Category: Crafts

An Oldie but a Goodie

So, this top had been stuffed in a storage bag for years.  I had it in my head that the quality of the maker (me) was bad.  So, I was going to turn it into a Duvet cover, because I could use another one of those.  I had been thinking about it for quite some time.  Decided I would use a flat sheet for the other side.  Spent several weeks looking to buy just a flat queen sheet.  Hardly anyone sells single sheets and I don’t have any queen beds at my house so it did not make sense to buy a set.

Well, found a sheet.  When I got this top out and hung it up, I decided that I liked it.  I even had some backing stuffed in the bag with it.  So, no Duvet cover until I dig up another top.  I will finish this one that is Circa 2002.

This past week at the local guild meeting, they had Lunn Fabrics in to go over how they make batiks.  I had no idea this company that makes Robert Kaufman batiks is right in WaterMark_2018-06-09-21-20-21my backyard (about an hour or so away).  The went over how they design their fabrics and had a slide show of how they are made.  They even make the white fabric.  IT was fascinating. I knew how they were made, but watching the slide show filled in a few gaps.  Then they brought stuff to sell, and surprisingly it was very reasonable.  I bought a 4 yard bag of blue scraps for $15.00 (this is the pile after I washed and ironed them).  There were no little tiny pieces.  I have already cut them all up for a blue batik scrap quilt.  More on that later.

I never get accomplished what I have planned.  My napping schedule is currently out of control.  One of the many side effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis is severe exhaustion.  This was a side effect I had not experienced, until the last few weeks.  I have been coming home from work and sleeping on the couch until I went to bed.  Then, this weekend I slept in both days, which is totally out of character for me. Sleep 12+ hours and still wake up totally exhausted.  It totally messes up your sewing schedule.  Hope everyone has a wonderful week.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Hand Quilt Along and more side sewing

So, because I get easily bored, I have sort of moved on to another hand project.   I actually finished this piece in just one evening.  I have plans to incorporate this into an under the sea quilt. I think (will have to look) that I have the fabric for this quilt.  I will have to hunt for it.  To see more fabulous hand work, please visit the ladies below:

Kathy, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan,  Nanette, Sassy , Edith, Sharon and Bella.

I also made these key chains.  My guild attends a festival in late summer that is a bigWaterMark_2018-06-03-20-04-20 fund-raiser for us.  They sell items that the guild members make and donate.  Being in central Ohio, I thought these key chains might be something that could sell.

Happy Sewing
Happy Quilting

My One Monthly Goal Finish….

I would say it was a miracle that I completed my One Monthly Goal, but I have already used that headline…LOL. I finished my “Starry Starry Night” quilt.  This was a top that I paper pieced for Denise at For the Love of Geese as a pattern test (She does have some lovely patterns).   It came out not too bad, considering I don’t consider myself a very good paper piecer.

I had a lot of fun quilting this project.  I think that is because I like how the quilting cameWaterMark_2018-05-23-19-12-25 out.  I wish I had chosen a different thread for the front, because I wound up liking the back a lot.  I used a variable thread on the front, and all I see is the the light part of the thread, which shows any mistakes.  I do not have a long arm, so I am always using my domestic machine and I always want to get the “longarm” look on my WaterMark_2018-05-23-19-10-53domestic machine.  I know it takes a lot of practice to become proficient and I have been working on it.  However, I found these rulers (not sure why some are called rulers) at my local quilt shop.  I quilted this using the Star shape.  It made making beautiful stars on my 20180422_135918.jpgdomestic machine easy.  They come out nearly perfect.  I am still getting used to using them, so not every star is perfect, but I like it.  I think I will keep this quilt for one of my future grandchildren.

This is the last photo I have of my birds.  They have all flown the nest.  I see them in the yard, learning about life, trying to get food.  It was wonderful watching them hatch and grow each day.20180523_175037_resized

Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday weekend.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Fall into a Quilt Along – Hedgehog

So, I had no intention of joining this quilt along, but when they published the first block, I fell in love with the hedgehog.  I figured that I could manage one block every two weeks.  I think this is maybe about project #18 that I have started.  Yep. Full Blown Quilting ADD.  I do get things finished.  I mean, that is what the One monthly goal is for.

I have no idea what the other blocks will look like, but I plan on using the sam background fabric throughout the quilt.  It is a little odd, bit I like it.  If you are interested in joining this quilt along, the first block is located on Quilting with Vanda’s blog.  Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

qal_logo_abbie_design

The good, The Bad and the Ugly…..

So, you know what really stinks?  When you finally get around to doing something and it is screwed up.  So, my one monthly goal is to quilt this quilt.  So, I spray basted it about a week ago.  I go to get it and it looks like this.  So, the border was totally jacked up.  It looked fine when I had it all laid out, but I like to wait until that spray basting is dry.  Ugh.  So, more finagling with the border.  I am trying to figure out what I did.  Did I stretch it out when I basted it?  Do I not know what square is?  Could be either, I have my moments.  Will have to figure out something. Open for suggestions.

WaterMark_2018-05-13-12-39-59So, on a more positive note.  My star quilting looks awesome.  I love this ruler, even though it is not really a ruler.  It makes it look like I WaterMark_2018-05-13-12-39-26am way better than I am.  It is hard to mess up.  Perfect stars.  This was my test piece, until I figure out what to do with my border.

