Miss L's Craft Room

Happy Birthday Helen!

2010-11-11T08:12:00.006-05:00

Actually, her birthday was October 2nd but I wasn't able to give her her present until a couple of weeks ago. I decided to make a duffle/overnight bag. I just happened to have some decorator weight fabric by Amy Butler on hand. I can't remember where I got the pattern but it was from a sewing/quilting magazine. Anyway, here it is:

There aren't any pockets inside but there is a pocket on each end. The pattern only called for one but hey, you can never have enough pockets.
It came out great and she loved it!

Elaine

Not my usual kind of sewing

2010-11-05T16:40:00.010-04:00

Curtains! I don't like home dec kind of sewing and until recently I didn't do home dec sewing. A few months ago my friend Pam and I went to Franklin Mill Store in Franklin, Mass. I was going for my usual decorator quilting cottons and Pam was looking for curtain fabric for her kitchen and dining room. Actually, she's been looking for about 10 years. Anyway, Franklin Mills has a home decorator section with a nice selection of fabric and trimmings. Pam found the perfect fabric and a display window that had a style she liked. No curtain rods. Two L brackets are mounted above each window and a 1x3 board screwed to the brackets. The top of the curtains are stapled to the boards. Sounds easy. Oh yeah, did I mention that she also purchased bead trimming. No problem because she had someone in mind to make these for her. Shirley lives in CT and it wasn't looking good to have these done for Thanksgiving. Pam had already painted the kitchen and the brackets and boards were ready. Pam created a pattern for the curtains. I took the fabric home and sewed the bead trim and lining to the bottoms of the curtains. Once this was done we spent 5 1/2 hours finishing them. I'm really happy with the way they turned out. The pattern in the fabric is nice and lined up and everything looks great.
Here are a few pictures.

It was a challenge and it was fun. I'm not likely to do it again anytime soon but my attitude about home dec sewing has changed...a little bit.
Elaine

Vote now!

2010-10-28T16:30:00.005-04:00

Which do you think is cuter?

Just kidding...there really is no contest here.

Elaine

Requested Baby Presents

2010-10-18T16:52:00.009-04:00

A woman I work with recently had her first great-grandchild. She asked if I would make something special. Her granddaughter had a little boy. Hmmm, no "boy stuff" in the stash so I started leafing through my magazines and books for ideas. I made a bib and matching burp cloth that I forgot to take a picture of and a cute hat and matching onesie. One thing I know for sure...onesie's are versatile. The hat is a cute little dog face. I wanted to put something on the onesie to make an outfit but couldn't think of anything. I did remember that I had a dog bone shaped cookie cutter so I decided to applique that on the front of the onesie.

The dog ears and bone are black. I hat heartburn over this initially but who says you can't use black on baby things? I think it looks fine.

Now, as promised, block 1 of my new Block of the Month club.

This block came with 5 templates. Are you kidding me? It was a lot of work and there was a mixture of machine and hand stitching. I'm pretty happy with it. Block 2 is in the house and I have started it. Lots of parallelograms. I better get going on it. Block 3 should be here any day.
Elaine

A Onesie Dress

2010-10-07T16:01:00.008-04:00

My friend Ann sent me a link to a onesie dress tutorial by Lila Tueller. What a great idea and perfect timing I might add. A co-worker had a baby girl a couple of weeks ago and this would be perfect. The directions are great and this was a breeze to make. Here's my version. Double click on the image for a better view.

You will have to use elastic thread in your bobbin for this project. For those of you that have never done this, don't worry. It's very easy. You must hand wind the elastic thread snugly. The reason you want to use this thread is to maintain some elastisity in the area where the skirt is attatched to the onsie. I used a size 6-9 months onesie. The fabric is Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey. This project is great for those fat quarters you have hanging around. I think this will become a "baby girl present" staple for me.

More photos to come on the new BOM. I started my new Block of the Month and finished the first block. The second is in progress. Jeez, these are a lot of work. The first block came with 5 templates! Till next time.
Elaine

Fuego! Fuego!

2010-09-17T16:34:00.001-04:00

Don’t worry. There isn’t a fire but what I do have to show you is the cutest firefighter ever. Mind you, she wasn’t all that happy with the fire hat but left it on long enough for me to snap a couple of photos.

Not happy…leave me alone.

Still not happy but has figured out that she isn’t getting out of this photo shoot.

Getting a little peeved but can see the end in sight. Amazing what the promise of a treat will get you.

Can you get any freakin cuter than this I ask you?

Her Auntie Pam bought this costume for her but I think we’ll be getting a lot of use out of the slicker. It’s water proof and Miss L hates getting wet. I think wearing the hat one night a year will be more than enough for her.

Phew, glad that’s over. Firefighting is tough stuff.

Now onto some crafting.

A while back I showed you a couple of jewelry pouches that I made. Well, I recently got a picture of one in use.

I’m not sure that the tiny skinny ribbon was meant to hold so many baubles but I guess it works for her. Till next time.

Elaine

Do I look silly in this hat?

2010-09-13T15:10:00.001-04:00

That seems to be what he is saying. I think he looks adorable! I purchased the pattern here. I’m still waiting for a picture of Brayden in his Spooky Spider Hat. Stay tuned.

Elaine

Spooky

2010-09-02T17:05:00.001-04:00

Yes, that spooky time of year is coming and I’m getting ready. First up, a scary hat for baby Brayden to help celebrate his first Halloween.

This spider hat is in the September/October 2010 issue of Crochet Today magazine. I hope to have a picture of Brayden wearing the hat soon.

The next thing up… these really cute treat bags. You can make 4 of them using only 2 fat quarters! It works best if you have 1 fat quarter in a light fabric and the other in a dark. Of course these would look good in any fabric to be used any time of year.

The pattern for this bag is in the latest issue of Quilts and More magazine.

Elaine

A little more crochet

2010-08-28T18:12:00.001-04:00

Whenever I sit down to update my blog I’m always surprised by the amount of time that has past since my last entry. I really don’t know how people post daily. Oh well. I have been crafting a lot but mostly for gift giving. I can’t post until the person has received it. Believe it or not I’ve already started making Christmas presents. Anyone that does any kind of craft knows that you can never start too early. Now for 2 very cute crochet items.

Both have found good homes and can now show themselves here.

Update…the jelly roll quilt along quilt top is done! It is patiently waiting to be quilted. I hope to drop it off at the machine quilters in the next week or so. Pictures soon I hope.

Elaine

Baby Blanket in the Round

2010-08-06T17:08:00.001-04:00

A neighbor’s daughter is having a baby this month. Problem…we won’t know if it’s a boy or a girl until he/she is here. I love it when we get to know in advance. It makes it ssooo much easier when trying to pick out a project to make. I had this little pamphlet that had crocheted baby blankets…round ones.

All of the blankets were cute but some reminded me of giant doilies. I think my favorite was this one:

I really like the colors in the sample however it’s way too girly. I went to my local yarn store and found some yummy Egyptian cotton yarn. I found 3 beautiful colors. Here is my version:

I absolutely love it. Please tell me this doesn’t look too girly.

Elaine

You know what started today?

2010-07-29T16:22:00.001-04:00

Training camp!

Elaine

Bad hair day?

2010-07-16T15:22:00.001-04:00

I have a solution. I saw the cutest knitted hat with built-in pig tails in a knitting book by Nicky Epstein. This book has a lot of great projects and well worth having in your library. Anyway, posting pictures of hats without a model or a even a doll can be difficult. It’s tough to get excited about hat that’s lying flat on a table.

Wait! I think I just saw a cute head go by. Stop. Sit. I’ll give you a great treat if you stay for one minute.

Do you think she’d look better as a blonde?

Elaine

I Spy Bags

2010-06-27T18:07:00.001-04:00

I saw a pattern for I Spy bags and thought the idea was great. I’ve since made 4 and I plan on making more.

First you’ll start gathering various little objects around the house and outside. My I Spy bags have Q-Tips, buttons, candles, balloons, pom poms, rocks, twigs… you get the idea. List every item on a piece of paper and laminate the sheet. The object is to find all of the items you’ve hidden in the bag. Awesome game for kids. Want to make one? Here's how.

Elaine

Bath Towel Redo

2010-06-14T17:59:00.001-04:00

Don’t you hate when then the edges of perfectly good towels completely fall apart?

