Archive for February, 2009

• Simplicity Needlework Patterns “Linen Suggestions For Children”

  Here are two more of the darling patterns from the 1948 Simplicity Needlework Catalog. The puppy dogs and kitty cats pattern is going to be tricky to draft, but I’m going to try. I love the idea of embroidering sheets as well as pillowcases for a toddler, although I’m not sure I could [...]

  February 27th, 2009

• Hello Kitty Birthday Treats

  Since I’m on this Hello Kitty thing, I thought I would post some photos of Emily’s last two birthday treats — both Hello Kitty themed. The cake I designed myself — copying some ideas on the web from other HK cake makers. The skinny licorice is really hard to find — I ended [...]

  February 25th, 2009

• Hello Kitty Redwork Quilt Top

  My daughter, Emily, loves Hello Kitty so I decided to make a little quilt for her using the pictures from a HK coloring book. Hello Kitty is really fun to embroider — I used both 1 and 2 strands of floss, depending upon the level of detail in the picture. My favorites are [...]

  February 23rd, 2009

• 1948 Simplicity Needlework Catalog

  I am so excited to have won this old catalog on ebay for only $15, which was a great deal in my opinion.  It is big (11″ x 13″) and although the cover is shelf-worn, the pages are pristine and the illustrations are wonderful.  The catalog contains pictures of every Simplicity needlework pattern in their [...]

  February 21st, 2009

• Workbasket Embroidery Transfers – Cats

  Here are some more transfers which used to come stapled to the inside of your Workbasket magazine. I like these cats because they’re a little different — more realistic than I generally see in vintage transfers. Workbasket transfers are red ink on a craft-type paper and the paper (which originally was probably a [...]

  February 19th, 2009

• Bow Tie Quilt

  This quilt was made with some hand pieced vintage bow tie blocks purchased on ebay. Although the ties themselves were very cute, the background muslin pieces were badly stained, and I couldn’t use them. I took the blocks apart — washed, pressed and re-cut them ending up with a slightly smaller block. [...]

  February 17th, 2009

• Bark Cloth Market Bag

  Here is my first bag using the Portabellopixie pattern. I used vintage fabric to line the straps and some other vintage scraps for the interior and pocket. Since the outside strap fabric had a grid, I decided to do a little cross stitch there. I’m pretty happy with the way it turned [...]

  February 15th, 2009

• Happy Valentine’s Day!

  Favorite Rhymes
  Merrill Publishing, 1942
  Uncredited Illustrator

  February 14th, 2009

• Portabellopixie Market Bags

  Yesterday I received my new market bag pattern from Sandi Henderson Designs — it’s darling and the photos and instructions in the pattern are well designed and very clear.   There are two bag designs in this pattern — a Straight Market Bag and a Gathered Market Bag — and both are equally cute. Sandi [...]

  February 12th, 2009

• Bark Cloth Tote

  What to do with a box of smallish bark cloth cutter scraps when you don’t want to make another pillow — Tote Bag! This was my first and ended up being a sort of prototype that I kept for myself. After this one I made five others as gifts. The bags got [...]

  February 10th, 2009