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.

Christmas Plates Finished

I finally finished the four Christmas plates I started working on in December.  I decoupaged fabric on the back of clear plates purchased at the Dollar Store with dishwasher safe Mod Podge.  They turned out pretty well, but they were not easy to do.

I almost gave up after working on the first plate because after applying the first coat of Mod Podge on the fabric it dried with lots of bubbles on the edges which is not good because water will get under there and ruin the whole thing.

As I added another coat of Mod Podge to the plate I realized I could smooth the bubbles down and that made going forward easier and encouraged me to finish doing the other three plates.

I put three coats of dishwasher safe Mod Podge on each plate letting them dry for at least two hours or more in between coats.  I will let them cure for 28 days, then I can sand the edges to smooth away any excess fabric and they will be ready to use next Christmas.  Fun.

I'm still working on Christmas crafts.  Next up, transforming tinsel trees with fabric and string art.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2020!

 It's January 1st, the start of a new year.  I have lots of projects on my list to do but I can now cross one of them off.  Last night I finished crocheting all the stars for my garland, I measured the window and put it up.  I crocheted 12 white cotton stars and 12 twine stars.  I'm really happy with this.

     The stars are decorating the living room window that have new drapes made from drop cloths (no sew).  I put these up last weekend.  Of course, I found the idea of drop cloth curtains on Youtube and fell in love.  I like the idea of the large pieces of material without sewing and the cost can't be beat.  Several people take the step of bleaching the drop cloths (make sure the cloths are 100% cotton to do this) but I like the linen look to them and left them the original color. 

     I used two 6' x 9' cloths to cover this window.  The materials cost $31.80.  I bought two drop cloths at $9.97 each at Walmart (there was no listing on the package as to what the material was, so I was careful when I washed and ironed but they washed and ironed like cotton) and two packs of rings with clips with seven clips in each package at $5.93 each. 

    They did shrink a bit in the preparation, so I had to measure them because there will be extra materials at the top that you fold it over so it looks like a decorative element.  You want that section to be even.  Most everyone has their overhang showing in the room but since I wanted to add my star garland, I placed my overhang on the window side of the drapes so you don't see it unless the sun is shining in. 

The Making Of A Banner (Without Buying An Expensive Cutting Machine)

    I thought about buying a Cricut or a Brother Scan and Cut last week.  I felt the need to make myself a banner saying "Happy Fall Y'all" to hang in my living room.  I thought that the only way I could make a beautiful banner would be to use a fancy expensive cutting machine and the machines I was looking at cost over $200.00 each.  The letters on the banner are in the wrong order.  They have to be fixed.  I misspelled Y'all.  It's easy to fix and I will do it after I take it down before I put it away. 

    I was in Hobby Lobby yesterday and I figured out a different way.  The best part is that I only spent about $10.00 for stencils and burlap ribbon.  I had the fabric, the stabilizer, the thread, the twine, and the magic marker.  This was fun to make and I love it.

    Here is a close up of the flags.

    I cut the flags from the fabric, then ironed them to stabilizer,and I sewed around the edges of each flag to hold them together.  I doubled up the burlap, and sewed the two layers together along the long edges.  I drew circles using a small plastic cup and a black Sharpie.  I sewed around each circle to keep the two pieces together, cut them out, then I used a stencil and a magic marker to make each letter.  I sewed each letter to a flag.  I attached the flags to a two pieces of twine using the sewing machine and it's done.  It took me about five hours to make from first cut to last stitch.  

Sewing Skirts Before Evacuating

   I had to leave my mobile home before the Hurricane Irma came calling on Sunday and Monday.  So I spent part of my Saturday sewing up two more skirts with the fabric I ordered.  It was a great way to be creative and relieve a some of the stress.  I couldn't tell how bad the storm was going to be or whether I would have a home to return to so I packed the kitties and the essentials (including my Janome 7700 because I had to save at least one sewing machine) and I went to stay at my daughter's house which is not a mobile home.  We got through the storm without losing power and I came home this morning to find my house the same as I left it.  A few sticks and small branches fell out of the trees but nothing more.  I was really lucky and really happy. 

   Here are my new skirts.

   While I was away I did get to spend some some time making flowers and half flowers for the second row of the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.  Row two is not even half done but I'm working on it.  I should be able to show something soon.

String Blocks Make A Great Big Dog Bed for McPherson

    I had to make a dog bed for my daughter's little Cairn Terrier, McPherson.  She rescued him in January and he has been a great addition to her life.

     I made him a scrappy bed a couple of months ago with some 3" scraps I needed to get rid of and he loves that bed.  No picture of that effort, sorry, but here's a picture of McPherson.  Isn't he the cutest?  He is 17 pounds of squirrel hunting craziness.

