My Project for Challenge 3 Project Quilting

Challenge 3 – All about that Thread

 

I am really enjoying the challenges from Persimon Dreams' blog.

Every 2 weeks, a new challenge is announced. The week in between is for voting on the projects that have been linked up. Each visitor can vote for their favorite 6 projects! If you have linked up a project, 

 you can vote for 7!

 

I missed Challenge 2. I really had the plan, the fabric, the method all worked out. What I lacked was the time. Instead of sewing that week, I spent most of it testing 1st graders with their phonetics and reading. That was crazy. In 12 days, I tested about 250 kids.

I was lucky I could still feed myself after all of that.

 

Anyway, last Sunday, Kim announced the theme "All About That Thread" and my ideas started swirling. I had about 1/2 yard of adorable fabric with spools of thread on it. Knowing I like to make purposeful things, I looked around my sewing room for what I needed. I found this:

 

 

Is this what I want for my precious spools? Nope. So I decided I needed a decent fabric basket to hold these little friends

 together in one tidy place.

 

I found a tutorial on a blog, but changed it to fit my needs. Having some groundwork to go on always helps me. I have no fear absorbing some information and then taking off in another direction.

 

I cut my adorable spool fabric, some other "sewing machine" fabric to use as a lining and batting in the sizes I needed.

 

 

I quilted the lining fabric and batting together in simple diagonal lines.

Nothing too fancy.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures in between!

I guess I got excited.

 

 

What I ended up with is a nice little boat-shaped basket to

hold about half my thread.

 

 

I like that the sides are flexible enough that I can still move the spools around to find the right color I'm looking for.

 

 

As soon as I get another hour or so, I need to make a "twin" basket for the other half of my spools. They feel like orphans right now.

 

Beginning Sunday, Feb. 7. around noon,

head over to Persimon Dreams

 and vote for your favorites!

Voting lasts for a week.

 

 

PURPOSE: My One Word for 2016

 

I've chosen One Word for several years now.

 

My past words were:

• Believe
• Create
• Organize
• Change

I've enjoyed and have benefitted from having one word to focus my thoughts and actions on for a full year. This year my chosen word is PURPOSE. I want to give purpose to every day, to every action, to every item I own and to the way I spend my free time.

 

So, I started looking around my sewing room to find "stuff" I could use to make my One Word into a small wall-hanging. I found my over-flowing stash of selvages. I've saved them all, knowing someday they'd have a purpose.

 

 

Heck, I even saved the clear container the selvages are stored in from being buried in the landfill!

I found it in the housekeeper's trash while in Breckenridge last year. It's an ice bucket for chilling wine and has a tiny chip in it. I looked at that baby and said,

"That has a purpose!" It sure did.

 

So, I started sewing selvages together. Enough of them to stitch my One Word to. That meant I'd need about 25".

 

 

Yes, even my One Word is made out of selvages! I twisted and turned and folded each long strip to form a letter, pinning as I went. I do wish I had picked a different color for the "O". That light green just doesn't show up well. With a blanket stitch, I sewed each letter down.

 

 

Next, I chose a few extra long selvages to add a border to the top and bottom.

 

 

 

I had this funky glittery fabric to use as a backing. It was one of those purchases from the clearance row, but have never used. Probably never will either. Ick.

It works for this project though.

Notice I made those nifty corner pockets on the back

for the dowel?

Then came the almighty binding. I even had a package of bright yellow pre-made binding in my stash that needed a purpose, so that was put to use.

 

 

Close-up of my corner pocket.

Hand-printed with the date and my initials.

 

 

The finishing touch was to use some of my mom's old, old buttons. I cannot remember a time that this button bin didn't exist. She always kept it in the kitchen, above the fridge.

I should've asked her why she kept it there,

but it's too  late now.

I sewed a variety of buttons to the letters to look like tacks. So even those dinosaur-age buttons have a purpose now. Mom would be happy!

 

 

 

All in all, I'm very happy with my little project and my

 One Word for 2016.

Now that I'm done, I suppose I should tackle a few closets. And a garage. Maybe under the bed. A couple dozen junk drawers. Heck, even my email inbox needs cleaning out.

 

 

What is your One Word for 2016?

 

Dressing for Twins

No, not me! Heavens no! The earth would crack open and swallow me whole if that were true!

 

My sweet friend, Meegan, found out several months ago that she would be a grandmother to twins due in April. Knowing her daughter-in-law had already miscarried since her last child, they kept the news quiet til the pregnancy had progressed further.

