Recycled Clothing and Stash Busting

In an earlier post I mentioned that I had gone searching for a few bibs I had made. While searching, I stumbled on a box of clothing that I had saved for future projects. Had no idea what I was going to use them for, but I knew the fabric was just too good not to use. What you see on the left is the back of a wonderful linen tank top that I got bleach on the front of. I loved the rust color and the weight of the fabric, so I decided to make a purse out of it.

I embroidered two simple designs on the fabric, cut out a big rectangle, cut the lining from another very old linen shirt, threw a zipper in, hung an old bead from the zipper, and I had the purse that you see at the top of this post. The purse was literally made from two old, useless, discarded shirts!

I was so pleased with the first one that I got to digging, and found some old purple velvet, embroidered two designs on it and ended up with the bag you see on the right.

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Then I found some black velvet and yes, you guessed it. I made a black bag. I just couldn't stop - these are just too easy! So, the reason I am posting photos of these items is to remind everyone that from our stash and Goodwill bag, we can really make some useful, beautiful items for little to no investment!

Yes, I am a bit Obsessive Compulsive, so I made one more bag. This one is made from a small scrap of blue canvas I have had for years and years. It was so dusty I had to take it outside and shake it like mad before I could even iron it! Was it worth the bother? I sure think so!

One Thing Led to Another...

You know how one thing just leads to another? Well today, for me, is a perfect example of how this happens and even the best laid plans can go astray. It all started last week when I stopped by my favorite fabric shop in Key West, The Seam Shoppe. It is located on Truman Ave and I have been going there for 15 years. That store always puts a skip in my step - they have the best batiks and island prints anywhere! As luck would have it they carry my Quilted Toddler Bib pattern and I needed to stop by and pick up some fabric to use to make a sample bib for them to display in their shop. The bib to the right is the sample I made for their store. Then, as is often the case when I begin to sew, one thing led to another, and another, and another, and that's why I didn't get any laundry done today.... isn't it?

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While I was sewing the sample for The Seam Shoppe, I remembered the fabulous citrus fabric I had bought there a while back and I decided to make my darling Granddaughter, Lucy, a bib with the remains of that fabric. Isn't it grand?

Here is the back. I love it!

And then, as luck would have it, I had just enough left over to make Lucy TWO "drool bibs." Here is one of them.

And when I finished the drool bibs, I remembered the fabric I had left over from the aprons I made my daughter and her girls for Mother's Day, and, well, that led to this bib here on the right ------->

Then I remembered another sample I had made for a machine embroidery website, so I started digging through boxes until I found that bib so I could include it with the other bibs I had made today. I couldn't send the box without this one in it, right? You wouldn't believe the stuff I found while hunting for this bib.... but that's another post entirely...

So all of that is why I didn't get any laundry done today. Or dusting. Or bookwork. Or the newest pattern uploaded to the Library of Congress. One thing just led to another...

Hey! How did Lucy's photo get on here? Now that it's on here, I certainly can't delete it.... Isn't she darling? Just look at those eyelashes!

Swap Blocks!

I have definitely been busy working on swap blocks for my local guild, The Procrastinating Quilters. The gals that run the swap sure keep us in stitches (couldn't resist!). The Flip Flop blocks really caught my interest, since that is my shoe of choice.

I generally make 12 blocks to swap, and then 12 to keep, but with the Flip Flops I did three of each, keeping one of each set of three for myself. If that didn't make sense, what I meant to say was that I made six for myself and 12 to swap. When I get the 12 swapped blocks back I will make more for myself, filling in with Flip Flops that are the "missing" color or style that I think my quilt needs. I machine embroidered all the embellishments onto each block. That's why there are only 18 total blocks. Machine embroiderers will understand the design placement nightmare I created for myself with that one....
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.....I liked the paisley the best...


And my goal this month is to use up some of my green stash, because it is taking over the house. I tried to use only green fabric for the flips. Somehow, after I was done the green section seemed to have gotten larger. Go figure.

Each time we swap there is an appliqued block pattern and a pieced block pattern. For this months swap I decided to do both. The pieced block was to be red, white and blue and as luck would have it I know someone who has his birthday on the 4th of July. Odd thing is, I have never made him a quilt. So, below are the 24 blocks that shall be the beginning of the "Little Fire Cracker Quilt." I have some paper piecing patterns, and some other cute red, white and blue blocks that I am going to scramble up and use to make my little fire cracker his quilt.... one day.

The Happiest Mother's Day!

Now that I am a grandmother I realize that the greatest gift you can recieve on Mother's Day is to see your own daughter become a wonderful mother.

My goodness, how time flies. Wasn't it just a few years ago that the only food Nik would eat was green beans? I am sure it was just a year or two ago that she refused to go to school until every "bump" was gone from her hair? It sure feels like just a few months ago we were praying as she drove out of the driveway alone for the first time, hoping that she wouldn't kill herself or anyone else on the road? I am certain it was just a year or two ago that we had to leave her crying in the hall of her dorm at Kent State? Now she is raising our grandchildren with such amazing skill and poise that we couldn't be more pleased.

