Sewing for the home...

I'm on the lookout for projects that I can make for my home, things that catch my eye and make me smile, things that speak to my homemaker heart. You know what I mean?

Like this beautiful "Scrappy Plates" pattern by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs. 

It's the sweetest Dresden plate quilt I've seen, which could be due to the fabrics she chose or the simple layout - but it gives me goosebumps of delight so I've printed off the free patterns and will think about making it a Friday afternoon 'just for me' project next year. 

The patterns are HERE. 

Thanks Anne!

Every January I purchase new kitchen tea towels and I always embellish a few with stitchery, applique or a fabric trim.

This cute tea pot embroidery on a tea towel caught my eye on Pinterest so I followed the link and discovered the designer, Carrie of Chicken Soup Designs. She shares this design as a freebie so be sure to thank her if you download it.

Love the lime!

I'm also going to make a bunch of new scatter cushions for the couch and the bedroom.

There's no links for these (found on Pinterest) but I like the ideas...

And maybe I'll sew a few hanging hearts like this to hang from drawer knobs?

Mostly I want to make simple things, but I like the idea of a Dresden quilt as a feature for our living room couch so perhaps this time next year it will be done if I carve out a couple of hours once a week to devote soley to this project? I hope so. Dresden plates and Churn Dash blocks are my favourites because they add a very homely feel to any room.

I suppose having said this I should pull out my box of 30's churn dash blocks and finish them as a quilt? I made these in 2009/10...ah, how patient they are to wait for me. I always have the best intentions, but it's the time needed to complete this plan that eludes me.

(read about them here)

What simple sewing or craft ideas do you have to create a 'homely' feeling within the house?

hugs

Apron Allsorts!

I seriously adore aprons.

Just wish I had some spare time to make more.

Might take a couple of weeks holiday from Elefantz Designs in October and play with that idea? Mmmm.

In the meantime, want to make some free apron-inspired projects this weekend?

You do?!  

Great, 'cause I found you some during an early evening browse across the world wide web, whilst at the same time savouring a yummy choc mint ice-cream cookie Mr E had given me. 

'Skinny Cow' ice-cream cookies are delicious, by the way.

Anyhow, I made this block last year when Fat Quarter Shop released it as part of their 2015 BOM and I still love it to pieces. Mine became a wall hanging (you can see it here) and as the pattern is still a free download you could raid your fabric shelves and be sewing one today or tonight, depending where in the world your sweet self resides.

Download it here.

 How simple is this apron to make?! The 1 Yard Magic Apron pattern comes from Lecien Fabrics and you can follow a tutorial to make your own here at Sew Can She!

How about a sweet vintage embroidery pattern?

Free to download here from about.com or click on the photo below and save to your computer...

Do you have a supply of vintage embroidered linens?

IDEA: Why not make some into pockets to sew on your aprons, or simply to tie around your waist like this?

(I am seriously making a few! How adorable!)

 

Have you tried chicken scratch embroidery on gingham?

I haven't, but always wanted to because I think it looks cute as pie on vintage style aprons, so I found a tutorial to teach us over at Rocksea.

There are two lessons - part 1 here and part 2 here.

Did you follow my Vintage Kitchen BOM last year?

I shared this little redwork stitchery as the February block...

The full set of 9 Vintage Kitchen stitchery patterns with instructions for the final quilt 

assembly are here in my shop ON SALE until September 30. 

 

But if you'd just like the apron stitchery pattern you can download that one for free from the files in my Gentle Domesticity Facebook Group!

 Not a member yet?  You can join us here. 

The group has almost 800  members now, so feel free to chat along about the gentle domestic life as we stitch this year's BOM. The girls are such a friendly bunch!

Better sign off and get an early night because I've got a spare bedroom to finish decorating before one of my daughters flies in on Monday with her own daughter, a sweet 2yo I've never met. 

So excited, but there's still much to do...

Have a blessed weekend!

Homemade Stitched With Heartstrings ideas...

 How was your weekend?

I had a lovely relaxing one playing in the kitchen, finishing a couple of secret sewing projects, and roaming Mr Internet for great gift ideas we can make without too much fuss or effort.

Jackie left a comment on one of the previous *Homemade Stitched With Heartstrings* blog posts to tell us that Patty from Elm Street Quilts is sharing a month of tutorials and tips for making purses and pouches during November. 

Now one can never have enough of these and they make great gifts!

Scroll through the relevant posts HERE....

Do you know a young lass just starting out in their sewing journey?

This sweet little Matryoshka Needlecase would be a perfect present!

See the tutorial HERE at Flossie Teacakes...

It seems that everyone loves owls! This cute stuffed owl will put a dent in your fabrics scraps and I'm sure you know a few girls (young and old) who'd appreciate receiving one?

Follow THIS tutorial from The Eternal Thread...

It can be a bit tricky coming up handmade gifts ideas for our friends especially if they sew  because they probably have loads of homemade items already - and if they participate in swaps they'd have even more. You know what I mean, right?

 So I found us some flowers to make. After all, a girl can never have enough flowers!

Grab some felt, follow THIS tutorial, and you'll soon have a blooming bouquet....

Tea cup candles anyone? Budget Savvy Diva has a video tutorial and I do quite like the idea of trying this craft, don't you? See it HERE...

Bags - there are some lovely ones and there are some ugly ones.
This one is lovely.
Use more of your fabric stash by sewing one for a friend and one for yourself too!
Follow the Tilda tutorial HERE...

It's a very rainy Tuesday morning here, and so very beautiful....we thought the rains would never come.

hugs

More 'Homemade Stitched With Heartstrings' ideas...

