JENNA'S PRINCESS GOWN

Great granddaughter, Jenna, took hold of my hand and said "Mamaw, come with me into the lobby". Where the child gets her terminology I don't know.We were at my sister's home for a family gathering and I suppose Shirley's elegant room size entry is like a "lobby" to Jenna. Her focus was on the large porcelain doll in her full victorian regalia. She wanted an outfit just like that only maybe in red to include the feathered headpiece and how soon could I go home and get it done? That is Jenna for you.

Jenna has definite likes and wants and I can't wait to see what she will accomplish because she has some great ideas that with a little training and encouragement can be fantastic. On one weekend  visit, she announced as she came in that she wanted a red velvet outfit. Now how does a 6 year old  know about velvet. [Brit, are you putting her up to stuff?]. Of course, she went home with a red crushed velvet skirt with matching top. There was no peace til it was finished as she sat by my side making sure it was done right. How can I not appreciate her genius?

So let's move forward many months to the "lobby" episode. No, the dress didn't get done immediately-too much going on and I kept having to put her off-maybe for her birthday. I did find some cute red calicoes that would look great for the dress so they were laid aside for the Jenna approval which I was certain would be given on her next visit. She took one look at the fabrics and announced that they were too old for her [how can calico be too old for a 6 year old?], weren't "sparkly and shiny" enough and took off into my sewing room to find sparkly, shiny fabric more in line with what this little diva had in mind.

Several more weeks went by, the dress still wasn't  started and the birthday suddenly fast forwarded itself and loomed a few days away. Ok, I would just go buy a dress in the toy department for dress up-that would surely do-until I looked at those dresses and couldn't bring myself to do that. The dress would have to wait, again. I called to tell them maybe it would be Christmas for the dress-there has been so much on my mind that I couldn't think about sitting down at the sewing machine but children don't understand that when they are promised something they may not get it as promised. I heard Jenny wail in the background-that was the one gift she wanted.

It was only a couple of days now til the birthday party on Saturday. Friday was spent making the princess dress of course. It took all day and it got done-expect for wrapping. The dress made it to the party on a hanger and it was all worth it.

Jenna had opened most of her gifts when I sent her dad to the car for the dress. She was busy jabbering and opening a gift when he called her attention to what he was holding. She stopped in mid sentence-that is a miracle in itself for her to be tongue tied-and just sat there for a second or two till she ran over to the dress. Of course, she had to put it on immediately.

Here's Jenna in her princess gown that she picked the fabrics for:

The only downside to the whole thing was that great, granddaughter, Ashlynn was so disappointed that she didn't get a princess gown also. She started taking off her clothes the minute she saw this one. I have her fabric ready now-only it is yellow even though she wanted blue just like Jenna's. I am sure I can make it so that she will love it just as much. They both love dressing up. There is a princess in all of us.

Will show that one when I get it done also.

Happy crafting, sewing and quilting

Carolyn Wainscott

But Jesus called unto them unto him, and said,  Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

LUKE 18:16-17
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While on a visit, Jenna, talked her way into having my Red Riding Hood sample for my hooded cape designed for HANNAH'S CLOSET which is available in My Craftsy Pattern Store @
http://www.craftsy.com/user/pattern/store/43851 


The purple one hadn't been made yet or she probably would have wailed until she got that one, too.
She isn't that much into her dolls so she didn't take the matching doll cape


Here is my latest design. It came into being while I was working on a crochet version for soon to be born, Charlotte Ann-hince: Charlotte Ann's Newborn Mermaid Pattern


A doll version is in the works for the mermaid pattern but for now here are a couple of more patterns available:
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/other/sunbonnet-sue-baby-quilt-pattern/44984
My Sunbonnet Sue Baby Quilt is 50" x 50"

and I couldn't  leave out another of my favorite traditional quilt patterns in an enlarged pattern for Overall Sam which is also 50" x 50"

I love designing doll clothes and my great granddaughters love dressing their dolls in these coordinating outfits that mix and match

and on of these days I may get around to getting Jenna's pattern into a printable form

THE HOODED CAPE-ANOTHER DESIGN FOR YOUR AMERICAN GIRL DOLL FROM HANNAH'S CLOSET

This cape pattern kept bouncing around in my head so I finally got it done. It still took weeks to get it finished with all the distractions here. For every step forward, there seem to be 3 steps back. I know a lot of you know the feeling.

