Sew It Up, Baby!

Cross Within A Cross- Giveaway

2012-02-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! It's Friday and I'm ready for the weekend! How about you?

Well let's get it started with a giveaway! Yup, you read it right.

The lovely fabrics I used were from a giveaway I won over at Fabricworm. So I thought I'd pass on the love by giving this pretty mini away.

This was an enjoyable project to make. It came together quickly and it gave me time to hand quilt. No fancy quilting, just stitched in the ditch.

The backing and binding were pieced from left over fat quarters.

Here you can see the quilting. The batting is 80/20 blend and all other materials are 100% cotton.
The mini quilt measures 28" square.

Cross Within A Cross is the name of this block. Really easy and very quick to piece together. The only difficulty was deciding which fabrics to use for the cross. This block can be even more attractive if you switch the darks and lights around. Maybe in blues and oranges?

The question now is, ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY?

1. Leave a comment telling me how you would be using this mini quilt.

2. Become a follower or let me know you already are.

To spread the love even more, the giveaway is also open to international blog buddies!

Yippee!!!

The Giveaway is Open Until Tuesday, Feb. 14th, midnight. I'll draw a winner on Wednesday.

Linking to Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

Sew & Tell Friday

Finish it up Friday

Till Next Time!

Carla

Rainbow Of Color

2012-02-07T10:02:00.002-07:00

Boy oh boy!

Last week was a whirl wind for me. I had preparations to complete for my daughter's birthday and a Super Bowl party. They were both so much fun but I'm glad it's back to normal this week.

I really didn't get much sewing done but I was able to cut up a charm pack for the

Modern Mini Challenge with Ellison Lane Quilts.

You may say I'm silly, but I always like the look of trimmings.

Something about the pieces and color that remind me of confetti.

This template was purchased with no real project in mind. I simply bought it because the price was right and I couldn't let it just pass by.

Well, this is what I came up with.
See what happens when you have a fun template and a charm pack,
a fun and bright mini quilt.
I did sew these pieces by machine. Just have to be careful when joining at the "Y" seams.
Now I'm off to sandwich this mini and do some hand quilting.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Chartreuse Orange Gray White

2012-02-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

These are the colors in my daughter's bedroom. I love that she didn't pick pink or purple. Not that there is anything wrong with those colors. I just don't have a very large selection of fabrics in those colors. But I have plenty in Chartreuse, Orange, Gray, and White.

Gotta love the combo!

My daughter is having a sleep over tomorrow for her 13th birthday. So I'm helping her spruce up her room by adding some matching floor pillows.

Bonus is that I had all supplies on hand so no need to hit the store :o)

For the backing she picked this tropical print I had in gray and white. I was actually planning on making a pool tote bag with it, but I guess this works too. The pillows measure 26" square. Just the right size to "hang out" with.

I didn't have a zipper large enough to accommodate this size pillows so I just slip stitched the closing shut. The good thing is that the it's not stuffing, but a pillow form. Easy enough to open up to wash the casing.

Now I'm off to finish up some Junk Food shopping for the sleep over.

Should be fun!

Thanks for stopping by and have a look at the links below for some great inspiration!

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

Sew & Tell

Finish It Up Friday

Till Next Time!

Carla

Single Girl- Update 3

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ok so far I've made 6 blocks. It's not as difficult as I thought is was going to be.
Just time consuming. Which is Ok since there is no hurry to complete this quilt.

If I were to just stop at 6 blocks, it would give me a vary narrow lap quilt. I'm sure I could add some borders to widen it more. But what do yo think? Should I keep going? Or make a baby quilt with 4 blocks and the other 2 make some floor pillows?

Maybe I should just keep going and make it a queen size?

Hmm.... that's what I love about this new year; I don't feel any pressure to complete a quilt.

I'm taking it easy and just enjoying it.

Well let me know what you all think and thanks for stopping by!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Day Of Love

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while walking around in Target, I'm reminded that Valentine's day is just around the corner. I told myself last year, that this year I would have a mini quilt to celebrate the holiday.

Well... yeah... that's not happening....

Source is Babble

But I'll tell you what I am goign to do, I'm checking out Babble. They have 20 Free and Cute Valentine's Printables! This way I can personalize each and every card I plan to give.

Check them out and see what fun ways you can spread the love.

Till Next Time!

Carla

White/Gray Or Gray/White?

2012-01-31T08:18:00.001-07:00

I guess it all depends on my daughter's point of view...

and what mood she'll be in when she makes her bed.

This is the comforter my daughter was begging me to buy her.

Since it was on sale, how could I say no. The only disappointing about this purchase was, it didn't come with pillow cases or shams. What's up with that!

I was sticker shocked when I saw the price for pillow cases.

That's when I decided to just make her a couple.

My daughter couldn't decide what color so I thought half 'n half would work.

This way she gets two sets of pillow cases verses one.

Here is the gray side with white stripe.

This is the white side with a gray stripe. I kept the outer trim the same color to match the green of the comforter. Almost a perfect match, whoo hoo!

An up close look at the side seam where the color change occures.

I can honestly say that making quilts has made me a better sewer. I pay more attention to detail, seams, and getting the stitching just right.

This is how I'm going to put it on her bed. Maybe she'll be surprised and want to make her bed more often. I'm just happy it all matches and I saved money in the process.

I'm linking with Quilt Story - Fabric Tuesday.

Give them a look to see what others have created!

Till Next Time

Carla

Gathering

2012-01-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

When starting to work on a project, I like to gather all the items I think I'll be needing. It's almost like nesting for me. Even exciting at times. It's surprising to see all the items I've collected over the years to make a project go smoothly from start to finish. To be honest, I can't see living without them. Makes me wonder, how did quilters do it in the past? I'm sure they had their tricks and became inventive when needed. At times, I've had to be inventive.

But I will be the first to admit, I am codependent on all the gadgets I've aquired.

Is it a bad thing? I don't think so. They make my life easier and the quilt making process more enjoyable. So here is a big THANK YOU to all the creative/inventive people who made these awesome gadgets!! I'd be a frustrated quilter without them.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Single Girl- Update II

2012-01-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

Well earlier this week, it was my families turn to get the sickies.

I thought since my kids were older, they would be less work but I was wrong.

They become even more whiney! But the good news is they are back in school and I'm back to sewing.

I have sewn all 4 Quadrents. As I look at them, I wonder what made me pick certain colors or their order. I had these cut out for at least 6 months so who knows what I had in mind back then.

Yesterday I sewed on the inner sections. Very easy just used a lot of pins. If you lay both the gray and colored sections over your hand, like if you are setting in a sleave, it helps easy the fabric together for pinning. Which also eliminates puckering and pleating when sewing.

Next up is to pin/sew the outer sections. I'm working with only six blocks (once sewn together), at a time. I still have to complete 8 more. I want to make a queen size quilt but let's see how far I get to.

Have you made a Single Girl quilt? Have any tips you would like to share? Thanks!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Sea Urchin

2012-01-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

My thrift store find.

Reminds me of lace.

I wonder what it looked like with all its needles?

Till Next Time!

Carla

Single Girl - Finally Piecing!

2012-01-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

Currently, there are lots of awesome QA's going on in Blog Land. It's really easy to drink the Kool-Aide and join in. But I've taken a deep breathe, stepped away from the computer, and told myself I need to finish some WIP's I started last year.

(You can click on three QA's located on my side bar)

To help keep myself organized, my daughter suggested to use sticky notes to label each block/segment. Believe me, I need all the help I can get to make sure not to goof this up.

Here is a look of my piecing set-up. These sit on the left side of my sewing machine so it's easier for me to grab-n-sew for optimum piecing.

I've finished the first segment without any hick-ups. It's all going along smoothly and hope it does for the rest of the quilt top.

Crossing my fingers to get all the sections done by this evening.

Then maybe tomorrow, I can start to piece the round sections.

I'm currently in love with solids and it's what I went with for this quilt.

Maybe for the next Single Girls quilt I'll use Katie Jump Rope...

Till Next Time!

Carla

Three Of A Kind

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone!

Even though I'm a SAHM, I still look forward to the weekend.

Don't you?

Well, today I'm sharing these three scarves I made for some dear friends of mine.

There was no real occasion just a gift to say that I am thinking of them.

I got the idea from MIL who made me a scarf like this, in variegated reds, that I love so much. They took about a day each to make. I fun project to work on while waiting for the kids to get out of school. I made it a race with myself to see how far I could get before they came out.