   Since his first scrappy bed lives in the great room area, McPherson needs another bed for the bedroom.  I had some string blocks all ready for this project.  I put 9 of my 10" square string blocks together, sewed that top onto a stabilizing piece of fabric, added a backing pieced together from three fat quarters, stuffed it with three bags of fiberfill and hand sewed the open end.  Done.

Replacement Irish Chain

    I had to make a replacement Irish Chain for myself.  I invited a friend to come over and shop my quilts last month.  She fell in love with my favorite Irish Chain that I made with Tanya Whelan rose fabrics.

     This is the front of the original Irish Chain that I made for myself a few years ago.

This is the back.

  The original quilt was a little small but I loved the fabrics I used in it.  My friend took it home with my love and I tried to forget the quilt, but I knew I wouldn't be happy until I made a replacement.  Not a carbon copy but an Irish Chain using fabrics I love.  I used a green and pink floral for my nine patch blocks and the backing/binding fabric is a lovely light green with tiny bees all over it.  The fabrics are great and I even made the quilt a little larger than the original.  So my replacement Irish Chain is finished.

        I don't have any more quilts that I want to make, so I'm going to continue making string quilt blocks for more string quilts.  I have two big boxes with lots of scrap strips from my stash.   I make my tops with 49 blocks which I think make a good size top.  I make an additional 7 blocks to piece the backing.  So each quilts needs 56 string blocks.  I've been using full size paper towels which measure 10.4" x 11" which I cut down to 10" after I sew my strips on.  Using 10" blocks is so much fun for me.  I love the 7 block rows x 7 rows and this layout makes it easy to line up my backing fabric with the row of blocks in the center.  I line that row up with the fourth row of the top and that centers my back with my top really nicely.   The paper towel rolls have 96 sheets in them so I can  make almost two tops with one roll of paper towels.  While I'm making my string quilts, I'll be on the hunt for a great quilt pattern with some great fabric.

Colorful Quilt Top

   I finished this colorful pinwheel quilt top today.  I love these colors.  This was a lot of fun to sew.

String Quilt Top Finished

 I spent last evening removing the paper towels from the back of 56 - 10" string quilt blocks while I watched some television.  It took me a few hours and this is what I had left when I finished:

   Today I put the quilt top together.  Here it is:

   This one is just as pretty and colorful as the one I made last month.  I'm so glad I'm keeping this one.  I have lots and lots of strings left and I will probably make another one of these at some time in the future but I have two other quilt projects waiting to be started, so I will be starting those soon.

   I ordered the backing/binding fabric just a few minutes ago from Fabric.com.  I bought 5 yards of Kona Cotton in Honey Dew.  This bright yellow green will be a really nice solid frame for all this color.  The row of string blocks to piece into the back is done, so I'm ready to get this one finished.

 

Mid Winter Feather And Fan Scarf

   I turned 396 yards of fingering weight yarn into a 6 foot scarf with my trusty crochet hook.   I ended up using only one skein of my yarn and I have a nice long, lacy scarf.

   I just have to wash it and block it.

Sewing Blocks For Quilt Backs

   I'm in the process of sewing blocks to put in the backs of quilts.  I have made 5 - 16 patch blocks to place in the center of the back for that quilt.  And I'm working on 7 scrappy string blocks to place in the center of the back for the string block quilt.

   I decided to go ahead and get these quilts finished.  I ordered batting and backing/binding fabric for each.

   I ordered two twin size Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 battings from Connecting Threads.

 

   I had my usual problem making a decision on backing/binding fabric.  I finally narrowed down the color to a light blue and found this at Connecting Threads in their solid collection called Sky.  I ordered 11 yards of this for backing and binding on both quilts.

   I'll be piecing the backs and sandwiching these as soon as I can get my fabric, and get it washed and ironed. 

Scrappy String Block Quilt Top Done With Time Stats

   I know a lot of folks don't keep track of how long it takes to do something, but I've always been interested in how long it takes me to do a task.  I like to look at the clock when I start and I like to check it when I'm done.  I don't know why, I just do.  I do this with sewing all the time.  I love knowing how long it takes me to sew something, I kind of figure that into how keen I am to make something by hand.

