Karin Jordan Studio

Giveaway Winners!!

Thanks to the random number generator at random.org. . . 

HOORAY! 

The winner of the cell phone pouch is #14. Laura said: "I am trying to finish my 6 month old's baby quilt. There's a reason you should have the quilt finished before the baby comes!"

Laura - I am still procastinating finishing knitting my son's baby blanket and he's 17 months old!

 

 

WOOHOO!

The winner of the book Stuffed Animals from Concept to Construction is #75. Julia of Stars & Sunshine said, "I'd make a penguin, immediately!"

Julia - I can't wait to see your penguin!

 

 

 

Thanks so much to everyone for your fun and thoughtful comments! 

I am still working on the cell phone pouch tutorial; thanks for your patience. The original pattern was for linen which isn't the best for beginners so I've decided to reshoot it so it's a more straightforward tutorial. Check back soon!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend,

Karin

 

 

Embroidery Pattern: Three Flowers in a Chevron Vase

I wanted to design a quick embroidery project for today's Free Pattern Friday. This was completed in an evening in between putting kids to bed, doing dishes and watching a bit of TV. It's not my best work (I resorted to a few knots in the back!) but it was fun, and it's done! 

Disappearing markers are frustrating for me — they're never as precise, and they often fade before you can finish a project. I use a Sakura Pigma Micron 01. It's permanent, but I like to live dangerously. That said, I don't put all the detail on the fabric; I eyeball the French knots. I've been reading good things about the Pilot Frixion Erasable Gel Pen. It's thermo sensitive and can be ironed off. Might have to get one to try. . . 

DMC colors: 150,154, 310, 742, 3345

I used three strands for the vase and stems and two strands for the flower heads. Everything is back stitched except for the French knots.

You can download the free pdf here. Enlarge or reduce to fit your project.

There's still time to embroider a bouquet for mom. Enjoy!

xo Karin

 

Craft with Kids: Making a Special Box

In my experience, if you send a kid wearing pockets outside to play, she’ll collect all sorts of wonderful treasures that she’ll want to keep. Glittery rocks, acorn tops, an errant marble, the teeniest tiniest shell, etc. Instead of having these finds scattered throughout the house — on the kitchen island, on top of the dryer, in my jewelry box — I thought it was time Annabel and I made a special box that would keep all these things together on her dresser. A box she would be in charge of.

I took a kids shoe box (they’re smaller and cuter than adult-sized ones) and wrapped the bottom and the lid separately in the purple paper she had chosen. It’d be easier to use a large sheet of paper, but we used 12 x 12" square sheets of scrapbook paper so I had to be a little. . . er. . . creative in wrapping it. At least it’s fade resistant!

We picked a bag of bright-colored pom-poms for the top and foam dinosaur stickers for the sides. I dumped the pom-poms on the table and started applying a large amount of white glue in one corner of the lid. As I glued my way from corner to corner, Annabel grabbed pom-poms and stuck them on. I like the randomness of them. We filled the edges in with the smaller pom-poms and we let it dry for a day or two.

Annabel is protective of her special box. Her brother is not to go near it. Of course, the neon pom-poms are a beacon, but so far so good. She even took it to school and let everyone see the treasures inside. This is quite possibly the best project we've done together. 

Have fun making your own special boxes!

xo Karin

 

 

Another Giveaway! Book: Stuffed Animals

Hi and welcome to Leigh Laurel Studios. Thanks for visiting! I spend as much time in my studio as possible, often with a child or two under my desk. I sew, embroider, fabric paint, and use whatever craft supplies are on hand. Wednesday I have a column entitled "Craft with Kids," and Friday is "Free Pattern Friday." Sometimes I've found a great free pattern or tutorial online and put my spin on it. I include pattern notes to help you, particularly if I've run into a challenge! I happily share my failures as well as my successes. I also design things and include those in Free Pattern Friday. Please consider subscribing or following if you want to see what I come up with next! Mostly, I just try to have fun. :)

I love this book. In Stuffed Animals from Concept to Construction, Abigail Patner Glassenberg does a fantastic job of filling a hole in the craft book marketplace. Not only is it full of cute patterns, Abby explains why certain techniques work and how to avoid common construction pitfalls. If you ever plan on making a stuffed animal, this is an invaluable book to have on your shelf. For a thorough review and some inside photos of the book, please go here to Wild Olive. 

I'm linked up to the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day. There are hundreds of giveways to participate in, so have fun! To enter this  giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment here about the animal you'd make if you were to make a stuffed animal. Leave a comment by 8 pm EST on May 10th to enter to win this book. It's that simple! It's actually giveaway week, so I'll be announcing the winner on May 12th (Mother's Day). Winner will be chosen with a random number generator. Good luck!!!!

There is another giveaway from Leigh Laurel Studios. To see what it is, click here! 

Hope you're enjoying the week,

xo Karin

 

It's Giveaway Day! Cell Phone Pouch

Hi and thanks for visiting! Honestly, I just love to be in my studio designing and making things. I hope you enjoy browsing around my site.

