Sewing This and That

After a few recent quilt finishes, I've been enjoying the freedom that comes with small projects.

Puppy dog embroidery -- I found this embroidery on Pinterest, but I have no idea of the original source.  Luckily, it's simple enough to do without any instructions, so I just started stitching.  I tried the bottom two pups first.

I printed out the photo, taped it to my living room window, and traced each design onto a scrap of fabric using a water-soluble marking pen.  I stitched each one in a 4-inch hoop.  I'm not especially skilled at embroidery, but I can handle the basics -- backstitch to outline the dogs, (messy) satin stitch for the eyes and noses, and a split stitch to make the bottom line stand out a bit.  (Wild Olive has a great series of tutorial posts on embroidery basics here.)

After I finished stitching, I took the pieces out of the hoops and spritzed them with water to erase the marking pen lines.  I used some inexpensive craft paint to paint the hoops navy blue, and I sealed that with a matte spray sealant (next time I'll use a glossy version).  I cut white wool felt to glue to the back of each hoop to cover the unsightly knots and stitches (and forgot to take a picture).  A little piece of ribbon made the hoops easy to hang.  I sent these to my friend Anne along with the quilt I made for her new baby boy.

Baby bibs -- I've lost count of how many baby bibs I've made over the last few years, but it's a lot.  It was time to replenish my stash, and I found this great rocketship flannel (Joann's) that pairs so well with some lime green terry I had on hand.  (Check out more bibs here, here, and here.)

Memory game -- Last up is another memory game for my little friend Anna who recently turned 4.  I think this is my 4th game, but again, I've lost track.  This one definitely comes in my favorite drawstring bag, though.  It's fabric from Sarah Jane's Out to Sea collection.  Each time I start one of these games, I'm reminded of how many pieces are required and how tedious it really is to put together.  But by the time it's done, I've remembered how cute it is when it's finished, and how much my little friends enjoy playing with it.