They make a mess in the wash…threads everywhere and tangled on everything. I have 2 like this and I decided to do a little fix up.

First, cut the frayed edges right off.

Next, cut 2 4x45 in strips of a matching (I chose fabric from Anna Maria Horner’s Good Folks collection) fabric and make a binding.

Lastly, sew the binding to each end of your towel and enjoy.

Elaine

3 More Finished Blocks

2010-06-03T16:47:00.001-04:00

AAHHHHH. 3 more blocks done in the jelly roll quilt along.

I’ve lost track but I think there are 5 more to go. It’s starting to grow on me. I’ll post a photo album when they are all done.

Elaine

Fabric Baskets

2010-05-28T16:12:00.001-04:00

I saw these beautiful fabric baskets in an issue of Sew News a couple of months ago. The basket pattern came in 2 sizes. Oh boy, these were some cute. Some projects just grab a hold of my brain and I can’t stop thinking about making them. This was such a project. The only thing to ease the obsessive crafting thoughts was to actually dig through my stash, pick out some fun fabric and make the damn basket.

Ah, that feels better but still having “basket” thoughts so I made another.

Whew, all set for now.

Elaine

My Wisteria is finally blooming!

2010-05-17T16:27:00.001-04:00

My daughter bought me a Wisteria for my birthday in June of 2007. Of course it didn’t bloom that year. I got excited as spring of 2008 rolled around but no flowers for me. I figured 2009 would be my year but…no damn flowers! Imagine my delight when I saw the beautiful flowers dangling from my Wisteria.

Speaking of birthdays…my daughter turned 34 last week. I decided to applique a beach towel for her. How about a penguin at the beach. Seemed like a good idea at the time. I planned on doing machine applique but the towel I bought was so large that I had a tough time manipulating it while trying to applique. I ended up doing most of it by hand. I’ll keep that in mind next time I decide to do something like that.

Happy Birthday A!

Elaine

Crochet Frenzy

2010-05-06T16:30:00.001-04:00

I can’t stop. That’s how it goes with my crafts…round and round. I’ll get in the mood for one and then delve into all kinds of projects. The only one that I never get tired of is sewing. Back to crochet. I had some bamboo yarn that was the right weight for this:

I had just enough to make this cute little number. It’s from the Spring 2010 Issue of Interweave Crochet. The bottom half of the dress is very open and is lined with fabric. Here’s my “not quite completed” version:

I’ve narrowed the fabric for the lining down to 2. Which do you like best? I’m favoring the one on the right.

View Full Album

Next on my hook is a cute tank top from the same issue of Interweave Crochet.

Sewing updates next time.

Elaine

It’s nice to see my “stuff” being used

2010-04-30T16:57:00.001-04:00

Pam using her utility apron at a Creative Memories workshop:

Alisha using her camera bag while doing a semester in Australia:

Miss K and Miss M wearing their Oh so cute outfits:

View Full Album

It’s why I craft.

Elaine

Jelly Roll Quilt Along Update

2010-04-20T16:48:00.001-04:00

I decided to join the Jelly Roll Quilt Along over at Moose on the Porch. I blogged about blocks 1 and 2 here. Well, I finally finished blocks 3 and 4.

I’m not crazy about the fabric but I bought the jelly roll for a project that never happened. I’m trying to use it up. I think in the end this will be a nice quilt.

Elaine

Baby Shower Presents for Andrea

2010-04-14T16:40:00.001-04:00

I’ve had most of these items done for a while but couldn’t post for fear that Andrea would see them. We had a shower for her last week at work. Most of what I gave was handmade. A diaper bag featuring some Amy Butler fabric:

This bag is great. It’s large, roomy, and has lots of pockets. There are 2 pockets on either side on the outside of the bag. Both of these have elastic on top. 2 more pockets on the front and a few more inside. She really liked this! Next up is a pair of booties that I crocheted. I added glass vintage buttons for closures. Please hand wash Andrea!

Andrea is having a boy. I struggle with boy things but I think these booties look pretty macho. I like doing machine applique so I decided to decorate a onesie.

Of course no New England baby can live without New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox bibs and matching burp cloths.

And lastly (and perhaps my favorite) stuffed binky buddies made from felt.

Elaine

Project updates

2010-04-05T10:04:00.001-04:00

I made another posh pillowcase. This one was for Lisa’s daughter Rebecca.

This one wasn’t as fun to make because the yarn I used for the crochet edge was constantly worming. The color was perfect so I kept on. I already have more fabric washed and ready to go for a few more of these. Totally addicting!

I recently decided to join the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along over at Moose on the Porch. I had purchased a jelly roll a while back for a particular project that never came to be. I figured this would be a great use for this fabric. Here are blocks 1 and 2:

The fabric is Hushabye by Tula Pink. Not my favorite colors but I’m hoping that the finished product will be pretty.

Apron club update…3 more blocks completed. Yeah. I’m desperately trying to keep up. I’m afraid that the blocks will get tossed aside if I fall behind.

Once again I’m a little disappointed with the contrast between the background fabric and the apron fabric on the top one. It actually looks better in person than the picture. I should receive the next block some time this week. That’s really the most fun with these BOM’s…getting surprises in the mail.

We have 2 little tables with glass fronts in our kitchen. We stick all sorts of things in there and it was getting a little unsightly. I took some of my favorite Anna Maria Horner fabric from her new Good Folks collection and lined the inside doors with it. What a difference. I love the way it looks now.

Until next time.

Elaine

2 Posh Pillowcases Done!

2010-03-23T14:25:00.001-04:00

I love them!

Elaine

Posh Pillowcases

2010-03-18T16:04:00.001-04:00

I was visiting You Go Girl and saw the amazing Posh Pillowcase sew along she was hosting. To say I’m a little obsessed with these right now is an understatement! You Go Girl is providing a complete tutorial on how to make your own. Check out Rose Hip to see the most wonderful pictures of some finished pillowcases and what started the frenzy. I’ve started my first one.

(click to enlarge)

The orange isn’t showing that great but trust me, this pillowcase is going to be awesome once the crochet edging is finished. I’ve already got the fabric picked out for my next one. A little Heather Bailey. Yum.

(click to enlarge)

On another note. I picked up one of my quilts from the machine quilters last weekend. It is supposed to look like puzzle pieces. I think it does although the lighter fabrics don’t show up that great in this picture. The biggest challenge with this quilt is keeping all the pieces in order so that the little legs of each puzzle piece is matched up to its appropriate main piece. Of course I had some directional fabric in there so I also had to keep track of weather I was sewing a row or column. This little project sat on the dining room table during construction so I could keep everything straight. All I need to do now is add the binding and I’m done.

(click to enlarge)

Elaine

3 More “One Yard Wonder” Projects

2010-03-16T16:20:00.001-04:00

I love this book and I just read a few days ago that a second one is in the works. Sign me up! I made 2 jewelry pouches and a hot/cold pack with a band so that it stays in place even when you are walking.

This hot/cold (filled with rice) pack fits nicely into a pouch on the wrap around band below.

Both jewelry pouches were made with Amy Butler Fabric.

Elaine

Gifts from Lisa

2010-03-10T15:29:00.001-05:00

My friend Lisa gave me the cutest pin cushion kit for Christmas. The pin cushion has a name…it’s Henrietta Turtle and the pattern is by Heather Bailey. Heather Bailey is a wonderful fabric designer as well as pattern designer. I LOVE all her collections! I decided to put this little gal together a couple of weeks ago. I figured it would be a nice quick project. I’ve been sewing long enough to know that sometimes the smallest end product takes loads of time to create. Anyway, I made her and no way in hell am I sticking pins in her!

Look at how cute this little turtle is. She now lives happily on a shelf in my living room where I can enjoy her every day. Of course I made sure to mention to the husband that this was NOT a dog toy just in case he had any ideas. Thanks Lisa!

I think Lisa made a “clean out the craft area” resolution for the New Year this year. My mother was the recipient of some great left over yarn from some of Lisa’s projects. My mother crochets little hats for the local hospital nursery as well as the Save the Children foundation and this yarn will serve a good purpose. I received 3 crocheted bodices for little girls dresses. A few years ago, I had seen a segment on the Carol Duval show that featured Candi Jensen showing the viewers how to make the bodice. All you had to do once the bodice was done was attach a skirt bottom in a matching fabric. I’m not sure how many I made but they were addicting. Lisa made at least 3 beautiful bodices but never finished them. She asked if I’d like them. Sure! The most fun was digging in my stash to find the perfect fabric. Two pieces came from my 1930’s reproduction stash and the other from my Amy Butler stash.