This is a really easy scarf to make: Chain 175, chain 2 more for next row, then half double crochet, twice, in each chain stitch. Then you turn, chain 3, double crochet, twice, in each HDC. I used Caron 315 yrds/6 0z. med (4) 100% Acrylic-Simply Soft Yarn in Forest Floor (9758) and Pagoda (0014). Hook size - H/8 (5.00 MM).

Of course you can make it longer . Just measure after 175 chains and see if you need to add more chains. Feel free to contact me with any questions if you do make a scarf.

I am happy to say that my dear friends loved their scarves. They colors where a hit!

I'm really disappointed I didn't get photos. I got to excited watching them trying on the scarves. Oh well,...

Since I've been really making a lot of crochet items lately, my stitches have become more even, uniformed, and I I feel more confident to give a sweater a try. Crossing my fingers!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check out these links:

Sew & Tell

Finished It Up Friday

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

Till Next Time!

Carla

What The Shrek?

2012-01-17T17:40:00.001-07:00

It seems that after a long weekend, I need another long weekend to recover.

Every feel that way?

So today I spent it on the sofa watching episodes of Big Bang Theory and doing laundry.

Do I feel guilty that for dinner I made frozen pizza?

No...

What I am is happy that I spent my day just vegging and folding clothes.

Here is a small clip of my favorite episode.

Penny gives Sheldon a Christmas gift.

If you have seen this show, then you'll understand the humor.

http://youtu.be/mlhHTdDqoBc

Till Next Time!

Carla

Everyday Coasters

2012-01-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Can I get a high five!

I finished my everyday coasters with Sashiko inspired stitching.

It's a cloudy day so these photos don't do them any justice. I used left over charm squares from a previous project to make these. For the backing I used gray Kona fabric. The stitches were done in DMC embroidery thread in several colors.

A closer look at the stitching. The wrinkles came from washing. I did place them in a lingerie bag but they still needed a pressing. Maybe with some good use the wrinkles will disappear.

I'm happy these are made 'cause now I can put away my Christmas coasters.

Making these has also jump started my sewing/creative juices going.

Let's see what else I can create!

Have a wonderful weekend and I'm linking to

Can I get a Whoop Whoop

Sew & Tell

Finish Up Friday

Till Next Time!

Carla

Fabricworm~

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to share a giveaway I won over at Fabricworm.

They have the most fun/bright/perfect fabrics in the Shop.

Check out their blog 'cause they have weekly giveaways.

I can make a patchwork tote bag, or maybe a cross lap quilt, or how about some fun wallets?

My hand is itching to cut into the fabrics so I better decide soon.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Plucking The Strings

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is my classical guitar.

I used to play, in another life, before marriage and kids.

Now the kids are older, don't need as much mothering, so I'm taking it up again.

A lot of it is coming back. My fingers are remembering. It feels good!

Now I'm off to make some Musical Note flash cards.
I have to teach myself music theory all over again.
No pain no gain...

Till Next Time!

Carla

T.Y.T.T. #1

2012-01-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Today I'm linking up to

Take Your Time Tuesday with So Happy To Sew!

Here is my Drunkard's Path wall quilt. There is no hurry to finish it up so I'm handing quilting.

I'm using embroidery floss in orange, purple, blue, and pink.

The quilting is a fan design and some outline work.

The colors and style remind me of my grandmother's home.

It's the main reason I choice these fabrics.

I had some charms left over and decided to make some coasters.

I also am using Sashiko as my stitching inspiration.

Two down and 14 to go!

If you have a project that are still in process, why not link up?

It would be nice to see you there.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Colored Crocodile Scarf

2012-01-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back I shared some of my crochet projects I had been working on.

I was able to finish up the scarf for my daughter. It was a new style of stitch for me called the Crocodile stitch. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of it. This is the tutorial I used form Yarn Muse.

One thing you must know about my daughter, she doesn't like taking pictures. I had to bribe her with a chocolate bar to get her to take this one. She has already given this scarf some good use. She even wore it to bed one night.

Silly girl...

In the tutorial, it has the scales offset like roof tiles. But for this I went with overlapping one another. I like the way it looked for these colors my daughter picked out. If you are familiar with crochet stitches, all it takes to make this stitch is a double crochet and single crochet.

I didn't have a set length for this scarf. I just kept going until I used up all the yarn.
I really like this stitch and would recommend it to all. Once you have a couple of rows done, you'll be a pro at it and have a pretty project at the end.

Measurement: 58" long, 5" wide
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream Yarn in Orange, yellow, blue, lime green
Hook: H (5 mm)

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Coasters & Cherry Pie

2012-01-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

For this year, I want to explore more sewing projects and less quilting. You know, broaden my horizons a bit. So I've been on the hunt for a new hand sewing project.

Then I remembered I have Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts.

What a better place to start than in this book.

A couple of years ago, I made some coaster for a swap I was in. It was all about Japanese Sashiko. Then I saw this section in the book and new it would be right up my alley.

After putting away all my Christmas decoration, I realized I didn't have everyday coasters.

These caught my eye and very cute. The question now is in what color? So far I'm loving the dark gray.

In other news, I made my first cherry pie. I didn't have a pie dish so I used a round 8" cake pan. I came out almost like a cobbler and it taste really good. Soon after, I was informed that no one likes cherry pie in my house. Go figure... so I've been the only one eating it. My hips are really love it....

Till Next Time!

Carla

Scrappy Spiderweb

2012-01-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to have my scrappy spiderweb quilt done.

Another quilt top bites the dust!

So much work went into this quilt. All the paper piecing, picking scraps, sewing and more sewing... it almost felt like I would never get to this point.

But here I am sharing it with you!

After piecing the blocks together, I realized I'd have to add some borders for a fuller look.

The colored/scrappy border were made from the 2.5" squares I had cut for a rainy day.

They were meant to meet at the corners but it didn't work out that way.

I think of it as a happy mistake because I really like the way it turned out.

For the backing I wanted to keep it simple since the front was really busy.

I just added more 2.5" squares for interest.

When the time came to quilt this, I had no clue what to do. So after spying on spiderweb quilts on Flickr, I went with the loop-dee-loops. From far away it sort of looks like cobblestones. I tell you, who needs weights when all you need is to quilt to build muscle in your upper arms. Feel the burn!

Quilt Stats:

Fabrics: scraps from my stash

Size: 80" x 61"

Batting: Bamboo

I'm linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict-Can I Get A Whoop Whoop! ,

Amy Lou- Sew & Tell,
Crazy Mom Quilts- Finish It Up Friday,

Sew Many Ways- Sew Darn Crafty.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Almost There!

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

In November, I had planned to finish quilting the last 4 quilt tops before the year ended.

They have been waiting long enough and I wanted a fresh start for the new year.

Well, that didn't happen.

I did quilt one and half way done with another so I guess that does count for something, right...

Seeds quilt top done!

Made a case for my new Kindle.

Folded Star Pot Holder

In Other News:

~ FWQA is still on hold. I might start making more blocks in the next two weeks.

~ Single Girls quilt is back on my sewing table. Hoping to make a dent this weekend.

~ Drunkard's Path in blue is in the process of hand quilt. Half way there!

Finishes!

~ Denyse in Strings Quilt

~ Seeds Quilt

~ Christmas Quilt

~ Solids Challenge Quilt

~ Twinkle Little Star Quilt

~ Kindle Case

~ Dresden Flower Cushion

Wow! After seeing what I did finish at the end of the year, I don't feel so unproductive!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to see what others have in the works with

Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Greasing The Sewing Gears

2012-01-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Wow! The holidays felt like a whirlwind of festivities, food, people, and activities.

It all left me dizzy! Definitely good times.

Now to grease the sewing gears and get my idle hands back to work.

I received a Kindle Touch from my hubby this year. I think my every growing stack of tumbling books was a hint. He's so thoughtful. I was thinking I should buy a cover for it. But then I remember all the tutorials I've seen for a Kindle cover.

Some were more detailed and lovely but I wanted simple. Instead I came up with my own design. Nothing fancy, just functional. I grabbed some linen from my scrap box, found some embroidery designs, and went for it.

I thought these pair of snails were the cutest.

They represent my hubby and me.

There is one bird for each of my kids. My son would of preferred a blue bird instead of peach.

I did use a double layer of batting for extra protection while traveling in my purse.

I went with long hand stitch quilting in a corn flower blue. It looks nice against the linen color.

I was thinking of adding a button with an elastic closure but went with hoop-and-loop tape instead. The soft tape faces the front so I don't scratch the screen. I used a Michael Miller stripe fabric for the lining and a peach bias for the tope rim.

