Spinning Tree

With scraps and odd buttons, a tree was formed using the Lil Twister tool and a friend's free formed pattern. When I say scraps, even the whites are from various projects. I'm not sure if I like this method as it seems to waste fabric. Anyway, those bright and odd Christmas fabrics are gone along with most of 2014.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season.

Marcy

Philanthropy Quilts

Here's one reason I've been less active on my blog.

The quilt tops were assembled by others in our group. All that was needed is batting, backing and some straight line quilting.

The second reason for less blogging is a forced cleaning of the sewing room. We are putting shutters on the windows and I need to lighten the load of stash and some of the stashkeepers to make for a more organized setting. Perhaps sewing in the new year will be less obstructed.
 

Santa's Village

This year our quilting group began hanging members' quilts at our clubhouse. Our community consists of 1100 homes and a lovely 25,000 sq. ft. clubhouse with outdoor activities as well.

Even though they don't hang well, it is still a nice display. My quilt is the one on the left. About four years ago about a dozen or more of us quilters decided to make this quilt. So far only four are completed.



Below is my quilt and you can see more of it from last year HERE.

 

This is a friend's quilt. We honestly did not work together on this--we all bought the book. It's amazing to see many of the same fabrics in both quilts. And, in a few blocks, identical fabric used for the buildings.

Marcy

Paper Dolls

I was surfing the net for Cyber Monday fabric sales and stopped at some of my regular sites when I discovered a Post Quilt Market Blog Tour at Riley Blake's Blog. Guess what? A new paper dolls fabric is out. It's called Paper Dolls Bakery. Can I tell you it is beyond cute? (Check Riley Blake's Blog for all the info on designer, etc.)

Back in 2009 I made my first paper doll quilt from a pattern in the January issue of Love of Quilting. It's a basic pattern and uses the most daydreaming fabric ever. Don't you just love those paper dolls and their sweet faces and poses.

Grabbed my camera and got out my paper doll quilt to show you. It's overcast today, which should produce good pictures, but it didn't.

Here are three of the cuties from the top row. I fused them on Kona Snow. There is only outline quilting and heavy stippling.

Here's the back with an envelop for the paper dolls; clothes and accessories. I cut a set for each doll and backed it with  white flannel. I guess it's something I remember--playing paper dolls. However, in my day, we used the Sears catalog.

When my quilt guild had a silent auction, I made a small quilt with just one of the girls. Again I put a pocket on the back for the extra dresses and accessories. The lady who bought it has a disable granddaughter. I hope she had many fun moments watching her play

I guess I'll pass on Cyber Monday sales and save my pennies for the new line when it appears in the shops.

Marcy

Harvest Cross Stitch Runner

 

I found it! It was mixed in with some old linens--mostly tea towels. Since my daughter, son-in-law and two adult grandkids will be here for Thanksgiving, I wanted to get it out and use it.

It's a printed panel bought to keep my hands busy when we were traveling. Cross stitch is not at the top of my hand work favs. It probably took me forever to finish and then I seldom get it out.



This next quilt was not made by me. However, I was the winner at the guild's mini quilt auction. Beautiful machine embroidery, applique and quilting.

May you have a bountiful Thanksgiving.

Marcy

Organized Sewing Machine Needles

 

A week ago on Quilting Arts, a guest showed how she organizes her machine needles. Perfect! I ran to my computer and designed an eight section sheet and labeled it with the needles I use most often on  my machine. If you are like me, we travel from one project to another with a need to change needles.

  

 

 

In MS Word I made a table--columns and rows. The lady on Quilting Arts had about this same chart, but hers was hand written. At the top of each column there's a number describing the needle size I use most often. You can customize this for your self. Perhaps machine embroiderers use a different type or size. It's printed on 8.5" x 11" fabric.

 

Then from Schmetz needle chart I cut out felt the color corresponding to the needle. I secured the swatches on the sewing machine--just across the top. See top photo.

