kawaiiquilts: cuteness. crafting. BAM.

urban quilter

2011-03-20T22:27:00.001-05:00

The terms "urban" and "modern" are tossed around with increasingly less meaning these days, but quilter Amy Ahlstrom puts those adjectives to good use. Her colorful quilted cityscapes evoke neon signs, skylines and Chinatown.

See more at her site HERE!

craftastic!

2011-03-07T00:05:00.000-06:00

guess it's been awhile; let's catch up on the latest in unusual crafting!
first off, we have this knitted green eggs and ham by Craftster member The Izz:

next up,a Nintendo game cross-stitch sampler by Flickr user CrystalPowell:

also these minimalist Harry Potter pillows by etsy seller Kim Gadbois:

and finally, the twisted creations of etsy seller frankentoys, who re-combines stuffed animals in new and bizarre ways!

see more of their items for sale HERE!

girl scouts got nothing on this!

2011-01-29T22:40:00.001-06:00

etsy seller LEEMESZAROS specializes in handmade merit badges for adults! whether they "quit cold turkey" or "have a bun in the oven", show your appreciation for that special someone's accomplishments!

see lots more in their ETSY STORE!

be careful how you set your blocks....

2010-12-12T22:15:00.001-06:00

....or your prize-winning quilt could end up on Failblog as a "Nazi quilt"!

you have been warned!

CHICKENS NEED SWEATERS!

2010-12-04T22:46:00.001-06:00

the UK-based nonprofit, Little Hen Rescue saves featherless chickens from factory farms. apparently the birds need help keeping warm, as the group is asking for donations of chicken sweaters. as a former vegetarian, I definitely have mixed feelings about this...on one hand I do feel sorry for them, but you could also give them a nice coat of breadcrumbs :P

the SWEATER PATTERN is on their site, if you're interested. coming soon: pigs in blankets.

UPDATE

2010-11-20T17:35:00.001-06:00

RE: my previous post about weird plushes, looks like we can add a couple more to the list.

Roadkill Toys has a new line of squished critters that come with removable dismboweled guts... and their very own death certificate?!?

You can order your own at their site HERE, if you're into that sort of thing....

Or if you're in more of a DIY mood, pick up this felt zombie how-to book by Nicola Tedman & Sarah Skeate. it includes patterns for a zombie pirate, bride, kitty, Thriller Michael Jackson and lots more!

available from book retailers and AMAZON.COM

EXTREME IRONING!!!

2010-10-26T23:29:00.000-05:00

The new competitive sport of extreme ironing, or EI, has taken place on cliffs, underwater, on skis & parachutes, and other equally absurd locations. if you have a hubby who doesn't "get" sewing, be sure to show him this....he may not understand, but he's sure to enjoy.

read more about it at the WIKIPEDIA entry!

plush WHATS!?!?

2010-10-17T22:41:00.000-05:00

Is there ANYTHING that hasn't been made into plush toys? based on the following, I would say no:

first off, we have a line of stuffed viruses, bacteria and other microscopic friends from giantmicrobes.com:

Next up, check out these plush internal organs from iheartguts.com:

And let's not forget this line of German toys based on mental illnesses, as covered by Time magazine:

But the pants-down winner here is the handmade plush POOPS from Anna Chambers' burgerlog.com:

If I missed any crazy plushes that should be in here, give me a holler at kawaiiquilts at yahoo dot com!

that bridge looked cold

2010-10-09T22:38:00.000-05:00

Artist Dave Cole and a team of volunteers covered this bridge in Melbourne, Australia with giant knitted panels made from surveyor's tape:

More awesomeness, brought to you again by DUDECRAFT

"Better Marriage" batting??

2010-10-02T19:38:00.001-05:00

When I saw the TV commercial for this odor-absorbing blanket, my first thought was, I wonder if it could be used as batting? or at least using the active inner layer. know someone with an odiferous partner? gift them a quilt with this sewn into it, and they'll be none the wiser!

read more or order one HERE...though they are currently sold out. if anyone tries this, please let me know what the results are!

tat who?

2010-09-26T22:34:00.000-05:00

These are great! Dollmaker Mimi Kirchner found a great use for those cheesy toile prints: dye the white part to a skin tone, and make tattooed dolls!

More of these, plus some quilts at her BLOG

morse code quilt

2010-09-12T22:52:00.001-05:00

Blogger "QuilterGeek" made this quilt for her little brother to take to college. The pattern of bars actually spell out messages in morse code, such as "Change passwords and underwear often", and other words of wisdom.

