QR-Code

I've been noticing these secret patterns in magazine ads and on the backs of cereal boxes. I hear they lead you to web sites if you use a smart phone or iPod and take a picture of them. Now, I don't have a smart phone, but I thought I needed a QR-Code anyway. I will frame it and set it out at my Urbana Market at the Square booth this summer. I know people will be curious enough to snap a picture of it and then my parking lot presence will be integrated with my world wide web presence.
Isn't it cute?

Peep Wreath

This time there is no fabric involved in a craft project. No beads. No zippers. Nothing Japanese. K and I have been attracted for weeks to the spectrum of marshmallow Peeps available around Easter. We worked together to make a wreath for the front porch. We planned to cover the wreath form in pink and use a parade of purple marshmallow bunnies; the store ran short, so we settled for a monochromatic look.
Lessons learned: licking your fingers during a project makes everything messier.
Hot glue doesn't work very well on Peeps (they melt), while toothpicks (though cruel) do the job.
The internet is full of Peep inspiration, and there are many people spending more time crafting with Peeps than we did. It's worth a look.

Retro Wow

I frequently see fabrics I can't resist. I have tried not looking so often, to avoid seeing and then buying. I can't resist looking, either. Another strategy is to look frequently and then wait for a true list of must-haves to develop. The more hunting around for great fabric I do, the more refined my list of must-have fabrics must become. Then I can shop from the top of the list, knowing I'm getting the most choice designs.
Number one on my hit list right now is this viewmaster pattern from Melody Miller. Printed by the Japanese Kokka fabric folks, I'm attracted to the scale, the pattern, the color combination, the kitsch, the texture, all of it. Back-ordered for some time, I now have enough to play. What to make first?

Snapped Up

I continue to play with ways to make a canvas shoulder/shopping bag with a zippy twist. This special order bag uses organic cotton for two outside pockets (one of which zips shut) and features another zippered pocket on the inside of the bag. A snap at the top adds a little extra security and shine. I folded the sides in to change the shape of the bag, but I imagine a full tote with expanded sides would be useful, too. I pre-shrunk the cotton webbing handles so the bag should be very washable. M cut a removable wooden insert to give the base of the bag more heft.

April Fabric

At long last, it's time to think about gardening. I like to start a few seeds under a grow light--coleus for pots on the front porch, geraniums for pots on the back porch, and later zinnias for cutting and basil for pesto. I have my fair share of yard ornamentation, too. My only garden gnome lasted a few years, but finally broke.
This month's fabric with free shipping at my web store (www.inmyvastsparetime.com) celebrates the kitchy yard friend.

Market Produce

After a long and cold winter, I don't want to skip over spring. I am, however, looking forward to the Urbana Market at the Square this summer. I have signed up for the following dates: June 18, July 16 and 23, August 6 and 20, and September 3.
I have loads of new fabric and a few new product ideas. If the weather cooperates, it will be a fine time.

March's Fabric

I buy a lot of fabric. I've been trying to resist, but it's hard for me. When choosing fabric I think: 1. Does it coordinate with something I already have? 2. Do I think it would speak to the good shoppers at the Urbana Market at the Square? 3. Is it Japanese, by chance? 4. Does it make me gasp? This book print scored a 3 out of 4, and so it is March's fabric-of-the-month. Pouch sets made from it are offered with free shipping all month long.

Long Winter

More snow fell during the night, and I don't know a single person who isn't winter-weary. The upside of a harsh winter is the bonus indoors time to, well, sew. On a recent snow day from school, the kids kicked back with the Wii and playing in the basement and I did some sewing.
The organic cotton modern chair fabric is a particular favorite currently. Somehow, I own quite a bit of fabric featuring chairs. I also covet robot fabric, bike prints, fairy tales and anything predominantly red.

Before the Snack

Here is Snow White, before she takes a bite of the poison apple and falls into her dreamless sleep. I'm making a series of canvas shopper bags with webbing handles and outside pockets to spotlight fabric. This side is zippered. On the reverse is an open pocket. On this bag, it shows Snow White after her snack. (The panicked dwarf is identical.)

$5.71

I recently visited the IDEA store just off of Springfield in Champaign. It is an indoor garage sale for crafters and people who like stuff and stuff. Since I fit into both categories, I had a wonderful time browsing. I rumaged; I gasped; I didn't resist. I came home with under six dollars worth of things and things: bias tape still in the packaging, interesting buttons, embroidery hoops I can use to frame fabric for the wall, vintage bingo cards for the covers of notebooks. Check out http://the-idea-store.org/ and then go visit.

New Purse

Inspired by a purse pattern I received for Christmas, I made a warm-and-snuggly, dead-of-winter bag. Corduroy and patterned velveteen make the exterior of this squared-off bag soft. A square of accent fabric on the flap of the purse is an idea straight from the pattern, as is the exterior pocket. However, I made my purse considerably smaller than designed. I also installed a zippered pocket on the inside and finished the project off with a hoop bead dangling from the lid. Next time I would sew a pocket for a pen or pencil and make the bag just a little wider so access to my goodies inside is easier.

February's Fabric

The organic cotton fabric called Free to Grow is February's fabric-of-the-month on my pouch web site. Visit www.inmyvastsparetime.com to be tempted by the bonus of free shipping.
I love the strong colors of this organic fabric. I exhausted my supply of dark gray zippers making pouches from it, though maroon or black zippers would look good as well. The lining of the tulip pouch is coordinating stripes (also organic). The smaller striped coin pouch is lined in the tulip pattern.