My friend K.C. MacQueen asked me to be an artist for the second annual Pritzker School Community Art Project: “Birdhouses.” Artists create a birdhouse for display in local Wicker Park stores. Home Tweet Home graced the front store window at Stitch boutique in Bucktown for two weeks before being auctioned off. I’m more of a …
Sewing Projects & Patterns
The pincushion thread catcher that my mom gave me years ago is my sewing table’s best friend. Yeah, I know it seems a little grandma-ish but it’s no surprise that I’m a big fan of things that are both clever and cute. My free pincushion thread catcher pattern and tutorial is an easy beginner sewing …
My baby Elise is four months old now. She can hold her toys in both hands and sit up assisted. I think this big girl is ready for some colorful jingly oversized 5″ x 5″ baby blocks! I am really loving the colors that I chose …which sort of was a fluke. I just went …
Hearts is the theme of two easy Valentine’s Day gifts perfect for spoiling the sweet toddler and tween girls in your life. First is a teeny pouch bracelet perfect for storing candies or tiny love notes. You can make it with either heart-shaped velcro and button closures …and you can hand sew it too rather …
I’m crazy excited to be a part of the Sewing 2010 Day-to-Day Calendar edited by Megan Smith. One hundred simple sewing projects organized in three-day increments fill this crafty calendar of the new decade. Featured MerrimentDesign.com projects include sewn poppy fabric invitations, bridesmaid’s applique handbags, Thanksgiving felt leaf placecards and napkin rings, and Chicago flag …
Today I’ll show you how to make a DIY crib bed skirt with a gathered dust ruffle. We’re in the middle of converting our den into a baby’s room. We’re keeping it simple — borrowed our niece Madison’s crib, kept the room painted light gray — and have begun accenting with oodles of girly fabric. …
Here’s an easy, fun and practical gift for new arrivals: Planes, Trains and Automobiles burp cloths. Friends Tamara and Jon recently welcomed Lucas, little brother to adorable Sienna, and I made these especially for him. Now while this craft has little to do with the classic movie, the idea of using it as a theme …
I am totally in love with these DIY sewn fabric wedding invitations that I designed for recent bride Natalie Fayard. Thanks to Google, Natalie and her mother found me and my sewn fabric poppy wedding invitations that were featured in the The Knot’s 2007-2008 Fall/Winter National Magazine. Natalie had found this lovely yellow, black, white …
These no-sew felt 4th of July napkin rings really brightened up Shane’s Fourth of July Birthday BBQ – no sewing machine required! I made a variety of star shapes using star cookie cutters and various loose buttons. Here they are all piled up before setting the table… And even more DIY napkin rings And yep, …
Want to sew a gift for your favorite kid? See how to make a DIY fabric memory game for kids. You can use your own photos or you can download my Chicago photos that I took all over the city. You’ll print the photos onto super cool printable inkjet fabric. Yep, you can print onto …
I’m posting the free tutorial for how to make sewn fabric teabags for loose tea by request. Jessica Mullen wrote: “I saw your beautiful photos from the tea party and I have a quick question. I was wondering how you made the tea bags for the make your own tea take home favors. I would …
Ho! Ho! Ho! Here’s a special holiday variation of chalkboard pillows complete with two new free ornament and tree templates to make your own 16″ x 16″ pillow for the season. The ornament in particular gives tons of space to write a fun daily countdown to the big day. I used green cotton on the …
Back in the summer, Liesel Eastman saw our wedding featured in the Knot Magazine and contacted me to see if I could help with the creative details for her October wedding to Barrett. In addition to creating her online RSVP system and designing the sewn zigzagged programs, table numbers, ring bearer pillow, place cards and …
Make a DIY passport cover for your summer travels. It’s an easy beginner sewing project that you can make in an evening. You can use fabric or felt, and you can decorate the front how you wish. I decorated mine with a Chicago flag to give as a DIY gift for my friend, and I …
UPDATE: Dinosaur and Birdie Chalkboard Pillows are now for sale at UncommonGoods! Great gift for kids. So when I first invented chalkboard pillows I handmade the chalkboards out of plastic, a knife, drill and chalkboard spray paint. Yeah, it took a long time. But now I’ve discovered the joys of chalkboard cloth fabric which has …