You can read the whole story HERE. There's also a link to a pattern & directions!

drive-by quilting!

2010-09-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

Quilt guru Ricky Tims has come up with a unique way to keep himself and some fans entertained as he drives across the country to quilt shows. He posts his route on facebook & twitter, and quilters in the area can time it to wave their quilts from a bridge as he passes by. the results are photographed and posted on his blog.

To read more or get in on the fun, click HERE!

That quilt looks good enough to eat!

2010-08-29T00:39:00.001-05:00

Today I just had to share these delicious quilt-themed cakes with you!

That last one is from the blog of quilter Linda M. Poole, where you can see more quilt and sewing related cakes. Dig in!

I can see my house from here!

2010-08-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

Quilter Valerie Goodwin is a professor of architecture at Florida A & M University. She makes quilts based on maps, aerial views and other geometric interpretations of the landscape. What a neat idea!

Lots more photos, plus workshop info on her HOMEPAGE

grab your board

2010-08-15T23:16:00.000-05:00

UK company Rockett St. George designed this awesome Skullduggery line of ironing board covers. Skulls, spiderwebs, pirates and more are available in 3 sizes.

available on their website

quilters bug out!

2010-08-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

The Northwest Quilters Guilt of Portland, OR quilted this VW Bug to promote their quilt show! Janice Jones and Maureen Orr Eldred assembled over 200 blocks made by guild members.

lots more pix on FLICKR

Get your mind in the gutter!

2010-07-24T14:20:00.001-05:00

On my trip to Japan in 2001, one of the many interesting details I noticed was that all the sewer covers were embossed with beautiful designs. So I was pretty stoked a few years ago when I found not one but TWO books of quilting designs based on them! Just proves once again that inspiration is everywhere.

available on AMAZON

The Knitting Clock

2010-07-14T20:07:00.001-05:00

Industrial designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen made a clock that knits 2 meters of scarf over the course of one year, and at that rate it's more productive than I am!

more here, courtesy of Neatorama

umm....wow?

2010-06-29T23:33:00.002-05:00

Apparently, you can spice up your ironing with these hunky pinup guy ironing board covers: when a hot iron is applied, the towel disappears, revealing what's underneath! also available in a female version, if that's your thang.

Available from the UK version of AMAZON, as well as a few quilt and novelty shops online

more embroider-mation

2010-06-21T23:35:00.001-05:00

is this getting to be a genre?? Aubrey Longley-Cook of Atlanta has animated an embroidered 15-frame cycle of a dog running. speaking as a professional animator, it's pretty slow- usually run cycles are about 6-8 frames....but quite impressive nonetheless!

see the animated version on her blog, spoolspectrum

AAAAAGGGGHH!!!

2010-06-11T23:58:00.001-05:00

Look at these adorable sewing machine & iron toys!! They're available in papercraft pattern form from etsy seller FantasticToys, but I imagine they would be easy to adapt for a plush fabric version.

go HERE for this and lots more super cute toys & patterns!!!

Viva las arpilleras!

2010-06-06T22:46:00.000-05:00

Arpilleras are intricately detailed, hand appliqued tapestries made by women in Lima, Peru. They depict colorful scenes of country and village life, with plenty of flowers, crops, animals, and people in 3-D.

more info and some for sale HERE; they can also be found on ebay.

we're now featured on quilterblogs.com!

2010-05-31T19:30:00.000-05:00

you can read dozens of quilting-related blogs all in once place! they also have a quilt store locator and product giveaways!

Quilter Blogs & Store Search

and while we're on the subject....

2010-05-31T14:35:00.004-05:00

of guys, that is...crochet artist Nathan vincent turns "manly doilies" from a contradiction in terms into reality.

via DUDECRAFT, more great work on his site (linked from there).

THERE they are.

2010-05-22T19:10:00.006-05:00

If you're a quilter, I'm sure you have noticed the almost complete absence of men in the field, as they make up just a few percent of the demographic. well, you can stop wondering where they all are, because I found them! (some of them, at least.) seems they hang out over on the MANQUILTERS blog.

why not?

2010-05-17T22:53:00.003-05:00

Etsy artist SteffBomb makes offbeat plush items, including this chainsaw!

her store is HERE

emBREADery

2010-05-14T23:03:00.004-05:00

Just when I think I've seen it all, I get proven wrong again. Catherine McEver has created some embroidery that looks good enough to eat, and will floss your teeth to boot!

