Pieces Of Summer Sweets

Pieces Of Summer Sweets

"Sew Along" have you ever done one? Did you like it?

This Mini Sew-Along was the first quilt project I participated with via the internet, as well as the second Sew Along for myself.  Offered by Ellison Lane Quilts during the month of May, Ellison Lane's sample of the paper pieced "Popsicle"caught my eye as I was scrolling down my Facebook's Newsfeed.   

http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com/2013/05/summer-sampler-sew-along-block-1_13.html

I had not  paper pieced in a while, except for the workshop where I was to reconstruct the same block 5 times to make a wall/table topper.

I only completed 3, as the repetition was killing me. I soon became distracted by snacks, the yummy salads for lunch, and the friends within the room.  I have this feeling that it will always be a W.I.P or it's other name: UFO.    

Ellison Lane's Sew-Along is full of delicious treats for the eye.  I wanted to start along with the rest of the participants, but this California gal was leaving for the East Coast and I had gifts to sew and other items to prepare to make my journey pleasant and enjoyable.  


 My first Sew Along:

http://www.windsorandmain.com/2013/05/01/easiest-sew-along-ever-seriously/

 The Easiest Sew Along Ever

 helped to make these coin purses possible.

 Then 3 of these came about from Patury's Designs

 http://paturydesign.com/tipspatterns.php



This lightweight knit hoodie was a  patterned after one of my ready made sweaters. 
It was my own personal challenge, and looks and fits like it was off the rack, if I do say so myself.

I was told to pack slippers, so I made the Sock Monkey kind....

http://prudentbaby.com/2010/10/baby-kid/how-to-make-fabric-slippers-with-free-pattern-2/



I found this purse pattern years ago on the
 Burda Style site. 

Good luck printing & finding the directions for this 
"envelope clutch bag"  
Back when I printed out it, it was humongous
and the pattern did not align. 
 The pattern was blocked by the designer.
Frustrated and determined, I made my own pattern following the diagrams shown on the instructions. 



The Earth Tree Machine Embroidery is from Urban Threads
http://www.urbanthreads.com/products.aspx?productid=UT6213

The "wristlet" purse pattern was challenging, and I created the card cases.  See that card from Wish Upon A Quilt?  I was chosen as their 8,000 likes on Facebook and won a fat quarter bundle! Yeah ME!   (cheer! cheer!)
http://rhondabuss.blogspot.com/2013/02/fabulous-free-pattern-friday_15.html



The wrapped earbuds are 2 skeins of embroidery floss using the Chinese Staircase knots,  This technique is posted on several sites.
http://www.kissmeawake.com/2012/01/how-to-prevent-earbud-tangles-with-old.html

I made the Ipod Case to keep it in my larger handbag.  
I need to change out the snap, it secured poorly. 


Last of all, I sewed this for my lips.

http://www.themotherhuddle.com/free-lipstick-case-pattern-and-sewing-tutorial/

All the while,  I wanted to do the Summer Sampler.

When I finally completed those projects, THEN I could focus on paper piecing these "Sweet" blocks.  
I put together 6 before I flew away....

(These had not had the paper removed or squared.)

When I returned from my journey
( which I have to say was MARVELOUS), 
 I began the last 3 blocks

 Now that the blocks were completed I wanted a window sill look, so I searched the web again and found this "Attic Window" concept  by Sulky of America. 



http://www.sulky.com/project/millennium/ 
  

 It worked just fine.
Didn't add the borders because I needed to keep it under 24"x24".

 I want to enter it in Ellison Lane's next challenge.
 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-spnLedvfA/UbfMurEdhKI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/KdVm71njL-I/s1600/modern+mini+quilt+2013+button+125.jpg 


 
That meant it would not have a border like what is pictured in the Millennium quilt, but I like my wall art small. 


This was one plan on the display wall....

Notice the pie floating?  I changed the bottom color to white because I felt the plate was too big, but looking at them on my design wall,  I realized I needed to resew the pie and shortcake so they would stop floating.

 I think it looks much better.  The cherry pie should have been left alone!

 
Here it is pretty much completed.  I may add additional quilting in each block,  I only used the "stitched in the ditch" method and outlined the "treats".  I also will be blocking it to get the wibble wobbles out.  Which is definitely noticeable.


 The finished size of my "Pieces of Summer Sweets" is 23"x23".  


I'm happy with the end results, 
it's calorie free!

Stabilize It Mod

Sometimes those annual sales are just too good to pass up. Every year I go a day early and every time I'm welcomed to shop at sale prices.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda taken a picture of all those sewing necessities I acquired those 2 days while shopping for my Sis and myself.  Bargains galore!