Isn’t this fabric perfect?

These are great fun projects and you can get the free directions here. I gave the little green one to Lisa for her neighbor’s little grandchild. The other two are still looking for a home. Thanks Lisa! Keep cleaning!

Elaine

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge

2010-02-26T14:13:00.001-05:00

If you sew and you haven’t heard about this great cause you can read about it here. My friend Lisa and I decided to go through our stash and make some pillowcases. So far I’ve made 9. Seven of them are made of the nicest flannel I’ve ever seen in my life. I saw this fabric at a quilt shop and had to have it. Had to! I bought one yard of each of the seven prints. I didn’t know what I was going to do with them but that’s never stopped me before. This fabric is perfect for these pillowcases.

(I got carried away. That’s my imported Japanese Kokka fabric in the picture below on the right. Oh well. It’s for a good cause.)

The official counter on the website has the total at 28,295 pillowcases! I’ll be adding mine soon.

Elaine

A New England baby present in under 1 hour

2010-02-09T15:05:00.001-05:00

Seriously. I made both bib and burp cloth sets in under an hour. Of course this present is for either a boy or a girl.

(click picture to enlarge)

The bib pattern is from Bend The Rules Sewing. An absolute must in every sewing library. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made the bib alone. I sewed a scrap of fabric to one end of a pre-folded diaper for a custom, matching burp cloth and done. Easy, inexpensive and quite useful.

Elaine

Apron Club – Month 3

2010-01-31T13:40:00.001-05:00

My absolute favorite so far! Needless to say it was a lot of work but is was so worth it.

I love everything about this block. The fabric selections are awesome and the embroidery is so damn cute. There are actually 2 aprons next month. Can’t wait to see what I get. I think that’s why I like these monthly quilt clubs. I’m a sucker for getting stuff in the mail…especially sewing stuff.

Elaine

Apron Club – Month 2

2010-01-21T16:28:00.001-05:00

I finished block 2 of the apron quilt club I joined. Actually, I’m nearly done with month 3 but I don’t want to post until it’s done. I had a tough time with the cherries and leaves on the first block and was not looking forward to the bacon and eggs on this one. All in all it came out ok and I worried for nothing over the breakfast items. I’m not thrilled with the fabric used for the bacon and eggs. The pattern also called for a little black cup to be appliqued to the skirt. However, the choice of background fabric makes the little cup nearly impossible to see. I wish I would have noticed before I got the whole thing sewed down. Presenting block 2:

That damned cup looks like a spot…some breakfast spillage. Oh well. I’m not changing it now. Wait until you see month 3. My absolute favorite so far.

Elaine

Sackboy??

2010-01-12T16:45:00.001-05:00

That was my response when my stepson Adam came over one day with a knitted pattern for Sackboy. Sackboy is a character in a PlayStation 3 game. What the hell do I know. He brought the pattern over because I’m the only one he knows that can read and knit from a pattern. He wanted it for his little brother. Actually, he wanted one for himself too but figured I wouldn’t want to knit 2. How do I tell him I don’t want to even knit one? Anyway, the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea of knitting Sackboy for him as a Christmas present. I ordered enough yarn for 2 and if it wasn’t too bad I’d make a second. It was well worth it. I gave him the first and held back the second. He was really surprised and he really liked it. He liked it so much that he was thinking of keeping it for himself. That’s when I pulled out the second. Extremely happy! The pattern itself was different for me because all pieces were knit flat and then sewn up to create tubes. All in all it wasn’t bad although my Sackboy knitting days are officially over…I mean it. Here’s one of the little guys.

Can you believe this? Five fingers on each hand, a zipper down the front and a huge head. I don’t really get it. The zipper is glued shut from the back per the instructions so that his guts don’t fall out if and when someone decides to pull the zipper down. If you’d like one, or two of your very own there is a free pattern available here.

Elaine

Another Sewing Caddy

2009-12-31T14:43:00.001-05:00

This is the fourth one I’ve made this year and by far my favorite. I made it for my friend Stephanie for Christmas. She LOVED it! If mine didn’t look so used I might have swapped. It’s really all about the colors and 30’s fabric for me on this one.

Stay tuned. I’ll be posting more handmade Christmas presents soon.

Elaine

The cutest elephant ever

2009-12-23T12:54:00.001-05:00

for baby boy Allard due in the spring of 2010.

I used some of my 30’s reproduction fabric. The pattern is Simplicity 2613.

Elaine

Apron Club BOM I

2009-12-08T16:32:00.001-05:00

Remember a couple of months ago I posted that I had signed up for another Block Of The Month? Well, I received my first block with all the fabric and notions I needed to complete it. I’m still pretty new at hand applique but this didn’t seem too bad. Yeah right. Block 1 is the full apron in the lower left hand corner. If you look closely you can see that the pockets on the apron has cherries, leaves and ric rac. All that on a tiny pocket.

OMG! I made about 6 cherries and was quickly running out of the fabric that was sent. I sent away for these little circle templates called Perfect Circles. These little templates worked great. Now onto the leaves. Let me start out by saying that the fabric they sent was a twill that raveled quite a bit. I had so much trouble and made so many leaves that I ran out of fabric. I perused by fabric stash for something suitable but didn’t have anything I liked. At this point I was so frustrated with this project that I didn’t care about cherries or leaves anymore. I decided to leave them out. The fabric they sent for the pocket was a plain yellow and was blah without the fruit. Forget everything.

It looks naked! It needs something! Back to the fabric stash. I found my 30’s reproduction fat quarters and liked the way this yellow looked with the apron.

I made the pockets sans the cherries, leaves and ric rac, added cute buttons and here is the final BOM.

Looks good. I can live with this although I’m bummed out that I couldn’t get the leaves looking right. I looked ahead to block two and heaven help me…it has bacon and eggs on it!

Elaine

A Camera Bag for Alicia

2009-12-03T07:22:00.001-05:00

My friend Pam’s daughter Alicia will be spending next semester in Australia. She purchased a nice camera this past summer to bring with her. She’s been unable to find the perfect camera bag. She’d like something small enough to fit in other bags or to be able to carry it on it’s own…something nice to protect her little investment.

Alicia: Do you think Elaine could make something?

Pam: I’ll ask.

Me: OK.

I got the dimensions of the camera and went to work. I picked two fabrics from Anna Maria Horner’s new Good Folks collection. I quilted the bottom of the bag to make it “cushiony”. I made a removable, adjustable strap so she could use the bag on its own or tuck away the strap and place the whole thing in another bag. The bag has a pull string closure. Two coats of Scotch Guard and done! I LOVE the fabric combination. I will have to do something for myself with these 2 fabrics.

I requested a picture of Alicia with her new bag from Australia. I’ll post it as soon as I get it. Hope it’s the perfect bag.

Elaine

Utility Apron

2009-11-25T13:24:00.001-05:00

If you haven’t purchased the newly released One Yard Wonders then you are missing out.

This book has the best little projects using 1 yard of fabric or less.

My daughter has been doing craft fairs selling her jewelry. I went with her to the first craft fair. I decided that we would need some sort of utility apron to keep our money, cell phone and other odds and ends. My husband is a carpenter and uses them for nails and things. I borrowed 2 from my him. Mine was plain and slightly stained and hers was clean but had “Manny’s Hardware” written across the front. They served the purpose but we needed something much cuter. I remembered seeing a great little apron in this book. I decided to use a heavier weight decorator fabric…some Amy Butler in a beautiful sateen finish. It has 2 layers of pockets, 6 in all. I actually made 2 because when my friend Pam saw the one I made for my daughter well…

It was a huge hit with the other vendors when she wore it last weekend. Sorry I don’t take orders.

Elaine

Tic Tac Toe Revisited

2009-11-13T15:51:00.001-05:00

Remember the little Tic Tac Toe game I made?

Well, when I showed my friend Pam she remembered a Tic Tac Toe pillow made for her by her Aunt Norma Richmond. The pillow was square and about 2 inches thick. The Tic Tac Toe grid was made with ribbon sewn onto the top and there was a pocket on the back to store the playing pieces. Aunt Norma also made one for Pam’s sister Beth. Pam found her sister’s game last week while cleaning out the toy room. She thinks this little game is about 40 years old. The playing pieces are made of craft felt.

