sketchbook 1/26 – 2/1
11 ideas for your scraps
I’ve scoured the interwebs to find awesome scrap sewing projects and ideas for you plus a tutorial from me that I’m excited to share. You might notice that pincushions, an ideal scrap fabric project and essential tool, are missing from this list. I’m planning a whole separate post later this month devoted to pincushions.
PS – If you haven’t already check out the 2019 scrap festival project list. And there are 4 more project ideas here.
onward!
11 ideas for your scraps
1. Pieced Feathers – Easy to do and you could make all sorts of things with them – the tutorial is great.
2. Sashiko Sampler Potholders – They are lovely and a great opportunity to try sashiko stitching.
3. Little House Sachets – So sweet! Every detail is just right. And I get almost as excited about a good smell as I do about scraps.
And two more for the kitchen:
4. Acorn pot holder – make a pot holder or just follow the clever piecing directions and make a little acorn bag. What’s cuter than a patchwork acorn?
5. And everybody needs this pot handle cover.
6. Potluck Quilt – for the most ambitious among you. I want to make this and I definitely have enough scraps. I feel like it’s a good long term project, good early morning work.
7. Squircles…. I love the idea of appliquéing these hand cut imperfect shapes and playing with color etc. There are squircles in my future.
8. Picnic bugs – I made you a tutorial for these cheerful bugs – it’s perfect for little scraps.
9. Hexie Ball – such an interesting way to sew a 3 dimensional shape. Abby Glassenberg has a great tutorial.
10. Scrap Table Runner – I love Amy’s easy technique – it pretty much quilts itself, so clever.
11. Bow garland – This garland is as simple as it gets and it’s great for really tiny scraps that you couldn’t possibly part with. It’s so simple and would be sweet and magical in a little girl’s room.
Bonus scrap idea!
Make French Hens! the nesting box is made using this free tutorial. The chickenizing details are there too. And get the wobbler pattern (that’s what the body is made from) on sale!
Check my free pattern page for more ways to use your awesome scraps.
If you’ve got a great scrap project idea share it in the comments!
Do you get my free weekly-ish newsletter? There are tips and tricks, ideas, stuff to try, all the latest news and blogposts and extra stuff, just for subscribers, delivered mostly on Friday. Pretty much.
picnic bugs : a free and easy sewing pattern for a silly bug doll
You have probably seen these guys, they show up frequently at picnics (hence the name). They don’t come to pester, just to say hi. They’re friendly like that. Aggressively and relentlessly friendly. They don’t even get mad if you put them in a jar. Just take them to a picnic once in a while.
Good things come out of play. These guys turned up a couple years ago in a silly bug experiment. They crack me up. And they’re a perfect scrap project – you only need a little bit and a mismatched variety is nice. And they make a silly and sweet surprise for somebody little’s lunchbox.
make a picnic bug:
download the pattern
You will also need:
- fabric scraps – I used cotton and linen
- twine or yarn for legs
- stuffing
- large embroidery needle
- a chopstick
- a bamboo skewer
- basic sewing supplies
1. Cut out the body and eye pattern pieces – pin to doubled fabric with the right sides together and cut out. Pin the stomach pattern to a single piece of fabric and cut out. Note – the wings are double sided so you’ll need 4 pieces – 2 for each wing. I used 2 different fabrics. Pin the pattern to the 2 layers of fabric with the right sides together and cut out a wing, then flip the pattern and repeat for another wing.
2. Cut a slit in the stomach area of the body pattern for turning and stuffing – make sure it’s smaller than the stomach cover.
3. Mark your quarter inch seam allowance on the fabric (really – it helps a lot). Pin the two body pieces with the right sides together and sew all around the body. Pin two pairs of wings with the right sides together and sew – leave open as shown.
4. Clip little notches all around the body and wings being careful not to cut the seam. Clip the points off the wings too and clip along the curve.
5. Turn the body and wings right side out. Run the chopstick over the seam inside with firm pressure on the body and wings. this helps open the seam for a smooth shape. Press each piece.
6. Stuff the body – I’m using wool stuffing.
7. Stitch the stomach closed. this will not show. Don’t pull the stitches too tight – just enough to close. Stitch the wing openings closed too.
8. You can use you large needle to move the stuffing around and fine tune – this helps fill out the curves.
9. Pin the stomach and eyes in place and whip stitch around. Optional- whip stitch around the wings with a contrasting thread.
10. Stitch and elongated X for each eye and a little W between for a mouth. I also added a few horizontal stitches on his neck. For tips on hiding your knots see this post.
sketchbook 1/19 – 1/25
sketchbook 1/12 – 1/18
the big 2019 review and what’s coming for 2020 : predictions, wishes and plans
let’s start with what’s new
The second annual international scrap festival is in the works and it’s expanding to an entire month. February will officially and forever be International Scrap Month. That’s one of the nice things about inventing a festival, you get to be the boss of everything and do stuff like that. If you have met me then you know I have freakishly strong hands and I like to be the boss of everything.
