Wall Hanging Foxglove at Night

Ta Da!

A Summer Dress

This time I tried a Butterick dress pattern 6351.  This one I cut out on a 12/14 size according to my measurements.

 It was pretty tricky as the back of the bodice overlaps...

But all is well that ends well...

The Regia Socks

So the socks are done.  It has been a while since I made ones with such a long cuff. I imagine I will wear them turned down...

Star Pincushion

As usual, I spend more time looking at what others are up to, and I sometimes wonder when I will have time to sew myself.  The couch is comfy and the coffee soothing...

Anyhow, I saw this clever pincushion made from 15 equal sized squares sewn together.  First I cut the squares 1 1/4" on a side.  Then I sewed y-seams to join 5 squares into a star shape.  Then I made another star shape and the last five squares became the vertical edges joining the two 'star' pieces...

Isn't that cute?  Above I laid the pincushion on my latest drawing...and below I laid it on my latest library book...which is super interesting by the way.

Here it is posing with my driving top down hat....that I made a while ago to fit my extra large noggin... LOL

Update of the Lord's Prayer embroidery

Coming along....this is my go to for travelling and when I am away.  It fits in here...

I am making progress slowly on this but it is very satisfying.

Book Binding a new/old craft

Remember how we used to use thread or string to make little booklets of our own poems and pictures when we were kids?  Weaving the string carefully back and forth and tying a neat knot and bow in the middle of the 'spine'.  It is not so far from what you can do with paper today and adding a cover makes it even better.

You begin by folding the pages into signatures which are just 3-4 folded sheets nested together.  Mark and pierce the folds with an awl.  I used foam board that I had in my sewing room for the covers.  Then after the buttonhole thread sewing is done I covered the spine with a piece of fabric.  Viola!

Then after the buttonhole thread sewing is done I covered the spine with a piece of fabric.  Viola!

Look at this cute Baskety Thing

So while looking at other quilt blogs I saw this Pixie Cup made by Fabric Mutt and was inspired to make one like Heidi's.  Super cute.

There was an issue with a typo in the measurements of the exterior piece but easily solved by following her pictures.  It should be 4 1/2 by 12 1/2 by my calculation.

Simple Spinner

These new blocks are sort of an experiment.  You know how you read instructions in a new magazine and wonder at the cleverness and then wonder if it works...

Baby Quilt for a Boy

A boy it is.  And I am excited that my son and DIL asked me (well actually she asked me) to make them a quilt.  As they had the cat first, it had to be included...so I started with this picture fabric.

Then I liked the polka dots but lines go well with polka dots, right?

Nice, but a bit boring so I added some attic window frames....

Now, its cooking.  Borders are next.

More Socks

Ok, those two needle socks were pretty cute but I still have this favourite pattern made from the book of Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders.



These little footlets are adorable and really quick so I just had to use up some Kroy sock yarn.  It was cool but a bit frustrating as the yarn had no repeat of some of the colours so I couldn't make them match.  I still like the result and I am sure they will keep feet warm.

Sewing for my Mom - Rainbow table runners

Back in June 2014 my mom gave me a couple of table runner patterns and some strip sets she had made to make the bargello pattern.

Time passes and here we are summer 2015.  But I remembered them and here they are done.  They went together quite well and look grand I think.  When I gave them to her recently she was delighted and we had to clear off the kitchen table and put one on under her pepper and salt and spoon mug...

The backs were nice too and I even found some pre-printed labels to co-ordinate.

New Laptop Cover for my Honey

My husband got a new laptop.  It's big.  So big that there is no commercial bag or carrying case that is big enough to accommodate it.  So I made him a case the same way that I covered my ipad.

I use super heavy 1/8" thick iron-on interfacing with out-y seams on two sides.

Can you tell he picked the fabric out of my stash?  I laughed when he pointed out what he wanted.  I am pretty sure these are two he picked out as cool at a quilt fabric store somewhere.  He's consistent though.

 On the open end I added the flap and velcro so it wouldn't slide out.

Wheelchair Bag

This was a secret project so I didn't post about it sooner.  But the recipient is now in possession so here goes.

 First I chose some rainbow coloured fabric.  She loves rainbows...

Then I stitched up the bag in a simple messenger style.

As you can see the straps are loops only.  They fit over the chair pushers and keep her stuff handy.  Oh, yes and a small peek inside...

Oops apparently I made the straps a bit short.  Hopefully we will be in the same city soon and I can fix the issure...

Foxglove at Night Wall hanging

I just love these blocks.  The colours are sooo vibrant.

And finally, put together and all those paper bits removed from the back.  Yeah!

Re - Quilting

I had made my eldest son an orange star quilt when he was in grade mmmm, 11 I think, in 2000.  It was my one and only time using an invisible thread for the quilting.  It turned out to be awful mainly because over time it grew a terrible beard of see through threads...

I took it back into my care after Christmas and began doctoring it.  There was enough intact thread to act as basting so I ran a line of quilting with cotton thread on either side of the original diagonal lines in one direction.

It was a bit troublesome but I wrestled it into submission.

Considering the fabric is 15 years old the quilt is hanging in there pretty well.  I did not find any other problems other than normal wear.

New and Old Our Father Prayer Quilt

After nearly finishing the Our Father Quilt from the  pattern by Elefantz.  I thought of how beautiful it is...

Better pictures coming....

I was inspired to make my own original embroidered Our Father Prayer,

I am so excited with how the first block went that I had to show it off before I got around to pressing.... I did wash it quickly, tho to confirm the my DMC 939 is in fact colour fast.  Small Yeah...

It is done in a mix of stem stitch, satin stitch, and back stitch, with either one or two threads.

More Plate Pockets

Carrying on, I made some more plate pockets, well actually some are for bowls but plate pockets sounds cuter...

And I tried them out with the dishes.  They worked great.  No more dusty dishes coming out of the shelves in the basement...  Yeah!

Edwin's Pillow

I had a chat with my DD and she explained to me that her three year old would like a pillow and pillowcase combo like his big brother's.

We got out the new down pillow we had.  I don't remember the down being so....downy, but after much fluffy transferring....

and lots of vacuuming, I had a nicely stuffed little boy pillow.

Then the pillow case.  Just a few embroidery stitches...

And there you are....

I hope he likes the bug print.

Plate Pockets

I am lucky enough to have two sets of dishes.  One for summer and one for winter.  The ones in storage are always in danger -- yes real danger of being chipped,  dropped or just messed up with the usual dust issues.  I started thinking I would look for a pattern for some sort of cover up for them....

Then I just decided to design it myself.  Leftovers from other projects and bits of batting....

I also wanted to experiment with invisible zippers as I had just seen a sewing show on TV about putting them in with your regular sewing foot.

TaDaaa...

I am really happy with the plate ones.  I wonder if I can manage to make some for soup bowls and saucers.

More Gone Fishin'

Progress is being made.  These shapes are pretty cute and I am having good success at getting each fish to finish up at 2 1/2" by 6 1/2".

Quite a pile of trimmings though.

Now for the borders...