Front:

Back:

Front with playing pieces.

Unfortunately some of the face components were lost over the years. Very cute Aunt Norma! I bet you never thought you’d be seeing pictures of this well loved game on someone’s blog 40 years after making it? Oh look Pam, I win again!

Elaine

If it’s a little chilly,

2009-11-11T07:31:00.001-05:00

and you can’t find the dog,

and you call her name and she doesn’t come,

and then you search the house and still can’t find her,

and then you make a sweep of the back yard and still nothing,

and then you search the house again and still no dog,

then you may want to check here:

Clearly someone needs a refresher course on the “come” command.

Elaine

Pam’s Purse

2009-11-09T16:33:00.001-05:00

After receiving several email hints and links to a cute bag on Moda Bake Shop I caved. Well, not really. Her birthday was coming up and she REALLY appreciates handmade so I made the requested bag for her.

The bottom is quilted and has pockets all the way around…6 in all. The inside has a small cell phone pocket and one slightly larger. She loved it!

Elaine

Happy Birthday Maria!

2009-10-22T16:34:00.001-04:00

Now that Maria has received her present I can show it here. This is the third time I’ve made one of these sewing caddies. I made one for me and one for Lisa. I guess I forgot to take a picture of Lisa’s. Maybe she’ll see this post and send me one. Anyway, I can’t believe how I managed without one of these all this time. I knew this would be perfect for Maria. She knits, crochets and embroiders beautifully and I hope she has many good crafting times with her new caddy. Happy Birthday Maria!

Elaine

More Key Fobs

2009-10-18T12:23:00.001-04:00

Remember when I made key fobs as wedding shower favors for my daughters wedding last year? Well, I’m at it again. My daughter signed us up for a craft fair being held at a school in Bristol, RI on Nov 7th. I still had a package of key fob hardware (about 50 pieces) left over. I decided to purchase 5 different colors of cotton webbing this time instead of all brown and to use fabric scraps instead of ribbon to decorate them. The fabric really did the trick. They are a little more work to make but well worth it.

A little Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, some 30’s and retro reproductions and voila! SO pretty. Let’s just hope they sell!

Elaine

BOM Quilt Finished!

2009-10-13T17:06:00.001-04:00

Remember the Mystery Designer Block of the Month Club I joined last year? If not, you can see pictures here and here. Well, I sent it off to the machine quilters and got it back sometime in late September. She did a great job! Now for the binding. I had all the binding ready and when I got the quilt home I promptly sewed it on. I then spent the next few nights hand stitching the binding down. I really enjoy the “binding” part of the quilt but I have to stop after an hour or so because my wrist starts to hurt.

I LOVE the backing fabric. There were 2 choices available and I chose this one. I can’t even remember the other now.

A look at some of the machine quilting. So pretty. She used a feather pattern.

I have another smaller quilt at the machine quilters. I used Fairy Tip Toes Meranda by Tina Givens. I’ll post as soon as I get it back. Wait until you see what I did with the scraps!

Elaine

Tree Top Fancy

2009-09-28T16:33:00.001-04:00

Tree Top Fancy is the name of a fabric collection by Tina Givens. I fell in love with this fabric. I ordered a fat quarter bundle in the papaya colorway. Soooooo pretty. I made my friend Wendy this cute over the shoulder bag from this fabric for her birthday. I used a bag pattern from the latest issue of Quilts and More. It has cotton batting between the outer fabric and lining giving the bag some support.

Last year I made my daughter a wallet for her birthday to go with her Skie bag. She really likes this wallet but after 1 1/2 years of use it’s starting to look a little dingy. I should have sprayed the wallet with Scotch Guard to help protect it from getting dirty. Oh well. Anyway, I made her another with this fabric. One slight modification to the pattern to accommodate fat quarters and I was in business.

This bag has 12 card holders, a zip pouch, a velcro pouch and storage behind each of the card holder areas. This is the fourth one I’ve made. I think the next one will be for me.

Itty Bitty Hats

2009-09-24T14:25:00.001-04:00

I love everything Itty Bitty. I saw the Itty Bitty Hats book at my local yarn store and had to have it. That was followed by Itty Bitty Nursery. And of course the soon to be released Itty Bitty Toys is on order. These books are wonderful. Here are 2 hats from Itty Bitty Hats.

The white doesn’t show up very well but it’s about 1 dozen white knitted roses all sewn to the top. VERY cute.

Is that not the cutest daisy hat ever?

More Miss N Cuteness

2009-09-21T16:26:00.001-04:00

Here are a few more pictures of Miss N modeling little outfits I made for her. This is the Easy Empire Waist pattern from Amy Butler’s book. More on that here.

This outfit is from Martha Pullen’s Sew Beautiful magazine.

Love those glasses!

This post is for Tammy

2009-09-08T16:54:00.001-04:00

I saw my sister-in-law Tammy on Labor Day. She mentioned that my blog hasn’t been updated in a while. What??? An actual person that reads and follows my blog?! Thanks Tammy. It’s nice to know that there are people out there…so this one is for you.

Remember the Block of the Month club that I joined in the spring of last year? Well, I really enjoyed it. It was fun getting a surprise block in the mail every month and all the fabric to make it. It’s been a while since the BOM was finished and I decided to try and find another one that would suit me. I found one. If you haven’t heard of Lori Holt then you are in for a treat. She creates the most amazing hand applique quilt patterns with a unique vintage feel. I’ve been eyeing her Apron Club pattern for a while but didn’t know if I was up for the task.

Just look at all those incredibly cute aprons. I’ve tried and been pretty successful with machine applique but applique done by hand takes on a whole other look. I found an on-line shop hosting a BOM using this very pattern! The club doesn’t start until November but I’ve been practicing. I had some Moda toweling and some fat quarters lying around so I gave it a whirl. So fun. There is a lot of prep work but in my opinion, well worth it. I like this tutorial. Here is my sample (click picture to enlarge):

I’ll post aprons as they come.

Bye bye shawl

2009-08-17T17:16:00.001-04:00

I first learned to spin on a top whirl drop spindle. I had this grand idea that I would knit a shawl from yarn spun on my little drop spindle. And so I began. I’d spin until my little spindle was full, wind a center pull ball from my spindle, create a 2 ply yarn from the center pull ball on a slightly heavier spindle. Move the 2 ply to a niddy noddy and finally soak to set the twist. Once dry, I would knit my paltry bit of yarn into my SLOWLY growing shawl. What the hell was I thinking! A few months after I started this project I got a spinning wheel.

Ahhhh. I lOVE this wheel. It’s amazing how much faster I can spin yarn. I told my spinning instructor that I was going to finish the yarn for my shawl on my new wheel. She advised against it. She said that the finished yarn would not match. Did I listen. Hell no. I finished spinning the rest of my fiber on the wheel, and after plying, soaking and drying I was ready to finish my shawl.

All done and ready to be plied.

The second I started knitting I knew I was in trouble. The yarn created on the spinning wheel was considerable thinner. The fabric I was creating was totally different. I pondered over it for a couple of days. I brought it to work to show my friend Lisa and get her opinion and in the end, I just couldn’t finish it. I was never going to be happy with it and there are so many more things that I want to make that I decided to cut it loose. I suppose there is a lesson to be learned here but I’m not sure what it is yet.

Hexagons

2009-08-10T16:19:00.001-04:00

I’ve come across quilts and other sewn items with perfect little hexagons sewn together. I love the look but thought the process too tedious. I recently came across the cutest little coaster project using hexagons. The directions suggested trying English paper piecing and sited a source for these. They come in different sizes and actually, there are all kinds of shapes to be had. I placed my order. Here are my little pieces. They are similar to a light weight cardstock. You can cut your own but really, I got 125 pieces for $3.50.

So, I found bits of fabric (great for using those small pieces hanging around), and proceeded to create little hexagons. The hexagons were then sewn together by hand, the paper removed and then hand appliqued to some background fabric. Seems like a lot of work for a coaster but I was just playing around and didn’t want to commit to anything big. It was actually very easy and this English paper piecing technique yields perfect little hexagons.

I’m not sure I’d make a large quilt with these but they could be used in many other ways. I also like the fact that this makes a great portable sewing project.

