Block 4 – Bargello Heart

Here is block four of the All My Heart Quilt Along; if you missed the previous block, here is a quick link – block 1, block 2, block 3.  For more information on the QA see the main page under the Quilt Along tab.

They look like squares, but they are actually rectangles.  The block is 9″ and the grid is 9 x 8.  Just to show you those little 1/8′s make a big difference

Step 1: Cutting Instructions

All are 1 1/2″ x 1 5/8″ rectangles

• 35 – light fabric
• 19 – medium fabric
• 18 – dark fabric

Step 2: Stitch rows

Lay out your pieces according to the finished block pictures and sew together each row or column.

Step 3: Press seams

I laid out my rows on the ironing board and made sure the seams were pressed in opposite directions.

Step 4: Stitch rows together

Stitch together matching seams.

Here is a collage of the steps – Share it on Pinterest!

Don’t forget to share your progress in one or both of the groups; Flickr or Threadbias.

Stop by again for block #5!

I know I disappeared again.  Please let me explain – PLEASE!!

Now, you have to be patient because several things happened and I think it is too much to put into one post.  I don’t know about you, but a blog post with too many words, is just too much for me to read.  I will break it down into a few posts to make it easier.  So, starting from my last post on November 23rd…..

The first thing that was going on was Thanksgiving, although this is not much of an excuse for me.  I am lucky enough to get out of cooking most years.  I try to invite everyone to my house, but no one ever wants to come.  Rick’s parents are basically agoraphobic and never leave the house.  I mean NEVER, EVER leave the house.  My father-in-law leaves to go to the store and drive the nephews to work.  But my mother-in-law only leaves to go to the doctor or hospital.  She doesn’t even go onto the front porch!  So getting them to come over for the holiday’s is a chore.  We force them to come for Christmas, so it is reasonable that we can’t get both holidays.

Back to no excuses – so, Thanksgiving was spent watching the parade and part of the dog show, making an dish to bring to my mom’s, visiting my in-laws, and having dinner at my mom’s.  We were home pretty early.  But this was the start of my laziness.

Right around this time, Rick got a job.  This is his first job in 8 or 9 years.  We had decided after Morgan was born and I got a good paying job that required a long commute, that he would stay home and be there for the kids, while I worked.  The plan was for him to go back to work when Morgan started school, but that was 2008.  We all know what was happening then and where we live the unemployment rate spiked up to 16%.  So he was ready to work and there were no jobs to be found.

Now that the economy is finally bouncing back, Rick was able to find work.  Granted it is not a great job – in fact, it is a pretty bad one – but he is happy to be working.  His schedule is night shift, four 10 hour days a week.  This works our perfectly for our family, but it means that it is just me and the kids here those four nights.  You may think “more time to blog!”  But that is just not the case for me; something strange happens to my psyche when Rick is working.

For the last 8 or 9 years, I have been living like a princess.  I haven’t had to do any housework; I don’t deal with school stuff or homework too much; I haven’t really cleaned nor have had had to do dishes.  And, I didn’t feel like I should have to.  Heck, I was working and he wasn’t – the only housework I should be doing is only what I WANT to do.  But when he works, I feel obligated to do my part.  I can’t help myself and I can’t put it off.  I just want to constantly do housework.  Weird.

So, I have been spending my nights alone (rather, my nights with the kids), doing laundry, dealing with homework, going to school events, making dinner, and cleaning the house; oh, and don’t forget about Girl Scouts.  Just a regular old housewife type stuff, but for me, it is a total change of schedule.  On top of all that, I am getting home later every night.  Morgan has to be picked up from either my mom’s or his two of those nights – that means visiting when I pick her up and not getting home until 7:00 or 8:30 on Girl Scout nights.  That make for a long day when you have to wake up at 4:30 to get to work on time.

All I want to do, when I do finally sit down each night, is sew.  I can’t get myself to blog.  This is excuse #1.

Now, I know I am waaaaaaaay behind on the Quilt Along blocks.  Honestly, I didn’t think anyone was doing it with me.  I do have six more blocks completed and will probably get a few more done this weekend.  I will get them all posted; and posted as quickly as possible.  Starting tonight.

Block 3 – Opposites Attract

Here is block three of the All My Heart Quilt Along; if you missed the previous block, here is a quick link – block 1, block 2.  For more information on the QA see the main page under the Quilt Along tab.

This block is a little bit late because it was giving me a hard time.  It looked like such an easy block, but I kept getting turned around.  So pay close attention to this one and double check yourself.

Step 1: Cutting Instructions

From each color (1 dark, 1 light, 2 mediums)

• 1 – 5″ square
• 2 – rectangles 5″ x 2 3/4″

Step 2: Apply Fusible

This is an applique piece and I did mine as raw-edge with fusible webbing.  You can do it needle-turn or any other applique method you prefer.  These instructions will go over how I did it.

On each of the 5″ squares apply fusible webbing to the wrong size; following the directions of the product you are using.  I used Steam-a-Seam Lite.

Step 3: Cut out Applique Pieces

Download the applique template here : http://www.sewstitchcreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Opposites-Attract1.pdf

I choose to use template plastic since it is the same shape six times.  I used the pattern template and traced it onto the plastic.  Then I cut it out.  Using a standard #2 pencil I traced the pattern onto the Steam-a-Seam; on the back of the fabric.  You need two sides of the heart out of every color.

This is where I ran into problems, so here a few tips to help.

1. Remember that you are tracing onto the back of the fabric, so the piece is in reverse.
2. Don’t forget about the 1/4″ seam allowance when cutting out your template.  Because I was doing raw-edge, I didn’t trace the seam allowance; but you need the seam allowance for the middle of the heart – the long straight side.  So I used a ruler and extended the lines 1/4″.  It would have been easier if my template was correct to begin with.
3. Refer to the patchwork diagram to know what side of the heart you need in each color.  I really got mixed up here and ended up with two of the same sided or opposites sides that didn’t match the pattern.  What I figured is you need to trace the templates two different ways

Step 4: Press on your applique pieces

Lay you pieces out and press the heart shapes onto the background fabric.  I put the tip of my heart 5/8″ from the bottom on all pieces so that they lined up in later steps.  It is crucial that they are all placed in the same spot on each background.  Us this diagram to know where to press each piece.

Step 5: Sew on your applique pieces

I used a blanket stitch on my machine to stitch the heart pieces to the background.

Step 6: Piece together

Stitch all the pieces together, press and you are done.  I pressed the seams through the hearts open so they laid flatter.

This is one of two applique blocks in the quilt.  Next week is paper piecing.

Don’t forget to share your progress in one or both of the groups; Flickr or Threadbias.

Stop by next Tuesday for block #4!

You could win a Fiskars Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat.

This is a reminder of the ongoing Recycling Challenge.  The post with all the information can be found at http://www.sewstitchcreate.com/2012/10/15/recycling-re-purpose-challenge-contest/

There are 5 days left in the Challenge, what are you working on?  What ideas do you have?  Will you finish on time?

I have been working on my moldy boat cover tote bags (funny name, I know).  I can’t tell you enough how happy I am with how the first one came out.  I went looking for a pattern and found a free one on Pattern Spot.  This pattern was soooooo easy and I love the look of the bag.  As you know, I have been trying to use up all my left over fabric and this pattern was perfect for some of my larger pieces.

Here are the after pictures of the first bag I have done.  I doubt I will get anymore done this week – I have way too much on my plate, or rather sewing table, right now.  But I believe I have enough boat cover to make 3 or 4 more.  I am thinking about giving them as gifts for Christmas – using them as a gift bag!