I did acquire several rolls of various stabilizers for my machine embroidery work at the price of $2.00 each (who can resist) but now, how to store them?  Guess I'll have to sew something up!

 I could try to replicate this: from SewLynn via Martha Pullen.com
  http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z182/SewOriginal0/Home%20Dec/IM001265.jpg ...


 

 or maybe this pattern found @ Nancy's Notions:
 http://www.nancysnotions.com/product/stabilstor+stabilizer+storage+system+pattern.do

 




Maybe combine BOTH...
Mine needs to hang on a closet bar and needs to hold plenty.

 I started with the MOD fabric leftovers from my "Scrap Catch Hamper" project and couldn't decide which hanging set up to use.  Either with a plastic pant hanger or a dowel and ribbon.

Since the widest fabric bit was 12" that became the width.  The length was pieced till most of the fabric was used up, close to 54". I stitched about 1/8" from the pieced bits, to keep it from unraveling and to lay the pressed opened seams down, but I don't really think it was necessary. It just looks finished.  (who's to see it?)... Only ME!

 Wow the faded portion shows up in this pic...                           don't look. 

  I cut (2) 4.5" squares bound them & folded as a triangle to cover and hold the hanger or dowel.

I was still debating on which hanging method to use.  Just in case, I added a buttonhole to slip a pretty ribbon through to tie it onto the closet rod. I finished the edges with bias binding tape. For making bias tape, I usually do the continuous method, like this tutorial:

 http://www.coletterie.com/tutorials-tips-tricks/continuous-bias-tape-tutorial

 

The hard copy shown above was a handout from one of my Quilt Guild's Take N Make meetings. Handy single page reference. 


I cut 6 vinyl pieces with my Crafting Rotary Cutter (not MY good one) 12" x20" to hold more than one roll per section. Sewn 
binding on each side of the length. The only piece I added width binding was to the top piece for a nice finish.   


 For smooth sewing on plastic, this project needed a Roller Foot for my Janome machine. I could have bought it on the Annual Selvage Sale at Hokema's but after 3 visits within 24 hours, I think they would have laughed at me for being a frequent buyer. When I went to their shop to buy this foot, us gals had a good laugh about my visits.

 I found that I need to put a piece of paper under the vinyl for stitching movement, otherwise it wanted to stick to the sewing bed. (just use the protective sheet that comes with the plastic, position it slightly AWAY from the edge to avoid being sewn)

I clipped up the sections with this new product and it worked very well...

http://www.clover-usa.com/product/0/3155/_/Wonder_Clips_%2810_pieces%29
  
  but I ran out of Wonder Clips, so I used regular clothespins and they did the job too.    
 

I then sewed these sections starting at the top and worked my way down, leaving room at the bottom for a side pocket for storage of the flat stabilizers.  I added a big pocket on the back for extra storage.  

Now that it is completed and full, it is VERY heavy that neither a plastic pant hanger or the ribbon could hold it securely.  BUT a wooden pant hanger is a perfect solution and I think the bow adds a nice touch to "Stabilize It Mod."

  

#100 blocks

"Hey Neighbor Cat"

Hey Neighbor Cat

Sometimes as much as we try, we just can't get that abandoned cat to trust us.  The cat has been living outdoors now since Summer of 2012.  The next door neighbors  moved away, leaving the cat to fend for itself with no water nor food.
I was so upset about the abandonment, I wrote a note and put it on all the subdivisions post boxes asking if they see the cat to please try and help it.

For a while I continued to set out various foods and water at the empty house hoping he would come up to eat or drink.  The cat never did.  
Then I brought the food and water closer to our home...that cat wanted nothing to do with it.
I didn't know it's name, the owner's never called for it, nor do I ever recall them holding, petting or talking to the cat.  
so I began calling for it "Neighbor Cat".

Since then my hubby thinks it's name might be "Boots"

How it survived the Hot Summer, Windy Autumn, Frosty Winter and now Spring is a wonder to me.

Neighbor Cat  "Boots" has become feral, but now eats the food set out for him in the covered front entry.  I wish Neighbor Cat "Boots" would trust us 'cause we'd take care of the cat. But I'm doing what I can and thought last night of replacing an old blanket for a cat bed.  

I sewed scrap oilcloth pieces for the base overlapping them, using a wide zigzag stitch.  Hopefully, this will keep the fabrics and scraps from becoming damp. Then I 
 pieced the top out of a old denim pant leg.
 
 

I also made a scrap pillow liner in case the cover ever needs to be washed.


The top had to be more than just denim, sew of course I had to embellish it.

I have Madera Lana Threads.  It's a wool thick thread which uses a topstitch 100/16 size needle. This thread can be brushed to "fluff". I tried it once for machine embroidery on my Janome 350E. Now I wanted to see how it sewed out on my Janome 6600 and on denim.

