I'm still here!

Just a quick note to let you know I am still around. I am just too busy to post most of the time. I barely have free time to craft and what little time there is for that has been Halloween costumes. I will have a tutorial up soon for the buntings, not that they really need one. They are pretty straightforward and most of the steps are already out in webland. But I did one anyway, since I had a couple of people express interest. :)

A somewhat recent project photo for you just for interest sake.

 This is a pillowcase that sadly was lost in the mail on it's way to a sweet girl going through a bone marrow transplant. Her mom has a sort of running joke that they are Ninjas so I made her a ninja pillowcase. So sad it got lost. :(

If you are interested you can read about her here:
https://www.facebook.com/ourlittletasteofheaven?ref=stream&hc_location=timeline
http://ourlittletasteofheaven.blogspot.com/

Hugs to you all and happy crafting!


 

Another pattern test and a pillowcase

Does anyone else get tired of thinking of post titles? Mine have been pretty boring lately. :)
Anyway...

I did another pattern test for Schlosser Designs. This one was a Sewing Machine Apron.

The pattern was great. Just one part when I was not sure what the instructions meant and Erin was quick to clarify. That is why she has testers! LOL

I did manage to stall myself during cutting when I went to cut the second fabrics and discovered when I was buying fabric I had skipped one. LOL Oops! I had to scrounge my stash and make it work. I also used some broadcloth in the project because it was the only fabric in the store that even remotely coordinated. I went to a store that has remnants and discounted fabrics. (I got the floral Michael Miller fabric for 2.98 a yard!) But because of that, their selection is really random.
I (and my machine) don't like broadcloth. It puckered and the iron sort of dragged on it and it stretched so I starched the heck out of it. Not fun. The white is broadcloth too, from ages ago when I was going to make a slip to go under my daughter's blessing dress. I never made it so I used it in this.

There is special fabric on the back to prevent it sliding off the table. Lots of pockets for "stuff" too.  It took me about 3 hours, not including cutting, to make it.



The thread bag is attached with Velcro for easy dumping and it has ties to keep it rolled for storage if you are like me and have to clean up your stuff after every sewing session.



You can get the PDF pattern at http://store.schlosserdesigns.com/product/sewing-machine-apron
And the Print pattern at http://store.schlosserdesigns.com/product/sewing-machine-apron-print-version


The other thing I made this week was an impromptu pillowcase for Littlest Miss.

We were at Target and she saw a throw pillow that had strips of fabric sewn down across it; really cute. She looked and it and said, " Mom, look a stripey pillow! You can make me one!"
That felt pretty awesome! Not: "You can buy this for me", but "You can make me one". Love it! So of course when we got home, she was gung ho to make the pillow. At first I was going to just duplicate the throw pillow, but then I thought that it would be more useful to just make another pillowcase and since her only criteria was that it be stripey, well, I was free to do whatever.

I had some scraps left from teaching the Personal Progress Folders (that I could have sworn I posted about but now can't find the post). I used the measurements from the last time I made the mini pillowcases except I took off some of the width of the band, which I should not have done, because the pillow sticks out. :) Oh well.

I just sewed the strips together and then used that new fabric to make the case. She loves it, so that is good! Personally I would not want to have my face laying on so many seams but she doesn't seem to be bothered.

Work In Progress Wednesday: April 25 2012

 It's Wednesday and I actually have a tiny bit of progress to share for Work In Progress Wednesday.  I am linking up at Lee's.

 First were towels for a birthday gift that were late, thanks to my klutziness with my sewing machine. Her favorite color is red and her blog name has banana in it, thus the banana fabric. :) I had to squeeze out the top piece on the gingham towel as I had barely enough fabric. The ribbon just fit through. It seems my red stash is sorely lacking.
I have one single towel un-decorated left in my stash. I may make it up for a gal here who is moving into a new house as a little housewarming gift. Also,  here is a little tip for these towels that my sister shared with me. Her oven does not have a handle that works with these, so she put them in her kid's bathroom so the towels stay on the rack in there too! Brilliant! :)

 


Then I cut binding strips for the 3 quilts I have quilted. This is really my WIP stuff. And UFO stuff.  I might even get them sewn and pressed by next Wednesday. Wouldn't that be something!




