Finally done - my sisters birthday quilt

All in all I did this quilt pretty quick...at first. I started Ellen's quilt about a month before her birthday and had the top done on time. I wrapped the quilt top and gave it to her at her birthday party with the promise that I would add the batting, back and binding.

When I got home from my trip to Oklahoma City for my sister's birthday I did add the border. I even got the batting and back sandwiched and pinned for quilting. I decided I would do diagnol lines for this quilt since it was simple 10" blocks in VERY bright batik fabrics. Problem - my first two lines were horrible. Seam ripping time.

What am I going to do??? I can't seem to sew straight lines. I read and researched how to combat this issue. Masking tape and a ruler. I sat down with a ruler, stretched the quilt out and grabbed the masking tape. I made diagnol lines starting at one corner and ending at the other. Time to try quilting again. With masking tape lines to guide me and the quilt rolled up I went for it.

Woo hoo, it worked.

Ellen's birthday is in early August. Now we are middle of August 2011 - quilting has begun. I got derailed with machine problems and then busy with holidays and crazy work schedule.

September 2012. Sister's quilt still sitting in project box. Niece's baby quilt started and finished, nephew's Halloween quilt started and soon to be finished. Time to commit to finishing "The 2 birthdays quilt".

It is done. Yes, done and has been shipped 15 months after it was started. Only 14 months late. Ugh. Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Another UFO marked off the books - whew!

Christmas Tree Cross Stitch Ornaments

I needed a quick ornament for the leaders in my department. Normally I would have just given them the stockings that I made for the rest of the team but I gave those to them last year. So to find something unique, easy and cross-stitch/quilty so I can use up my Christmas fabrics.

I saw this great image on http://www.betterbudgeting.com/christmasornaments08/countrycrossstitch.htm  I had seen many other Christmas tree pillow ornaments but liked this tree best. The poster, Lisa Speed of GA, gives a basic tutorial so I sketched my own tree, added my own buttons and used 4 - 4" squares of Christmas fabric for the backing. Turned out pretty cute, and it will do the trick.

I will post a "play by play" when I do the next ornament so you can see how I did it.

Mini Christmas Stockings Tutorial - pattern and instructions

Supplies
14 count aida fabric for cross-stitching
Patterns for small holiday cross-stitch pieces
Floss
Christmas fabric
Muslin - white
Pins
Sewing machine
Thread
Scissors

Instructions

Cut a 6.5'" x 7.5" piece of aida fabric for cross-stitching, draw stocking pattern in desired size on back of aida fabric. Note: the drawing will not be the actual size of the cut stocking. This is only to give you an idea of where to stitch.

Stitch pattern onto the aida fabric, centering the stitching to be in the middle of the stocking pattern.

Use paper or muslin stocking pattern to cut Christmas fabric for back, top, toe and muslin lining (2 pieces). Cut out cross-stitched stocking from aida fabric.

Pin muslin lining to Christmas backing fabric and cross-stitched stocking. Place/pin toe fabric on the toe of aida fabric, fold the top under to create a finished seam.

Using sewing maching, top stitch along top edge of toe fabric. This will also sew the lining fabric to the cross-stitched stocking top. Same thing for top fabric - place/pin top fabric at top of cross-stitched stocking.

Fold bottom under to create a finished seam, top stitch along bottom of top fabric. Fold the top to the underside of the cross-stiched stocking, again top stitch the fabric.

Fold top of the backing fabric over and sew another top stitch to attach the back lining with the backing fabric.

Pin hanging loop by folding each side then folding again so you have finished sides - is similar to double folded binding. Sew straight stitch from top to bottom of hanging loop.

Now pin right sides of fabric and cross-stitched stocking together, adding the hanging loop (from pattern sheet). Sew 1/4" around the edge of stocking, leaving the top open. Trim toe and heel as needed.

Flip stocking. Enjoy your mini cross-stitched stocking. Add a candy cane, lip balm, small lotion, other candies, gift card. Great for teacher gifts, co-worker gifts, or as a gift tag/decoration.

20 Cheap, easy Halloween costume ideas

I want to dress up for Halloween, however I don't want to buy the sleezy costumes I see at the store. Most of them are not work appropriate and who said that Halloween was all about sex? I remember the days when costumes were supposed to be scary or funny. Well rather than buying a pre-made costume you can buy items to reuse like a sweat suit or you can recycle by shopping at a thrift store. I have even found inexpensive prom dresses at places like Ross, TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat and Marshalls.
 
