Happy New Year - First Finish





 

Happy New Year!! This blog will either be really long or short and picture heavy one of the two.   I promised you some pictures of items from the Stocking Swap so we will start with that.  These are just a few of the items I received.  I love this pillow cover.  I have stuffed a 14" pillow form inside and it is fantastic!!  It's very bohemian and is so my style.  There is also a pincushion you will see in the next picture.  This is just strips of fabric sewn down the middle and randomly placed so the edges of the fabric are left loose and flappy.  (bad description, but truly that is how it is)  The little balls are fabric stuffed with fiberfill and then sewn around the ends and sewn onto the edge of the pillow cover and pin cushion. 

 

 

Here is the pincushion along with the journal cover and pen (you can just see the end of the pen on the top left of the cover. It writes in purple and that has become my favorite color to write with the last couple of years and is Kathy's favorite color - Kathy is the person who made the items and who I got the Swap items from)

 

The bag part of the Swap was a jewelry bag that gathers up to create a flower.  Here it is all gathered

 



Here it is opened up.  The edges of the inside fabric creates little pockets to store your jewelry plus being able to store it in the center section.  In the background you can see my new pink television!  I love it!!  On the screen is Ellen and her look back at Robin Williams' appearances on her show and how he made her laugh every time he came on.  It was a touching look back and very, very funny.  I was laughing at him and at her.  At one point she was almost curled up in the fetal position laughing so hard at what he was saying.   Anyway, I really love my new pink television.  My "gift" to myself this holiday. 

 

 

Every year Victoria of Bumble Beans and 15 Minutes Play chooses a word and makes it her word for the year.  Every year I would say, "I am going to do that" and then not follow through until last year when I chose the word "Social".  I worked at being more social almost the entire of last year.  This year I have chosen the word "Create".  I plan on creating many new things in the coming year, not just with fabric and quilting, but with paint and food and many, many other things.  I want to bring out more of this side of me.  Being creative makes me happy.  So, for the new year, I have made my new word quilt hanging.  I pieced the letters this year instead of appliqueing.  I really should have used Tonya's book  (she hasn't blogged in a really long time, but I just wanted to reference her blog here) and my letters may have been a little bit better, but I think they turned out okay for my first try at a word.  I love this background fabric and had picked up a few fat quarters for cheap (less than a dollar each) when a store was going out of business and knew that I wanted to use it as my background fabric.  That meant the other colors needed to stand out a bit since that was a busy print. 

 

 

Along with the pink fabric, I picked up a couple of this blue/green floral fabric in fat quarters, also.  This would be just right for the borders and I could pull the colors for the letters from this print.  Here it was on the wall last night when I went to bed. 



Today, I knew my mission was to get this quilted and bound and finished.  The quilting isn't the best - that is one of the things I need to work on this year in my year of "creating", but I like it "warts and all" as they say.  I used the pink to bind it and bring that color out to the edges and I loved how the little pig on the shelf is looking around the edge of the quilt.   I used a blue/green thread to do the circles and swirls on the outside and black thread to go around all the letters since they definitely needed an outline of black to stand out.  Now the only thing to do is make a label and a hanging sleeve - forgot about that until now -  and it is ready to put up on the wall.  

 

 

What is your word for the year? 

Stocking Swap Check In

WHEW!!!!  Hopefully the rest of you have been hard at work on your Stocking Swap.  I only have one more item to make - the travel sewing kit - why did I add that one in this year???  Oh, yes, because I desperately need one.  My zip tab bag is just not the correct image for a quilter.  I need something a bit more . . . quilted . . . snazzy . . . edgier. . . (did I spell that one right?  It doesn't look right) . . . less plastic-y.  Yep, that is why I added that into the mix this year.  A travel sewing kit.  Hmmm.  I am going to google (again) for some ideas on what I want to make for this.  Since I am off the entire week of Thanksgiving (YEA ME!!) I plan on getting this item made and everything finalized. 

How about you?  Do you have the majority of the items made?  If you are participating this year, give me a shout out either on here or my e-mail and let me know.  If you shout out here - it will go to my e-mail also.  It's almost time to swap!   I need to know who all is joining in on the fun by December 1st.  I will put all the names in a hopper and draw them out, send you the name of the person you are to send to (and address, etc.) then between December 13 and 15th you need to either mail or deliver your package. 

It's always fun to get this box of goodies - either by mail or in person depending on who and where your swap person lives.    It's fun to see what the other person made and what fabrics they used.   What their favorite book is or what kind of mug - remember that one from back in January?  I made several mug rugs so I need to decide which one I am going to package up and give away.  I can't wait to see what comes my way. 

