Tuesday, November 30, 2010

christmas is coming in less than 4 weeks!! ack ack!!



hiyall,

It just dawned on me it will be Christmas in less than 4 weeks! ack ack!!!! Where in the hell did the time go? It was just Halloween! As I have written before, I write articles for an online quilting newsletter called NinePatchNews. A group thru Yahoo. I do a series called recycle and re purpose.

I am home tonight cause they are cutting hours at the Q again (sigh). So I have been planning what my xmas gifts will be to some of the family. While surfing the net I came across a few sites that would work for the gifts AND Decembers article!

Since I am poor again this Xmas *snarf* I have to be 'creative' as to what I am giving. Between mug rugs and grocery bags I will be all set for gift giving! Thank goodness for my stash. I am one of those pack rats that will take unwanted material from friends that are ' too busy' to sew anymore or have taken up another hobby.

Enjoy these links, I sent them out via email to my quilting buddies and they loved them!


love this one, got any vintage linens? this would be a great hostess gift!

I love this pattern, quick to make and you can adjust the measurements to make a small sack

http://replayground.blogspot.com/2010/02/shirt-cuff-wallet.html
Take the collar, square it up. add a zipper and you have a long pouch to store knitting or crochet hooks in. perfect for that knitter in your life!

recycle a shoe box (decorate it) to store the kit in. kids will love this!

Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

Thursday, November 25, 2010




hiyall,
have a great holiday! be safe, eat alot and please be kind to others by farting downwind!
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

P.S. I stole this picture from Pat Sloan, aint it a hoot?







Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Resistance Is futile.....

Hiyall,
Its true, Resistance is futile! My birthday was last month and decided to treat myself to
some goodies from Connecting Threads http://www.connectingthreads.com/Quilting.cfm They were having a sale on Charms from their own lines of fabric. Got some cute xmas and repro charms. I ordered just a little bit of yardage too. I have seen 2 colors popping up all over the blogs. Aqua and Gray. Sometimes in the same quilt. Gray is a hot hot hot new neutral. I like it!
When I do baby quilts I don't like using white. The Moms are afraid to use the quilt in fear of stains. Most of my quilts end up on the wall of the Nursery. I'm going to try Gray and see if the Quilts are used for the what they are intended for. Those 2 big spools of thread is from their own line of threads. I really like using that thread. My cheapie little work horse sewing machine loves the thread. Yes there is lint but nearly as bad as some threads. The 5000 yards spools of thread cost $9.99! good deal! I ordered black and natural. I will be set on thread for a LONG time.
All this quilty goodness for about $50 AND free shipping!
These are my rug mug samples. Not finished yet. instead of using binding I am using mocking binding. same effect. I used left over HSTs and strips from a BOM I made. I have a plastic shoe box full of scraps and HST. Im liking these little mug rugs. See my last post for how-to links.
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz
P.S. new redneck quilters joke......If your measuring tape is a long piece of string with knots every inch or so....you might be a redneck quilter.....




Saturday, November 13, 2010

my article for NinePatchNews~a Yahoo group

Recycle and Re purpose

Hiyall!

Its that time of year again! Time to get going on those Christmas gifts! I traditionally get started on my gifts on Thanksgiving weekend but now I get started right after Halloween!

Head to the thrift shops. Dig thru your linen closets, your clothes closets. Get to your local Dollar Tree Store and check out the kitchen section. My local Dollar Store has remodeled and revamped their store and there is now a HUGE selection of inexpensive kitchen towels, potholder and oven mitts. Jump into your scrap pile and start sorting!

One of the hottest crafts to make on the Internet is a Mug Rug. This craft is HUGE! They are bigger than the usual mug coaster. They rectangle rather than square. The general size is 6in by 9 in. Big enough for your mug and a snack! There is a Flickr group loaded with lots of pictures. http://contented.typepad.co.uk/contented/2010/10/mug-rug-tutorial-part-one.htmlThis tutorial will get you started, let your imagination run wild with color schemes and materials. A great giftie would be a new mug with a mug rug rolled up inside with a packet of the receivers favorite tea/cocoa/coffee. This link will give idea with designs and colors. Pleasant Home: Sew Picture Perfect ~ Mug Rugshttp://www.pleasant-home.com/2010/11/sew-picture-perfect-mug-rugs.html

Grab a cup of coffee/tea/soda and a snack and check out these links! Many of these links will show you how to recycle old clothes and linens into usable items good enough to gift! When you check out the websites take close at look at the sidebars for more links to other websites. Warning: These links will take up a huge chunk of computer time! Be sure you have the kids/hubby/pets fed, your in your comfty clothes and that you have alot of alone time. Have fun!

Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz


http://www.sewabration.com/htm/article.thth.html

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/mcshelpsite/sewingstuff/freepatterns.html

http://funwithbarbandmary.blogspot.com/2010/10/witch-crafting.html

http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2010/04/double-apron-day-easy-t-shirt-aprons.html

http://morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2007/02/valentine_tree__1.html

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2009/03/cottage-chic-apron-tutorial.html

http://www.make-it-do.com/sew-it/garden-apron-tutorial/

http://thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com/2010/06/apron-tutorial.html

http://www.craftynest.com/2009/10/tank-top-totes-six-pockets-or-gathered/

http://www.parasolco.com/project-oversized-ruffle-tote/

http://soozs.blogspot.com/2009/10/reversible-beach-bag-tutorial.html

http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/07/17/how-to-make-a-simple-reversible-totebag/

http://thinkliz.com/2009/02/20/diana-hobo-free-pattern/

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2010/08/free-bag-purse-pattern-for-pleats-sake-tote.html

Thursday, November 11, 2010


hiyall,
To all those who have served, to all those who are serving. A heart felt thanks from myself and my family for protecting us and the homeland. Be strong, be safe. We will keep the light glowing in the window until your return. Thank you for all you do!
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

Sunday, November 7, 2010

more baby quilts


hiyall,
quick post today. went to the LQS where I teach and picked up some fabric for a shop sample. I was so please with the results of the baby quilt I made (see last post) that I decided this would be a great class to teach. Marybeth (the owner) is very flexible and lets me get creative with her materials . She has a bunch of the pamper pooch charms that weren't selling and I thought I could help that along.
I picked up a charm pack and some yardage and will be assembling soon. Haven't decided if I'm gonna do mock binding on this one yet. Some quilters do not like mock binding, I disagree. This type of binding is great for quick quilts. It still has the look of REAL binding and just as functional.
Baby Emma's momma received the quilt I made and is very pleased with it. Now Im told that Emma's auntie is pregnant too! Looks like I will be putting that Sock Monkey charm pack to good use!



Im not sure sure if I will be using the same yardage as the pampered pooch charm pack but they do look good together!
My next article for NinePatchNews will be on last minute xmas gifties. I will have lots of links and instructions. I will repost to my blog once I get it done. It will be a great way to recycle linens, scraps, clothes into useful items around the house.
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz







Thursday, November 4, 2010

One of my babies is having a baby!

hiyall,

I just finished a baby quilt for a friend whom I met when she was a newborn. now the newborn is all grown up and having babies of her own.
This first quilt is a quilt she tells me I made for her when she was a itty bitty. I dont remember making it for her but I do recognize the fabric. In fact I still have some of that fabric in my stash!
simple patchwork, layered, birthed and tied at the corners. no binding! this was made over 22 years ago. I was in the early stages of my quilt making :

the 2nd quilt is the one I am giving to her for HER baby! dang I feel old!


this quilt was easy to make. The pattern is a version of Bonnie Hunters Sticks and Stones. I took a charm pack and some yardage. The charm pack I used is call Peas and Carrots. Lots of orange and green, hence the name of the charm pack. I split each charm in 1/2 and added a 2 1/2 block to each rectangle. I 'stacked' the columns and added a narrow border (one inch finished) in yellow for friendship and a 2nd border 2 1/2 inch finished). I used mocked binding (1/2 inch finished)that matched the colors of the charms. quick and easy. Quilt is approx 32 in square.
I found my sock moneky charm pack! I will be making another baby quilt using that. The way my friends are reproducing, it wont be long before I find a home for it *snarf*
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

I told ya I would.....



hiyall,


as promised a picture of the blue ribbon winning loom beaded bracelet my son Daniel aka Beloved Monkey boy won!

Keep On Stitch'n On!

(mauh) Liz

Monday, November 1, 2010

I am back for a long time!

hiyall!

Finally, after months of no Internet, I have INTERNET! The Dingbat is BACK! Thank to Cox's cable and Beloved Monkey Boy! Since I missed Blogtoberfest I decided I will make it up by posting just about everyday in November. During my absent I did get some quilting done. I joined a swap last summer in one of the quilty groups in Yahoo. We swapped mini wall hanging with just a simple pumpkin design. The swap mom got permission from the designer
Amy of Citypark Girl fame had design. you can get the pattern here: http://amyscreativeside.com/ Super simple and was fast to make. The one of the top is what I received and the one on the bottom is what I sent out. The only requirement was we had to use a border with pumpkins in it. I was temped to bling my up a little bit but didnt.
I really like this design because it can be used for October and November! I encourage everyone to join a quilty swap every now and again. The challenge will get your creative juices flowing and hone your skills. I just joined yet another online swap, this one is for a mini quilt no bigger than a sheet of notebook paper, think of all the possibilties!

Thanks to all my internet buddies and bloggers I have more than enough owl fabric for Grandma's Hooters project. Later this week there will be a vote for which block to use and a winner for the one who voted for the winning block. I cant decide on a block, I have 3 to chose from. See ya later this week!

Keep on Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz