And they're off!

The quilting machine that is! I truly honestly forgot how much fun it is to quilt (that is when it's going good) but I also forgot how physical of a process it is. You really do not realize how involved it is or how many muscles you use doing it until you REALLY feel it. Or it could just be that it's reminding me how out of shape I am - nah, that couldn't be it!

I attempted to quilt three projects on Tuesday within a very short window of time. (error #1) And then I still had to do a final press on all of them before each one was loaded onto the machine. (error #2) Also, I changed threads, top and bottom, for each quilt. No two quilts used the same color in them at all, and I forgot how much time that took. (error #3)

But aside from those small things I seem to usually forget about when my Wonder Woman persona comes into play - you know those days when you get up and have a to do list that's a mile long and think you're going to get it all done and then some - HAHAHAHA - I should know better, really. I couldn't finish the biggest project, the quilt, and I had to call it quilts for the day. It was over half done, only had a little bit left to go, but I was done. I was physically exhausted and I had a husband at home wanting some dinner soon, so we left it til tomorrow.

My one job is just down the road so once I got off of work yesterday, no biggie, we went and finished it and I LOVE IT!!! I'm giving this one as a gift, and I really hope she'll like it. This is just a shot of the back that I added this little pieced stripe into with a label already in it (my good thought for that day). I will show you the front soon, it needs to get trimmed, a couple threads need to be buried, and it needs the binding added. Then I can take pictures and send it to the printers - and then you can see the front. I hope you'll like it too! It's a brighter quilt, some of the fabrics used on the front are in the pieced stripe on the back. Be on the lookout for the preview of Candy-Coated Dreams in the near future.

You remember this one I showed you a couple weeks ago? This was the latest version of the Charmed Living Runner, now it's all quilted. I just free handed this puppy (as I do with all of mine that I quilt) I added some loops and the occasional holly leaf every so often. I tried to get a close up of the quilting detail so you could see it, but you'll have to look closely (If you click on the pictures, it should enlarge them). I used a Signature Variegated Thread called Woodlands. It has a little red, tan, and black in it that worked really well with the fabrics I chose. This runner will be for sale at the Wildwood Quilt Guild's Annual Show this November so if you're in the Mentor area, stop in at the Senior Center on the 7th and take a look at all of the wonderful quilts on display. We also have a quilt that will be raffled, other quilted items for sale (like the runner) and about 15 vendors selling all kinds of goodies as well. Stop on out and see us, this quilt could be yours!

Well, now that I have quilted these projects, they are in need of binding that I'm wishing the binding fairy would show up and take care of, but I hear she's off duty this week. Figures. I guess that means I know what I'm tackling today, and tomorrow, and the next day, but I enjoy it so it'll be fine.

As mentioned before, I will be working on releasing the pattern to Candy-Coated Dreams in the near future as well as working an another Moda Bake Shop project. Stay tuned in for that too! Well, this day has to get started at some point and I'm thinking there's no better time than the present. Tata!

Early to Rise

I know it's early, but my schedule had shifted forward about 4 hours when I started a new job back in March and now "sleeping-in" is 6am. How upsetting is that?!

Well, but today I need to get a head start even though it is my day off because I have several things that need to be quilted... a table runner, a wall hanging, a quilt, and if I get done faster than anticipated (don't hold your breath on that one) maybe another quilt will get loaded to the machine. I promise I'll show you what I accomplish today once I have the pictures uploaded.

Oh, and one last thing before I get in gear and get moving... I got an amazing and wonderful package in the mail yesterday. My supplies for the next Moda Bake Shop project have arrived and I will get started on that tonight! Yay! Keep on the lookout for that and if you have yet to see my first recipe on the Moda Bake Shop, you can see it by clicking here.

Off to quilt, but maybe first a stop for coffee with the girls. Lord knows I'm going to need some energy if I'm going to get everything done I'm hoping for today!

Weekend Madness

This weekend if nothing else has been completely exhausting (which is a good thing). It has been great sleeping weather here at night with the occassional thunderstorm and let me tell you, the sleep has been much needed.

Yesterday at the quilt shop we were crazy busy. We are in the middle of a Shop Hop and with a kinda sorta break in the weather, a bunch of you ladies came out to see us which we appreciate greatly. It's been nice to catch up on tales with old friends and make some new friends in the process. We have been able to see some awesome show and tell lately and let me be the first to say "Keep it coming!".

Today we held a party for my Aunt's 60th birthday. The weather held out, many people were able to come, and we had way too much food (as usual). It went very well and I'm glad we made her day as special as it could have been.

Now that all that is done and over with and before I have to be back at work tomorrow, tonite the Hubbin and I are going to crash, watch some TV and relax. Busy weekends are good to keep me out of trouble, but once Monday morning rolls around, I know trouble will have no problem finding me. I'm going to be quilting a few projects this week, I'll keep you updated on how they turn out.

Have a great rest of the weekend and relax, you deserve it! Monday will be here before you know it!

Pillowcases anyone?

I know that many of you are interested in making pillowcases whether for yourselves, family, or to donate to a great cause like ConKerr Cancer. I have learned this incredible way to make a pillowcase with absolutely no raw edges. It really helps for those pillowcases that go through a lot of abuse in their lifetimes. Follow the tutorial below to get started.

You will need for each pillowcase:
3/4 yard for the theme/main print   (1-1/2 yards for pair)
11" by width of fabric for the cuff   (2/3 yard for pair)
2" by width of fabric for the trim (optional)  (4" for pair)

Place Cuff right side UP with raw edges at top and bottom and selvages at sides.

Place Theme Print right side UP lining up raw edges along the top raw edges of the cuff fabric. Align along the left side as well (if the right sides don't align, that's fine for this and the next step, it will be solved later on).