   Time statistics for the scrappy string block quilt top:

     Sewing 49 quilt blocks - 13 minutes each - about 10.5 hours
     Trimming each block - 3 minutes each - about 2.5 hours
     Removing the paper towel foundation - 49 blocks - 4.5 hours
     Sewing the blocks into rows - 1 hour
     Sewing the rows into quilt - 1.5 hours

     Total - 20 hours


   Here is the finished scrappy string block quilt top:

Fun Scrappy 16 Patch Quilt Top Is Finished

     I worked on this last night and most of today.  I'm glad it's finished.  It measures 63" x 87".   The only fabric I had to buy for this quilt top was the white fabric.  I bought 3 yards from Connecting Threads and with shipping that fabric cost me about $18.00.  That's pretty cheap for a quilt top this size.

    I'll be working on my ironing board cover next, then I continue working on my scrappy string blocks to make another quilt top.  I should have some blocks to display later this week.

Plaid Flannel Rag Quilt

  I finished the rag quilt today and just finished washing it to rag the edges.  I made the quilt 6 blocks by 7 rows with 126 - 10" blocks.  I made three layer blocks with the plaid on top and the blue flannel in the middle and on the bottom.

   I love the way the blue flannel comes through in the seams.  This was a lot of fun to make and I can't wait to put it out at Christmas.

My First And Last Hand Sewn Quilt Is Finished.

   The Scrappy Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt is now finished.

    I did very big stitch quilting around the yellow centers and the beige hexies so it would go faster.

   I hand sewed hexies to the uneven sides to bind those edges.  Today I applied the binding on the straight sides with the sewing machine.  It felt really weird to use the sewing machine after spending so many months hand sewing all those little hexies.  I love this quilt and I'm so glad it's finished.

      I'm so happy I will be able to use my sewing machine to make my next couple of projects.

      I bought fabric to make myself a flannel rag quilt for Christmas.  I want to start it next week.  It's going to be made with a lovely red plaid flannel for Christmas.  I love plaid fabric.

      I'll be using the red plaid for the top.  I will use the blue flannel for the middle and backing fabric.  I bought 3 yards of the red plaid and 6 yards of the blue flannel.

     I will cut all the fabric into 10" squares.  I will need 108 of them to make a 6 block x 6 row quilt.  The blocks will be assembled with the red on top and the middle and bottom layer will be blue.  I made two flannel quilts last year and I really enjoyed the process.  

     Another project I have fabric for is a new cotton nightgown for the winter season.  I bought some red plaid cotton fabric, like the red plaid above, to make this one.  I won't share a picture of this sewing project because I'm not going to take the time to match my plaids at the seams and it will look very wonky.

Worked On This All Day!!

   I sewed the 7th row onto my quilt top today.  It was a long day, but now the top is done.  It's ready to sandwich and quilt.  Can't wait to get started on that phase of this project.  The top measures 51" x 58 1/2".

    I will be following this tutorial for the binding of the sides of the quilt with the peaks and valleys.  The other sides will have the tips of the hexagons cut off to make a straight side to bind with regular binding strips.

First Row Of The Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt Top

   I have the first row of the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt top put together.  This has taken me over a month to make, but I love how it looks.  Each block is about 7 1/2" wide without the green round and 12" wide with the green round.  The row is 47" long.  I have 6 more rows to make.

Thirty-Two Scrappy Hexagon Flowers

    I finished the last cotton nightgown on Sunday, it is green with white polka dots.  I want to make one more nightgown for myself with pretty Christmas fabric but I can't find any pretty Christmas fabric.  I'm going to wait until the Christmas in July sales and I'm hoping I'll find Christmas fabric to make one more nightgown.

   Since I finished making my nightgowns, I have been sewing these scrappy hexagon flowers together for the quilt top.  I figure it will take a week to finish each flower block with the next two rounds of hexagons they need.

      

Four Nightgowns Finished.

   I love my new nightgowns in pretty pastels and prints.  I have made six in the last week and I have one more cut out ready to assemble.

 
   I think the last one is my favorite.  It's a Boyds Bears print and I love teddy bears.  This fabric is the cutest.

    After I finish making these nightgowns I'm going to transfer this pattern to Swedish tracing paper to preserve it along with some notes on how I make the nightgown.  It's a real keeper.

Two Nightgowns Finished.

   I finished sewing the hem of the second nightgown about 30 minutes ago.  I washed the fabric last night and started ironing and pinning my pattern early this morning.  I didn't work on them all day today, I had some other things to take care of but most of the day was taken up with sewing.

   I was experimenting with a 1" bias tape maker (cutting the strips 2" wide) on the purple nightgown and that binding was a little too wide.  I fixed my problem on the pink nightgown and I cut my strips 1 1/2" and folded these by hand which was just as easy as making the bias tape with an iron.  These nightgowns are fun to sew.

   I received three more fabrics in the mail today to make three more nightgowns.  I will wash the fabric tomorrow.