Mixed Embroidery: Your Sexist Jokes Are Boring

My sister recently gifted me a packet of vintage flour-sack-towel patterns that my grandmother had kept from the 1940s. This pattern (sans words) was included. I wanted to fill in the vessels, and I figured the easiest way to do that would be to mix felt with embroidery.

And, of course, I added the words. :)

Vintage Postcards: von Schiller and Monty Python

I ordered a bulk pack of 100 vintage postcards (mixed! surprises!) from an ebay shop. It was super fun to open up the cards and find inspiration in whatever popped up. In this case, Friedrich von Schiller, philosopher and poet, needed a little extra bling and a quote (original postcard from the 1910s):

This postcard--a MN original from the 1960s that was in my Great-Aunt Anne's scrapbook--demanded the addition of a guard. So we get the French Knight from Monty Python's Holy Grail and a trojan rabbit for good measure:

I'm a little bummed about my scale choices for this (the knight! So big!) but the detail would have been REALLY hard otherwise. So I guess it will do. You live and learn!

Fleabag Ornaments

I love Fleabag--a brilliant show created by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge (on Amazon Prime). There are a lot of great parts and elements (and it's consistently funny), but my favorite thing is the truly loving, complex sister relationship. 

In part? I think Fleabag's character stating "This is a love story" at the beginning of Season 2 is just as much in reference to sister-love as it is to romantic love. 

And so? I made Fleabag sister ornaments. 

Fleabag:

 Claire:

Featured Project: Ally Bracelets

I was SUPER pleased when I proposed this project and the publisher was all-in. Showing support and kindness is important and can mean the difference between someone feeling alone and someone feeling like another is a "safe" person.

These ally bracelets can be made with any number of color combinations--pictured are LGBT rainbow and Trans pink/white/teal.

If you want a 15 minute (max) craft, then the bracelet style on the left is all hot-glued--super quick and easy. If you want a funkier look and want to dig into the embroidery thread, the bracelet style on the right has the color bands stitched together. That's my personal favorite, though both look nice.

Featured Project: Malala Journal Cover

The story behind the craft for the Malala journal cover is that not everything works out perfectly the first time. 

For instance, when designing this pattern I overestimated the spine piece by a full inch. Which doesn't seem like too much until it's flopping all about. This was an easy adjustment to make and the pattern ended up being perfect in the end--but it goes to show that trial and error is definitely necessary sometimes. 

Also: this gives an opportunity to dig into the holiday ribbon and decor; anything sparkly or shiny makes a nice accent where the gold ric-rac currently is. 

Featured Project: My Strong Body

This project is very simple (it has a bit of detail work with the organs) but is very fun. I remember playing "Operation Frog" in school--figuring out the internal organs and where they go--and this is a body puzzle that emphasizes the function of the strong body.

The project can be scaled up or down by exchanging stitches for fabric paint--or by adding overcast stitching around the edges for a more polished look.

Surprisingly, my 4 year old also LOVES to play with this and spends a ton of time taking it apart and putting it back together.

Embroidery on Vintage Postcards

I follow #handembroidery on instagram and it's at once inspiring AND daunting (everyone else is SO GOOD and creative and what am I even DOING thinking I can make things?!). It's the tale of every maker/crafter admiring the art of others, no?

Two things happened.
1. I stumbled upon the incredible work of Frances Cramer.
2. I had a TON of old vintage postcards from my grandmother's hoarder house.

I've used my grandma's vintage stashes before (the vintage collage buttons, for instance).  So I thought I'd take a crack at embroidering on vintage paper.

I learned:
Planning is MUCH more my friend on paper than on fabric/felt.
Paper--especially old paper--is much less forgiving of mistakes and pilot poke-throughs.

With trial and error I started embroidering on vintage postcards. Here are some of my current results. It's a little bit kitch, a little bit sci-fi, a little bit supernatural, and a little bit gay. All things I love:

Bob Ross "painting" the postcard.

This is going to be featured on a friend's album cover! (Holy crap!)

We follow the Yellow Brick Road. Even though the "Surrender Dorothy" is a direct copy from the movie, it looks super messy (as it did in the movie!). 

My FIRST attempt. Little Nessie. :)

French knots are WAY fun to do on paper, for real. 

The Enterprise, my Star Trek loves.

Just a little tentacle.

I LOVE this one; the gay pride Oakland Bay Bridge.

The drag horse of Wyoming. My friend actually knows the name of the horse and rider, but alas. 

TARDIS.

The Telltale heart of the Edgar Allen Poe shrine.

The rainbowed-up hospital.

More to come for sure. It's addicting to figure out how to add onto the postcards and I maaaay have ordered an assorted vintage pack on ebay. Whoops. 

Featured Project: Frida Kahlo Hand Puppet

One of the challenges of Feisty Felties being for a younger age range (8-12, listed) was simplifying the faces. This Frida Kahlo hand puppet is very simple with minimal stitching required for the face detail--and with a bunch of fun additions. 

This is also one of the projects my own kiddo (age 4) gravitated toward. It fits a (small-to-medium) adult hand, but is irresistible for kids. 

You also have the option to add whatever you want for decoration! Have a bit of lace that will suit instead of ric-rac? Go for it! Maybe you have yellow yarn for the necklace? Awesome. Maybe you even have some silk flowers around to add to the headpiece. Go for it!

Introducing: Feisty Felties!

As a follow-up to Feminist Felties, I just had a new book published: Feisty Felties! It has the same theme of strong, empowered women--but for a slightly younger set. That's not to say that the crafts aren't equally diverting for adults, but if you're a novice they're a bit easier to manage on the whole. (The recommended age is 8+.)

In the book, you'll find fun projects featuring:

• Frida Kahlo
• Pele
• Your body/anatomy
• Goal setting
• Ally/pride bracelets
• Malala
• Maya Angelou
• Feminist backpack badges
• Goddess crowns
• Amelia Earhart
• Fortuna
• Etc. 

In a variety of project formats and types and skill levels. 

I'll be posting featured projects on the blog shortly. Fun fact: I completed this book while on maternity leave with my second daughter, Simone (strong women raising strong women...). 

Cut Out + Keep Pattern of the Day: Julia Child's Badge

Here is today's Pattern of the Day from Cut Out + Keep:



https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/lecole-des-trois-gourmandes-badge-julia-childs-cooking-badge

Cut Out + Keep Crafty Superstar

I'm a crafty superstar!

Check out Cut Out + Keep this week and get a new -free- tutorial/pattern every day.

Here's the first pattern:


https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/the-chosen-finger-felt-ornament-slash-badge

Monty Python Flying Circus Silly Book

The next in my series of busy book patterns: Monty Python's Flying Circus Silly Book! It's a little obscure and a little quirky, but still fun and accessible even if you don't get all the references. Take a look at all 12 pages in action under the cut!

 Page 1: Title page.

Announcement: Feminist Felties is coming!

Feminist Felties: 21 Inspiring and Empowering Projects in Felt and Fabric is coming!

Available on Amazon.com in the U.S. starting September 11, 2018! (Pre-orders are available now!)

I'm very excited about this labor-of-love project and hope to be able to show some behind-the-scenes processes here on the blog. (Not every project dreamed up could make it into the book, for various reasons, and some went through some interesting iterations/transformations--for example.)

Projects include:
1. An Elizabeth Cady Stanton/Susan B. Anthony badge
2. A Marie Curie finger puppet.
3. Sojourner Truth bookmark.
4. Ada Lovelace egg cozy.
5. A Rosie the Riveter coin purse.
6. Firebrand bracelet.
7. A justice & equality needle case.
8. A set of feminist symbol coasters.
9. Right to write pencil case.
10. Suffragette purse.
11. The smell of revolution scent satchet.
12. Gaia goddess phone case.
13. Fiery females candle holder.
14. Dress for the revolution magnet dolls.
15. Uterus ornament.
16. Stick it to the man pin cushion.
17.  Venus fly trap felt pot.
18. Pink pussy coffee cozy.
19. Little flower tampon roll.
20. Labrys barettes.
21. #MeToo keychain.

Shirley Chisholm: Black History Month

I've made ornaments of Maxine Waters, Michelle Obama, Maya Angelou, Angela Davis, and more. My voice isn't the one that should be heard the loudest in celebrating these accomplished women. However, these are women that I admire and that deserve representation, recognition, and...maybe felt ornament portraits? I'm not even scratching the surface on who I'd like to make: Zora Neale Hurston, Josephine Baker, Sojourner Truth, Marian Anderson, Bessie Smith, Mae Jemison, and on and on and on.

This Shirley Chisholm quote was brought to my attention when, in her swearing-in, @tamayaforcincy brought a folding chair. Badass. 

"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."

Go out and do your magnificent things.

With the sentencing of Larry Nassar to up to 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting many, many young athletes, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina pronounced: "I've just signed your death warrant."

