Who Knew You Could Do So Much With Covered Buttons

I was looking at some blogs tonight and saw this post and tutorial on Little Birdie Secrets about making thumbtacks and magnets with fabric covered buttons. I like it!

I've always been a fan of fabric covered buttons and I've used quite a few in my years of sewing. I've even had fun playing with them by embellishing them with beads or some hand embroidery. I have several sweaters in my closet that would probably look incredible with some custom fabric beaded buttons. Hummmmm... (I feel another project coming on)

Until today, the only real crafty thing I've seen done with these are some ponytail holders. So, I did some research and thought I'd share some of the fun things people are doing.

The Etsy Shop, Designs by Christi, has several products with covered buttons. She makes ponytail holders and embellishes flip flops with buttons that have your monogram in thread or crystals. -very cute!

Smashed Peas and Carrots has a great tutorial to make this fabric button ring.

Suzanne's Crazy for Collars has several projects and tutorials using fabric covered buttons.

Here's her feather and button brooch

and here's a tutorial Suzanne has for making this colorful covered button choker.

Your Every Color makes these pendants and earrings from covered buttons

these get me so excited for Spring!

Another jewelry item is this bracelet made by Etsy artist, Button Maniac.

Should you be inspired like me, I also found a couple of Etsy stores that sell supplies for making fabric covered buttons and for making jewelry and household items with them.

Tobys Mom has a wide variety of button sizes, bails and adjustable rings.

Start to Finish Supplies has lots of things you can put buttons on -- including cuff links, bracelets, bobby pins, earrings, tie tacks.

If you know of some other craft projects that people have made with fabric covered buttons, let me know.

(now I'm off to look for some mint colored fabric to go with that sweater).

More Curtain Pictures

Here's another picture of our momentous curtain hanging last weekend. In total, we have three windows in our living room.Two small ones and this double window. Now I want to make a couple of matching throw pillows for our sofa.

Our New Living Room Curtains

You know the story about the cobbler's kids and how they have no shoes? Well, in this case, it's the sewer's living room and how it hasn't had any curtains in close to five years. I bought this fabric (11 yards for $25 on ebay- wohoo) after seeing it at Calico Corners, bought the trim. altered the pattern so that the scallops perfectly fit our windows, cut out the fabric and started sewing.....

I didn't like how the trim was looking on the scallops so, I stopped sewing... My poor husband. He wanted the curtains so badly and I had developed a big psychological block against finishing them. It got to be such an issue between us that it became even harder to work on them. What was I to say? "I'm going to go up to the studio and work on the curtains".? There would have been way too much anticipation and pressure. Anyway, David went to Florida for five days and it gave me the time and opportunity to bring them back out. I went to the lumber yard and had the 3" cornice boards cut to size. I took the trim off the one that I had done and I whipped them out. They weren't as bad as I had remembered and getting rid of the trim helped alot (I had visions of hand sewing all the hems).

I gave them to David for Valentines Day and he was so excited. He still is pretty excited about them and comments how great they look all the time. (Personally, they're a bit more formal than what I would pick nowadays). They certainly look better than the bare windows.

Now I just need to make some new cushions for the glider.

Time to Update my Blog With Pictures

I'm taking a four day workshop at the end of the month on color with the expert, Maggie Maggie. She sent out an email for us to complete a pre-workshop survey. One of the questions was whether we had a website or somewhere online that she could see our work. Since this and facebook are my only online venues, I thought I would update this with lots of pictures of some of the many many things I've made in the past few years.

I also noticed on the pre-workshop survey a question about what medium we work in. As you will see, I haven't yet made up my mind... I'll try to upload the pictures in some sort of order, but you will notice that there is variety as my interest and enthusiasm ebbs and flows.

We'll do sewing and quilting things first because that is where alot of it began. This is the first real quilt I ever finished. It won prizes both at the Hildene Needlework Show and at the Vermont Quilt Festival. I have always had a fascination with optical illusions and3D designs on a 2 dimensional format- It's my love of math and puzzles.

The next two pictures are of two small art quilts that I did at a Melody Johnson quilt workshop. It also started my love of hand dying and painting fabric. The second one was my attempt at working with neutral colors - it was way hard!!

The final fabric pictures will be of two fabric postcards that I did in a 2007 postcard swap. These are two of my favorites.

More Postcards

One of my greatest joys in life is to watch children and adults when they come to the realization that, despite all their doubts and fears, they have actually created something beautiful. The children seem to be able to create easier than many of us adults. We have a hard time getting started, we're think everyone else's is better than ours, we think a mistake is the end of the world and we can't imagine that anyone will find joy in getting "our" postcard. Notice how I said "We". While I am getting better at taking risks and am getting more confidence, these still are tapes that play through my head.

So, whether we have quilted for a long time, whether we sewed or fused, whether we have any art/design training, these postcards are ALL magnificent and, I'm sured, will be treasured by the recipient.

So, on to the pictures--

The first postcard was made by Vicki, utilizing many of my 1" inch squares-yeah- and a inkjet printed image.

The second one was made by Tammy, mother of Charlotte(shown in previous post). She used inkjet images, some discharged fabric I had laying around, and fabric markers.

The postcard on the left was by Linda (mother of Vera and Maya (shown in previous post). She used buttons, foil and made a lace heart - which is on the upper right corner. Kathy rocked. She was new to all this and not quite sure what to do or how to do it. With some foil and fusing, she made a fabulous card.

The postcard on the left was made by my friend, Stacy - another non-sewer who did great by fusing.

