Homemade Potholders and A Birthday

I was putting my Christmas decorations away the other night and I realized that I do not have any homemade Christmas potholders and if I don't have any, that means my daughter does not have any.  That made me sad.  That's a situation I had to fix.  Pulling out my stack of cute Christmas fabric, some cotton batting scraps, and insul-brite I started making potholders.

I made these with just a solid piece of fabric on the front (one of them is scrappy) and the back to show off the cute fabric.  To made a decent potholder I add three layers in between the fabric.  I use one layer of cotton batting, then  a layer of insul-brite and then another layer of cotton batting.  That makes a pretty thick sturdy potholder.  I do a simple cross hatch quilting through all layers to get it ready to bind.

This weekend I'll be piecing Christmas tree mug rugs to make more potholders.  Of course, I am sharing all of these with dear daughter.  

Here is a link to the youtube video on how I bind my potholders:  Youtube video on how to bind potholders.  

I had a birthday yesterday.  Another year older.  I made myself a rum cake to celebrate.  Dear daughter came to the house after work to have cake with me and give me fun gifts.  She did a good job with gifts this year.  So clever.  

I splurged and bought myself a quilting gift.  I bought  "Vintage Christmas Book" by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet for It's Sew Emma.  This past fall this book was very popular because everyone was making the quilt Bringing Home the Christmas Tree (a car/SUV with a tree on the roof) that is in the book.  I fell in love with that pattern after seeing it all over.  I won't be making a full size quilt from the pattern just yet.  Right now I just want to make a car block and the standing tree blocks for a wallhanging/table runner.  It's too cute.  

Fun Quick Sewing

 Made a zipper pouch from a candy bag using Missouri Star's Tutorial here.  This is a nice quick project and they are really fun to give.  I made one a couple of years ago for dear daughter and she thought that I was giving her a bag of candy.  It was so funny.  Here is the one I made tonight.  It took me about an hour to sew up after I gathered all my supplies and cut up the candy bag.  The one I made tonight is kind of on the small side.  I might frankenstein two bags together next time to get a bigger pouch.  I hope it works.

I've been saving candy bags for a while and I have a whole bunch.  I also have a load of zippers to use up so I think I'll be making some more of these.  

One More Pumpkin Block Decoration

 This was made from scraps of fabric I had.  It's nice to have some new pumpkin decorations for the fall season.  This block has two corner triangles in the top corners for slipping a dowel in there for hanging.

And I finished the applique pumpkins.  Here is mine all finished.  I echo quilted around the pumpkin and I bound it in the same muslin as the background fabric.  I also put a hanging sleeve on each one for hanging.  

Making Projects From My Stash

 I found some fabrics in my stash for a three holiday projects.  

I made this tree block with fabric left over from a project last Christmas.  I made it into a pillow cover for a 14" pillow form.

I found this leftover Halloween fabric that I bought last year to wrap daughter's birthday present and I turned this fabric into a pillow cover for a 14" pillow form.  The costumes on the dogs and cats crack me up.

I used scraps to make these cute pumpkin blocks that I will turn into wall hangings.  I found the templates at this link:  Scrappy Pumpkin Tablerunner.  The navy blue one is mine and the turquoise one is for dear daughter.  I place the applique pieces on a 13" square piece of muslin.  I still have to sew down the applique pieces, quilt and bind them.

I used a new tool while making my pillow covers.  I used the Lori Holt Seam Roller.  I like it a lot and I think I will get a lot of use out of it.

After I finish my pumpkins I continue with my scrappy quilt top.  After I finish that quilt top I will start on one of the three quilt tops I have planned.  After I make those four tops, I will start making string blocks again.  I have two big storage boxes of strings that I need to use up.

Working On A Scrappy Quilt

I found a bag of 2.5" squares I cut last year in the colors of green, blue, gray, and yellow that I cut from fabric that I found in my stash.  I also cut some white and beige neutrals to alternate the colors with.   I made my first stand mixer cover with these fabrics last year and I enjoyed the soft colors together.  

