Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

I SEE You....It's September! What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Yowza!
Where DID the summer go?
It can't possibly be September!
But alas, it is...and here we are... 
Day 1 of the 
See You In September Blog Hop!

It seemed like it was forEVER ago that we signed up to participate in this hop
sponsored by the wonderful as always
Madame Samm
along with the help of Head Cheerleader
Shari from Living With Purpose
Be sure to visit them soon and give them a cyber-hug for all their hard work!

Summer may have started in June...
but for me it really began July 1st with the first ever
coast to coast
Row by Row Experience Shop Hop.
There was no summer vacation for the Spouse and this little Mouse!

All my summer sewing plans went pretty much by the wayside...
NOT that I wasn't sewing...
Oh My...I Never Stopped!

I completed 8 different samples of our shop row by row pattern
"All Tied Up With A Bow".
These are four themed kits we offered
Christmas
Sewing/Quilting
Florida
Dog & Cats Chrismas
(as I ran out of fabrics...new samples had to be made...but I'm only showing you 4)

We'll call this project ONE.

The Row by Row shop hop was a total summer success!

We might be in Florida...
but we definitely are not on the tourist route.
However the shop hop changed that this year....
and we are grateful...VERY grateful!

I spent every shop working day
cutting endless kits!
I can cut them in my sleep.
I can sew rows in my sleep.
Actually...I can't do either...but it sure would have been nice!
We had over 300 hoppers
Cut and sold over 250 kits!

Per the rules...the hop ended yesterday, Sept 2nd.
We can not make our designs available via internet/email or sell our patterns until November 1st.
So I invite you back at midnight on the first of November...
the pattern for our row as shown above
will be available here as a FREE download!
Mark your calendar!

Project 2
It's no secret...we've met and made some of the sweetest friends
by way of the local donut shop.
Alas...the shop closed last January...
but we kept in touch with an August-Bride-To-Be....
and of course...
nothing says "Make A Quilt"
like a wedding!

Their colors....
Yes...you see them above...
Lime Green and Shocking Pink!
I gave them their choice...
bed quilt or lap.
They chose a queen size quilt for their bed.
The only request our dear bride had...
was to include their initial...
in the center of the quilt.
Leighann came to the quilt shop....
I let her suggest fabrics...
she didn't care...
as long as it was pink and green...
but she did Love that plaid you see!

Here's the quilt done
Of all the fabrics, naturally the plaid had the least on the bolt.
Isn't that always the way?
But we made it work!

The bride and groom held their 'country wedding'
in a transformed working barn!
Yards and yards of pink, green and white tulle
was suspended from the rafters...
wrapped around poles...
hundreds of twinkling lights were strung up!


We were so touched that they included the quilt in their wedding decor!
It was a beautiful afternoon for a wonderful couple!

Project 3
YES...GINGHAM TIME!
When this hop was first announced...
I started making hexies with mini gingham check from Riley Blake.
I made oodles.
I had NO idea what I would do with them.
As it turned out....
they are still sitting safely in their little project tote...
waiting to grow up and be something.

BUT...
I had another idea to make a baby quilt of gingham.
I wanted it a little bit modern.
And then the row by row shop hop happened.
So the baby quilt...
shrank!

I love it even more!
I'm really into little quilts...
this makes me smile!
The 6" blocks shrank down to 3-1/2" finished.
I think I'm calling this
"Gingham Bubbles"

The blocks are very easy to make.
Choose your "bubble" fabric...
-cut 3" squares for each block
-cut 4 background squares at 1-1/4" for the 'corners' - attach, flip, press - (trim excess) - done.
-Sew background strips to two side as shown - sizes given are CUT size!
Easy peasy!

Here's how I laid them out - of course you can have fun arranging your bubbles any way you want!


Border (or not) as desired.
I added a scrappy of each color...my 'mod' touch.

The mini measures 18"x24".
It took me 6 hours and two full bobbins to quilt.
I did echo quilting with my walking foot.
I'm in love!

But wait!
There were SCRAPS!
And truth be told....
I love the scrappy projects
EVEN MORE!
(if that's possible)

I cut the left over gingham into 1-1/2" strips...
added 1-1/2" strips of the Riley Blake grey Shades...
(ok...the Shades wasn't really leftover...but we can just pretend...)

I made 2" Finished double rails...
TA-DA!
CHEVRON LOVE!!!!
MINI STYLE
7-1/2" tall x "not a clue wide" because I wrote it down wrong in my notes...
 and the quilt is at the shop...
I am not...Aaaaaack! 

No matter...you get the idea.

Quilting detail below

There were 4 rail blocks leftover...
so naturally....a pincushion was born.
Isn't it darling?

But wait...there were "ends" of the rail strips....
can't let them go to waste....
selvages and all!

Add a scrappy of binding fab from the quilt...
Voila!
Pincushion back!
I can't decide which side I like better!

So there you have it.
My summer sewing.
Rows and Rows...Quilts Big and Small...and a Pincushion!
I still can't believe it's September!

Be sure to visit these remarkable bloggers below...
they're sew excited to show you what they did this summer!

Thx for the visit!



 Wednesday, September 3
Sew Incredibly Crazy
Bumbleberry Cottage
u r here ->Thimblemouse and Spouse <-thx 4 the visit!
Mad Quilter's Disease
In The Boon Docks

Here's the rest of the show!
Don't forget to tune in each day!