Liz did her first attempt at paper-piecing. She's a really quick study and made this great heart postcard.

Kinsey joined us the second day and made this countried postcard. Then Lucinda joined us late in the day and made this great postcard. I wasn't quite sure where it was going when she was working on it, but I just love how it turned out - definitely one of my favorites.

After everyone left, I realized that I was busy being a busybody and hadn't made any cards myself. So, I spent Monday morning making these two cards.

Turn you head 90 degrees to the left. I forgot to rotate this first one. I pieced a whole bunch of red strips I had hanging around, fused on the stripes and heart images, and added some beads and sequins. The second postcard's base is part of a quilt block piece that I'd never use. Added the black and white heart patch that I found in my studio, some words, some organza ribbon, and star sequins. It doesn't really look like something I'd do, but I like it. So, that's the end of my show and tell. T

Click here to find a link for more info. about the heart-2-heart postcard project.

Heart 2 Heart Postcards

We had a total of 15 people come make postcards at my studio last weekend. Saturday was parent/child day and we had 7 kids (aged 11-16) make postcards. Here are some pictures of the cards they made:

Three girls from Jamie's 7th grade class at Long Trail School came. Vera made this pink card, Lara made the white card spelling LOVE and Claire made the red card.

Here we have valentines from Maya, age 11, Kinsey, age 15 and Marlene, age 16, and Charlotte, age 11

The kids did such an amazing job on the designs of their cards and also on the back with their personal notes/greetings to the soldiers. I think it really brought all of them closer to those serving in the war on a personal level.

Heart 2 Heart Project

There is an organized group project in the quilting community to make fabric postcards for the miliary wounded. These postcard will be delivered to patients at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington DC on Valentines Day. You can find out more details about this at Karey Patterson Bresenhan' home page.

Anyway, I decided it was high time that I get involved in one of these charitable quilting projects. ...;and what a wonder gesture to send something handmade for those who have suffered and sacrificed for us all. I quickly sent our a mass email and am having two groups of people come to my studio this weekend to make postcards-yeah! Satuday is for adults and children and Sunday is for just adults. I am so excited. I love doing this kind of thing. I love seeing people play with all my supplies. I love seeing people try something and realize that they really are creative. I love the banter, the enthusiasm and the idea exchange of getting together. I love the fact that it's forcing me to clean up my studio. I guess you can tell I'm excited.
Last year, I did a similar Valentines Day fabric postcard workshop, but it was for personal use. Here are pics of some that were made then.

These were the ones I made up as class samples. I played with photos on fabric, beading, embroidery, foiling, fusing, hand quilting, free motion quilting, painting among other techniques..





Here are what the workshop participants created...


This was made my Marion who has done quite a bit of quilting and is always receptive for trying new things.






This postcard was done by Liz. She really had fun making this (and is coming again this weekend). She used all the decorative stitches on my machine, she foiled, she attached a heart rock, a wire formed heart, two heart charms, and and even found some of my heart fabric. Liz is an avid knitter, teaches rug hooking and even gets to dye wool yarn for a living.


This was made by Teresa - a total sewing novice. She is my role model and shining example of what you can do when you are willing to try new things. I love it!





Finally, this postcard was made by Kinsey, my 14 (then) year old daughter. Kinsey loves making things and is incredibly creative, but she doesn't really enjoy sewing. So, here is a marvelous example of what you can do with different glues and adhesives. I also personally love the fact that my thoroughly fashion forward up to date daughter created this 1930s retro feeling card. Lace, tulle, and cute little vintage images just don't seem to fit with her hip/hop style. That girl does keep my guessing.

I can't wait to see what we come up with this weekend!

Handcrafted Christmas Presents

I didn't make that many Christmas presents this year. Here are pictures of some of the things I did make for either personal gifts or for my business, Bogate Designs.

First of all, I had to make Marlene a stocking as they don't hang stockings in Germany. (they put out their shoes on St. Nicholas Day). I hope that she will take this home with her and start a new tradition with her family

I felted red wool fabric for the stocking in the washing machine. It is then embellished with wool felt appliques, gold rick rack, sequins, beads and jingle bells (Marlene loves her jingle bells). I embroidered her name on my machine. I was really happy with how this turned out, but of course, it wasn't until late on Dec. 24th that it was done.



In early December, I bought a book called It's A Wrap: Sewing Fabric Purses, Baskets, and Bowls. These bowls are based on that book. Basically, you wrap strips of fabric around clothesline and then sew the covered clothesline together. You can adjust the shape of the item by the angle you hold it when you sew. I made several before the holidays. They're fun to make, but my arm and wrist definitely hurt after wrapping the clothesline for awhile. I think I would develop some kind of repetitive motion syndrome if I did it for too long.

I made these red and white ones based on the shape of a planter. They looked great with a pointsetta in them -very festive.






Since I really don't market my children's clothing business very well, it is a blessing that so many of my sales are from repeat customers. A number of people called me after not seeing me at a specific holiday craft fair and bought things directly. (I love the sales without the corresponding booth fee). These two fleece tops were made for a set of twins. It is the third year in a row that they have gotten Bogate Designs' tops for Christmas from their aunt Patty in Vermont. This heathered green fleece is reversible so we alternated the main pullover color so that the boys wouldn't be too matchy-matchy. I don't know if it shows up in the pictures, but I also did some handstitching on the truck to define the wheels better. These tops are a first with these applique designs. I like them, but I might try doing reverse applique on the truck's wheels and windows next time - I want really round hubs.