So, as I write this, I am trying to figure out several things . . . 1.)  Do we (me and you and you and you) want to do something next year?  (I usually only do the Stocking swap in even number years)   If so, 2.) what do we (see above reference) want to do?  Would you be interested in doing a swap of items - just not as long or as intense as the Stocking swap?  Hmm.  Send another shout out!!! 

Weekend Works in the Wasteland

I know the plan was to work on the various items to catch me up in the Stocking Swap.  That was the plan and I intended to stick with it, but when I got in the studio Friday night, I saw the little zip bag of KFC scraps leftover from the last blocks I made for the KF block exchange and I just started playing and making fabric.  (KFC = Kaffe Fassett Collective - fabrics from Kaffe, Brandon Mobley and Phillip Jacobs; KF = Kaffe Fassett)  I continued on Saturday and then remembered a pillow of little houses I had seen on a blog.  "Ah Ha!!!"  I can make this fabric into little houses and turn it into a pillow cover for the swap.  Excellent idea!  I did the math and figured out what size to cut everything, found fabric for the roof, chimney, door and sky and cut everything out.  Sewed the chimney sections (that took a couple of tries to get right) and made one house.  Yep, I think this is what I want to do. So, I made one more just to be sure and then a third just because.  I finished up the roof tops and went to bed.  Today, I finished all the rest of the houses (9 total) and started putting it together for my pillow cover.   Below are a couple of the houses.  They all have the same lime green doors and striped roofs.  The houses are made from my made fabric.  I love how they turned out. 

 

 

Then, I sashed them with white Kona and measured.  Hmm, it's too big for the pillow cover.  Do I take it apart and do something different?  Do I make a larger pillow cover?  Or, do I just add my border and make a small quilt?  All great questions and it only took me about 2 seconds after measuring to give my answer.  Of course, I add a wonderful border (Phillip Jacobs) and hang it on the design wall for a quick picture.  

 

 

It is such a bright happy little neighborhood, I just couldn't take it apart and re-do it.  But now, I don't have a pillow cover made or anything else for the swap.  So, a quick cutting of the made fabric, a little sewing, stuffing and button and voila!  A brand new pin cushion for the swap.  

 

 

Okay, one down and 5 more to go.  Actually, I made a mug rug way back in December or early January and can use that one if I want, so, two down and three to go.  I am making some progress.  Are you? Are you participating in the swap?  I know there are at least 4 of us from here and two or three of you out there.  Let me know - if you can get my response/comment thing to work - I know Kathy was having some trouble earlier this week, but finally got a comment to post.  Let me know if you are participating in the swap.  We would love to have about 10 people this year. 







Sewing Goals for May

If you want to join in the Stocking Swap it's not too late!!!  You just have to have everything finished and ready to mail by the first week in December.  This is a good thing since I haven't even started on January's mug and mug rug much less anything else.  I am so far behind!!!  I think I will try to make one thing every week or every two weeks if I am being practical, to try and catch up.  Maybe by July I will be caught up and can continue on with making on item a month.  Let's see, besides January's mug and mug rug, I need to make February's pillow cover for a 14" pillow form, March's - 2 matching pillow cases.  Hmmm, I just made two, but I am not sure I could give them up.  (they are Alexander Henry's men of Halloween.  I also recently made the men of Christmas and blogged a picture of them), I think I will make other ones to give away.  Since I don't know who my box will go to, I am not sure they would appreciate my men pillow cases.  Plus, I want to keep them for myself. LOL  Okay, April's  pin cushion and a set of pins will almost get me there - I will also need to add in May's 4 placemats since tomorrow is the beginning of May.  What happened to April?  What??? We only have 5 weeks of school left?  This is crazy!  Really, can someone tell me where April went?  I think it blew out of here with all the dust and wind we have been experiencing lately.  (58 mph on Sunday and 25 - 30 everyday since.  That doesn't include the gusts!)

