UFO ROLL CALL- JANUARY 2012

January 2012
Introducing a new monthly blog party for people passionate about SEWING & QUILTING!

UFO Roll Call
On the first day of each month in 2012, I will open a new Linky party post.  It will be open all month long to make sure everyone gets the chance to link up and share their new handmade creations.   

Please plan to join in on the fun by linking up posts and sharing images of the sewing and quilting projects you've been working on during the month.  This is a great opportunity to finish up all those UFOs and to start new projects too.  I plan to complete one project each month and the UFO Roll Call will be where I go to post my progress and look for ideas. 

This blog party is open to both quilting and domestic sewing projects. This is the place to show off your next homemade apron, your blue ribbon quilt, and to post that new flannel quilt tutorial.

Mark your calendar!  

To get this party started, we're having a GIVEAWAY at the end of this month!  All you have to do to enter is LINK UP one handmade quilt or sewn project YOU made during the month, before midnight on January 31, 2012.  

Let's get to work on our next project to share with our sewing & quilting blog friends.  I'm feeling crafty and I hope you are too. 

  

Easy Batting Snow Angel

     Here's another fast and fun snow angel ornament.  I made this little guy using leftover 80/20 quilt batting.  I stained it using a solution of strong, dark tea in a spray bottle which I let sit and dry after I got it the desired antique looking color I wanted.  Just draw a snowman shape on paper, pin to batting, cut out shape, and sew all the way around your snow angel, stitching closed.  I then cut a small line into the back of the neck and stuff carefully with a pencil eraser through there.  Once stuffed, I sew a few loose stitches to close hole and cover the hole with a drop of hot glue and a 1" wide by 5" long homespun scarf.  I dot acrylic paint on the back of a small paint brush for the charcoal eyes,mouth and buttons.  Real buttons would look great too.  His nose was made by painting a toothpick tip orange.  I make a halo with inexpensive hardware store wire and hot glue it to the back of the snow angel.  I make wings out of what I have available, this one has corrugated card stock wings.  I have used wire ribbon bows, spoons, silk leaves, and feathers before. They all look great.  Use your imagination. Embellish and enjoy.

I am linking up this post to our Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap HERE!

&

Puzzle Piece Wreath Ornaments

     My son made this when he was in primary school.  As you can see, he glued old puzzle pieces together to form a wreath.  His teacher painted them green and he added the little sprig of foliage, a bell, and bow.  Other kids added small red pom poms, gold stars, etc.  The sky is the limit.  Bottom line, this is a FUN and EASY family ornament that you and your kids or grandkids can make from that old puzzle that's missing pieces.

I am linking this post to my Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap!  

Please check it out for more ornament ideas.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you stop by again. I like comments.

Frosty the Snowman Ornament

     My favorite handmade Frosty ornament is a product of a crafting session between me and my Mom, many years ago and he's one of the easiest ornaments to make.  He's real fast and simple too.  Trace a circle about 3&1/2 inches wide onto felted wool or some other fuzzy fabric, perhaps fleece or an 80/20 batting.  Sew, leaving an opening on top to turn and stuff, then stitch closed.  Make the hat from two pieces of black felt.  Ours includes a folded brim.  Hand-sew it together using a wide decorative stitch with a high contrast pearl cotton around it. Hot glue or sew in place, covering the hand-sewn top of circle.  We use snaps for his mouth and eyes and a machine sewn, tightly stuffed orange cotton triangle for his carrot nose.  We hot glue button embellishments and the plaid scarf at his neck comes from on old flannel shirt we strip cut and frayed a bit. Embellish with buttons, bows, ribbons, bells, and greenery to you liking.

I have a free, simple pattern for his head and hat that I made using Microsoft Word.  I do not know how or IF I can attach it to this post, so if you'd like me to send you a copy of the file to print, please e-mail me at hgonzales8@bak.rr.com (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS) and I'll send it out to you.  Happy crafting!

I am linking this post up to my favorite blog Deborah Jean's Dandelion House and her Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop!

