Patches, patches, patches!

I'm bombing my blog today.  First up are all the patches I made for swaps lately.

First swap was for a pair of patches.  Then I did a RAK patch for the same person, so the total was up to 3.

There was no theme for the pair but the extra did have a theme.

Full set.

Now the weirdest of the group.

The teeth are totally reflecting off the fabric.  The face fabric is some funky vinyl my sister gave me after she made a domo costume (a few years ago).  I just wanted to use some different fabrics and try to make something "creepy".

I'm not sure how successful it is, but I do think it's kind of creepy.  The teeth are definitely kind of icky.  I bought those beads because they looked like pulled teeth.

Next in the set is far less icky.

I made it in the more classic Teesha Moore style (referred to as either "puffy" or "messy" or "rolled edge").

I got to double dip with this patch and do some free motion quilting practice with this one.  Playing with free motion is one of my 2015 goals so that was super sweet.  I've also been dieing to use one of the cool gnome buttons I have.

The back is definitely messy!

Last was the RAK/wish patch.  The recipient gave a list of patch themes they were looking for and mermaids was on the list.

 I love when mermaids are pictured riding sea horses.  Sea horses as beasts of burden makes me giddy. That would mean it's either one big ass sea horse or one teeny mermaid.  Either way, I like it.

I gave her super kissy lips with some embroidery floss.  MWAH!

The back (just because I feel obligated to show the backs).

Next up was a set of three patches for another swap.  There was no theme for these so I had to figure out what to do on my own.  I did consult my partner's profile to see what they HATED so I could avoid that as much as possible.

Did this one in the puffy/rolled style.  I really like how it turned out.

I machine stitched around a few of the keyholes and then added a key on a beaded string.  Put a few more bits of embroidery (hand) on it too, just to make it more puffy/lumpy.

The back (of course!).

Since my partner was very exact about things they didn't like, quite a few of which are things I adore (neon colors, glitter, hippy stuff, goofy/kiddy stuff) I went out of my way to try and find more refined themes.  No swag moose for this group (or kawaii poo!)

How's that for classy, huh?

That's from the Matisse inspired fabric I got in one of my last scrap pack purchases.  Just embellished it here and there and then made sure to use a brown backing fabric to get a real frame feel.  (this one is a flat/neat style)

See, brown back.

Last but not least for this group:

I was dieing to do some beading so I did.  There's just something about beading that's kind of relaxing.  But I need to read up on it a bit more to see the best method for beading a long line of beads.  I'm thinking (as I did with this patch) that you really shouldn't go longer than about 10 beads before stopping and doing another little length of ten.  More than that and it gets kind of droopy.

I love the feel of a totally beaded piece like this.  It has a heft to it but is still bendable and just so THERE.  This isn't perfect beading by any stretch, but it looks pretty damn good.

And the back.

Last of the recent patches was for a Valentine's themed patch.

OH YEAH.  Now that's my bag.

Silly and bright and goofy.  LOVE IT.

I really had no idea what I was going to do except I wanted to make some half square triangles (another 2015 sewing goal) so I took all the 5 inch v-day themed charms I had and then made quarter triangles.  Is that the right term?  Whatever the term, I have four different fabrics each in a wee triangle.  The five inch charms yielded four four inch block/charms each with one of the fabrics on it.

So that's the background fabric which I added a little felted heart to the middle can't tell, really).  Then I was kind of stumped what else to add until I got pawing through my buttons and noticed just one of the sock monkeys had a heart on him.

Then a sock monkey being carried off by two glittery dog balloons happened and I'm thrilled it did.  I've been dieing to use some of those dog balloon stick ons.  I had to add a piece of clear thread around the middle of the pink one because she just wouldn't stay stuck down.  Filament for the win (though it's still a pain in the ass to work with).

And. . .the back!

So, that's all the patches I've made lately.  Now time to show off the other stuff.

(no joke, I was off work yesterday and I sewed like a fiend)