The good thing is, I think I have two placemats finished and all I need to do to the other two in that set is to hand stitch the binding.  That one can almost be marked off.  Yea!!  That is all I have to concentrate on for now to catch up in the swap, so I guess this weekend I will crank out the easiest thing for me, pillow cases.  I have a few sets made (not just my men) and I could and may give one of those sets, but I have purchased fabric in the past year just to make into  pillow cases so I need to make at least one set and maybe 4 or 5 sets.  Now I have a sewing goal for this weekend.  Okay, I know, the binding thing - I sewed all my black strips and trimmed them, but they are not pressed or ready to be used yet.  That is another thing that needs to be done this weekend.  One thing at a time, but those are at the top of my to do list.  Do you have a to do list? I am going to have to put several things on mine to keep me focused in my studio or else I will go off on a tangent and make fabric or start a new quilt.  I almost did that tonight and didn't get the binding done.  But I did get it sewn and I also went through a ton of mail and threw away and shredded 2/3 of my stack.  That always feels good.  Do you let junk mail and magazines just pile up?  I usually pick my mail up in the morning on the way to school, sift through it quickly when I get back in the car, pull out and read the personal letters and then put the rest in my school bag.  Then when my bag gets heavy, I take it all out and stack it together.  That is what I went through tonight, one of those stacks.  Solicitations from credit card companies and insurance companies, advertisements from local stores and churches for special services or guest speakers, all those political flyers that the majority of the universe doesn't read (what a waste of money) and last but not least and one of my favorites, coupons from local eateries.   Now, those, most of them, I will use.  Well, not all of them, but at least one or two from each of my favorite places.  I will sometimes take the rest up to school and share with my students. 

Stocking Swap and a Bit More

 

What little time I have been spending in the studio lately has been spent on just playing around and finishing up some finds, re-arranging things to make it more user friendly and getting finished projects out of the room and somewhere else.  It hasn't helped that I still have sick brain that can't stay on task or think of the next thing I need to do (or say) However, I do want to share with you a couple of finishes.  Below is a mug I found at Tuesday morning a couple of months ago and just fell in love.  I couldn't wait to make a mug rug to go along with it.  The background on the mug is that lilac color (can't really tell in this picture) so I knew I needed to make my house block about that same color.  Then I just used scraps from the scrap pile to make the house. The mug rug is a little on the large side, but that way the lucky receiver will have room for a cookie or muffin to go along with her coffee/hot chocolate/tea.  Unfortunately this is the only mug rug I got finished for the month of January in the Stocking Swap.  Hopefully you got more done for Christmas gifts than I did.  However, the beauty of this swap is that I have all year to get everything finished (at least 11 months) and I have picked up 4 more mugs that I want to make rugs for to have on hand to give as gifts this year.  So, stay tuned for that.

 

 

 

The February Swap item is a pillow cover for a 14" pillow.  I will have to just show previously made pictures here because we all know how busy I have been since school started back January 7th.  We have had at least 3 restaurants, 2 caterings - one large, out sick for almost a week, preparing for competition plus regular teaching - I know I have had more going on than this - oh, yes, recruiting for 2 of the 6 Junior highs, one snow day, I have been out at least 7 1/2 days and we have only been in school 21 days.  My calendar has something written on it for every day in January and almost every day in February!!  I have stacks of work my students have done when I have been out that I have to grade and I don't know when I will have the chance to even sit down to grade.  I was at Sam's and HEB about 6 times just last week and by tomorrow morning, I will have been at HEB 3 times this week!!  You would think I could have only made one trip, but no.   Some things have to be purchased the day of or they spoil too fast and that is a waste of money.   Okay, I will quit rambling about that.  I am not griping.  I love my job and what I am doing right now, but it sure is hectic.    Okay, pictures of pillow covers:  Here are a few I have made in the last year or two.  This first one is not a finished picture, but trust me, this one is completely done.  All of these have envelope backs on them so I can easily slide in a pillow form and switch them out if I want. 

 

The one below with all the triangles is a slightly larger than 14 inches, but I wanted to include it in the show to give you some ideas.

 

 

What I finished up tonight is this little beauty.  I am teaching the disappearing 4 patch quilt at my retreat in a few weeks and one of the ladies texted me that she accidentally cut her squares 6" instead of 5" and wanted to know if she needed to cut them all down.  Of course I said no, leave them.  Then I cut some 6" squares and put them together so I could see if it needed slightly larger cuts to make them disappear.  Yes, I did cut them 1 1/2" away from the center seams and then I added a couple of borders and you get this little gem. 



 

The blue background fabric is leftovers from a quilt I had quilted.  The same with the top left orange.  The lighter two oranges and the border were fabrics I uncovered when I unpacked a box that has been sitting in my little alcove at the top of the stairs.  And, just because, I added in the darker orange fabric in the lower right corner that I pulled from the gray/orange/green wonky log cabin box of fabrics.  That was pretty quick and easy to put together. 

 

Now, I need to just finish projects that are due this weekend (actually last month, but it didn't get done) and get my room back together again.  