Do you remember what that grey fabric looked like when I started?  Click Here for a reminder.  I am really enjoying this challenge.  I just love the idea of taking something that might otherwise be thrown out and making it into something useful and nice.  I was hoping to get around to making a rag quilt out of old jeans – but I ran out of time.  Thanks to Jo-Ann’s Black Friday sales, I was able to pick up the flannel backing for it.

Pattern: Half Square Triangles, Quilt Along

Purpose: not sure yet

Dates: November 2012

I don’t like having left over fabric.  I thought the Modern Block Medley would use all my up, but I actually had quite a bit left over.  So, I went on the search for something to make with what I had.  That is when I stumbled upon a half square triangle quilt along.  I originally found it on a forum on Ravely and I was about nine weeks late to the game.  But it is 72 weeks long.

It worked out really good, because I do struggle with my triangles.  By the time this is over, I should have them mastered.

The pattern called for 3 1/2″ blocks to start and trimmed down to 2 1/2″.  What I don’t like more than left over fabric, is wasted fabric.  Normally to make a HST you take the finished size and add 7/8″ of an inch.  I know that many quilters don’t like dealing with eighth inches - personally  I don’t have an issue with it.  But for accuracy sake, I cut my blocks 3″ and trimmed down.  The trimming is a pain, but I am getting much more precise blocks.

I am working to cut all my blocks and making the HSTs now.  This way when the next pattern is posted on the Quilt Along, all I have to do it assemble.  Shout out to Knit ‘n Lit for all the hard work on each of the block tutorials.  She is doing a great job on them and makes them very easy to understand.

Block 2 – Hearts Around

Here is block two of the All My Heart Quilt Along; if you missed the previous block, here is a quick link – block 1.  For more information on the QA see the main page under the Quilt Along tab.

Step 1: Cutting Instructions

• From each color (dark, light, 2-mediums):
  – 1 square 3 1/8″
  – 1 rectangle 5″ x 1 5/8″
  – 2 rectangles  2 3/4″ x 1 5/8″
• White
  –4 squares 3 1/8″
  – 16 squares  1 5/8″

 Step 2: Make Half Square Triangles

Match each white 3 1/8″ block to a colored block of the same size; right sides together.  Make them into HST just like block one.  Reminder – I use the drawn method.

Step 3: Make the point of the Hearts

After making your HSTs, you should have two of each color.

Piece them together by matching the colored sides together.  Looks like a flying geese block when finished.  I pressed my seams open on this part.

Step 4: Make the tops of the hearts

These are made with two flying geese blocks pieced together.  See yesterday’s post for a tutorial on how to make the flying geese.

Piece two flying geese together (of the same color).  I pressed my seams open at this part.

Step 5: Piece together the Hearts

Sew the hearts together as shown; make on of each color.  I pressed my seams open on this part to reduce the bulk.

Step 6: Finish the block as shown

I pressed my seams open for a flatter block and to reduce bulk.

Here is a collage of the steps – Share it on Pinterest!

Flying geese is a very traditional quilt block and should be a staple skill for any quilter.  You will see them by themselves, with other geese, or as part of a larger block.  They are great to use to make trees or as a border.  A lot of quilters paper piece them, but I hate tearing out the paper so I piece them.  And they are really super simple to make.

Step 1: Cutting

Cut your base color, the color of the triangle.  This will be a rectangular shape and will be cut as the size of your block, plus 1/2″ for seam allowance.  So if you finished block is 3″ x 2″, then you will cut your piece 3 1/2″ x 2 1/2″.

Cut two squares the same height as your rectangle.  So, using the example above, you would cut a 2 1/2″ square.

Step 2: Stitch 1st side

Place one of the squares on the rectangle, right sides together.  Place it to one side, matching the edges.  Stitch from corner to corner.  I find it helpful to draw the stitch line prior to stitching to make sure it is straight.

Trim the corner off, 1/4″ from the stitch line

Press open with the seam allowance to the triangle side.

Step 3: Stitch the 2nd side

Place the second square on the rectangle on the other side.  Stitch corner to corner

Trim 1/4″ from stitch line

Press open and you are done

You can trim if necessary.  You will notice that the space above the point is 1/4″ – so when you finish the block, the point will but up perfectly to the seam.

This weekend’s sew-in started out rough for me.  I overslept!  This was not just a hassle for the sew-in, but I was supposed to wake Dustin up at 6am for volunteer duty – Oops.  So an hour late, I was.  I also spent a lot of time ripping out seams.  I couldn’t get anything right.  Payback for being late, I guess.

I did get a good amount done if we say it was a “Saturday Sew-In”.  I had a ton of family stuff to do all afternoon, but I was back at the machine Saturday night.

I did start a new quilt – keep your eye out later this week for pictures.

My main focus of the day was to do something with the little bit of stash (or scraps, you may call them) that have been piling up on my sewing table.  The new quilt I started is going to be a scrap quilt so I pulled it all out and sorted it – and started cutting away.

I also worked on some flip wallets.  Girl Scouts decided not to sell them, but I had 20+ already cut out.  So, I am finishing them up and giving them to my mom to sell in her flea market booth.

If you participated in the Sew-In, don’t forget to add your pictures to the Flickr group and link to your blog on the main page.

Don’t forget!  This Saturday morning – Sew, chat on Twitter, and have fun!

I am starting at 7:00am and will be on Twitter until 11:00am.  Join anytime and stay for  as long or as little as you want.  It should be a great conversation about sewing, crafting, techniques, and tips.  We may even share a few photos!

I hope to see you there – I can’t wait!

Block 1 – 3D Heart

Here is block one of the All My Heart Quilt Along.  For more information about the QA see the main page under the Quilt Along tab.

Step 1:  Cutting instructions

• Light – 2 – 2 3/4″ squares
• Light – 4 – 3 1/8″ squares
• Dark –  4 – 2 3/4″ squares
• Dark – 4 – 3 1/8″ squares
• Medium – 2 – 3 1/8″ squares

Step 2: Make half-square triangles

Stitch 1/4″ on each side of the line and cut along the line.  Press open.

 Step 3: Lay out your pieces according to the diagram.

Step 4: Stitch

I recommend that you press the seams open.  I didn’t and there was a lot of bulk

I thought I would start the quilt along with a relatively easy block.  There will be other techniques and a variety of difficulty levels along the way.

Don’t forget to share your progress in one or both of the groups; Flickr or Threadbias.

Stop by next Tuesday for block #2!

You could win a Fiskars Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat.

This is a reminder of the ongoing Recycling Challenge.  The post with all the information can be found at http://www.sewstitchcreate.com/2012/10/15/recycling-re-purpose-challenge-contest/

There are 21 days left in the Challenge, what are you working on?  What ideas do you have?  What materials will you be working on?

I am working on recycling an old boat cover and turning it into re-usable shopping bags.  The boat cover was replaced because my father-in-law decided to try to pressure wash it to remove the mold.  Not only did it not work, it removed all the water resistance from the cover.  Making the cover useless.  So we bought a new one.

The old one was in REALLY bad shape.  It was pretty big too with elastic around the edges.  So to get started I cut it up into manageable pieces.  I then zig-zagged the edges so it didn’t fray during washing.

Here is the before picture:

I first tried washing the pieces in the washing machine.  Then, I tried washing it with bleach – not once – not twice – but three times.  This was as good as it was getting; still not presentable for a bag – even a junky bag:

Next, I soaked it in a plastic tub with bleach and water.  I did 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.  I let it soak for 2-3 hours.

