Thimble Motherlode

		Thimble Shopping VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

So back from my trip from Madison WI. Spent the week with my daughter and her husband for a wonderful week of touring the area that they will be calling their home for many years to come. At least I hope so.
So one day they took us all down to this small town called New Glarus, a town that was founded by the Swiss from the town of the same name Old Glarus, Switzerland. See many things in this small town of 2500.
So hit an antique store in this small town and found a lot of thimbles to add to my collection. Between the ones I bought there and other places on my travels – adding another 23 to my collection. (Note: the first one in the album came from my husband's friend just recently back from Ireland)
So thanks for looking at my newest additions. I have extra thimbles from New Glaser so anyone looking at swapping – let me know.
Hugs and stitches, Joan

Recycle Cutout Dog Biscuit Tutorial

Recycle Cutout Dog Biscuit Tutorial VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

This is one of the Swaps I hosted on Swap-bot.com using a box from a food product that has pre-cut out fronts. Whether it has a cello front or just plain like I have here using the front and side of dog biscuit boxes for inserting scrapbook items. Click on each picture to see the steps to creating this pre-made recycled album using recycled items I received from another swap. Leaving half the pages blank towards the back for my partner to add her own special touches.
Comments are welcome.
Happy scraping! Joan

Owl Pincushion instructions

Owl Pin Cushion Instructions

Well, hosting an owl pin cushion swap on swap-bot, but the magazine site only offers the template for the body but no instructions as promised.

So here is a short verision of the instructions.

need:

6 x 8" for body

4 x 6 for belly

scrap of fiberfilled

1/4 cup of walnut shells or weight for bottom

(keep it standing)

small funnel to fill the cavity

scraps of off white yarn

2 - 3/4" white buttons

2 - 1/2" black buttons

doll makers needle (extra long to get through fiberfill of body.

1. Using template from this site. Cut 2 bodies pieces and 1 belly piece.

2. Lay rt side together and stitch up one curved side.

3. With right sidesup open the body and rt sides together of the body to belly, sew the curved edges pivot at the top and go down the other side. trim tip to 1/8". Turn right side out.

4. On the belly side from the top mark a line 1" from the top. 

5. Lightly stuff the point and baste the line for bending thru all layers. 

6. Fold the bottom edge 1/8" and baste a hem stitch, but leave loose. Using the funnel to put in the crush walnuts to within 1/4" of not filled. 

7. Pull threads tight and if needed add more crushed walnuts. stitch close.

8. Smooth out the body of the owl. shape as needed.

Finishing:

1. Fold the top 1" down with the point centered. Using embroidery floss take a few stitches through the tip and belly to form a beak. Remove the basting stitches. 

2. Stack a black button on the white and thread a need with black thread and take a few stitches to hold the buttons together.

3. Cut 3 1" in lenghts of yarn, gather together and put one end under the button holes. Take a couple of stitches to hold in place. hand stitch the eye onto the owl using the dollmakers needle. Run the thread out the bottom and back up through the buttons. Take several stitches in this manner and then finish off. 

4. unwind the yarn to fluff up the strands.

$100 gift card giveaway

Follow this link to a $100 gift card giveaway

http://www.finneganandthehughes.com/2013/01/13/modern-review-giveaway/