The Kindle cover was all hand sewn. It was a great way to grease up my sewing gears and get my creative juices going. The Walking Dead marathon was on and kept me company as I worked. Nothing like zombies to hook you into a show.

So far, it's a great start to the new year. I feel motivated to finish the two quilt tops I have left from last year. The Farmers' Wife QA blocks are still in the back burner until then.

Now I'm off to get my sewing machine out from holiday hibernation.

I'm linking to Manic Monday Link Party with Sew Happy Geek.

Also with Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story.

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

Christmas is love tugging man back to God with the powerful clasp of a tiny hand reaching out from a bed of straw.

The Merriest of Christmas to you and your families on this amazing day!

Carla

Twas The Night...

2011-12-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Wish this Christmas Eve

Brings for you the gifts of

Happiness, good health and Joy!

Carla

Sewing The Seeds- A Quilt

2011-12-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

Finally, the sun was shining and I was able to take photos of my Seeds Quilt.

Now I'm able to share it with you!

This is a pattern I created one day while doodling in my sketch pad. I wanted to keep it simple and just let the seeds be the focal point. Turn applique was the technique I used to attache the seeds to their blocks. There was practically no math when creating this quilt. Just a matter of deciding what size I wanted the seeds to be.

To give the backing some interest, I put a stripe of dark gray running down the middle.

My son was my helper yesterday and I caught him peeking over the quilt. He was giving me the "are you done yet" look 'cause his arms were tired.

I'm hooked on making collages with my photos! This way it saves memory space and you get a better overview of the finished product. :o)

When deciding how to quilt, I noticed a circle being created by the seeds facing each other. To help complete the illusion, I quilted a circle within a circle. Then I outlined the seed and 1/4" inside the seed. Wella, illusion complete. I am crushing on all the crinkles and I can't stop petting my quilt. I've very proud of it!

Quilt Stats:

Name: Seeds

Pattern: My design :o)

Measures: 57" x 47"

Fabric: Central Park by Kate Spain, Kona solids

Batting: 80/20 cotton poly blend

Quilting Thread: Embroidery thread in sunny yellow

I'm linking up to Can I Get A Whoop Whoop with confessions of a fabric addict.
Sarah is a great lady and make sure to check out what others have linked today.
Merry Christmas!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Quality Time With My Favorite Son

2011-12-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the majority of my day with a very special guy.

He is on Christmas break and asked to spend some time together.

Of course I jumped on that request!

First we went and watch Tintin, which I thought was an awesome movie.

He wanted to spend his allowance/birthday money so then we did a little shopping.

Surprisingly, he got himself some clothes and no video games.

By the time it was all said and done, he was ready to go home.

We picked up a pizza and watched Big Bang Theory together.

Just a simple day with no fuss or frills.

This was definitely one of the best days of the year :o)

(BTW- he is my only son. I just like to tease him with 'my favorite son'.)

Till Next Time!

Carla

The Seeds is done!

2011-12-20T06:19:00.000-07:00

... but I can't show it to you yet.

The weather has been rainy, gloomy, cloudy, and absolutely no sunshine.

So I'm waiting a bit longer to take some decent photos to do it some justice.

I'm really excited to show this to you with all it's crinkly goodness!

If you are curious, really board, or just have a few minutes to kill, you can see some of the process for this quilt HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Quilt Retro- My New Book

2011-12-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

Our TMQG meetings are held in a quilt shop, Bella Quiltworks.
So naturally, there is plenty to tempt you with and I always leave with a new purchase.
How could I not? It feeds my addiction for quilting...

This past meeting I left with this book by Jenifer Dick- Quilt Retro.
The bright colors and applique caught my eye. It's a very cute cover.
Then when I thumbed through it, I came across some very interesting quilts/patterns.

These are just a few I really want to plan to make next year.
What also catches my eye is Jenifer's use of solid fabrics. Lately, it's what I've been gravitating to.
Solids are much easier to use than prints. They pretty much go with one another and you don't have to worry about the prints clashing.
Also, you can purchase as much, or little, as you want and be assured you will use it all.
Gotta love those solids!

Till Next Time!

Carla

An Unexpected Gift

2011-12-17T04:13:00.000-07:00

It's the coolest thing when you are just expecting one thing and you end up being surprised by more. That's what happened at the last TMQG meeting. We had our pot holder swap and I received these oh so comfy ones.

I love the shape and how my whole hand fits inside. Even my hubby's large hands fit inside.
I've already put them to good use and they work beautifully.

Love the retro fabrics used and here you can have a closer look. Very cool that she changed it up and made each pot holder different but they still go together.

Now for the unexpected gift...
Our very cool admin people for our quilt guild put some gifts together for the members. Wasn't that the nicest thing!
To my surprise we got some really pretty FQ's.

Not sure if each gift was the same but I also received this table runner panel. It's ready and I just have to sandwich, baste, and quilt. This will be perfect for next year's Christmas.

Who doesn't love some new patterns?
Planning to make the Hummingbird quilt for my daughter's room. The Bohemian bag will have to wait until my bag-making-skills improve.
Thanks ladies!!!

Next year we are expecting big changes within our guild. It's really when I feel we'll come into our own. I volunteered to be the the "New Member" go to person. So I've been working on how all that will be running. Since we are all new to this, I'm sure there will be changes and growing pains. It's going to be very exciting and I can't wait to see what the new year brings!!!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Fancy Folded Star Pot Holders

2011-12-16T04:43:00.001-07:00

Every Christmas I make a new quilted item for my husband's boss and co-worker.
Since it's only them three, it's no bother. This year I was not sure what to make them. Then I came across this tutorial by Maria Wallin over at the Moda Bake Shop.
These are Fancy Folded Star Pot Holders.

I thought this would be perfect for them! They are eye catching, just the right size, and would be a quick gift to make. So after reading the directions over, several times, I grabbed my solids and went for it. I used the same colors in both but changes the color order. I love the way they both came out. These are really fun to make. Of course, now that I've made two, I can say that. It just takes patience, prepping, but once you've done it, it's so worth it.

Maria's instructions are very clear, easy to follow, and the photos really help.
I definitely recommend making at least one of these.

I'm linking with Can I Get A Whoop Whoop! with Confessions of a fabric addict
and
Weekend Showoff Party with Ladybird Ln
Make sure to head over and see all the fun projects!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Just An Apron

2011-12-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

My daughter has always helped in the kitchen. My son, on the other hand, would rather fake a headache and watch TV. But lately I've been getting him into the kitchen. Teaching him how to make the simple stuff like grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, and spaghetti. So to help motivate him, I made him his own apron.

I used a lizard fabric I had in my stash for a long while now. Thought all the texture would hide any stains or spots created during cooking time.

I added a couple of pockets to help keep him organized.

I backed it with a country solid forest green. Nothing fancy just something to match the front. Also, green is his favorite color.

When I presented it to him, he put it on, checked it out and tells me, "Not bad mom but I've decided cooking is not for me". After that I had a long talk with him about self reliance, life skills, and that girls like a guy who can cook. Gotta love him!

Today I'm linking to Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story.

Have a look at all the super projects others have made.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Christmas Baking

2011-12-09T07:21:00.001-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling like today is the day to start my Christmas baking.

The weather is cold, I have nothing pressing, and it would be a great surprise for the kids to come home to a big batch of cookies.

I'll be making these yummy Sugar Cookies.

Also some much desired Oatmeal Craisin Cookies.

And if I have any time left, I'll be making this apron for my hubby.

I think it's time he has his own. Ruffles aren't very flattering on him.

Now I'm off to get my ingredients together and I can't wait to smell those cookies baking!

Till Next Time!

Carla

TMQG Swap

2011-12-08T05:07:00.000-07:00

This year for our TMQG swap, we decided to have a Pot Holder Swap for the holidays.

Since not all members are at the same skill level, we thought this would be a great project and skill builder.

To keep things easy, I used a paper plate as my template for both fabric and insul-bright.
Here they are pinned and ready for me to sew on the bias tape.

To create the pocket, I used the paper plate to trace a half moon circle. Then I finished the edge with bias tape. You can make it as deep or shallow as you like. For this, I made it just a bit deeper so a mans hands would also fit.

When I was machine sewing on the the bias tape, it wasn't catching on the back side.
I started to get frustrated! So I opted to sew it on like a quilt binding.
Then I hand sewed to finish ;oD
I'm hoping the recipient of the pot holders will really like them!

