Category: Uncategorized

Sticks and Stones topper, take two

Posted on by — Leave a comment

I have made this topper before, following the directions, for Christmas. It’s a great little topper for the middle of my table.

My mom liked it a lot, especially the size. So, while I was at her place sorting her fabric (I’m the best daughter ever) I pulled out three fabrics that I thought would look good.

IMG_1816

So, even though I used the same Sticks and Stones pattern, I had to adjust it slightly for cutting the same pieces from yardage. You can be very efficient by cutting strips the width you need and not 5″ squares that would come in a charm pack.

I sewed it up on one of my mom’s machines and had it done by dinner. I did straight line quilting just in the cross sections.

IMG_1825

And here’s the back.

IMG_1827

You could easily use 3 fat quarters for this instead of a charm pack, with a fourth FQ for the backing.

Bag and wallet with Tula Pinks Elizabeth line

Posted on by — 1 Comment

One of the recent bag patterns I’ve made that I really like is the Rosie bag from Swoon patterns. And since I had a half yard bundle of my coveted Elizabeth fabrics from Tula Pink, it was only natural I combine them, right?

image

 

For the wallet, I use my tried and true, best wallet ever, A Safe Place. It’s Canadian and I’ve made it six times, easy. I like it because it has enough slots for all my cards and TWO sections for cash. This is great for going back and forth over the border, because I keep Canadian cash on one side, American on the other side. Plus a zippered pocket and a velcro flapped pouch. And it is thin.

image

 

I also like that you can use different fabrics for each waller section to really showcase them.  I could have placed this face better so it’s not upside down when i hold the wallet, but I’m squeezing out as much as I can from this line. 😉 I made my own bias strips from the green striped fabric. While I stuck to the blues for the bag, I added some of the greens to finish out the wallet.

image

 

I finally realized in this version, I need to adjust the wallet pattern just 1/4″ wider on the sides, as the card slots are almost always a snug fit with scant 1/4″ seams. You’ll notice I left off the closing strap as well.

 

For the bag, I used the blue bat print for lining and the deco shells for the inner and outer pockets.

image

 

The outside is this greyed out navy dress weight unidentified fabric I picked up at a thrift shop. It would make nice dress pants or a skirt too, but is all business here.

image

 

I also modified the handles to be non-adjustable, because I’ve tested this for me on another version and found the perfect length. So I only needed one handle piece not two as the pattern called for and I skipped the handle connectors, sewing the sides right to the bag sides.

I’ve been having persistent issues with inserting linings into bags, so when I did the lining here, I took a slightly bigger seam allowance, and after the bag was done, I tacked it in a few places at the bottom so it would stay in place.

While I haven’t taken this for a spin yet, I’m pretty happy with how this turned out.

Things to do in 2014

Posted on by — 2 Comments

I just tidied up my sewing room a bit and took stock of all the sewing and quilting I have on the go.

The pile of quilts I have to finish? 15!

I think I should try and finish those up this year, sheesh! Especially since many in the pile are in my archives as progress posts except there’s been no progress.

These are all basted, ready to be quilted:
jitterbug (for sale)
Mariner’s compass (in progress here too) (for me)
Grey quilt (also for me)
Scrappy log cabin for kids, which I seemed to have not blogged at all (pic here tho) (for sale)
Flash forward that I never posted about, in a brown and blue boy print (for sale)
Floral squares baby quilt I haven’t even posted about either, since it was made from scraps from a summer quilt I have on draft. (will be for sale – the baby quilt)

That’s 6.

These are all tops waiting, paired with backing fabrics. I just need to get the batting out and baste them:
christmas cross
Ugly Christmas quilt – for us, never blogged (not yet)
Red & yellow gradient. Undecided if I want to sell this or not.
Neutrals (for sale)
Red & Black and brown “living room” quilt (spoken for)
Country Fields (for sale)
Modern Blue blocks (may gift this to someone special)
Blue kaleidoscope (for sale, need to post)
White and Flirt fabrics, to match this quilt for sale (will also be sold)

At least I have a roll of batting waiting. That should do 3 or 4.

There are a couple of quilts that are still being pieced and I haven’t posted about any of them. I’m not sure if I should count old projects I started a while ago and haven’t really made any progress – those tops that might remain unfinished. These ones I listed are ones I’d really like to get done this year.

I also have the inevitable stacks of fabrics and precuts, sometimes bundled in bags with a pattern. These are ones I intend to make but haven’t started yet. I dare not count them.
And there’s a runner I started before Christmas and some panels my mom sent over for me to quilt too.

I know I have lots of fabric stored away, and when someone goes through it I have to say “not that piece!” or not that bundle because I have plans.

PLUS – i have one quilt on commission that I haven’t started yet as the fabric is on its way. Everything will be shifted for this. And I was just asked about another last week.

Bonus project – I signed up for the Modern Quilt Guild challenge project with fabrics from Riley Blake. That needs to be done by February and I haven’t started yet.

I think I’ll do the pile of garment sewing in a different post.

Maybe back?

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Wow, sorry. And yes I realize 2 of the last three posts were about me not quilting. Now the Christmas sewing is done and the other project sewing is done so I can finally relax and get back in the swing of it for real this time.