Mug Rugs - January's Stocking Swap

As soon as I can remember where I put my camera (to keep it safe, LOL) I will take some new pictures of some mugs and their rugs that I have recently made.  However, to get you started, please enjoy the following pictures of my previously made (and some even given away) mugs and their rugs. 



Penguin mug



penguin mug rug



I decided that the rug didn't really go with this mug and have since made another one.  that is what I get for making the rug without having the mug right there with me and trying to remember what colors to use.  LOL

Tic Tac Dough - you can actually play on the mug!

closer up of the rug

These mugs were on clearance after Christmas one year.  the rug has a pocket to tuck a napkin or other goody inside.

these rugs go much better!

Chalkboard mugs that you can actually write on needed a chalkboard rug - too bad I didn't have any chalkboard fabric.  Just black Kona. 

 

I have purchased several cute, cute mugs in after Christmas clearance sales and can't wait to make some rugs to go with them.  these make awesome gifts with a little cocoa packet inside or even homemade treats.  They are quick to make and nice to have several on hand for that last minute Oops I forgot about . . . gifts.   What mugs are you creating rugs for this month?

 

 

Stocking Swap Begins

Are you ready to begin on the 2014 Stocking Swap?  What is it you ask?  It is a swap where you have a designated item each month that you either make or purchase (November and December) and then exchange the entire years worth of gifts in December with another person for a wonderful stocking full of handmade gifts.  It is also a way for you to begin and make those Christmas gifts throughout the year instead of waiting until the last minute, like so many of us do and end up not getting them finished. 

The Stocking Swap

Each person makes and/or purchases the item designated for that month.  In December I will ask for all participants to e-mail me their snail-mail address.  I will randomly assign you a partner and you will send your "stocking" full of goodies to them.  You, in turn, will receive a "stocking" full of goodies.  All I ask is that you use good quality fabrics and do your best work.  Since you don't know who you will be trading your stocking with, be mindful of the appropriateness of your items. (nothing too risque, etc.) You can choose to have a theme to your stocking (for example: Apples - then everything in your stocking has to do in some way with apples OR a color: blue - everything is a tint or shade of blue) That is your choice.  You don't have to have a theme, but for some people, that may be an easy way to play this game. 

Expand your skills and broaden your vision with this swap.  If you try a new pattern, make a couple of different versions.  Then select the one to give for this swap and keep the others to give as Christmas gifts.  This swap could help us stay ahead of our Christmas gifting, if we make more than one of the same item each month.

It is a bit sewing heavy at the first of the year, but I know that we all get busier the closer to Christmas so I have allowed the last two months (really just November - we mail everything off early in December) for purchased items because I know how hectic it gets  closer to the holidays. 

So, here we go. . . . THE 2014 STOCKING SWAP

January - a mug and coordinating mug rug
February - Pillow cover for a 14" pillow form (just the cover, not the form)
March - 2 matching pillow cases (for a standard bed pillow)
April - a pin cushion and a package of your favorite pins
May - 4 place mats
June - a bag - any type and size
July - an ornament (Christmas in July)
August - a travel sewing kit
September - a journal cover and a nice pen
October - Pot holder (be sure to use insulation)
November - a book - reading or quilting doesn't matter
December - candy and nuts (no stocking should be without these on Christmas morning)

There you have it.  All the requirements for The Stocking Swap.  Each month I will remind you here on the blog what to make along with some ideas.  My next posting will be about January.  Have fun with this project and if you have friends that you want to join in on the fun, send them my way.  (If they don't read blogs or even Internet, doesn't mean they can't join in the fun - you can be their go between person) Enjoy!

You can join at any time - just go back and make those items you missed out on.  If you know that your summer is going to be crazy busy with a lot of travel, make those items ahead of time.  You just have to have everything ready to send off by the 5th of December.  Get your friends to join in on the fun like I did last time.   It's really exciting to see all the wonderful gifts everyone around the country made and how creative people can be.  Just because I like to know, post a comment here or e-mail me and let me know if you are playing.  Then, if you choose, post your items on your blog so everyone can see your progress.  Or do like I did and make a lot of each of the items so no one knows what you are sending for the swap and what is Christmas gifts for other people. 

Stocking Swap Gifts

It is Sunday, December 30, 2012.  the next to last day of the year and it is really, really cold here today.  There is no snow or moisture of any kind, but what is new about that?  It is just cold air and even colder winds.  A great day to be inside sewing and blogging.  So, as a result, there may be more than one posting today so stay tuned.  The camera finally made it up the stairs and to the office.  It has been down the hall in my bedroom for about a week now.  I don't know why it couldn't walk the 15 steps down to the office before now, but that is life.  Finally, I get to share with all of you the gifts I received from my Stocking Swap partner, Ellen of Ellen Gets Craftsy.  This swap was so much fun and I am so thankful to everyone who made the commitment and hung in there until the end.