Hungry for more? Click HERE!

foot-made art

2010-05-11T21:51:00.006-05:00

Chinese embroiderer Gao Baoying does amazing stitch work...WITH HER FEET!! (I want to see her THREAD A NEEDLE with them!)

more amazing photos HERE!

sewing machine X printer = THIS

2010-05-02T23:32:00.002-05:00

when you just have to match that thread exactly to the fabric, look no further than this thread-dying sewing machine! guess that's another set of ink cartridges we'll need to buy....

more info HERE

every day is Halloween

2010-04-25T15:01:00.004-05:00

sewscary.com has some great spooky, goth-inspired handmade items for sale!

don't miss the coffin quilt under CUSTOM

gangsta quilts

2010-04-18T01:43:00.003-05:00

This series of unusual quilts by Anne Brenneke features dead rap artists, and was exhibited in Berlin last year.

more photos & details HERE

crazy crafts

2010-04-13T20:56:00.006-05:00

Artist Patricia Waller makes some of the most outrageous crafts you'll ever see! from conjoined twin teddy bears to dead animals and grisly accidents, these are not for weak stomachs- so look at your own risk!

click HERE if you dare!

death by rotary cutter

2010-04-03T22:46:00.005-05:00

I know I'm kind of late to the party as far as quilting goes, but I had NO IDEA there was a whole GENRE of quilt fiction. Including murder mysteries, like this one by Terri Thayer. (love the bloody rotary cutter cover!)

Lots more at AMAZON

needlework that comes to life!

2010-03-18T23:07:00.004-05:00

Filmmaker and crafter Holly Klein produced this super cute animated video, Maggie and Mildred. All of the backgrounds and characters were cross stitched by hand, then scanned into a computer and animated.

view it HERE

turn on, tune in, craft out

2010-03-18T22:51:00.004-05:00

the book Switch Craft has instructions for 20 hi-tech projects, from a purse that lights up with your message to a tote bag with speakers and a wi-fi detecting laptop bag.

available on AMAZON

EEK! but, WOW!

2010-03-05T23:13:00.004-06:00

Despite my distate for all things "Twilight", I have to admit this is a cool concept. I wanna be in a "quilters coven"!

Visit their blog HERE

HAR

2010-02-27T22:50:00.003-06:00

I found this hysterical, despite (or maybe because of?) the stereotype.

courtesy of The Onion

AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

2010-02-19T21:09:00.004-06:00

from the same genuises who brought you "I can has cheezburger" and FAILblog, it's a new site called MUST HAVE CUTE!!

MUST....HAVE....

QUILT UPRISING

2010-02-14T01:17:00.004-06:00

Join the revolution! Great modern quilts with contemporary and adult themes. WARNING: NC17/ NSFW material, due to sexual content.

Click HERE if you dare!

more game quilts

2010-02-11T13:27:00.003-06:00

Donkey Kong this time, from etsy seller CarolinaPatchworks. It sold, too!

More details in their etsy shop

Last Meals quilt

2010-02-04T13:40:00.003-06:00

Art quilter Jane Burch Cochran made this great quilt depicting death row prisoners' last meal requests. What a great idea!

See this and more HERE

FUN!

2010-01-29T13:33:00.003-06:00

Not full-on quilts, but Hell's Blankets sells duvet covers and pillows in cool lowbrow patterns. Great name too!

get an eyeball full HERE

CUTEST. THING. EVER.

2010-01-24T01:56:00.004-06:00

The Octonauts is an impossibly cute series of childrens' books by designers Meomi, who also designed the mascots for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, among other things.
Get a cup to catch your teeth when they fall out, then follow the links.

Meomi site

Octonauts site

And now, another kind of needle art

2010-01-20T16:50:00.010-06:00

Today I thought I would share a few sewing-related tattoos with you!

from creationssewclever.com

from bluemoonriver, the blog of Susan Brubaker Knapp

from missouriquiltco.com

fun stuff!!

Light up your quilts!

2010-01-13T16:06:00.004-06:00

Cheryl Sleboda made this adorable squid quilt that LIGHTS UP with LED "soft circuitry"!

Article with links to a tutorial & the lighting kit HERE

Yes, we quilt!

2010-01-10T23:34:00.005-06:00

Not only are there numerous types of Obama-print fabric on the market, now there's a book cataloguing an exhibition of Obama quilts!

Preview a click-through book HERE

NO. WAY.

2010-01-09T00:19:00.005-06:00

Here's a photo of an amazing quilt, right? Well yeah, but it's even more amazing because it's not fabric: it's made of CARVED AND PAINTED WOOD. seriously.

