handmade

art show and etsy shop update
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art show and etsy shop update

Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of participating in RAW Raleigh: Mixology, an art showcase hosted by the national non-profit organization RAW.  It was a fantastic event designed to help aspiring artists promote their work, and I was honored to be selected to participate.  After many long nights working, I was able to pull off the showcase, and update my Etsy shop as a result.  Please check out http://rawartists.org for more information about the showcase.

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a wedding gift

This weekend, Kevin and I are headed to Maryland for a wedding.  Yesterday, as I was finishing up work, I realized in our preparations for the trip, we had forgotten about a wedding gift.  Fortunately I was able to find their registry online, and when I saw a set of linen napkins, I immediately thought of making some simple table linens.  I have an entire bolt of unbleached linen, which was a gift years ago, so, using a cloth napkin of our own as a template, I cut out four squares from the linen.

I sewed a simple rolled hem to keep the edges of the linen from fraying.  Then, while at a meeting, I carved a linoleum block stamp.  Using textile printing ink and a brush, I stamped the linoleum block print onto the edge of the linen hem.

As the couple getting married had specified on their registry that they did not want any gift wrapping, Kevin had the brilliant idea of rolling the napkins up, and I fastened them with vintage lace and a piece of twine.  The simple wedding gift is now tucked away in our suitcase.

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a simple quilt project

Since it’s been so hot this summer, we’ve been sleeping under a thin quilt my great-grandmother made long ago out of an old sheet and old dress fabric.  Because it was hand-pieced, however, the quilt is very fragile, and we’ve been wanting to find a substitute for daily use.  This weekend, I got inspired and made a very simple quilt.  It only took me one day, and as I am not the most patient of seamstresses, it was a perfect design that didn’t cause a lot of frustration.  I used fat quarters from my collection of fabric, with a simple floral cotton backing, which I also used to bind the quilt edges.  The whole thing is machine-stitched, with no piecework.  It fits perfectly with our simple design aesthetic.

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cranes for japan

My friend Kristen, of newhouseproject, had a great idea to support the relief efforts in Japan.  She is making small embroidered cranes to sell in her Etsy shop and has invited other artists to do the same.  So, I am joining Kristen in this great cause and making some cranes of my own to sell in my Etsy shop.  The cranes will sell for $10 each, and 100% of the proceeds will go to support the relief efforts in Japan.

If you would like to join us in making embroidered cranes to support the relief efforts in Japan, please send an email to littlecitybiglove@gmail.com.  Add your cranes to your Etsy shop, and I will add a link to your shop and/or blog.  Please help spread the word!