Garden Flags

Spring has sprung and the flowers are planted.  Now if it would just stop raining and give them some sun to grow.  What better time to do some sewing for the outside.   Nadine Knecht had created a garden flag for her front porch and my daughter saw it and asked if I would make her one also.  And she asked if I would make one for a friend that just bought a house as a house warming gift.  I thought that was  a great idea.

The split letters are from:
http://www.embroidery-boutique.com/split-tuscan-applique-alphabet-4-5-6-7-and-8-inches.html 
and the "Welcome" are a font built into the Pfaff machine.





At the big box sewing store in the home fabric department I found non aerosol  fabric sprays by Forcefield.  I used UV SunBlock and Fabric Protector.  I sprayed them first with the UV SunBlock to prevent fading and then used the Fabric Protector to waterproof them. Let them dry between coats.  They were a little pricey - but use your coupons.   We'll have to wait and see if they work!

These were an easy, fun and fast project to do!

Cutwork Linen Dresser Scarf or Table Runner

 From fun and fast to  fussy and slow.   We use to call these dresser scarves.  Now they are called table runners.  They were on every dresser in our home when I was growing up.  My mother loved these especially the ones with the light brown stitching thread that were Maderia.  She had them every shape and size and some were white with light blue stitching. 

This cutwork design is from the Secrets of Embroidery website in the Oh Sew New shop and is called Victorian Rose:

http://www.secretsof.com/content/3778

It took many hours of stitching to get this done.  For those not familiar,  It is done on an embroidery machine.  You place water soluble stabilizer which looks like a light weight fabric in the hoop and place the fabric on top.  The machine stitches an outline where the holes are.   Then, you trim the fabric from inside that outline without cutting the stabilizer.  The machine then finishes the design in a satin stitch around all those holes. Because there is still stabilizer under the holes, the machine can stitch those bars across the holes to hold them together.  When it's all done, you wash the fabric and the stabilizer dissolves away leaving the holes. Each end is done in three hoopings on my Pfaff Creative Sensation.  Using the precise positioning utility, I was able to snug each design right up to the next one with no gaps between them.  Three hoopings down each side and then another three on the other end.  The challenge was to have it the same width when I got to the other end after doing the sides so there was no gap or crowding.

I love it and wait to get more linen and do some more.

 These little doilies were each done in one hooping.  I was experimenting with colors.  The round ones are only about six inches in diameter. Aren't they cute?

This a sample of a project to come!

Heirloom Pillowcase

I love doing heirloom sewing and needed a wedding present for my cousin Jim and his lovely bride Lorraine.  Jim and I have been researching our Irish heritage  so of course they needed to have green and shamrocks in the design.  I found this beautiful Egyptian cotton fabric and added a fancy band and monogram.   The scalloped edging is from a Martha
Pullen embroidery collection and done in the endless hoop.  To complete the fancy band, I added an embroidered cotton insertion, tucks and embroidery from the Pfaff collections.  I hope they enjoy them for many years to come. 

They liked them!! I picked the right color to match their room.


When I saw a pattern for these cute "pie" hotpads, I immediately thought of my sister-in-law Loy who makes a zillion pies every year for her church pie sales.  There was a kit available to purchase but I just winged it and  I think they are adorable.  They have a layer of Insul-Brite to make them heat resistant.  Keep on baking Loy - your pies are super delicious!

 

Breast Cancer Quilt

I wanted to make a quilt that was pretty pink and didn't "SHOUT" Breast Cancer.  A few months ago, I developed a "need" to make a Breast Cancer Quilt.  Did you ever have that feeling that you just needed to something?   I had to do it.  Now many of you know that I have not been a "quilter".  It's kind of a running joke.  I actually do quilt, but just small items.  This is my first larger quilt which is lap size. I wanted to make a quilt that would make a Breast Cancer patient feel pretty because as I know, your don't feel very pretty when you are going through chemo.  I think that I accomplished this.  From a distance, it's just a pretty pink quilt but up close it has all the elements that subtlety say Breast Cancer.   I found the fabric at Pucky Huddle Quilt Shop in Candor, NY. A fabulous little shop run by a wonderful Mom and daughter.  Too bad it's and hour and a half from here.  The fabric is from Timeless Treasures Love and Hope collection.  The pattern - well, I made that up. The light pink fabric has a Breast Cancer embroidery design and the other plain blocks have the outline of the Breast Cancer Ribbon as part of the quilt stitching.  The backing is a nice soft and warm pink flannel.  This quilt will be donated to the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of Central New York as well as the other items shown below. 