 

Next I sandwiched with batting and backing then stitched in half going each way. The reason for the stitching is to make it easier to fold in half. See photos below.

 

Marcy

 

New Easy-to-Make Tea Cozy

Call it stash busting or whatever you want, but I call it divine. There's something about tea cozies besides their function. Needless to say, there are many in my closet. This one was so quick and easy that I'll probably make some for gifts.

It's a pattern from Connecting Threads one of my favorite places for fabric lately. Their patterns are well written with lots of pictures. You can't go wrong. If you need help, just email them with a question. The best part about this pattern is it was free.

It doesn't take much fabric. If you have a few fat quarters that work well together you are ready to go. It requires Insul Brite or batting. Nothing else--other than thread and your imagination.

Marcy

 

Chocolate Cupcake

Finished!

 

This was sew much fun. It's the Cupcake PP - block #1 in Sew Sweet QAL over at ShapeMoth's blog. There are four very sweet PP blocks and also PP lettering saying "Sew Sweet." I should have stayed with the designer's colors. But being a quilter, it needed to be chocolate. Maybe better browns would smooth it out. I just might make another--with pink frosting. I did machine trapunto and some heavy stippling around the cupcake to give it some depth.

You can better see the size when I set my mug next to it. That's the mug that holds the Hershey's chocolate kisses or M&Ms. Gotta have it.

It's time for me to print out her ice cream cones and get started on them. This time I'll follow her colors and be more please with my results.

Marcy
 

Happy Halloween

It's a dark cool morning here--just what you'd expect on Halloween. Yesterday I took the time to click some photos to share for the holiday.



First, I did not make this quilt. I bought it. It is showing some beautiful applique and gorgeous quilting. It's hanging around here every Halloween. Note to self: remove all personal threads next time.



Next, rolling in the same theme, here is a bundle of fabric I won at a silent auction Quilts of Valor a couple weeks ago. There are 22 fat quarters and two yards of the purple border print. Now all I need is a pattern and I'll be ready for Halloween next year.

Don't forget Pat over at Life in the Scrapatch is having Spider Web Quilt Along. With her photos you'll have a fun quilt in no time. Or catch the Halloween fabric clearance sales now and make it for next year. You'll be glad you did.

Here's the one I made, if you didn't catch my last post.

Marcy

Spider Web Quilt Along

Is everyone all decorated for Halloween? If not there's still time. My friend, Pat, over at Life in the Scrapatch is hosting a Spider Web Quilt Along with the neatest ever spiderweb table topper. She's got a step-by-step tutorial with lots and lots of pictures. Pat created this pattern last year for a blog hop. Wouldn't you know I just had to do it.

Sometimes those "have tos" get forgotten about which pushed me into digging through scraps to find enough to make one. I am so glad I pushed myself. There was much selection of fall scraps, so the brights were added.

I'm new to Flickr and also to Sew Alongs. I didn't realize we all sew together and share as we go. Perhaps I would have had more fun and selected other colors as I watch everyone else add pictures to the group. Maybe I should have thought of it more as a workshop or retreat where we are all sitting at our machines--together--stitching up this delightful project. But I didn't.

I somehow figured out to post early stages of my project to Flickr. However, it was mentioned to me, those pictures are just on my Flickr page. Today was a big day. Those photos were put on the group's page.

Here are some pictures I took today with my husband's camera and then you run over to Pat's to get the instructions. You'll be as happy as me when you are done.

 

The black background is more of a mottled black. My thinking was it would not be as great a contrast to the colors and prints.

Can you see the quilting? It's variegated metallic thread. Some people have trouble with metallic thread, but I take a smidgen of cooking oil, rub it between two fingers and then caress the needle's eye. Don't oil the needle. Just let it grab whatever is between your fingers. Also, be sure to use a metallic needle.

 Have fun sewing and be ready for Halloween at the same time.

Marcy

Paper Pieced Cupcake

First off, I'm having major camera trouble. It just might be time for a new one. Yesterday was a fun day paper piecing. Today I was going to finish it to show you. Maybe I'll get there yet, but I have to show you what I've been doing.

