angry chicken

quilt monday

It's been a long time since I posted a quilt Monday. I have a backlog of images and here the first- this amazing vintage quilt top was purchased by Grammie last year in Bridgeport, Indiana at a festival. She  put on a batting and back, machine quilted and bound it-and wow, boy, it's a real beauty.

She didn't wash it, so it has this wonderful worn/stained look and the irregularity of the blocks are amazing. I asked what the block was called and she couldn't find it anywhere--but she did say it is a hard block to do, with the miters and all.

When she was ironing it before she machine quilted it-she found a little appliqued piece of fabric on the top, which had a dine sewn behind it. She took it out and it was from 1939. How cool is that? She has never heard of coins being sewn into quilts, but we are assuming this is the year is was made- I want to start doing this on my quilt now. A few more photos of the amazing quilt and the amazing machine quilting job Grammie did on it is here. . .once again she blows my mind.

happy arty stuff.

Thanks you guys for the really really nice comments about my podcast-it was fun doing it, but sort of nerve wracking knowing it is going to be out there. . .

A super genius friend of mine directed me to these giclee prints done by the uber-talented Jen Corace. There are 3 of them and they are available at Art Star as a limited edition, so I moved fast. Some of the original paintings from this series are here at motel. .

I freaked out about these (a huge understatement) and got all 3. I missed the Tiny Showcase Jen Corace print this last time do to an family emergency (literally, an emergency room style emergency) so this more than makes up for that.

Art Star has other lovely prints by several other artists. This whole giclee print thing is so cool. The prints are beautiful and so very affordable, I just love them.

**updated- don't forget your tie one on apron for june/july! You have until Tuesday-the perfect weekend project!

a dyed dress and a podcast-

I really liked this dress I made a bit back-that one there, in the lower left. . .but the light yellow and pink just didn't seem right. It was one of those articles of clothing that would make me think "huh. Not quite right." It was too nice, too light, and really just washed my already pale complexion out even more. So out came the dye and I couldn't be happier. Well, I take it back-it's not what I would have bought from the fabric store-but it is a ton better and feels so much more like me, so there you go.

I really love overdying becasue you just never know what you will get. I did this in a ballsy way-becasue if it had gone bad, all the labor of making the dress would have been in the toilet too-but I have dyed a lot before and was willing to take the risk. I got really even coverage on this except a blotch about the size of the dime on the skirt that looks like a blueberry stain, so that's what I will thnk of it as from now on. I used the tub meathod of dying with the directions here and I'd love to tell you that I just used RIT dye and it worked great-but I think that stuff is for the birds and I was so into dyeing all my fabrics for my quilts before I was pregnant and/or breastfeeding that I have every dye and chemical know to man in the basement and use all of them when I dye. toxic-o-rama. So I do really follow these direction and use all the additives and all that-but I have had such great success doing it this way, I hesitate to cut corners. . .

And, I am excited and nervous to announce that over on CraftSanity you can hear an interview with me, thank you Jennifer, and I am talking a lot. And it's long. I apologize in advance for offending anyone, which I surely have, cause you get the real Amy here! Except I don't swear, which is a miracle. And, at the end, you will hear the talented Pete on guitar who wrote a piece especially for the podcast. I have a little redwork project posted there as well. Enjoy! And I hope it makes you laugh, cause I was laughing a lot!

it's too hot to be doing this-

Wow! Thanks you all for the box bag love! I forgot how fun it is to paint on wood (except when it's not fun, if you know what I mean)

Here is box bag #2. She still smells like varnish. It's so flippin' hot here I'm amazed these things are drying. This is a dutch inspired type of design and I'd love to do one in black next, instead of the orange. I am still thinking about trying a stencil (freezer paper?) but my first attempt didn't work. I think the paint was too thin-so maybe a freezer paper stencil with thinker paint. I don't want it to look like tole painting, I am going to smooth even color. . .the pin cushion box that matches this is here, along with other photos. . .and I am happy to report that I am now the owner of my first Enid bag (en route) I have been trying for the last few days and finally got one. whew! that was a hard one!

