Polka Dot Pouch with Little Tree

Still sewing for Christmas.  All was going well until I had a pot holder fiasco.  It started with not being able to get the batting I wanted.  Then there were too many shifty layers. Then the fabric I chose was too stretchy.  It went from bad to worse.

We shall not speak of it.

So I decided to return to the little zip pouches.With this happy little bag I elected to add some applique. I love raw edge applique with sketchy black stitches, so thought I'd give it a try on the dot fabric.  It turned out OK and I think I might like to try more of this.

The color is a bit off in this second pic.  The zipper is NOT that pink.  But you can see the lining. It blends more with the green on the outside than you can tell here.

I have fabrics selected for seven more zippered pouches. They are all stacked up on the ironing board in my sewing room just waiting to be stitched.

 Hopefully there will be no more unspeakable mishaps!


I'm linking up with Sew Darn Crafty and Fabric Tuesday


Happy Stitching!

Laney

Round Robin Quilt

I participated in the first round of "Around the Bend and Across  the Pond" on Flickr.  This group did round robins in several different styles.  One was a medallion, one was rows and the one I joined was free form.  Free form meant that each person was free to add whatever they wanted to - any style, any shape of piece.  Each month we got a new quilt to add to in any way our hearts desired.  And it was lots of fun!  This is my quilt top and my siggy blocks.

The quilt top is lying on our bed on top of a wine colored quilt.  You can see the variety of fabrics and styles in this quilt.

In this photo I laid out the siggy blocks as a row along the top.  I want to add them to the front of the quilt like this,

This shot shows the siggy blocks again.

Will try to get an outside pic soon.  Need to get this one quilted!

Have you ever participated in a round robin?



Linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday.


Happy Stitching!
Laney

New Stitching and New Strips

Two more zip pouches completed in the Christmas sewing plan.  A blue Amy Butler and a colorful pink and green one.  These are great to make a quick gift.  I am liking the straight line quilting these days.

Made a trip to the store today for more batting and of course I could not resist some fabric.  I am beginning to have ideas for a quilt circulating in my mind but I am not yet ready to purchase the fabric - still have to decide exactly what I want to do - so I settled on this little roll of Riley Blake strips. These strips may find their way into the Christmas sewing or into a quilt.

I am not a big buyer of precuts - except fat quarters - I LOVE fat quarters!  But I don't buy charms or strips very often.  Guess I just like having more options with my fabric.  But I thought these strips might be a fun change.  Oh and I'm a sucker for dots.  And this little roll is so cute! :)

How about you? Do you like pre-cuts?

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday and Sew Cute Tuesday.

More Patchwork Potholders

So my plan is to sew things between now and Christmas  that can be given as gifts. I may or may not have anyone in particular in  mind when I am sewing these things - just making multiples of things I love to make.

So tonight I finished up a set of potholders. After making the Christmas themed ones, I felt motivated to design some more! Most of these fabrics are from Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut  line - the green is something else.  It's Moda - but I can't remember the line.  Does anyone know?

I made  a quilt from these fabrics several years ago and still have yardage in my stash.  My favorite is the blue floral.  Really love that one!

Overall, I am pleased with how these turned out! And that keeps me motivated to create some more.

I know I can't be the only one getting going on gift sewing. How is yours progressing?

Linking up with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict., and Needle and Thread Thursdays at My Quilt Infatuation and Show Off Saturday at Sew Can She.

Tiny Four Patch Blocks

I have been making these tiny four-patch blocks. The finished size is about 2 inches square.  I didn't have anything in mind when I started them a good while back.  I just think it's fun to sew patchwork.  It's like a little bit of Christmas each time I turn one over after pressing! :)
 

I am looking at these now and trying to decide what to do with them.

A doll quilt?
Sew them together and use them in a row quilt?
Make a little bag or zippered pouch with them?
Sprinkle them around the border in a new quilt?

 

Still trying to decide.  What do you think?


Linking up with WIP Wednesday.


Happy stitching!

Quick Christmas Potholder Tutorial

It's getting to be that time of year again - if I'm going to sew anything for Christmas decorations or holiday gifting  - better get started!

So I whipped up a few potholders in a Christmas theme.  These make great gifts by themselves or bundled with some baked goods and you can make them to fit any theme, of course, maybe Thanksgiving is more on your mind!  Or you can make them to coordinate with the kitchen, etc.

