crazy'boutquilts

Because of a few unforeseen circumstances, I was sewing right up until Christmas Eve!

I will not repeat that experience ever again!

(Please remind me of that in November!) LOL

**If you are looking for my giveaway post, please go HERE.

You still have time to enter!! 

Anyway, I did finish the final gift quilt and it was under the tree when it needed to be. :-)

 I made this Card Trick quilt from recycled shirts-- hubby's, DS's, some from friends, and some from thrifting.  A sweet friend sent the fabric for the borders as well as more shirt prints she got from a factory near her. :-)  So I'm calling this one 'A Little Help from my Friends'.

DS loved it at first sight!  But that could have something to do with the back....

For the first time, I quilted a fleece backing.  He is a super fan! LOL

I love how soft the back turned out--he is walking around with it wrapped over his shoulders cape-style right now. ;-)  I will definitely be using fleece in future snuggle quilts.

Did you finish all your planned holiday sewing?

I am off to work on some of the things that got pushed to the side..

Until next time,

Happy Stitchin'!!

First of all, I am so sorry to be late to the hop this morning.  I have the dreaded Christmas cold, and fell back asleep after DH left for work.  :-o  I am trying very hard to keep up with Christmas doings here, but my energy seems to be lagging~ if it were like a shadow, maybe I could try to sew it on? ;-)

Anyway, this month the BOM has 2 blocks!  Block 3 and a bonus block.

You can use the bonus in your quilt, or make something totally different with it. Go check out

Jacquelynne's blog and her cute tote. :-)  (psst...she is having a giveaway too!)

Block 3 is a cute daisy-like flower.  I am doing my blocks in hand embroidery and I had fun picking out stitches for this one~

And the bonus block is a set of tulips! I love tulips!  The squirrels around here won't let me grow them though~ they dig up my bulbs! :-/

I did the whole bowl of the tulip in one color, and added the little bit of the third at the top. 

Again~ I had fun with embroidery stitches! :-)

I also did two centers with crayons and the back stitch.  I think I have decided what I am going to do with these, but I'll wait until the end of the BOM to show you. :-)

I have a giveaway for you too!  Jacquelynne is allowing each blog to giveaway a special PDF prize package of patterns.  Wouldn't  it be fun to 'dream of summer' and make some of these cute projects while the snow is blowing? :-)

International commenters are welcome too, since all I need to get the prize to you is a valid email address.  I'm going to leave my giveaway open until December 31st.  I know it is a busy time of year, and you might not get to hop until after the weekend.  Just leave me a comment, tell me how you are coming with the BOM and your favorite part. ;-) I do hope you visit all the blogs in the hop~

Snoodles ~ Lily Pad Quilting

Teresa ~ A Quilt and a Prayer

Deonn ~ Quiltscapes 

Barb ~ Bejeweled Quilts

Deanna ~ Wedding Dress Blue

Barb ~ Mountain Quiltworks

Barb ~ Garden Path Quilts

I think I may be sewing right up to Christmas day! :-o

How about you?

Are you getting all your projects finished?

I can't remember the last time I felt so behind--and that includes the year our DS was born (in December)!

I have gotten the packages that needed mailing, all mailed. Yay!

The PO at this time of year is not a very favorite place of mine. LOL

But I must say, there is something to mailing early. ;-)

I put the finishing stitches in this topper and mailed it off too.

I hope the recipient likes it as much as my DH did!

He didn't think I should be giving it away. :-) 

Today I got the last gift quilt all quilted, tomorrow I will work on binding.

Gotta love progress, no matter how small the steps! :-)

Until next time~

Happy Stitching!!

 

It is that time of year!!

I love to make gifts for family and friends, but this year I have really fallen behind in

my plans! :-o  All good plans, you know.. :-)

Anyway, hot off the work bench~ (I had to use hubby's work bench to hammer in the snaps)~

Mani/pedi  wallets! :-)

I made one last year for my DD and she has told me how much she loves it, so

I made 2 more as gifts.  I include a new bottle of polish, some nail adhesives, and a nice file. 

The pattern is a freebie from Robert Kaufman, designed by Anna of Noodlehead. She has other free patterns on Kaufman's site, plus she designs and sells some really nice patterns.  (and no, I was not compensated to say that! I doubt she even knows about me or my little blog ;-) LOL)

I am headed back to my sewing room to work on another gift. :-)

Have a great day!

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!

....and my mind is thinking chicken dinner!...

But no chicken dinners here, the winner won these wonderful

e-patterns from Jacquelynne Steves~

Drum roll....

And my winner is~~

Dolores said...

