jcaroline's blog

An Oldie but a Goodie

After these large furniture projects, I decided today would be spent on something much smaller.  And though the ribbon key fobs have been around for at least two years, if not longer, I still like them.  They are a quick project and make a cute gift.  Plus, we got in our new ribbons today.  You may remember several weeks back I was so excited about the nautical flag ribbon that I designed and imported.  Well, that experiment worked and I was really tired of looking at the same old ribbon designs that we've had since the turn of the century.  (That sounds like I'm being dramatic, but that was only 8 years ago!)

So make yourself a key fob or two in less than 30 minutes.  Tutorial is here.

Another Furniture Redo

I warned you that I bought some other items on my Goodwill shopping spree.  These nightstands were $5 a piece and were not in too bad of shape.  They were spray painted black, and though I appreciate the former owner's design aesthetic, black is not an easy color to cover.  So I painted several coats of primer and paint.  Then I decoupaged Michael Miller's Orchid Feeling Groovy fabric on the drawer fronts and top, replaced the hardware to get these demure little numbers:

Oh, you want to see inside the drawers?

How about that little bit of Keylime Clown Stripe goodness?

I'm working on a tutorial as we speak.  But I didn't want you to miss a minute of admiration.

(A little encouragement through your comments does wonders- the tutorial is here!)

Anna Maria Horner in Quilts & More

Better Homes and Garden's Quilts & More is out for Spring 2008 and it has a nice write-up on Anna Maria Horner, as well as a pincushion project she designed.  You will also get a sneak peek of her next line "Garden Party" which will be on a quilting weight cotton.  She definitely pulled out her 128 box of crayons for this one as it is colorful!  You can sneak a little peek in the picture above the computer monitors.

We've got copies of the magazine here for $2  (while supplies last) or pick one up at your local newsstand.

Floor Pillows

My mother made these pillows at least two weeks ago and I had never taken a picture!  So here they are, on my den floor.  I had visions of buying foam and making cushions from scratch.  Then we were at Ikea and these 28" x 28" pillows were less than $10 a piece, so I ditched my grandiose plans quickly.   I do have a tutorial on pillows and on cording, so go for it.  I have found I like them very much, as they give me a place to lay down while Olivia plays.  Thank you, Mother.

Speaking of which, I shot these pictures on Sunday, but I had a little trouble.  Somebody couldn't stand not being in front of the camera.

So I shot some pictures of her, which satisfied her need to be photographed and then I could shoot the pillows.  And normally, I do keep her clothed, but she had been outside playing in a puddle.

In all its glory

(Update:  I wrote up a very general tutorial for the chair here.)

More Fabrics Coming...

If you have been afraid that Modern Flora was the only fabric I would ever sell or talk about again, relax.  Though it is near and dear to my heart, we will continue to carry other designers and we've got some tremendous fabrics coming on the horizon.

That crazy chick, Anna Maria Horner, has her home dec line, Drawing Room coming out in March.  It will be a 54" wide cotton sateen and is coming in two palettes, Eccentric and Nostalgic.  Anna Maria's art is incredible and her color choices in this line are just cool.  I have a feeling if you put these fabrics in your home, it would be like getting a little dose of Anna Maria energy every day.

Another fabric designer you might have heard of, Amy Butler, has her new line Midwest Modern, coming in March or April.  This line is a 45" wide, quilting weight collection and features some traditional Amy Butler florals, but some edgy graphics as well. And in great colorways, as usual.

Anna Griffin is coming out with her line Sierra in the next couple of months.  Her fabric continues to intrigue me.  Though her "signature" look is beautiful, it's a little too traditional and soft for me.  But then she comes up with some really interesting designs like this.  When I saw the samples, the beiges and browns have a real kraft paper look to them, so I'll be interested to see the real fabric.

Rosemarie Lavin has designed a new line for Windham Fabrics, Rhapsody, available mid-March.  I know nothing about the designer, but I was drawn to the fabric because of it's rich colors and graphic twist.  It looks to me like it was inspired by the Pennsylvania Dutch motifs, but I like the modern take she took on it.

