First Quilt Finish of 2013!

I finally have a finish for 2013!

This is my Valentine quilt that I started back in 2009.

The quilt top has been sitting in my basket these last three four years, just waiting to be quilted.

This pattern for this quilt is called "Celebrations."
I bought it at one of my favorite quilt shops in the area, The Quilters Garden. I believe that it is designed by someone 'in-house' at the quilt shop.

AND... I did actually finish this quilt before Valentine's Day!!

 

Speaking of Valentine's Day- I did manage to get my sweet #2 all fancied up for the holiday. I stitched a few rosettes together, added buttons, and glued them to an elastic headband.

Then I dug through my stash and came up with this darling tiered skirt.

I used this tutorial  by Makerland.

(There is a little math involved if you are using the US measurement system)

She's going to be 3 months old tomorrow, can you believe it?

 

Anyway, the lovely folks at Riley Blake posted their BOM video this week, and I was able to assemble my paper pieced block for February:

I am loving the monochromatic look on this heart.

It did take a little thought when planning out my paper piecing.

It was a good opportunity to whip out the colored pencils:

A couple firsts with this block:

1. I used the fusible interface method of applique.

2. I hand stitched my applique to the foundation block.

Super easy!

So now my January and February blocks hang out next to each other on my design wall.
I totally love this mystery block of the month idea.
So excited to see what block will show up next.

And I'm totally loving the machine paper piecing right now.
I might be loving it so much that I might take the Farmer's Wife plunge.
But more on that later.

I hope you all have a wonderful night.

I'm linking up with the lovely Pat Sloan for Show and tell.
And with Vickey with Gingersnap quilts, who is hosting TGIFF this week.

 

 

 

Go Red For Women Heart - A tutorial

Tommorrow is the National Wear Red day, sponsored by the American Heart Association.

By wearing red tommorrow, you can show your support for women and heart disease.

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

Having had Preecclampsia with both of my pregnancies, and having women (and men) in my family with heart disease, this movement is close to my heart.

I have created this little tutorial in hopes that you too will show your support for Women and heart disease.

 (and maybe have something cute to wear for Valentine's day)

This heart can be used to create a pin, a magnet, or some other kind of embellishment that you think up.

You will need:

- 2 Coordinating fabric scraps that are at least 2.5" x 3"

- Coordinating fabric strip, measuring 1" x 5"

- 2.5" x 3" scrap of fusible heavy-weight Peltex

- Button

- Pin backing

- Paper, pencil, marking pen, paper cutting scissors, pinking shears, sewing machine, coordinating thread, needle, iron, glue

First, you will cut a 2" x 2.75" piece of paper:

Fold the piece of paper in half, lenghthways:

Then, draw a half of a heart (like you did when making Valentine's in the first grade):

Cut the heart out:

 and you have your pattern:

Fuse your front fabric to the Peltex:

And then flip, and fuse your back to the Peltex:

(Peltex is made single sided fusible and double sided fusible. I actually used one sided fusible Peltex, but find that the fabric will lightly stick to the unfusible side if pressed with the iron)

Take your heart pattern and tracing pen, and trace the heart to the backside:

Take your work to the sewing machine, and stitch anywhere from an 1/8"- 1/4" on the inside of the marked heart:

When you have completed the stitching, cut the heart out with your pinking shears:

(Back)

(Front)

Your heart is now completed.

Now for the rosette:

Fold your 1" x 5" strip of fabric lenghth-wise and press:

With a needle and thread, stitch a running stitch close to the raw edge:

Once stiched, pull thread to gather fabric:

Insert needle where you started the stitch, and join together:

 You will then stitch (or glue) your button to your rosette:

When you have completed your rosette, you can stitch (or glue) it onto your heart:

(I actually stitched and glued for stability) 

Glue your pin backing (or magnet, or clip, or whatever!) to your heart, and you have a cute embellishment to Go Red for Women!

I would love to hear how you are 'Going Red for Women.'

I'm also linking up with Pat Sloan's Show and Tell Thursday.

And to Positively Splendid.

Also, this is my first tutorial, so constructive feedback is appreciated.

:)

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

WIP Wednesday... And a finish!



Maternity leave is slowly ticking away. I only opted to take 6 weeks (not counting the 2 weeks for bed rest), so on Friday, I will officially be half way done. Bummer. I am really enjoying being home all day with my little ones, and this is causing me to rethink how much I really like my 9-5 (No weekends, No holidays) desk job, and if I really want to go back to 12-hour shifts at the hospital.

First off, the baby needed a stocking. In the frenzy of bed rest and the new baby, my sewing space became a disaster area/catch-all.

