Posted on

east campus garage sales: new fabric and yarn!

Last year I barely made a dent in the east campus garage sales. I had no idea how big they were. I took my husband and daughter to the textile sale and by the time I made my fabric purchase, my family was ready to go.

This year I went with my friend Kelly. We shopped all morning and got some great deals! I bought lots of cool fabric at the textile sale and some really nice clothes for refashioning. I did get a few other odds and ends, like a cookbook and some baking pans, but I know you just want to see the fabric, right? Here’s a small sampling of my favorites.

hillestad textile saleI got a mix of textures. These feel like canvas.

hillestad textile saleThese feel more like traditional upholstery fabric.

hillestad textile saleIsn’t this cool? It’s yarn sewn to fabric! I bought yellow one, too.

hillestad textile saleI can’t forget this total deal, even though it’s not fabric. Sweater in progress plus all remaining yarn for 25 cents. Yes, 25 cents. It’s superwash wool.

I’m going to wait to post the clothes, because you’ll see them in the “before” pics when they’re refashioned.

I think this was my last garage sale of the season. Today the air feels a little cooler. The sun is setting earlier, too. I feel like a squirrel who has worked all summer on a healthy stash. Now it’s time to stay in and start sewing!

Posted on

no vacation yarn for me

kearney yarn store

Wooly Mammoth Yarn Store, Kearney Cruise 2009

I’m kind of surprised I didn’t buy any vacation yarn yesterday. I’ve found so many exciting garage sale deals this summer, that going in and just buying yarn seemed kind of boring. There’s no thrill of the hunt. There’s no adventure in bargaining. I did go in and look around, though. I’m not crazy!

I also looked around the antique store, but everything seemed so expensive. I guess that’s another side effect of thrifting. I kept thinking, “They want how much?!” After that, I decided not to go to the fabric store. Instead, I sat under a tree in the shade and crocheted some granny squares with my freecycle yarn.

Posted on

my creative space

fabric for new tote bags

This morning I went to a few garage sales. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular — just trying to stay fresh with ideas. I found this cute cotton shower curtain that I think will make some really fun tote bags. There’s even more ric rac not pictured! Today I’ve been sketching and trying to figure out how I’m going to cut this up. There are so many possibilities!

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo. Go check them out!

Posted on

vacation fabric: omaha tote bag

I don’t buy a lot of my craft stash new, especially without a sale or a coupon. There are times, though, when I indulge myself and it’s usually on vacation. No matter where we go, either for a week or just a night, there’s usually a yarn or fabric store to visit. I try to buy something that I normally wouldn’t find in Lincoln. Most of the time it is yarn. Last year, when T and I had “date night” in Omaha, it was fabric.

amy butler fabric

All I really wanted for Mother’s Day this year was some time to myself to sew something for me. Kind of self-indulgent, I know, but I always seem to be making for someone else these days and this fabric has been calling to me. I didn’t buy a lot — only 1/2 yard of each. I am planning to make a matching zipper pouch and change purse. To make the most of the floral print, I used some yellow fabric from my stash for the lining. I was planning to box the corners, but I kind of like the squareness without them. What do you think?

stash: floral print was “vacation” fabric, lining fabric from garage sale, batting was a remnant, zipper thrifted from goodwill

Posted on

crafty garage sale finds

crafty garage sale finds

I’m showing some serious garage sale constraint this season because I’ve got a pretty good stash established. However, yesterday morning was beautiful and the next neighborhood over was having their annual sales. I found some fabric for a future skirt, 2 yards for $1. I also found a ton of elastic for my new clothing adventures, $2 for all. I couldn’t pass up this brown wool sweater; it was free!

Posted on

my faux burberry scarf

flannel

Remember when I mentioned that some of that stash flannel was going to become a faux Burberry scarf? It was a really easy project and great for some instant sewing gratification.

  • The original piece was about 14 x 43 inches. I cut it in half and joined the 7 inch ends with a french seam.
  • I sewed the edges just as you would for a napkin or tea towel: fold all four sides 1/4 inch and press, then fold over again, press and pin.
  • Then I top-stitched the edges down. I mitered my corners, but don’t think it was necessary.

