tea party story (+ free table runner pattern)

Boy, do I have a sweet treat for you today! Brooke of Silly Mama Quilts made this beyond adorable table runner.  And I liked it so much that I decided to host a little tea party for some friends.

Four of my stuffed friends gathered for some tea. And when they arrived, they all agreed that the table runner was over the top cute.

As a child, I never liked using play food for tea parties. So, I decided to get real food for our special occasion.

I don’t think Mr. Owl liked the real food though. He didn’t touch anything.

Foxie tried to convince Mr. Owl to eat, but he wouldn’t eat a thing.

I turned my back for half a second and before I knew it, food started to fly. It was a food fight!

After cleaning up, they were all  put in time-out . . . I now understand why play food is used at tea parties.

And although they were silent when questioned, I’m quite sure Mr. Giraffe started the food fight. It’s written all over his face.

To make your very own table runner, head here for a free tutorial. As I mentioned, this table runner is the cutest! So much so that I’m refusing to send it back to Brooke. I think my stuffed friends’ behavior wore off on me a bit. And to see these stuffed friends and others, head over here.

(photos by Kelle; special thanks to Jill and Brooke for their awesomeness)

christmas in july: stocking tutorial

I hope you all have enjoyed the “Christmas in July” series featuring my Jingle and holiday Remix fabric. A huge thanks to all the awesome sewers and quilters who participated. On Monday, I have a special treat  for you guys. Until then, have a great weekend! — Kelle

christmas in july: lounge pants sewing tutorial

As we continue our Christmas in July series, this sewing project speaks to my heart. I love lounge pants. In fact, I have a collection of Christmas themed pj bottoms that I only wear Christmas Eve. (I like to think this will score me extra points with Santa). I can’t wait to add some “Jingle” lounge bottoms to my collection. So, hop over to Hopeful Threads to learn how to make these lounge pants. (She’s even got a pair with ruffles!) Plus, her sweet children are modeling them.

(photo by Lovely Day Photography)

christmas in july: christmas trees quilt

This is such a clever, modern quilt for Christmas. Christmas trees for a Christmas quilt! Laurie Matthews is the creative brains behind this quilt and has written out a free pattern just for you. But, her awesomeness doesn’t end there. With the left over scraps, she also has created a fun Christmas tree skirt and stocking for her new arrival. Head here to see all her other loveliness. Lots of great inspiration!

(photo by Laurie Matthews)

christmas in july: applique christmas apron

Today we have the super-talented Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.  Vanessa used my holiday Remix fabric to make this adorable apron. How fun would it be to bake Christmas cookies in this little apron? To learn how to make one head over here, and be sure to check out all of Vanessa’s awesome work.

(photos by V and Co)

christmas in july: advent garland

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christmas in july

I’m interrupting summer fun, to bring you a series all about my favorite time of the year . . . Christmas! Yep, Christmas. So, put down your lemonade and get out of the pool, so we can talk a bit about Christmas. You’re probably wondering why I’m jumping seasons. I’m blaming it on my local quilt shop. It was during a visit last September, that one of the shop owners told me that her Christmas fabric is usually sold out by the end of the summer. I was quite surprised. Then, I glanced around and saw the empty shelves with little to no Christmas fabric in stock.  With this news in hand,  I thought it would be fun to have Christmas sewing tutorials for all of you early-Christmas sewers. So, there you go. Each day this week there will be a Christmas sewing tutorial. Did I mention they are all free? Yep, free. Okay, you can go back to sipping your lemonade. But, be here later today for our first sewing project.

(Special thanks to all the well-wishes for my vacation. I’m refreshed and tanned. — Kelle) 

decorating a shared kid’s room {ann kelle style}

I’m so, so excited to finally share with you the shared nursery/room I decorated. Some of you may have seem the room on Chic and Cheap Nursery, but I wanted to share some additional photos and a “Behind the Scenes” video made by my little brother’s team. It was beyond fun decorating for my friend Angela Crutcher. The room is a shared room for her nine year old daughter, Gaby, and soon-to-be adopted baby.  But, I couldn’t have done it without the help of some awesome people. So, indulge me while I brag on them a bit . . .

First off, I’m a huge fan of Colette from Raw Art Letterpress. She made three custom prints from Gaby’s favorite quotes from the play Wicked. Beneath the prints, we placed mini storage baskets from  The Spotted Barn. They are so sturdy and cute. Christie mixed and matched the fabric for a playful touch. The dresser was found on craiglists. All it needed was a fresh coat of paint and new knobs. Elbow grease goes a long way!

The crib bedding and curtains were made by Carolyn of Miss Polly’s Piece Goods. I went back and forth on which fabric to use for the crib bedding. I finally decided to use the gray argyle and yellow dots. The elephant fabric is from Premier Prints. I had two squares sewn in the crib’s skirt for cohesiveness.

The color blocked curtains look great against the gray walls. Made from yummy Kona solids.