Now that is a piece I can do something with!  It still has markings of the mold, but it smells fresh and the marks look more like a design.  And, it is super soft.

I did a close up comparison photo below.  I hope this helps you come up with different ideas for materials that can be re-purposed.

by: Maggie Malone

Published by: Sterling

Year Released: 2005

Construction: hard cover

Pages: 448

Rating: 8 out of 10

I am a huge fan of sampler quilts and traditional blocks.  When we were creating SeamedUP, we dreamed of a database of quilt blocks with videos and tutorials on how to make each one.  So, since that isn’t in our future, I got this book.  When I Googled quilt block books there were several with hundreds of designs – this one had the most!

The book is laid out perfectly.  There is a key in the front that tells you what all the acronyms mean.  If Maggie could find out where the block originated, she tells you by denoting one of these acronyms.  Next, all the blocks are sorts by grid pattern (9-patch, 4-patch, 12-patch, etc..).  There are even sections for alphabet blocks, circles, stars, and more.  Plus the international signal flags patch patterns.

Now, there are no directions or instructions – but I wasn’t expecting any.  How could you fit 5,500 blocks in 448 pages with directions. But, the blocks can be drafted onto graph paper easily; from there you could make templates or figure out the cutting and piecing.  Because of this, I would say this book is for the intermediate to advanced quilter – a beginner would enjoy the inspirations, but would have trouble knowing what to do with it.

So when you get past the key and table of contents you have the rest of the book that is nothing but blocks.  Every quilt block imaginable.  With so many, I don’t know how designers ever come up with new ones.  There are 15 blocks per page, in a little 1 1/2″ thumbnail image.  Each block is numbered, has a name and tells you the origin (via the key).  It sucks you in and is hard to close.  I would say, it is total eye candy for the quilting enthusiast.

Know where to start and what to do with the book is a bit difficult.  How do you even choose which one to make?  How do you know which ones compliment each other?  Do you make a quilt with just one patter repeated or do a sampler?  As much as I like this book, I could easily see it not being useful.  I could see it ending up on shelf without a single pattern made.  Sometimes to many choices is just too much.  It is for this reason that I gave this book an 8 out of 10.

Maggie Malone did an incredible job on this book.  I can’t even imagine how difficult it was gathering all this information.  It is mind boggling.  And then to think she had to create the graphics of each one too?!  Wow.

The Two Hundred Twenty-Five Patterns from the 1863 Jane A. Stickle Quilt

by: Brenda Manges Papadakis

Published by: Wrights

Year Released: 1996

Construction: soft cover

Pages: 160

Rating: 7 out of 10

This is a well known book that I only recently picked up.  So this review my be late in the game, but I am trying to put all the books I have into the Book Review section.

Prior to purchasing it, I already knew a lot about this pattern.  I have been on the Dear Jane website and I even joined some of the groups.  I absolutely love the quilt.  I am not scared away by the small size blocks (4″) or the sheer number of blocks.  In fact the number of different blocks is what attacks me to it.

What surprised me when I opened the book what that there are no directions.  Or, shall I say, very few.  A total of four pages; four very vague pages.  I was expecting cutting and piecing instructions.  So, the book says that the blocks are made with templates and you copy the pattern from the pages of the book.  I know how to use templates, but it is not my favorite technique.

Luckily, there are plenty of groups out there to help.  There are also CDs and such to help with the templates.  More than likely, I will piece what I can (like half-square triangles) and use a template for the rest.

The book does have a few unique features, though.  There are several “Letters to Jane”.  These are letters that the author wrote while researching and recreating the quilt patterns.  These are like experiencing the process with Brenda.  Another thing I like is that she included several different ways to use the patterns.  Not everyone can make all the blocks, it is a huge undertaking; but maybe you want to use what you have accomplished and turn it into a quilt.    There are 10-12 examples of quilts made with these blocks, including an interesting safari one.

 So, if you are up for a challenge, pick up this book.  And make the Dear Jane quilt with me.

Over the past few months (since I stopped spending 150% of my time on SeamedUP), I have picked up a few tips that are new to me that I thought I would share.

1. Stitching in the ditch is not just for a quilt design – I read a great article on how to ‘stitch in the ditch’ but it also elaborated on why.  Doing this before you do your filler or decorative quilting stabilizes the quilt and gives you better results in your decorative quilting.  Wish I knew this before my feathers on the hot ribbon quilt.
2. Pressing seams open is more than a fad – I also thought this came about because more garment sewists were moving in on quilting.  But I found that a lot of the modern quilters do this so their quilt has a flatter look.
3. Card stock paper works well as a template material - I didn’t want to bother with cutting out the plastic, paper is so much easier.  And it worked pretty good.
4. Put the curves of your applique pieces on the bias, it makes your curves and points easier to do.
5. Batiks work well for raw-edge applique.  They are tightly woven and don’t fray as significantly.
6. A Spiral Eye Needle is not just good for easy threading, but it helps when you need to bury the end of the thread into the quilt.
7. When cutting your fabric and if you have scraps – immediately cut them into the scrap size you are saving.  Mine is 1 1/2″ for a postage stamp quilt.  Going back and spending hours cutting these is a pain – doing it along the way is much easier.
8. When piecing, use different color threads in the top and bobbin – if the tension messes up, you can easily see what is caused the problem; the top or the bobbin.
9. When cutting multiple layers of fabric at once – press the layers together one at a time with steam.  They will kind of ‘cling’ together making cutting more precise.

I couldn’t come up with a #10, so can you help?  Leave a comment and share you tips.

Mark the date:

November 17, 2012

7:00 am to 11:00 am EDT

This month’s Sew-In will be next Saturday.  I learned a lot from last months, so let me clear a few things up.

A Sew-In is a dedicated time for you to Sew!  Use it as an excuse to your family “hey, I can’t do laundry right now, I signed up for a Sew-In”.  Sewing when you know others are sewing is just more fun and it is exciting to see what everyone worked on.  Although, the time above is Eastern Daylight Time – you sew whenever Saturday morning is for you wherever you happen to be.  If the morning doesn’t work for you, then sew in the afternoon or whatever works for you.  The important thing is to share, by Sunday evening, what you worked on.  This sharing is a way to hold you accountable; it is our way of helping you in finding time to sew.

There will be a Twitter chat during the hours listed.  This is the dedicated time that I will be on Twitter.  But you can chat anytime after that time – Hey, I am not the quilt police!  The Twitter chat is a lot of fun – I hope you can make it.

I will schedule one every month and give you a few reminders before hand.  Please join us and share it with everyone you know.  The more the merrier!

How it Works:

1. Add your name and a link to your blog to the list below.
2. Spread the word about the sew-in, either on your blog or through your social network channels
3. Add the Sew-In badge to your blog
4. On the morning of the sew-in – SEW!  And have a great time; use the event as an excuse to your family to leave you alone – you are participating in a sew-in!
5. Join the conversation on Twitter during the sew-in – follow it with #SMSI.  TweetChat is an easy was to follow the party and join in the conversation.
6. After the sew-in and before Sunday evening, post a picture or two on the Flickr group – showing us what you worked on; do a blog post, too.

<a href="http://www.sewstitchcreate.com" target="_top"><img src=" http://www.sewstitchcreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SMSI-Badge-125.png" alt="”Sew" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a>

Have you visited Pretty by Hand, yet?  I found this blog while blog hopping around one night.  What really attracted me to it was the pretty colors.  I admit it, next to earth tones, pastels are my favorite; of the pastels out there, I love pink.  I guess I am a girly-girl after all.