The pattern is part of a sew-along that caught my eye at a blog called Shape Moth. Here's a picture of the pattern I am working on. If you've been visiting here for a while you know I love cupcakes. I'm making mine with chocolate frosting. This is the first pattern in the series of one a week. This being the third week, you can purchase (inexpensively) the first two. If you like paper piecing, check out her patterns.

Now here are my pictures (the best of them) to share with you. You may have to squint your way through them.

First the tools.

First up with red handles: paper cutting scissors. Next, my fabric cutting scissors. Never the twain shall mix. Of course the rotary cutter and small ruler. Above the ruler sits the scissors I use to cut the threads on my paper pieced (and other) projects. They are curved so that when you pull up on the top thread and clip, usually you cut the bottom thread as well. Less clipping

My preference for pins for paper piecing are the flat heads. They seem to stay out of the way and easily found with their colorful tops. You are wondering why the magnetic pin catcher is in the bowl? Well, I'm a pin tosser and sometimes they don't make it.

Of course my stiletto, tweezers and seam ripper. I keep those three tools in my shallow keeper--formerly the grease catcher from the George Foreman small grill

This small iron is a dandy. It is as hot as a full iron and when unplugged it stays warm for five minutes or so. The wooden finger presser helps a lot in between. However, everything gets a final press with the real iron before assembling of the sections.

Yes, here's my mess of the 16 sections. Again, please excuse the awful pictures. I didn't even crop them when I saw how bad they were and how editing tools didn't help. I'm off to try to make some progress on a finish project.

Marcy
 

New Tool Keepers and Ironing Board

 

 

In an effort to clean spice-up my sewing room, up pops the perfect keeper for my most used items while at the machine. I'm always search and reaching for them and they are missing. This has helped. Have you figured it out? It's the grease catcher for the small George Foreman grill.



This hold short tools I'm constantly fumbling for. Nice looking? Well it's a Fostoria toothpick holder. Back in the 60s everyone had to have Fostoria. Probably at that time all I could afford was this tiny glass piece.

I've been using this for a while now. Remember when we all just had to have a bread machine? Yes, I fell for it and then all the bread fell to my hips. A neighbor gave me this unique bread cutter. Just insert bread and cut between the acrylic openings. Perfectly sliced bread every time. Now I use it for holding my mid-sized rulers.

Then I did myself a most needed favor. I dumped my old ironing board and bought a new one. Way overdue for sure. The old one must have moved with me at least twice. It was rickety and made a screeching noise when opened. The ultimate treat would be the Big Board but it's too big.

Here's the new one. It's a bit wider and can rise higher too. Where did I get it? Target and I used a $10 off coupon I got in the mail. The coupon said $10 off household stuff over $50 and I was ready to argue with them if they didn't consider it a household item. It was $49.95 which made be grab another household item to push it over $50.The iron rest makes it even better.

I am feeling like a new woman. Having good tools is part of good sewing but putting your hands on them when needed is even better.

Marcy


 

Mini Charm Square Quilt in Progress

I started on the small quilt using the mini charms I won at How ART Thou?  In last week's post I showed you a small quilt I was copying. I cut the minis into quarters which made them 1.25 inches square. Am I nuts? Small squares are more difficult to match up--there's no "give" room at all. Another issue came up: directional fabric. That wasn't too much of a problem.I did some strip piecing in the beginning.

I had this bad brain storm to press the seams open. My thought process gave hope to nice flat blocks. Oh yes, they are flat. However, there was no locking of the seams. That meant I had to do some careful pinning and lots of do overs. If they still didn't meet up well, then machine basting was the next step. If the third try didn't work, that was it. (Like three strikes and you are out.)

There's been discussion about open seams not being as strong. Heck, my pants have open seams and I sit smack-dab on that seam most of the day. Have you tried pressing your seams open? Opinion?

Marcy