Just a friendly reminder

I want to make sure you haven't missed that we've moved. So for another week I'll be cross posting. Don't forget to add the new blog to your reader because the store is going to be moved there too! You don't want to miss it!! Most recent post: "What is soap?"

New location!

Please come and join me over at flutterbuygifts.com where you can see all the new blog posts. I hope you'll join me!

Some new developments!

Well it would seem I've started this blog just in time...to move! I've just become the proud owner of flutterbuygifts.com!! Big things to come, I'm sure. So the blog will be moved over there by the end of the weekend and the store will follow shortly.

We've got a ways to go yet with design and creation of the store. How it will look, how it will feel and interact...I'm so excited!! I love design. I may not be the best at it...but it's always such fun.

The store will be open in time to unveil my new soaps too! It's been such a long time since I've made soaps but I'm so excited to get back to it. All the wonderful fragrences, and the oils that the soaps are made of, different additives like cinnamon or oatmeal...I promise; it'll be yummy. I can't wait. I have to wait though, and so do you because soap takes many weeks to cure.

In addition to launching a new site; in the following weeks I'll be introducing you to a new creator that'll be working on the site and offering her wonderful words on the blog, and great creations on the site for sale!! See!? SO much to look forward to!! It's going to be a wonderful wonderful winter at Flutterbuy Gifts. Stay tuned ;)

Wordless Wed-Fire skirt patchwork

The process of making a fire skirt

I've been working on the Elemental series-Fire skirt so I've taken pictures of the steps it takes to create one of my Elemental skirts. I wanted to show you what it takes to make a skirt in the Flutterby Gifts craft lab because I don't want to just *say* that my skirts are high quality...I want to *show you* that my skirts are high quality!

First I have to cut all the fabrics for the patchwork detail. The pins show me which direction the fabric grain is going. That way I can make sure that all squares are going the same direction as I sew them together.

I laid out my pattern (not pictured) then sew two squares together. (since the pattern called for two rows and eleven columns) I sew all the columns together first.

Then I run each column through my serger to protect all loose ends from fraying.

Here's a few of the columns that have been sewn and then serged.

Then the columns get sewn together to create the patchwork design.

Once all the columns have been sewn it's back to the serger to go over each of those seams again.

Once all seams have been both sewn and serged it's time to press the design. I make sure that the column seams alternate so that the design lays down flat.

See!! All that works pays off. All the seams lay flat and all the corners line up perfectly!!

Then the patchwork goes for "inspection" lol!!

Back at the sewing machine the patchwork gets attached to the bottom portion of the skirt.

Of course, then the seam must be gone over at the serger.

Then it's time to attach the patchwork to the top portion of the skirt! (almost done!!)

That seam goes through the serger.

I take the skirt panel to my cutting table to cut off the excess patchwork

There's one panel out of four completed! This is the back panel (which will look the same as the front except the front will have an applique)

And that's the process of making a skirt!!

Welcome!

I'm hoping to use this space to keep people updated about the goings on at Flutterby Gifts.
Right now we're gearing up for Fall. I live and work in the woods of North East Washington. The cold is already starting to seep in here. The trees are changing, the warmer skirts are coming out, and we're starting to think about fires to keep us warm.
I'd like to direct your attention to the right side of the screen. I've got links to the store and the store's facebook page. I'm so excited to share with you what's coming up!