*The magic fabric above is courtesy of my Brooklyn neighbor Sri threads. There is more about it at the bottom of the post
Stay tuned for details, I’m gathering a bunch of cool projects for scraps and creating a couple new tutorials for you.
And I wonder what you think of a scrap swap? Is that something you’d be interested in participating in? Tell me in the comments please. If you’re into it I’ll try to hook you up.
I’ve just added part 2 – embroidering the details to the bat appliqué – find it here.
More about what’s coming up in a minute – let’s look back
2019 went by so fast. And negativity bias is real. When I looked back my first thought was – what happened? I only made one new pdf sewing pattern and one new booklet for the shop. It seemed like an extremely unproductive year but then I scrolled through the year of blog posts and saw I published a record breaking 13 free tutorials. That was not my plan but it is what I did. Here’s the list in the order they appeared:
needle book
easy rag doll shoes
dollhouse fireplace
tiny dishes
little pants
doll bed
doll quilt
straw doll hat
bat -updated!
paper boat
penny rug
paper swan box
wax paper crystal ornaments
I’m already working on more tutorials for this year. You’ll see the first couple during the February Scrap Festival.
a couple other 2019 highlights:
*365 little paintings – I stuck to it, didn’t miss a single day. I found a rhythm and I feel like a voice is emerging. And I’ve kept going with the daily practice, still making a little painting (or drawing) everyday. I put them in the shop about every 6 weeks and there will be a new batch on Tuesday 1/21.
*And I made a paper ship installation at the Squam Art Retreat and taught workshops in Los Angeles, New Hampshire, Vermont, France and Kentucky. Such a big year.
what’s coming in 2020
In addition to planning the second annual scrap festival January is for organizing and finishing. I get very spring cleany in January – do you? There are too many unfinished projects and too many piles of things waiting to be sorted. I’m tackling those things first.
And by the time you’re reading this, I will be deeply focused on getting new sewing patterns across the finish line: the large scandalously nude rag doll, captain charmley (currently headless above) and the crow. Probably not in that order. And news is coming soon on 2020 Workshops – I’ll be in France in June and July and at Squam (spring session) in New Hampshire but those are both waitlist situations. You can join me in Vermont in March though for a super cozy workshop with French General and there will be more workshop dates for the fall very soon, I’m working out logistics now.
predictions, wishes
Looking ahead – I think and hope in 2020 we will see a resurgence of blogging. Blogging like it used to be. So many disappeared into social media. I love seeing people’s creative lives and homes. If you have a favorite blog please share it in the comments – I’d love to see. I also think smaller networks will continue to emerge – online meeting places where conversations happen and algorithms don’t choose for us.
And for me: there are all sorts of things I’d like to make this year and things I’d like to try – like printing fabric and sewing more clothes. I’ve got lots of ideas percolating and I bet you do too. My biggest wish for 2020 is margin. Putting some space between things. I’m very happy in just about everything I do as long as I don’t have to rush. I’m making a rule for myself to never rush again. I will definitely fail at this but I’m trying anyway, keeping it at the front of my mind when I’m planning things. I think it’s a discipline and will take practice. And I also believe it’s a choice.
I hope your year is full of ideas and projects and lots of time to make things.
And as always, thanks for showing up here – it makes all things possible,
ann
PS – Fabric is almost always where I start, and often fabrics that finds me. The glorious fabric at the top of the post appeared on my doorstep, a magical gift from Sri Threads. So much to think about, color combinations I would never have thought of, mending by other hands, all sorts of serendipity and endless places to start. You can see more of it on my instagram story today and check out the Sri Threads instagram feed here – there is lots of inspiration there.
PPS – Don’t forget to tell me about the scrap swap – if it’s something you’d like to participate in please let me know in the comments and I’ll get to work on it.
bat applique part 2 – embroidering the details
Find part one of the bat appliqué tutorial right here. You’ll find a template for the shape and tips on making really pointy appliqué points. Below I’ve got some super simple embroidered details and ideas for finishing your bat appliqué.
Download the template and cut out the shapes outlined in black – the body, wing line and optional heart. Don’t worry about the little finger and toe lines.
Place the templates on the appliqué and trace the guide lines. I used a light colored pencil that erases easily. Because I appliquéd before I embroidered the shapes don’t fit precisely so I pivoted the little body shape and traced it one limb ay a time. You could embroider first if you prefer.
For the face poke through and make guide dots for placement. And the fingers and toes are straight stitches radiating out from the ends of the arms and legs.
download the bat embroidery template
I used back stitch for my first bat. It’s simple to do.