The author is Kristyne Czepuryk.  Don’t ask me how to pronounce it; but she does help out with a post about it.  Kristyne is a mom, quilter, and crafter.  After making a diaper bag when her second daughter was born, she started making handbags and such and selling them.  Her success led her to teaching at her local quilt shop.  Soon she will be a published author with her book “S is for Stitch” releasing soon.

S is for Stitch is a book about embroidery.   It includes alphabet-themed patterns for boys and girls.  The designs look so cute that if you are not into the alphabet style (which I am), you will still have plenty of designs to try, just leave out the letter.  Plus it comes with patterns for quilts, pillows, wall art and more.  The description says it is good for beginners – good thing, because those stitches always confuse me.  Personally, I can’t wait until it comes out.  I don’t buy too many craft books, but I am seriously considering putting this on my Christmas list – it would be a nice gift for Dustin to buy me.

Back to Pretty by Hand. . . . On the blog there are a few sections that I love.  1) there is a huge list of sites Kristyne would rather be visiting instead of doing laundry 2) there are links to a few tutorials – my favorite is the one about her needles  3) the photos are fantastic   Kristyne was as the recent Quilt Market and she shared some fabulous photos.

Since I have gotten back into blogging, I am regularly reading my blog reader and hopping around from blog to blog.  I also do a lot of web searches for various things – depending on what I am writing about.  Very rarely do I end up on the same blog – Except Pretty by Hand.  I see a picture of something that is super pretty, I click and here I am.  Over and over again.  You know what that tells me?  Great content, great information, and eye popping pictures.  Plus, Kristyne has a wonderful sense of humor that makes me want to read her blog (look for the post about what polka dots smell like – I still chuckle over that one).

So please check out Pretty by Hand.  It is well worth your time.

I have been steadily working on Little Brown Bird.  Instead of working on the next block, I decided to move to the side triangles.

There are eight of them, all in the same pattern.  I thought if I worked on them assembly line style it would go quicker.  I thought wrong.  It is going just as slow all the other blocks.  On top of it, each one has 22 stuffed berries.  These little berries take some time to make – of course, by the 22nd it was going a bit quicker.  I am at the stage of stitching them on.  Not the easiest task either.  But boy, do they make the blocks stand out.  Here is what I have done so far – still about 13 more berries to stitch on.

Now, it can’t be all applique and nothing else.  But, those who know me, knows that I do not like to have too many projects started at once.  I really wanted something to piece.  So I purchased one of the border fabrics for LBB.  Now I can get started on the sawtooth star borders.

This past week has been the Quilt Market and Quilt Festival in Houston.  I don’t know about you, but for me (a person who is not able to attend), I can’t stand this week each year.

I am not a avid quilt shop attendee, but if I need supplies they are the first place I go.  I never fails that during the week of the spring and fall markets, I always end up at my local shops picking up fabric or supplies.

It always seems to me that the old adage is true, even at a quilt shop – ‘When the cat’s away, the mice will play’.  This past week, I went to two quilt shops.  One by my work and one in my home town.  In both cases, not only was the owner at the show, but so were their key employees.  The service wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t the same.  I had to track down people to cut my fabric or tell them where the fabric came from in the store.

Yesterday, I asked where they keep their ‘Best Press’ (because Morgan used mine up on a school project).  They didn’t even know what I was talking about!  After a few minutes of explaining it and several minutes of searching the store, they gave up and said they didn’t have any.  Peggy or Sue would have known immediately and got it out of storage.  So I grabbed my 3 yards of fabric and went to check out – I was a bit nervous because I was paying with a gift certificate.  But after staring at it for a bit and a little freak out when I wrote the check for the remaining balance before they could pull out the calculator and figure it out for me (Yes, ladies – I do know that 31 – 25 =$6 AND I can do that math in my head!)  I was on my way with the thought that I will NEVER go back during Market week.

It really makes no sense to go during Market week anyway.  Next week I would have gotten to talk to the owners about what they saw.  Possibly new notions or products would be in.  It would have been much more fun.

For now, I just say “Hurry Back, quilt shop owners – WE MISS YOU!”

This is a simple little bracelet to make.  It is very light and works for both adults and children.

I had never made i-cord before and found myself flitting around YouTube the other night.  I thought I would give it a try, but didn’t know what to do with it.  Then I saw i-cord jewelry!

I used bedspread weight thread and size 3 dpns.  You can tell that my tension was not even – I had a hard time keeping it on the needles.  But it was a good thing to practice with.

To make the bracelet, stitch two i-cords of equal length, leaving a long tail on each end.  Knot the cords together at each end and weave the tails through a button.  Knot the tails behind the button and trim.  Very easy.

I made mine 7″ long, but that ended up being too short for my own wrist.  Plus the thread made the bracelet too delicate for me.  So, of course, Morgan ended up with it.  It was perfect for her wrist and easily slipped over her hand.

This project can be made with left over yarn when you finish a project.  I also though about stitching three of them and braiding them before applying the button. I may try that in the future. I also think it would be a good craft show or fundraiser item.  Very quick to make with very little in the way of supplies.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.  And do a search for knitted jewelry to see some spectacular i-cord necklaces.

I am planning a Sew ~ Stitch ~ Create! Quilt Along.  I plan on starting it in the next few weeks.  So mark your calendar.

It will be a block a week for 12 weeks with the borders on the 13th week.  I know the holiday season is really busy for everyone – that is why I am keeping it to a block a week.  We all have time to make one 9″ block.  Right?  Plus, I found that many of us don’t take the time to make something for ourselves during this time of year.

I am designing the blocks using EQ7.  It will be a mystery quilt with the blocks being revealed one at a time.  But, the theme will be Valentine’s Day.  The schedule has the quilt top completed in time for the holiday.

To give you a heads up, here are the fabric requirements for the quilt top (FYI – these amounts are generous)

• 1yd White
• 1yd Dark fabric
• 3/4 yd Light fabric
• 3/4 yd of two medium tone fabrics

Here are the fabrics I am using – reds and pinks for Valentines day.

No post today – I am out Trick-or-Treating.

This past weekend I went to the FAFO art festival.  This is an annual show in Ocala.  It is usually comprised of Florida artisans.  Most of the items for sale are way out of my price range.  There are a lot of paintings and sculptures.  I really enjoy walking around, but I am always on the look out for fiber art crafts.  Here are three interesting things I found.

Batik Art:  This may look like canvas but it is FABRIC!!!

I spoke with the artist, Rita Wickramashinghe, from Splashbug Original Art.  She showed me how she takes a picture drawn on fabric and uses a wax resist; then dyes the fabric, starting with the lightest colors first.  In this image the wax is shown on the top and the results below.

This is a purse made from a BOOK!

Gina Marie Handbags uses real books, playbills, cd cases, album art and more and turns them into purses.  The quality was amazing.  The handles were a variety of straps, bead, or wood handles.  The interiors were are fabric finished.

 These scarves are something my mom and I will be trying.

Made by Fiberlicious, these scarves use ribbon and decorative yarns; trimmed with beads.  They adverised in their booth that Paula Dean buys their products.  On their website they do vests, jackets and wraps.