Concentration or Memory

2009-08-04T13:55:00.001-04:00

Everyone seems to have their own particular name for this game but it all boils down to the same thing…You have several cards, each of which is duplicated. All cards are placed image side down in a random order. A person then turns over 2 cards and if the cards match, keep them. If not, then they get flipped back over. You must remember the location of as many cards as you can so you can collect the most and win. Well, my little great nephew will be 3 at the end of the year and this year he is getting his own personalized version of this game. I saw this done with fabric instead of photos and another similar version in this book. Of course it wouldn’t be complete without a little bag to hold the “cards”. I used some Michael Miller fabric for the bag.

I printed the pictures on fabric printer sheets. I got mine at Joann’s Fabric store. I was able to get 2 pictures on one sheet by passing the fabric sheet though again after repositioning it in the printer. I wanted the little cards to be sturdy so I made a sandwich consisting of craft felt, Timtex, craft felt and then finally the picture. The Timtex really gave it body. I hope he likes it!

Tic Tac Toe Anyone?

2009-07-25T11:02:00.001-04:00

I wanted a little project with some handwork to do. I finished the smocking on a little top (pictures to come) and needed some more handwork. I am in the process of knitting a lace scarf but I MUST pay attention when I’m working on that. Sometimes mindless is good. I dug out some old magazines and came across a cute Tic Tac Toe game board with a matching bag. The game pieces are fabric yo yo’s. Great fat quarter project and Lord knows I have plenty. This thing took forever! I always underestimate the time it takes to do hand embroidery. I wasn’t in a rush or anything, I just thought this was going to be quick and easy. It was long and easy. It was worth it though.

The bag:

The game board with yo yo’s:

The back of the game board:

My friend Pam and I took this for a test drive. She thinks the game ended in a tie but truthfully, I won. Let’s not tell her, ok?

Discovery Bag

2009-07-13T16:15:00.001-04:00

I saw this little project somewhere and discovered this pattern by make it perfect. This is the cutest idea. You basically create a completely sealed bag filled with about 20 or so small objects and some sort of filler…in this case little plastic balls. The idea is to find all the objects by squishing the bag and moving things around. It’s a good idea to give this gift with a list of everything you put in the bag. Here’s mine before stuffing:

and after:

This kit came from Australia and it had the pre-printed list of things to put in the bag. I had to laugh because I wasn’t sure what a couple of the items were. So, by process of elimination I now know that a cotton bud is a Q-tip and a peg is a clothes pin. I suppose I should pass this info on to the person that receives this Discovery Bag. Maybe not.

Mystery Solved!

2009-07-10T15:34:00.001-04:00

The 12 month, Mystery Designer Block of the Month quilt top is done! Not bad. I received my first block in June of 2008 and my last in May of 2009. I enjoyed making this quilt (except for the part where I had to redo the first 5 blocks). I love the sashing. When I first saw it, I knew it was going to be a lot work but hey, I’d come this far. Here it is hanging from the side of my deck weighted down with 2 heavy ceramic kitchen bowls. I was so intent on keeping the bowls out of the picture that I totally missed the garden hose!

I really like the stars at all the intersections. It’s really pretty and I’m totally happy with it. I bet it would look better without a hose up its… :) This club was sponsored by the FatQuarterShop. This online store is one of my favorites. I thought of doing the 2009 Mystery BOM but it looked similar to this one. Hmmm, what to make next?

A quick view of all 12 blocks

2009-07-03T08:22:00.002-04:00

I’m about half way through sewing and attaching the sashing to the blocks. Here’s a quick look at all 12.

View Full Album

I’ll post the completed top soon and then it’s off to the machine quilters!

Little Projects, Big Satisfaction

2009-07-01T15:41:00.003-04:00

Seems like I can never start a large project and go all the way without picking up some little projects along the way. Sort of a distraction as well as instant gratification. I finally taught myself to machine applique earlier this year. I look for things to applique. I heart applique. I look at things in my house and wonder how they would look with a flower, bird or dog applique. In order to save what I do have of decor, I asked my friend Lisa to bring me a tee shirt for her daughter Rebecca that I could, of course, applique. She brought me 2. Miss Rebecca loves dogs and they have a huskie mix. More huskie than mix. Lisa got her inexpensive (not cheap) tee shirts from Michael’s craft store. I also happened to have small white tee from Target. A bargain at $1.50 on the clearance rack. I can’t believe how well they washed. The little Target tee was too small for some of the applique’s I have on hand so I used a cookie cutter.

How can you not get Big Satisfaction from these? Scraps of fabric and very little effort.

The Final BOM

2009-06-29T16:10:00.008-04:00

Yes, that's right...I've finished BOM XII. I bought the finishing kit a while back and have started piecing that together too. I can't wait to send this thing to the quilter! I did a little calculating. Seems like there were a LOT of pieces to this quilt top so I counted up all the pieces that need to be cut for each block as well as the sashing. How's 593 sound? It is a lot. Anyway, Block XII is called Harmony and was designed by Me And My Sister Designs.

Stayed tuned for a picture of finished top!

Miss L's turns 10!

2009-06-23T15:59:00.007-04:00

Well, it's come and gone and I feel bad about missing the date. Better late than never. Miss L turned 10 on June 8th. I can hardly believe it! Her "sister" sent her a lovely birthday card. Check out the bikini top. I wonder where she got that suit!

Happy Belated Birthday Miss L!

Class of '09

2009-06-22T16:02:00.011-04:00

Remember Allie and her laundry bag? Well, she graduated high school last Friday night. Her parents had a party for her on Saturday. I decided to make her a little something. I took a photo of her and her boyfriend from his prom, printed it out on fabric printer sheets and made a pillow with some of my Anna Maria Horner fat quarters. I just love those fabric printer sheets!

I should have taken a picture of the back. The fabric was another from Anna Maria Horner's fabric line, Garden Party. A gorgeous polka dot. I also made some graduation cap pops to decorate the table (and to eat too). I saw this over at Bakerella's site. If you've never visited her site then you are missing out. Here are my graduation pops.

For directions on making these pops as well as many more wonderful things, visit Bakerella. You will not be disappointed.

I crafted for me

2009-06-15T15:44:00.014-04:00

I made myself a little sewing caddy. I cannot tell you how much I like this thing. It holds everything. Generally when I sit to do handwork, I forget 1 or more things. I make a few trips back and forth to my sewing room until I have everything I need. When I saw this dandy gadget, well, I had to have one. I chose some fabric from my Anna Maria Horner fat quarters and some Amy Butler fabric.
The top piece is weighted with rice. It's filled with fiber and serves as a pin cushion. The attached flap has pockets to store scissors, ruler, marker...whatever. The bag (for threads, yarns or any scraps you accumulate) has a button on the inside and hangs from the loop.

Here is a picture with the bag attached.

Perched on the arm of my couch ready for business!

You can get a free tutorial of this project here.

Flower Fairies

2009-06-10T07:59:00.014-04:00

Cicely Mary Barker was the illustrator that created the famous flower fairies. Michael Miller fabrics came out with a line using her illustrations. They are very beautiful. I wanted to make something with this fabric but I wasn't sure what. I decided on a smocked bishop style dress. The thing about this style dress is that it needs to be partially constructed before going through the pleater. The edging on the sleeves (in this case lace) and the pleating on the sleeves if any also have to be done before pleating the main dress. The seams make the pleating a little more challenging. I will document the whole process the next time I do one. This fabric is a heavier weight cotton which just added to all the pleating fun. By that I mean I had to do it twice. Smocking was also not as nice as when done on a fine cotton batiste because there was a lot of friction on the threads when passing through the fabric. This required that I keep my thread lengths relatively short to minimize fraying. I can't say the process was a fun one and I even considered tossing the whole thing but I pushed on. Here is my smocked flower fairy bishop dress.

Honey, I told you so.

2009-06-01T15:51:00.006-04:00

A couple of days ago I walked into my husband's office to use the computer. I immediately stopped short because while working at his drafting table, he placed several building plans on the floor in one of Miss L's "favorite" spots.

Me: Honey, you put paper on the floor where Miss L likes to lay. This is one of her "favorite" spots.

Honey: It's only for a short while...she has at least 2 other "favorite" spots in this room alone and 6 more throughout the house.

Me: Honey, I'm going to be in here and she likes that spot when I'm reading email.

