Toaster Oven Cover

Last month I had to replace my toaster oven.  It had the cutest cover that does not fit on the new one. My family is coming for Thanksgiving weekend and I needed a new cover for my toaster oven.  Keep in mind, it is a WIP (work in progress).  The plans to finish were interrupted by my need to clean, shop and the rest that goes with the holiday.  Anyway, I got enough done to use as a cover.

Here's my original plan.  I want it so there are four different fronts to change at my whim.  Here are two so far.  The black with white dots is box pleated on the bottom and the black and white check is gathered.  You can still see the chalk quilting marks. Don't you just love the fabric?  It's PamKittyLove fabric and I've heard the PamKittyPicnic fabric is arriving at the shops.

Below is the other side.  The plan was to embellish the red checks with maybe cupcake appliques or something that would scream red.  It needs some side ties but haven't figured that out yet.

The picture below shows the old cover that served well for many years. I'll pass on to my neighbor. Gosh, it almost fits my sewing machine. :)

Fall Machine Trapunto Quilt

Do you ever say "when it's done, it's done"?  I like the look of trapunto and doing it by machine is a neat process.  However, it is doing free motion twice.  By the time I got the outlining completed, I was so tired of it I didn't do any fill quilting in the light areas.  On went the binding, amen.

Since the bougenvilla is still blooming, I had to get a picture with it even though the colors don't compliment.

If you've not done machine trapunto, here is the short story.  This quilt is comprised of many panel parts and additional fabric.  What parts are panel in this quilt?  The four middle blocks, the half square triangle strips, and the border--including the four cornerstones. After piecing the quilt, the top only is sandwiched with 16 oz. high loft batting and quilted using wash away thread in the top and regular thread in the bobbin. Washaway thread is white, but you will never see it when the quilt is completed.  Got it?  Another thing, don't get it wet or it dissolves like right now.

Then with scissors, you cut away all the batting you don't want puffing up your design.  You have to get real close to the stitching without cutting the threads.

Finally sandwich the top with regular batting and the backing.  Now you free motion again on top of what you've already stitched.  I chose to use red, green and brown threads where appropriate.  At this point you can fill around the areas that are not puffed up--or not.  I was ready to bind.  

The final step is to launder to wash away the first threads.  It's like magic.  I know I'll regret not stippling the white area. But, then, it will only come out for fall.

Here's a small quilt from my blog in February.  It's small panel and perhaps you can see the "fill" stitching.

For The Boys

Do you remember going to camp?  Or perhaps you recall putting your kids on the bus to go to camp. Whether a week or just a day, those days at camp were memorable. Camp fires were built, hot dogs and marshmallows roasted on a stick and camp songs around the fire. Great times for all.

It is difficult to come up with a project for boys without thinking of camp. Here's my camp quilt to use as a table topper.

Then by decreasing the size of the templates and using the leftover scraps, I made placemats.

Do you remember who wore the famous coonskin hat below? If you are as old as me you might remember Davy Crockett and this song.

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee
Greenest state in the land of the free
Raised in the woods so he knew ev'ry tree
Kilt him a b'ar when he was only three
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!

The backing looks like script writing.  Nothing fancy but it reminded me of the camp letters received from the young campers. Maybe a good title for the quilt would be "Letters From Camp."

Thanks to Amy from Sew Incredibly Crazy for managing this great-themed hop and to  Madame Samm from Sew We Quilt for her continued support to us who play with fabric.

Here is today's list of blogs to check out--you will be so inspired!

November 8^th

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Made By Me in Red

Freemotion by the River

Val's Quilting Studio

Tomorrow's Treasures Today

The Stitchin’ Post

The Nosy Pepper

The Reluctant Quilter