Baby birds look about the same.  Getting more feathers though.  It rained a lot here yesterday, so I watched Mom andIMG_06261001 Dad collect worms for the babies.  So cute.  This morning when I left, it was sprinkling, and Mama was sitting on the nest, keeping the babies dry and warm.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

One Monthly goal and a little “Side Sewing”

What do I mean by Side Sewing?  Sewing something not quilty.  I don’t do it often, but it does happen.  I like my little key chains.  Quick gift if you need one.  I used the Lazy Girl Tutorial.  I love her name, I am totally in synch with her name.  I am a lazy girl.  When I say that I don’t really mean lazy, but looking for a better faster way of doing things.  She made hers out of candy wrappers, which I will have to try.  I love reusing stuff.

So, For my One Monthly Goal, I am going to quilt and bind my “Starry Starry Night quilt. WaterMark_2018-02-26-13-45-16 I am going to attempt to use one of my new rulers.  We will see how that goes and if the plan changes.  Time will tell.

On a positive note, some things are looking up.  All the crapiness shall pass… and new crapiness shall take it’s place.  But different is sometimes good.  Sewing/Quilting is my drug of choice.  Pretty sure it keeps me from being going to jail.

So, on a happy note, I found these beautiful Robin Eggs in my landscaping.  Can’t wait to 20180430_201358see them hatch.  Pretty sure we skipped spring and went right to Summer though.  Very Confusing weather here in Ohio.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

One Monthly Goal…It is truly a miracle

I am not sure how I managed to finish my One Monthly Goal, but I did.  This is the quilt WaterMark_2018-04-21-19-28-17top given to me by Nanette.  I love it.  I quilted dog bones, free-handed it.  That was a bit scary, but it came out all right.  I used a festive multi-watermark_2018-04-21-19-26-10.jpgcolor thread.  I love multi-color threads.  I don’t know why.  I am weird.

So, the back, come crazy dog fabric.  I had a friend give me whole bolt of this stuff.  It is sort of odd, not exactly fleece and not exactly flannel.  Just weird, but perfect for my dog quilt.  Yes, this is my dog quilt.  I have already used it while lounging on the couch.  Warm and cozy and extra special since the top was made by an extra special friend.  I have plan to make another quilt like this and donate to a dog rescue so they can hopefully raise some money.

Seems that family is on the mend.  Kev is getting better and my sister’s prognosis no longer seems as bleak as it once was.  A long way to go, but there is light.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

Sarcasm is running amuck…..amuck…amuck…amuck…

I finally found a use for flannel.  Yeah.

I do say that with a hint of sarcasm.  I like flannel, just not in quilts.  Then why do I have so much?  Good question.  Maybe I just can’t pass up a sale.  Ohhhh, that is very likely.  Don’t get me wrong, I have made a  few flannel quilts with scraps.  They came out fine.  I just feel that by the time I am done, the fuzz on flannel looks dirty.  I know, weird.  But I do like these cute receiving blankets made with flannel.  Super simple and cute.  I would like to make them a bit larger, which I will work on for the next one.

20180414_085845-1.jpgThis past Saturday our guild had a quilt in.  Name tags with your name or your code name.  Hah!  Well, I could not help myself.  The sew-in was fun.  They had someone teaching free motion quilting, or you could just work on whatever you wanted to.  I took my $11.99 Bernina and sewed up a storm.  It was a rainy Saturday in Ohio, so it was perfect for sewing and I won a door prize.  $25.00 gift certificate to a local quilt shop.  WooHoo!

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Look what $11.99 gets you…..

So, I have been looking for a travel sewing machine.  I hate taking my expensive Bernina machines when I go to sew ins etc…

Can you believe that I bought this for $11.99 at Goodwill.   Works perfectly.  Looks like it was not used much.  Needs a bit of oil, but I cold not be happier.  This weekend Lynn and I are going to a Sew in sponsored by our guild.  Yeah!

Nothing fancy, but perfect for a traveling machine.

I think things may be looking up.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting.

My One Monthly Goal for April

March is over.  Yeah.  So, I am going to get the quilting done on my special dog quilt for my one monthly goalmy one monthly goal.  I have started, but have a long way to go.   My intent is to have it completely done, binding and all.   I decided that I would do an all WaterMark_2018-04-03-20-19-19over dog bone pattern.  So far, it is going OK.  I don’t hate it.

I have multiple projects going, so I am hoping to get a few things done.

So, in my March month of hell, there was a very bright note.  My 13-year-old eighth grader passed her entrance tests to college and actually gets to start this summer.  Helping her prepare and running to the testing center, was one of the many things that sucked up my time.  I am very proud of her.  I would like to take all the credit for her smartness, but I can only take full credit for her smart a$$ness.

Wonderful thing here in Ohio, kids who can pass the tests can get up to 2 years of college credit totally free, including books.  If all goes well, she can start college after high school as a junior.  Also, her college classes count as her high school classes, so she is not doing double work.  I might have enough money to fund those last two years.  She does not understand how important it is, but I was fortunate to leave college without any loans (thanks Mom and Dad).  At the time, I did not realize the importance, but there are people my age still paying back college loans.  Yikes!  I don’t want that for my daughter.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting