The Sweatshop of Love Blog

Cross it off the crafty bucket list! I’ve designed my first embroidery pattern.

Polar Bear Centric!

It was PT’s birthday a couple weeks ago, and even though we are broken up, I had the idea to create an embroidery of his improv group, Polar Bear Centric.

Polar Bear Centric FOR THE WIN!

So I picked out some fun colors, drew out a font, and found a cute polar bear shape. Some chain stitches and satin stitches later and voila! Pretty hilarious and awesome birthday present.

Framed and Lookin Good!

So I’m going to try to write up this pattern and offer it as a free download soon. Because not only is it the best improv group in the Twin Cities, but it’s universally awesome! So more on this soon.

At the beginning of December I shared some vague quilting shots. All of those presents have now been given out and (hopefully!) are being used by all of the lucky recipients.

These are SIX sets of the Quilted Tea Cozy from Purl Bee, with pot holders.

A Set for ME!

As soon as I saw the tutorial I knew I needed a quilted tea cozy! So I went to JoAnn and got all the materials I needed. I had never quilted before, so I followed the directions to a T. It was really fun! I queued up a ton of episodes of The Office and just powered through it. After I made my quilt sandwich and cut out the pieces for the tea cozy I had a lot of quilt sandwich left that I didn’t want to waste, so I cut out three squares that I could easily turn into matching pot holders. Fun right?!

Pot Holders!

I loved mine so much that I just knew that a lot of ladies in my life would love a set, too, so I went back to the store and went crazy buying material and matching quilt binding and thread. It took me a good week to finish all the sewing. There is even some hand sewing in there! It was a PAIN to make six sets of these bad boys. But so lovely! I hope my gifted sets are getting as much use as mine has been!

My Mom’s

My second favorite set has to be the one I gave to my mom! This fabric I found at an estate sale in Portland. It’s got a special place in my heart, and I’m so glad it is now a tea cozy! Found fabric is fun that way, isn’t it?

I’m pretty predictable.

Holla Blocks

I like HOLLA! Like, Holla Knits, and exclaiming HOLLA at decidedly un-holla-y times. So my sister in law Emily made me these fun HOLLA blocks for my craft room!

Cursive Holla Cut Out

And PT got me this beautiful Holla cut out from Etsy for the wall that I’ve been eying FOREVER.

Double Holla

Double Holla like a double rainbow up in here! DOUBLE HOLLA ALL THE WAY!

My mom is a seriously talented hand quilter. So much so that I haven’t attempted any quilting until very recently, and even then I used my sewing machine! I don’t know how she does it. It’s a different kind of patience that I might not possess at this point in my life. So I’m so glad she does!

My New Cloth Quilt

My mom made me this beautiful quilt for Christmas this year, and I’m not going to lie – I burst into tears when I opened it. Yeah, I had a lot going on in at Christmas, and I was crying a lot anyway, but I lost it. I even knew it was coming! My mom made a quilt for my sister in law Emily and my grandma, too, and I opened mine last. Basket case.

Fun Fabric!

I love how it’s totally Sweatshop branded – teal and mustard anyone?! And the back of the quilt has a great tiny leopard print that is almost too awesome for the back. I’ve been wrapped in it nonstop since I got it, and I’m already dreading summer when I have to put it away.

Quilt Bag!

But when I do have to eventually put it away, my mom also made this great quilt bag to put it in! You know this one is mine because it’s a fabric pattern based on vintage French wallpaper. Me!

This little guy? He hasn’t shown up on the blog before, and just one tiny picture of him has shown up anywhere! A very vague hairline shot a few months ago.

Tim Gunn Hairline

And even there I was so worried that my mom would recognize him and know she was getting a hand embroidered Tim Gunn!

Make It Work

Pretty awesome, right? I saw the pattern on etsy and just had to have him. He is now hanging out with my mom, and could not be happier!