Honey: It won't be for long and there are plenty of other places for her to lay.

Me: Shrug.

Fast forward approximately 2 minutes into the future.

Crinkle, crinkle. Crinkle, crinkle.

Me: Honey, I told you so!

Laundry 101

2009-05-27T17:39:00.011-04:00

My young (well, compared to me) friend Allie is off to Loyola College in Maryland this fall. She's extremely excited. I decided to make something for her as a "Congratulations" present...a personalized laundry bag. We moms think of all the important things in life. :) I used some Amy Butler Midwest Modern fabric from my stash. Of course it didn't make a dent in the stash but it was nice using some of this very fun fabric. Anyway, here are a few pictures of Allie and the bag of course.

Wait, is that a dirty sock I see under that table?

Allie, good luck, have fun, work hard, call often and please get an A+ in Laundry 101!

Can a person have too many bags?

2009-05-19T16:19:00.016-04:00

Apparently not, especially if you look at my collection. I do love bags! Here is a very cute bag I recently did for summer. I quilted the outer fabric and put a binding in one of my favorite Amy Butler fabrics. Actually, the whole bag is done in Amy Butler fabrics from her Midwest Modern collection.

Check out this little halter shirt I made for a young girl. Now tell me, what would a very cute top be without a matching bag?

On another note...a couple of friends and I attented the 3rd Annual Rhode Island Sheep and Wool festival. It's a great festival even if you don't knit, spin or weave. There is a kids craft tent where they can try all these things as well as a sit and knit area where you can park yourself and knit. Great way to meet new friends. And of course there is the shopping. My friend Lisa brought her camera and I'm sure she'll be posting soon. I'm a little worried since I let myself be photographed with a donkey. Anyway it's a great festival in a beautiful a setting.

It's been a while

2009-05-13T17:10:00.011-04:00

I know it's been a while but you know how that goes. Anyway, I have a BOM update. The twelvth and final block arrived last week. I need to sew that one as well as redo 3, 4 and 5. Almost there. I hope to have the top pieced together by the end of June and at the machine quilters shortly after.
Block IX - Pinwheel Wonder by Deborah Schoof

Block X - Steppin' Up by Camille Roskelley

Block XI - Anka's Star by Heather Peterson

Spring Flowers

2009-03-28T13:03:00.010-04:00

I'm not sure if non-sewers know who Karri Mecca is but she is one of my favorite children's clothes designers. Her designs are always gorgeous and beautifully embellished. She recently came out with a book called Sewing with Whimsy. There was a beautiful dress that I really wanted to make. However, I would have to make approximately 16 flowers from rick rack trim and attach them to a floating trellis hem detail. I could hear my friend Maria asking me what the heck I was thinking but what the heck...I like a sewing challenge. It took many hours to complete but was so worth it. Of course I'll never make another but it was a fun process. Here is the finished dress with a couple of close ups of the flowers. The pictures were taken by my friend Helen. Thanks Helen!

A Finished Machine Applique Project

2009-03-09T16:28:00.010-04:00

I made a bag for my daughter with my first finished applique block.
Front:

Back:

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, this is very addicting. I wanted to do more so I made a block for a friend at work. She has 2 very cute Boxers. I made the block and sent it along with some leftover fabric that she really liked. I'll have to post a picture of whatever it is she comes up with.

The block is still wet...I couldn't wait to take the picture. Very fun.

A little embroidery and practicing my applique

2009-02-26T16:08:00.012-05:00

I bought a book a while ago that had applique patterns of large breed dogs. I've been wanting to try machine applique for so long. I'm not sure why I always hesitate but I think that it's partly because it looked difficult to go around corners and get into small spaces. Anyway, I finally yanked out the book and traced a pattern for a simple embroidered dish towel.

Very nice and my daughter loved it. Now on to the machine applique. I prepared a piece for practice. I cut a crazy shape that would let me try different angles and curves. Once I figured out which presser foot I felt comfortable with and worked out all the other little issues I found that I really like doing and that it was pretty simple. Just takes a little practice. You really need to slow down on your sewing speed too. I have two completed projects to show next time I post...maybe more. I can't seem to stop. :)

Baby N models her new outfit

2009-02-21T13:13:00.005-05:00

She looks ready for a day out on the town!

New Fleece Coat

2009-02-10T13:16:00.007-05:00

I was browsing through Joann's a few weeks ago and stumbled across this pattern.

It's a diystyle pattern by McCall's...MP259. You can basically interchange any of the elements you want. If like the neckline of one and the sleeve of another, no problem. It's all just mix and match. I liked it and decided to make one for myself. It's nearly done. I need to chop about 3 inches from the bottom, hem it and add a couple of snaps. I'm not sure what possessed me to pick the sleeves I did but I'll have to live with them now.

My goal is to finish it in time for spring.
Here's Miss L with her favorite piece of Patriot's football fleece.

What knitting and crafting is all about

2009-01-28T08:59:00.004-05:00

It doesn't get much better than seeing something you've made being worn so beautifully.

It doesn't get much cuter than that either!

BOM VIII

2009-01-23T16:10:00.005-05:00

BOM VIII arrived and was promptly pieced together. It was designed by Bonnie Olaveson.

I couldn't be happier with my 1/4 inch presser foot! Time to redo BOM II.

She should have a name

2009-01-14T12:45:00.009-05:00

She should have a name with all the personality she has but I can't think of a good one. In my last post I mentioned that I picked up quite a few free project sheets at my local Joann's. One was for this very cute "monster".

I had quite a bit of fleece left over from
this project so I decided to make one. I think she'll accompany the jacket set when that goes. Any ideas on a name?

Butterick 5092...Vintage?

2009-01-09T16:04:00.016-05:00

I bought this Butterick baby fleece pattern a few years ago. I just did a search and found it listed under vintage patterns. Geez. It didn't seem like that long ago. Anyhoo, I did make the jacket and hat once and really liked the pattern. Joann's had a huge fleece sale a few weeks ago and you know how that goes. I bought the cutest pink and white dog fleece fabric and a coordinating white with black paw print. I thought I'd make this pattern again but with matching pants and scarf this time.

You can't really see the buttons too good but they are paw print buttons. They really make the jacket.

I have quite a lot of fleece left over. I picked up a cute free pattern at Joann's for a Funny Fleece Doll. I think I'll make one to go with this outfit.

Noah's Ark Quilt

2008-12-28T10:10:00.014-05:00

Now that the Noah's Ark quilt has been delivered to Miss N as a present for her first birthday I can post some pictures. This quilt was pieced BEFORE I'd figured out the problem with my 1/4 inch seams so some of the joins are not as nice as I'd like them. Overall, I like the way it came out.

Lot's of "fussy cutting".

I had the quilt machine quilted by someone in a neighboring town. We decided on fluffy clouds to match the backing fabric.

Happy Birthday Miss N!!!!!

BOM VII

2008-12-19T12:44:00.009-05:00

BOM VII arrived and I promptly pieced it together with my new 1/4 inch foot. BOM VI turned out great once I figured out how to get a perfect seam with the presser feet I had. The 1/4 inch foot was already on it's way so I decided to keep it. Block VII was designed by Debbie Beaves and is called Sawtooth Patchwork Block.

Look at those points! Look at those seams! Perfect!
After I finished this block, I compared VI and VII with the first 5. I can't live with them. None are the correct finished size and the points and seams aren't quite right. I contacted the BOM people and ordered another set of the first 5 blocks. At first I couldn't believe that I could chuck the wonky ones away but hey, there is a lot of work going into this quilt and I will not be happy with the outcome if I let this go. I'll just cut my losses now and redo them. I'll repost the before and after's when I'm done.

Extremely Fun Pillow Cases

2008-12-15T16:26:00.017-05:00

I've been on a roll lately with the pillow cases. Probably because I like sleeping so much. :) I found this book at Michael's Craft store and couldn't resist. This little book is filled with the best projects for bags, pillow cases and more. Good way to use up those fabric pieces. So far I've made 2 of the pillow case projects from the book for my 2 great nephews...the lion and the shark.
The front end (can you see the legs hanging on the side?):

The back end:

The shark:

They are both very cute but I have to say that I like the shark best. The batik fabric I found with the fish on it was perfect. One thing I learned from this, shark's teeth are way easier to make than a lion's mane!