Simple free motion work   

A word of my experience about the brushes that Madera Lana Threads recommends  to "fluff"  the fiber - these are the very same small handle wire brushes that can be found at any auto parts store or tool supply store for $.99.  I paid well over $6.00 with shipping and handling for a set of two.....rip off.  

I did find that I could not "fluff" single line stitching.  
However, the thread thickness shows up well on denim.

 


 My hope is that Neighbor Cat "Boots" will find some comfort on it, and maybe will adopt us.

This post is featured on Earth Week 2013

http://www.favecraftsblog.com/earth-week-blog-hop/
 

Think Spring

Welcome  Springtime!  I can hardly wait to get the salsa garden going, but in the meantime I'll keep on sewing the little things that make me happy....

  3d butterflies on batik 18"x 16"

This is my variation of the pattern that is a current freebie, via Quiltmakers Magazine on Facebook.  It's a limited time freebie (ends March 31, 2013), 

check it out.

This project was totally made from leftovers from other projects.

The bodies of the butterflies are a program pattern built in my Janome 6600. I programmed various elongated lengths and used variegated thread.   

The antenna are also a program stitch I elongated and used a "mirror" option to reverse it. It's the first time I tried that type of programming. Kinda Cool.     

 The blue border is leftover border fabric from one my son's "Turning Twenty" quilt. I had made 2 "Turning Twenty" quilts that Christmas.  (one son was turning 20 to 21 and my other son was turning 20 in Spring)

The solids were leftovers from a project via Joanns (their pic) titled "Hexagon Color Wheel"  it's also a freebie.  Make one for your sewing room, I refer to mine often. 

 

Years ago, I cut way too many pieces of the batik background when I was finishing another dollar block winning. 

I titled it "3 Octobers of Random Stars".

 I won 14 of the large stars as dollar blocks in October 2004. Added additional Ohio Stars large & small October 2010, using another freebie pattern via Quiltville titled "Random Ohio Stars". The borders, long arm machine quilting & binding done in October 2011.  

When this quilt came back from the professional long arm quilter, it had a noticeable rip on the back which showed through on the front.

When I talked with her about the rip, she said she hadn't notice anything wrong with the quilt. She stated she had broken a needle and it was the FIRST time she had EVER broken a needle on a quilt. She also stated my piecing technique must have caused it.  She apologized and told me she would give me a substantial price reduction on my next quilt to be long arm quilted.   

At the next guild quilt meeting, she came before the group and spoke of how to prepare a quilt for long arm quilting. Ya think she was directing that speech to ME? At least it felt like it was. Sadly, she no longer speaks to me, she probably thinks I told other guild members of this quilt mishap.  But no...only you. I repaired it myself using Bo-Nash (powder fusible) and very small stitches. Recently, I was told by another professional long arm quilter that when one pushes the machine; it causes the breaks and tears, not how the quilt is constructed. 





Oh enough of being a Debbie Downer - it's Spring. Celebrate all things new. I should go pull weeds and plant seeds but it's raining.  Must be time to sew something new and probably a freebie! 

What a Differnce a Day Makes

 I confess I go there to shop. I go to that "Chain Fabric Store".  The one that has prints made exclusively for them.  Their 40% off coupons, the Daffodil Days, the Black Friday Early Bird Specials. But not one of their specials could beat the deals I now have in my sewing room.  The one and only fabric chain store here is being SUPER sized.  It's being relocate to an empty Circut City store front.  Good news for me, 'cause the location will be closer and offer more products. (hopefully not all made in China)   This move is taking place the first week of April.


 Friends have told me that currently, the store was pretty empty.  I had hesitated to spend any shopping time there....but I'm working on a Philanthropic child size quilt and wanted backing fabric to finish the project.

Walked in yesterday, and saw that the fabric remaining was 50% off not bad but I wanted fabrics with ducks or a specific shade of  blue. No fat chance.  So, I left buying only black elastic thread, (for what I don't know but now I have it). Did some over night rethinking.......... I returned this morning to the store to settle for something and get this project DONE.

Could I settle??  ah ya - the cost to buy end of bolt fabrics would be 75% off!   Looks at all theses fun fabrics and these are not "first run".

 Couldn't pass up the yellow rick rack: 8yds ended up costing $2.14.  Then that Omnigrid  multi roll tool case that Sam found the sku for, and it was priced at a whoppin' $3.25.       

My "Little Refugee"  needed a new play hat and she has one for $1.25



I think I found a little pot of material gold today!


Post Script 3/21/2013:   All this "Just Ducky" quilt needs now is the guild label.