teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Craftivism At Its Best - Helping The Homeless


Whenever I get the chance I join my fellow knitty friends at our Jersey City Crafty Knitters Meetup group and right now we are working with Knitting For Good to assist Jersey City's homeless.

A call was put out by my knitty friend Debora asking people to use their favourite hobby to help someone in need.  Donations of items are to be auctioned off at the local church Bazaar to raise money to help fund the soup kitchen and buy supplies for the homeless folks.  I won't be able to knit an item in time for the auction but I was able to whip up this make-up bag and tissue case on Sunday morning before heading off to our Meetup group in the afternoon.


I decided to use this Folk Art fabric by Timeless Treasures because it's so popular right now with the customers at The City Quilter and I hope that's a good sign that it'll spark a fair bit of interest at the Bazaar auction.

I fussy cut the front and back of the tissue case:

added detail to the zipper ends using the same fabric as the lining;

and quilted/top stitched in Aurifil 40/2 2770 - Very Light Delft

I'm not a 'skull' person myself, far from it, but recently I'm starting to learn more about the Mexican holiday Day Of The Dead and I've just watched the movie Frida about the life of Frida Kahlo and have to admit that I am fascinated by her and would love to see some of her actual work.  


My first introduction was the skeleton fabric that I used to make an apron for my son's partner, Ana, Paseo de los Muertos for the Folklorico Collection for Alexander Henry.  I chose this fabric purely because the skeleton's were dancing flamenco and that reminded me of Ana's fabulous flamenco dresses and Seville's Fair, Feria, and the time I've spent with them in Seville, but now I'm understanding more about it!!!


Are you a fan of skulls, Day Of The Dead and other folklore, what's your favourite legend?


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31 comments:

  1. What a great way to help out the homeless:) I am thinking I should make one of those tissue holders for myself with this cold! ha!

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    1. They're so easy Sara, use hardly any fabric and are lovely to carry in your bag :D

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  2. cute tissue holder...a great way to improve a homeless persons life.

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  3. So festive! I can see how they can grow on you. Living in Texas, I see quite a bit of this type of folk art but in fabric is new. Hope they auction off for lots of money! Great cause!

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  4. Super cute!! I adore all things Dia de los Muertos.. It's so fun and the colors are gorgeous! I love the quilting on the pouch!

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  5. ooooohhhhh I like it! I love the colors and big pops! I hope it earns a ton of money. :)

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  6. They are very Flamenco indeed! ;) So colourful and flowery.
    Love the make up bag :-*

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  7. I'm not a huge fan of skull fabric in black, but I like the bright, fun fabric you've chosen, especially the dancing skeletons.

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  8. Not a fan of skulls, but the fabrics are so pretty and fun hat it's hard not to like them :)

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  9. I'm over from My Quilt Infatuation. I just posted linked a pencil case and tissue holder and yours caught my eye. They're lovely and the zip ends are so neat. I'm not a scull person but these fabrics are fabulous. I'm Spanish so I love the apron one. Very unusual.

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  10. It's a really interesting holiday isn't it? I taught a lesson to my year 7s on the traditions when we looked at life after death - lovely topic! Your contributions will be snapped up I'm sure x

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  11. I'm not a skull person either, but this fabric is so pretty! And your pouch and tissue holder looks great!

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  12. Well Chrissie - I have to say the fabric does nothing for me at all! However, beautiful workmanship as always and your items do look splendid. I hope the sale went well. xx

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  13. I love the fabrics! I'm very much a skull person and I would love the make-up case for myself, definitely. I hope they do really well at the sale of work in raising money for the homeless charity! I'm only starting to learn about the Day of the Dead, but I think it's similar to All Soul's Day in Ireland. I find the important days of other cultures fascinating!

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    1. I think Day of the Dead, All Souls' Day, All Saints' Day, Halloween and other festivals all have similar origins, you're right it's really interesting to discover more and how they all cross over :D

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  14. that fabric is so great, and a little zip pouch and tissue holder are the perfect place for it. I'm not a huge skull person myself, but this fabric is so neat. A little bit goes a long way!

    Thanks for linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  15. These look really great! I was put off by the Day of the Dead imagery until I learned more about the holiday. Now I have grown to like the colorful sugar skulls. Hope the sale is a big success!

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    1. That's exactly how I was when I was doing my Art degree - subject matter that is of no interest becomes fascinating once you have more knowledge about it. There's a chance I'll be doing a sugar skulls class with a friend in the new year, quite looking forward to it :D

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  16. I so love The Day of the Dead....have studied the meaning and have friends who celebrate the holiday!

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  17. love these...very cute...totally a fan of skulls in pretty colours

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  18. I've actually been working on pouches and tissue covers too. =)

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  19. Oh my gosh, that is so cool! The makeup bag and tissue cover are just so fun! I made a mug rug with some Dia de los Muertos fabric a year or so ago. Love it.

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  20. I love that fabric! Thanks for sharing @ Submarine Sunday!

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  21. Very cute little pouch and tissue cover. I'm born n raised in NM, which has a lot of hispanic culture, including a big day of the dead festival and parade every year.

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  22. Hello! I love these bags. I watched Frida yesterday while waiting for the big football game to start and loved it! Then this morning I found her diary listed on Amazon. Went to my local library's site and found a copy so am looking forward to seeing that soon. The Detroit Institute of Art will be having an exhibit of art by Rita and Diego Rivera starting next month. Here is a link to the announcement and to the diary I found on Amazon.
    http://www.dia.org/calendar/event.aspx?id=4608&iid=
    http://www.amazon.com/dp/0810959542/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1DGF65HKGAPS6&coliid=I1F2UXAZ53K6C8

    I'm guessing you'll have to copy and paste the links to your browser.

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    1. Thanks Ally, such fun to make and good to go a just a little way towards helping the homeless of Jersey City. They've been very popular and people keep asking for more. I love the movie and thanks so much for the links, I hadn't heard about the diary but have now headed over and bought it - I just have to have a peek myself and then gift it to a friend who loves her too and introduced me to the movie a while back. :D

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Chris Dodsley


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