Heidi of The Honey Bear Lane made this adorable puffy chevron quilt.  This puffy chevron quilt is so bright and comfy. If you’re interested in making yourself one, you can purchase this pattern and leave a note in the comments for directions to make the chevron version.

Oh, how I love garland!  The room just wouldn’t have been complete without it. This scalloped garland was made by Shelly of Lemon Tree Studio. We placed the garland above the antique toy chest and the sweet little birdie was made by Virginia of Gingercake. (I really wanted to keep him for myself).

Next up, is the play tent. The tent was such an important element to the room, as it pulled the entire room together, with all the different colors and prints. I worked with Cherie of The Red Pistachio to make the tent cover. It turned out awesome! We mixed in my designs with Kona solids. It’s Gaby’s favorite thing in the room. To make the tent, we used Cakie’s instructions as a starting point. But, we adapted them a bit. And did you notice the dachshunds peeking out of the tent? Gaby has a thing for Dachshunds. So I had her one made with Ann Kelle fabric.

After decorating the room and “revealing” it to Gaby, she disappeared for awhile. She came back and held up a drawing (pictured below). It was the perfect end to a great experience.

My little brother works in film. His team captured “behind the scenes” footage while I decorated.  Here’s a peek of me in action.

Room Resources:
crib bedding Miss Polly’s Piece Goods
scalloped garland by Lemon Tree Studio
zig zag puff quilt by Honey Bear Lane
custom artwork: Raw Art Letterpress
storage basket fabric bins: The Spotted Barn
owl stuffed animal: Gingercake (pattern available here)
bird stuffed animal: Gingercake (pattern available here)
tent cover: The Red Pistachio (adapted tent instructions by Cakies)
patchwork pillow cover: The Red Pistachiostuffed dachshund toy: Friends of Socktopus
Paul Frank sheets, crib, shade/pendant light and teal end tables: Target
toy trunk:  thrift store
Paper Lanterns: Amazon
dashund Lamp: Offi

(photos by Angela Crutcher)

free tutorial: ipad, kindle & nook sleeve

My Ipad needed something pretty to cover it. So, my friend Anna made these adorable sleeves. She’s pretty awesome.  There are 3 different FREE patterns (for the Ipad, Kindle and Nook).

What I love about this sewing tutorial is that there are several options. First, you have the option to have a button or zipper closure. On “The Ruby” pattern, you get to choose where you’d like the diagonal part. And finally, they are instructions for the Ipad, Kindle and Nook. Lots and lots of options. See why I think Anna’s awesome?

Pick your favorite look and have fun sewing!
1. The “Claire” pattern
2. The “Penelope” pattern
3. The “Ruby” pattern
4. The “Ruby” pattern

(Please note: For added support, add as much cushioning as you want. This sleeve is to be used as a case. Additional protection may be needed to keep you ipad, kindle, or nook safe.)

(photos by Anna Pham and Kelle)

glitter crafts

It’s messy, hard to clean-up, but oh-so pretty.  Glitter makes things extra special, wouldn’t you say? Here’s some of my favorite craft projects with glitter. I think the last one uses glass microbeads. Maybe that’s not as messy?

(1, 2, 3, 4)

free skirt tutorial

Our teacher for the day is Miss Darci Barnhart. She made an adorable skirt tutorial for me to share with you guys. She combined three of my Remix dots prints, which I bet Julie is going to love.  It even has pockets! I personally think all skirts and dresses should have pockets. So, in my book, this skirt is perfection. Find the free tutorial here.

(photo by Darci Barnhart)

DIY bolster pillow

Hi everyone! It’s Morgan here from Sweet Stitches.  I hope you enjoy this fun bolster pillow! It adds a little extra and whimsy to your pile of normal square pillows.

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DIY pom pom pillow

Hello again! It’s Morgan is here from Sweet Stitches. I am here again to share with you this super fun pillow. Trimmed with pom poms and made with bright, happy fabric, this pillow is sure to make you giddy just looking at it!

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DIY covered seat cushion

I love thrifting. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I like finding old things and making them new again. Kinda like this chair. Head over there to the Petticoat Junktion blog to find out how Kathy transformed a $4.97 old chair into a playful one-of-a kind piece.

(photo by Petticoat Junktion)

DIY Simple Girls Headband

Hi again! It’s Morgan here from Sweet Stitches with another sewing tutorial. As a follow-up to the headband tutorial I shared last week, I made a headband tutorial for little girls. My one year old daughter has hair half way down her back, so I always have to pull it away from her face. I came up with this simple headband to keep all the little whispies out of her eyes. Perfect for the summer!

With 2 kids, I’m all about fast and easy projects. This headband is so simple. All you need are 2 supplies. You won’t want to make just one! Go grab some scrap fabric and lets get started!

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DIY 10 minute headband

(Morgan is here from Sweet Stitches to share with you guys a SUPER simple tutorial . . . even I could make this with my minimal sewing skills).

