another baby quilt and shop samples!

hiyall!

I have been busy, busy, very busy lately with baby quilts, grocery bags and shop samples!

this is the quilt that I presented to the mommy last week. simple little

5 rail fence pattern. instead of my usual stitch in the ditch I tryed doing a wavy line

between the rows. it came out ok, afterwards I figured out that I could have

covered the feed dawgs and used a stippling foot to get a better wave.

mommy loves it. the pink bag you see is my latest trend. instead of using

paper gift bags from the dollar store, I will make the gift bag out of fabric!

butterwick has a pattern B5338 that has several options to making grocery

bags like the plastic ones in the stores. I made one according to the pattern

and I decided I needed to do some tweeking to it. these bags are very roomy

and will hold 2 gals of milk! I have made a bunch of them and I will be selling

them online soon!

this is one of the shop samples I made this week. there is a line of mini quilt kits called Snap Sack, small quilt kits. go to this website for more info http://www.hummingbird-highway.com/

each sack comes with all materials needed for the top, backing and binding. you provide the

batting. cute cute cute kits. this one is called 'summer bloom' approx 15 in sqaure. I made it in semi-

christmas fabrics. click on the picture to get a better view of the pattern and my machine

quilting.

when I was cutting this kit, I was asked to make a sample of it. I asked

if I could cut enough for 2 so I could keep one for myself. Mary Beth

said sure. MB is the shop owner and is very generous to us sample makers

and kit cutters. I decided to make the kit with mock binding and birth each

one instead of the usual layering and binding. to mock bind, you cut a strip of

fabric 1 inch wide and add it to the outer border of the quilt. put the front to back with right

sides together, lay on top of a piece of batting and stitch all around leaving

a opening big enough to turn inside out. I like to call this method,

birthing a quilt, cause its a labor of love! I know....bad pun....bad pun!

Blind stitch opening closed, then stitch in the ditch all around the edge.

this will give the illusion of regualr binding but its not, its MOCK BINDING.

on the second sample I used a different binding and it gave the little quilt a whole

other look about it. made it lighter.

this snap sack sample is called Liberty Belle, approx 10 x 28. this is perfect for a narrow space on the wall or a door charm. both kits were very quick to make and there are generous cuts of fabric in each one. ask your local quilt shop about them.

Keep On Stitch'n On!

(mauh) Liz

she likes it! she really likes it!

hiyall!

the little mommy loves her quilt! I used a simple disappearing ninepatch design and 2 borders. all pinks, whites and a little bit of yellow....very girl girl! she is due the second week of september, but we think she will deliver long before then. I thinking the full moon of the 4th

keep on stitch'n on!

(mauh) Liz

A tutorial for NinePatch News!

hiyall,

long time no post! ack ack, real life got into the way! today's post is a long over due tutorial for the online newsletter Nine Patch News that I write for. last months article was on how to re purpose your stash. if your not gonna make quilts, make grocery bags! this tutorial is about make grocery bags. although the pics are going to be on a lunch bag ( my own design of course!) I will be giving 2 sets of measurements. one for lunch bag, the other for grocery bag (will be in parenthesise). both these bags are DEEP. will hold alot of lunch and grocery's! lets get started!



you will need the following supplies:

*1/2 yard of all cotton (one yard all cotton)

*size 14 needle for top stitching (larger eye and better to go thru many layers)

*matching thread

*cardboard template 2 1/2 in sq (3 1/2 in sq)



@cut 2 pieces 12x16 (21x24)

@cut 4 pieces 1 1/2 x20 (3 strips wof x 2 1/2)

@cut 2 pieces for pockets 6 x 8 1/2 (9x9)





~take corner templates, mark fabric, and cut out corners. hem the top of the bag body. fold over raw edge 3/8 of an inch, fold down again and stitch in place

~take pocket pieces, right sides together, fold in half, sew along the raw edge. turn inside out so right side is showing. place pockets where ever you want to place them, sew along the edge to the body of the bag

~take 2 of the long strips and sew together along the ends. with wrong side together sew along the sides to make a long handle. do not turn inside out, just press flat. see picture


~pin handle to the body. the end of the handle should start right about the corner cutout, along the edge of the pocket, to the top of the bag,loop around and come down the other side. do this for both bag body pieces


~zig zag along the handle to secure raw edge.


~this is where a serger would come in handy, but since I don't have one, I just sewed along the sides and bottom. I went back and zig zaged the raw edges to keep the material from shredding.

~Match your corners and sew edges plus zig zag

~turn inside out and there you have it! a nice tall lunch bag! The size width wise is like a regular brown paper bag. it is TALL but it will accommodate bottles of water and bread sticks *grin*

Sorry this isnt a nice clean polished tutorials like the ones I read on other blogs, but Im working on it! Next on is how to make a apron out of recycled jean legs!
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

12 Steps for Quilters

hiyall,
I have a little poem for yall. This poem was written by my blogger friend Sara, she a good writer and an excellent sparkly chicken maker. She gave me permission to post it on my blog. I really like it and find it very befitting a Quilter. Check out her blog when you have a chance. http://universeaccordingtosara.blogspot.com/

12 Steps for Quilters
by Sara Sparkly Chicken Maker

1. Admit you are weak - perhaps even addicted, obsessive, compulsive, and anal-retentive - when it comes to quilting, quilting attitudes and ideas, fabric, notions, tools, books, and patterns.

2. Accept that a Power greater than yourself has put quilting, fabric, notions, tools, books, and patterns into your life for a reason.

3. Decide to turn your quilting will and life over to this greater Power.

4. Make a thorough, fearless inventory of your fabric, notions, tools, books, patterns, WIPs, and UFOs.

5. Admit to the greater Power, yourself, and your quilting friends that you have wronged others in your neglect of them due to quilting and that you have wronged yourself in your neglect of quilting to fulfill the needs of others.

6. Ask the Power to remove any character defects that lead to a lack of productivity, unfinished projects, impulse and/or binge purchases that you won't use in this lifetime, and guilt that arises from preferring to participate in quilt-related activities instead of family, friends, and work activities.

7. Humbly ask the Power to remove any shortcomings - poor organizational skills, lust for more quilting supplies that you truly don't need and won't use, inability to sew 1/4" seams, fear of quiltzillas, a perfectionist nature, terror of new techniques, and so on - from your heart and head.

8. Make a list of all people you have truly harmed through your quilting and be willing to make amends.

9. Make direct amends to those you have harmed, whenever possible, by gifting them with at least one quilted object that is larger than a potholder; make amends to the Universe by gifting at least one charity with a quilt each year.

10. Continuously take inventory of your , quilting attitudes and ideas, fabric, notions, tools, books, and patterns, admitting when you've overspent, purchased unwisely, have no intention of completing a project, or have neglected loved ones in order to pursue quilting-related activities and so that you might remember that quilting is a gift that serves many purposes and meets many needs in your life.

11. Through your version of prayer and meditation, establish conscious contact with your greater Power so that you might fully understand and fulfill your quilting purposes.

12. Having had an awakening of understanding, spirit, and consciousness as a result of these steps, carry this message to both other quilters and the loved ones of quilters, so that they, too, might come to the understanding that quilting is more than just a hobby but that it is a way of life.

Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz

apron finished! and a couple more chickies!

hiyall!
apron is finished! please note the towel loop at the waist band. even thought I like wearing aprons, I do like having a towel at my hip! I use the welt from another pant leg to make the loop. I made the straps extra long so I can wrap them around my waist. despite being a fluffy bat, this does fits me well!


2 more chickies arrived in the mail weds! our everso loverly mail lady took a 4 days weekend and I have no mail til monday. grrrrrr......I am loving these chickens. I now have 7 in the roost!
We have decided to do a sparkly halloween swap. I have dug out my pumpkin and cat templates! cant wait to get started!
Keep On Stitch'n On!
(mauh) Liz