Christmas Pillow Cases/ DSL Hell

2008-12-08T15:04:00.016-05:00

I didn't know what to title today's post. I have been living in DSL hell for about a month. I'm waiting for the Verizon technician as I write this and hope that I don't lose my connection before I'm finished. Enough about that. I love making pillow cases. They are an inexpensive, easy project with very fun results. I made these for my friend's 3 girls. They had a 40% off sale at Joann's on Debbie Mumm holiday fabric...how could I resist.

I have 2 more in the works that are..."different". I'll post those as soon as I'm finished.

BOM VI

2008-11-26T10:01:00.010-05:00

I can't believe it took me constructing 5 blocks before I realized that my 1/4 inch seems were a little wide. I had a very hard time with BOM V. I needed to get this problem resolved before the next block arrived. I started playing around with the different presser feet that I have for my machine and discovered that if I use my #0 foot and move my needle one position to the right that I get a perfect 1/4 inch seem. You wouldn't think that the little bit that I was off would make such a big difference but the more pieces in the block the more the problem escalates. I'm very happy with BOM VI. It's called Sunrise Star and it was designed by Margot Languedoc. The points are all lined up nicely and the finished block is the right size. I'm so happy!

Travelling Casserole

2008-11-19T08:08:00.016-05:00

I saw this cool casserole carrier in an issue of Crafts 'n Things. There is a piece of cotton batting sandwhiched between the two layers of fabric so it acts like a hot pad too. First you create 2 rectangles...cotton batting between the outer fabric and the lining. Next, you lay one piece over the other to form a cross. Stitch along the 4 borders where they meet. Add some ribbon to form a casing. Slip wooden dowels through the ribbon to create handles. Add velcro to the other two ends and done. Very simple and very handy.
This picture shows the carrier after construction...all laid out, lining side up.

Next, place your 9 x 13 inch casserole dish in the center (preferably with food in it).

Then bring the velcro ends up to meet each other and fasten. One piece of velcro is attached to the lining side and the other to the outer side.

The wooden dowels are easily removed so that the casserole carrier can be washed.

My First Time...Shirring That Is.

2008-11-11T09:39:00.016-05:00

Remember the pleating tutorial? Well, it's finally finished. The smocking took longer than I expected but the thing that was really holding me back was the thought of shirring the back. I've been sewing a long time and it has never come up. Basically, it's a form of gathering. You buy good quality elastic thread. You have to hand wind your bobbin, putting slight tension on the elastic as you go. You use regular thread in the needle. Then you just sew. Yea, right. Might as well give it a try since the back was 3 times wider than the front and something had to be done. I didn't take pictures of the process but basically I placed lines along the back where I needed to sew and then jumped in. Oh yea, don't back stitch at the beginning and end. I have to say that it was very easy and I'm pleased with how it turned out. You can actually move the fabric along the sewn lines to bring it in more. Heavier fabric requires more tension on the elastic thread when you are winding the bobbin. I started with 8 rows of shirring but ended up with 7. I snapped the thread on one of the rows but luckily it was the last one. Anyway, here is my completed smocked sun dress using one of my favorite fabrics from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern collection.

Full view:

Close up of smocking:

The shirring:

A very cute pin:

So pretty!

BOM V

2008-11-03T16:06:00.005-05:00

Also known as "Peppermint Star" by Vicki Bellino. I've been struggling with pieced quilt block squares lately. Not sure what my problem is because I'm so careful when I cut and sew. Ugh. This block should have been 12 1/2 inches square when done but only measured in at 11 1/2 inches square! I'm not happy since I somehow managed to end up with 12 1/2 squares with the first 4. I talked this over with my friend Lisa and discovered that the presser foot that I've been using is NOT the 1/4 inch presser foot for my machine. Are you shi(*(*& me? It's more like a weak 3/8ths or very strong 1/4 inch. When piecing blocks with many pieces it's very important to sew seams that are exactly 1/4 inch. I'm going to have to put a 1/2 inch border around this guy when I make the quilt so that it all fits together nicely. I've since gone out and ordered the 1/4 inch foot from Bernina and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. Here is the horizontally and vertically challenged BOM V.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:23:00.002-04:00

"Thank You" Totes

2008-10-29T16:00:00.013-04:00

My daughter recently got married! She planned and executed the whole thing in 2 1/2 months. Hard to believe but when she makes her mind up about something...well let's just say, "Get the hell out of the way"! She did have help though. Three of her friends did a lot of work and helped make the reception a success. She wanted to thank them in some way. I suggested she make them totes from some Alexander Henry fabric. We came up with a plan. I cut all the pieces out for the bags. I went to her house one Saturday and we set up shop. I pressed and pinned and she sewed. It took us about 3 1/2 hours but we did get it done in one day. She is a beginner but you'd never know looking at these bags! She did a great job and her friends loved them.

The other lady in the house...not so much help.

Dear Skie

2008-10-24T16:31:00.009-04:00

As you well know, there is a new handmade quilt living with you. I can only imagine your excitement when you first laid eyes on this new potential playground...tail wagging, body wiggling, tongue hanging. I'm here to ask you to "Just Say No"! "Just Say No" to playing tug of war with the quilt. "Just Say No" to dragging it around the house to see how many things you can knock over. "Just Say No" to gripping it by a corner and dragging it through the doggie door and into the back yard for who knows what fate. "Just Say No"! There will be an extra treat for you next time I see you and a big hunk of fleece to take it's place. :)

The quilt I made my daughter and her husband. Fabric is from the City Girl collection. I LOVE it.

Another Helping of Pumpkin Pie Anyone?

2008-10-20T16:18:00.007-04:00

Well, I'm up for another slice. Here's baby N sporting her pumpkin hat.

And, in case you don't remember, you can see the first course here.
I think everyone should have one...don't you?

Amy Butler's Birdie Sling Bag

2008-10-14T15:57:00.027-04:00

A friend of my daughter always comments on the bags I make her. Occasionally, her friends ask if I make things for money. I don't like the idea of that because I like to make what I want, when I want. I did agree to make a bag for Miss Sarah. She gave me free reign. She has a little one so she wanted a fairly good sized bag. She also told me that she likes greens and blues. Ok...armed with that information I decided on the Birdie Sling Bag by Amy Butler. I wanted to use fabric from her new decorator fabric collection, August Fields. I've made a few things using Amy Butler patterns and I'm not always happy with the way things go together. This bag however, was a pleasant surprise. It went together well and there weren't and "challenging" areas. The handle is comprised of two pieces...one for the outer layer and the other for the lining/underside. The outer layer as well as the lining is cut from one piece of fabric. As I was getting ready to sew it together, I realized that the directional fabric I used for the handle was going to throw the handle off. The pattern would be going up one side and then down the other. Yuck. I cut the 2 handle pieces in half right at the shoulder. I then sewed them back together using one half from the outer layer and the lining for each new handle. The outer handle now has the fabric direction going the same way. The lining section is going in the opposite direction. I don't mind that so much because it's the lining and at least it's consistent. I really like the bag and would make it again. The August Fields fabric seems heavier to me than Amy Butler decorator fabric in past collections. I would probably use a regular weight cotton next time.

The bottom of the handle is very wide. It starts in the front, wraps around the side and finishes in the back. If I hadn't rearranged the handles the way I did, you would see the pattern on the left side going in the opposite direction as the right side. This is much better.

There are also 2 very nice pockets...one small and one large.

Hope she likes it!

I'm Stingy With My Hand Knit Socks

2008-10-03T16:16:00.015-04:00

That's usually my motto when I make socks. I'm very generous with everything else but socks is a differnt matter. They take me a while to knit and I absolutely love wearing them and of course they are so nice to look at. That said, by the time they are off the needles I can't think about giving them up. BUT, I did just that recently. My neighbor has always admired my socks. She's like a real fan. I knew she would really appreciate them and I had the perfect yarn that would suit her. It took me most of the summer but they are complete and in her posession. She LOVED them. Here they are:

I used the Peak Experience pattern from Fiber Trends.
It's good she lives close by. I can visit them if I need to. :)

BTW...There's a new blog in town. Stop by and check out MrsMamaMia. If this blog ends up half as good as her cooking then we are in for a treat!

Pumpkin Hat Part II & Pumpkin Pie

2008-09-30T16:01:00.011-04:00

First up is Pumpkin Hat II. It's finished, boxed up and on it's way. Here it is.