I was thinking how hard it is to choose suitable gifts for teenagers these days and that motivated me to go hunting for ideas we might find useful in our "Homemade Stitched With Heartstrings" goal for Christmas 2015.

Recently Sassy sent me a link to download THIS beautiful free print from the "All Things Heart and Home" blog. I have it printed and hanging over my desk, but wouldn't it be lovely displayed in a beautiful frame and given as a gift to a young lady?

 An new ID Wallet/phone purse will always come in handy! Check out THIS tutorial from Thimbleanna...

I love the Phoebe bag and it's a free pattern download by Beki Lambert HERE on Craftsy.

Made in modern fabrics like those in the picture below I think most teen girls would love one - maybe even let them choose the fabric themselves?

Photo from this blog...

What about yarn wrapped monogram letters? 

Now you could make this for boys too, just use bold guy colours, and maybe make their whole name?

For girls, well, be girly!

Tutorial is HERE at Catch My Party... 

A few cord keepers in appropriate fabrics would suit teens of both gender.

HERE is an easy tutorial from "Leafy Treetops"...

A hanging phone charger pocket is a great gift! In fact I made one recently for Mr E.

HERE is a really good tutorial from "Positively Splendid"...

And how about digging into your stash for something bigger?

Sew a couple of big floor cushions for your teens! One for them and one for their friend 'cause teens love to get together and watch movies or just talk.

The tutorial is HERE at "Oven Lovin"...

And last of all today, don't you love this little Minion?! 

You can make one or a hundred by following THIS tutorial from Lady Joyceley...

Hope you find something 'just right' from these projects for that special teen in your life.

Don't forget to visit the girls who are also sharing ideas for Handmade Stitched With Heartstrings. The links to visit their blogs can be found in my sidebar under this button...

Have a wonderfully creative day!

hugs

HOMEMADE Stitched With Heartstrings 2015...

The other night, after a hot and humid day of spring housecleaning, I poured myself a long cool glass of ginger beer and settled in for an hour on the laptop looking for wonderful gift ideas to share with you.

In the midst of this I pondered a most common question which generally shakes up my 'little grey cells' as the calendar rolls further towards Christmas each year.

"What should we give him/her?"

Mr E and I discussed this dilemma over breakfast the next day and as we reflected back over our own childhood Christmases it became obvious that 'then and now' were vastly different. 

The only gift receiving times all year were Christmas and birthdays so we thought very carefully about what went on our wish list. Gift giving outside of those two celebrations were rare.

But today as a general rule most people purchase what they want, as they want it, for themselves and their children. That's a big reason as to why gift giving has become such a headache. 

Many of us already own what we want.

And that, dear girl, is where the whole concept of making gifts comes to the fore!

My family and friends cannot buy what I can make them. Sure, they might get a similar generic factory made copy I suppose, but not the real deal. 

Not a "handmade and stitched with heartstrings" personal gift from my hand to theirs.

So that's going to be a focus here on the blog over the next two months.

A couple of times a week I'll share a blog post with ideas from others and the odd one of my own. 

If you'd like to add my *homemade stitched with heartstrings* button to your blog and join me in making as much as we can ourselves this Christmas that would be wonderful!

You can download the button HERE to pop in your blog sidebar with a link back to my blog.

I'll be carrying this theme on into 2016 as well, but more about that will be shared on the blog in January.

Now let's kick off *homemade stitched with heartstrings* Christmas 2015 with these (fairly) easy to make projects...

 

The Northern Hemisphere will be wrapping themselves up in warm woollies come December, so I thought these Simple House Slippers would be a grateful gift for just about everyone in your family or friendship circle.

They are a free pattern by Simone from Denmark on Ravelry. 

Download it HERE...

I've been an admirer of Kerryanne English for years and love her shabby chic style designs. She recently shared a tutorial to make these sweet scrappy hearts. 

Naturally they have been added to my sewing list for Christmas giving and also for hanging in my own home.

See her tutorial HERE...

This table runner by Amy is a quick make so I'm thinking it wouldn't be difficult to spend an afternoon sewing three or four from the scrap basket - that's quite a few pretty (and thrifty) gifts at once!

See her tutorial HERE...

 Another terrific scrappy idea using leftover fabric bits and pieces is this bag by Ashlee.

An idea would be to scour op-shops for old weathered bags that still have usable (and detachable) handles, or maybe you have a bag already which is long past it's 'use-by' date but has perfectly suitable handles. 

See her  tutorial HERE...

With a new baby arriving in our family next year I went hunting for some useful (and pretty) gift ideas I could sew.

Like THIS fold up clutch-style change mat tutorial from the Bernina website. It easily fits into a hand bag or could be kept in the car...

This is another cute clutch, but without the change mat. It stores nappies (diapers) and wet wipes. Wish these were around when I was birthing my bubbas!

Tutorial from Cheri can be found HERE...

Orphan fat quarters are perfect for whipping up a stack of baby bibs!

HERE is a very simple tutorial for a basic no-knot bib from Delia.

You could add applique across the front or an embroidery...

If you're joining in why don't you leave a comment below with your blog address so my readers and I can visit you?

In your *homemade stitched with heartstrings* blog posts over the next two months share what you've personally 'stitched with heartstrings' for Christmas as well as great gift project ideas you find on the internet, and include the *homemade stitched with heartstrings* button each time.

What fun for all of us to visit each other and be inspired?!

I'll also add your blog link to my sidebar under the *homemade stitched with heartstrings* button until Christmas Eve.

I'm pretty sure this is going to be fun, don't you?

Happy handmade sewing!