Valentine's Day done simply

 Some "holidays" seem to creep up on me ~ like the highly over commercialized Valentine's Day.  I admit it is a nice "excuse" to perhaps get out of the house, not make food and to get dressed up for your love and then say how much you love them.  If you need an excuse.... or prompting...or just plain want to do it.  It is always nice to express our feelings for any reason, whether it be Feb. 14th or January 20th or July 7th.   Me ~  I made some "Mug Rugs" and will be posting them on here when I get a moment.

 My girls made me Valentines and they were sweet.  My hubby called and that was sweet.  My folks gave me chocolate and that was sweet.

 We went into town for a Home Learners Valentine's Day party and that was sweet.

This picture was NOT sideways before... hummm... just in case you can't read it .... it says I am awesome because I had 3 girls.  Yup, I am loved.

Be loved as well my friends, because I love you!

The next generation of sewers

First time for little Miss Ruth using my sewing machine... she is remarkably even!

She is making a night cap for her AG doll.  This is turning it right side out.

 Some finished products... I did one, she did one. This is going to be a popular thing around here until all the dolls have night caps as well as the little girls.  Just need to find my other pattern.

Do you want to make a night cap for your American Girl (or other) doll?  Just trace a large dinner plate for your pattern!  Works good!

A rescued jumper

I seem to remember getting this from the local Share Shed, but we scrounge around and pick up things so many places, I don't really know where this came from.

I put this on and wanted to be in a black and white movie.  I wanted to wear a hat and gloves and long jacket.  It was fun.  It needs some repairing on the seams and the hem line.  Since I wore it once, I will now invest some energy into repairing it as I loved the simple cut and also how warm it was in the winter weather.

So, here it is ~ complete with all the silly photos my hubby was taking and making me "dip your shoulder" and "point your toe"... blah blah blah and HA HA HA

Button back

"I'm DONE!"

A very talented Sis in law

Yes, I have a very talented sis in law ~ I knew this when I met her when she was 15.  She was creative and talented even then!  She played the violin wonderfully and I got the pleasure of listening to her and her siblings often.



Now she has grown up a little and has 2 adorable daughters of her own to treat to her creativity.

This gal has a knack for making something wonderful and cute out of NOTHING.  I don't know how she does it, but it inspires me to try different things.  Experiment.  I think she gets some of this talent from her parents, but they are not MY parents, but I get to learn from them.

I hope this link works. Some of her little creations are coming up for sale ~ lucky you!
She uses a lot of T shirt material, so it is super soft, cuddly and easy to care for.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Angie-and-the-new-life/314519615227144


Try looking for her HERE as well.  I hope these work out and you can find her Facebook Page ~ I shared it on mine as well.  You can look there.

Intimidation

What are you intimidated by?

I have been nervous to sew a tote bag.  Yes, a simple tote bag.  Why?  Probably because I am unique.  Ha ha!  Why?  Others do it so much better.  Yes, that is it.  OTHERS!

I was talking with my buddy in Manitoba yesterday and asked her how her sewing projects were getting along.  I got inspired.  While I have been following other sewing/quilting type blogs, I have been building confidence.

Out came a pattern ~ fabric ~ scissors ~ and a brave heart!

This is what I came out with, and I am proud to say I HAVE SEWN A TOTE BAG!  Yeah for ME!

Can you see how proud I am?  Confidence should be the word I use.

Can be worn around the neck too for hands-free

I did the pocket with an angle.  Trying to be creative.  Hard for me!

The pocket with the heart button and bling.

Being reversible means there's a pocket inside too!

Other view.  The bottom is round,
so I chose to use the opposite colors for effect.
Again, trying to be creative.

Pretty pleased!

 She now wants one in purple "Mom, how easy are they to make?  Would it look nice in purple? "  I think I am getting a hint here ladies!

My first tote bag completed!

This may not seem like anything to some of you, but it is a pretty big thing for me.  My hubby applauded me and I am encouraged.  So often I don't try something because someone else does it better.  Well, note to self:  Who really cares?  Do I enjoy it? YES.  Does it make me happy to try it?  YES.  Does it matter if I am not as awesome?  NO!  I should never compare myself to others, because Jesus doesn't.

Have I said how happy sewing something makes me?  HEE HEE.  I will be posting pictures soon of some aprons I am making.  Again, big thing for me.  Some of my patterns were missing pieces or didn't have instructions, so I am bumbling my way through.

So ~ one little question of you ~ what has been intimidating you?  Maybe it's time to show it who's boss!

My first hand stitched Log Cabin quilt

 When we lived in Manitoba there was a group of ladies that met in a restaurant occasionally to do some quilting.  Sometimes they talked about quilting, sometimes they quilted, sometimes they helped newbies like me figure out what to do!  They were doing a Log Cabin quilt.  I did this quilt for my 2nd born daughter.  She loved purple and helped pick out this material when she was quite young.  In trying to remember when I finished this, it was finished at the time of Grandma T's funeral. 2007?

 It was my first try at hand stitching.  I borrowed a small plastic frame and had it set up in our living room (made a great play fort while I stitched until my fingers were numb, bruised and calloused).  I used the cotton Warm 'n' Natural fill and somehow it was horrid to get the needle through.  Thinking back, it could have been the needles I was using too.  Everything is a lesson learned!

Finished product.  It would be considered a double,
as it just covers a queen bed.

 Here is a link to sewing a log cabin square by strips.  It is super fast and easy once you know what you are doing. Check YouTube for oh so many videos! Video

The squares are fun to make.  Sewn in strips, they are fast to make too!

The borders in purple were added to make it larger and
because she liked purple.

I just sewed the borders on simply and in strips again.  Maybe the next one I'll try mitering the corners so they look more polished.

Guess I did not too badly, though some corners aren't perfectly matched, it has stayed together!

Revisiting some quilts I've made

I have been wondering if I had put some of the blankets I made onto my blog...and I don't see them.  Very weird.  So I am trying to go back in time and post some projects I have done.  You see, I use my blog a bit like a diary and I also look up "things" on it lots.


So, this here little project was inspired and made for my 1st cousin.  Our Oma always made a quilt for the great grandbabies, and that meant my brother's kids and mine own all got one from Oma.  Sadly, Oma went to Heaven before she had the opportunity to stitch together any quilts for the other great grandbabies that were to come.  At Oma's funeral I told the next oldest cousin that I would make her a blanket whenever she had children.  I tried to get old clothes or fabric from Oma for this, but her things had been given away or stored.  So after much thought and procrastination, this little pattern for Squiggly Worms fell into my lap.  My cousin had a boy, this would be good ~ worms!

Mom and I showing it to the neighbor who lent her pattern and frame.

 

Pining the top together.  Suzy Ducks were from my daughter's blanket.

 My cousin is sorta like me ~ she likes to reduce, re use and re cycle.  I didn't have to buy any new material for this quilt at all ~ it is pieces of this 'n' that and the pictures on it remind us of the family gatherings/memories.

Hubby insisted that I put a ruffle on the baby blanket!  It is fun to play with :)

Borrowed a frame from a neighbor, who also lent me the Country Woman
magazine with the pattern in it.

The black music note material came from an old dress and
I was wondering if it had come from my cousin at some point.
They are musical, so I thought it worked either way.

Sewing blocks as strips, then cutting them apart ~ makes
the project go a little faster.

Smiling little worm...Mom did the faces :)

Completed quilt in it's new home

Scottie dog flannel was used for the backing.
Warm'n'Natural Cotton fill for the inside.

 I was sitting here wondering "Did I tie this quilt or hand stitch it?"  I don't see any ties...maybe I did a stitch in the ditch hand stitch.  My how the memory fails at times!

He's adorable isn't he?!

Mei's Memory Quilt ~ Completed!

Well, the long wait is over since this beginning post for Mei's special Memory Quilt.
The rush was on, as she wanted it done for her birthday in September and also wanted me to display it at the local Fall Fair.  They displayed it upside down...but hey, maybe some people were inspired to use their children's old clothes the same way.


  

Mei's favorite square ~ she says it looks like a butterfly.

First time doing Mitered Corners.  Found a tutorial on YouTube.

   

 We used Warm N Natural Cotton fill.  It is in one big sheet and doesn't require so much sewing to hold it together.  Perfect for tying.   It's also a little more God-made and not man-made :)

Flannel backing lying right side down.  Wrong side up.  Getting
cotton fill ready.

 NOTE:  Don't use clear tape to tape your backing to your floor.  I ran out of masking tape and thought it wouldn't be a big deal...I have tried 4 different things to get the goopy sticky mess off my floor ~ YUCK! 

I made the blue flannel backing a little larger (about 3.5 inches) so I could fold
it and use it for the binding as well.  Flannel backing makes it really soft
and cuddly.  Tape this to the floor to make sure it doesn't move around.

Lying the bottom right side down.  Then cotton fill.  Then quilt top.
This is called a "sandwich".

Lots of pins to hold in place.
The cotton fill should be a little wider than the quilt top

It helps on a larger quilt to fold it and unfold as you tie

 We tied the quilt with some yarn and now that I have received my walking foot for my old Singer sewing machine, we'll draw some designs around the purple edging and I'll sew that.  It will help it stay together...so this will have to be continued yet again!

Finishing the tying.

The idea with a quilt like this to use up scraps of their favorite materials, clothing, etc they had as babies.  Due to that, no pieces are really the same and it lets the child use their imagination as to where they like to place the pieces.  Just sew them in blocks that are the same dimensions and go for it!

Nearly finished product...

Showing the flannel backing and quilt top

Happy Child!  Mission accomplished!

My grad dress, clothes from Aunts and Uncles.
Baby clothes, her favorite pants pocket...