Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Well---BOO--To You!

Here's my latest stitching project..................
wondering what it will be?
Stay tuned to see how
Boo the Cat becomes a whole!
a project that has been years long in production
why?
Because--I'm not a purple person and
don't buy purple fabric; so I requested
purple fat quarters for my birthday exchange
awhile ago.
Onward to a finish now!!

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Wool Applique

I joined a couple Wool groups--but, frankly, I don't know what I'm doing
with wool.  I'm following along with experienced folks who
give me hints on how to handle these patterns.

Live Each Season Block of the Month--it's block 4 already and
I'm just now getting to block one! I like the theme
seasons of the year, but I've really got to get more knowledge
how to get these pieces to work on my fabric

So, what is the best way to learn?  Go to Youtube

Here are instructions on using fusible web--but that didn't really work for me?  This is putting
wool to fabric, but I want to put wool to wool.
Here is one that uses freezer paper for applique--now, this might work for my projects.

This is baskets Quilts by Cheri ~ Friendship Group
on Facebook--just search for this group if you are
interested.  I tried to do this basket with paper piecing--
sort of worked--I was lazy and didn't draw off the
pattern with seam allowance.  Next basket block
I'll be not so lazy!!

Here is a free wool project from Primitive Gatherings--
very patriotic--monthly work along.
Off I go to work on my wool applique!


Monday, April 24, 2017

Place, Fuse, Flip, Sew.........................

Okay, this is Trip Around the World and all those
little pieces of squares look daunting, but
here is a cool and I do mean cool way to
save time and some frustration
when you need to piece small squares together.

way to get perfect seams without all that matching
and piecing.
Place your squares, Fuse to the background, Flip
and sew....
and there you have it!


Sunday, April 23, 2017

Are You Sewing Along?


Every Wednesday through August a new block will be released
for your sewing pleasure--are you sewing along?  I'm saving
the patterns, although they are still on the website to
download anytime.
will take you to the information you will need to begin


This is the twelfth block of the series and is called
Right Angle!  This is an interesting way to use those
half square triangles--


Saturday, April 22, 2017

Tiny Treasure

The other day I was straightening up my closet--it's amazing what I can
find in the dark recesses of that place.  Years ago, we were fortunate
enough to take a journey to China--an enlightening adventure to
say the least.  We picked up some interesting textiles on that trip-
like this 
tiny shoe from a generation of bound feet!

We visited a museum in this Shangani gentlemen's home
He had made it his life mission to visit Chinese ladies who
live in outlying regions to see if they had shoes from
this era of bound feet.  He had a massive collection--
it was a sight to see!  So many different little shoes--
hard to imagine they came from those who did
the unthinkable--but it was the custom to have tiny 
feet--to be waited upon by the family members.

Most of his collection were pairs, but he did have some
singles.  Of these he allowed me to buy this one.
I chose this tiny one because of the indigo features in the details.
Someone in the family, maybe even the wearer, had
used indigo bath to dye the fabric and threads used to
decorate this ornate footwear.
It is a treasure--just wish I knew more about the person
who this foot adorned.















Friday, April 21, 2017

Decisions!


We need a quilt--a longer wider quilt!  We purchased a 'mattress in a box' and hubby got the extra thick one--and then we added a topper!  It's like--run and take a flying leap to get into bed.
Maybe, we need a small trampoline to jump on to make that hop!  Anyway, really like that bed, but
all the quilts are too short--he likes to tuck them in at the bottom--now, all we have are not that long--hence the search for a new quilt pattern--that is quick plus it must be easy--we would like to have it by winter time.
How about this one?  Stash buster from Cluck Cluck Sew free tutorials
the bins are full of scraps and it would be nice to bust that scrap bin wide
open and GONE!

This one is pretty much the same type of pattern, but longer rectangles. 
Two by Four  Film in the Fridge has another free tutorial that looks
quick and easy
another stash buster


This is called Bricks and Stepping Stones
Quiltville has a free pattern breakdown for this charmer.
I also saw it here 


Confessions of a Fabric Addict has this tutorial on what she calls a slab block
This is just a little more involved--so, this might be left for when I have
more time--when is that??
Art Gallery Fabrics has this super looking quilt called The
Belle Wave--
I just can not decide which one to begin--
And I'm still looking!!




Thursday, April 20, 2017

And Then There Was Some Sewing Time.................

This house is one total disaster--furniture is moved away from the walls; some has been moved into other rooms--pictures have been taken down--it's a land mine waiting to happen!  We have the painters in....................and they are painting downstairs, which has high high ceilings.  Scaffolding has to be used to reach the water leak problem.  While the painters are working downstairs I found time to sew!  Yes, I could sew in my studio upstairs!!  And stay out of the way of the painters!  Here is the fruit of that progress.............

This is April's pattern from A Quilting Life
I'm using greens and pinks from a layer cake
I bought some time ago.  Not my favorite
colors, but it will be a charity quilt and I'm
sure someone will love it.

I found that I hadn't finished last week's pattern
from Pat Sloan's Solstice Challenge

And this one was on the ironing board--just needed to press on 
the petals and do the blanket stitch around each.


It's Time--

 It’s time to think about greeting cards I’ll send out this year.  Most years, if I’m not feeling pressed, I’ll create my own cards.  One ye...