Working on Prototypes

I love craft sales, particularly around Christmas. I think that they are such a great alternative to shopping at a mall. Several months ago, some friends and I were talking, and we decided to organize one for next November here in Ottawa . .we're thinking about 15 vendors, in a church basement, a fun afternoon of crafty love.

And, er, I'm one of the vendors.

I have several foodie type items I'm going to make, which should go over well, but I'm also looking to sew some small items.

But what, but what? Given my newbie skills (but I have many months to improve, I argue!), and my shortage on time (two kids under 2.5, one of whom is now sleeping in my craft room - temporarily, I hope - and an impending return to full time work in early August), what can I possibly make?

And so the search for a few prototypes begins. I've got a few ideas, but I need some time to work on a model and then figure out how to mass (as in 25 or so!) produce a few things.

I've got a line on some organic cotton onesies in lush colours, and I think I'm going to place an order and applique some with great fabric cutouts. I've done many of those and do a mean blanket stitch, if I do say so myself. I might even try to machine applique but not sure what kind of stabilizer to use.

Today, though, I tried making a patchy fabric bookmark. Many kinks, but fun. I grabbed a handful of scraps from my stash, stitched 'em together, ironed the seams flat, and cut out a piece of corduroy for the back. I stitched a piece of retro ribbon on to it, and then stiched some interfacing to the wrong side of the back. I wanted a little stiffness to the thing. I then put the pieces wrong sides together and top stitched 'em up, and trimmed the edges with a decorative wavy rotary cutter. I'm not sure I like that.

I'd like to put a ribbon through a hole at the top, but I have no idea how to set an eyelet or even make a hole through two pieces of fabric and interfacing. Back to the drawing board.

- Donna