| Page 65

Crafty Business Card Cases

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Luv2Sew

Just this past weekend, when I needed a business card…I couldn’t find one. Usually, I keep a few in my purse. But to clear up some clutter, I removed the few I keep for emergencies. Of course, when I needed to hand one over to a new contact, I had nothing. And that got me thinking…isn’t there something I can make that designates my business cards without being messy or bulky or taking up too much space in my bag? Well, this is what I found:

Amy Butler’s Business Card Keeper Pattern

Erin Schlosser’s Business Card Case Tutorial

How About Orange’s Business Card Cases (made with her Amusement Park fabric) on Etsy.

You have your choice to make your own or purchase one put together by Jessica Jones. I might just do both. Enjoy!

Posted in Fun Stuff, Patterns, Tutorials | Comments Off

Changing the Way You Think About Scissors

Posted on October 29, 2009 by Luv2Sew

Havel’s Sewing is built on innovative solutions for sewists’ and quilters’ needs. So, when we find a happy customer, we like to hear just exactly what it is that has made them happy with our products. Check out this review on Sharon Darling’s Quilter’s Review. She reviews our Snip-Eze, our seam ripper, our machine embroidery scissors and our applique scissors.

Posted in Reviews | Comments Off

Build a Handmade Fabric House

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Luv2Sew

Your child’s repetoire of toys probably includes several items from the local department store. Although those types of toys can create great pleasure for children, they often don’t stand the test of time. Or worse, they’re suddenly recalled due to deadly paint or toxic materials used in their production. The Columbus, Ohio company, Little Alouette, created the solution to such problems: totally natural, locally-sourced wood toys for tots and toddlers. Inspired by the “Farm Animals” set, Havel’s Sewing went online in search of patterns for the perfect plush playhouse to go along with such a whimsical gift.

Fabric Dollhouse by UK Lass in US

We found two very thorough tutorials for fabric houses. With a little adjusting to the details, you can create handmade heirlooms that will last through years of playtime. UK Lass in US actually started with a barnyard fabric house and altered the pattern for her tutorial. She created a wonderful fold out playhouse that kids can carry with them with ease. To see her tutorial, click here.

Fabric House by London Mummy

London Mummy has a very detailed tutorial on making plush houses. You could make a whole town of plush props for your child’s imaginative delight. To see her tutorial, click here.

And to find out more about Little Alouette’s heirloom wood toys, click here.

Posted in Fabric, Fun Stuff, Patterns | Comments Off

Fun Fabric Screenprinting!

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Luv2Sew

A few weeks ago, Havel’s Sewing mentioned that you can develop your own fabric design and send it to Spoonflower for production. But what about printing on fabric by hand, at home? In Amy Karol’s new book, Bend the Rules with Fabric, she has terrific instructions on how to print images, from photos to your favorite sketches, onto fabric for your crafting projects. She recommends using EZScreenPrint products, which are apparently a cinch to use. You can learn more about her fabric and sewing projects at her blog, Angry Chicken.

And, for the printing enthusiast, Havel’s Sewing would like to introduce you to Lotta Jansdotter, a Swedish designer who designs for textiles, ceramics, stationery and more. You can learn more about her techniques in her book, Lotta Prints.

So get some ink and get to work!

Posted in Fabric, Fun Stuff | Comments Off

Sewing Projects to Pamper Your Pet

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Luv2Sew

Basil likes handmade gifts.

A few of us here at Havel’s Sewing are devoted dog owners, spoiling our rescued pups with lots of rawhide and ham bones. But, if you want to dress up your dogs for their daily walks, or just add a little sparkle to their favorite sleep spot, you can get to it with these nifty projects.

1. Anna Maria’s Dog Leash

2. Designer Dog Leash from The Purl Bee

3. The b-line’s Dog Collar Pouch

4. No-sew Dog Bed from ModHomeEcTeacher

5. Must-sew Dog Bed from The Stitchery

And don’t think we forgot about all the cat-havers out there. Here’s a few projects to keep your feline feeling fabulous.

1. How to Make a Cat Bed from an Old Sweater on WikiHow

2. Sew a Mouse Catnip Toy from About.com

3. Cat Toy Tutorial from Tiny House

So, sew some pet accessories and let your pet walk proud. Your dog will be talk of the dog park and your cat will show off to all her feline friends.

Posted in Fun Stuff, Tutorials | Comments Off