The Next Project

I haven't finished my batik quilt, but I needed a break from stitching the top, something small that I can sew in a weekend or so. I have quite a bit of what I call scraps, pieces of fabric less than 1/4 yard, some even smaller, pieces left from previous projects; I have a hard time throwing any fabric no matter how small away - I just know that I will find something I can make with it. So, here's my next project - it is a brick pattern quilt. as the name implies uniform blocks (rectangles) are sewn side by side, the next row of blocks are offset (indented) about 1/2 the size of the 1st block, the next row of blocks are positioned the same as the 1st row. You continue adding rows until your quilt is as large as you want. I used my Accuquilt Go to cut the blocks so they are all 3-1/2 x 6. Everytime I used the Go I fall more in love with it - it makes cutting sooooo much easier and faster, which I think is great because the sooner I get the cutting done the sooner I can get to the part I like best, putting it together!

Wedding Gift

A very dear friend of mine Debbie's daughter got married in June, I was unsure of exactly what to give the couple as a gift. I decided on napkins and a tablecloth (do people even use cloth napkins anymore)? I Monogrammed their initial on the corner.

Yes, Another Quilt

This is the 1st quilt I have ever sewn using a quilting pattern. I mostly followed the pattern, I used my "Go" which is a machine which cuts fabric pieces using a die - this is cool because every piece will be the exact same size something I could never accomplish using my rotary cutter. Anyway why I said that I mostly followed the pattern is because the die for the Go was 5 inches and the pattern required 5-1/2 inches, and believe me 1/2 inch does make a difference. I used batik "fat quarter" pieces, again the pattern called for 12 fat quarters, I used 20 - so my quilt is larger than the pattern.



I stitched the design on the top of the quilt using my Brother embroidery machine - it has some built in quilting designs but I purchased these online.



As you can tell I am not quite finished stitching the design on the top - this will take a long time; you have to hoop the quilt, stitch the design, remove the hoop, move to the next spot, rehoop . . . well you get the picture. I can only stitch a 5x7 space at a time, actually the design is 5x5 - total size of the quilt is equivalent to a twin-sized bed. So now you understand why I will be at this for awhile.

Amazingly Simple Home Remedies

Here are a few chuckles - something to make you go WHAT!

• If you’re choking on an ice cube, simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.
• Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold the vegetables while you chop.
• Avoid arguments with women about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.
• For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure on your veins. Remember to use a timer!
• A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
• If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. Then you’ll be afraid to cough.
• You only need two tools in life: WD-40 and duct tape; if it doesn’t move and should, use the wd-40; if it shouldn’t move and does, use the duct tape.
• Remember - everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
• If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.
  

Daily thought:

Some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.

More about the San Franciscan

I finished the San Franciscan some time ago but I just hadn't got around to adding the pictures and photos to my blog. This is the front of the house. It is a two story with a small attic space that I have yet to furnish. Most attics just have stuff for storage in them anyway.



This is the sewing room. I had a ball creating little folded sweaters and shirts. I also made some fabric bolts and rolls because what sewing room would be complete without fabric. The clothes I found in the scrapbook section of Joann's it was a bear trying to get the glue off the back of the clothes - they were originally made to embellish cards.

Here's the bathroom, it is a pretty small room although I tried to cram as much stuff in it as possible. I am really proud of myself - I even made toilet tissue rolls and towels. Sometimes my "tiny" mind comes in handy.

The living room in next. I purchased the house mostly finished, but it was missing the doors, part of the roof and a couple of windows. I am proud of the doors - it took me some time because I had never worked with miniatures before and I had to think "miniature" but I created some reasonably nice doors. They even work.

Next is the kitchen. I think I had the most fun with the kitchen. I found a miniature fridge at Hallmark, originally a tree ornament it is just the right size for my house. It is really cool - when you open the door the light comes on. That is the bad thing about the photos - most everything opens and just like a full size house you put things in the draws and cabinets - but only the little people who live in the house ever see them. If you ever come and visit just know that there are dishes in the cabinets, silverware in the drawers, and clothes to be folded in the dryer.



Last at least for these pictures, there are more rooms, but they are unfinished (the little people need a place to sleep) is the dining room.

I created and framed all of the artwork in the house. It reminded me of when our family owned an art gallery. As a matter of fact I used the tear sheets to create the artwork and a miter box to cut the frames.



The room is set up for a holiday dinner complete with turkey. The best china is on the table and the extras are stored in the china cabinet in case more company stops by. I hope you enjoy looking at the house at least as much as I did creating and decorating it.

Quilts, Quilts, Quilts!

It's been a really long time since I posted anything - but I have been busy, just not very good at this blogging thing yet. But I wil get the hang of it.

What have I been doing the last six months or so well . . .

I have sewn a few more quilts. The first one I sewed was for my niece in Maryland. It is another family quilt with pictures. If I continue doing them maybe it will my signature quilt. I still have to get the bugs worked out of the process though. I would like to make them washable, I have a couple of products (Retayne and a dye fixative) to see if I can solve the problem. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

The second quilt was for my niece in Cleveland, celebrating the birth of her daughter Meyani Marie. It is a Disney character quilt courtesy of my new toy actually by the time of this posting I have two new toys. Brother SE350 and Brother 750D embroidery machines. They are cool machines. Watching them sew is something else. My friend Carole who turns me on to the new and exciting allowed me to use hers - then I was HOOKED!

NEXT! I went to the annual quilt show here in January. There was lots of wonderful fabrics, machines and anything you even thought you needed for sewing, embroidery and general crafting. I bought a lot of fabric, sewing machine feet and a Accu-cut GO (more on that later). I also bought a pattern for a quilt, well the technique actually. The object of this quilt is sort of quilt as you go. You never have to bind this quilt because you are in essence binding it all along. It's kind of hard to explain without seeing it demonstrated. But you cut out squares of the front and the back of the fabric and also the batting. Sew the three pieces together in a circle (leaving a slit for turning. Once the circle is cut out and turned that "block" is complete, you can then quilt the block, I chose not to. To finish the quilt simply join the blocks. That is really a simple explanation of the technique, there is a little more to it, included in the kit are templates and instructions to help you cut and sew the same size circles and how to join the blocks, which is very important because the if you are off, you will be able to notice it in the finished quilt.

This was my first attempt, I'm really happy with it. There are some mistakes, lessons I learned for the next one. I used some of my African fabric scraps. I purchased a swatch book from Homeland Fabrics years ago when we owned an art gallery and have been holding on to it because the fabric was just to pretty to throw away. Well I think I have finally used most of it up.