Hi! I am so excited to be doing a guest-post here on Kelle’s blog! Thank you for having me! Got 10 minutes, some scrap fabric and a rubber band? Then you have all you need to make a cute and useful headband perfect for those bad hair days, working out, or hanging out!

I came up with this headband when I was pregnant with my daughter, for those days when I didn’t feel like fixing my hair. I probably made at least 10 just for me! It really is a very easy project, I hope you all get a lot of use out of it.
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cuddle talk

{Today we have an interview with Pat Wodskow of Cuddle Soft Quilt Kits. She’s going to talk to us a bit about cuddle  fabric, and even share a recipe with us}.

Tell us a little about yourself? I love to sew. I have made everything from my children’s clothing to quilts. I currently work for Shannon Fabric as a designer and consultant. It’s a great job; I get to make sample quilts at home and go to Quilt Markets to teach and work in their booth.  I also have my own web store where I sell quilt kits made from Shannon Fabric’s Cuddle fabrics. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family. I have seven children and 28 grandchildren.

Tips on sewing with cuddle? Cuddle Soft fabrics (sometimes called Minkee) are slick and stretchy. This makes them a little harder to work with unless you understand a few rules.  Here are a few tricks that I have found to be very helpful:

1. Using the spray adhesive, fuse the back and the batting together.
2. After you have secured the backing and batting together, trim so the edges are clean.
3. A size 90 stretch needle works the best.
4. A walking foot really helps.
5. The key in making this blanket look so great is the spray adhesive.
6. Use a 3/8”-1/2” seam allowance.
7. Freezer paper is a great protector when using the spray glue.
8. Cuddle soft fabrics are really washable. Don’t be afraid to wash and love your quilt.
9. When using a batting the “sew and flip” method works best using an 80/20 cotton batting.
10. To make a soft snuggle blanket use the same “sew and flip” method, but leave out the batting.

For more detailed tips head here.

Where can we find more information? My web site is www.cuddlesoftkits.com. In my shop I sell all kinds of kits. While I focus on babies I also offer some beautiful quilts for everyone in the family. These quilts are so washable and easy to make that it is fun to make one for everyone in the family. On the web site I offer some great teaching videos in the Learning Center that will help even the beginner make a beautiful quilt. I offer everything you need to make your quilt; the kit, the backing fabrics, the batting, the spray adhesives and even the needles.

Totally not quilt related, but what’s your favorite dessert? Raising seven children requires a lot of cooking!  I learned to love cooking as much as I do sewing. We made all kinds of wonderful meals. One of our favorite desserts is Soft Gingerbread. It came from a blender recipe book that I bought when I had my first baby. We love to serve it with warm applesauce and whipped cream. It is also really good with this caramel sauce. Find the recipe here.

(photos by Cuddle Soft Quilt Kits)

DIY decoupage stool

Today I have a special treat for you today. I love painted furniture. But, after unsuccessfully painting a lamp, I retired my furniture painting days and found Kathy. Kathy’s from my hometown Clarksville, TN. After seeing a decoupage project on her blog, I asked if she could do a tutorial for you guys. She came up with this adorable little stool using my Ready, Set, Go fabric. It’s the cutest and I love the look of distressed furniture.

I’m passing the blog post “baton” to Kathy. Hear all about how she made this sweet decoupage stool . . . she even took pictures to accompany her instructions.  (more…)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Family time awaits me. I’ll see you guys in 2012.

(Free embroidery hoop instructions here  by Striped Feather Company)

GIFT TAG FUN

This year I’m on top of things. All of my shopping is done and my presents are wrapped. (Of course, my tree still isn’t decorated . . . oops) Nonetheless, this past weekend, I decided I wanted to create some gift tags.  I went to my craft closet and pulled out whatever I had. I punched out circles from glitter paper, sewed pom poms to strings, etc.. I felt like a kid doing arts and crafts. No method to this madness . . . just have fun.

(photos by Ann Kelle)

introducing Handmade Holidays

Handmade Holidays is coming your way! Oodles and oodles of great gift ideas for the holidays, featuring five super-talented and awesome crafters. All of the sewing projects are super easy and will be made with Ann Kelle fabric. So, be on the lookout! We’ll kick things off the first part of December.

(photo by Ann Kelle)

DIY eraser art

I think this is such a great DIY project. Easy and fun. Go grab your old pencils, stamp ink and create masterpieces! These would be perfect for a nursery or children’s room.

(Found here)

DIY: pencil necklace

Stop whatever you’re doing and visit this site right this very second. Seriously. I discovered Mini-co this past weekend. She has some of the B.E.S.T craft projects. I mean, she even has a Pacman garland?!? Need I say more? Brilliant, right? She deserves some type of national award or something. The pencil necklace is just one of her many great ideas. See the complete tutorial here.

{If you are still reading this blog post you somehow missed the first sentence in this post . . .  you were supposed to be visiting her site. So scoot . . now!}

(photos by Mini-eco)

printable paper cones

Printable cones for your birthday parties, soirees and other fun times. Get them here . . . jelly beans not included.

(photos by Ann Kelle)