30 September 2016

September the cushion month

I made a few cushions this month for some challenges, I wanted to make more, but you know, time, it wait's for no one.
First cushion that I finished is a really easy and quick make, saw a gal do it on Instagram for the Modern Makers Cushion Palooza and was like oohh.. I want to make that with the new Raindrop fabric that I just got.

Buttons are cut from the Selvedge on the Raindrop fabric, so cute.
If you would like to make your own Sprocket Pillow, it is a free pattern available at Cluck Cluck Sew
It was really rainy, for weeks, so this pillow had some magically powers and made it sunny again.  My daughter has claimed it as her pillow.
Rain, Rain Go Away, Come Again Some other day! I'm not a fan of rain, can you tell :)
Next up was actually a UFO/WIP I didn't finish it originally because I wanted to make the back special as well as the front and was trying to come up with something.
I decided on this, what do you think? Makes me think of a Stained Glass Porthole.
The kids fought over who would get to claim this pillow,
Katerina technically won, she is very good at wrestling, but since she got the previous pillow this one went to Nik.
Nik was excited to have won and even agreed to take some photos (rare occurrence)
I then asked if he could take a few photos with me holding the pillow, this is how that went.

 Me Speaking.
  1. Don't stand so close to mummy.
  2. Try to get just the pillow
  3. That's better, but try to get all of the pillow in the picture.
  4. um yeah I guess your done taking photos then huh?

This pattern is a free video tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Company, instead of the 5" pieces of fabric suggested in the tutorial I used 2.5", the pillow measures at 20" square, and I used a zipper at the bottom.
We took these pictures at an old abandoned stone house.
Next up is a labor of love, I had originally wanted to enter it into 3 different challenges, but was unable to finish it in time for the Selvage Challenge, that is okay because I originally got this idea from a gal on Instagram when she showed her #shapefamilychallenge pictures and I just loved how she made Hearts out of Paper pieces!
these hearts are made with
1 - 2" 6 Point Diamond and
2 x 1" Jewels
 When you put the hearts together they made a void in the shape of a star, SO I am calling this cushion Swirling Hearts and Stars.

I went outside again to take some new photos, does this one look better?

Originally I was only going to quilt the stars,
Only stars quilted
But it didn't pop as much as I thought it would, so then I quilted everything except the hearts, plus I really wanted to use my new Aurifil Brillo 739, it's so pretty and sews like butter!
Everything quilted but the hearts
I used some of my favorite prints with selvedges and some of my favorite designers got heart's around their names, don't worry I live to far away to become a stalker :)
I also mention my family, who lives in the USA
Okay I'll stop now, Picture overload! oh wait, let me show the back, had this picked out in the beginning for the selvedge challenge,
Insta Love fabric on front and selvedge on back
Envelope back, cushion is not stuffed yet, need to make a special shape for it and I'm out of fill.


Linking all 3 Pillows to Modern Makers Cushion Palooza
And the English Paper  Piecing Pillow that I showed last was made using the Hexie Shape Family from Tales of Cloth for their #shapefamilychallenge
Thanks for stopping by!

22 September 2016

Strawberry Goody Goody Binding Kit

I just heard about The Sewing Loft September Sew & Tell yesterday and I was like oohhh... I need to make something.
The Categories are, Tools & Technique, Sewing Shapes, Scrappy Fabrics and Handmade Gifting.  I thought it would be fun if I could make ONE thing that could go in ALL of the Categories, a true challenge right ;)
So I give you my Scrappy Strawberry Goody Goody Binding Kit,
This is a free tutorial available with Lella Boutique, I have made a few of these, in fact it is my favorite thing to give to a fellow sewing buddy (I will show photos of others that I have made at the bottom of this post).  It is so versatile, it was made as a binding kit to hold some chocolates or whatever while you bind quilts, but I don't do quilts, but I do do English Paper Piecing and love it to hold all of my little bits and bobs for EPP projects.
Goody Goody Binding Kit with Sewing Tools
Now these aren't just hexies these are special Foundation Paper Pieced Hexies, my next favorite thing to create, FPP!  So how about that 2 in 1, the little jar of Strawberry Jam is from Susi herself of Tiny Toffee Designs, are you slightly jealous, hehe, We were in a Hexie swap together and I got partnered with her, if you don't know her, check her out, she was just featured in Issue 37 of Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine.  
Scrappy Hexies
 I started with this bunch of scrappy hexies, some from Susi and some from Nicole @littlesewitall and a few I made.  I wanted to include a few more FPP EPP strawberry hexies and I used this pattern here.
When I do Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) I use this awesome tool called a Finger Presser, it saves me from having my iron on all the time. (which my husband would constantly nag me about) Also it is very good at not allowing you to "stretch" the stitches which you see some people do when they do FPP, the stitching should be invisible and not stretched.
I have 2 different sewing tool Finger Presser's one is Clover and the other a wooden one.
Sewing Shapes Challenge, all about hexagons!