Next was another late project for the special edition of Friday Night Sew In. I was sure I had plenty of coordinating yardage to make several pillowcases. Nope. I just had enough for one. But one is better than none. ;)

 

And last was a project that was on my to-do list for a while. That became very obvious when I found the document I created from the blog post in several places on my computer. I have seen the cute drawstring bags on several blogs. The tutorial is at the blog "In Color Order", authored by Jeni.
Last week Susan at the History Quilter posted that she is making some for her boys so they have been on my brain. I had planned yesterday to be a sewing day and had intended to catch up on Sewing 101 lessons (which was also delayed by my klutziness) and also get my fabric out for the bag we are making. But the next lesson needed a printout (no toner in the printer) and the yardage I had intended to use for the bag, that I bought ages ago when it was being cleared out of my LQS, was in half yard cuts. Not going to work. I tried to fit the pattern and it was a no go. And I had nothing else in my stash big enough.  So Sewing 101 got put on hiatus. (Bummer.)

So I went into action with plan B. I grabbed some fat quarters, let my daughter pick a couple and made her a bag to carry her "stuff" in. It was fast and fun. The only thing that bugged me a bit, was that I would have liked to have known earlier in the tutorial that cutting 2 pieces for the exterior was not absolutely necessary. It was mentioned after the cutting instructions had been given, when she is telling you how to join up the 2 pieces for the exterior. That is a great asterisk point to put in the cutting instructions. YEP.

 Anyway... Littlest Miss likes her bag and has filled it with hot wheels and puzzle pieces and plastic jewelry.

FNSI caught up

I made a pillowcase today for Friday Night Sew In (2 days late). There would have been more, but I found that I had no other yardage that coordinated! Oh well.

A Special FNSI for April

April is going to have a special Friday Night Sew In, on the 20th,  with Heidi and Bobbi asking us to pitch in and help with a service project of  sorts. They are asking participants to make a pillowcase for Conker Cancer, a group that gives critically ill children a fun pillowcase to brighten their world.

I love making pillowcases, so I am going to try to participate. Will you?
You can read more about it HERE and sign up as well.

A couple of recent projects

Just  a quick post to share a couple of things I made in the last few weeks.
First was a pincushion using this tutorial from the fun Simply Charmed blog hop hosted by Melissa at Happy Quilting. I planned on giving it to my MIL for her birthday when she came to stay with our kids during our cruise. However, it did not turn out very well. From afar it looks okay, but there is glue everywhere and it did not fill up enough, and really, it just looks like a second grader made it. (No offense to second graders.) Much to my dismay, my kids thoughtfully showed it to her and she accepted the gift graciously. :) At least it is functional if nothing else. I just hope it stays together.

Cookie Cutter Pincushion

Bottom of cookie cutter pincushion

The other little project was a set of small pillowcases for my 2 year old. She had been using the sham I made on her toddler bed and that pillow is way too big for the bed. I saw some travel pillows at Target so I got her one and yesterday we made her some pillowcases. I let her choose the fabrics from my stash and I made 3 cases for her. She loves them and the pillow fits her and her bed so much better!
The measurements for making a case for a 14"x 20" pillow are:
Band: 8" x 30"
Body: 20.5" x 30"
Just use the tube method (tutorial tab) to put it together.

Her pillow next to my pillow and the other 2 cases. My mom made the gross/ hilarious Muffin Tops pillow case for me for Christmas.

Her little pillow on her  bed.

Work in Progress Wednesday: A Sneaky Peeky and some finishes.

It's WIP Wednesday again! After you check out my projects, head over to Lee's to get some great inspiration!
 

The main thing I have in progress right now is a baby quilt for one of my best friends. I debated about how to go about sharing this project since the recipient reads my blog, and I would like to keep it a surprise to some extent. She knows she is getting a quilt, but I don't want to share much more than that.
I decided to go with the picture of how I last left the project. You can see a tiny bit but really, it gives very little clue as to what it is. I have 2 seams in each block done. (The file folders are cast offs, thus the odd mismatched labeling. These are awesome for storing block pieces, if you have somewhere flat to keep them.)