Pot Holder Stats:

Measures: 9" diameter

Materials: On A Whim II by Amy Schimler for Robert Kaufman (stripes and circles)

Metro Cafe by Next Day Art for Robert Kaufman (utensils)

Insule-Brite- 2 layers

Packaged binding in dark brown

This week I'm linking to Confessions of a Fabric Addict- Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

and Amy Lou Who- Sew & Tell. Head over there and take a look to see what other fun items have been made!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Crocodile Stitches

2011-12-07T10:08:00.001-07:00

The weather here is finally cold! I was starting to worry there for a minute.
When it's cold, I like to crochet. Something about the feel of the yarn, me snuggled under a quilt, and just watching a movie while crocheting. Bliss....

Ok let me just say my crochet skills are between a beginner and intermediate.

I still need lots of help with pattern reading and keeping my stitches even.

Either way I still keep at it. Here I've made a scarf for myself.
It's really soft and frumpy. I still have to add some tassels at the ends.
I love tassels....

This stitch is a new one for me. It's called a Crocodile Stitch.
I picked it up from Yarn Muse. She has a very good video tutorial you should definitely check out. To think, it's all just double crochet and slip stitches.
This is going to be a scarf, some day. Here the "scales" are overlapping like shingles on a roof.

This one I'm making for my daughter with 100% cotton yarn.
Here the scales are overlapping one on top of the other. It keeps a straighter line on the sides. Almost done with this one.

As you can say, these are the reason I've been away from my sewing machine of late.
But can you blame me, it's a very fun stitch to create!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Box Of Delight

2011-12-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoon, I stopped by my local used book store to kill some time.
They have comfy seating, large selection of books, and you can just "thumb" through a book to see if it's worth the 2 bucks.

Well, while perusing their craft book section, I came across this little box of delight.

It's a Quilt-It Kit by Denyse Schmidt,
SCORE!!!
It has 15 quilt and patchwork projects all waiting for me to create.

The project cards have great photos on the front.

They cards measure 5" x 7" so it's like readying a greeting card made just for you.

Inside are well written directions.

The back also had directions and more useful photos.

The kit came with the 15 project cards, a booklet with useful information for the new sewer/quilter, a couple of FQs, and patterns. Of course, you have to take the pattern to get enlarged, but other wise, it's a perfect box of delight.

I have no clue as to when this kit was created.
But since it's a Denyse Schmidt kit, you know it will always be in style.
Now the question is, what to make first?

Till Next Time!

Carla

FMQ Pledge

2011-12-03T05:30:00.000-07:00

I've recently started to dabble with FMQ. I'm really loving the process and the freedom it gives me. I'm definitely no where near great so I decided to take this pledge.

Here's to become a better FMQ by the end of next year!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Fresh Sewing For November

2011-12-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

1. Twinkle Star Quilt, 2. Hexi Coaster, 3. Christmas 2010 Quilt, 4. Denyse In Strings, 5. Small Star Table Topper, 6. Larger Stars Table Topper

It's already December and my Advent Calendar is out and already filled with goodies for my kids. Even at 13 and 11, they still love the surprise and treats.

Today I'm participating in Fresh Sewing Day with Lilly's Quilts.
It's my first time so I'm hoping I get this right.

I love the idea of "gathering" your items for sharing.
It helps me realize that I did have some fun finishes and I didn't just sit on my but watching re-runs of Supernatural.

Maybe now this will push me a bit to get more done.
You know, those projects I keep putting off, maybe they'll finally get done.

Thanks for stopping by and see what others have complete in the past month.
I've checked some of them out and there are some amazing projects!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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What I Have To Report

2011-11-30T05:16:00.001-07:00

Well what can I say, I had big plans for the Thanksgiving weekend but none of them came to pass. I wanted to quilt my Spiderweb quilt top, baste my Queen of Hearts quilt top, and maybe start on some pot holders.

So much for best laid plans...

I'm also getting ready for my son's birthday party. He's turning 11 and Jonah decided to make it a Mustache party. So of course, no one has mustache items. I had to really look for items on the internet and luckily I did find things to make/do/purchase.

I'm currently working on banner in his favorite colors- gray, black, dark orange.

It should be fun and I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't rain.

Source

Maybe today I can start working on my Spiderweb quilt.

What have you guys been up to?

It'd be great to know I'm not the only one with too much on my plate.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Denyse In Strings

2011-11-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

Since I'm pretty much done with my Christmas sewing, I have planned to quilt all the quilt tops I have waiting. You know, to have a fresh start in the new year.

So first up was the Christmas 2010 quilt I finished up earlier this week. Next up is a string quilt I made in Denyse Schmidt's line for Joann's Fabrics.

Since I did a lot of FMQ on the last quilt, I thought I would give my hands and shoulders a break on this quilt. I did simple straight line quilting going the opposite ways of the strips.

The backing was made from left over FQs and the solid gray I used in the front.
I'm really trying to piece my backing and make them look a bit more interesting.

My official quilt holder is at work so I had to improvise when taking these photos.
I knew the front door would be a good helper. Lots of natural light comes in and really highlights the quilting.

My daughter has claimed this lap quilt as hers. Not like she doesn't have enough quilts already. I'll just stack this one with the others and bring it out after Christmas to display and use.

Quilt Stats:
Name: Denyse In Strings
Measures: 56" square
Fabrics: Denyse Schmidt line for JoAnn's Fabric, Kona solids
Pattern: String Block
Quilted: Straight lines by me

I'm linking up with
{Sew} Modern Monday
Manic Monday Link Party
Fabric Tuesday
Make sure to check them out!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Sewing For Christmas

2011-11-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to share a few more ideas for gifts you can make.

Enjoy the tutorials and I hope they have given you some inspiration.

Fabric Flower Tutorial

For those little girls in our lives. You can also make this into a pendent or add as a gift bow.

Mini Oil Cloth Notebook Covers

A fun gift for younger children who are beginning to write or for those who like to journal.

Rice Heat Therapy Bag

Great for those times you need some heat for aches and pains.

A Simple Reversible Tote

This works great for book lovers, or for a quick trip to the store, or to carry those items you need for a sewing class.

Since I'm pretty much done with my gift sewing, I might have to make a few of these just for me. A girl deserves to pamper herself once in a while, right.

Thanks for stopping by!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Santa Baby....

2011-11-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

Can I have one of these, under the tree, for me?

Go! Baby Fabric Cutter.

I've been such a good girl.

Electric Quilt 7

I don't need checks,... just this!

Olisoo TG1600

Santa Baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight....

Till Next Time!

Carla

Happy Thanksgiving To All

2011-11-24T04:06:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and yours all the warmth and love this Thanksgiving.

In our home, it's tradition to see Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

and today I'd like to share with you one of my favorite scenes.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

2011-11-21T04:52:00.001-07:00

I used to love to sing that song with my kids right before bedtime.

If I asked them to sing it now, they would probably give me a weird look.

They grow up so fast and before we know it, off to college :o(

But I'm getting off the subject...

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I've been collecting these fabrics for along time now. Not really knowing what I was going to make with them. What attracted me were the bold colors and loud prints. Some how or other, I knew they would go together. I love how it all came out!

The left over rectangles were used as part of the backing.

I'm really trying to use all the fabric from a project as to not have any leftover scraps.

With that said, I used up charm squares for the binding which worked out wonderfully. The only piece I have left is a rectangle and that will be used as the label.

When deciding on how to quilt, I knew that I wanted the stars to stand out, pop out at you.I did some stitch-in-the-ditch to stabilize the quilt. Then I densely quilted in the colored parts of the block with loop-dee-loops. This gave me the effect I wanted. You can see it and when you run your hand over it, you can also feel it.

Working on this quilt gave me even more practice with FMQ. I can honestly say that I'm really in tuned with my machine now and know exactly what speed it likes.

Now I have the confidence I needed to finish up 4 other quilt tops!

Quilt Stats:

Name: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Size: 52" x 46"

Pattern: Scrappy Surprise by Virginia Robertson

Quilted: Machine

I'm linking up with {Sew} Modern Monday over at Canoe Ridge Creations,
Manic Monday with Sew Happy Geek,
and Fabric Tuesday with Quit Story.

Head over there and check out what everyone's been up to.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Christmas Quilt 2010

2011-11-18T05:11:00.001-07:00

I guess it's better late than never...
At the end of last year, I ran out of steam to complete the quilt.
Felt over whelmed with everything going on in my life.

So when the end of this year approached, I was motivated to finish this up.