So in order to make the stocking, I had to organize first:

We have built-in cutouts surrounding our basement, making it a perfect place to store my stash. Half of this fabric was sitting in a laundry basket from when we had juggled bedrooms in prep for the baby. I love that it's sitting out now! When I was folding and organizing it, I was so inspired for a ton of new projects! So many ideas... so little time.

Organizing opened up plenty of space for my little guy to help me out:

This kid loves to play in my scraps!

I made the baby's stocking to follow suite of her brother's stocking that I made for his first Christmas last year. I have a Simplicity pattern (#4842) that I use for the base of the stocking, then I kind of just improvise from there. 

I used the fabric line Bella! by Amanda Murphy for Blend for the outer stocking and cuff. The applique is Nancy's Holiday favorites by Nancy Halvorsen for Bernatex. The lining was something I pulled out of my stash... most likely from JoAnn's.

I quilted the stocking with feathers... my favorite. It felt so good to do a little machine quilting. That is one of my favorite parts of putting a quilt together. Makes me itch to finish my Scrappy Stash QAL quilt!

I was able to get it finished today...

...because someone decided to sleep so sweetly:

 

So I've hung the stockings, but need to find another command strip for the dog's stocking...

...or I could try one of the idea's I've seen on Pinterest! I have become so addicted to that site. I downloaded the app on my phone while I was on bed rest, and have been hooked since!

Usually, things are much more festive around my house this time of year. I love decorating for Christmas. With the baby, I'm happy that the tree is up, and that she has a stocking!

 

Now for my WIP's:

In the spirit of using what I have around the house and saving money, (Maternity leave over X-mas is no fun financially) I am making my own Christmas cards.

I have my prototype made:

I feel like it needs a little something else... some kind of embellishment, like glitter or ribbon (luckily, I have plenty of both in my crafty cabinets).

And my Scrappy Stash QAL quilt still hangs on my design wall. I sit and look at it longingly, waiting for a chance to work on it...

And for the fist time in a while...

I'm linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday! 



 

Have a great afternoon everyone!

I Made it Through November!

Hello my friends!

November was a CrAzY month!

Let's start from where we left off:

Just in time to get my Scrappy Stash QAL quilt finished, Pre-ecclampsia reared it's ugly head, and I found myself on bed rest. Because my sewing area is in the basement and sitting straight upright raised my blood pressure, I had zero sewing machine time. My quilt still hangs on my design wall, waiting patiently for me to find it again.

 

Sounds like a great time for hand stitching, right? Bed rest left me somewhat anxious/blue and completely uninspired. So very little hand stitching was completed. I did, however, finish the top of my EPP table runner.

After a week, I dusted off my crochet hooks and yarn and got busy! Suddenly my inspiration was back, and I made more than enough little hats and flowers for my sweet #2, and of course my #1 got a hat, scarf, and mittens.

The Friday after Thanksgiving marked 37 weeks for #2 - and my induction. On November 23, we welcomed our sweet Mikaelah Grace into the world at 6 pounds, and 19 1/2 inches.

Now, we are all trying to get used to our 'new normal.' I'm working on some Christmas gifts for family and friends.

I have lots of ideas, but trying to find time between sewing and snuggles has been difficult - because snuggles always trumps sewing!

  

I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon!

 

*Please excuse the lack of editing on my photos: The fact that I got a blog entry written is a major feat in itself :)

Feeding the animals!

I thought I would share another finish from my little hiatus...

Remember how I bought these fun patterns earlier this month?

I jumped into the "Feed the animals coin purse" by the Straight Stitch Society: 

I whipped up this little pooch! He was fun to make.

The pattern was easy to follow - and straight forward.

Not quite sure what I'll do with this little guy- I feel like he needs a key ring or wristlet.

Gosh, I'll just have to make another one!

 

Now to indulge in some Project Runway All Stars.

Have a great night everyone!

 

Blogtoberfest #8 - Manic Monday: Keepin' it Real

This Monday has left me quite exhausted.

 So I give you this:

This is the current view of my dining room table. My craft cupboard has exploded and left me with this chaos. Looking at this photo, I feel like it should be in an I-Spy book.

Can you find the sunglasses?

The grapes?

The dryer venting?

The purple handled scissors?

This is fun! I might have to post the key tomorrow night!

 

Anyway, I mentioned last night that I used up a can of spray paint on some Goodwill items. I wish I would have taken 'before' shots, but have only finished products to show you.

This basket was Christmas red and only $.99. Fall flowers were on sale at Joann's this weekend. This will be a centerpiece for my table. (Once it gets cleaned off!)

This vase was a peachy-pink and also $0.99. I popped the leftover flowers in here and added an orange sparkly bow.

I really like the affect of the spray painted glass vase. This is getting my wheels turning for some 'every-day' decoration for my living/dining room.

Tomorrow starts the Scrappy Stash Quilt Along. I am so excited!

 



And Blogtoberfest continues!

Happy Monday everyone.