I'm sewing these pieces together and I should have more than enough for 68" square quilt.  It's a nice easy sewing project.  Here's a sample of the first two rows put together.

Some Little Projects

I took time on Sunday morning to make a spool block to decorate my sewing space.  I used the MSQC youtube tutorial to make the block.  It was fun and I would love to make a full quilt with spools.

I also got my embroidery done that I wanted.  It was much easier the fourth time.  These were made with white thread on navy blue fabric.

Christmas In July

I love Christmas tree quilt blocks.  I found this tutorial on a blog, The Spruce Crafts,  Christmas Tree Block  and I had to make one.  I thought the original size was a little too small so I increased the size of the strips to 3.5" and I increased the length of the tree pieces about 2 to 4 inches each so they would be substantial.  The final size is about 15.5" x 17.5 inches.  Perfect for a pillow cover.

The Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt is finished

I'm finished quilting the top last night and the binding was finished today.  I'm so glad this is done because I can't make myself have more than one quilt on the go and I want to make other quilts.  I have loads of scraps for string quilts and some charm squares set aside for another quilt.   

I took this picture outside hoping it would show the quilt colors better.  I was wrong.  I didn't do a great job picking my colors because they are the same bright tones, but I loved them when I got them and thought they would be an awesome combination.  They look cool, but it's hard to distinguish the pink from the orange in my pictures.

More pictures.

Grandmother's Flower Garden Top Is Finished

Okay, I finished the seventh row this week, added the borders and sandwiched the top for quilting.  Here is a picture of the top with the gray borders.  Not a very good picture showing the colors.   It's currently draped over my cutting table waiting patiently as I do my version of hand quilting.  Once it's finished, I will take a picture outside in good light to show the colors properly.

Lots More Navy Blue Gingham Items For The Kitchen

My large 40 ounce white teapot needed a tea cozy.  I put a ruffle on this one.  I keep this teapot in the pantry but now it's ready to use with a nice roomy cozy.

Pot holders.  I made these to be a wall decoration in the kitchen.  I'm putting them up with velco command strips.

Apron/dress for my dish detergent bottle.  This was easy and fun to make.  I actually ended up using glue to secure the bias binding on the back because the binding strip was too narrow to sew on the back.

Stand mixer cover.

And I still have about two and a half yards of the blue gingham.   I haven't made the toaster cover or a cookbook cover.  Two things that may happen in the future.

More Navy Gingham In The Kitchen

I  made a quilted tea cozy for my little blue tea pot with that lovely navy blue gingham. 

It looks like my toaster may be next for a new blue gingham cover.

Water Bottle Holder/Carriers and Some Knitting

I've haven't been doing a lot of crafting lately.  The Christmas cookie plates have finally cured and I gave Dear Daughter three of the four that I made.  I kept the red snowflake plate for myself.


I dug into my fabric stash and pulled out some bigger pieces to make water bottle holders/carriers.  I already have some water bottle carriers, but I wanted to make some in different colors and bigger sizes to fit a larger bottle.  It was nice to find a good use for this fabric and the insulbrite.  Here are the sizes of the fabric pieces to put this together.

I made these five carriers in the last couple of weeks and I'm loving the bright happy colors just in time for spring and summer.

My waiting room knitting  has been dishcloths.  My daughter and I have enough dishcloths for the foreseeable future, but I need to knit up my cotton yarn, so I continue to make them.  I will store them at my house until they are needed.

Scrappy Valentine Day Hearts

           I'm supposed to be working on Christmas decorations but I found a picture of a scrappy heart quilt and since it's almost Valentine's Day, I had to make a couple.  This is a  pattern on etsy that popped up when I did a Google search for heart quilts.  The picture that popped up had a nice grid and you could just count how many of square and half square triangle you need in each row.   Since it was so easy to look at and copy I did not want to pay $4.00 for the pattern.  So I guesstimated what sizes I would make the half square triangles (I used 3" squares) and regular squares (2.75" squares) and just started cutting and sewing.  The seams don't all line up but that's okay, I like it like that.  I found all this fabric in my stash of scraps and pieces and I even got a chance to use some scrap batting in them.  It sure was nice to be able to use material I already had and not have to go shopping.

          I did simple cross hatch quilting and I put two triangles on the back to slip a dowel stick in for hanging.   I'll be making more of these for other holidays as well as just decorating around the house.  I want to make a blue and yellow one for the kitchen to keep up all year round and a green and pink one for my bedroom.  I may have to make an animal print one for the cat's room as well.

Quilting and Sewing Weekend

  I finished making my Christmas table runner.  It does not match the one I made for my daughter last month but it contains the same fabrics.  I put red frames on the solid fabric blocks and a red backing and binding on it.  Hers was backed and bound in the dark green fabric. 

   Now I can move on to other Christmas projects.

I Made A Quilted Christmas Table Runner

   I have been planning this table runner all year.  I made this one for my dear daughter.  I am going to make a second one for me. 

    Trying to find the best block to use in this table runner took me almost all year.  I knew I wanted to use solid pieces of the pretty Makower fabric alternating it with a pieced star block, I just couldn't find one a block I was in love with.  I finally found a block in one of my Civil War quilting books.  I found the New England block in "Civil War Sampler" by Barbara Brackman.

     Here is a picture of the runner out.  It's 84 inches long and 12" wide.

    I think the New England block looks like a Christmas gift wrapped up and it still has star points.  I love it.  The book only includes cutting instructions, so I was careful with my piecing.

    Here are the individual blocks up close.

 

A Previous Quilt

I made this quilt between April and August 2014 for my daughter.  I had a jelly roll that I bought with her in mind and we collaborated on what background colors she wanted.  She decided on the cream and turquoise background fabric for the top and the beige for the backing.  This is a granny square quilt.

The front

The back.

Scrappy Project

    I'm making a scrappy appliance cover for my stand mixer.   I dug through my scrap fabrics and cut up a lot of 2 1/2" squares.  I concentrated on neutrals, white, blue, green, yellow, gray and a little bit of dark brown.  This is the beginning of the my project.  I will be working on this for a while.

Homemade Kitchen Gifts

   I finished making the potholders, hanging dishtowels, and knitted dishcloths for my niece who is getting married in June.  I sent a picture to her parents last night to let them know what is going on and to verify an address to mail and her Mom said she will love the colors.

   I made one change to the potholders binding.  I cut the binding 2.75" wide and it fit a lot better since it was binding two layers of fabric, two layers of batting, and one layer of Insul-Brite.

    This is eight knitted dishcloths, 4 quilted potholders, and 4 hanging dishtowels.  It turned out to be a nice set.

Two Quilty Items

Here are two quilty projects I have shared before.

This dresden plate wall hanging was made to fill up the alcove.where my TV sits.  It was originally supposed to be a fireplace, but I wouldn't use a fireplace so I elected not to add it to my mobile home and they gave me a nice alcove instead.  It's the perfect size for a long dresser and my TV and small stereo live there.  I made the dresden plate using four turquoise fat quarters, the dark blue was from stash and the backing fabric was a piece of batik from stash.  I didn't quilt this piece, I just hand sewed the plate to the brown batik and hemmed the backing fabric making a casing at the top for a curtain rod.

  

   I made this block into a small quilted piece to decorate my front door in between holidays.   I can't remember where I got the block from.   This one is quilted and bound.   Edited to correct my previous statement.  This is a Missouri Star Block and I got the tutorial from the Amanda Rolfe at Three and Three Quarters Blog.  Here is a link:  Missouri Star Quilt Block Tutorial

More Quilted Potholders

I made another gift set for another friend who needs a smile.  Another friend who loves handmade gifts and is always in awe over what I make.  Potholders and knitted dishcloths.  So easy to make and a great way to use up fat quarters.