I searched the web and saw so many ideas, here are a few of my favorites:

• Ghost – regular or Charlie Brown style: white sheet, black fabric, fabric glue
• 80’s Rocker – color hair spray, mini skirt, leggings, tshirt, big belt and braclets, converse shoes, keds or hiking boots.
• 80's Rocker for a boy –old jeans with holes, tshirt, spike hair or long wig, bandana around legs and sunglasses. Drumsticks or toy guitar
• Baby – pajamas, blanket, pacifier, teddy bear
• Princess – old prom dress, tiara, makeup
• Bride – old wedding dress, bouquet from silk flowers
• Groucho Marx – old mens suit and tie, along with an old hat. With black eyeliner, pencil in a thick, black mustache and heavy eyebrows. A cigar and wire rimmed glasses will complete the look.
• Scarecrow -  get a flannel shirt and jeans.  Doesn't matter if they fit or not. After you put them on, stuff extra clothes in them and make it look like it's stuffed with straw by placing a few pieces hanging out of your clothes
• Mummy - white sweat suit and then tear a white sheet into strips and wrap it around legs, arms, body using fabric glue or pins
• Cat - jogging suit in desired color, buy ears and tail or make using felt and a headband
• Bunny - white jogginb suit, buy ears and tail or make ears with felt and headband and use a styrafoam ball covered in cotton balls for tail
• Bunch of grapes - purple tights, purple leotard, small purple balloons, green felt to make leaves
• Fairy - wings, light colored dress
• Candy Cane - white suit and red duct tape, white Ked like shoes add a Santa hat
• Charlie Brown - yellow shirt, black duct tape, brown pants, Snoopy doll
• Crayon - sweat suit that matches the color of crayon you want to be. Using black construction paper write the word CRAYON sideways down the front of the sweat suit. Make  a matching pointed hat out of construction paper
• Dalmation puppy - White outfit (such as a sweatsuit), black felt, scrap fabric, paper, or craft foam
• Frog - green suit, felt, scrap fabric, paper, or crafts foam, headband, large wiggle eyes
• Lady bug - red shirt, black pants, black felt, headband, chenille stems, black pom poms
• Pumpkin - oversize orange sweatshirt, stuff with crumpled newspaper and green pants or tights, use green ribbon to tie off bottom of sweatshirt. Make into a jack-o-lantern with black fabric paint
• Self portrait -Carry a large picture frame in front of you, make a paint pallet using contruction paper and carry a paint brush

For the bride and princess you can always change the theme by using different makeup techniques, how about a zombie bride. You can even take a prom dress, long blonde wig and fake blood - instant Carrie.
 
Please comments with your easy, fun costume ideas

Bode's Super Duper Special Halloween Quilt - Pattern

This is a modified pattern from a simple Charm Square Baby Quilt, the one I used to make my niece's, Benlee, quilt.

Pattern for a twin size quilt 64"x82"
Beginners quilt or Easy quilt

Supplies
1/2 yard each of 8 Halloween print fabrics (blocks)
2 yards tangerine solid (or complementary fabric for sashing)
3/4 yard orange and black dot (binding)
4 yards purple (backing)
Twin size batting (I used Warm & Natural for the nice drape it gives kid quilts)

Cutting
10    6"x6" of each of the 8 Halloween fabrics = 80 total 6" squares
10    3"x6" of each of the 8 Halloween fabrics = 80 total half squares
15    2.5" x wof to make 9 sashing strips = 9  2.5"x 66" strips
3      5" x wof to make one top border and one bottom border = 2  5"x66" borders
7      2.5" x wof to make binding strip
2      72" x wof for backing piece (will sew long sides together to make back)

Project Instructions
Sew 6" squares and half squares into 10 rows, pressing seams open. Each row will include 8 squares and 8 half squares, alternating between them. Start 5 of your rows with a square and the other 5 with a half square.

Once all rows are sewn, time to sew the solid sashings strips and the pieced rows together. Placing the 5" borders at the top and bottom of the quilt top and the 2.5" sashings between the pieced rows. Press seams open.

The sashing and borders might be slightly longer than the pieced rows. After sewing the sashings to the rows trim the excess fabric to match the pieced rows.

Now the quilt top is finished. Take the quilt top, batting and pieced quilt back to sandwich the quilt together. Quilt top face up, batting in middle and backing wrong side to batting.

Time to quilt as desired, I used a free hand motion quilting. But diagonal lines look nice too.

Piece, sew and iron binding strip using a double fold binding. Bind quilt.


Machine wash quilt on gentle cycle in cold water and tumble try low. Iron if desired.

Enjoy for yourself or makes a nice gift!

Hi my name is Steph and I am a fabricaholic

Too true, I am addicted to fabric. I just cannot help it. If I walk into Jo-Ann Fabrics, Hancock Fabrics or Hobby Lobby I automatically walk to the quilting fabric. It is rare that I can walk into one of those stores without buying some fabric. I tell myself, "ohhh but I am building my stash. All of it will get used in some project."

 

I currently have TONS of Christmas fabric. Yes I did need differnt patterns for my mini Christmas stockings, but once that project is done for this holiday season I will still have lots of seasonal fabric. Guess that means someone is getting a holiday quilt next Christmas :-)

Last summer I picked up some quilt kits - can't wait to try those. Again, adding to my fabric stash.

 

I have another adiction that is just as bad....quilt patterns. I need an intervention.