SEE FOR YOURSELF

cross THAT one off my list

2010-01-07T13:14:00.006-06:00

The first time I saw the "tumbling blocks" quilt pattern, I immediately thought of the 80s arcade game Q-BERT, and did a quick sketch for a Q-BERT quilt. Turns out the folks at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories have beaten me to it, proving once again that everything's already been done. At least that's one less quilt I have to make!

lots more step-by-step photos HERE

mass destruction = pink & cute!

2009-12-30T10:51:00.003-06:00

I have posted here before about my ambivalence toward Hello Kitty...but you can't deny how cool it would be to roll up in a PINK HELLO KITTY TANK while firing your PINK HELLO KITTY GUN. I know what I want for next Christmas!

See these and more HERE

quilting horror comic

2009-12-28T17:57:00.001-06:00

Again from the "I-can't-make-this-stuff-up" category, here we have a classic Dell comic book with a QUILTING HORROR theme. That's, um....original?

Prepare to laugh HERE

the science of quilting

2009-12-28T07:46:00.000-06:00

This physics quilt wil keep you warm while studying 9 scientific concepts, including Astrophysics, Thermodynamics and Relativity.

photos and explanations HERE

How I want to go

2009-12-21T16:00:00.001-06:00

"DEATH BY QUILTING" promises "the most extreme quilting games anywhere"!
it appears that all those who sign up recieve a challenge at the same time, then try to "assasinate" the next person on the list by finishing first.

perpare to die HERE

design & print your own fabric!

2009-12-18T13:14:00.000-06:00

at spoonflower.com, you can upload images and design your own fabric! at $18/yard and up it's kind of pricey, but there's no minimum order and you have the option of making your designs public and selling them!

get started HERE

that's what I'm talking about

2009-12-10T22:33:00.001-06:00

Mary Kenyon creates gorgeous tatoo-inspired quilts. I LOVE to see this type of non-traditional design being quilted.

check out the complete gallery at coffinquilts.com

"quilted" car

2009-12-09T16:26:00.000-06:00

Maryland quilter Jill Bell painted her entire car with a quilt pattern- using only nail polish!

details HERE

Buy cute stuff!

2009-11-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

And now, in the shameless self-promotion department:
my etsy store is now open for your shopping pleasure! Handmade kawaii ornaments, felt and plush figures, pillows; stained glass and more. Drop by and have a look!
SHOW ME THE CUTE!

Frank Zappa's panty quilt

2009-11-19T14:22:00.000-06:00

Apparently, Frank Zappa commissioned this quilt to be made out of women's undergarments, which he requested the ladies at some of his shows to donate. I wish I could make up stuff like this.
see it HERE

Threadbangers' Ball

2009-11-11T17:18:00.000-06:00

rockin' heavy metal-inspired quilts, from Seattle designer Boo Davis:

visit her site at http://www.quiltsryche.com/

Cute enough to eat!

2009-11-02T16:23:00.000-06:00

Felt food is all the rage in Japan lately, especially desserts. These make great toys and pincushions!

See lots more HERE
If you want to make some yourself, I reccommend this book:

available on AMAZON

Let's make cute stuff!

2009-10-27T22:38:00.000-05:00

A pair of simple kitty dolls I made for my nieces for Christmas.

This pattern and lots more are found in the translated Japanese book, "CUTE DOLLS" by Aranzi Aranzo. Even the pattern book is drawn in a super cute, almost comic book-like style, with little animal characters narrating the directions.

This and more great books available from their site here,also available on Amazon.

Someone wrote a book for me!

2009-10-22T16:15:00.001-05:00

it's called HAPPY KITTY BUNNY PONY, and it's full of vintage American cuteness.

Available from Amazon

More quilts from space

2009-10-21T23:01:00.000-05:00

...or at least from photos of space. By New York artist Jimmy McBride.

more HERE

QUILT A ROCKET COZY FOR THE SATURN V!!

2009-10-20T15:20:00.000-05:00

Seriously! If it wasn't for the $100 entry fee, I would totally do this.

http://www.thedreamrocket.com/

AMAZINGNESS

2009-10-19T20:47:00.000-05:00

I'm lucky enough to live within driving distance of the world's biggest annual quilt convention, in Houston. Went to check it out this weekend, and was totally blown away by the incredible artistry and variety of work. Here are a few of the highlights for me:

quilted 3-D elephant

funky houses

photo-realistic

cartoon

by Kathy York

dogs montage

giant advent calendar

See more award-winning quilts HERE

I used to hate Hello Kitty's guts...till I saw how cute they are!

2009-10-19T12:45:00.000-05:00

I have never been able to make up my mind if Hello Kitty is cute or not. I mean, she's got all the right ingredients- simplicity, kawaii proportions, Japanese....but she's completely emotionless and expressionless. No mouth. And those soulless black eyes that follow you around the room...*shudder*
On the other hand, someone who has a cute spleen with a pink bow can't be ALL evil...right?

details HERE

My first quilted things!!!

2009-10-15T23:10:00.000-05:00

A set of quilted pillows I made for my mom for Xmas...these will match a full size quilt I'm also making for her. (That's the view down the beach at Waikiki.) I painted the front pieces with watercolor crayons on white cotton, then free-motion quilted them. Then I cut the backs from Hawaiian fabric and sewed the pillows and stuffed them. Last, I got a few silk leis from a party shop, un-strung the flowers and stitched them around the seams by hand. So glad to finally have a completed project!

Video game quilts = awesome!

2009-10-15T14:10:00.001-05:00

I love how the old 8-bit video game graphics are perfect for quilting with tiny squares, like this great Nintendo piece. Excellent work, especially for a first quilt. From the Craftster forums:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=220857.0

Cute site has cute stuff!

2009-10-13T22:06:00.000-05:00

SUPERBUZZY is one-stop shopping for real Japanese fabrics, craft books & supplies! HAI!

http://www.superbuzzy.com/

It's time to quilt the Muppets...

2009-10-12T22:24:00.000-05:00

How cool is this?? Amazing and well done Muppets quilt, from the Craftster forums.
I like the use of faux fur where appropriate, and the way some of the characters break out of the block borders.

More pictures here

Can you be cute AND dead?

2009-10-12T22:16:00.000-05:00

Apparently so! Here's a brilliant idea I wish I'd thought of: Skelanimals! So cute. so simple. so goth. so all over Target, Hot topic and everywhere else. Good for them!

http://skelanimals.com/

Quilt a cute baby book!

2009-10-11T21:25:00.000-05:00

This is a fun, easy project! Buy this fabric panel that has book pictures printed on it, and quilt it together. The directions are even printed right on the fabric. Neat!

available from the eQuilter website

Wow

2009-10-10T23:56:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad I live in an age where there can be a sewing machine called- are you ready for this?- the THREADBANGER. I need one just for the name alone.

http://www.threadbanger.com/post/8942/threadbanger-janome-sewing-machines

Sometimes it's cute

2009-10-10T01:28:00.000-05:00

Italian graphic artist Tokidoki (Japanese for "sometimes") designs cute characters with a Japanese influence. Loads of great merch on his site:

http://www.tokidoki.it/

The demise of Sunbonnet Sue

2009-10-09T13:17:00.000-05:00

Whether you realize it or not, you are probably familiar with Sunbonnet Sue. That's the name of the Holly Hobby-type pioneer girl who appears on tons of country craft type items, including quilts. Glad to see that by the time this quilt was made 30 years ago, some people were already fed up with the smarmy, down-home traditionalism, and sent the hussy to meet her maker in a variety of interesting ways. This is the earliest example of an "alternative" quilt I have found, and it also makes me very happy!

http://www.sundrysites.com/embroidery/sunbonnetsues.htm

Cute but sad

2009-10-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

I have always found this slightly disturbing...Japanese toy company San-X has a line of toys called Nyan Nyan Nyanko (roughly "Mew Mew Kittens"). It consists of adorable kittens- in FOOD. Kittens in sushi. Kittens in desserts. Kittens in burgers. But they look...HAPPY. Do they WANT to be eaten? Are they made of food? Is this cute? Is it sad? Is it both? AAA!!! Don't worry little kitties, I won't eat you! :(

http://www.thosehappydays.com/nyako/nykeychains.htm

awesome DIY T-shirt quilt

2009-10-07T21:56:00.000-05:00

Let's face it, not everyone has the time or ambition to put months or years into a traditional quilt. The forums over at Craftster have some great ideas for realistic projects for the casual quilter. Check out this great punk T-shirt guerrila quilt. I especially love the masking tape quilting guides. Makes me wish I still had all my old band T-shirts...

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=315674.html

Welcome to kawaiiquilts!

2009-10-06T22:17:00.001-05:00

"KAWAII" is Japanese for "cute". And nobody does cute like the Japanese!
Case in point: my all-time favorite character, Hamutaro. (known in the USA as Hamtaro)

http://www.hamtaro.com/home.html

As cute as the animated version is, the original children's books by Ritsuko Kawai are even better! (What would you expect from someone whose NAME is almost "kawaii"!)done in a soft, textured pastel style, I have yet to see anything cuter. A few have been translated into English, and are available on Amazon.