Iron Craft 2016 Challenge #14--Faeries

The title of Challenge #14 was Copy Cat. I really struggled with this challenge because I just wasn't finding any inspiration that truly inspired me. As I was reading through my weekly feed, Susi from our very own Just Crafty Enough blogged about the British Invasion. In her stockpile of goodies, she showed some woodcut fairies and some paper fairies and I said--I can do that.

I found an image from Dover Productions and set out to cut my own. The beauty of doing it yourself that you can pick your own colors (classic black--above) or a salmon colored fairy.

Or you can cut a smaller one out of a pastel purple.

 
You can see the two different sizes below.

Or you can cut it even smaller out of a pink card stock. Although, it does look like she is about to eat a corn dog.

Medium vs Smaller.

So thanks Susi for the inspiration.

Iron Craft 2016 Challenge #13--Picnic Napkins

BBQ Napkins

For Challenge #13 we were challenged with the theme Stars and Stripes in deference to the 4th of July holiday in the United States. Along with this holiday is the always present BBQ and picnic so I decided to make some quick napkins.

Years ago, I was in the fabric district in Manhattan and came across some fat quarters of some lightweight duck cloth. I don't know if that is the real name but it is the name that I always knew it by. I had never seen it in stripes so I bought some and put it in my stash.

For me, it was a very easy material to work with (I think it was the lightest weight available, possibly 7 oz) and it is like working with a cotton canvas. I simply steamed a seam allowance and pivoted on the corners. I should have mitered the corners or cut away some of the bulk but since these were for friends and were being used for a picnic I decided not to get too fussy with it. I simply sewed a running stitch so I don't know how long they will last but it will be an easy repair should I need to fix it. Maybe a zigzag stitch next time?

They were a big hit.

Don't look too closely at the sewing.