 

Below are most of the gifts I received from Ellen.  I say most because I was so excited when I opened the large cardboard box and saw everything individually wrapped, I was like a child and started opening presents.  After the first two or three, I made myself stop so I could get a picture of everything.  Isn't that what bloggers do?  Take pictures of everything.  That is why I am not the best blogger.  I always forget to take pictures.  Anyway, she did an awesome job of wrapping each gift individually.

 

They each had their own handmade tags that coordinated with the month.  On the back of the tags it had what month it was and what we were to make that month.  Can you guess the months from the tags below?

A lot of work went into making each of those tags.  I love them and have them kept to show my Bee friends group in January.   Matter of fact, I have put all my gifts into the bag that I received so I can be sure to have them all together for the January Quilt In meeting.  I am forcing myself not to take anything out of the bag.  I wouldn't want to leave anything out of the sharing so after the January meeting, everything will be put to use. It's like a delayed Christmas present to myself!  Here is a picture of everything. 

 I thought I took pictures of everything individually, but I guess I only did a few items.  Below is the amazing journal.  I love the fact that Ellen painted and crafted the cover.  It is awesome.  I just can't find words for how wonderful this journal is.  See the beading on the right side?  WOW!

Then, there is this fantastic pin cushion with a gorgeous pin.  It is beautiful!  It also came with a package of pins, not just that one. 

I love everything!!  I can't wait until the January meeting.  I am going to use my mug that day to have coffee at the meeting!!  Everyone will be so jealous of me when they drink their coffee from the styrofoam cups! 

I was just over on Ellen's site Ellen Gets Craftsy and she has posted detailed pictures of the gifts she made.    

Stocking Swap Call for Participants

Okay, Quilters, it's time to gather all those fun things you have been making all year long, pack them into a box and send them to their final home.   If you have participated in this swap this year, e-mail me at neillna@yahoo.com and send me your home address.  Please do this before Friday, December 7th.  That will be my deadline.  If I don't have your mailing address, you will get to keep all your goodies for yourself.  If I do have your mailing address, I will e-mail you on Saturday, December 8th with your mailing partners name and address.  Your job is to get it postmarked before December 15th, sit and wait on your gift to arrive to you and let me know that you have received it.  It's that simple. 

If you have been participating all year and have made a couple more items along the way, you should have Christmas gifts ready to go for the entire neighborhood!  If you are like me, I am finishing up the pillow cases - yes, I still don't have them finished!!  I should have never given away the original ones I made.  Now I can't seem to get in the mood to make another set.  Thank goodness that is all I have left to make and I have everything ready to go, I just need to sew it up.  Simple, yet one of the hardest things to get done.  Okay, back to gathering.  I am including a list again so you can simply check each item off and put it in the box. 

1 mug and mug rug
1 pillow cover for a 14" pillow - do not include the form - just the cover - this will save on shipping cost and
            space.
2 matching pillow cases - or coordinating if you wish - they have to go together, but don't have to be           
            exactly the same.
1 pin cushion and a package of your favorite pins
1 table runner
1 bag - any type - small or large, your choice
1 stocking
1 ornament
1 journal cover and a nice pen - you can send the journal, also if you want, but not necessary.
1 pot holder - be sure you used an insulation
1 book - any kind
some candy and nuts - because it's not a complete stocking without these items.  (if you are sending
            chocolate - be sure it is wrapped up so it won't melt all over your lovely handmade items! )

That is it!!  These are the mandatory items to go into your box.  You can add anything else you wish.  I would recommend you add a card or letter telling about yourself, maybe add a story about some of the things your made - why you chose that item or not.  Anything beyond the required items it totally up to you.  Have fun putting together this package for your quilting partner.  I look forward to receiving an e-mail from all of you.  By the way, you will receive a package from a different person than you sent to.  (just in case you were wondering)  

Stockings and Ornaments

I decided the stocking I made for the Stocking Swap needed a little extra umph so I added a scalloped border at the top and finished it off with some black ric-rac and then added three random buttons on his/her belly.  Now, it is perfect and ready to go to it's new home.  I still need to finish up some pillow cases.  I don't know why I can't seem to get in the mode to make some of those.  I will try to buckle down tomorrow and crank out 4 or 5 sets.  Oh, wait, I know why I haven't made any yet, I need to wash some fabric.  I don't like to make pillowcases from unwashed fabric.  It just doesn't seem right, you know.  When I get a new pillowcase I want to use it right away and if it's not washed, well . . . then I am not happy I have to wait a few hours (days) to get to use it.  So, I always wash the fabric I use to make pillowcases so if the person receiving it wants to sleep on it right away, they can.  I guess that means I need to put in a load of fabric in a little bit. 

