Thursday, March 29, 2018

BEACH BAGS

I made some bags...while wintering at the beach. 



 Wide Open Zipper Knitting Project Bags
This was a giveaway for a blog hop!












Drawstring Bags for Knitting Projects
Tutorial by Jeni Baker of In Color Order
is here



This was a giveaway for a blog hop!


I made myself a couple fun bags!
This is the Carrissa Clutch 
from Huff n Cuffs Sewing Patterns

I carried this a lot and 4 or 5 people asked me
about it...wanted to buy it...but nope...its mine!


Inside zipper


and I love the inside card holder



and finally I made the Blue Calla 
Clematis Clutch, which is also a free pattern here!

First time to sew with cork...won't be the last!


And now my "bags" are packed and my winter
at the beach is over....
Oh how I will miss the ocean...but most of all
I will miss seeing my son every week!


Please stop back here, on April 2nd, 
to see what I have made for

 APRIL BLOG HOP


Til then...




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Wednesday, March 21, 2018

CENTRAL OH MQG CHALLENGES

I am a member of the Central Ohio MQG.  
A very busy group of wonderful quilters, sewists 
and creative spirits.

I am wintering at the beach, but wanted to be involved in our
2018 Color Challenge and the 2018 Charity event.
No problem, they mailed me the two color swatches...
Pantone Ultra Violet and Kona Tiger Lily.  
After a quick stop at a LQS I found these coordinating fabrics!




I really wasn't sure what I wanted to make...
sew as usual, I waited.

THEN
COMQG announced the Charity effort for 2018
Place mats for "Meals on Wheels" charity

My own mother received meals from this group
for many years...into her 90s so she could maintain
her independence and dignity! Needless to say
a very special place in my heart for this effort.

I had an ahh-haaaa moment!
Use the color challenge fabrics for the place mat.

I began buy making some HST using the technique
to make 8 HST at once.
Just google it.  There are many videos and tutorials!

Sew it starts like this...
The Tiger Lilly and Ultra Violet 6" squares
are placed RST, mark diagonal lines, and sew 1/4" 
on each sides of those diagonal lines. 


and they end like this...
squared them up using my BlocLoc Ruler


I made a pinwheel, using 4 of the HST
  added fabric to the top and bottom of that unit to make
the first strip for the place mat.


The orange and white would be the back of the place mat


Pieced together some batting, that was on hand.
(remember I am at the beach with limited supplies)
And then the fun began for a Quilt as You Go (QAYG) place mat.

My QAYG tutorial is here for a fun wonky place mat.

 I added the first pieced strip, right side up (RSU)



Keep placing strips right sides together (RST) and sew 1/4" seams




I like to press each seam as it is sewn.
You can see here I am alternating my prints.




When all strips are sewn...
it's time to trim and square it up.




Still needs a little more squaring up.
When one does not have a larger surface to trim...
it can be a challenge to square up.




Here's a close up of the back..
the piece is quilted because of the QAYG technique



and now its all completed

Sew this was fun!
I met the requirements for two challenges with one project!
And the best part...I can, once again, pay it forward!

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Sunday, March 11, 2018

A GHASTLIES PEEP SHOW!


Working with Ghastlies fabric is tricky 
because its a large novelty print.
Like these older Ghastlie prints I selected for this top!
With shaking hands I "finally" cut them!
 No one see these awesome fabrics
if sitting on a shelf collecting dust!

The pattern I selected was Thimble Blossoms
"Red Velvet" which has big main blocks!
I also must give credit to my friend, Kim Hensley
who first used this pattern for her Ghastlies fabric.

Image result for thimble blossoms pattern red velvet

If you look closely the outside blocks in the layout
are not X blocks...just partial. 
My variation on this pattern, was my hubby's idea,
 to make all X blocks!
I love when he looks at my work and offers great input. 
He has been watching me sew for a very long time
and often sees things, I don't!
He also thought the main blocks looked like windows 
and named this quilt...

