Tools/Tricks of the Trade

As progress of the Clementine Quilt Along continues,

I'm learning more and more about shortcuts to speed 

cutting along.

This is March block--on the website.

Mine is still on the sewing machine table

All the pieces have been cut, marked and sewn along

the correct lines--

Chain stitching is a must when you want speed.

I found these nifty little gadgets work well when you

are trying to square up half square triangles. There are two rulers in each

package ( Slotted Trimmers by Kari Carr)

These need to be trimmed to 2" unfinished--best part is

the slots to cut off 'dog ears' too!

I was sewing along merrily--all blocks were sewn together--

well, crunch berries--thread had run out of the bobbin!!

I hate when that happens--so I quit for the day!

Then I re-read the directions for the blocks and see that

directions call for 12.5" block AND 20.5" block!

For the past three months, I've only done the 12.5"

Guess I'll go back and make the larger blocks........

so much for reading the directions first time around!

Four Seasons

It's time to work on Summer of the Four Seasons designed by 

Laura Paschkis, who is an author of children's books.

She has designed these marvelous center blocks for

each season.

Summer requires a little paper piecing--

sometimes I'd rather do PP instead of

using templates

All the parts and pieces are cut prior to

going to the paper

Well, look at that top one!  Doesn't quite meet the

ending--okay, a do over!

Here is one of the star points for the border of Summer-

really cool looking

Completed! all borders on and ready for the quilter--

along with my Fall and Winter panels

This is the cover of the kit

Now, working on Spring--guess I should have done Spring first

Bear Creek Quilt Company has free instructions for all the

seasons--just add your own fabrics and if you like the

insert panel, you can purchase it.  I bought the kits for

this series--had the coordinating fabric

Here is the winter panel--

BooTacular and Gnome For The Holidays

Never can have enough BOMs!

and these will be fun to work on..

BooTacular is coming to your

mailbox today--if you go to

Fatcat Patterns and download

the first pattern.  These patterns are free

each month.  You can sign up for a small

fee to receive the pattern in your mailbox

each month.  What a great

Block of the Month to do! 

I love Fat Cat Patterns!

Gnome For the Holidays is another

BOM that is running as well each

month.  It began February 1st. 

Shhhhhh, Don't Tell Them!

My intention has been to make these soup bowls cozies for

Christmas gifts--didn't get done last year though.  

friend Sandy was sewing several for her family during one expatchers

meeting --and that inspired me to 'just 

do it!'

we have upcoming birthdays--now, that's a perfect

opportunity to get that special fabric under the needle.

Happy Hour Stitches offers a free tutorial

Blond headed daughter has chickens--this

chicken print is great for her soup bowl cozies!

There is even a chicken wire lining!

Brown headed daughter enjoys coffee--

Luckily I had this coffee print in my stash--

All sewn up and ready to turn--now, to find just right

soup bowl!

Storage...............

There are way more ideas for projects than there is time to create--

If one of those project ideas gets away from me, I could spend

hours down the rabbit hole looking for that one idea that 

escaped--in order to capture those projects, I'll make copies--

doesn't mean I'll make the project in the future,

but at the present time, it looks like a good idea!!

To store those UFO's and project ideas, I use the plastic

storage package that comes with sheets or other large

linen items.  These plastic bags are clear so you can see

at a glance what it is--this one is 2017 Pat Sloan's

Grandma's kitchen--Some day it will be finished!

This bag is collecting Buttermilk Basin's free Block of the Month

Mystery blocks--once again, you must get each month as it comes

along; otherwise, there is a charge.  I'll keep updated--in the

future I might-just might- make these blocks!

Those clear plastic bags have pockets on the inside--

I make notes of the projects in each bag

An empty bag just waiting for that special idea to pop off the

printer---

This bag contains Moda Bakeshop pattern designed by Crazy Mom Quilts

I've had a batik jellyroll for years and this pattern

uses just one jellyroll--now, it resides in  pouch

My quilter/knitter friend,  Colorado Judy shared with me

how she stores her projects--she uses these clear plastic bins--

great idea for a larger project, like the latest Bonnie Hunter

mystery.

It pays to keep some plastic items around--someone can always

find a good use for them!  The only problem--I'm must buy more

sheets--I have more ideas!

!! Warping....................

Since my latest cotton towels have been woven, cut off the loom, hemmed, washed, tagged and bragged on--it is time for the loom to be warped again.  What will I weave next?  The obvious answer is more towels!  Especially since there is already a warp there--just tie on and weave!

I know it looks like one hot mess!

but it isn't!  I use this method often especially

when the warping pattern is twill set.

I'm tying on in sections--as I warp a few 

threads--these are my handspun cotton--white, brown

some blue/white combination--I'm also spinning

white cotton for the weft--

I keep my cross as I tie onto the warp--

it's a start--I hope to be weaving within the month--

got more spinning to do..............

Back to My Childhood!

Deep down in the stash bin, I found this pattern!

It had been completely forgotten about--oh, so many

years ago did I begin this journey down

Periwinkle Lane.  

As the patterns surfaced to the light of day, the

challenge was on--can I finish these this year?

Oh, yes--how fun this project was when I begun 

I immediately went to the toy closet to search for

Crayons--I so love Crayons--I have several different ones.

Now, the challenge was--which ones should I use on this

crayon quilt project?  You see, I don't like to mess

up my crayons--isn't that stupid!? 

I picked out this tower of crayons to use--many colors to

choose from..........

such a wonder wheel of fun.  I felt like I was back in my

childhood--just coloring away......in the quiet of the night

I'm coloring to my heart's content--no one to tell me to

use such and such color or to color within the lines!