In the new Crate and Barrel magazine mailer I recently received are some of the cutest little penguin , gnome and snowman ornaments.  They are all knit and so cute.  I wanted to make me some right away.  However, I don't knit.  So, I drew up a pattern for the penguin - still working on the other two - and made me a prototype penguin.  I grabbed the two purple batiks off the stack of freshly washed - see, I do wash fabric from time to time - purples and cut out a penguin.  I got him all sewed up and realized I had forgotten the feet.  I drew, cut and sewed him some feet and he looks so cute!  His feet need to be a bit bigger, but that's the only thing I needed to change.  I quickly cut out, sewed and stuffed 4 more in the more traditional colors of black and white and voila!!!  a bevy of penguin (or whatever you call a group of them) ornaments.  I put "hair" on a couple of them and all of them have hangers.  They are ready to be hung on the tree and one of them is going in my box for the Stocking Swap.  This is a much better ornament than the one I previously decided to use. 

While I was stuffing, I decided to stuff this owl doll.  A few years ago I designed this one and made up 4 or 5 and sold them all.  I had this one along with a few others all cut and ready to go, but didn't finish them in time for the bazaar/quilt shows that I sold them at.  I could have sold the pattern if I had it printed up and ready to go.  Maybe this next year I will do that.  Anywho, this one is ready to go to it's new home wherever, whenever that might be.  I still have one or two more that just need to be sewn around and stuffed.  Just one more thing to work on this weekend.  

It sure has been nice being off this entire week.  Not doing much, staying up as late as I want, not having to be anywhere at any specific time, it's been great!  A much needed rest from the hectic whirlwind that has been my life for the past month.  It should start to slow down a little between now and Christmas (only 5 or 6 things happening between now and the next vacation in less than a month - not bad for this time of year!)

Stocking Swap

Second Post of the Day!

I can't believe it is the middle (okay - 2/3 through the month) of October.  If you haven't worked on your potholder for the swap - you need to get on it!!  Not really - you have one more month to finish things up, but if you are like me, the year just gets busier and busier.  That is why I put for November a book - something you don't have to make and December - candy and nuts.  Again, something you don't have to make (unless you want to make something special)  By now, you should have most of your sewing wrapped up (I still need to make some pillow cases from March since I gave those away)  You can start gathering your items together and if you are like me and made more than one item each month, decide what goes in the box for this swap and what goes as Christmas gifts.  I will be calling for names and addresses soon from everyone who is participating in this swap.  If you can sew really fast and get it all together by the end of November, come join in on the fun!!  It's not too late.  Just go to this link - Stocking Swap - and start sewing. 

I have posted some pot holders before, but it has been awhile ago, so I will post some I made for this swap.   

OOPS!!  that is the only one I could find that I have a picture of.  It may just be the only one I have.  Now, I am the one scrambling to find out if I have made anymore pot holders.  If not, you all know what I am working on tonight!! 

Journal Cover

DONE, DONE, DONE.  I have finished a journal cover and I have something made for every month of the Stocking Swap.  Now I just have to decide if I want to make another one of the items I have made or go with what I already have.  Since I have a few months, I will probably make some extra items so I can pick and choose which gift I send to my swap partner.   I have choices in every category except the stocking, ornament, journal cover and pillow cases.  Oh, yes, and the table runner.  I really, really like my table runner and I might just have to keep it.  Which means, I will make another one to swap.  The pictures below are my journal cover.  I started playing earlier this week and just sewed some fabrics together, added some more sewn together fabrics, quilted it and tonight, I bound it and hand sewed the inside flap down.  (that doesn't sound right, but the part of the cover the journal slides into) 

This cover has no definite front or back so the user can decide which side he/she likes best.  I may try to make another one that has a definite front to it, just to see if I like it better than this mixture of fabrics.  I may also look to see if there is a pattern or suggestions to making a cover to see if there is an easier way to put the binding on those open edges - light bulb!!!  I guess I could have treated it as a quilt and done just one binding all the way around the rectangle.  Huh.  I didn't do that - as you can tell by my rambling and talking in my head to myself.  I put a binding on the two ends - different fabrics - and then added a top binding and a bottom binding totally separate from each other.  Then I had to leave a bit of fabric to each end, turn the ends in, tuck them under and stitch them down.  Would have been way, way easier if I had just done one continuous binding all the way around.  Okay, it's a definite.  I will be making one more journal cover, just so I can get the binding done properly.  I won't say correctly, because the way I did it worked and it looks good.  Plus I love having two different bindings on the front and back flaps.