A Chilly Snowman

     I am going to be posting a series of my favorite handmade Christmas ornaments to my two blogs, White Wolf Summit Farmgirl & My Simple Country Living.  Today, I am sharing one of my favorites, my Chilly Snowman.  I have made dozens of this little guy over the years, he's always a great gift for a teacher or for a friend's Christmas Tree.  I sew using 1/4 inch seam allowances.

BODY- Make his body by drawing a triangle with a 3 1/2" base and a height of 4 1/2" from an 80/20 quilt batting. You can either sew the entire triangle closed and cut the top off to turn and open, OR- cut the top off before sewing and just sewing the two sides and base, leaving the top open for the head to go through.  Either way, you will need to have an opening at the top that's wide enough for the head to fit into.
   
HEAD- Make his head by drawing a rectangle about 1 1/2 " wide by 2 1/2" long.  Round the corners to shape him a bit.  Sew. Turn. Stuff firmly with Polyfil.  I pin and machine sew bases. I insert head into body and add a few beads of hot glue or whipstitch head to body to secure.  If I am making WIRE ARMS, I attach the head AFTER I have inserted and secured the wire arms.

STOCKINGS- I draw stockings about 2 1/2" long with a high contrast fabric and sew.  I leave top open and stuff.  Leave top edge raw, do not turn under.  Attach to body with a few hand stitches.  Loo at my examples below and you'll see I have attached a few to the front of the bodies with cute buttons for fun and I sometimes attach them to the back with no adornment.

ARMS- I have tried many things for arms. I have used tea-stained muslin and black floral wire (I like it because it ages and rusts a bit over the years). Both look great.  To make muslin arms just draw 2 1/4" long arms and cut and sew them from the muslin, turn and stuff.  I keep the top edges raw again and sew to body. To make the wire arms, I just try to shape them like branches and then run the wire through the side into body and twist a small circle inside to hold it tight.

SCARF- I use homespun plaids for the scarf.  I cut them 1" wide by 5 1/2" long and I fray an 1/8" edges by pulling out a few long threads.  I wrap the scarf over the raw edged arms, dabbing as bead of hot glue over each arm to be sure the scarf does not slide away from covering raw edges.

HEAD COVER- For earmuffs- Hot glue a thin ribbon and small pom poms to either side of your snowman's head for these cute earmuffs.  For hat- cut small wool or acrylic circle and sew it to his head. Attach button or foliage for embellishment.

FACE- Micron Pigment ink pen, a dot of white acrylic paint inside eyes, and blush on a Q-tip for cheeks.

NOSE- I paint a toothpick bright pumpkin orange, cut the tip off, and hot glue nose to face.

Other EMBELLISHMENTS- I sometimes tea-stain the cotton batting and muslin.  I stain them by soaking for a few hours in hot tea steeped on my stove, and hand drying and pressing the fabric. I don't press the batting, just try to flatten it before it dries.  I also sometimes add a few small square "patches" to the snowman's body using a cure plaid and a heat n' bond or wonder under.

     I look forward to seeing what YOU can do to spruce him up!

Virtual Christmas Ornament Swap

     Just like the button above says, we're having a VIRTUAL Christmas ornament SWAP!  It's a BLOG HOP designed to allow you to show off your creative side by sharing an image and tutorial or story about a Christmas ornament you like to make and swap OR have received at Christmas.  

     I am a Christmas ornament junkie.  Over the years, I have made and given away literally hundreds of angels, snowmen, santas, and the like.  I LOVE making and giving them away so I will be sharing quite a few of my own ornaments.  I encourage  you to share your favorites too.  

Rules-

1. Any medium, any style- sewn, quilted, glued, painted, WHATEVER! So long as it's a Christmas ornament.

2. Please grab the button and post it to your wall so more folks can see it and be inspired to participate too.

3. Link as many ornaments as you like, the more the merrier.  I love new ideas!

4. Have FUN and get your workshop hopping!

I have linked this post to Deborah Jean's Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

& Homestead Revival's Barn Hop