Okay, so that is your preview of what is coming up.  In the meantime, I will continue to do some more Modern Flora projects.

Ginger Blossom by Sandi Henderson

When you are done ooohhing and coohhhing about my chair, go over to Sandi's blog Portabellopixie and tell her how much her fabric rocks!  (If you are web surfing at work, you have been warned- her blog plays music.  So turn off your speakers to avoid getting busted.) She teamed up with Michael Miller Fabrics to produce this line and according to her blog, is working on another one as we speak.  She began her career in textiles by designing and sewing children's clothes for her line Portabellopixie.  So she definitely has the apparel sewer in mind when she designs fabric.  She has some great tutorials on her site, including one for shirring children's clothing (think of stretchy smocking).

I met her at Quilt Market last fall and she is as nice and fun as her fabric is darling.  I even got to sit next to her and her husband at the Michael Miller dinner, where as I remember, she was eyeing my steak.  Fortunately, her husband had ordered the same thing so I didn't have to share.  I would have hated to have damaged her talented hands with my fork.

Anyway, the fabrics are here and as a little Valentine's Day/ Ginger Blossom launch gift, use coupon code "GINGER" at checkout and get 15% off Sandi's fabrics through Friday, February 15.

I'm obsessed...

I'm obsessed with my chair.  I've made myself do some office work BEFORE I start on it again today, because I can't stop!  However, I am very proud and since my mother isn't here to offer constant encouragement, I'll show what I've done so far.  Saturday I stripped the chair naked and cut the fabric.  I believe the chair looks even worse with no fabric.  You've got to love how that foam turns funny shades of yellow and orange.

No, it doesn't really sit on the ground.  I took the legs off and spray painted those white.  So I worked on it about 5 hours on Saturday and a good part of the day yesterday and....

Here it is during one of my many fittings (you'll notice the right arm is pinned on the right-- I took that up).

Here is my assessment of reupholstering so far.  Using the existing fabric as a pattern is an absolute must.  Pay attention to where the fabric is going to be on the chair to match patterns.  (Note the leaves at the center back and top of the chair.  Whooppee!)  I don't think the work is difficult in terms of sewing techniques, but it is difficult in messing with big masses of fabric and wrestling the chair to get the cover on (and off if it doesn't fit the first time, which it probably won't).  When I sewed those two huge seams where the cording is, I always started at the center back and sewed to the ends.  That way if my fabric starting shifting it wasn't going to shift by inches by the time I made it all the the way around the chair. I sewed those seams in at least four parts so I could fit frequently and adjust easily.

Also, don't get discouraged as you try it on.   The fabric catches on the foam and until you get it adjusted all the way around the chair you are convinced that there is no way that it will ever look like anything.  Just remember you are going to further beat that fabric into shape by stapling to the chair frame (which hasn't been done yet in the picture above).  So I would call it very aggressive sewing.  You can't be scared to pull on fabric and seams until they scream for mercy.

This afternoon I will work on the cushion, which I think will be the second hardest part.  And then from there... smooth sailing (I hope).

Why did I let my mother go home?

I recently discovered Design*Sponge's Before and After feature, where they show furniture redo's.  They are fabulous and inspiring!  So, Friday I went to the Goodwill store across the parking lot from the office and picked up this little gem of a chair for $5.  The shape is great, but the fabric is...well, just gross.  So I worked today on stripping off the fabric.  Why didn't I start this project when my mother was here?  She's an upholstery wiz.  I hope the couple of times I've watched her rubbed off!  I got most of the fabric cut today.  Guess what I'm covering it in?  Leaflet from Modern Flora, of course.  Yes, that's part of the deal- every project for awhile is going to be out of Modern Flora.

The chair is resting on a dresser that I picked up for $7 and two nightstands for $5 each.  I told you I was inspired.  I have visions of a paint/ fabric/ paper/ mod podge redo on those.  I'll report back on the progress of all three.