I was also able to cross 2 projects off my WIP list! Yay!
First are the 2 tooth fairy pillows I started that needed to be stuffed and stitched up. I even got the blue one mailed off. The other one is just going to hang out in the gift box.
I used the tutorial on Sew Mama Sew to make these.

The other finish was the pillow sham I was making to match Littlest Miss's quilt from her Grandma.



Boy did it feel good to finish this! It was pretty easy to finish off, once I thought it through and jumped in.
I may share more about this later.

Completed tops hangin’ out:
Sliced Coins
Neutral Mediterranean

Need to start:
1 special doll quilt (urgent, Christmas gift)

In Progress
4 vintage sheet doll quilts
1 baby quilt

No progress in 30+ days (UFOs):
1 special doll quilt
Advent Calendar
Stockings
Tree Skirt
Cherry Sweet Road to Ireland – quilted & needs to be bound
Sherbet – quilted & needs to be bound
Bliss – Needs borders
Block of the Month
Hot Wheels - finish the plan find the black fabric
Skill Builder QA - catch up, way behind!
MOTP QA - sashing
SuperNova - make more than 1 block!
+ a few more...

This month's stats:
Completed projects -
1 pillow sham
2 burp cloths
2 tooth fairy pillows

New projects to start - 2
1 special doll quilt
Table topper to put under my TV.

Pillow Fight for a Cause: Fourth Pillowcase

The other girly pillowcase I made for this:

 

This one is my favorite. I had a hard time putting it in the envelope.  I am sure someone will love it as much as I do!

My sham is still sitting basted waiting to be quilted. I hope to work on it today. Toddler Bed Day is looming!

Now you all make a pillowcase (click here for easy pattern), donate it, and link up your case and any pillow project you have at http://www.ladybirdln.com/2011/06/pillow-fight-enter-your-pillow.html.

Oh, one more thing. I used the Post-it note technique to speed things up when doing the 1/8th inch seam for the french seams. It was so fast and so much straighter!
Just put a small stack of Post-its on the seam line on the machine with the edge that is glued together towards your fabric. Then your fabric lines right up and the Post-its help guide the fabric and stay straight! Cool!

Have a great day!

Pillow Fight for a Cause: Second pillowcase(s)

Today I made the boy pillowcases. Technically I could do separate posts for these, I guess, and get two entries, but that seems a tad selfish. :)

This is fabric from Michael's (I talked about it a bit in this post) and my son picked it out. We discovered that while they have some really fun fabrics, they are, in general,very feminine or floral. I also learned that our Michael's is a test store for the fabric. I hope they keep it. It is pretty nice fabric, if a little short on boy stuff.  It did turn out to not be so great for pillowcases because it wrinkles rather easily.

I bought a yard of each fabric, which makes 2 pillowcases. 3/4yard for the body and 1/4 yard for the cuff.

Both of these will be getting sent off to the pillowcase drive at the link below.

Pillow Fight for a Cause: First pillowcase

I made my first pillowcase to donate to Malynn's Pillow Fight yesterday as well as started my pillow sham for the toddler bed.

The donation pillowcase

I used the Roll it Up pattern from All People Quilt to make the pillowcase. They are so fast and easy! I have one more girly one to make, (it is rolled and ready to sew), and 2 boy ones that are still yardage.
Come join in and help Malynn reach her goal!

Click here to visit today's link up.

A new pillowcase cause!

Thanks to Kool Beenz for posting about this! I have friends who have been blessed by Primary Children's Hospital and I do love making pillowcases so I had to join in this one.
They have a contest to go along with the donations to make it even more fun. You can make a pillow and link it up during the dates set and get entered in the contest.
You can go to the link below to read about it.



The link up starts June 15th and goes through the 22nd so that gives us all plenty of time to make some fabulously cute pillows for whatever and children's pillowcases to donate!

Some finishes.

 First 4 blocks for the baby quilt. Just 3 or 4 more to go.

I made a pillow case for ME! It is cream and purple. I know it is hard to tell in the photo. The band is a rich eggplant-y sort of purple and there are tiny purple flowers on the body.

Baby girl likes it. :)

Halloween pictures

Baby likes the Halloween pillowcase/treat-bag and her Abby book.



The big kids showing off their spooky costumes and ready for some treats.





On the hayride.