more than once to achieve the desired thickness and density for your felt the more you wash it and dry it the denser it becomes. It is important that you use 100% wool. I have felted wool blends with some success but the higher the wool content the better your results so I would advise you stick with the higher wool content fabrics, 80% and above, you will be happier with the results. For 100% wool 1-2 washings should do. Wool blends may take 2-4 washings, depending on the fiber the wool is blended with.
Remember, I said I am all about recycling-another thing that I like to do is look in second hand shops-my favorite way to spend a Saturday afternoon- for wool sweaters, felt them and then cut them apart for other projects, and appliqués. Here is a sweater I made for my niece using recycled sweaters. The sweater itself, strawberries, leaves and flowers are from old sweaters.

Thanks for letting me share with you my love of felt and now you know why I love it, hopefully I have made a felt lover out of you too!