The Red Riding Hood Cape was the original thought for the pattern using the polar fleece since it is so easy to work with. It is heavy enough not to need a lining. It doesn't ravel so it doesn't even need to be hemmed or edge finished if you choose. The fleece comes in a nice wide 60" and an abundance of color and patterns. The pattern is so simple and easy to put together you can complete the capes in an afternoon from start to finish if there are not too many distractions.

I hope to share another version soon using the same pattern. It is really quick and easy to do and available in my Craftsy pattern store
 @ http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/Toy/AG-HOODED-CAPE/15386. 

The pattern for the girl's version will also be available if you want to make matching outfits.

The morning to take photos I was still putting on finishing touches when great granddaughter, Maizin, was brought over to model. The plan to have everything completed the day before had gone out the window but Maizin's momma and daddy [Andi & Joey] are very patient with me and we had a beautiful sunny day.

Maizin couldn't figure out why she had to wear the very warm fleece cape. She kept saying "But Momma, I not cold" but she did well and we got done fairly quickly with a lot of help from Andi setting the scene for me and here are some of the results with that beautiful child-she really is a diva and so much fun to work with:

 "Now why did I want to come to grandma's house?"

 "I gotta sneeze"

 "Are we done yet?"

After Maizin left, I realized I had not taken any back shots of the capes so I improvised by dragging out my large doll to pose even though she is no where near as gorgeous as Maizin, she would just have to do.

  Construction in the video for the doll's and girl's capes is the same. I hope it helps

My HANNAH'S CLOSET patterns are the way I sew-simple, quick and easy. The pieces can be dressed up or down for a casual, sporty look, mixed & matched or even for a pageant with the right trims and accessories.  Those ideas will be in future posts if I can stop walking backward here.

Thank you for stopping by and I would love to see the clothes on my facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carolyns-Canvas/151145938331115] that you make using HANNAH'S CLOSET patterns. We can have our own style show.

Have a great day and happy crafting

Carolyn Wainscott


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A great site to check out is Craftsy.com. Patterns from independent designers are available for all kinds of crafting, sewing, quilting, crochet, knitting, beadwork-you name it, Craftsy has it. My reversible, coordinating patterns are available in My Pattern Store @
http://www.craftsy.com/user/pattern/store/43851

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Spring is in the air, and with Craftsy’s Spring Blowout, so are amazing savings! For a limited time, ALL yarn and related kits are on sale at the lowest prices of the season –– and we both know you need some fresh new finds for warm weather! Explore these amazing deals while they last. Offer ends Monday - shop now! 

Yarn: http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=260230&m=29190&u=705639
Knitting Kits: http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=260237&m=29190&u=705639
Crocheting Kits: http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=260253&m=29190&u=705639

Craftsy.com  also offers workshops and online classes with top instructors in their field. I found interesting the free workshop for adjusting your own sewing machine.

How To Promote Your Crafts

I love every phase of crafting from the initial designing to completion of my own creations and then there are all those neat new crafting supplies and tools to try. So I sew, glue, bead, felt, draw, color, transfer, print, collage, decoupage, crochet, quilt, repurpose, etc., etc., etc.

Now what to do with all those works of art? I would keep crafting if I didn't do a thing with them except put them in a closet but have set up at outdoor fairs, flea markets, consignment shops and craft fairs. Ebay is an interesting experience also. All these outlets help keep my house from being featured on one of those tv hoarder shows.

If you have joined me here you know how important the internet has become in almost every phase of some of our lives. It is especially so in the crafting world, anyway it has for me.

I found guidelines on marketing, displaying, and pricing my crafts that have been a great help even if I don't follow them exactly posted in:

Now I have subscribed to the Creative Income newsletter to try to keep up with the latest.

In a recent newsletter, I learned about Pinterest and other links all pulled together in one spot. Links that I was not even aware of.

Here are some suggestions from Creative Income that I have found most useful to make my crafts more attractive and eye catching that were in my most recent newsletter.  