"Ghastlies Peep Show"
(he is a lot of fun, ya know)


 Here are the fabrics I selected from my stash
for background and accents.


 Then cut and kitted all the pieces for my winter hiatus
trip to Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Lots of  4 patch blocks


 Add corner pieces BEFORE you sew them together
to make X blocks.  (a'hem)


 The pattern calls for one main block to be 
"accented" with a fabric that pops.
I choose a Kona green!



 The same green is used in the border!
Oh yes...this is gonna be amazing!


 Lots of fussing around on the design board 
...before I sew it all together


 and pressing each row as I go
makes this Ghastlie Girl happy!


 Finally the "Ghastlies Peep Show" top is finished 
and ready for a beach photo op!
This beach house reminded me of Widows Peak!


 The beach sand bags always make a great prop!


 I try to get shots from many angles


 Sand dune fences make amazing quilt racks...


 The Inter Coastal Waterway is close by
and I am not afraid to tresspass for a photo opp!





I will climb lots stairs to get that perfect shot!


 In May, I have a quilt retreat and I'll make a backing for it.
I have LOTS of Ghastliness fabric I can use. 
My goal is use it NOW! 
The pink and gray Ghastlies colorway is what
drew me into the Ghastlie world in 2009
and look...it still delights me in 2018

Sew tell me...would you tresspass to take
that perfect photo?  🙋


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Thursday, March 8, 2018

DID SOMEONE SAY SMALL?

Winner has been drawn by random number generator
Comment #1
Thanks to all for leaving a comment!

BIGGER IS BETTER?
GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES?
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT?
Today is the bog hop for small, smaller, smallest projects

and I'm going small and scrappy! 

I have lots of scraps and two projects for you today.

IF you make it to the end of this post...

there is a giveaway!
Thanks to Carol over at Just Let Me Quilt

for hosting this hop!


 Small Smaller Smallest

Of course I have some projects...

but I also have some links to fun and quick small projects.
Lets begin with some scrappy fabric coasters.




 Sewed together HST from my scraps and  

sized all to 4.5" squares




and then folded them like so...

 Here is a link to my tutorial that will show you

step by step on how to make coasters from charms

(5" squares) Make sure to see how I do this!



 Here is the finished "small" scrappy coaster (3 1/2" square)
--------------------------------------------------
Anyone need a small thread catcher?

I love this one that I received as a swap extra!


Sew for this hop...

I grabbed my scraps and made a tutorial...



SMALL THREAD CATCHER TUTORIAL
Start with 2, 10" squares...
Remember, I am using scraps, sew
I pieced together fabric scraps to get them.
The pink seabirds...has SF101 on the back!
Don't care...it will work for this!

I needed a template and found a local map

to cut a 9  1/2" triangle template

Laid my two squares, one on top the other
Template on top, cut the triangles.

Right sides together, sew 1/4" seam allowance all

around, leaving an opening to turn...
Trim the points off before turning RS out

Once turned RS out and pressed
Top Stitch 1/8" around

Place two points together and mark 2 1/2" down and marked

that spot with a straight pin.
From the fold sew up to the straight pin
Repeat for the other two points

It will look like this when all 3 sides are sewn

kinda origami..right?

Now finish it by securing the tips with buttons. 

It's very small and fits nicely in your sewing kit.
You can really make these any size that you want.
Just cut your two squares larger and make the triangle
to fit inside those squares.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have time please check out all my tutorials here

Something for everyone 

SMALL projects to BIG information!


Other blogs participating in this hop are listed below.

Stop by and leave a small comment!
March 5

 March 6
March 7
March 8

 FINALLY...the giveaway!



A fun "small" drawstring bag I made using
Jeni Baker's In Color Order 

her bag tutorial is here

Did your March comes in like a lion or a lamb?

Mine came in as a herd of sheep and someone will win them!

US only (sorry) Random draw on March 15th.


Leave me a comment
Tell me what is your favorite way to use scraps!

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