This is a reminder of the ongoing Recycling Challenge.  The post with all the information can be found at http://www.sewstitchcreate.com/2012/10/15/recycling-re-purpose-challenge-contest/

So far we have two people who will try to join in.  If you are planning, or trying to plan on doing the challenge please join one or all of the groups set up.  You can find it on Flickr, Threadbias, or Facebook.

Tip: re-purposing a shirt actually gives you a lot a fabric to work with.  The shirt I started out with was a short cropped one.  I cut it apart at all the seams.  See how much I had to work with

I choose to Kaleidoscope mine and make coasters.  But there is enough fabric to make a mini quilt, potholder, mug rug, quilt blocks, accent fabric, and more.

Please share your re-purposing ideas.

Our first Saturday Morning Sew-In was yesterday; boy did I have fun.  Having a time that you are dedicated to sew was great, but I also enjoyed having twitter open right next to me.  It was a bit slow for this first one, but it is my hope the each month we get more and more people to join us.

So what did you work on?

Because I wanted to keep the conversation on twitter going, I didn’t work on anything that would take me away from my sewing table.  So I stitched on some applique pieces on my next LBB block and made a whole bunch of stuffed berries.  I need more than 160 of these berries.  I got 22 of them done yesterday.

The next sew-in will be Saturday, November 17th.  It will be the same time, but remember – you don’t have to be on Twitter to participate – sew anytime on Saturday and share your results.  See you then!

I created a video showing how I am prepping my applique pieces for my Little Brown Bird blocks.  I came up with this method by combining a few that techniques that I have tried and read about.

Please forgive the quality – It is my first video with my new camera.  I am sure the quality will get better the more I make.

Fast Tube by Casper

I recently acquired a new copy of EQ7.  My first look at this program reminded me of my  professional embroidery software that came with my Janome ~ looks easy to use but once you get into it, you realize it takes a college course to understand.  EQ comes with a very robust manual; about an inch thick.

Right after install, I thought “I am pretty smart, let’s try this without opening the book”.  I did pretty well, but I felt like the program was very limited.  Oh boy, was I wrong.  I was having some difficulty with an applique block I was trying to create, so I took a peek in the book.  Wow was I blown away.

I figure that the best way to learn was to work through the book, step by step.  Of course, I am not finished doing this yet, but I thought I would share what I found so far.

1.  You can do ‘Quick Quilt’ projects.  This is a set of quilts already designed that you can start right away.  Basically you search through 15 different categories, such as log cabins, saw tooth stars, table runners and more.  Each category has multiple projects.  This one caught my eye right away.

2.  Next you change the pattern anyway you want to.  For something quick, you can change the fabric or the colors

3.  Then you can print out the fabric yardage for the project, the templates, and the cutting instructions.

It is going to take me a while to learn all the ins and outs of this program.  But I am really looking forward to it.  I am working on an original design using EQ for an upcoming Quilt Along I will be hosting on Sew ~ Stitch ~ Create!  Stay tuned.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  We are just a few days till the end of the month and I thought I would share these inspirational quilts with you.  Click on each one to take you to the website where I found it.  Remember, breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women of all ages.  Always do your self-checks and get your mammograms!

Don’t forget!  This Saturday morning – Sew, chat on Twitter, and have fun!

I am starting at 7:00am and will be on Twitter until 11:00am.  Join anytime and stay for  as long or as little as you want.  It should be a great conversation about sewing, crafting, techniques, and tips.  We may even share a few photos!

I hope to see you there – I can’t wait!

I found the neatest Etsy shop today – I just had to share.

Customplastic makes custom plastic quilt block templates!  Each template is made from 1/8″ clear plastic and is made with laser cutting equipment to ensure the templates are accurate.  They even engrave the name of the template on it and some have the 1/4″ seam allowance engraved as well.

The templates are very affordable and there is a note on their page that says they will make custom templates.

I was recently deciding whether or not to join in on the Spinning Stars quilt along (I decided I had too much going on to do that right now).  One of the blog posted mentioned that she had templates made to help her along.  I thought that would be too expensive – but Customplastics make it possible.  Check them out.

I found this cute little pattern for a crocheted spider web and had to give it a try.  http://bobbilewin.blogspot.com/2011/09/crochet-spider-web-pattern.html

There are a few of these patterns around the web.  What attracted me to this one it is like a web an orb web spider makes.  We currently have a Yellow and Black Garden spider making its home on our front walk.  The kids have been fascinated with it and check up on it daily.

Back to Bobbi’s pattern. It is really simple and easy to make.  One web took me about 20 minutes and we all know how slow I stitch – so you could probably do it in 10 minutes.  They come out very small, so I think they would be great to hang around in multiple  spots around the house or an accent to a candy bowl.

Her pattern did not say what kind of yarn is best or what size needle.  So, the read one, I used sock weight yarn with a size four crochet hook.  I also tried bedspread weight thread with a size 4 steel crochet hook.  The smaller thread made a smaller web – of course, but I liked the look better.  The pattern is very simple and I am sure you can keep going around and around to make it whatever finished size you need.

So check out the pattern and give it a try.  Share you picture – I would love to see how yours turns out.

When I was about 15 years old my mother made me this skunk costume.  If I remember correctly, I wasn’t going to dress up; but at the last minute I decided to go to a Halloween party.  My mom made this for last minute.

This is really easy to make.  It is done with black and white yarn stitched to a felt background.

She took yarn and wrapped it around her fingers.  Then spread out the loops and sewed one end to the felt.  Once it was sewn on, she cut the other end of the loops.  She spaced them about 1 1/2″ apart.

She added a loop for a belt, to keep it in place.

And she added a wrap around the neck to keep it in place.

I wore it with black jeans, shirt, boots and glove.  It was bobby pinned to my head.  My hair is very dark so it worked well with the costume.  I won several costume contests with this too.  Obviously I still have it.  I can never get rid of it.  I was so ingenious, but so simple to make.

So people may think that a skunk is a strange thing to be for Halloween, but you do what you can last minute with what you have around the house.  Plus, it is so different, that people were really blown away.

As a complement to the blog, I have started a Facebook page.  All the blog posts will be posted on the page – making it easier to see the update.  But in addition, I will share any quick tidbits and reminders.  I have been messing around with Facebook a lot lately and ‘re-learning’ how to use it.  I forgot how fun it could be.

I have links to all the blog events – like the Recycling Challenge and the Sew-in.  Plus apps that show my Pinterest, Twitter, & Google +.  Now, during this blog revamp, I am doing the social media part slow and steady.  I am learning one and getting into the habit of one before I move onto the next.  So, right now, my Google+, Pinterest and such are very quiet.  I believe doing it this way will stop me from being overwhelmed.

So please “Like” my page.  I promise you will get lots of interesting info and tips.  Also, if you “Friend” me, I will update you on what I am working on each day.

IMPORTANT -

In my research, I learned that Facebook is not showing you all the posts from the pages that you like.  Some believe they are doing this to force companies to pay to promote their posts.  I personally don’t like this.  I don’t like a cluttered news feed, but the reason I like a page is to get their updates and I find it too difficult and time consuming to visit every page every day.  So here is the solution I found:

1. Make a new list

2.  Click “Create a New List”

3.  Name your list and click “Create”

4.  In the upper right hand corner click “Manage List” then “Edit List”

5. In the new window – in the upper left hand corner, click “on the list” then “pages”

6. Click each page that you want to add to the list (MINE!) and click finish.

7. Go back to the Friends – more to see your lists

8. Find your newly created list, click on the pencil to the left of the name and click ‘Add to Favorites’  -  this will move the list to the top, near your News Feed link.

