daily flickr- Pin Cushion Queen

Pin Cushion Queen
Originally uploaded by FiberArtsy

FiberArtsy has created this fantastic work of stitchery! The image is from Tim Burton's book 'The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy'. I have always thought that his sketches would translate well to stitches and here is the living proof. And isn't it great that she is the pincushion queen? I mean how much more stitcherific can you get than that? I also think the pincushion queen would make a really cool/creepy Halloween costume. Part voodoo doll/part crafty-creepy this may have to be added to my list for possible costumes this year.

Too early to make a list of Halloween costumes you say? HA. Never too early for Halloween costumes.

daily flickr

sweater clip
Originally uploaded by ilovetweek

Isn't this sweater clip perfection? The mini-tie, the blazer, the whole look is really working for me. I love the look of a tie but I don't like the way they look on me- since I have a larger chest. This little mini tie would give just the right amount of 'business' to any outfit!

The Halloween Ball

The Halloween Ball
Originally uploaded by spes.craft

This is an embroidery that I have had done for a couple of weeks now but I just finally got it framed. Combining my love of all things 18th century with Halloween I created a ball gown fit for the most extravagant masquerade. I also have other Halloween themed embroideries in the sketchbook- but I dont believe I will have time to finish any of them before the holiday!

Happy October!

Dusty Anderson - movie starlet- Halloween pinup
Originally uploaded by The Happy Wanderer

It is finally here! YAY! Now I feel like I can really celebrate. (kind of like my rule about not listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving) But now it is full speed ahead to Halloween. In celebration this month I will be posting a Vintage Halloween Pinup every day of the month and also posts on decorating, food, candy, and a play by play of my attempts to get a costume together in time for the big day. (Haven't even started the costume yet-but that was more being busy than waiting for October!)
Also watch out for some Halloween embroidery this month!

I also want to hear what YOU are doing this month in preparation for the spookiest holiday!

I AM ON MR X STITCH!

Sooooooo excited! This is the dream. Seriously. YAY! Thank you, thank you!

Stitchgasm!-Spes

Public Enemies

Yes. This is an embroidery inspired by the new movie Public Enemies. It is a combination of some of my favorite things- old school gangsters, Johnny Depp, and embroidery(what can I say? I am complicated). Well anyway I didn't love the movie as much as I thought I would but I will have to see it again before I make up my mind. The embroidery is a slightly simplified version of the actual 'wanted' poster for John Dillinger. I took off a lot of the small text but I did add just a little to explain the rewards a bit.


I just finished this piece so I still have to wash it to get rid of the last few signs of my tracing and then I will iron it to get rid of a few more of the wrinkles- but I was just so excited about it I wanted to put it up asap! The small portraits of Dillinger did not come out quite as true to life as I wanted but it was close enough. The small print reads: "$10,000.00 for the capture of John Herbert Dillinger or a reward of $5,000.00 for information leading to the arrest of John Herbert Dillinger."

T-Shirt Quilt

i have had megan nicolay's "Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt" for a long time now and it is one of my favorite standbys to pull out for inspiration or a fun project. i have been wanting to do a t-shirt quilt for a long time mostly because i AM the girl who keeps every t-shirt she has ever owned- and i am trying desperately to grow out of the 't-shirt and sweatpants' look i have been rocking through college. but the nostalgic person that i am can not bear to just 'throw away' or donate t-shirts that still have a lot of meaning to me. so the other night when i was bored (i work the night shift so on my nights off i need to keep my self busy) i knew that this was the project i wanted to tackle. i had already picked out an bag of about 20 t-shirts for the project and an old kids sheet for the back (princess jasmine rocks!). this quilt took me four hours- mostly thanks to my new toy- my first rotary cutter! how did i ever craft without it? i love it. it is pink and amazing. in the end i used a couple more t-shirts so i wouldn't have any completely blank squares. i love it. it is soft and comfy and reminds me of all sorts of fun things (one of the shirts is from 6th grade!). the only sad thing is that it is way to warm here to actually use it. but the harsh minnesota winter is always just around the corner- so i will have plenty of time to snuggle up in this and read a good book.

has anybody else done this project recently? i had one neighbor who made one completely out of the cross country t-shirts her son had accumulated throughout high school!

Walther (Family Portrait Series #1)

Walther (Family Portrait Series #1)
Originally uploaded by spes.craft

I have always loved old photos. I am not quite sure exactly what it is but I have always thought that they are the best. I even find myself going back and using them as inspiration again and again....so...