Thursday, September 4
Grandmama's Stories

Thursday, September 11
Quiltscapes

Friday, September 12
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Thursday, July 24, 2014

College Days Blog Hop - Tickle Those Ivories Tutorial

COLLEGE DAYS BLOG HOP
Welcome to my day!

Thank you
Soma of Whims and Fancies
for organizing such a fun hop...
hopefully you've been following along...
such amazing blocks!

I relived so many sweet memories of my college days
as I worked on my 10" block to share with you today.
As a "Music Major" there was no doubt
my block would "sing"....


My 'instrument' was Voice...
I remember a few semesters of opera....

4 years of singing with friends....

I loved playing the piano...
although I was a much better singer...
than a tickler of the ivories.

However, it's a lot easier to imagine a block with a piano theme....
after all...I didn't think an applique of "vocal chords" held that much appeal!

This is an extremely photo packed tutorial today...
thanks for your patience...
it might take a bit to load...

(We could sing together while we're waiting...lol)

The finished block above and below
show my 10.5" block sitting on assorted prints...
this is just for the pics...

The block is made with two primary fabrics:
I've been saving a fat quarter of that grey music print
for just the right project.

For the white piano keys...

Little scrappies of solid black and dark grey are used for the black keys.

You'll also need a wee strip of a contrasting color for the 'shadow strip'
more about that when you get to that step.

Time for Class!










































***Note***
When stitching the 'corner'
you will notice I changed my 'stitch' setting to a straight stitch...
just a plain, regular ole straight stitch.
It took a little longer to keep switching back and forth...but worth it.
I zigged and zagged along the edge of the grey fab...
STOPPING at the "corner" with needle DOWN...
changed setting...stitched down the 'corner'...
pause with needle DOWN...
turn around...stitched back UP the corner...
needle down...
switched back to zig-zag and continued the edges.
(sounds confusing...but when you do it...it's pretty simple)


Next you will need to prepare your G-Clef.
To print pattern for G-Clef
click the image above or HERE





Thanks for the visit!
I hope you will tickle the ivories soon!


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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

She Who Sews - Day 3 - Mary Pat and Me

Welcome to Day 3
of this 2 for 1 Blog Hop

Today be sure to visit all of us
"She's"
Who are Sewing


January 29
 Thimblemouse and Spouse (you are here)

I'm especially excited to share my blog post today with my dear friend
Mary Pat from Quilting Quietly.
Mary Pat joined in her first blog hop when we woke up with Kona.

 She is hooked!

 Last week I convinced her to play
with one of the great panels from the
"Handmaids" line by Quilting Treasures.

Being a very good "handmaid" herself...
I didn't have to twist her arm too much!

Lookie Look at the Awesome Organizer
Mary Pat maid made....

Did you notice the yardstick 'hanger?'
Isn't she just so darn clever?

Yes...there are pockets to hold stuff

To get inside Mary Pat's head and learn
a little bit more about her project...
PLEASE click HERE
to visit MP AND leave her a comment
on her very own page.

Now about those fabric bowls you may have noticed up above...
Let me tell you...
I had a BLAST making them!
I think I know what all my friends are getting for
Christmas this year....
They can hold stuff...
(and boy howdy...stuff I got!)

 Mary Pat and I Love our Stuff!

Or...if you just wanna have fun...
and who doesn't want to have fun????
You can....
Nest Them!
How cool is that?

 I found the great tutorial for these bowls...
or 'baskets' if you prefer....
at one of my favorite haunts....
A Spoonful of Sugar

I won't go into all the details of making these bowls
(the tutorial link above is really all you need)
but I'll share a few of my favorite bowl making tips!

You will need to make templates for different sizes...
I'm always on the run...
so I use "templates" on hand....

Besides....these templates are way more fun!

Instead of cutting out circles and then sewing/gathering....
I like to stitch on the marked line with the two fabrics and batting sandwiched together.
Now trim out the circle close to the stitched line.

Then I'll ziggy-zag around OVER crochet cotton
(remembering NOT to catch the cc...don't zag when you should zig)
and don't forget to leave
"tails" - you'll need them for pulling
your cc when gathering.
(of course a better photographer would NOT have cut
the Tails outta the picture...lol)

 Pull to gather and tie a knot to hold.
(and a better photographer might have even shown you the knot! ha)

Here was the first one finished....
Can we say
CUTENESS?

 You should give them a try...
you'll be addicted...
 and maybe your friends will all get them for Christmas too!

Now before I go...
I know you would be disappointed
if I didn't show you what happened to the little scrappies
left over from when I trimmed those circles.
Yes...I put the 'batting' bits in our dog/kitty bags...
But...
there were some perfectly good little "almost triangles" remaining...
and you KNOW how much I LOVE my muggie rugs......

Ta-Da!

I used up every bit...
including the yellow binding strip that was left over.

Now I can Sew & Drink my Coffee Too....


and Remember the Fun when
She Who "Sewed"

Thanks again dear Madame Samm
for yet another amazing blog hop challenge!
Be sure to visit
Sew We Quilt
to say sign up for some fabulous giveaways.
 AND....
visit our Cheerleader/ Heavenly Head Handmaiden
Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks
for the full blog hoppin' schedule
which also includes.....
some of the greatest Door Stops!!!

Lynn ~ The Thimblemouse >"<




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