9.  From here you can rearrange if you like.

I know this sounds complicated, but it was really easy.  Now I just click the “Quilt Blog Pages” and get a list of all the updates from my favorite blogs.

Don’t forget to “LIKE” my page!!

Mark the date:

October 27, 2012

7:00 am to 11:00 am

Another new regular feature on SSC will be a monthly Sew-In.  I know that there are other sites that do the same; I promote Handemade by Heidi’s on my sidebar.  I love Sew-In, they give you a dedicated time to be at your machine.  You can work on a UFO or start a new project; heck – you can start something new!

I will schedule one every month and give you a few reminders before hand.  Please join us for this first one and share it with everyone you know.  The more the merrier!

How it Works:

1. Add your name and a link to your blog to the list below.
2. Spread the word about the sew-in, either on your blog or through your social network channels
3. Add the Sew-In badge to your blog
4. On the morning of the sew-in – SEW!  And have a great time; use the event as an excuse to your family to leave you alone – you are participating in a sew-in!
5. Join the conversation on Twitter during the sew-in – follow it with #SMSI.  TweetChat is an easy was to follow the party and join in the conversation.
6. After the sew-in, post a picture or two on the Flickr group – showing us what you worked on; do a blog post, too.

 

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Description

Copic Ciao Markers are an alcohol based marker that come in 180 different colors.  They have two different tips; a broad tip and a brush tip.  The tips are replaceable and the markers themselves are refillable.  The cost per marker is under $6 and the refill is around $8.

Purpose

The markers are designed to be used on paper.  They are used regularly by anime, manga, and comic artists as well as fashion designers.  I have also heard of card makers using them to color in rubber stamp designs.

What makes the markers so good for these purposes is the fact that they blend so well.  Part of the set is a colorless blender that is used to blend and lighten the ink.  When you use the blender, it is like pushing the ink or moving it. The colors are vibrant and beautiful.

Use on Fabric

I was first shown these markers when I started my BOM class at my local quilt shop for my Floral Parade quilt.

During the class we were given the fabrics and the hot ribbon.  We used the Copic Ciao Markers  to shade the flowers to make them look more realistic and the hot ribbon to match the fabric.  We were told that the markers were permanent on fabric and machine washable (not true – see below).  Additionally we were told that they you cold add or blend the color unlimited number of times, even up to a year later.

When you do use them on fabric, the colors bleed a great deal.  This can work to your advantage because you would use less ink and I found it easier to blend.  The key was always testing the coloring on a scrap piece of fabric before doing it on your block.

How to Use

For the kind of shading you would want to do on fabric, you want to use the brush tip.  Hold it in your hand so the pen is almost horizontal.  Using a light touch, press to fabric and sweep toward yourself; pressing lighter as you sweep it downward.  You can always add more ink, but you can’t take it away, so always start with the lightest touch.  You can go over the same spot to add more ink.

To add more details strokes, like veins in flower petals, hold it like you would a pen.  Still use a light touch; even lighter.  The marker deposits more ink in this position.

The colorless blender can be used over top of the ink and it blends it in the direction of the stroke.  The more you use the more it blends

My Opinion

I really like these markers.  I find them very easy to use; so the lay person, who is not very good at shading can get an outstanding effect.  I do think they are only good for shading.  I would never use them to color or draw of fabric, the bleeding would be too much.  The cost is very affordable and I love that they are refillable and the tips are replaceable.

However, they are not permanent nor are they washable.  I couldn’t get past what I was being told, that they blend even a year after the ink was applied – I even saw this myself.  But it made me think that they would just wash out.  So I did a sample, both with and without heat setting of the ink.  These were the results; not only did they partially wash out – they bleed to other parts of the fabric; especially if they were pressed together when wet.

I think that this is important to know.  My Floral Parade quilt is a wall hanging, so I am not concerned.  But it is good to know for future uses.

I no longer make my kids costumes – I found that I was spending more money on the supplies to make it then I would on a high quality store-bought costume (plus it was taking up my quilting time).  The last one I made was a Dorothy & Scarecrow costume in 2009.  After finding these cute ones, I might change my mind – best of all – these patterns are FREE.

One of the new features you will see regularly on SSC is an occasional challenge.  These will be designed to help you think ‘outside the box’.  There will be nothing you have to mail or send it.  Just share your results and see how others did the challenge.  When I can gather prizes, there will be voting and winners.  So, the Challenge for this quarter is:

 Recycling Challenge

October 15, 2012 through December 3, 2012

Prize:  Fiskars Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat

The challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to take one item and make something totally different out of it.  I am the type of person that does not like to waste, nor do I like to throw stuff out that may have a use somewhere else.  This is where this idea came from.  The challenge is to take something, like a shirt, blanket, old placemats, or other fabric type item and use it to make something totally new and useful.  Do not just alter it; like using an old t-shirt to make a new style of shirt – RE-PURPOSE it.  For example:

 I took an old shirt (from my country bar days) and made it into coasters.

How to participate:

1. Share your before and after pictures.  There is a Flickr group or a Threadbias group; plus it would be great if you blogged about it on your own blog too.
2. Add your name to the link list below; include a link to your blog post or where you shared your entry.
3. The last day to enter is December 3rd by 6:00pm EST

Some ideas:

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Yesterday, I told you about Threadbias.  Today, I will share a few other sewing community sites I know of.

This site is designed to be a Ravelry for sewist.  They have a good member base and active forum.  It appears that the members are primarily garment sewers.

This is Facebook for sewist.  You log-in with your Facebook account and I believe everything you post also posts to Facebook.  The biggest difference is that your friends on Stitchtalk are crafty friends.

This site is brought to you by the American Quilters Society.   There are blogs, forums, events, galleries, and you can share your projects.

A very active quilting forum

A facebook style site – They are members only and I did not sign up yet, so I can’t give you more details

A community site for makers.  Share projects, tips, techniques, tutorials and more. Knitting, Jewelry & Sewing.  From the creators of Burdastyle

A Facebook style site but you can share projects (albums) and patterns (documents), videos, events and more.

This is by the Creative Crafts Group – you know, Mcalls Magazine and such.  You can share projects, patterns, tips and there are forums.

A few others that are not big enough to talk about yet.

There have been  others that have shut their doors already: Tomspoolery, The Woven,  & QuiltGroup.

One thing they all have in common is community.  These sites depend on community involvement.  Everyone says they want a Ravelry for Sewing, but when it is built (SeamedUP or any of these sites), they don’t get the traffic to sustain the site.  Traffic is the key.  These sites must have traffic to sell advertising and advertising keeps them up and running.  Cause, let’s face it, if they charged for membership – we wouldn’t join.

So here is my request.  Choose a site, or choose three, visit it often and post regularly.  Put their badge on your blog and talk about it to everyone.  Create an online guild.  Be active on the forums. Comment on projects. Why?  Because I want a Ravelry for Quilting and my support alone won’t do it – please join me.

When Allison, Jenny and I were working on SeamedUP we were always on the look out for similar sites.   You may not realize it, but there are/were others – I will write more about that tomorrow.  Today, I want to share my thoughts about Threadbias.

Threadbias came into our sights about six months ago. Out of all the sites we were aware of, we immediately thought they had the most potential.  Of course, I am bias, and I thought SeamedUP was better – better categories, searching, tagging, etc…  But Threadbias has potential.  What really stuck out to us was the beautiful design, the gorgeous projects, the features they already had in place, and (the best part) a REAL web designer/programmer on their team.

Become a Threadbias member for free and you get your own ‘Studio’.  This is were you can track your projects, stash, patterns, and bookshelf.

You earn Badges on TB for the activity that you do on this site – this reminds me of my son’s Call of Duty Achievements.

There is a design wall were you can mix and match your stash images to see how they look together.

Your cork board is a place were you can leave yourself post-its or other ‘Threaders’ can leave you a note.

 Threadbias has the a database of fabrics and they are working on adding notions & books.  I plan on using their groups feature for an upcoming crafting challenge and a quilt along.  I will also post my events on their calendar.  Their patterns section is where you can shop for a downloadable pattern – you can even sell your own designs on Threadbias for a really low commission.  This is probably my favorite part – I always wanted a site where everyday quilters can create a pattern and sell it themselves.

Allison reached out to them (because she is the super friendly, work with everyone type).  What we learned was that their team was family and they were really nice people.  They had a things in the works and great new features.  When we decided to shut down SeamedUP, we reached out to them again.  What we found were friends who were truly sorry we had to do this.

So please support Threadbias’ efforts.  I really do want a ‘Ravelry for Quilters’ and I think they are our best chance.  They are currently working on an online quilt design tool – which is going to be very easy to use.  They currently have a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to create the program and promote their site.   If you could spare a few bucks, pass it their way – at the very least, please share the link with all your social networks.

I am currently working on Little Brown Bird.  After picking up my new Applique book a few weeks ago, I have started trying to prep all my pieces ahead of time.  Admittedly, I like the process.  I find it very relaxing and when it is time to stitch, everything goes on without any hassles.

My process is to keep all the completed pieces in a smaller Tupperware dish inside a larger Tupperware dish that hold all my applique supplies; such as scissors, floss, needles, wax, thread etc..  The smaller dish was suppose to keep everything organized so I didn’t lose anything – but it failed me.

When I started stitching the block, I worked from the center out, I was down to my last three berries before I realized that something was missing.  I find this very frustrating; now I will have to pull everything out (supplies I used to prep) just to make one tiny, very tiny berry.  In the meantime, I am stitching the rest of the block  - I still have two itty bitty birds to go, by then, maybe I will be ready to prep my next and this one missing piece won’t be such a headache.

BTW – I believe I threw it out – I remember having berry discards in a pile and scooping them up for the trash; somehow, one of them was mixed in there.  Or is stuck to my shirt and was lost in the laundry.  Or the dog ate it….. I guess the possibilities are endless.

In the spirit of the season, I found some fabric/fibery Halloween crafts to help get your house ready for the upcoming witching hour.  Most of these projects are quick and easy.  All are super cute!  I can’t decide which is my favorite!

Halloween garland by Holiday Crafts and Creations

Trick or Treat bag by Homemade by Jill

Candy Corn bags from the Purl Bee

Crochet Garland from Country Women

Placemats by Holly’s Hobbies

Halloween ornaments found on All Women Stalk from Natasha Smart Design Flickr feed

Yarn Spider by Kaboose

Yarn bowl from Shelter Pop

Spider web pillow by HGTV

Spooky Spider Pillows by Better Home & Gardens

by: Janet Pittman

Published by: Landauer

Year Released: 2006

Construction: hard cover, spiral bound, lay flat

Pages: 144

Rating: 10 out of 10

Although this book has been out for six years, I recently picked up a copy at my local Barnes & Noble.  What attracted me to the book was the images on the cover.  I will never call myself an expert at applique, but there are plenty of free tutorials out there and I do just fine with the techniques I have picked up along the way.  But this image of decorative stitching around applique pulled me in.

I am the type of person that does not believe there is one way to do everything.  I feel the the path from A to B can vary from person to person – as long as you get to B, what does it matter.  I also don’t believe that there is one technique that works for every project.  Needle turn may be my favorite, but, depending upon the project, the starch or freezer paper method my be best.  This is the ‘attitude’ I got out of this book.  It gives you lots of information, but then says ‘pick the method that works for you’.

The book is broken down like most craft books.  The beginning give you the basic information and some content about fabrics and supplies.  Then comes the good stuff – 13 different methods to prepare your applique procedures!  Every method I have ever heard of is in here and then some.  In fact, after reading this book, I tried several of them on my Little Brown Bird project – in the end, I combines two of Janet’s methods to create a new one (I will do a tutuorial on this soon).

She goes over four methods for bias tape, six ways to do the layout, and several ways to stitch your applique pieces.  The stitching section goes through machine as well as hand stitching methods.  There is guidance on how to handle curves, point, right angles and more.  I never quite understood the ‘blind stitch’ until now.  That is because the pictures in the book are extremely helpful.  Each step-by-step instruction comes with an image of the step as well; throughout the entire book.  This makes understanding Janet’s instructions even more.

The embellishment section was my whole reason for buying this book.  I had to know how to make that unique edging on the flower (hint – free motion zig-zag).  This section of the book goes over couching, satin stitching, bobbin work, beading, and embroidery.  Plus, you will learn how to use those decorative stitches to add detail to your applique.  She makes stitching viens a piece of cake.

Well now that you know the secrets of Applique, it is time to put them to practice.  This book comes with several applique patterns that you can mix and match.  There are also complete projects if you don’t want to make it up yourself.  I have picked out the ‘be mine’ project to make; but it wouldn’t surprise me if I did more than one.

Needless to say, I definitely recommend this book.  It is nice to have a go-to book for one specific type of quilting.

I used to use these type of wallets when I was a waitress (in another life).  I picked up a hand-made one from a girl at work whose daughter was making them for extra money.  I loved the idea and I think they are a great craft booth item or in my case a Girl Scout fundraiser.  And kids love them; plus they keep their money neat and in one place.  They are really easy to make.

You need:

– 2 pieces of fabric cut to 7″ x 6 1/4″
– 4 pieces of Timtex cut to 7″ x 3″
– 3/8″ elastic to match
– matching thread

Press the Timtex to the wrong side of the fabric.  Line up the 7″ sides.  This will leave a small gap between the pieces; it should line up even or close to even on the 6 1/4″ sides.

I did find it easier to press with the Timtex on the bottom and the fabric on top.

When you are done pressing, fold them in half.

If you don’t want to use Timtex, you can you plastic canvas.  This is a cheaper way to go and increases the profit you can make.  This is what I did for the fundraiser – where costs were an issue.  The Timetex makes a stronger wallet, but this does an OK job.  You do need to secure the fabric before sewing – you can’t have it shifting.  I tried basting glue, but it didn’t work as well as the cheap ($.33) Elmers washable glue stick – the purple ones.  Put the glue on the plastic canvas edges; the width of the glue stick – and press the fabric to it.  Allow the glue to dry before sewing.

Cut 4 pieces of elastic – each 3 1/4″ long

Pin two pieces of elastic onto each side of the wallet.  Pin to the open edge and not the folded edge.  On one side place the top of the elastic 1″ from the edge.  On the other side place the top of the elastic 2 1/2″ from the edge.

Using a satin stitch, sew the the open edges of each side of the wallet – all 3 sides.  Put the elastic to the bobbin side.  I find that the stitching looks better on the top and the elastic side is always in the middle of the wallet.

I used a scallop style satin stitch.

 Place the folded sides together, elastic facing up.  The elastic will overlap the opposing piece.  Using a straight stitch, stitch the elastic to the opposite side of the wallet, about 1/2″ in.  Reverse stitch to strengthen.

Trim all threads and you are done!