This is a quick machine-sewn method.  You can also bind the edges just like a quilt, but this makes it faster and I like this way of finishing them,

You will need:
a front fabric
a back fabric
2 layers of batting (I used one layer of Insulbright and one layer of cotton batting.)

I made mine patchwork - both front and back.  I used a jellyroll in Christmas prints (Robert Kaufman, maybe? I'm not sure. I bought it last year. If anyone knows please let me know!)  But you could make a patchwork front and use a plain back, or just use any fabric you love!

Cut your fabric and batting to the same size - I made mine about eight inches square.   Remember that the finished size will be smaller because of the seams.  I sewed with an 1/2 inch seam, so my finished size is 7 inches square.  Make them any size you like.

Once you have cut everything it's time to layer it all up and sew.  We are using a turned finish, so lay your front fabric face up, your back fabric face down, then the two layers of batting on top. Pin in a few places to keep everything together.  Leave an opening along one side about an inch or two in from each edge for turning.  I use a walking foot.  This is lots of layers to keep a handle on and the walking foot really helps!  If a walking foot did not come with your machine, I recommend purchasing one.  It is a super help with quilting!

IMPORTANT!  Before you turn it right side out, clip all the corners on a diagonal to take some of the bulk out of the corners. Be careful not to cut into the stitching! I also like to trim the batting down to about 1/4 of an inch. But NOT the fabric.

Reach in between the two fabric pieces and turn it right side out.  Use something to help push out the corners.  I use my fingers or the eraser end of a pencil. The eraser sort of grabs the fabric and helps push it out.  Next, press it nice and neat.  Turn under the edges of the opening so the raw edges are on the inside and press well.

Top stitch close to the edge.  Sew all the way around closing the opening and flattening the edges.  Then add more stitching for quilting - I don't do much - just enough to keep it all together. That's just my taste - add whatever you like.

And you're done!  Whoo hoo! Enjoy or give to a friend to spread a little Christmas cheer!

Any questions? I'd love to help, so ask away! :)
If you make one (or a bunch) leave a link so we can see.

11-29-2016 EDITED to add: I have had a question about how to make the patchwork square for the top of the potholder. So here is a link to a tutorial for a log cabin block. There are others, but this one has a nice diagram of the block at the bottom of the post.  You start with a center square and then add a piece to one side. Then add a strip to the next side of the square + the piece you just added, then add to the next side and so on. You keep going around for as many rounds as you want to get the size block you desire. Using strips of fabric (called jelly rolls) make this quick and easy. That's what I did for these potholders. Here is a tutorial with step by step photos. I hope this helps!  :)   -Laney

Happy stitching!

I'm linking up with Sew Darn Crafty and Anything Goes and Fabric Tuesday and Sew Cute Tuesday!

BOOKS!

Some of the sewing and quilting books in my collection

So since September I've been taking a break from sewing or any creating, really.  I have been on a reading jag!  Like many of you, I'm sure, there is limited free time in the day.  I find that my leisure activities go in spurts.  I sew for awhile, then draw for awhile, then read for awhile.  If I'm reading, then my free time is used for that rather than sewing.  But I do find that the reading I am doing inspires my creative endeavors, and refreshes me, so that when I come back to creating again I am excited to get going.

The last book I read was Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior.  This was a lovely book to read and I learned a lot about the Monarch butterflies while following the story of Dellarobia.  If you also like to read I recommend this book.  The writing is well done and the author has a degree in biology which infuses her work with wonderful biological information.

Now I feel the desire to sew percolating again, and I have a few sewing books to share with you.  I have been looking at these books on Amazon and considering ordering.  They are inspiring me to head into the sewing room.

The first is Modern Holiday by Amanda Murphy. I love the quilt and those trees on the cover. I am partial to Christmas things in non-trad colors, so that is part of the appeal for me.

Next up is Amy Butler's Style Stitches. I am an unabashed Amy Butler fan and loved her earlier book Stitches.  The first quilt I ever made was from a pattern in that book. I love the bags in this one.

Quilt A New Christmas by Piece O Cake Designs also grabs me.  I MUST have color - bright color - and I also love lots of pattern so things by this design duo are right up my alley.  I have never made one of their designs - I am one who always does my own thing and flies by the seat of my pants, but I LOVE their work for inspiration!

And last but not least we have Scandinavian Stitches by Kajka Wikman. I could drool over this cover for hours!  The color! The whimsy! The folk art feel! Really inspires me to get sewing.

Do you find inspiration in books and reading?  What refreshes you when you need a break from creating?