 I wouldn't have been able to do these hexies since I was working on them at night with out my Mighty Bright light, I just got this 2 days ago, perfect timing from my friend Erin @sewathomemummy
Mighty Bright Light, like sewing in daylight.
Hexies are truly my favorite shape!
Aurifil Monofilament Thread is also a very helpful tool when putting Hexies together.
The stitching doesn't show at all when using Monofilament thread to piece your hexies together, so Scrappy!
Interior Goody Goody Sewing Kit, the way I like it!
Just need to add a zipper pull to my zipper.
I will be giving this Scrappy Strawberry Goody Goody Kit to a friend of mine who loves Strawberries as much as I do, here are a few other's I have gifted in the last year.
Went to a well known blogger that was pregnant last year and wanted to join the needlebook swap, but didn't have time.

I was a Fairy Tale Swap Angel (her original partner did not send her a gift) this was part of her package along w/ a mini.
For the NanaCompany Swap, made with Paperie Fabrics.
I  thought I had more, but can't seem to find them, but don't they make great gifts!
Linking to Show & Tell at The Sewing Loft

19 September 2016

Selvedge Binding Tutorial

Rainbow Selvedge Flange Binding for the Undercover Maker Mat

I recently made flange binding out of my selvedges, and I love it!  I thought I would share here how I made it.  The style of flange binding is nothing new, I love doing this type of binding because then I don't have to hand sew the binding on, hehe, yes I'm lazy.
You can find the Flange binding tutorial here and several other places on the internet.  There is a very detailed blog post that can be found here, with lots and lots of photos, I just don't like the 1" 7/16 fabric cutting to squirrelly.  Okay onto my little tip today, making the binding Selvedge Style!
Make your selvedge fabric
 First Make your selvedge fabric, if I had know I was going to be using selvedges I would have cut them more uniformly but most of these I had already cut, the larger chunk ones are freshly cut from Fat Quarters, they are 1 1/2" by 18" long.  I think cutting selvedges at 1 1/4" is a good size.
The top selvedge piece should have extra fabric and the bottom piece is better to not be a selvedge but instead just regular fabric, since when sewing end to end, the selvedge would be covered up on the bottom.
Place a piece of Fusible Interfacing down with sticky side up, I used Pellon SF101. Arrange your selvedges in a pleasing manner, don't overlap them to much this makes things bulky, but you also don't want any of the Interfacing to show otherwise it will stick to your iron, once the interfacing is completely covered, slowly iron the selvedges down, one strip at a time. 
Next sew the selvedges down to the interfacing for security, I switched between a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch.
Cut your selvedge fabric at 1 1/2"
You can tell here that my bottom strip IS NOT a selvedge fabric because when you sew the strips end to end if it was a selvedge it would be covered up.
I also had the bottom and top fabric hanging OFF of the interfacing by half an inch on both sides, in order to prevent lots of bulk, when sewing end to end.
Cut your Accent fabric at 1 3/4", and follow either one or the other tutorial's listed here (links will take you to a new page) Susie's Magic Binding  or Mitered and Flanged Machine Binding
Rainbow Selvedge Binding, All Alison Glass fabrics
 What did I make with my pretty Selvedge binding.
Sew, Eat, Sleep, Repeat Sewing Machine Cover with Selvedge Binding

hand quilting around each letter
 This quote is from a recent Elm Street Quilts QAL (quilt a long) I have reduced the pattern by 50% and changed the original word Quilt to Sew (I'm not a big quilter). You can find the original pattern on Craftsy and she has also made a alphabet pattern so you can make any word you want.
Under Cover Maker Mat with Selvedge binding
 This free pattern from Lillyella can be found here, along with her 3 different butterfly shapes, this is Pepper.
I made this to enter in her #undercovermakermatsal 
And after finishing it I was like hey I should enter this in the Selvedge Challenge going on with Stash Builder Box so here I go in entering it there as well. #selvagechallenge2016

 What will you make with your selvedge binding, it's so fun! #selvedgebinding