Every day Nik is making the most wonderful memories with her girls. They do crafts, they bake, they play games, they have sleepovers... While looking at photos of a recent "baking day," I came up with an idea to make baking days just a little bit more special at their house.

For Mother's Day I made my daughter and her two sweet girls matching aprons. I found a great apron pattern, modified it a bit, and here is what I came up with. It makes me smile just to think about the three of them in the kitchen all decked out in their aprons, chatting away while they stir the batter....

Oh, and a fun side note. The buttons I used on the aprons are from my Great Grandmother's button stash, which somehow (in my mind, anyway) grants them some very good energy!

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

First Hand Applique ~ Done!

So here she is. My first guild challenge, and my first hand applique all finished! The tip of my middle finger on my right hand may never regain it's pain free existence, but I am pretty pleased with the results. I actually think I will do another hand applique project when I stumble onto a project I like.

As I had stated in a previous post, this was the President's Challenge from my local quilt guild, the Procrastinating Quilters. It is titled "The Paint Chip Challenge."
Here are the paint chips that were in my sealed envelope. I think I did pretty good on the fabric choices, but we shall see...

Here is the back of the quilt. I spent an eternity quilting this puppy. I really got excited as it started coming together and I could see the patterns on the back unfolding....

And yes, though I always drag my feet, the rules insisted on a label, so here it is...

And here is where my quilt shall sit. Don't you think it is the perfect place for a "glass tea party*" with my granddaughters?

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*"Glass tea party" is what my granddaughter, Madelyn, calls her tea parties when she gets to use the real china tea set.

A Sweet Slice!

I am taking a bit of a risk here, but what the heck. I like to live on the edge and I love to show off so hopefully I am not giving my identity away to my Secret Pal.... In my quilt guild, Procrastinating Quilters, we do the "Secret Pal" thing. It is the first time I have ever done this, and I am having such fun with it! I am hoping my secret pal doesn't read my blog because I simply have to share what I made for her for her birthday. Her birthday is today, Easter Sunday.







MY secret pal found me the most recent issue of Quilts and More, Spring 2009, and in it was a pattern for this pincushion called Sweet Slice. It was "easy peasie lemon squeezie" to make and what a wonderful thing it is! It is filled with "Ground English Walnut Shells" which I bought at PetSmart (never even heard of the stuff, since my husband and I don't have a need for reptile bedding....). This is what the directions called for and I was totally amazed at what a wonderful, perfect, filler it is. The natural oils in the walnut shells keep the pins from rusting and it makes a very stable pincushion. I am going to make myself one next. And probably another for a special quilter I know...




Also, if MY Secret Pal is reading my blog, I have to tell you that you are wonderful! I love everything you have given to me! When you gave me the most recent issue of Quilts and More, I was ecstatic. I had just gone to JoAnns and this issue was sold out and I thought I was going to have to buy one on ebay because this would have been my first missing issue in years and years! Also, I love the pattern and fabric, and everything else you have gifted me with and I especially LOVE Mary Ellen's Best Press. I am way too cheap to treat myself to that and now I am hooked! Love it! Thanks so much...


YUMMY!!!!

Stepping Outside of My Box - Hand Applique

I belong to a wonderful quilt guild, The Procrastinating Quilters. Our president, Cathy Starman, has come up with a challenge she titled "The 2008 Presidents Paint Chip Challenge." I was so excited to get involved. Each member who accepts the challenge is given a closed envelope with three paint chips in it - you don't get to choose the colors. My paint chips are shown above, but the color in the photo isn't true. The real colors are a very warm grey, a pretty pink and a very light blue grey. Not seeing the colors before you choose your envelope allows us to step outside our comfort zones in the choice of fabric colors. There are also size restrictions. The perimeter of the quilt can not exceed 100 inches and must be no smaller than 60 inches. In the spirit of stepping outside our comfort zones, I decided that after all these years of quilting it was high time for me to try hand applique. As you can see in the photo above, I have started the project. I based my challenge on an applique quilt pattern I had saved for years from an old magazine. Thankfully, I had to modify the pattern because it was for a bed quilt and that didn't fall into the size limitations. Thank goodness I didn't have to make it bed size because my grandchildren would be out of college and I would still be working on the hand appliqued flowers! What you see above is the first of four flowers. It took me longer to sew that one flower down than it did for me to piece and cut the entire top. The flower isn't even done, as the center circle hasn't been applied yet. My goodness, do I have new respect for hand appliquers. I have machine appliqued hundreds of designs, and I must say, this IS quite the challenge for me. I am using the freezer paper method where you iron the freezer paper template onto the right side of the fabric and then turn the seam allowance under using the needle. What a sadistic process! I will post photos of the finished project or the entrance to the insane asylum I am residing in, whichever comes first....

There has been some fun and excitement in my life recently. My Grandtots came down to sunny Florida to visit Grandma and Grandpa with their parents. They stayed for 2 and a half weeks and it was glorious! Above is Little Lucy, who took quite well to the beach life. Below is Madelyn who, as you can see from the photo below, loves the water. That photo was taken at the Florida Aquarium's little water park for the kids. What a great place that it! The Aquarium is in Tampa and if you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a visit. There is something there for everyone!