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Showing posts with label ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ideas. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Last Minute Mother's (Ladies) Day Gifts

12:49 AM | Posted by Mel
OK, you still have a few days (and counting) to hand-make something wonderful for your mother, mother-in-law, daughters, friends, yourself for Mother's Day!
I've gathered some of my favs that are easy and impressive and they've all come from bloggers that I actually 'know' or communicate often with via blogs!
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Make a lasting bouquet of flowers; Going Sew Crazy has a tutorial!
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Make a fabric card, tutorial by Craft Apple
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Make an adorable Doll House pot holder designed by Nanette of Freda's Hive
(Yes, this is MY Doll House pot holder that sweet Nanette gave me!)
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Dottie from Apples Quilts and More shares a tutorial for a paper bag album
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Sherri of A Quilting Life has a great tutorial on a table topper or small wall quilt using 5" charms.
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Why not keep it easy?
Get your favorite lady a gift certificate to Jane's Fabrics?
Who wouldn't love (MORE) fabric??
or pick something special from
online quilt shop!
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I know you know someone who loves bags and totes! Stephanie's got instructions for a great one here at her Loft Creations!
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These two are super useful gifts that any quilter / seamstress would love. Karen of Sew Many Ways is a genius with gadgets!
Karen's Car Caddy is probably the most innovative sewing idea I've ever seen, and she shows you how to make it!
Another handy item is her renovated Home Depot apron.
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There is no better place to find creative tutorials than on quilter's blogs, thanks to all who write tutorials and share!!
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Sunday, February 8, 2009

A Day of Art

11:42 PM | Posted by Mel
On Friday I got to go to an Art Market in Sugarhouse (Utah) with my friends Kathy and Deanie (my mother-in-law). It wasn't as big as I expected, but I was inspired and glad I went. I did pick up a few items. The theme was Valentine's which is not my favorite so maybe the next one (in May) will be better. Kathy thought it might be fun to sell some of the baskets we make at one of the shows. It's a juried show, so we auditioned a basket I made and the organizer of the event said that she loved it and would 'accept' us as vendors if we wanted. We'll see, I kind of don't like my baskets going to people I don't know, I'd rather give them to friends than to sell them to strangers!

We also ended up at Pine Needles, a quilt shop and embroidery shop in Gardner Village. I purchased some fabric that I would not normally have bought, but I'm involved in Pat Sloan's Orange Challenge Sew Along February 20th -22nd, so I thought the pieces would work well for that.

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Sunday, September 28, 2008

Crazy Squares Placemats

2:10 AM | Posted by Mel
This will makes a set of six placemats 


I don't prewash my fabrics before sewing. 


If you do, you may want to get more fabric than FQ's. 


As always, use a 1/4" seam allowance for all sewing except when applying binding. 


Precise cutting, ironing and squaring are key to a beautiful quilted project! 


Supplies: 
16 Crazy Squares (see my tutorial!)


You will need 4 Fat Quarters in coordinating fabrics/colors OR . . . thirty-six 6" squares to make the required Crazy Squares 
1/3 yard for inner border 
1/2 yard for outer border 
1 and 1/4 yard for backing OR six FQ's 
Thin batting that contains scrim


Cut: Inner border into 1 1/4" strips 
Outer border into 1 3/4" strips 
Backing fabric 14 1/2" X 20" (six) 
Batting 14 1/2" X 20" (six) 
Binding 1 yard 


Sew three blocks together for the top row. 


Press seams to right. 




Three more make up the second row. 


Press to left.



Sew the top row to the second row and press. 


Now sew your inner border strips onto the top and bottom of the placemat center. 


Press.



Next sew the inner border strips onto the sides of the placemat. 


Press. 


Sew outer border strips to the top and bottom, then sides. 


Press. 


Repeat process for the rest of the placemats.


To Quilt:  


Layer a thin batting between your pieced top and a backing fabric, and baste. 


I used large saftey pins.



Using the largest stitch my machine had (4) I stitched 'in the ditch' with a top thread that matched well with the top and my bobbin thread was mached to the backing fabric. 


Be sure not to have any unquilted areas larger than 4" so your mats batting won't shift around.


On the back, pull the top thread through to the back and tie in a knot and hide them by inserting the thread in between the layers coming back up about an inch or so. 


Clip threads, and they are gone! 


These make great gifts for Christmas, Birthdays, and Weddings. Make a set for your own home celebrating the seasons, holidays or for every day use!
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Stack and Cut Crazy Squares

12:52 AM | Posted by Mel
My First Tutorial!




You will need at least four different fabrics cut at 6" square. 


To construct each block follow the following proceedures: 



    Stack four fabrics at a time. 
    Make a slice through fabrics with your rotary cutter. 
    Stay with in 1/2" of the corners. 
    Take the top fabric from one of the two halves and put it on the bottom of the pile. 



Sew the two halves together with a 1/4" seam. 


Press your seams. 


Make sure you keep your block in order as you sew and iron. 


Don't worry about squaring your blocks yet, we'll do that after we sew the second cut back together.


Stack your blocks again. 


This time cut your blocks in two on the opposite side of your first cut.

Now take the top TWO pieces from one of the two halves and put them on the bottom of the pile. 


 Sew the halves together then press seams.



Square up to 5" square. 


NOTE: Any size of block can be made. Just cut your beginning squares 1" larger than what you want your unfinished pieced square to be. 


Vary the angles in which you cut your squares. This will give each set a different look. 


Use this technique to make placemats (see next tutorial!), table runners, wall hangings, hot pads, baby quits, full sized quilts etc! 


Please, if you see an error or if anything is not clear, leave a comment so I can fix it. 


Let me know if you make some, I'd love to see your blocks!
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