 

They had such fun with a Gender Reveal Party with family and close friends. 2 boxes were opened containing colored balloons that would represent the gender(s). One box was filled with pink balloons, the other blue!  Big sister, Ella, is quite excited to share her home and love with 2 siblings. Being almost 3, I'm not sure she is fully aware of what lies ahead! Is anyone ever prepared enough for twins???

 

 

 

Anyway, my friend Meegan wanted a special outfit for little Ella for the upcoming baby shower. Ella's mom is a nurse, so Meegan thought it would be cute to put Ella in scrubs and I could embroider a design on the top. I helped her find a darling pair of brand-new scrubs on eBay for $10 (with free shipping, no less).

 

 

 In the meantime, I did some online shopping for an embroidery/applique design fitting for a Big Sister of Twins. I found several and Meegan chose one. I helped her choose the fabrics and thread for the design.

 

 

 

 

In the meantime, Meegan finds out that little Ella will only wear skirts or dresses! Living in Minnesota, she will approve of wearing leggings beneath her girly wear to keep her legs warm. When the scrubs were delivered, I told Meegan that I could easily make a skirt out of the pants. She'd never heard of such a thing! My mind started thinking and I came up with a few variations. This is what I came up with:

 

 

 I just cut pants a bit above the crotch line and use the leg fabric to make ruffles! I think the hot pink ric-rac gave it the finishing touch and helped to coordinate with the colors of the  top.

 

The finished outfit!

 

 

My Project for Challenge 1 Project Quilting

Today, I finished my project for Persimon Dreams' Season 7 of Project Quilting.

Just in the lick of time, too, cuz it's due by 11:00 am CDT on Sunday, Jan. 10th!

 

 

 

I don't know where I've been for the other 6 seasons, but I'm sure glad I ran across Kim Lapacek's blog post to read about this project in time! She posts the new challenge inspiration on Sunday at noon, along with the requirements.

 

Silly me, I read the post wrong, but my final project still fills the bill!

I thought she wrote that the project had to include ALL THREE requirements of:

1. include patchwork
2. include applique
3. have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine

After going back to check them again midweek, the post says the project must include AT LEAST ONE of the above. Duh. I'm an over-achiever.

 

This week's inspiration was CONFETTI. So, I pulled out my bright fabrics (a Moda jelly roll) and a black solid remnant and went to it. I needed a new hot pad for the kitchen, so I kept that in mind. I just started sewing colored squares to black squares, cutting them up into smaller strips, sewing them together to get a pleasing look, then added my letters at the bottom. I used a collage of the colored fabrics sewn together to cut out the letters. I added InsulBrite as the middle layer, then used some binding to finish the edges.

 

 

We all like to eat around here, so I wanted to emphasize that word on the hotpad.. It really is a celebration when I cook. I've always joked that I'm going to make a flower planter out of the oven when I retire. Take off the door, add greenery, you get the picture.

 

 

 

On the back, I added a colorful band to slip my hand into when lifting those hot dishes out of the oven. This little baby can also be used on the table/island to set hot dishes onto. Its measurements are 9" x 10.5"...a good size for a larger pan or dish.

 

 

 

It was a fun project and I hope to continue with the rest of the challenges. There are awesome prizes for winners! Check it out! 

One Last Breath of Christmas

 

 

 

It's New Year's Day and while the aroma of Christmas is still in the air, I want to share my latest project. I finished this just 2 days before the Big Day. Whew!

I won a few pieces of a Quilty Box on a blog and the Drunkard's Path template was one of the items. Sewing curves scared me. Even the bejeebees were hiding in the back of the closet, not wanting to get involved. I was in the mood for a challenge, so I found a project with a great tutorial online.

 

I cut out my pieces according to the directions. I sewed those pieces together following the excellent instructions, each curved piece getting better and better. (I was getting a thumbs up from the bejeebees.) As I started putting the blocks together, they didn't look like the block designs on the tutorial.

 

 

That's when I realized that Drunkard's Path templates must come in different sizes and shapes! What a duh moment. But I  had all of these pieces cut and many of them were sewn together, so I was left to my own devices to create a new design pattern.

 

I took about 9 pictures with the blocks arranged in various ways. I studied them for a few days and decided on one that I liked the best.

 

I made enough for 3 large blocks and sewed them together. My bejeebees giggled with pleasure! I decided that the center of each of the 3 blocks needed a little somethin-somethin....but what? I went through by Christmas fabric stash and found a piece that had large poinsettias sprawled across it. I fussy-cut 3 of those flowers and then used my blanket stitch to sew them down.

