Needlecase or Pincushion

I made this book type needlecase - at least I think that is what these are called - and I thought it would be cool if I added a more traditional little pincushion in an inside pocket....

Star Placemats

I have been trying to keep my studio tidy and have been moving around these star blocks I made with the Delightful Stars QAL.  There were 9 - 12 inch star blocks so no problem coming up with 8 placemats.

Pretty pleasing.

Tilda Dolls

Yes, I have been bitten by the Tilda bug.  I just had to start with dolls.



They come in two sizes.  So simple to trace the pieces and sew them together on a flat piece of fabric.



How cute is this?....

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.

Delightful Stars QAL

Still sailing along on the Delightful wave of Stars.  I have been following along for quite a while and I have a lovely pile of stars waiting...  This pattern comes from the Quilting Gallery and it's all about precision.  I am very pleased with my efforts.

Another day another block...

If you visit the site you will see that the blocks are shown on dark even black backgrounds.  I had to change that of course.  I am pleased with my results.

New Delightful Stars Blocks

Here are the new blocks from the QAL over at Mishkas Playground.

I know, great, huh?

Handkerchiefs by Hand

My son works outside in all weather and we have been getting some cold stuff.  He decided he would like some cloth handkerchiefs.  We looked on line and they were surprisingly expensive.  Lo and behold, I had some lovely lawn fabric in a nice check.  He's happy they are not white.

But I went a step further...

I am hand hemming them for him.  I think it is a really nice finish and it is easy to do while I watch TV...

I watched Amy Wright's video .  It's very easy to follow and quite clever.  I'm sure I would not have thought of this on my own.  With the lines of the check it is even easier to be straight.

Delightful Star Blocks QAL

Don't they look nice?  My points are great, if I do say so and pressing the seams open makes the blocks really flat.

Here's last week's block:

And now together...

Delightful Stars Quilt-Along Lesson 2 (Block 24)

Ta da!!

I am so happy with these tutorials and the pattern.  Note the nice points and matching.

Knitting Mitts

One of my favourite pastimes in the car (or in this case truck) is knitting.  The light is good, and unless it is complicated the vibration of the ride doesn't matter.

These were for my Grandkids so they are smallish...even the red ones wouldn't fit me.

Progress on my Wheel Around Blocks

I am really liking how this block is going together.  I am using the set of fat quarters I got from Sew Sisters a couple of months ago and they are wonderful.

Here's how it starts. ( I am using a scrapbooking case to store the blocks as they are 12 1/2 inches square )

And...

Then I sew the triangles on all four sides of of the corner squares...

After pressing the seams open I have the corners for two blocks...

And Voila!

I haven't decided if there will be sashing or not.  Then I saw on the cover of a Fons and Porter Magazine that Mary Fons had done this block on point...hmmm....

(If you scroll down the Magazine page to March/April 2013 you can see what I mean)

Fun with Henna

Please try this at home.  What a great party.  I had to show this fun time we had at my Darling Niece's Wedding Shower.  Too much fun.

 Mother of the bride - with sparkles!

 Even geometrics!

Now what's on the design Wall...

This was a block I first saw on Lori Holt's Bee in My Bonnet, Barn-along  Her's is more flower-like but I was looking through some old quilting mags and saw it again and again - well I had to try it.  So here it is on the old design wall looking spiffy.

The block is 12 1/2 inches square.  The component small sections are all 4 1/2 inches square so it was pretty straight forward.  The corner square in a square is made with one brown square 3 3/8 inches and the corner triangles are the diagonal cut of a 3 inch square.

Packing Tape Photo-Transfers

I saw this on Scrapbook Soup on our local PBS station.  What a great idea.  I love Beth's ideas but this one was over the top.

You take regular old packing tape and grab a magazine.  I have been good with the recycle but I had a Legion magazine (flimsiest paper ever but no worries)

Page through and lay a piece of tape over a half dozen + images that take your fancy.  Bright colours are good but not essential.  If the picture is large overlap the tape by a scant quarter inch.  Using paper scissors, cut out the pictures leaving a tiny margin outside the tape shape.

Important step:  Burnish the tape onto the picture with the side of a pencil of wooden spoon.  Don't worry about wrinkles - they just add character.

Now put some water in a bowl and submerge the paper/tape strips.  Let soak a few minutes and start to gently rub off the paper from the backside.  Voila!  You have a lovely transparent rendition of the picture in the magazine.

Here's what I got in about 5 minutes.  Cool, huh?  Pat dry and you have some cool art.  Beth, on the show used her's for scrapbooking but I wanted to sew mine.

I layered a couple of pieces of printer paper and overlaid some tracing paper.  Then I got busy with some silk ribbon and my sewing machine...

I can't get over how easy it was....

The Hedgehog Pincushion - Everyday Handmade

You have to see this....
So I borrowed this book from the library

EVERY project they present is marvellous.  I couldn't decide which was my favourite.  Cassie Barden and Adrienne Smitke are co-authors of Everyday Handmade.  Now look what I made with their wonderful instructions.

 Another adorable pincushion.... Need I say more.

Row Along still coming along

I think Lori has more rows in the row along but I think I am quitting here.

I thought I would show all my pressed open seams.  I think I will do straight line stitching for the quilting lines so the pressed open seams make a smoother top.

Baskets for the Row Along

I must soon be done.  But here is the next row.

As you know I am following the row along at Bee in my Bonnet.  I love her instructions.  Easy peasy.

Wrist Strap Bag

I have been recycling.  This is the result.  I took a pair of jeans that were permanently damaged.  Here is the bag.

I am pretty pleased with it.  I used this tutorial at My Spare Time for the recessed zipper.  It went quickly and was pretty easy.

Then I added some quilting around the top edge instead of machine sewing.  I thought the seams were too thick for that.

If you remember I blogged about the wrist strap that Alex made for me.

My Niece was here how Nice

Caroline came for a visit and some sewing.  What fun.  She was imagining some new Christmas stockings for her and her guy and thought I might be able to help.

After some work on her part drafting up her ideas...

Then a quick lesson in paper piecing...  She was a quick study...

What a great start.  I hope I get to put up a picture of the finished project....

Hexagons, the progress

I have been positively addicted to these.  Between company and housework I have been making really good progress.

lots of blue, huh ? But look at this...

More of the browns here. I'm not quite sure how the two will interface but I must figure that out soon and join them.  I am about 2/3 done I estimate by the hole between these two sections on the floor.

Maybe I shouldn't have laid these down on the rug for picture purposes but it was such a lovely sunny day and they were handy here.  You can't see but I have lots of little papers to remove from the blue hexs but I will get to that too.