This quilt was started back in Sept. of 2010.

I was so excited about this one too!

But I guess not excited enough.

The quilt top was finally pieced together in Sept. 2011.

It took me a whole year to get it done!

Traditional and fun at the same time.
I will admit, I like traditional for Christmas.
Reminds me of Christmas past...

I love a pieced backing as much as the next guy, but for this, I went with one fabric.
I wanted the front to be the main star.
It came to measure 71" x 81"

I did FMQ with hearts, ribbon, and tree shapes.
The applique was raw and rough to add texture to the quilt.
I didn't feel the need to fill each and every inch with quilting.
I wanted to have some puffy parts to give this quilt a cozy feel.
My kids love this quilt and already gave it a good snuggle.

I'm Linking to:

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

Sew & Tell

Make sure to check them all out!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Under Construction

2011-11-11T06:59:00.001-07:00

I thought it was time to make a few changes here on my blog.

Nothing really big and fancy.

Just a new template and color.
If I don't like the change, then I'll revert back to my old look.
But there is no harm in giving it a try.

Thanks for sticking around during all the changes!

Thursday Already???

2011-11-10T13:31:00.001-07:00

Boy oh boy!

Where has the time gone?

I've been busy busy busy this week.

I've been planning, making list, and more list ...

1. Desserts for Thanksgiving, since that's my contribution this year.

2. Grocer list for baking tones of cookies.

3. My son's birthday party in December.

4. Getting a list of gifts the kids would like from family.

5. Finding time to finish up a few sewing projects.

6. Which days to put aside for gift shopping.

7. Gathering with friends/family.

8. Dental appointments, not so fun.

So needless to say, this is the busiest time of year for me.

With that said, I probably won't be posting as often as I'd like.

But I will pop in and say Hello from time to time and share what's been going on.

Now I'm off like a dirty shirt!!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Stars In Stars Topper

2011-11-08T04:35:00.000-07:00

You guys are probably tired of seeing these diamonds, right.

Well when cutting them out, I didn't realize it would make so many of them!

The good thing is that I get to make some pretty projects for my home and share them with you.

I made this to decorate my coffee table. It measures 31.5" point to point.

I had so much fun playing with the design and creating a pattern within a pattern.

My hubby is funny trying to hide behind the topper while I take photos.

A closer look at the center.
Unfortunately, it's been cloudy so no chance to share bright photos.

I stitched in the ditch to stabilize it for hand quilting.

Again, I kept the quilting simple and let the fabric be the star,

no pun intended...

For this topper, I went with a solid Kona white for the border.

It helps keep things bright and helps the eye rest.

The two table toppers side by side. Each one different but still very much a pair.

The smaller topper measures 22" point to point. You can see more of it HERE.

This is a sneak peak of a runner I'm making with more diamonds.

Working with "Y" seams isn't as difficult as it might seems. Just have to plan a little and take your time when piecing. So give it a try!

I'm linking to Quilt Story Fabric Tuesday and Sew Darn Crafty Party with Sew Many Ways. Make sure to check them out!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Hexi Coasters

2011-11-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

I've been having a blasting making items for the home with these diamonds.

Already, I've made a small table topper, finished another (you can see it tomorrow), and these fun coasters.

These measure 4.5" from tip to top. I've given them a try and they work perfectly with my drinking and wine glasses.

I quickly pieced these by hand. I did try hand quilting with red embroidery thread, but it just didn't look good. So out came the seam ripper and I went with machine quilting.

Six coasters is a good number to make for my home; eight seemed to much and four to little... but if I have any diamonds left, I might just make a couple more. :o)

Thank you for stopping by and make sure to check out

some great projects others have finished over at

Canoe Ridge Creations!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

A Bit Of Christmas

2011-11-04T05:28:00.001-07:00

Do you ever go to the quilt store and purchase a bundle of FQ without a set goal for them?

That's what I do. Last month I saw a bundle of Christmas fatties that I had to have. I knew I could at least get a couple of projects out of them, but what exactly?

So I looked through my rulers and thought this would be fun to work with.

A project entirely of diamonds would be a challenge but worth it.

Straight away I cut my fatties into 2.5" strips and cut my diamonds out of 7 fabrics.

The fun part is to play with the arrangement until you get the look you want.

This is what I finally came up with. I added a white Kona to brighten things up a bit.

Started to sew the sections together. It take a little more time not to sew cross the "Y" seams, but it's definitely worth the extra step.

Wella! My finished table topper!

I went ahead and added a border to frame the center piece.

It also helped make it a tad bigger for my end table.

Nothing fancy with the backing.

I did go with a red binding to finish this off and to add a bit more red.

I machine quilted in the ditch to stabilize the topper for hand quilting.

I used white thread in the white diamonds and red in the colored diamonds.

Since the fabric/color is busy already, I kept the quilting very simple.

I love how my project came out!

It was fun working with the diamonds and I have plenty leftover to get started on another project.

Now the questions is, can I wait to decorate until Thanksgiving is over?

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check out all the finishes for this week over at

Can I get a Whoop! Whoop! with Confessions of a fabric addict

Weekend Show Off Party with Ladybird Ln

Sew & Tell Friday with Amy Lou Who

(buttons on the left panel)

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Geese In The Sunset

2011-10-31T06:05:00.001-07:00

The TMQG is participating in the

MQG Robert Kaufman Kona Solids Challenge.

At first I had chosen a Bright palette pack. But after looking at all the choices first hand, I changed my mind and went with the Dusty palette pack.

The idea for this wall quilt started when I came across a book of flying geese about 2 years ago. Since then, I've had images of geese itching the back of my mind.

I sure regret not purchasing the book...

For the challenge we were allowed up to 2 solids to accompany the charm pack.

I used a kona black and gray. I hand quilted with a chevron design; following the ups/downs of the geese.

To finally get to this design, I rearrange the blocks about 5 times. I wanted to create the look of geese flying into the sunset.

Just a fun effect with light streaming in through mini blinds.

It seems the more I work with solids, the more I prefer them.

Maybe it has something to do with my love of Amish style quilts....

FYI- I have a tutorial on how to create flying geese without fabric waist.

This week I'm linking to

{Sew} Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations

Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story

Till Next Time!
Carla Pin It

From Shower to Window

2011-10-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, it's not a peep show. :o)

My daughter has been wanting to redecorate her room in colors of light gray, granny apple green, and white. Of course since this has to be done frugally, we have to find creative was to change things up.

When shopping at Target I always check out their clearance items.

This time it payed off. I found a shower curtain the perfect shade of green for under $5, SCORE!

The fabric has a small honey comb texture and is 100% cotton.

Which for me, it means easy cleaning.

To create two panels, I cut down the middle of the shower curtain.

Then I hemmed/stitched up the side panels and made a casing for the curtain rod.

I simply folded down the top hem where the rings would go, sewed a seam, and wella, new window curtains!

After a good pressing they were ready to go.

It's hard to get a good photo of them since I was the only one home.

Anyways, the center curtains are also 100% cotton I got at Target many months ago.

Can you tell I like Target?

I put them up before my daughter got home from school and she was very surprised!

Now to work on the walls, some art, the lamp shade, and hang some chinese lanterns for texture. I have so much fun finding ways to change things up without spending big bucks!

My thinking is, the more money I can save, the more I can spend on fabric!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Simplicity Bias Tape Maker- A Review

2011-10-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit, I love gadgets. I'm for what ever makes the job easier.

So when I saw the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker for half the price at Joanns, I bought it.
Are you guys starting to see a pattern with me and bargain deals?

Today I'll be sharing my thoughts on the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker.

Right away I liked what I saw, it was all assembled in the box and it has it's own case built in.
A plus in my book because it's less chance of me loosing an important piece and finding storage for it.

This is what it looks like when you open up the case. It comes with a 1" bias strip "cone". Which will work for many projects, but for quilting, I had to purchase a cone to make wide enough binding.

I removed the hot plate cover to give you a closer look of the heating element. It was easy to snap off/on. I also installed the wider cone for quilt binding.

This is the heat element cover. It has a ceramic plate that is heated by the bottom plate. The roller helps guide the fabric through for easy pressing.

The buttons are easy enough and straight forward. Starting from the left, a Reset Iron button, the Run button, Green light to indicate the hot plates are ready, a turn nob to indicate the type of fabric being used, and an On/Off button.

The spindle on the right is removable. It also has a clip to hold the edge of your strip while you whine the fabric by hand.

It helps to cut the tip of the strip at an angle for an easier feed into the cone.

You have to remove the heating element cover to feed the strip across.

Replace the cover when done.

When you hit the "Run" button, you do have to somewhat guide the fabric going into the cone. It feeds at a good pace for you to have control.
It made quick work of pressing the strip.

Wella! I have my binding all ready to go!

My Thoughts On The Simplicity Bias Tape Maker:

1. Setting up takes no time. Getting the strip ready to feed takes a little more time.

2. This was just as quick as me pressing the strip on the ironing board. Even better, I didn't burn my fingers. Especially when making very thin bias tape.

3. Having this machine will help you get all your bias tape needs met. You can make your own bias tape for Celtic designs quilts, stained glass quilts, spaghetti straps for dresses, and much more.

4. When you have this set up, you can make all the binding you need ahead of time for your quilt tops. This way you know you have the fabric to match and it's ready for you.

5. Once you're done, let it cool, close the top, and it's ready to put away. Love that!

For me this was a smart buy. I definitely recommend buying The Simplicity Bias Tape Maker.

If you can get this on sale, even better.

Let me know if you have any questions and I'd be more than happy to answer.

Simplicity did not pay me or ask me to review the product. This is of my own during to inform all who are interested in purchasing such product.

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Autumn Skies- Bloggers' Quilt Festival

2011-10-28T03:00:00.000-07:00

Autumn Skies

Let me introduce you to my wonky Autumn Skies quilt. It's been in the works for quite a while. Most of the delay was do to other "must make" projects. But knowing the Blogger's Quilt Festival was just around the corner, I put my butt in gear and finished it!

The backing was my daughter's idea. I was racking my brain for ideas and nothing.... Then one day as she was arranging my solids, she suggested to use fall colors for the backing. I let her arrange the colors and how it would be presented. Once some of the kinks were worked out, the backing came out perfectly! She did an awesome job.

There are four of us in my family and this Autumn Skies quilt is just the right size for pic-nics and football games. It measures 68" square.

The quilt was all free motion quilted. At first it felt a bit overwhelming. I started to question if I could work on a large quilt. After a few deep breaths, I went for it. Which is my nature, dive in head first....

I couldn't be happier that I did. The center of the wonky star blocks was the only place I used a pattern. The rest was quilting with waves, loop-dee-loops, and spirals.

FMQ this quilt really gave me more practice that I'm ready to tackle my other quilt tops.

I used the tutorial by Silly BoodDilly for wonky starts. Give it a try!

Thank you all for stopping by and checking out my entry for Amy's Creative Side-

Bloggers' Quilt Festival!!

There are some AMAZING entries! Make sure to visit many of them and share the quilting love.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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FWQA = Pulling Hair

2011-10-27T05:30:00.000-07:00

I'll admit that the past two FWQA batches have been the worst.

It's like I've lost my mini HST mojo.

I really don't want to go through the trouble of remaking them.

Even though, I know that's what I'll end up doing.

But for now I'll learn to live with my mistakes.

#29 Economy

Just a square in a square block.

Very blah block.

#26 Cut Glass Dish

This was a pain in my machine. It totally went wonky. It gave me so much trouble, I don't know if I want to go through that again....

#22 Corn & Beans

Out of all the blocks I've made in the past two weeks, this is the only one I'm happy with.

Love the color and all the points came out.

#27 Darting Birds

I didn't realize I switch the end blocks and now it looks like a person waving.

It should of looked like the example below.

After looking at all the lovely blocks on Flickr, it makes me feel like I'm the only one having so much trouble.

I'm crossing my fingers the next batch of FWQA blocks will come out 100% better.

Maybe I'll pick some simple ones to gain my confidence again.

I guess we'll see what next week brings.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Dresden Flower Cushion

2011-10-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was spent making another cushion for my sofa.
The old cushions could not do anymore and needed to be replaced with prettier, colored, vibrant cushions. This is all part of my plan for sprucing up the home, frugally.

Lately I've really been into hand embroidering. Nothing fancy just straight lines for texture. This image is the backside of the front cushion cover. I wanted to show the design the quilting created.

As I was uploading images to share, it seems my computer has lost 3 photos of the cushion.

Don't know what happened, but it's a total bummer! So the only one that was saved is this image of it on the sofa. I'll just have to take more photos and share those later one.

The backing of the cushion is a left over piece of Denyse Schmidt fabric.

The buttery color goes perfectly with the front of the cushion.

After making this one, it brings the total to 4 done and 5 to go. I was planning on only making 7 cushions, but then I realized I could go for a couple of floor cushions too. So consider this your warning for more posts about cushions....

Thanks for stopping by!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

A Little Sneak

2011-10-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited to share what I've been working on of late.

The quilting of my Autumn Stars quilt is almost done and I'll be showing it off on Amy's Creative Side- A Bloggers' Quilt Festival ..... Make sure to check back on Friday to see the reveal!

This project is the Robert Kaufman Solids challenge that my quilting guild is participating in. I'm really excited about this one! Stay tuned.

I have also started making a few of these with all sorts of scraps to gift as mug rugs to friends. Do you think they'll like?

It seems with the weather change, I get more energized to start and complete projects. I'm hoping I can tackle those quilt tops, 5 left, I have before the year ends. This way I can start fresh in the new year.

Now I'm off to finish up a few things before continuing these projects.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Sewing Book Roundup

2011-10-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a book worm. As far back as can remember, I've always loved books. One of my favorite smells is a new book, fresh from the store. This may sound odd, but I like to swoon over my book shelves. I like to organize my books by craft, hight, and color.

Sewing books really are like chocolate, you can't just have oned. There is so much inspiration in books. You can pretty much create anything you want from them. And who needs to buy patterns when you can simply check out a book from the library.

Here are 4 of my favorites I always derive inspiration from.

Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts. This is the lady that inspired me to sew. She makes it look so easy. The directions for her project are well written that it makes it easy for you to just want to make each and every one. There is always something new to learn from this book. It also works as "must have" reference book all level of sewer.

Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. All the projects in this book are organized by the amount of time it takes a person to complete a project. From a beginner to a seasoned sewer, they will find this book refreshing and enjoyable. She touches on her approach to color as well as techniques she uses to finish a project. You can see what others have created from her book over at Flickr group. I especially love her colored pencil roll.

Material Obsession 2 by Kathy Doughty & Sarah Fielke. If you love color, pattern, and fabric, this book is right for you. Kathy and Sarah have a wonderful way of using modern fabrics with traditional patterns to make unique quilts. The two designers start out with the same project and end up with two totally different and amazing finishes. There are projects for beginners to advanced. They also have a great technique section to help all levels.

A Rainbow of Stitches Embroidery and Cross-Stitch Basics by Agnes Delage-Calvet, Anne Soheir-Fournel, Muriel Brunet, and Francoise Ritz. This is definitely a great reference book for how-to-stitches, motifs, and project ideas. Each section is color coded with fresh ideas. You will be inspired to personalize all your handmade items with single color to multi-colored embroidery floss. This has all sorts of motifs like fairies, flowers, leaves, and alphabets. There are plenty of beautiful photographs to get you going.

Now go to your local library and check out one of these books!

You never know where a book will lead you.

Till Next Time!

Carla

Simplicity Rotary Cutter Machine- A Review

2011-10-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, while shopping at Wal-Mart, I came across this Simplicity Rotary Cutting Machine. It was on clearance for 1/5 of what it's goes for at Joann's Fabrics. I had to buy it...

So today I'll be sharing my review of this product for those who are thinking about purchasing the Simplicity Rotary Cutting Machine.

The set up was pretty easy because it already came assembled.
It comes with an extra wave blade and the power source/pedal. The direction are well written, which is a plus in my book.

It has clear markings for the size strip you want to have cut. The widths start at 3/8" and go as large as 2 3/4".
The feed guide is adjustable, sturdy, and very simple to use.

The blade is well protected from little fingers. Here is where you would also change out the blade. The black knob lets you adjust the contact pressure the blade and bottom roller make for cutting.

I selected a fat quarter to demonstrate. You are able to use larger pieces of fabric but I feel it would make for less accurate cutting. This is where are large attachable table, which you purchase separately, would come in handy.

I've set the feed guide to make 2" width strips.

Since the machine is small and is moderately slow, I was able to press the power pedal with one had while the other fed the fabric.

You do have to make sure to feed the fabric properly into the machine to get those straight cut lines.

Here is another view.

This is what happens when you aren't careful feeding the fabric, a wonky strip.

My thoughts on the Simplicity Rotary Cutting Machine:

1. This would be a perfect addition for those who have severe Carpol tunnel syndrome and can't handle a rotary cutter.

2. It would be a good way to have kids cut strips without worrying about them handling a rotary cutter.

3. It doesn't cut double layers of fabric.

4. I actually feel I can cut my strips much quicker than this machine.

5. If you set this up at a designated area, it would make for quick work. But if you have to take it down and set up every time you want to cut strips, it's definitely not worth it.

I hope this review has helped some of you who where thinking of purchasing this machine.
Am I sorry I spent money on this?
No, because the price was negligible. But if I was armed with the information I know now, I wouldn't of purchased the machine.

On the bright side, I can set this up and have my daughter cuts strips while I do the piecing.
:o)

Let me just say that Simplicity did not pay me or ask me to review the product. This is of my own during to inform all who are interested in purchasing such product.

Till Next Time!

Carla

A Big Thanks & Giveaway Winner!

2011-10-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for participating in my Birthday Giveaway!

You guys made my birthday that much more special :o)

I had such a great day spending it with my family.

My hubby gave me an awesome pocket camera that I needed badly. The other one was on it's last leg.
My MIL made me this lovely crochet blanket made of hexagons.
My kids gave me an iTunes gift card so I've been going mad downloading music.

I also was able to get some retail therapy with my other gifts.

Definitely an awesome day!

Now to announce the winner of my Birthday Giveaway,
Drum roll please......

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:22Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Lucy @ Charm About You said...

I hope you enjoyed your birthday! I have fallen for the Timeless Treasures!

Congratulations Lucy!!

Whoo Hoo!!! Now you can grab some Timeless Treasures.
I'll be contacting you with your prize.

(FYI- when using the random number generator, I did input the #29 for total entries. For some reason when copy/pasting, it put in #100. Don't really know why it did that. Maybe some html reason.)

Till Next Time!

Carla

Cushion, Cushion, Who's Got The Cushion?

2011-10-21T05:02:00.000-07:00

I do! I do!

Sorry for the bad picture. The sun was down and I took photos inside, bad choice...

It might sound silly to get excited about a new cushion but how can I not when it looks like this one :o) Especially since I made it from scraps left over from another Drunkard's Path project. It makes me feel like I'm getting more bang for my buck.

Who doesn't like that?

Since I want the front to be the star, I used a simple print for the backing.

The cushion came out to measure 21" square. A good size for guest to lean on.

Since I did stuff it, I sewed the opening closed. I'm hoping for the other cushions I'm planning to make, to actually install a zipper. Is it hard to add one?

Again, I did some hand embroidery in lavinder, orange, and yellow.

I followed the curves and on the border a simple straight line.

Some day I might venture into more elaborate designs like florals.

But till then, straight lines for me.

I'm sharing my project over at Sarah's for Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

Sharing over at Ladybird Ln's Weekend Showoff Party!

Sharing with Amy Lou Who's Sew & Tell!

Make sure to head over and see what others have finished this week!!!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Flying Geese- A Tutorial

2011-10-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

When first starting to quilt, I wanted to try every block, make every quilt, and be good at it. I was "glossy-eyed" that way. Then I came across the flying geese block. They always came out wonky, off, and stretched. This block was my Achilles heel. After ~~a lot~~ few tries, I have finally found the method that works best for me. I'm hoping with this tutorial I can shed some light to a sometimes-frustrating block.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*I started out with solid Kona charm pack, (background fabric), and 1/2 yard of Kona solid black, (flying geese).

** These figures are for a flying geese block measuring 2" x 3 1/2". I am working on a tutorial to show you how to determine the size of your flying geese block.

Step 1: Cut the 3" geese squares from the dark fabric. Keep your squares on "grain" so that all sides are on the straight of grain.

Step 2: Cut 2.5" squares from the charm pack for the background. These pieces are even smaller than the goose pieces. Again, make sure that they are cut on the straight of grain. Cut twice as many background squares as goose squares. I was able to make four squares from each color charm.

Step 3: Cut the 2.5" background squares in half, diagonally.

Now, stack up your background triangles and geese squares and seat yourself at the sewing machine.

Step 4: It is critical at this point to have an accurate 1/4" seam allowance. With the right sides together, sew a colored background triangle to the side of a geese square, making sure that the starting point is even with the top corner and that the other end of the triangle is extends beyond the square by 1/4". The offset triangle is an important part of this technique.

Step 5: Next, turn and sew the opposite side, with right sides together. Again, making sure that the triangle is even at the starting corner, and extending the 1/4" beyond at the other end.

Step 6: Snip the assemblies apart and press the seam toward the background. For this method, you must forget the "rule" of always pressing towards the dark fabric.

Step 7: Again, with the right sides together, sew another background triangle to the third side. This time we're changing and offsetting the triangles a the beginning, leaving the end of the triangle even with the bottom corner. String several assemblies together as before.

Step 8: Turn the string, as before, and sew the fourth triangle to the fourth side. You will be offsetting the 1/4" at the beginning again and the ending with the triangle even a the other corner.

Step 9: Snip apart and press toward the background. You can snip off extending points for a cleaner block.

Step 10: To cut apart, line your see-through ruler across the middle where the points are even. You can see where my seam ripper is pointing, the triangles are overlapping.

Not where you want to cut.

Now with our rotary cutter, cut across the square.

There you are, two quick geese rectangles from the assembly that you have sewn.

No stretching, no wonky sides, and no frustration.

Now when you sew your blocks together in a traditional row, you won't be sewing across the tips, causing them to cut off.

This method might take a bit longer than others but it saves on headaches.

I encourage you to give it a try and let me know what you all think.

If you have any question feel free to contact me.

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

WIP Wednesday #8

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

1. After two week of not making any FWQA blocks,

I was finally able to complete a batch. I'll will admit, they aren't my best work :o(

I'm hoping next weeks blocks will be up to par.

2. I completed my Drunkard's Path in Blue quilt top.

Just need to sandwich, baste, and start quilting!

I used some of the scraps from my Drunkard's Path in Blue.

3. This is the front of the new cushion I made last weekend.

I know it's bold, bright, and out there, but it's right up my alley.

You can see more of it on Friday's post.

4. I finally did make a new cover for my ironing board. It needed it badly.

Be warned, the B4 pictures are pretty yucky...

My Stats for the week:

Finishes: 2

Ironing board cover

Bold Cushion

Quilt Tops Waiting To Be Quilted: 3

Denyse in Strings

Dresden Flowers Quilt
Christmas Quilt 2011

New Projects: 3

Drunkard's Path In Blue

Dresden Flower Cushion

Solids Challenge

FWQA: 59

Only 52 to go. I guess I'm more than half way there!

On Hold: 3

Seeds

Summer Sampler Series (still only 2 blocks done)

Single Girls quilt

Freshly Pieced

Make sure to head over to Freshly Pieced to see what others have in the works this week!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Drunkard's Path In Blue

2011-10-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

Now that I have gotten over my fear of the drunkard's path,

I can't stop thinking of all the patterns this one block can make.

For a quick wall quilt, I used Mexican inspired fabrics.
It's bold,bright, and just right for me.

Still sampling fabric for a thin 1" outer border.

Maybe use the blue for border and the black patterned for the bias?

Working with this pattern and fabric, I can easily see myself making a lap size quilt.

But I've told myself that I need to start working smaller.
I have plenty of large quilts and smaller quilts allow me to experiment more.
They are also a quick finish and I don't get overwhelmed to finish.
My plan for next year is not to get that way and simply enjoy.
(just have to remember that when I start to pull my hair out)

I'm linking up to Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story .
Make sure to check them out.
Great stuff!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Add Four More To The Bunch

2011-10-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

It's been over two weeks since I've last worked on any blocks for the FWQA.
I've kept myself busy with my other projects and to be honest, I forgot about them.
Now I'm back on track. I've been out of practice that some of my blocks came out wonky.

Like this block. #25 Cups & Saucers
Even with a lead fabric scrap, my machine wants to eat those triangles up.
I'm really thinking of going back to hand sewing the little pieces by hand.

#30 End of Day
Very simple block to make but I accidently switched the sides the yellow was supposed to be on. Oh well.

#23 Country Farm
Yippee! This one came with no headaches.

#28 Duck and Ducklings
I've been wanting to make a block with these two colors.
I love the impact that is created and it was an easy block.

As I go through my finished blocks, I've noticed that not all are the same size. Some are 6.5", others measure 6". Not sure if it could be the templates or maybe just me. Is anyone else coming across this issue?