Giveaway Extended until Wednesday, December 3rd~
I think everyone was busy eating turkey, enjoying family and maybe a little shopping?

Please be sure to visit all the blogger's in the hop to give yourself more chances to win!
Good luck!!

Sandy ~ Upstairs Hobby Room
Sandie ~ Crazy ‘boutquilts ~ thanks for visiting!!


 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good morning!

Did you receive block 2 of the Sew Sweet Simplicity BOM by Jacquelynne Steves in your email?  I was a little surprised when it showed up yesterday~ but happy too!

I loved this block!

If you remember, I am doing mine with my vintage sheet collection and hand embroidering the center part.

I'm also doing a set with the center colored with crayons.  I haven't 

decided what fabric to use for that one yet. ;-)

Jacquelynne has a list of all the bloggers who are hopping with her today.  Be sure to visit everyone! 

Along with today's blog hop~ Jacquelynne is sponsoring another giveaway~not only on my blog, but everyone in the hop!  yay!

This time it is this cute penny rug and pattern~

Please make sure you have a valid email address either in your comment,

or that links to your blog! If I can't find you, I will have to draw again.

We will leave the giveaway open until Friday the 28th.  International commenters are welcome too as this is a set of e-patterns. ;-)  (thus the great need for your email address!)

Also~ it is not too late to sign up!  You will receive the past month's block as well as the pre-BOM instructions in your email.  You can go HERE to sign up and get all the info. 

And finally, if you have any social media accounts, please use this~

#SewSweetSimplicity

So we can find you! :-) 

Until next time~

Good luck &

Happy stitchin'!

My second love! LOL

I seem to be stuck on redwork lately, but I do like embroidery in all colors. :-)

I got my top for 'I Believe in Snowmen' from Bunny Hill Designs all together~

I just need a nice day to get it quilted. :-)

Today is not the day!

It is raining and very grey outside.

And that is why this photo is so dark~

 Sorry! :-/

I just put the finishing stitches on 'Oh Come Let Us Adore Him' and the pattern is from

A Piece of Work Designs

It is approx 14 x 17 inches, once I trim it up.

I think I am going to border it and use it as a wall hanging.

I don't have much wall space for framed things, so this way I can change it out for the season.

What are you working on?  

I need to pick a new handwork project now. ;-)

(No worries~ I have lots of patterns! LOL)

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!!

If you read my previous post about how to make the zippered pouches, then you know that this post is the continuation...

First you need to make your tab for the D-ring or key ring.

Take the 2.5" x 3" piece of fabric and fold in the long edges approx 1/4 ", then press it together. Top stitch close to the edge side and the fold side. Slip on your ring. And fold in half so the raw edges meet. 

  (I never realized what terrible shape my cutting mat is in until I took these photos!) Yikes!

 

 Place your tab at the top of your zipper, on the back and centered.

 

Now we are ready to bind!  And actually, even though we are binding the zippered pouches, these tips work great for anything that is odd shaped and needs a bias binding. ;-)

 

When you cut bias binding, the ends are at an angle~ we are going to use this to our advantage. Press under a quarter inch seam allowance on the binding like this~

And trim off that little point.

 

 I'm going to show binding the hex, the circle is bound the same way but it is easier because you don't have those pesky points.

Take your binding and place it right at the 1/4" spot on a corner of  the pouch~

 

 The pin marked my quarter inch and got the binding as close as I could. You are going to sew just the single layer of binding down from this spot to the quarter inch spot at the next point. This keeps the binding in place, eliminates pins, and just makes it all go easier. ..at least it does for me!

Once you have that done, fold your binding down so it is doubled again and start sewing about 1/4" from where the bottom and top binding's meet. Since these buggah's are so small, that will be right at the next point. You should have room for one or two stitches before you pivot at the point.

I sew with my needle down. Stopping so I can pivot at each point. Keep the tab and ring in the center of your pouch, so you are sewing over the ends, but the metal is well out of the way.  I raise the foot and kind of make a little tuck of the binding at the corners so it lays flat right at the point~

 

 Sew all the way around until you have about an inch to go. Or half way on the single layer of binding.

Let's try a little tutorial for the zippered pouches~~

You can click on the photo's to make them larger. 

Supplies needed:

--scratch paper to make your pattern(s)

--FQ for lining and binding

-- 6" squares of your main fabric and a scrap that is 3" x 2.5" for the ring 

-- 6" squares of lightweight batting

-- D-ring or key ring

-- 7" zipper or two if you are making both shapes

 First we need to make our patterns~

For the circle trace around a dessert bowl.  LOL was that easy? Your circle needs to be approx 5.5 inches across.