I wanna be enid.

So, in a nutshell, I was possessed again this last weekend by the discovery of the not so secret-but secret to me (because I am the last to know) vintage Enid Collins box purses. I was minding my own business on flickr when I found this group-and I was struck-STRUCK with the urge to get a box and paint my own. And I did, and another one is drying right now, with another on deck, I can't get enough!

The original Enid bags are amazing, but the potential to make my own is also so compelling and all I needed was at Michael's, the ubiquitous craft emporium. The paint, varnish, and the jewels (why do I have these?) I already had. I stained the unpainted boxes with acrylic paint with a ton of glazing liquid, then painted the design. Then I varnished with a clear oil (toxic and smelly) and then glued on the jewels with tacky glue and put the hardware back on. The purse hardware is also from Michael's as well-who knew!! I am thinking sewing boxes here, and I have a smaller one started to go inside as a lidded pin-cushion box. So excited! I am dorkin' hardcore on these!

These have taken way too much space in my brain (it could be the varnish) and Sadie thinks more jewels are needed-as do I! I will show the other one when it dries. I am experimenting with a stencil for the next one, I can't decide if this would be easier or harder. . . to be continued!

upside down, boy you turn me.

I got this topsy turvy doll for the girls a few weeks back and can't stop playing with it. I loved them so much when I was little and the girls are really getting into it too, but I had one of those icky "I should have made one for them" feelings when I bought it. I think this is so dumb because really, I will go crazy if I do that to myself, but after making raggedy I have been thinking even more about topsy turvy dolls and then I rediscovered this site, cloth doll supply,  that sells copies of vintage patterns-which is what all these images are from.

Can you do this? Just copy vintage patterns and sell them? Well, I guess so after a certain number of years, huh? And I am really happy because these are cheap and wonderful and I can't wait to get some and try them out.

And while digging about for these I found out the American history of topsy turvy dolls were that they  usually were made by salves, either for their own children, or for the white children the women slaves took care of, and they always had a white doll and a black doll-more info in this link.

closed market

Awhile back my brother was telling me about a friend of his who spends his full time job combing e-bay for "lots" of items, and then breaks them up into small groups, re-photographs them, and resells them. Like make-up, and jewelery-you name it. The thing is, then he the turns around and spends the profits on another "lot" and starts again, so all the money just stays in the small pool. I realized for the last year, this is what my paypal account has become, for the most part. I sell stuff and then buy stuff-all from this magical bank in space. . .and this needle felted Eugene, pulling his ducky, had to come live with me because he seemed too distraught to stay where he was. I adore him. By the talented Jenn Docherty, who I believe is having a baby any second now. . .I think she is having another sale before then, busy girl. . .

And the these lovely Decole items from a favorite Decole haunt of mine, Loloko. Always a dangerous place for me to visit and I just love her graphics on her main page, so very simple and cool.

So, I do realize I am a bit like this friend of my brother's, but I think actually buying stuff from craftspeople and artists is wonderful. I love swaps and trades and all that for sure, but there's nothing like cash to make you feel like your efforts are worth it. . .and I do realize the basis of this theory also allows me to continue shopping guilt free. . .

cover the world in bonnets

There has been a recent increase in bonnet pattern requests from mailorder #2, so I am making more available, because I can't really turn down a request for the making of bonnets, right? What I am most pleased about is the influx of adult bonnets, like this amazing one here, so I say bust out the corduroy or soft cotton flannel and make your bonnets for autumn now! Or sew a summer one in a light cotton, we still have a lot of summer left, thank the lord!