Snowman Stocking

 I finished my stocking for the stocking swap today.  I used batting for the snowman and the flower on the hat.  I put black buttons for his/her eyes and a burgundy one for the center of the flower.  I did not use any type of adhesive for this applique.  I just pinned it on and sewed around everything.  I used perle cotton for the hand stitched mouth and arms.  I couldn't find my black perle cotton so I used a dark navy blue thread for those areas. 

I think I will make another copy of the pattern for this stocking and stick it inside the stocking so whoever gets it can make a matching one if they want or use the pattern anyway they like.  This went together really fast and easy.  I cut out the stocking front and back, cut some batting to go with it and quilted the two together with a wide crosshatch.  Then I added the snowman and all of his/her accessories.  Cut some lining and a hanging tab and it is all done.  Not much time, but great results.  

One of the projects marked off the list. Now for the ornament - I think I know what I am going to make for this one and might already have one made - just have to look around the studio to see if I can find it or not. I may have already given it away. I did find a couple of older ornaments I made many, many years ago and I might use one of those to go in this swap. Then I don't have to make anything another one and can move on to the journal cover and making another set of pillow cases.  (hey, I have a set already made up I can use if I run out of time!!  Pluses all around) 

Sewing in the Rain

This is the view out my window this morning.  I am sitting here with the window open listening to the rain coming down, the ducks quacking away and the sound of traffic driving through rain soaked streets.  Thank goodness the rain is coming from another direction and I am able to have the window open.  The picture looks a little blurry, but that is because I am taking it through the screen.  It really is a beautiful sight.  The park is once again decked out in thousands of American flags in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  That one flag that is all stretched out is caught on the little tree and it made me smile this morning so I thought I would share it with you. 

I slept in a bit this morning and then hit a couple of estate sales around 10.  (I love half price Saturdays!) Yesterday I got a small Le Crueset skillet they had already marked down and spotted a cut glass serving tray however, I didn't want to pay the full price of it.  I had planned on getting there early this morning to get it for half, but I slept in.  I did get some other great cut glass/crystal pieces to use as serving pieces for the restaurant. I have quite a collection now since I added four more trays, a wonderful heavy bowl and a crystal (yes, real crystal) candy dish.  I also scored on some unopened ink pads for rubber stamping.   I don't do much of that anymore, but I do like to make some cards from time to time and a lot of my ink has dried up.  I am hoping this ink is fresh since it is still shrink wrapped.  However, for a couple of dollars for about 8 packages, I couldn't pass it up.  Below is the my spiderweb quilt.  I will be working on adding an outer border this morning - okay, this afternoon.  Didn't realize it was already after 12.   I am thinking I will add a piano key border using my leftover strips - I still have a full box of multiple size strips that I cut over 12 years ago for a Fons and Porter Crazy Cabin quilt and this is my third or fourth quilt I have made from that box of strips.   When I bring the box to our Bee meetings and work on a strip quilt, my friends come and dig through the box and take what they want and then add more strips to my stash.  It's fun to pull out a fabric and wonder where it came from since I know I didn't buy that fabric.  I have boxes that are designated to 1 1/2", 1 3/4" and 2 1/2" only, but in this box, I have from 1" to 4" strips.  I don't worry about the width when I am working on a strip/string quilt.  I just use whatever I pull from the box. 

My friend, Molly, introduced me to one of her quilts that is string pieced and I am going to start this week.  However, I want it to be in some of the modern fabrics and none of those are in this stash box.  However, any leftover strips from that quilt will join this box when I finish it.  It also, is paper pieced.  I have a ton of little paper pieces all over my studio floor and I have got to get the vacuum out before I get back in there today. 

Okay, I may not get this quilted before Thursday to take with me for the Botanical Conundrum so I thought I would post a picture anyway.  This is from a challenge by the Modern8Create group.  I took a picture of my Puffs tissue box and then stretched it out, to make these "flowers"  I added a bit of yellow/gold flat piping that really gives it a boost of color.  Who knows.  I might get a some inspiration and start quilting it tonight or tomorrow.  If not, it can wait until the perfect time. 