No, that is not a spelling error.  It is a great crafting site that I found that I couldn’t wait to share with you.

Heidi, the site’s creator, is a mommy, wife, blogger, crafter and photographer.  I also think she should add web designer to her list.  The site is sooooo cute with the most adorable icons, sidebar header, and badges.   On her ‘about me‘ page she tells you how she creates most, if not all, her projects without a pattern.

It appears that she started blogging in April 2010.  She covers a wide variety of topics such as paper crafting, sewing, costumes, photography, yarn crafts and more.  She also adds in stories of the kids and different kids crafts and activities; giving the reader a peek into her world.

Tutorials!

You can find tutorials galore over at Sew. Craft. Create.  There are links to popular ones on the home page, or just look for them in the menu under the header.  And, Heidi doesn’t just give you crafting tutorials; she will help you design your blog or edit your photos.

My current knitting project – the Yoga Wrap Sweater by Adrienne Vittadini - is originally written to use a bulky yarn and the pattern is a lace pattern.  I am making it in a stockinette stitch like PaulaJane did.  And I am using a sock weight yarn.  This means a lot of alterations to the pattern.

Whenever you are taking on a change like this, the first step is to make a good size gauge swatch.  At least 4″ x 4″ or even 5″ x 5″.  I did this in the beginning, but I no longer have the swatch (I probably got rid of it during a sewing table clean out).  So this is a picture of the sweater body.  I wanted to re-check my gauge before starting the sleeves anyway.

 The first step is to count how many stitches are in an inch and how many rows.  As you can see, I am at about 8 stitches an inch and 9 rows.  However, in my pattern, the gauge for the pattern was based on a 4″ swatch, so I had to count how many were in 4″.

So, I made notes: what the pattern said and what my gauge is.  Then I calculated it for one inch – this was just a double check to help me out.  Looking at the information written out, it appeared that I am doubling my rows and my stitches.  To make the change more accurate, I divided my gauge by the pattern gauge.  It came out to 2.35; which means 2.35 stitches with my yarn for every 1 stitch in the pattern.  To make it simple, I rounded it down to 2.25.  The next step is to change the pattern.

For every stitch, I multiplied the number by 2.25.  For every row, I multiplied it by 2.  I made the changes right on my pattern, so I don’t forget.  I also keep my notes with the pattern.

My local yarn shop taught me this technique and it has worked for me several times; it seems I never pick the same weight yarn as the pattern – You know, I like to be different.  I hope this helps you.

If you plan on subscribing to any magazines, including quilting or crafting magazines, or if you need to renew any of your magazine subscriptions, please click on this link and order them through the Girl Scouts!

http://girlscouts.qsp.com/profile/mhrcnl

 Morgan and her troop are raising money to go on a trip to Savannah, Georgia.  They plan on touring Juilette Gordon Low’s home (the founder of Girl Scouts and visiting the Girl Scout museum.  A portion of all magazine sales will go directly to her troop and to her trip to Savannah.

Here are just some of the quilting and sewing magazines available – I found 10+more when I looked under the Hobbies category.

Please share this post on all your social networks.  This is a big goal for the girls and they can really use your help.  The Girl Scouts is an OUTSTANDING organization, helping build girls with courage, character, and confidence.

Plus they raise money to send our Military Nuts and Candy every fall!  If you want to donate money to help with this cause, please email me.  I will forward you the address to send your check made payable to Girl Scouts.

I was perusing around the internet and found some sales you might want to check out:

  40% off all books in stock through 10/22/12.  Batting sale – 30% off through 10/22/12

All Children’s fabric marked down 10% through 10/12.

40% off Invisafil Thread

50% off Notions Wall.  $3.99 for Fleece solids. $1.49 for Fat quarters – Oct 5-8, 2012

20% off Robert Kaufman Pure Organic Solids – through October 7th.

20% off Halloween Fabric through October 8th.

40% off Bali-Pops

Batik’s $5.99 this week only

15% of selected fabric through October 7th.

I am going to try to look for sales weekly and post about them.  If you have a favorite online shop I should keep an eye on, let me know.  If you are a shop owner and have a special you want to promote, drop me a line.

I thought I would catch everyone up on the projects I am currently working on.  I do still craft a little everyday and I usually choose between one of these projects.

I am working on quilting my hot ribbon quilt – Floral Parade.  I did little Fluer-de-lis in the cornerstones, stippling in the black area and feathers in the green areas.  This was my first time quilting feathers.  I did do them all free hand.  I probably spent several hours drawing them on paper during meetings and such to practice.  They are not “professional” quality, but I am happy with how they turned out.  The only thing left is the borders, which I will feather as well.

I am steadily working on my Little Brown Bird quilt.  This is all hand applique.  Some is needle turn and some is a combination of techniques I got out of a recently purchased book.  I will do a video on it soon.  Shout out to Allison, who just sent me a whole box of fabric to use for this project.  It doesn’t take a lot of fabric, just a lot of small pieces from a lot of different fabrics.  As you know, I don’t stash, so this has been a struggle for me.  At the beginning of this project, I went out and bought like 30-50 fat quarters and have been working from them.  This is where I am on block #4.

Since I am not so busy with SeamedUP anymore, I have volunteering more of my time to help my daughter’s girl scout troop.  I really do love the program and after three years the leaders are growing on me.  They are raising money for a trip to Savannah the girl scout museum.  So I am committed to making 50 Kids Wallets for them to sell at a local craft fair.  I will do a tutorial on these soon.

My go-to knitting project is still the Yoga Wrap sweater.  I have the body finished, it needs to be blocked yet, and I need to start on the sleeves.

Lastly, I acquired a new copy of EQ7.  It is waiting for me to upload and learn how to use it.  Looks complicated and reminds me of the time I tried to learn the software for my embroidery machine.  Wish me luck!

The blog has a new brighter, more organized design.   Let me know what you think!

First, I want thank everyone who supported me in my effort to start a “Ravelry for Quilters” website and to all of those we have continued to come by this blog.  As you are probably aware, our efforts to build the website were not successful.  Don’t be sad…..because I am not (at least, I am not anymore).  SeamedUP was consuming all my time and I felt disconnected from the quilting community.  I felt like I was building a site that I wanted to use, but I did not have the time to use it!

So as I transition back to my old self, I have re-thought how I want this blog to be.  Yes, it is my personal crafting journal, but you can only read about what I am doing for a little while before it gets too boring – or too preach-y.  So I am going to put more effort into the blog.  I am going to do what I do best – research topics and deliver them to you.  My goal is to give you more quality content.  You will see a book review section soon; a notions review.  I will do more detailed tutorials and share different fabric & fiber related crafts.  We will have challenges, swaps, and quilt alongs.  And much, much more.

The first step was a full redesign.  It is a new attitude and needed a new look.  I made it lighter and brighter with some cute graphics and a random slideshow on the homepage.  Thanks to SeamedUP, my web development skills are better than they were.  There are a few areas I want you to pay particular attention to.  On the right sidebar there is a list of all my ‘Works in Progress’ – although some people think I finish everything, you can see, my list is getting long.  Check out the Projects tab – it shows you all of my completed projects with quick links to each one.

About the podcast. . . . I have not made a decision yet.  I actually have another project stewing on the back burner.  Let me get through  that and get back in the habit of blogging.  Then I will make the decision about the podcast.  But in the meantime, I did create a new Podcasts page that makes it easy to find them with links to each.

So, I am excited about this change.  I am looking forward to talking to you regularly and to share great information and ideas.  Thanks again for your support.