Fun Projects

Summer time and the living is easy ... that's the way the old song goes and it is the truth! I love this time of year because I have time to relax and work on tonnes of projects...some quick and fun and some nice peaceful handwork. Today I'm going to tell you about a couple quickies.

A little while back we got in Sheri Berry's Christmas fabric. I grabbed one of the panels and did a quick punch needle on it. Irene Dewar gave me the idea of just using a panel or fabric as a pattern so I have been looking for something to use to try it out. This panel was just the ticket! All you have to do is load it in your embroidery hoop with the right side of the fabric facing you. Punch out the whole design...flip it over and voila ... a quick and easy Christmas decoration. I spray mounted it on some co-ordinating fabric and put it in an inexpensive frame to give it a finished look.

In the store today we were busy making personalized beach towels. Last year I put up the quick and easy instructions and it is a great time of year to make up a few for your favourite beach combers or campers! Here's Margaret smiling and holding up her towel ... totally finished in under 3 hours! We love ya Margie!

True Confession Time

I can't seem to help myself..I am obsessed with knitting socks. Yesterday, I was standing in the kitchen knitting while I was waiting for the water to boil...I had 4 spare minutes so I figured...what the heck I can do a couple of rows...that's when I realized I'm a sockaholic! Doesn't matter where I am, who I'm with or what I'm doing if I have free time you can bet I'm knitting socks. This leads me to my second confession...or I suppose that I am confessing on behalf of my son.

Yesterday somebody pointed out that I kept making things for my son David and not for my son Daniel. Alas and alak ...that's not true! I made David a Personalized Towel because he lost his Incredible hulk towel the first day of camp...the next day I made another towel for Daniel. Unfortuantely, Daniel lost his personalized towel the first day he brought it to camp! The irony is staggering isn't it?

Next I made Daniel a pair of "lovey dovey" socks out of Cotton Joy. I finished up the toe at the park (I told you I would knit anywhere) and he immediately changed into them. Within 5 minutes he was down in the ravine digging clay out of the creek bed and the socks were caked with muck! They still haven't been washed and blocked so again no picture! As you can see there is no need to worry Daniel is getting his share of the crafts!

Meanwhile, Monika finished making up the Favortie Things Lunch Bag using the lollipop frog fabric and some funky dots! It was a quick afternoon project and the the little lunch bags make great gifts. We used some thermal batting inside the bag to be sure that our lunch would stay cold!

Personalized Towel ... Another Project Done!

Well my littlest son David lost his "Incredible Hulk" towel on the first day of his swimming lessons. Today's project was a towel that would be much more difficult for another kid to pick up by mistake! I bought an (inexpensive!!) towel at the Supercenter then appliqued on Davey's name. He can't possibly lose this one!

I'm absolutely smitten with his toothless grin...
but I'm his mother so I can't help myself!

Personalized Towel Instructions

1. Using your favourite word processing software, type in the child's name. Change the font to a bold and simple typeface (I used IMPACT) then increase the font size to 400. Print out the child's name. The letters will be about 3.5 - 4.5" high. If they aren't fiddle around with the font until you get something you like!


2. Trace the letters onto the paper backing of steam-a-seam from the reverse side - if you don't the fabric letters will be in mirror image. Use a ruler to help you get nice straight lines.


3. Iron the letters onto the reverse side of the fabric ... for a livelier towel you can use several co-ordinates!


4. Remove the paper backing from the letters and carefull arrange them on the towel being mindful of spacing and keeping them in a straight line. I used my 6 x 24" ruler as a guide. Iron in place.


5. Using thread that co-ordinates with the towel zig zag around all the raw edges of the letters.


6. Voila - you are done - have fun at the beach!