 

 

 

Free-motion quilting sent my bejeebees back to the closet, so I set about using a straight stitch to "echo" stitch around the poinsettias. Is that a term...echo stitch? Beats me. I know what I'm talking about, so that's what matters, right? :)

 

 

 

Binding was easy. I'm getting better at this, as long as I keep doing it regularly. Finally, I sewed on some red glass beads to the center of each flower.

 

 

I love it!

So do my bejeebees.

 

 

Instant HAPPY Journal

Instant Happy Journal by Karen Salmansohn

I haven't always been a glass-half-full type of person. In fact, I'd say the majority of my 50+ years have been just the opposite. It's only been in the last few years that I've switched on the Happy Meter. I now am always on the search for creating happiness and surrounding myself with positive people in positive situations. It ain't always easy, I tell ya!

So, I found this book....the one pictured above to help me focus my thoughts on what makes me happy, what causes happiness in others, and also rid myself of the nasty negatives that swirl through my brain. Kick them to the curb! There is no room in my head for such things!

As you may know/remember, I spent my teaching years supporting the Language Arts, which included journal writing. I had files and files of journal starters for my students and made them promise each year that they would keep their journals for eternity. I even had them stand on their chairs with their right hands up as they pledged to keep them in a dry, safe place for 100 years. Wouldn't you just love to have your hands on a journal that you wrote when you were 10 years old? Oh, man, I'd do a triple back flip for that...if I had written one. It would make good reading for me as I lay in the hospital bed with my broken bones from that failed back flip.

Anyhoo, I have had some very good journal writing with this book. It's put a lot of thoughts and events into perspective for me. I keep it on my bed stand so I can flip open to a page randomly and write. Sometimes, I skip to another random page...just cuz I can do that and I don't have a teacher hovering over me.

Some of my favorite entries:

• You can't control how some people will treat you or what they'll say. But you can control how you respond.
• Surround yourself with people who clearly love your light and want to add to it.
• Turn your TO DO list into a WHAT MATTERS MOST list. What's on it?
• Take a few minutes to breathe. Then listen. What do you need to pay more attention to in your life right now?
• You should eat like you love yourself. Have you been eating self-loving foods?
• Write a letter to a specific painful failure, thanking it, then sending the pain away.

Each page has a line to fill in the date, has at least 10 lines to write on and is so colorful and happy! The author, Karen Salmansohn, wrote a 5 star book, in my opinion. The pages have different borders and graphics and is just a great book. Plus, it's small enough to stick in your purse or tote when on the go, so you can write when the feeling presents itself. If you're looking for someone who would like this as a gift (or for yourself!), I found it on Amazon for $10.89. Here's the Amazon link: Instant Happy Journal  *Not an affiliate link and no one is paying me to send you there! I just like good deals.


"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

100 Quilt Blocks DONE!

Yeah! A few weeks ago, I finally finished all 100 blocks from Tula Pink's City Sampler 100 Modern Quilt Blocks book. I started this in mid August and kept plugging along making 3 or 4 blocks at a time.

 

I really, really enjoyed sewing these blocks (except for Block #90).

Choosing the fabrics for each block and following Tula's photo instructions was so easy (except for  Block #90). Each block is unique and will look great made into quilts (even Block #90).

 

I kept them lined up on my sewing room floor in groups of 30 so I could keep an eye on color combinations. When I was finished, I thought I'd sort them into "girly" piles and "boy" piles and I'll stick with that plan when putting them together. I can probably get 4 baby quilts or play pads from these 100 blocks.

I'm thinking of adding a white sashing between each block.

 

So here's the photos in groups of 15. My husband asked why 15? Well, it makes for easier photos, Silly! No other reason to my madness. No one can reason with my madness. It is an entity all its own.

Blocks 16-30

 

 

Blocks 31-45

 

Blocks 46-60

 

Blocks 61-75

 

Blocks 76-90

 

Blocks 91-97

 

Yes, I realize that 3 blocks are hiding somewhere. Duh!

Those stinkers are probably hiding out somewhere in my immaculately organized sewing room. I will find them soon. (Eyes rolling here.)

 

Are you curious about that Block #90?

 

This one?

It was a monster to piece! There are 6 pieces and it just didn't line up well.

 Not near as slick as the other 99 blocks.

 

 

What am I reading right now?

 

I got this book out of my neighbor's Free Little Library.

I'm not usually a fan of mysteries, but this one is pretty good! I read it during my prep periods while subbing. When I'm home, I'd rather spend my free time sewing, so this book may take me a while to get through.

 

Does your area have a Free Little Library? We have several in our city.

 

This is in our neighbor's yard...so convenient!