`

Caught without a pink ribbon

October is Breast Cancer Month and tomorrow we are wearing pink at work. I have to go visit a client so I won't be able to wear pink and jeans so the next best thing is to wear a pink ribbon. Only problem I don't have any pink ribbon at home. But I do have scrap pink fabric. Okay well then I will make a ribbon from fabric.

 

I took a piece of pink fabric more than 9" long, trimmed to 2 1/2" x 9".

 

 

 

Then take strip and do a double fold and press with iron.

Once fabric strip is folded so raw edges are folded into a thin strip.

 

Take one end and pull over the other end to make a ribbon.

 

Trim ends to a point - use a pin to fasten to clothing.

  

 

The pink ribbon is ready to wear and it will be different from everyone else's.



 



It's a White Elephant Christmas - idea time!!!

I truly need some good ideas for this year's office White Elephant Holiday party. Last year I gave one of those Redi Set Go Cookers. http://www.redisetgo.com/mkwid=sY2327nSc&pcrid=5713442906&gclid=CInGwKSy8LICFUqoPAodDSUAWQ We saw it on tv and had to have it, thought it would be great for quick easy breakfasts. Well when you ordered you got the special buy 1 get 1...LOL. What do you do with an extra cooker, especially since you really never needed one let alone two? You give it away at a White Elephant Exchange. I bought a couple of mixes to go with it and wrapped it real pretty! Amazingly people fought over it. Made me laugh silly. I made space in my garage and someone got a new cooker/grill.

While surfing the web I have found some good ideas for a White Elephant work party. The rules: item may be a new or gently used item, but the current value has to be at least $10.

Here are some of the ideas I have seen:

• $10 worth of Dollar Tree toys wrapped in a sand bucket
• A beautiful box of chocolates. When you open the box you find 3-4 partially eaten chocolates and a picture of the gift giver eating one
• An UGLY cookie jar bought at a thrift store or re-gifted from your Aunt Marge
• Bottles of unopened wine
• Markers and coloring book
• Lottery tickets unused
• Framed photo of self or famous person
• Talking toliet paper spindle
• The wide mouth toilet mug

Here are some things I found that might just make it as my gift this year:

• Jelly Belly Cocktail Classics 5-Flavor Gift Box (found on Amazon)
• Insant Excuse Ball (Amazon)
• Two peas in a pod salt and pepper shaker (Amazon)
• Adorable pup animated stocking (Avon)
• Peppermint Spatula (Avon)
• Dazzling shoe ring holder (Avon or Claire's Boutique)
• As seen on tv under bed shoe holder (Target)
• Mini Batman bat signal (thinkgeek.com)
• Periodic Table Refrigerator Magnets (thinkgeek.com)
• Magical Unicorn Necklace  (thinkgeek.com)

Or I just might go to Kohl's and grab something off their Impulse stackouts of gifts. They always go half off around Christmas. And they are always items that no one really wants, needs or will use.



Please leave comments on some suggestions or past experiences. Would love to hear them.

Mini Christmas Stockings, the Three Year Project

I love Christmas, maybe it is because of the song blurb "happiest time of the year". So it is not a big stretch to believe that Christmas stockings are my favorite craft EVER. A few years ago I got ambitious and thought I would make cross-stitch mini stockings for each of my co-workers. When I say ambitious I mean it - there were 60 co-workers...LOL!

I was dedicated. All the supplies were bought, patterns picked out and all of the stitching got completed. Next step was to get fabric for the back, tops and toe. Got that done, now how to assemble? At that time I did not own a sewing machine. For my birthday which was a month away Pam bought me a new sewing machine -a Brother LS590. That year the stockings did not get finished, mostly because I started the project in October. Although the stitiching was completed by Halloween that only left 6 weeks to cut and sew 60 stockings. About 10 got done, those were given to my closest friends/colleagues. The next year I finished 12 more - those went to my mangers, boss and friends. Last year I finished enough to give to my new departments supervisors, manager and director. During those couple years I did more stitching which leaves over 40 cross-stitched pieces, this year I decided this is it - stockings are all stitched, time to get them sewn up and give to my new co-workers.

Got an early start this year, right now 20 stockings are sewn and ready to go. 10 more have been cut and next step is to sew them up. That only leaves 10 more to cut and sew. Woo hooo this project (UFO) will be finally finished after three years.

The stockings were the biggest UFO (UnFinished Object). Now to tackle some of the others - my sister's 2011 birthday quilt. The saga continues :-)

Will post instructions and tutorial for the mini Christmas stockings on a later post.

My first blog ever!

Welcome to my new blog - this will be about some of my favorite things: my mini doxie, kayaking, my travels and my quilting/crafting.

I hope you enjoy my posts and if you have suggestions on content just let me know.

I will start with some of my current projects - my niece's quilt, nephew's Halloween quilt and my absolute favorite craft in the whole wide world - CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS!!!!

I will post the patterns and step by step instructions for Benlee's Baby Girl Quilt and Bode's Super Happy Halloween Quilt.