And I was really, really tempted to embroider that on a felt ornament. But alas. Instead I chose a slightly more uplifting quote; her statement to the victims: "Leave your pain here, and go out and do your magnificent things."

Shortened: "Go out and do your magnificent things."

I've been working on a book (yeah, of felt stuff! Feminist felt stuff, to be exact), so I haven't been doing much for myself--but I couldn't let that powerful quote slip by. So here is the honorable Rosemarie Aquilina herself, complete with burgundy highlights.

Star Trek Podcast Fandom

These ornaments/badges have very little popular appeal, I'd imagine. They're based on in-jokes from a podcast I love: The Greatest Generation. (A Star Trek podcast by two guys who are a little embarrassed to have a Star Trek podcast.)

But sometimes I have to make stuff just for myself, or just to see if I can, or even just because I have an idea in my head that will keep percolating until I exorcize it appropriately. 

Thus: A 6-part ornament series...based on jokes that no one but me and a very niche audience will get. 

Worf's Loaves, Kevin Uxbridge's Real Dolls, a Natural Yeager, and the potted-plant-ness of the two lead female characters on Star Trek: The Next Generation (Deanna Troi and Beverly Crusher). 

Wesley Crusher also gets an ornament, featuring his coogi-style sweaters.

And Yar's Scarves. The currency of the future? Scarves. 

Well, they made me a little bit happy, and other fans seemed to like them. So I guess it wasn't a complete waste of time.

Buttons

Felt is still happening, but instructions have slowed down a bit. 

Why? 

Because I found my grandfather's old button maker. 

That, combined with my grandmother's old vintage 1960s magazines, has produced a new craft!

Behold. Buttons.

The challenge to myself is to use the vintage phrases/words from the magazines along with the pictures. It'd be easier--though not as fun--to create my own sayings to match the vintage imagery. 

Considering that my desire to do these far outstrips the space I have on any given piece of clothing/purse/whatever to display them, I think I'll put these in my etsy shop, eventually. 

Here is a sampling of some other buttons...under the cut. 

Sally Yates: "I said no."

Timeliness can be problematic. After Sally Yates eviscerated Ted Cruz and John Cornyn I had a friend pipe up: Hey, you should do a Sally Yates thing!

Which...yeah. I totally should. And fast. Because I doing these current event felt objects means that time is of the essence. 

So I designed and made a Sally Yates ornament:

With mistakes. 

First off, Sally doesn't really have many pithy (short) quotes to use. 

Secondly, it's really hard to accurately capture that head-looking-up regal pose without someone looking just plain crooked. So much of that chin definition in that pose relies on the natural shadows and 3D-ness of the human body. It's very difficult to subtly render anything in felt, and it requires subtlety. 

Because of this, the lettering looks crooked. Which bugs me a TON. 

I also got the layering on the pink shirt wrong. I guess I haven't done one of these in a while (I've been working on a Firefly Busy Book and some stitching samplers) and I'm out of practice. 

Oh well, you can't get them all right the first time. I might still use this example in a pattern, though, because I rarely love making the same thing twice. 

Monty Python Holy Grail Busy Book

All my felt crafting started with a busy book. It was a Star Trek TNG busy book, to be exact. I bought a pattern off Etsy, and made my first project. 

But, you see, I'm kind of a Star Trek superfan. I kept thinking of scenes and characters that I wanted to add to the book. So I designed my own pages and added to it. Eventually I had to split the busy books into TNG and TOS. But I digress. 

I also love other geeky things. So I designed and made a Monty Python Flying Circus busy book. Behold!

The cover page is pretty basic, so dive in after the jump!

Adding Motion: Latrice Royale

I love RuPaul's Drag Race. Unabashedly. Unashamedly. Hence me making a RuPaul ornament. I wanted to memorialize more Drag Queens in felt (because who wouldn't want to do this?), and Latrice Royale was my next choice.

I loved this picture:

But the hand was kind of problematic in felt. It would look strange to just have it there, static. It would have been easy to eliminate that hand (by making it straight down at the side), but then I thought...why not have Latrice blowing kisses?

I have done a lot of motion stuff in my busy books (which I still have not posted...and will get around to eventually), so I had an idea to sew a button to make the arm moveable.

And thus, I added motion to ornaments.

Static pictures:

And video (if it works!):


Now I'm curious about what *else* I can add motion too. Could Julia Child actually tenderize a chicken? SHE COULD. If I can dream it, I can make it.