That’s it! Here are some online tutorials for a french seam (via Hoppo Bumpo) and mitered corners (via CraftStylish).

recycle: This would be a great way to save a flannel shirt from the landfill. If you have smaller scraps of flannel, just add a few more french seams.

Posted on

formula one applique

Usually those words don’t go together. Most Formula One gear isn’t on the crafty side, but when has that ever stopped me? This shirt was a birthday gift for our dear friends’ son Wyatt. I was a little worried about whether or not it looked like a car when I was finished. I asked my daughter if she could tell what it was and she said, “A car! A race car! A Ferrari!” Mission accomplished.

ferrari applique

refashion: The t-shirt was new* from the craft store. The fabric, Heat-n-Bond, and embroidery floss were from my stash. The fabric matched the t-shirt a little too well. Adding the black embroidery floss outline really helped!

*Purchased before my pledge.

Posted on

stash enhancement: fabric

A few weeks ago, I went through and did a massive declutter of my fabric stash. I’m so glad that I did. I know exactly what I have and what I need. When Christy mentioned that she had 18 (!) boxes of free fabric to giveaway, it was easy for me to stay focused when going through all of them.

Swapping fabric with friends is a great way to enhance your stash without buying new. I was surprised how much I found knowing that my crafty friends had already sorted through everything a few days before. Everyone has different tastes and projects on the brain. Here’s what came home with me:

floral

These will resurface in tote bags and clothes for Bella and me.

fun

Most likely these will show up in tote bags or maybe some aprons.

flannel

I’m planning pj bottoms for Bella and me.
The smaller pieces will be for blankets.
I see a faux Burberry scarf in that top piece!

holiday

Look for re-usable gift bags next holiday season!

I think I was pretty restrained for the most part, except for bringing home the entire box of flannel. What can I say? I love flannel. I even wear it in the summertime (I’m always cold!).

I’m going to have to destash again to make room for all of this. When I’m finished, I’ll have some fabric to share!

Posted on

valentine’s crafting

After looking over this post, it seems like I was in full Valentine’s Day mode for the past week, but I really wasn’t. All of these were really fast and easy to put together. I had a pretty busy week, so fast and easy was just what I needed!

Last year we colored and put stickers on blank cards. This year we made cards out of M’s existing artwork. She’s been drawing with her magic markers on a stack of make ready sheets T brought home from work and one looked particularly valentine-y.

valentines

You can download my heart template here and if you print it at 100%, the cards will fit in standard invitation size envelopes. I also used the template to cut out some hearts for a garland. I always try to hang something in this window for holidays and birthdays. You can see it from both the living room and kitchen and it’s right behind our table. That little touch always makes our house feel festive.

garland

I also made some quick gifts for T and M. After falling in love with the ball I made for Brady, I felt like M needed one of her own. I made it with leftover fabric from her bibs.

bella ball

I also whipped up a quick sweater sleeve scarf for T, complete with a roundel. I’m not sure if he really likes it or was being polite. There is a fine line between cool and too crafty for T. I think the scarf is sitting on that line! (I really like it, though!)

bmw scarf

We had a really nice day. M played in the snow, I did some sewing, and T cooked up some awesome Valentine’s chili for dinner. The best part of the day was watching M open her gifts and give her dad his Valentine.

valentine

Posted on

birthday crafting

Last Friday was Brady’s birthday, and in keeping with my pledge, he received some handmade goodies from us. I had made him some Peanuts bibs for Christmas (which I forgot to take a picture of for the blog — you can see one in action here) and I decided to stay with that theme.

snoopy and ball

The ball is a pattern from the Purl Bee and was really fun to make. I used some leftover fabric from the bibs. I think I’m going to do the same for M with the leftovers from her bibs. She really liked it!

Snoopy is a pattern from Chibi Ami. I found it on ravelry. I think you can find a pattern for pretty much anything on ravelry!

It’s a great feeling to watch someone enjoy a present that you made by hand. Brady had a huge smile on his face when he pulled the ball out of the bag, and when we left, he was chewing on Snoopy’s ear. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal sign of toddler approval.

………………..

Shop update: more felted heart coffee sleeves are up in my etsy store.