The other item I need to get quilted is my round robin wall hanging.  This one had a hard time in the rounds and was totally re-made at one point in the rotation.  The center block is about 5 inches so it's not a large wall hanging.  I am not sure how I want to quilt this one either, probably something simple.  I might even add a dark border before I do that.  (that thought just came to me.  I hadn't planned on adding anything else, but I might like having that Kaffe Fasset fabric on the outside.) 

Along with all of this, I desperately need to get going on my September (July, August and March) Stocking Swap items.  How are you coming along with these?  Aren't you glad now that November and December are non-sewing months?   Push to have everything done, collected and packaged by the first week in December so when you get your exchange partner you can ship off that week!! 

Have a great day sewing in the rain - or whatever the weather is like where you are.  

July Stocking Swap

We are halfway through our Stocking Swap for 2012 and you only have 4 more things to make.  This months project is a stocking.  You can make this any way you want.  You could purchase a pre-printed stocking and quilt it up, you can create your own or you can even purchase a pre-made stocking.  Whatever your heart desires.  Here is a link on Moda Bakeshop for one stocking pattern.   There is no need to make an oversized stocking that will hold every item we are making this year.  Just make a regular sized stocking.  Like I said once before, my bicycle never fit in my stocking, so not all of our gifts will fit, either.  I have made a couple of stockings over the years, but don't have pictures of them to post.  Bummer.  Of course, the stockings I made were made long before we started blogging and taking pictures of everything.  Even before digital cameras!!  I do know that I used either a Thimbleberries or Debbie Mumm pattern from one of their earlier books.  I found this wonderful snowman stocking on clearance at Tuesday Morning and want to make a couple of these in modern fabrics. 

This one is made of wool.  Sorry it's all wrinkled and laying over a stack of  finished projects, but you get the idea of the size, shape and character of the snowman(snowlady?).  I can't wait to get started on this project this month!  Hope all of you are finishing up your previous swap projects and getting ready for the downhill slide into December. 

We only have the following items to make:

August - ornament, September - journal cover and pen, October - potholder

And then November and December we add in a book, some candy and nuts and we are ready to ship off our packages!! 

The only item I have to go back and re-make are the matching pillow cases.  I gave away the ones I made for the swap and now I have to make some more.  I will make several pillow cases since I really enjoy giving them for gifts and I don't have any in my gift closet ready to give.  I love sleeping on my made pillow cases so much more than on the store bought ones. 

Now that I have the month of July with virtually nothing on my list except three more weeks of volleyball and a couple of quilt classes, I can sit and sew most mornings cranking out some items for this swap and Christmas gifting.  

Stocking Swap - June

Hello everyone!!  Sorry this posting has come so late in the month.  I have let it slide and now the month is more than half way over!  I can't believe that it will be July in a little over a week.  Amazing how time flies.  If you haven't started already for your stocking swap item this month - it's a bag.  It can be any size or shape or have any kind of handle you want (or even not have any handles).  Your choices are unlimited.  I have posted pictures of several different bags I have made in the last couple of years.  A lot of them were inspired by bags from other blogs and tutorials.  Enjoy and have fun this month making a quick and easy bag!

A little Jenny bag to hold my phone cord in my purse.

A fabric re-make of a gift bag that desperately needed to be replaced!!

My version of a cheap bag I purchased, but that bag was made so cheaply that it didn't hold it's shape and collapsed upon itself, so I had to make a sturdier bag using Timtex and upholstery fabric

Just playing around with scraps.  I gave this one away filled with baby items 

Large Jenny bags.  This is a fun and easy pattern.  You can make your own "handles" or use ribbon.

Friendship bags from P. S. I Quilt blog

Larger version of a friendship bag made using leftover fabrics from a quilt.  Now the quilt has a bag of it's own!

Just playing around with some scraps.  this is a tiny little bag to hold business cards.  I guess it's not really a bag, but it could be made into one.  Just here to give you an idea!

Another version of a large friendship bag made with scraps for a quilt.  It even has the quilt top in the bag waiting to be quilted.  (It may even have the back in there, also.  Now if it has the binding, I am all set to go.

My friend, Kathy's bag.

Another quilt bag.  Leftover Honeybun strips.  The quilt in this bag is from a pattern by Quilt Dad that he posted on Moda Bakeshop. 

Well, just a few bags to get you started on ideas.  Hope you have fun making bags.  Just remember, if you make extras, then you will have gifts already made to give at Christmas time and won't feel rushed in the months of November and December trying to get gifts made.