It’s funny – I actually need to quilt or sew or craft or draw or something in oder to be a happy productive human. This is something Leah talks about as well, smart gal.

So why haven’t I been making the time? Hrm.

In the new year I have to actually finish a lot of these projects I’ve started. I’m a great starter – terrible finisher.  So even tho I hate making resolutions it looks like I’m going to have to.

And maybe I should blog about my finishes for the year instead of wallowing in the not-dones. 🙂

Catch up

Posted on by — Leave a comment

I have been a sad neglectful blogger, I know. I had a lull in quilting then I finished some times so quickly and had them out the door there wasn’t any time to actually write up the posts.

These are all pending posts to come:
– Bob’s quilt. Red white and blue.
– Jade’s name quilt
– Easy summer quilt
– Modern Cowboy finish
– Chevron finish
– Fast Forward quilt
– Amy’s tshirt quilt

– circle pincushion

And a pile of quilt tops that I finished a while ago, and even have posts here about, but just got around to basting. Still need to actually quilt them.

ALso – I have been doing a lot of garment sewing as well. This is supposed to be my quilt blog and if anyone is still left reading, I hope you don’t mind if I toss in some garment sewing as well. So far:

– Regency gown
– 18th century man’s shirt, hand stitched because I am crazy
– blouse for my daughter Sarah
– easy skirt for Sarah
– hand drafted yellow skirt for Sarah
– Shift dress for Sarah
– fitted red dress for me and the toile/muslin I made

Not counting the piles of fabrics and patterns sitting waiting for me to cut out.

I might have a problem of doing too many projects at once. 😀

p.s – I also bought the Hex-n-More ruler and wanted to post about that

Ooops

Posted on by — Leave a comment

I guess I took a bit of a break. I actually have done quite a bit of quilting and finishing up. I was really focused on getting some projects finished and my Etsy shop up and running. I did this while on vacation too.

Meanwhile, I have diverted from quilting a bit and have gone back to making garments. Blame the sewing classes that I took while on vacation. 😀 They inspired me quite a bit and reminded me how much I love sewing in general.

To get a little crazier, I decided to make my husband and 18th Century shirt. Then I decided (must have been the heat) to hand stitch the entire thing.

Sometimes I just make more work for myself. 😀 But, I also do these things sort of on purpose, to either keep my skill level up or improve my sloppy stitches. At least it helps things from getting boring?

IMG_0559

 

Starting the facing on the neck opening.

IMG_0560

 

Neck gusset.

IMG_0562

 

Neck gussets and facing in place.

 

IMG_0564

 

Collar pinned to neck and gathering stitches in place. I used red thread to gather, because I can see it better and I will remove it later.

IMG_0565

 

Here’s how I wrap the ends of the gathering threads around a pin, in a figure 8. This will hold better than a knot.

I’m trying to get back into a blogging habit, since I have more than one blog that needs regular updates. I will be posting the various quilting shenanigans I’ve been up to since last time.

 

 

Sunday Stash: out of control edition

Posted on by — Leave a comment

This weekend I moved my sewing room to a spare beedroom in the basement. It was at the end of one of the L in the main room of the basement, but for various reason, we decided to move it to the back bedroom.

Ta da!
IMG_0335

It’s much more efficient use of the space, a great work area, and even better – we moved my desk in from storage. That desk is big, heavy and most importantly does not bounce when I sew fast.

For the stash part, I give you this:

IMG_0337

Yeah. That’s all fabric.

And this is not all my fabric.

*gulp*

holiday sewing

Posted on by — 2 Comments

I’m horribly behind here I know. The holidays threw me off, then we thought about moving (again) and packed up everything. So not a lot of sewing was done.

Here’s what I did do, if only for my own list.

Finishes –
finished reb purse
ayla’s quilt finish
izzy’s jammies
ipad cover

Progress –
started floral quilt
worked on fibonnachi quilt

I finally have a sewing room again after 8 months and boy did I miss it. More in the next post. 🙂

Too much on the go

Posted on by — Leave a comment

I did not get a lot of quilting or sewing time in this week, just a bit here and there.

For Ayla, the teeniest grandbaby, I did start to whip up some much needed pants from some clothes I was tossing anyway. Mini yoga pants made out of my old yoga pants, and another pair made from long sleeves cut off a too-large tshirt from one of my daughters.

I worked on the back of Ayla’s quilt as well, slicing the back fabric in two and inserting a strip out white. It was just a teeny bit too short for the back, so I had to do something. In the strip I fused on some letters for her name. I will applique around then, and even though I’m not a fan of doing applique I will do it for her. 😀 I haven’t yet done much applique on my Bernina so maybe that will change my mind. Currently trying to decide between regular satin stitch or something fancier. (leaning towards buttonhole stitching – or maybe a different one on each letter?)

I also did some work on the two purses I have to make, one for my mom, one for my BFF Rebecca. And darn it, I realized I had enough leftover fabric to make matching wallets. And I can’t find the pattern I had, but the idea won’t leave me. I also thought I mis-cute some fabric for one purse, cut new pieces, then realized I was right the first time. That’s when I knew maybe I was too tired to concentrate.

And I still have to repair a purse for my aunt, for her birthday. That was in April. (oops)

Too much to do! Not just in my sewing spot. :-/