Heather's Handmade Life: Choosing to live, work and parent with happiness + creativity

I heart apples!

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Heather Laura Clarke

Big night last night! I started — and finished — my first bib!

Inspired by my mom and the bibs she used to make for me, I knew I wanted to do something embroidered. It went much faster than expected, although I learned a few lessons the hard way (Spoiler alert: damn fraying!).

Step 1: I grabbed a marker, sketched out a rough bib shape, and cut it out. Only time will tell if it actually fits around Baby’s neck, but I figure it’s probably OK. I chose a cute, sunny yellow so that embroidery thread would show up well.

Step 2: I used a marker to draw on “I heart apples,” and — using an embroidery hoop — I embroidered it with purple, pink, and red threads.

Step 3: I looked through my fabric drawers and chose a vibrant turquoise for the back of the bib. Both fabrics were fraying pretty badly, so I sewed around the edges to try and keep it together.

Step 4: I opened my first-ever package of bias tape, and attempted to sew it around the edges and create the ties. It was much harder than I thought, because it was pretty skinny once it was folded over — and the frayed edges keep poking through.

It’s far from perfect, but here’s how it turned out …

I heart apples!

Playing with papier

Posted on March 14, 2009 by Heather Laura Clarke

10 things I love about you

Posted on March 13, 2009 by Heather Laura Clarke

2 Comments

An ode to my dream craft room (which I will have someday) …

1. It is painted a bright, cheery pink … possibly with an orange or yellow accent wall …

2. It has a worktable built into the wall, that stretches around the entire perimeter of the room …

3. One wall is covered with floor-to-ceiling shelves.

4. It is a storage love-fest. Every shelf holds a basket with a label proclaiming “Glueguns” or “Wire” or “Googly eyes.”

5. It has inspiring words on the walls, and beautiful drapes. It’s a room that makes you happy when you walk into it.

6. There are a bunch of rolling office chairs, each covered in different bright, patterned fabric. You can sit in one and roll up and down the long work table.

7. Jars and baskets of paintbrushes, pencils, markers, pastels, and pens are lined up along the back of the worktable — ready to jump into action.

8. There are work-stations everywhere! There is a section devoted to painting — with canvases stacked beneath that section of table — a section devoted to beadwork, sewing, sculpting, etc.