For the hexagon~ take a 6 inch square of your scratch paper and fold it in half.

With the fold at the 60º line cut off the corner, do the same for the other side.

 When both corners are cut off, you will need to take 3/8th's off the top.

Now all 3 sides should measure 3 inches.
Unfold and you should have a perfect hexagon.

Now let's get to the fabric and fun parts!! 

We need to cut our bias binding....

Take your FQ and fold it, bringing the left corner down to the bottom~ making a nice long bias line.

Cut along the fold, just to trim the fold off.

Then make a 2.25 inch cut. This should give you 2 pieces of bias binding (for two pouches--I know you will make more than one!)

 Now, you can cut out your lining pieces from the scraps~
either 2 circles, 2 hex's, or both.

Also cut your main body and back piece from the 6 inch squares and the little rectangle for your D-ring (mine is 3 x 2.5 inches)

Place your main fabric circles or hex's on top of the squares of batting and quilt~ it doesn't need to be anything fancy! I just did a few lines.

Also sew close to the outer edge to keep things together.

After quilting, you can trim the batting away.

Layer your shape with your lining piece to make the cut~ that way they are both cut the exact same size.

For the circle, I folded it in half, and then cut on the fold. For the hexagon I positioned my ruler 1.5 inches from the top and bottom corners and cut (remember each side measured 3 inches, if yours didn't then you need to figure half of your side measurement).

{on the snowman pouch, I cut my line 2 inches from the edge~~ there isn't a rule that the cut has to be in the center, but I would leave at least 2 inches on the smaller side}

Next up is the zipper~~

Now put your zipper foot on your machine. Take a deep breath~ you can do this!!!

Take the top half of one shape and layer it with the lining half, right sides together. Now take your zipper and put it between the main and lining pieces with the zipper facing up and the pull on the left hand side~
It purposely should hang over both edges.

Sew along the edge with the zipper foot, about 1/4" from the edge or just a thread width more--- it is close but not right tight next to the zipper. Can you see it in my photo? I tried to finger separate the layers so you could see.

That was easy, right? Now press the main and lining fabrics away from your zipper. Then top stitch close to the zipper but on the fabrics (photo below)

Side two;

 Again you are making a sandwich, top facing down, zipper facing up, lining facing up.

Try to line up your shapes so they are pretty even to the previously sewn side.

This time my zipper pull is on the right, facing up. and I'll sew about a quarter inch seam again.

Flip the pieces away from the zipper again, and top stitch this side.

This photo shows both top stitched. 

Now you should move your zipper pulls to the middle of your pouch shape. Do this before the next step!!

I put my regular foot back on and zigzagged across the zipper ends approx 1/2 inch from the edge...make sure you have your zipper pull in the middle!

 Next we are going to layer our backside and lining, wrong sides together... you can sew around these to keep them together, but I didn't...notice how my top hex got a little wonky? No worries!!

We are going to sew a half inch seam allowance to join the front to the back. (Your lining pieces are right sides together.)

And then trim close to that seam- I trimmed off all but 1/8th inch.

Ok, if you are with me this far~~ thank you!!! :-)

I'll stop here and tonight add the binding post~

Again, it is fun and easy!!

Have a happy day!!!

I also made a few gifts at retreat~ :-)

 Patchwork Posse- Shark Pencil case

These little shark pencil pouches were a  lot of fun, but whew! that

zipper was a bear! :-o  I must be crazy, because I did two! I couldn't let a zipper beat me. LOL

I would suggest that if you are beginner, find someone to help you 

or you may end up tossing it in frustration!  :-o

I also played with these~

Little zipper cases. :-)

They measure about 5 inches across. I didn't follow a pattern, just played around. I did make a tutorial for my friends on the former hgtv boards, so if you'd like to play too, just let me know and I'll post it for you here.  These zippers were very easy!! ;-)  If you have a fear of zippers, this is a project you will love. ;-)

and finally~

 Phone Charging Stations from Positively Splendid

These are so quick and easy! And besides using them as a charging station, they make a great place to keep the charger between charges!  The grommet snaps together, no special tools needed.

I like that!

What little gifties are you making?

Until next time~

Happt stitchin'!!

Everyone needs a retreat to get lots of sewing done! :-) I sure accomplished a lot!

I put the finishing touches on these two bags this past week.  

Both are Kim @ Lily Patch Quilts Tote Along Tool Caddy pattern. (Look at the top of her blog for her shop) ;-)

I love this pattern!  It has tons of pockets inside and out!

I did alter it a bit by adding a zipper closure at the top... just a little security. ;-)