This is first in a series of embroidery portraits I am doing. They are inspired by old photographs. Not all of them are going to be people actually in my family but maybe some of them will be if I can find some old photos. This portrait was inspired by this picture of Walther Nernst. Walther is embroidered on a light gray cotton and is 'framed' with black felt so he is ready to just hang on the wall or put into a bigger frame.

Back on the Wagon

I seemed to have fallen off the craft wagon recently. Has this ever happened to you? It is not that I haven't been doing little things here and there but there just hasn't been that sort of 'this is a project I am going to work on' thought process going on. But I seem to have finally gotten some mojo back and am ready to craft!

The picture above is my little sister getting ready for her senior prom. Her dress was from a thrift store for $15. I said I would help her make some accessories and found some lace at the fabric store that was the same pattern as her dress. So with a little lace and some ribbon to match I whipped up some little fingerless gloves that made this dress have a little more of a retro/girly feel. She did buy new shoes for the dress (which was the most expensive part). But overall an entire prom outfit for less than $50? Awesome. I am pretty proud of my sister right now.

agatha

Agatha and Mabel are now in the shop!

agatha
Originally uploaded by spes.craft

mabel

mabel
Originally uploaded by spes.craft

Dr. Manhattan Embroidery

Dr. Manhattan Embroidery
Originally uploaded by spes.craft

I posted awhile ago on kittyzilla and her amazing embroidery patterns featuring the characters of 'Watchmen' and this is my first attempt at one of the patterns. I don't consider myself a great embroiderer. I don't know lots of stitches and someone (maybe my grandmother?) once told me that you could tell good embroidery because of the clean and neat BACK as well as front. Well I won't shame myself with a picture of the back of this piece but lets just say it is not clean and neat!

I like embroidery because it is fairly mobile. I did 'Dr. Manhattan' at work and now I am working on Rorschach. I work overnights and sometimes it is busy and sometimes it isn't so it is nice to have something to keep the hands busy while trying to stay awake.

I don't know what I am going to do with these once they are done. I was thinking they would look nice on the wall in simple frames. My mom suggested a small quilt. Hmm.

Lucky Number 186

The lovely Heidi Kenney from My Paper Crane just had a fabric giveaway and I WON! (thank you!) I never win anything. Seriously I can not remember the last time I won any sort of raffle or contest (I didn't even win anything at my high school senior party when EVERYONE was SUPPOSED to win something). The random number generator gods were with me today though and I could not be more thrilled. I am really excited to craft with the new fabric and post all my escapades!

Can you say AMAZING?!

Dr. Manhattan
Originally uploaded by Kittyzilla

Kittyzilla has the most awesome embroidery patterns ever! I found out about her through the always inspiring Craft blog. She has a whole series of 'Watchmen' patterns on her blog and flickr accounts that I am just dying to try!

Feeling Crafty T-Shirt Recon

I have been searching for the perfect dress pattern to make some everyday summer outfits and as I was searching I got one of those deep down crafty urges. My sewing room is full of clothes that are in various stages of projects (or patiently waiting for projects) and I found this old homecoming shirt that was perfect.

(As I found it in my craft pile- the neck was already cut out of it.)

I have been really getting back into fairy tales lately and was kind of thinking of something with a peter pan collar. My biggest thing is that a lot of my clothes are still just 't-shirts from college' so I am always looking for ways to re-work them into something better. Also I am one of those self taught DIYers that doesn't really know how to to sew but manages with her limited knowledge

Here is the after. A little less tragic 80s don't you think? And double bonus is that it will be the perfect comfy shirt to rock on St. Patrick's Day. The dark green fabric came from a just a plain green t-shirt that didn't fit right.

New Dolls- works in progress

So I finally took some pictures of the new dolls I am working on. The Octopus Girl is an idea that has been swimming around my head. The poor thing has no arms but more than enough legs to make up for it. Most of her body is felt but half of each tentacle is thrift-ed fabric in a similar color.


This other doll is a rough draft of a pattern. One arm is chubby and the other rather skinny- all kinks that will be worked out...hopefully...

Her head, hands and feet are felt and her body, arms, legs are up-cycled from an old t-shirt. I really like her jointed, floppy, soft, old fashioned feeling. I always get nervous about putting the face and hair on- I quite like her as is- but I will post more pictures once I finish her up.