The Neverending T-Shirt Quilt

So I started this T-shirt quilt with such good intentions. I started pinning everything together when I realized....how the hell am I gonna sew this monstrosity?

So an fyi before you start yours that NOBODY tells you:
DO THEM IN ROWS!

Lay everything out on the floor that you want to use and arrange it accordingly then go in rows.

Let's say that these squares are all the different pieces of t-shirt that you've laid out exactly how you want. I know it's not even, neither is my blanket.

Next you need to make a general schematic of how you want your "rows" to be. Mine are still not 100% even, but they are in manageable rows!

Now only pin things together that are in the same "row". Then sew row by row.

When you're done you can then lay it back down, pin the sewed rows together, and sew again.

Nobody tells you to break that up when you're looking at doing one of these!

But if you don't you just end up with a lot of bulk to try and sew at one time and a plethora of straight pins sticking you in the thighs. It's not pretty. 

This is what it looks like thus far. It's still a work in progress. Only part of it is sewed. The other is just pinned:

It's gonna be freaking huge.

But yeah...rows...they're your friends. Take my word for it.

More soon!

Jewelry Making

So I've been putting together my new jewelry line at Marlipaige Designs. And I've been doing a lot of experimentation on how to create things.

First, a recommendation, if you have any desire to make jewelry pick up a:
Bead Buddy One Step Crimper!

This isn't just an advertisement for them, but seriously, if you want professional looking stuff, try it. It's a great little tool. I love mine. Just watch that tutorial if you get one though, because I was confused to start with.


Lessons I've learned making jewelry:
"Goop" does a great job of binding jewels together and to a container (ie: In my Fried Rice Bowl)



But it doesn't reallybind things like a singular item to another singular item (Ie: Pie / Tart Earrings. The Resin Pie to the Sterling Silver Plated Post). Those fused much better with Aleene's tacky craft glue.



Diamond tipped reamers are great for making indentations into semi-soft materials like on my Hello Kitty Sushi Chef. After I got the reamer down far enough I took a long piece of sterling silver plated wire covered in super glue, and it fused down in there just like a charm that had been made that way. It gives the opportunity to take a piece of old jewelry or toy and turn it into something new and exciting.



Mod Podge makes everything easier! For my Hello Kitty Geeky Girl Necklace, I took The Mod Podge sample pack  and used the Gloss finish
 
to attach a Hello Kitty Sticker to A Mod Podge Podgeable Shapes. It adheres whatever paper you have to the Podgeable shape. I then finished it with the mini pearls around the edge. It was the easiest piece I made. You can literally put ANYTHING on those. Mod Podge is my new best friend.

Also, just don't forget that ANYTHING can be jewelry! You just have to have a little inspiration. Most of my pieces started out as something else....like an old broken piece of jewelry that got a new life, or bottle caps, or a wind chime, or even your old toys from childhood. With a few tools, a little imagination, and the desire to make one of a kind things ANYTHING can be jewelry!