Now for the pumpkin pie.

Need I say more?

Fall is in the air!

2008-09-22T16:37:00.005-04:00

Fall is in the air and I love it! It's my favorite time of year. I love the color in the trees and the crispy air. To celebrate Fall, I crocheted this very cute little pumpkin hat.

I don't do much crocheting but every now and then I get the urge. I think it was one of the first crafts I learned how to do. My Grandmother crocheted and she taught me. She couldn't read patterns and did everything from memory. Good thing I can read patterns cuz I can't remember sh&^*&^&! The one nice thing about crocheting is that you can complete a project quickly. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino for this project. I couldn't decide between this shade of orange and another that was available so I bought both. Stay tuned for Pumpkin Hat part II.

BOM IV

2008-09-16T15:54:00.007-04:00

The Mystery Block of the Month IV arrived last Friday and I got right to work. I'm happy to say it's done. Very pretty.

I think I'll take a picture of them together once I get six done to get a feel for what the finished quilt will look like. Till next time...

Quick "Hello"

2008-09-11T16:04:00.016-04:00

I've actually got 2 really great, nearly finished projects to show you but I'm worried that the recipients might see them and guess that they are for them. I'm pretty caught up with my sewing projects and of course I'm looking for a new one. My current purse is getting a little worn so I thought I'd make a new one. I've decided on an Amy Butler pattern...The Madison, and some of her fabric from the Nigella collection. I like the weight of this fabric. It's a bit heavier and great for bags.

My fourth Mystery Block of the Month should be in any day. Good timing. I'll be able to get right to it and stay on schedule. Oh yea, I also finished one more block from my Anna Maria Horner Garden Party quilt. Three done and 6 to go! These block are big. 17 inches x 17 inches and they have a lot of little pieces. I'm trying to make at least one between other projects so that it will get done this year. I'll get some sashing and backing fabric once all the blocks are done and put together.

A Bowl of Key Fobs!

2008-09-02T16:09:00.014-04:00

They are done. Can you say "HalleluYah"! I made 50 of them. Actually, it was not bad at all. I set up a mini assembly line for myself and got to work. Take a gander...aren't they pretty?

On another note...there's a new blog in town. Introducing Nicole! Good job Nicole. She's very talented and does just about everything. SO, if you like crafting you should check it out. You won't be disappointed. :)
Gotta go now. Miss L needs to go out.

Easy Empire-Waist Top

2008-08-26T13:50:00.017-04:00

Well, maybe the Not-So-Easy Empire-Waist Top. I made this VERY cute top from Amy Butler's Little Stitches book. The projects in this book are rated 1 - 5...1 being the easiest and 5 the most difficult. This top had a rating of 4. Seems to go against the "easy" part of the name. I do a LOT of sewing and there were a couple of challenging parts but I'm happy with the project overall. Of course what would a shirt be without a hat and bloomers? The hat and bloomers came from the same book. The hat is really great. It has a stuffed butterfly in the front that is attatched with velcro. A built-in toy!
Front:

Back:

Bloomers:

Hat:

I have to say that I really like EVERY project in this book and I intend to make every one!

Key Fob

2008-08-22T16:02:00.013-04:00

My daughter informed me a couple of weeks ago that she and her boyfriend are getting married! Woo hoo. Oh yea, on October 17th...of this year! I'm having a bridal shower here at my house for her in September. One of the things we discussed was shower favors. My daughter is very practical and wanted something useful so I suggested key fobs. I've seen these around and wanted one for myself. Here was my chance. She picked out pretty ribbon at jcarolinecreative.com. I LOVE this site. Great inventory and excellent service. They also have free directions for making key fobs. In case you don't know what these are, they are key chains with a handy loop to slip your hand through. So, instead of placing your keys on a counter or wherever when out shopping, just slip them on your wrist for safe keeping. I have a prototype to show you.

Only 49 more to go!

BOM III

2008-08-13T15:57:00.009-04:00

My new mystery Block of the month arrived Monday and I got right to it. It's really pretty and I think my favorite so far. I need to be more careful when I cut. It looks a little cockeyed to me but hopefully will be ok when it's incorporated into the quilt.

That's actually fabric in the center and not the carpet. I'm starting a new little outfit today from Amy Butler's Little Stitches. This books is awesome and a must have. I'll post pictures next time

Garden Wall Quilt

2008-08-08T13:18:00.009-04:00

I've started a new quilt and I'm going to keep this one! I absolutely LOVE Anna Maria Horner's new Garden Party Fabric. There is a free pattern for the Garden Wall quilt on her site. The center is made of 9 blocks...each composed of many smaller blocks. I used approximately 13 fat quarters, all from the Garden Party collection. I should have done some basic math before I got started. I'm glad I didn't though because if I had I would have figured out that I had to cut 459 little squares and rectangles and that may have changed my mind. Block one is complete. The biggest obstacle is keeping all the pieces straight. I have all these little piles all over my desk. I think it's worth it though. Here's a picture of the first block.

Isn't it pretty? Looks like Miss L is exhausted too from all this cutting and piecing!

Stippling

2008-07-31T14:52:00.022-04:00

I've been doing some small scale quilting lately and I realized I'd never tried stippling. This technique involves taking your quilt sandwhich (backing fabric, batting and quilted top fabric) over to your machine, lower the feed dogs and start moving your piece around so that you have a nice pleasing meandering of stitches to hold the three layers together. You have to completely control your stitch length when the feed dogs are lowered. I've been told it's simple but takes a little practice. Hhmmm, what to make. I hate doing practice stuff. I pretty much always go right into a project and hope for the best. I decided to keep the project small. I saw this cute little girls craft bag. The front has little pockets for crayons. Very cute. Unfortunately I used monofilament thread so you can't see the stippling but take my word for it...it's not a bad first attempt.
The front:

The back:

Inside:

I sent this bag to my little buddy Katie. The cutest 4 year old on the planet. She has 2 sisters and a brother so I sent a little something for them too. Baby Maggie got a new bib.

I attached the cutest daisy applique to the front and didn't take another picture.
Big sister Alex got a beautiful pair of sea glass earrings. Picture. What picture? Do you see a trend here? And finally Ben. What to make a 9 year old boy that he won't think is stupid. I know. I had some left over fabric from the
quilt so I made him a pillowcase.

That ought to help in the "sweet dreams" department. He said it was "sick". His mother assured me that that was good.

BOM II

2008-07-28T15:58:00.007-04:00

I received my second Mystery Block of the Month last week. I really want to keep up with it and have every block finished before the next one arrives. So far, so good. Here is block number 2.

Crazy Daisy Hat

2008-07-21T19:01:00.008-04:00

It's finished, it's very cute and I probably won't ever make it again. It's one of those projects you see and absolutely love and have to make. A bit more work than I'd like for a baby hat although now that it's done I believe it was worth it. If you are not familiar with Debby Ware and her designs you should check them out here. She's a wonderful designer. Here's my Lazy Daisy Hat by Debby Ware.

I sewed velcro to the back of the daisy applique and the front of the i-cord on top so the flower could be removed for washing. I think I'll hang onto this one for awhile. It's a very happy hat and you can't help but smile when you look at it. Maybe I will make another...someday.

Da BOM

2008-07-15T16:00:00.013-04:00

BOM...as in Block of the Month. My friend Lisa and I joined a mystery BOM. This BOM is offered from The Fat Quarter Shop. Every month, starting last month, we get fabric and directions to make a quilt block. Each one is designed by a different person and we never know what we are going to get. That's the fun part. I like the "mystery" part of this club. The fabric is from the Peace on Earth collection by 3 Sisters. Here is a peek at the club. My goal is to keep up. So far so good. One month down and one block completed. The next one should be here tomorrow. Here's a picture of my first block.

I really like it. The pace is good and in about a year and a half I'll have a finished quilt. :)

Fibery Goodness

2008-07-10T16:50:00.005-04:00

My neighbor next door and her husband travelled to Prince Edward Island, Canada last week. She thought about me on her island adventure because they kept coming across all things fiber. She brought me back 4 oz of roving called "Fortune Bay". It's 40% Alpaca, 40% Merino, 10% Soy Silk and 10% Bombyx Silk. Absolutely gorgeous! I have to stop handling because I may felt it before I get to spin it.

Thanks Cheryl!