So, the bonnet pattern comes in 3 sizes, baby, child, and adult and it's $12 ($15 outside of the US) and I will be just re-printing mailorder #2 for this, so you will get all that comes with that, the gifts tags, recipe card, etc. Update: the pattern includes the 3 sizes, so you get them all, and see what the other sizes look like over here at the mailorder club group on flickr-

And in a fit of unprofessionalism, kingpod is still not updated, so if you would like this pattern please use the handy buttons below and thank you!:

sold out-sorry and thank you!!

dress and a piece of pie

I made this dress yesterday.Sadie helped cut it out (by covering herself with rubber stamps while I worked and Delia slept) then stitched during the day here and there, ending at 1:30AM hand-sewing the bodice lining in. It's McCall's 5042 - a simple shell in another civil war repro fabric. This dress is way nicer than I am. Like I should not be swearing when I wear it, I meant to accessorize it with some bold jewelry for the photo, to balance the sweet, but it's one of those mornings where I am lucky to be dressed at all.

I have decided dresses are my new uniform-they are so easy and simple, and feel like I am cheating when I wear them. I need to sing the praises, again, of the invisible zipper (I know Mellisa is crushing hard on the lap zipper right now and check out her lovely dress!) but this is so easy with the right zipper foot-it's like going though an automated car wash-once you get the tire in the groove you are all good! There a great tutorial here.

Pie pride. I had to shoot this because of the pristine nature of the filling. It's blueberry pie here (the mailorder recipe is from the funny money) and with the miracle of refrigeration, it looks like a perfect slice of pie! I like my pie room temp, so I discovered this by accident, when somehow, we didn't eat a whole pie in 48 hours and needed to pop it in the fridge.

On a unrelated note, Pete went out last night and came back with a funny algorithm (he's programmer, you know) so, to find the age of the youngest person you can date that is still socially acceptable you take your age, divide in half and then add 7 years. I find this terribly entertaining, I am not sure why.

redwork. . .sleeping flower

I needed to get some redwork out of my brain. I have added needlework to the piles of projects to be done (still working on this one too) and I can't get enough! I am thinking all sorts of things here about this redwork block-including a series of 4 as fold-over cards to sell? I want to do another card set that has imagery of stitching (like the small quilt cards) but not postcards. .  and then the original blocks can go toward a quilt (next up, a clone.)

oklahoma-OK!

I was going to bust out some apron type thing that was all tunic-y and hippie and Jesus Christ Superstar, but the vintage won out (again.) It's Oklahoma for my musical themed apron for the Tie One On June/July theme. This sassy number is trimmed with wide bias and has two pockets and I love her so. The pose here is so serious but I am actually singing and being a total goofball while I wear this. The girls always say "mama, stop singing. I sing self." I actually miss singing around the house because they really are adamant that I not sing! And I swear my singing voice is not offensive.

Okay, I know the summer is no time to be ironing and crafting inside, but this was way fun, so I hope the extra time motivates you all to add your musical apron-I can't wait to see what you all do!

pickin' stuff

The french green beans are ready to pick and they are sure good. This is the first time I have planted them. Do I stake them? They seem to be okay as is-which is unstaked and just sort of drooping over. .

Berry picking at Kruger's farm in matching outfits, no less. And I talked to farmer Don, and all his berries are unsprayed if you local folks are curious.

The tomatoes about 1 week ago. . not much longer now. And the weeds look good too, huh?

fairy items (1 of 3)

Yesterday's assignment:. I had to make a pair of fairy wings for Delia. (who is not wearing them in this photo, by the way, they seem to be made of poison in her opinion.) Sadie has a pair that were a lovely gift and Delia needed a pair too, right? So Sadie said because sharing that type of thing is hard. I don't think I would share my fairy wings. Actually, I know I would not. Swap occasionally? Sure. But share one pair? No way. I also don't feel as gross about acquiring two of the same toy when I can make it. And it's not like anyone needs to twist my arm to make toys for the girls. The skirt I made from the woodland elf costume 2 Halloweens ago and is a favorite. But again, we only have one.

Okay, these wings had to be made from items I had around the house and I had to do it with the girls around so it was a very fun challenge and am so happy with how they turned out. I think that making a few pairs all at the same time (3-4?) would be the best way to go-for gifts, etc.