If you've ever had to remove crumbs and lint from your cell phone so you can plug it in, you need a cell phone pouch! I've personally had an AT&T guy raise his eyebrows at me as he cleaned my phone. The protective case is great for when you drop it, but who wouldn't benefit from some extra padding and protection?

I've designed this cell phone pouch, and have made this very one for YOU. :) My design is based on my iPhone 4 with a Speck case, and it should fit most smart phones. 

I'm linking up to the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day. There are hundreds of giveways to participate in, so have fun! Comment here about the project you're currently working on by 8 pm EST on May 10th to enter to win this cell phone pouch. It's that simple! It's actually giveaway week, so I'll be announcing the winner on May 12th (Mother's Day). 

      

I'm working on writing up the free tutorial, so I will post that soon. Be sure to check back, and please consider following. 

I can't wait to hear what your projects are! 

xo Karin

Note: The Leigh Laurel Studios giveaway is for the cell phone pouch only, it does not include the orange Cole Haan bag. Or my iPhone. :) 

 

How to Make a Flanged Floor Pillow

Brroommm Brrooomm! Colton picked this fabric all by himself. I was pushing him in the shopping cart down an aisle, and he was pointing and waving wildly in excitement. Brrooom Brrooom, as if to say, Mom, don’t you get it? It’s right there! Of course. Buses and cars and trucks and things that go. . . brroom broom. It’s a nice, soft, lightweight flannel. We spend most of our time on the floor, (I have the calluses on my knees to prove it!) so I decided to make a large floor pillow. I picked a black-and-white chevron print — also flannel — for the back.

I bought one yard of each print, and a soft 24 x 24” pillow insert. I didn’t need anything else as I wanted to make a simple envelope closure on the back, and an easy flange instead of piping or other trim. A flange basically makes a pillow look like a big ravioli. Either that or I shouldn't write patterns while hungry.

Here’s what to do for a 24 x 24” pillow:

1. Wash, dry, and iron the fabric.
2. Cut one 30 x 30” square out of the front material. 
   30" = 24 (pillow size) + 2 + 2 (flanges) + 1 + 1 (seam allowances). If you have a larger or smaller insert, adjust accordingly.
3. Cut two 30 x 20" rectangles out of the fabric for the back, making sure the pattern is oriented the correct way. For example, my chevron fabric had to be running left to right, which was the shorter, 20" measurement. 
4. Wrong side up, fold the right side ( the 30" side) of the left back piece over 1”. Press. Fold 1” again, Press, pin and sew. This will be the edge of the envelope opening, Repeat with the left side of the right back piece. 
5. Place the 30 x 30” front fabric right side up on a large surface. Right sides facing, place one of the back pieces down, with the seam you just made to the center and the three raw edges lined up. Do the same with the other back piece, so that you’re left with a 30” square. The two back pieces should be overlapping. 
6. Pin the two overlapping back pieces together, top and bottom edges as well as the center to keep the fabric from buckling when you move it. Be careful not to catch the front piece in the pins. 
7. With a 1/2” seam allowance, sew the overlapping back pieces together, top and bottom. 
8. Leaving center pins in place, and wrong sides facing, pin edges of front and back pieces together. With 1” seam allowance, sew all four sides of the square. Remove all pins, trim seams to 1/2” (this will allow you to discard imperfections in alignment!), clip the corners, turn right side out, press. 
9. Replace the pins in the center of the back to keep the opening together. Turn it over, center and draw a 24” square on the front with disappearing marker, leaving 2” on all sides. Topstitch on the square you just drew. Remove pins.
10. Stuff your comfy new flanged flannel pillow sham with insert and relax!

 

I’ve been much more comfortable playing Matchbox car garage since making this pillow. Hope you will be, too!

OH, and I'm going to be linking up to the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway on Monday so check back to see what you can enter to win!

Brrooom brrooom,

Karin

 

 

 

Craft with Kids: Giant Duct Tape Flower

I was sitting on the window seat in the kitchen next to a bag of paper recycling, thinking of a project to entertain the kids. It was one of those thick, sideways shopping bags with a rope handle. I dumped the bag out onto the floor and let them play with the mess while I quietly opened their craft drawer.

It seemed like a duct tape sort of day. I chose green, pink and a paint splotch pattern. Without a plan, I removed the rope handle and rolled up the paper bag. I grabbed the green duct tape, ripped several square-ish pieces off and stuck them on my pant leg. As I started to apply the tape to the rolled-up bag, Annabel caught on and wanted to help. It didn't take long to cover the bag. To me, it resembled a stem. Thinking I had a plan, Annabel wanted to know what to do next. I wasn’t sure, so I asked her to wait and see.

I drew a large petal shape on a cereal box, cut it out, and traced it to make four more. Then I did the same for the two leaves. I taped the blank cardboard leaves to the stem first, with one long strip across the front from leaf to leaf and one on the back. We covered the attached leaves with more green duct tape. We started taping the petals with pink before taping them onto the top of the stem, then wound up taping more onto the petals to hide the other tape and stabilize them. Three crossed pieces of washi tape went across the center of the flower and then a circle cut out of the paint splotched duct tape became the middle.

I cleaned up the tape job a bit with a few larger pieces, and we were done! I suspect that the next one will have to be purple...

Happy May Day!

Karin