WDYWTK- Cutting Fabric Square

Congratulations to J who just got a $25 gift certificate for her question regarding cutting fabric accurately at right angles.  A couple of people also emailed wanting to know the answer to that question, including my sister, so I thought I had better cover it.  Besides, you were probably beginning to think I started the "What do you want to know" feature and wasn't going to ever answer anything!  I am!  In fact, I have about four topics roughly drafted to roll out over the next few weeks.  So keep those ideas coming!

I May Have Outdone Myself...

Well, Mother and I did have a sewing session on Saturday.  I recovered this darling Poang children's chair from Ikea and Mother worked on huge floor pillows.  And we praised each other's work constantly, which helps a lot.  However, she cut the first pillow cover thinking the pillow was 24" square.  She had sewn on the cording when I realized what she had done and told her, no, the pillow is 28" square.  She said a dirty word.  Then she told me to buy a 24" pillow.  This is her sewing her second pillow-- 28" square. I think she cranked out almost three large pillows that day.  I'll shoot pics this week.

Well, enough about her, let's get back to this darling chair.  I am quite proud of it and I think it shows off the Sprig fabric very well.  I plan to do an adult version of the chair and footstool.  I did take pictures at some points along the way, so I can construct a general how-to on this.  I'm awfully proud of the back.  The seat is actually a Tyvek-like material that literally slips over a frame.  So I just made a canvas "bag" the same size as the Tyvek one to cover all that stuff up.   The cushy part of the seat just slips over the frame on the top and the bottom.  I reused the fiberfill cushion of the cushion, and just restitched the "channels" on the front.  Then I essentially sewed it up like it was a pillow, with an opening on the side to turn it right side out.  Voila!  It really wasn't terribly hard and I think the same technique could be used on lots of chairs-  just use the original materials as your pattern.

(Update 2/6/08:  I did write up a general overview of what I did here.)

Modern Flora Projects

My mother has been here this week and I have kept her locked in the project room.  Well, not literally, but she has been in there all day every day but today.  She came in Monday morning and insisted that we clean it up, because she apparently can't work in the same environment I can.  We did get some things organized and picked up off the floor and then she went about sewing.  I had started the larger storage basket, but fortunately she finished it and made another smaller one.  I will write a how-to on it sometime in the future.  (Update- your lovely comments motivated me to get them done!  A detailed how-to is available here.)

She also whipped up this little outfit for Olivia off of my idea and pieces of other Olivia patterns.  It is so cute, I made Olivia go outside this morning (it was 40 degrees) to take pictures in it.  The top needs to be longer, which Mother suggested I make the straps an inch or two longer to drop the whole thing, but it still might need another inch or two added to the length as well.  She also did a cute little vent at the hem of the pants, faced with a solid green fabric.  I'll write a how-to on that too, once I figure out exactly how she did it.

Then tomorrow we have crazy plans to sew up floor pillows, recover some chair cushions and various other Modern Flora projects.  There is no way we'll get them all done tomorrow, but if she can get me started on the tricky parts, surely I can (and will?) finish them.  In the meantime, Jessica and I started a Flickr group for Modern Flora projects and I contributed what I have so far.  Jessica also made me a cute little button for it on the sidebar.  So make something and upload a picture!

A Glass of Sanity with Breakfast

My friend, Rhonda, presented me with a gift of wine this week.  I did not know that the Sanity vineyard had a "Breakfast Chardonnay" varietal.  And the 50% alcohol content is quite impressive as well.

She got the label here where you choose your own wording to put on their designs, print it on a full page label and cut where indicated.  She actually soaked the label off this bottle because it was larger than this label.

I thought it was hysterical, but also a great idea for your next hostess gift.  You could make the label their name and the varietal "Best Party/Hosts/Friends Ever"... you get the idea.  They have the biggest selection of labels under red wine and white wine. 

Here's what I plan to drink this evening: