Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Quilt progress...

There has been slow progress here on the quilt.  I had hoped to whip this one out quickly, but it is taking time... Even so, the quiet repetition of stitch after stitch, has a rewarding outcome.  I love to look at the progress and know that when this quilt comes off the frame I will be amazed!  Last week we experienced a great loss -- the unexpected death of a special friend to our family.  As we have looked at pictures, talked and told stories of many good times, I have realized again how the people we hold close, the experiences we have all add "threads" to our family story -- threads that when we step back and reflect fill us with amazement.  "...Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 106:1

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Today was Auction Day at school...

Auction Day at school is always exciting, fun, tiring, and a successful fundraiser for our school.  Today was the day. For the past number of years I've been contributing a purse or bag of some kind, and this year is was a leather bottom tote bag.  This is the third one I've made since December, and I think the next one is going to stay right here with me!   To the bidder on this one -- thank you, and enjoy!







Thursday, March 31, 2016

What exactly IS a quilt sandwich?






I just bet you have been wondering what in the world a quilt sandwich is.  Right???  If you've made a quilt you will know exactly what I mean.

Nope!  This is not it -- just your ordinary (except that I used crust for one piece) peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Nothing fancy about this spring break lunch today!

A quilt sandwich is what you get when you put the backing fabric...



....together with the batting...

Add caption


....and, finally top with the pieced quilt!  Pin it all together, and you have a quilt sandwich!


Next up will be figuring out how to get this into the quilting frame.  It's an old one I bought at my favorite thrift store, and this will be my first try at using it.  Here goes....


Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Spring Break Quilting ...

Spring Break is here, and I just want to savor every moment!  Instead of grandiose plans to spring clean the house, (which, by the way, never seems to be accomplished during Spring Break), my goals were to clean the refrigerator, finish piecing the quilt I've been working on, and make the quilt "sandwich" (fabric, batting, fabric) ready to put in the frame.

Refrigerator AND freezer cleaned!  CHECK


Quilt top pieced!  CHECK



Today, I'll be making a Quilt Sandwich!



Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Wednesday's Work In Progress...

It's coming along...4 rows sewn, and 6 to go!  I'm not sure how I'm going to quilt this yet.  Any ideas out there?  I'm thinking of a fine stitch on this one.





I love laying the pieces out -- stepping back -- and seeing the overall look.  

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Thursday Totes...

Tote bags of all kinds are so handy, from shopping, to carrying school things, to travel, and on and on. Last year I made three bags that were given as Christmas gifts.  So, without further comments, here are some "Thursday Totes."  The pattern for the leather-bottom totes was modeled after a tutorial by SeeKateSew.  It is the perfect size for books, files, clothing, whatever!


In the making... 
One tote finished!


Zebras hiding on the inside!

Second bag completed!

I love the way fabric choice completely changes the look of a bag.  Hobby Lobby has GREAT choices of fabric.  I used duck cloth, which is a light-weight type canvas fabric.

Lime green brightens up the inside on this one.
For my friends at work, I am making a tote in this style for the auction.  The feature fabric will be a duck cloth  in this color... You will have to wait and see what fabric hides inside!

The third bag I made more of a shopping tote, although it could be used for any purpose.  It does not having a lining, but very pretty, all the same.  I'm not sure where the pattern came for this one.  I follow some hand-written notes jotted on paper.

Thanks for looking, and have a terrific tote-filled Thursday!

Friday, February 5, 2016

Rotary Cutters are SHARP!

Be careful with a rotary cutter!
It finally happened...as I was zipping along trimming my quilt blocks for the quilt,

               my hand slipped just a bit too close to the edge of the ruler and, 
                              OUCH!  ...a little slice of the side of my index finger...
                                                               G  O  N E!

Needless to say, I have kept my finger bandaged this week ... and have not done any more cutting, YET.  I will get back on the "rotary cutter horse" and do it again!!  I'm thinking a pair of close fitting rubber garden gloves -- not used for gardening yet, of course -- will be a good deterrent from this happening again!

I have had fun, though beginning to lay out the design.  It is exciting to see a quilt take form!
The top is on the side in the pictures -- but you get the point either way!




Sunday, January 31, 2016

Quilt Progress...

Check out the quilt progress!
Chain piecing and assembly line pressing! It's a great way to make multiple blocks.

Blocks in the making...
Chain piecing the next set. 



A stack of 20, ready for the next strip.

For chain piecing, you sew the seam on each block,  lining one  block immediately following the other.  Do not cut the threads in between.  This really speeds up the process!

Once you complete the "chain" you will snip the threads between each piece, and press the new seam.    This one looks a bit wonky, but trimming it to size will take care of that.

All ready to snip and press, and then...
...the finished block!

Coming up next -- sewing the top together.

Monday, January 25, 2016

New Year Sewing - 2016

After several weeks of last minute Christmas sewing, it feels nice to sit down at the machine and sew without a deadline!

BERNINA USA's blog, WeAllSew, featured a "Snowflake" quilt in October as a quilt-along project. The red and aqua color combination caught my eye.  It is just the next quilt project I was looking for!


A snowy weekend seems the perfect time to work on my "Snowflake Quilt." 


It's hard to believe this will turn into a quilt large enough to cover a bed!


The pieces are coming together.

Thanks for stopping by!  To those who follow my sewing blog ... I took a long break from blogging my projects.  Keeping a record of my progress helps to motivate me, so.... because I have two quilts in progress, I'm going to "pick up the pen" again ... and the camera ... and the fabric ... and the needles ... you get the point! ... and get going on these quilts!

Enjoy your creative moments, whatever they may be!