Two wire coat hangers are locked together here and then taped (no duct tape in the house!) to secure. Then I stretched the nylons over the hangers, one wing in each leg-the extra I wrapped around the tape in the middle and then taped again. (I actually had nylons from the last wedding I was in-amazing.)

Then out came the spray paint, glue gun, fabric pens, felt, and ribbon. I got a wicked blister on my finger from the glue gun and the wings are kind of heavy, but overall it worked out just fine. I threaded thin elastic through the middle for sliding the arms into and used pipe cleaners to edge the wings (more photos here) and there is a good homemade version with directions here that I found after I was done (duh!) I forgot glitter!!

raggedy!

I had this sickness for the last 48 hours. The new craft project sickness. I was daydreaming and obsessing on this raggedy ann dolly in the worst way. I had forgotten how much I love raggedy ann until just recently (this seems to be happening so much! I thought I remembered every toy from my childhood.) Pete kept trying to talk to me while I was daydreaming of the best way to do the bloomers or the shoes, and the worst thing is, I would them tell him about the best way to make the bloomers or the shoes. Poor guy.

This raggedy ann is for Delia, Sadie would like raggedy andy, so he is in cut out pieces now. I had no idea what a huge thing raggedy ann is out there in the world, and it is huge! The amount of folk artists doing interpretations of this rag doll is staggering. I had to stop looking because it was just too much. .

Her she is all dressed up. She has bloomers, a dress and a pinafore. You can see more clothes photos and her whole body (naked!) here-

I need to make more of these. Sadie and Delia really love rag dolls. Floppy dolls, not firm, but loose and shakeable. And they do shake them a lot, it's sort of weird. I had so much fun making all the her and it was gratifying to give her to Delia who snatched her up, rolled around with her on the floor and said "raggedy mine." That's my girl. Sadie is being very patient waiting for Andy.

So, this is my first "designed by amy" type of dolly. I have made one or two from kits, which have taught me tons, but this was my first paper drafting-to- actual dolly experience. I think doing the dolly clothing patterns is the most fun for me (need to find dolly sized wooden hangers!) and if you all like her and are interested,let me know because I think raggedy ann and andy dolls would be a fun mailorder sewing project (maybe the dolls in one issue and the clothes in another?)

redwork (I know it's blue)

I was at knittin' kitten restocking our craft and princess/fairy supplies and found these vintage redwork blocks pinned together and got so excited!! I have a feeling they have been there awhile and they just jumped out at me not only because I have been getting more and more obsessed with redwork in the last year, but also because these in particular are so very odd. The designs are so cool and sort of funny really-at least they are funny to me and the needlework is pretty shoddy, which I love. Some of the blocks aren't done yet and you can see the pencil line underneath.

So, I knew of the designs, but had never seen them in person. They are by Ruby McKim and what is super cool is that all these designs are available as PDF's here **update-these aren't pdf's. :( they are files for machine embroidery on special sewing machines. lame.). The quilt is usually called the "Colonial History Quilt" and the block patterns were featured in a newspaper every week in the early 1920s.. After doing some research I found some discrepancies in the details, but I think this sounds the best:

Ruby McKim's Colonial History Quilt, this pattern was originally featured in the Kansas City Star Newspaper. The newspaper sponsored a contest beginning in December 1926. Every week for 24 weeks an embroidered pattern was published in the Saturday society pages along with a description       of each design's historical significance. The contest offered the winner $80 in gold. Women ages 19 and older were eligible to win first prize.

I found the info above at this great site here (it's #18)

Okay-these are making me crazy they are so cool. These patterns were re-published in 1999 but these blocks are from the 20s for sure because they are in pretty bad shape. I am going all coo-coo-crazy with the simplicity of these. And I love the idea of completing the set-there are about 10 missing (I will add this to the new project pile, which also includes a homemade Raggedy Ann. I need to get busy.)