Sewing Seminar - One Day Extension!

  A one day extension is gift to myself!  I have been sewing up a storm.  There were a couple of unexpected delays over the weekend, but they were overcome and I was able to head right to the sewing machine.  I did accomplish my goal of finishing two quilts, now they need to be bound.  That will be the goal of the weekdays and both bindings should be sewn on after work each day.  It's a very gloomy day outside so here is my attempt at taking some photos of my progress posted below.  This was the best one.  The back of this quilt is a cute little pig print pieced with a strip of yellow suns print.  The binding is a striped purple and white.  The front is a purchased pieced cotton fabric.  

 The selvage sections have taken a turn to another direction and I like this advance much better than the original plan.  I am excited to complete this and can't wait to show you all. 

Sewing Seminar!

  So this weekend, starting tomorrow morning, is my own sewing seminar!  I will be taking out a couple of quilt tops that are in my UFO pile to finally complete.  They are feeling a bit neglected and this will make each of them feel a bit better.  I am going to attempt to complete two - that is a reasonable goal.
  Also I need to get the camera out and take some pictures to post to fulfill my promise of showing the  finished selvage project from a couple of weeks ago. 
  All I have thought about this week is getting to my machine, anticipating the weekend to have free time to sew.  The projects are all in my head and now they need to escape as it is getting crowed in there!
   In the meantime here is pic of a piece of silk that I dyed a couple of years ago.  Using the fold and clamp method this is the result.  I like how it looks like windows in a building.  Hope you like it.  Have a great day!

The Silk City  Building

 

What do you do with selvage edges?

Selvage edges sewn together in long rows.

Even tiny pieces can become the start of something big!  The pieces in the middle were just large enough and colorful enough the use - I just couldn't send them to the rubbish bin.

Of course sometimes you need to cut the selvage wide enough to be able to sew it together - I was a little bit more generous with these edges because of the original project that they came from.

Here again are some tiny central pieces that were the beginning of this block.  As you can see I sewed these all together just going in circles, so to speak, until I was satisfied with the size of the block.

  So you have a bunch of selvage edges just laying around, just what do you do with them?  Why you sew them together to make a great piece of fabric.  Then you make the fabric into something useful or fun or perhaps something to hang as a piece of interesting wall art.  Sometimes you can even use it as a sew in non-stretch stabilizer on clothing items in seams that you don't want to stretch.  What ever you do with your stash of selvages they can be interesting challenges to find ways to use.  I myself am making runners for my table and maybe some hot-pads.  The pictures above show everything in progress.  This is a project that you can do a little bit here and there.  Before you know it you have a big piece of fabric that you might have otherwise tossed into the waste bin.  It will add color and visual texture to what ever you apply it to.  Check back to see what the finished product will look like, hopefully this weekend!

Fabriholics Fix

Now I feel better!

  Remember a few days ago my post announcing the delivery of my fabric haul that was ordered before the years end?  Well here are some pics of that haul.  This is from Craftsy and was a terrific buy.  It also was delivered one day ahead of schedule via the United States Postal Service - thanks USPS and Craftsy.  The larger purple floral fabric is a set of ten different pieces - love all the large florals.  The rest are charm packs and jelly rolls from designers  Moda, Riley Blake, Valori Wells, Tula Pink, Kaffe Fassett / Rowan, and Jennifer Paganelli. 

  My mind is going a mile a minute assigning each of these packs a project.  Some things you just automatically know what you are going to make when you see them, while others take some pondering over.  I see a lot of potential here.  
  The Moda is flannel and very soft, has great designs.  My husband asked if I was going to make some pajamas with this charm pack - of course he was only kidding ... but it is a thought LOL.  
  The Rowan is all polka dots - love the dot!
  The rest are florals with the exception of the Riley Blake jelly roll called Rolie Polie Peak Hour.  
  I have moved these aside though as I must finish some previously started quilt projects before I dive into these - kind of like my own personal rewards program.

Do check out the Craftsy site - you are going the love it.    
http://www.craftsy.com/blog/

Trivet for Christmas a Wee Bit Late

Idea borrowed from Moda Bake Shop- Herringbone Hotpads original design by Melanie Dramatic

  From my previous post Mini Strips Project, this is on of  the results. It came from a  forty+ foot long strip of pieced red and green fabrics.  There were some random fabrics of different colors just to break it up a bit.  The idea came from Moda Bake Shop blog and was quick and easy to do.  I gave one each of these to my kids and my parents.  They are nice, thick and big enough to put on the table to sit hot plates on.  You can match them with your table settings or make them seasonal.   Here is a link to Moda Bake Shop: http://www.modabakeshop.com/

It's here, it's here, Hooray!

Looking down at the foliage at the Gaylord in Nashville, which hasn't anything to do with this post except that it looks like natural fireworks.  Plus I thought that it would be nice to have a picture with this post.

  My package arrived today! One day early in fact.  I ordered some fabrics and did not expect them until tomorrow, am I ever excited!  I can hardly contain myself, the fabrics are beautiful colorful big prints.-  along with some charm packs and a couple of jellyrolls.  My mind is already racing at the thought of just what I am going to make with these fabulous fabrics.  It's kind of late in the evening so I haven't taken any pictures of my delivery but I will take some over the weekend and do some show and tell.  So check back this weekend to see what came in the mail for me today.  By the way my goodie box came via USPS - THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE - in tact and again 1 day ahead of schedule.  THANKS USPS - good job.

Today's Sewing Doodle

  Today I just fiddled around on my sewing machine, kind of doodling if you will.  Sewing bits and pieces together that may or may not go, mostly using selvage edges- you know the edge of the fabric that you would normally through out!  However there are some interesting things that can come from what I have dubbed "rubbish bin rescues" such as this little diddy pictured above.  It isn't finished but will be soon.  I think it turned out pretty good, don't you.  I already know who is going to get this piece. 

Happy New Year 2013

Cathedral Windows

 

 

  Well we are officially beginning the Baker's Dozen 2013 of a new year, which by the way has nothing to do with baking.  Not quite sure what to resolve to accomplish but have several thoughts in the oven.  Save more, use less, use what I already have, be more resourceful, be more creative, finish more before starting more, eat less junk, get out more - on foot, sew more, paint more, dye more, read more, waste less time, bake more, cook more, see more, try new things (as in picture above), take less, give more the list is long, ambitious and varied.  Is your list the same?  Is it as "practical" as mine?  Today is the start ..

  Last year I did finish quite a few projects that were on the resolution list 2012 so I am pleased with that and I hope to do the same this year.  Setting a goal is the key, either with quantity or time as the measure.  Time is usually my meter - finding that it defines the boundary for me and gives me a realistic doable objective.  Completed projects clear the mind [and workspace] of mental and physical clutter - so that it can be filled up again!  This is what frequently happens with me - there is always a new project in my head waiting to emerge.  

  What are your goals, is the goal achievable, is there a finish line?  To help, divide your intentions into smaller parts like chapters in a book.  The book consists of pages that make up chapters that make up the book.  Do you see what I'm getting at?  Try it and see how you do.