Fold and press Trim in half, wrong sides together, to form a 1" strip by width of fabric.

Align raw edges of Trim along the raw edges of the Theme and Cuff fabrics. Temporarily pin all edges together.

Roll up the Theme print only until it is out of the way of the Cuff fabric.

Pick up the bottom edge of the Cuff and align the raw edges with those of the already pinned edges. Repin the edges together making sure to only grab the edges of the fabrics forming a tube.

Sew along the pinned edge.

Grab the inside fabrics and pull turning the right sides out. (A hemostat helps greatly during this step!)

Press the Cuff flat.

If you need to straighten the sides of the fabrics, square them now.

Fold the pillowcase, wrong sides together, and sew along the raw side edge and bottom with a scant 1/4" seam allowance

It might be helpful before moving on to trim some of the excess fabric from the sewn corners.

Turn the pillowcase inside out and sew with a wider seam encasing any raw edges. I pin the edges after I manipulate the fabric making sure the seam is at the fold.

Turn the pillowcase right side out! If you are making this for personal use, it's ready to use! If you are donating this pillowcase, wash it thoroughly to sanitize and place each pillowcase in a quart size ziplock bag.

This way to make pillowcases ensures that they last a long time, even if they're loved  and used to death. I hope you enjoy this tutorial. It doesn't take long at all to make one of these pillowcases, I believe it took me longer to write this blog about it than to make one. Try it out for yourself!

Pinch me!

If you haven't seen it yet, as of this morning, my Charmed Living Runner pattern was featured on Moda's Bake Shop (modabakeshop.com) and I still cannot believe it's real! I put in a lot of really hard work and took a giant leap of faith and I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself for that.

Well for more show and tell, here is another version of the same runner I made using Deb Strain's Winter Song Charm Pack from last year. This line only had 32 pieces in it, so I only had enough pieces for the center of the runner. I had some additional coordinating fabrics that I used to mimic the "border" effect and I love this one. I have made four of these runners now and each time I make one it's automatically my new favorite.

Here's a picture I took with all four of the runners made and by each other. Each one has been made exactly the same as the others (except the applique and the borders on the Christmas one as explained above), but they all look totally different, even when they are right next to each other. See what I mean about diversity in this pattern?

My flowers are still blooming like crazy, almost all of them have opened up by now. Only a few stragglers in the bunch still exist. I just love being able to go outside and enjoy them whenever I get the chance. I try and make it quick outside in the last couple of days though, the humidity here is astounding. It can definitely knock you off of your feet if you stay out in it too long.

That gives me more time to stay inside and quilt though. So maybe humidity is a blessing in disguise. I have made the Christmas Charmed Living Runner and this Memo Board using a Martinique Charm Pack so far this week. I'm getting ready to finish up some other UFOs now that I have my supplies. I was almost out of thread, it could have been a major catastrophe! I got the pattern for the Memo Board I made off of the Moda Bake Shop as well. Great ideas are plentiful on there for all shapes and sizes of precut fabrics. See my cone of thread, that's all that is left on it after 3000 yards. We've been quilting like crazy here, I needed to get more so I could proceed.

Tonight the hubbin and I are off to dinner with the family, but between now and then maybe I can get some borders added to the flannel version of Skip to My Lou so I will have more show and tell for you shortly. Tata for now, but I will be back shortly with more goodies to show you.

Lazy Day...Kinda

It has been a long, hot and sticky week here with hardly any rain in weeks and the humidity levels and temperatures well above normal. I can assure you, the only time I have to tolerate the heat is when it is this humid. It's a huge detriment to all motivation and ideas of progress. But, it does bring good things too I must admit, like flowers!
A couple days ago I woke up to see this just outside my door

This morning it looked like this

And just a few minutes ago there were all of these beauties decorating my landscape. If you couldn't tell, I just love Stargazer Lilies. This is the first time I have been able to plant them at my home and I'm now thinking of planting more bulbs this fall.

So besides the flowers finally making an appearance, the rest of the week has been slower-ish. Just too hot to do anything but stay inside and keep cool. I worked on another Charmed Living Runner today out of Christmas fabrics. I have the blocks done, once I get the top finished I will post it on here. And once that is done I have a few other projects that need final touches made to them and they will be ready to quilt.

Nothing much else going on here up by the lake, just got caught up on other goodies like paperwork (yay) and relaxing. What have you been up to?

Happy 4th to you!

I hope you all are enjoying the holiday weekend so far, I know I am! I'm planning on sewing some more tonight and spending some time with family and friends this weekend. The thing I am most excited about is that for the first time in I can't tell you how long I actually have 2 days off in a row this weekend! I can't even begin to tell you the last time that happened.

Well, I was looking through some older photos on my computer and I saw these that somehow I neglected to post on here. This is the original Charmed Living Topper made with Bistro from Deb Strain for Moda. This line was to die for and I hear she's working on another similar line that we shall see in the not so distant future. I can't wait. I do believe I need to make others like this for friends and family so they won't steal mine when I'm not looking.

I embroidered coffee related words in the solid border that I printed off of my computer. It really just finishes the look of this topper and I love it! I love to use Pearl Cotton for my embroidery, if you haven't tried it, you have to. It's nice because it's noticeable but you don't have to worry about how many strands of floss to use (it's just one that's a little more than two strands of floss) and you don't have to worry about multiple floss strands twisting and knotting all of the time. I don't know about you, but there has never been a knot that made me happy...

I often look at other designs and wonder if a little extra embellishment will enhance them as well. It just depends on what fabric I'm working with and what I plan on using it for. I hope this inspires you to take chances and make these designs your own.

This is the back of the topper, just another little embellishment with the extra Charm Squares. And a shot of the quilting, it was really fun to do! Have a great weekend! Stay safe, enjoy yourself, and I'll chat with you again soon!