Now I have 59 completed and 52 to go.
I guess you can say I'm at the half way point.
It's down hill from here!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Ironing Board Facelift

2011-10-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you for your awesome birthday wishes!
If you haven't yet, make sure to sign up for a $25 gift certificate giveaway!
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

The average American owns a standard ironing board that measures 15" at the widest point.

I had to be different and get the one that measures 18".

Having a wider board allows me to press more surface and not have to be fiddling with the clothing/fabric as much.

In my home the ironing board is up all the time. There is no point in taking it down,... I'm a quilter, need I say more?

So the other day while pressing, I really looked at the board and realized it needed a major redo. BE WARNED.

This photos shows the worst it's ever gotten. Bad and yucky!

I should be embarrassed by the condition but I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who's board does or has looked this bad.

When choosing the fabric to replace the old, I didn't want anything dark, saturated with dye, so I went with this print-on muslin. Once done pressing, I removing the old ironing board cover, placed the board on the fabric and traced the shape.
I added 4" around to make a casing for the string I would be adding.
For the padding I used a bit of batting and some Insul-bright.

After making some adjustments, adding a bit of elastic, it was done!
It took me a whole 30 minutes from start to finish to complete.
Again, instant gratification!

Now that I think about it, I don't know why it took me so long.
If you are interested in making a new cover for your ironing board, here are some great tutorial to check out!

Whip Up!

Everyday Beauty

Clearly Tangled

U-Handbag

Till Next Time!

Carla

Do You Have The Bug?

2011-10-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

No not the flu bug, but the Pinterest bug.

Yup, I've got it. I've got it bad.

Pinterest is a great place to "window shop".

There are all sorts of items you can link to like this wreath....

Source

Links to how to's,..

Source

Links to Yummy food to eat,...

Source

~~Links for some eye candy to drool over~~...
I mean interesting photographs of movie stars....

Source

What ever your fancy may be, they've got it.

They have something for everyone and more.

Consider this your warning.
Once you go Pinterest, you never want to go back.

But don't knock it until you try it.
Have fun and don't say I didn't warn you....

Till Next Time!

Carla

It's My Birthday~Giveaway!

2011-10-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Yup! That's right! It's my birthday!

Whoo-hoo!

So what a better way to celebrate than by giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to
Above All Fabrics!

Melanie is the owner and is also a co-founder of our local Modern Quilt Guild.
At Melanie's shop, you'll always find fresh, new, modern fabrics for your every need.

Source

She also offers kits for
~Skirts
~Dresses
~Pillowcases
~Quits and more!

Source

Melanie also offers some yummy solids in many hues and tones.
The possibilities are endless with this bundle!

Source

Are you crushing as bad as I am on Kate Spain's Terrain?

To Enter

~All you have to do is leave ONE comment telling what you would get from
Above All Frabrics if you won.

~Simple as that.

The Giveaway will close on Friday, Oct. 21st, midnight.

I'll be picking the winner the next day, Oct. 22nd.

Wish you all luck!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Sew 4 Home- Gift Ideas

2011-10-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

You know Christmas is just around the corner, only 72 days left!

If you are like me and you make the majority of your gifts, it's time to get moving and start making.

Have you ever visited Sew 4 Home? If you have, you know that they always have great ideas for sewing home items and gifts.

Here are some of the inspirations I plan to make for family and friends.

EZ Grocery Bags

Two-Handed Pot Holder

Travel Cosmetics & Toiletries Case

Zipper Pencil Case

Don't you just love these projects!
What I like the most is that they each should only take one day to make.

I hope you have gotten inspired to get going and get started on making your gifts.
There are lots of inspiration on Sew 4 Home. Definitely take some time and check it out. There is something for every level of sewer and every person in your life.

Have fun!!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

WIP Wednesday #7

2011-10-12T05:06:00.000-07:00

Well I did it again,...

No progress on my WIPs but I did complete a few new projects.

Which is a good thing or else they would also be on my WIP list, right?

Anyways, here are my finished items:

Acorn Table Mats

Table Runner to match

Tote

I also have a Fall Table Topper, Wonky Star Cushion, and a Floral Tile Cushion.

I've been on a roll and it sure feels good!

My Stats for the week:

Finishes: 6

Including my Fall Stars quilt!

New Projects: 5

See above :o)

On Hold: 4

Seeds

Summer Sampler Series (still only 2 blocks done)

Single Girls quilt

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along (64 to go. Was unable to make any this past week)

Quilt Tops Waiting To Be Quilted: 4

Denyse in Strings

Wonky Star

Dresden Flowers Quilt

Christmas Quilt 2011

I'm having a giveaway on Friday so make sure to check back!

Till Next Time!

Carla Pin It

Wonky Star Cushion

2011-10-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

You all have seen my Fall Star quilt. ~~Which still needs quilting~~.

Well after sewing it together, I had a couple of wonky star blocks left.

I meant to add it to the backing but that obviously didn't happen.

That's what happens when you get too organized....

Well since I'm on a mission to redecorate my home, on the frugal, I am making new cushions for the sofa. You can see the first one here, Floral Tile Cushion.

As you can see, I found my two missing blocks.

The wonky star block was not big enough to fit the cushion form.

So I simply added a brown border along with some of the circle fabric,

(I'm seriously thinking of purchasing more of the circle fabric).

This is the first time I have made a cushion insert with an opening on the back.

The others are usually sewn closed because they are filled with stuffing. It was easier than I thought and I really love that I can wash as needed.

This lovely measures 18" square.

It's soft and I think it looks great with the other cushion.

So now I have 2 down and 5 to go.

Woo Hoo!

I'm linking up with Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesdays!

Make sure to head over there and see some inspirations :o)

I'm having a Giveaway on Friday so make sure to check back!

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Floral Tile Cushion

2011-10-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I shared with you a tid bit of my Drunkard's Path.

It's a new technique for me and the curved pieces intimidated me, a bit.

But not any longer! I've done it and very happy I did.

I arranged the squares to give it a Mexican tile work look.

Very bright, bold, and floral. My grandmother had something like this in one of her bathrooms as a back splash.

I wanted to give it more of an ethnic feel so I hand embroidered in three colors.

Nothing fancy just some echoing and straight lines.

I'm really happy with the results.

The backing fabric is a bold print and totally opposite to the front.

I wanted to punch it up a bit.

The pillow measures 20.5" square. Perfect to have behind your back or squeeze during a scary movie.

Now I have one cushion done and 5 to go. Oh, wait... 7 to go. I forgot to include 2 floor cushions. Can't wait to create and share!

I'm having a Giveaway on Friday so make sure to check back.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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Question for Anyone...

2011-10-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

What draws your attention to quilting/craft blog, or on this blog in particular?

Would you like:

* More info on how I made a certain project

* Photos of my progress on a project, from fabric selection, design wall, to finished product

* Tutorials with details/photos on how to make it

* Personal things, like what I'm listening to on my iPod

* What my opinion is on certain items

* Links to great stuff I find

* Or just leave as is

I would love to hear what you all think!

Till Next Time!

Carla

Leftovers...

2011-10-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you cut up 2 bags, one trash can, and store bag of leftover scraps?

(this is a years worth of scraps)

You get four shoe bins full of square scraps!

These are great for a quick project or gift.

All you have to do is grab a bin, sew, and create!

In this bin I have 2" in the baggy, 3", and 3.5" squares.

This is filled with 1.5" squares.

It's hard for me to through away even the smallest scraps.

Here are the 4" and 4.5" squares.

These are more 2.5" squares.

It seems that a lot of my scraps are perfect for this size.

I was able to cut a few 5" squares and yet another baggy of 2" squares.

There were some pieces too big to cut down so I saved those in my Fat Quarter bins for my FWQA blocks. I'm not sure what I'll be using these squares for.
Maybe a few mug rugs, or hot pads, some pot holders, a quick table runner, or even full size quilt...
What would you use them for?

Till Next Time!

Carla

A Path In The Works

2011-10-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

Today I'm adding another technique to my repertoire.

I'm finally giving Drunkards Path a try.

I don't know why I've waiting so long because

so far, it's easy as pie.

Bold and bright are the colors/fabrics I'm using.

I sort of have an idea of what I want.

But will still be playing around with them until the light bulb turns on.

If you've been intimidated by this pattern, don't be.

You just have to use plenty of pins and don't stretch the fabric.

See you all soon with, hopefully, a new finish.

Till Next Time!

Carla

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