1. Begin by making one small straight stitch and bringing the needle back out one stitch length away.
2. Put the needle back in where the first stitch ends.
3. Bring the needle out a stitch length away.
4. And bring the needle back in where the las stitch ended – repeat one million times.
I’m going to appliqué a little heart on this bat but otherwise call it a day. I like the simplicity and feel like it works with the vintage linen he is appliquéd on – simple and a little folk arty feeling.
I’ve made another, also on a vintage linen. I used a straight stitch for the details and I’m appliquéing a wreath of flowers all around from some vintage curtain fabric I got last summer in France. You can find some great tips for needle turn appliqué right here.This will take forever. But it’s the kind of slow stitching that can come with me on trains etc that I’m attracted to right now. Plus I’ll eventually end up with an awesome new throw pillow.
I hope you embroider a bat! And stay tuned for more tutorials – plus embroidery and appliqué kits will be coming soon.
sketchbook 12/22 – 1/11
sketchbook 12/8 – 12/21
little gifts to make and sweet wrapping ideas
*The links below are affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link.
lets start with simple package ideas
One of the byproducts of making a little painting everyday is the little section at the top of the paper where I off load paint and test my brush and colors. They are entirely unintentional and I usually end up liking them. For me anyway, they often have that magic that the universe delivers up when we get out of the way. I like them enough to save them. And lately put them to use – they make sweet and cheerful gift tags.
I like them even better cropped using a die punch. You can get one here. I have a few of these punches and love them. The stamp doesn’t have a hole for the string so I used this mini size hole punch and added bakers twine. I just got this baker’s twine.
What if you don’t make a painting everyday? You can still make the tags. The key is to make some marks on card stock or watercolor paper before cutting the tags. Cropping is magic. Experiment with making marks without thinking about the tags. That freestyle experimenting is fun and good exercise and the tags are a bonus.
The tags go perfectly with my signature paint splattered brown paper wrapping. To keep things interesting I also painted some stripes and dots this year.
and little gift ideas
Little gifts and sweet touches that don’t take very long to make or cost much. Very much in the spirit of Christmas. Sweet things you can make from scraps mostly.
Woebegone pines – make a bunch. As an alternative to the wooden base you can use a cinnamon stick and add a hanging string at the top.
Stitch a little mouse from scraps. The pattern is designed for felt but is works with other fabrics too – this guy is made from linen.
Needle books make great gifts. And you can do a mini version, just a page or two, if you’re short on time. I have a bunch of pages in progress that I’m going to assemble into a couple little books.
From the paper department – make paper sail boats or wax paper stars and snowflakes or swan treat boxes.
Check out the free pattern page for lots more little gift ideas.
Happy Christmas to you! I hope your holidays are lovely,
ann
Do you get my free weekly-ish newsletter? There are tips and tricks, ideas, stuff to try, all the latest news and blogposts and extra stuff, just for subscribers, delivered mostly on Friday. Pretty much.
wax paper crystal snowflake ornament diy
You can make these wax paper snowflake “crystal” ornaments in about 5 minutes with stuff you probably already have. You gotta love that. And you don’t have to use wax paper. I happen to love it though. I wanted something simple and light for my norfolk pine this year and I’ve always found wax paper magical. These were quick and easy and I had fun making them, I hope you do too. If you do I’d love to see – use #annwoodpattern on instagram.
You will need:
- wax paper
- stapler
- glue stick
- pinking shears
- scissors
- thread for hanging
- optional – hot glue
1. Cut a strip of wax paper. My strip is the width of the roll and about 5 inches wide.
2. Fold the length of paper into pleats – accordion style. The pleats should be 1/2 inch or a little bigger. You want them to be consistent in size and firmly creased.
3. If you end up with a little extra paper carefully trim it off. Staple the center of your pleated paper – the staple needs to go across the center.
4. Apply glue stick to the top layer of paper.
5. Fold the pleated paper in half – glue inside. Trim the tip with pinking shears.
6. Cut a couple little notches along the folds.
7. Apply glue stick to one side.
8. Un- fold into a circle – brining the glued side around to meet the unglued side and press together to attach.
9. Add a string if you like and you’re finished – or… Add a whole other level of awesomeness…
10. For extra dimension and fancyness make a smaller snowflake. I used a strip of paper about half as long and half as wide. My pleats are about 1/2 inch still but there are less of them.
11. Use a dot of hot glue to attach the smaller snowflake to center of the larger.
So sweet! I hope you make wax paper snowflakes!
Do you get my free weekly-ish newsletter? There are tips and tricks, ideas, stuff to try, all the latest news and blogposts and extra stuff, just for subscribers, delivered mostly on Friday. Pretty much.
/div>sketchbook 11/17 – 12/7