        How to Take Great Pictures of Your Crafts 

        How to Take More Product Pictures in Less Time

       Quick Photo Tips: Do What You Can With What You've Got 

       Show it Off: Tips for Photography Your Projects

       How to Light Photo Displays

 Even if you have been displaying your wares for years, check out Creative Income and the newsletter to keep up on all that's new.  The goal of Creative Income is to help independent crafters succeed.

Here's to much success in your crafting

Carolyn Wainscott 

The Wedding Photo Wallhanging-Easy To Do

The special wedding gift I had wanted to do is finally done-not that it was so hard to do or took so much time or so costly. None of that. Just doing it-that's all.

The fabric sheets were prepared first [there was some fabric I had already done that I forgot about]. All I had to do was cut to size and iron to freezer paper. You can purchase fabric sheets if you wish. I prefer to use fabric I have prepared. See
 http://carolynscanvas.blogspot.com/2012/04/take-photo-put-it-on-fabric.html 

 for step by step instructions on preparing your own fabric sheets for photo printing.

Photos from the wedding were chosen, put into a file so they would be easier to find and collaged to tell the story with my antiquated software that I just can't give up because I am comfortable with it and hate to change. I haven't taken the time to learn how to use my Photoshop software and probably won't until my LivePix is completely incapacitated for some reason. I am not of this computer wise generation that hops from one new app to another. Shoot-my grandkids think I gas up my dinosaur on grass clippings.

Anyway, I've come a long way, baby.

Now that you have your fabric sheets ready it is time to print. I hope this video  on:

@ http://youtu.be/hCukdzeSzLs helps you get that photo quilt done that you have been planning but just needed a little encouragement.

Soooooo,  photos were printed,

all sewn together, border on, machine quilted, binding on

but it just didn't look as right as I wanted. The border print was off a couple of shades. It needed to be more mauve

and though it doesn't show here the difference [the top center is the original print], I over painted the fabric with a rose dye paint and embellished with a gold metalic paint

but this still wasn't quite enough

 the hot stone setter came out to add some quick bling.

It took a little nerve to be painting on a completed quilt but I did it! What if I had dripped some paint on the fabric, what if, heaven forbid, I had tipped over the jar of paint after all that work. Well, I didn't and everything turned out ok. The wallhanging is ready to give to the bride and groom-I don't think they have celebrated their 10th anniversary yet.

If you have been planning a photo quilt but didn't know where to start, here is where you start-the rest is up to you-enjoy.

Here is another post I wrote about a year ago with more instructions on preparing fabric for photo printing:

http://carolynscanvas.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-photo-quilt.html

God bless you

Carolyn Wainscott

Take A Photo-Put It On Fabric

If you have been thinking about taking those treasured old photos and making a Memory Quilt, I hope this will make the thought less daunting and help you get started. Getting started is the hardest part.  Don't let the thought of a few more steps in preparation stop you. Just think of the end result-a one of a kind, spectacular, instant heirloom that tells its own story. I think the most fun part is going through the photos, It is a trip down memory lane.

Needing to come up with a wedding/house warming gift had me dragging out the equipment for a wallhanging. I don't want to make it sound as though it is drudge work so am sharing the step by step in the following video which is featured on:



 @  http://www.favequilts.com/Special-Occasion-Quilts/How-to-Make-a-Photo-Quilt-Part-1-Preparing-Fabric which includes a printable set of instructions @ http://youtu.be/34QJzZ8ymZk.

An earlier post on April 22, 2011, http://carolynscanvas.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-photo-quilt.html , featured multi-generation family quilts that were a collaboration of whole families sharing their photos with the complete process also.

I never got around to the actual photo printing which is coming up, I promise.

I am not a computer wizard, far, far from it but I will be touching on cutting, pasting, and collaging my photos to be printed on fabric. I use an old, outdated program that is no longer available because I haven't taken the time to learn Photoshop. I am old and set in my ways.

Just a further word [well, several words] about www.FaveQuilts.com, if you haven't checked it out already. FaveQuilts is a great site for free quilt patterns, instructions, video tutorials and links you to everything you want to know in the quilt world.

Happy quilting and God bless you
Carolyn Wainscott