 As a seven year Breast Cancer Survivor I have been honored by Carol Baldwin to have a Lecture Series awarded in my name and to be presented at "The Night to Remember Gala" at the Turning Stone Casino on May 11.  A  Grant has been named for Susan Buckley, the mother of my co-worker and my friend  who unfortunately did not survive. We were diagnosed within days of each other and had become each others support.
 This is my way of giving back. 

Information on the Gala is at:
 http://www.findacurecny.org/

So I thought why stop at this quilt and I made just a few more things:

These little wrist bags were made from scraps from the quilt and other bits and pieces of fabric that I had.   My daughters carry very large bags - that of course I made for them - and they like these little wrist bags  to keep their wallet in for a quick trip into a store.

 I LOVE these  purse organizers which on the inside have a pad of paper and pen on one side and a calendar on the other side.   Under the calendar are slots to hold credit cards, appointment cards and insurance cards.  When you are going through Breast Cancer therapy, there are so many appointments to keep track of and questions to be asked of the medical staff.  Here it's all in one little bundle.   I used a few ideas from items I had seen and designed this to fit the needs of a patient. 

This pillow is an embroidery pattern that I found by Connie Palmer called "My Mom and Friends".  It's a machine embroidery and applique pattern featuring words of encouragement.  It's just nice and soft and snugly.

I'm donating all these items to the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Foundation in hopes that Carol and  Beth will be able to pass these along to women that have been diagnosed with Breast Cancer to make them feel pretty and loved and know that we are here and care about them. 

Here we are into April already and today is a bright sunny and warm day.  We haven't had to many of those so far this year so it's a nice change to have a few windows open.  The daffodils are starting to bloom and I love seeing the Spring flowers springing open.

As usual, I've been sewing my heart out.  I had a chance to take another heirloom sewing class with Deb Yedziniak  and made this beautiful camisole with lace insertion for my daughter.  I also made these beautiful pillowcases.

My New Best Friend - for Sewing

As promised, here is my newest tip for sewing I'd like to share.   If you had told me a few years ago, that I would be using glue instead of pins, I would have said that you're nuts.  Turns out, glue is great for pin basting.  That's right - glue instead of pins - in certain circumstances that is. There are lots of good glues for sewing on the market.  You need to make sure that it is a water soluble glue - that it will wash out of the fabric.  I first used Roxanne's Basting Glue on the Heirloom Christening dress that I made a year ago for lace joining on the fancy band.  It comes with a long slender pin point stem to put down just little drops of glue. Place your second fabric piece on top and touch with an iron for instant drying.  With a slight tug, they will come apart if you need to reposition the fabrics.  I found some great videos on You Tube by expert quilter Sharon Schamber.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2hWQ5-ZccE     She uses the glue to attach the binding on quilts instead of pins.  Think about it - if you glue down the binding to the quilt, it will stay in place and you can stitch the whole thing without having to stop and remove pins. She has some other great techniques too that I have found very useful and have made perfect miter corners with her techniques.   Use glue to attach rick rack and other trims.  If it's glued down it's not going to move around like it sometimes does with pins.    It's so easy - I love using glue!   You can also use the glue sticks that are found in sewing departments.  A new one that I recently purchased is a refillable glue stick pen by Bohin.  This is a little lighter glue than in traditional glue sticks and it has a light purple color so you can see where you've applied it.  I've used the Bohin glue stick several times to position my fabric in the embroidery hoop so it won't move when I start stitching.  The uses for Roxanne's glue and other glue sticks is unlimited. 

This is my first attempt at a video!!!  Here we go - - - - -

I've decided to shake it up a bit. I hope you've enjoyed viewing my projects and I've enjoyed making them and sharing with you.  Maybe I even spurred a little inspiration into one of your projects.  I will continue to share but I'm going to start sharing some of my favorite sewing tools, tips and techniques with you.  

First up - organizing your fabric stash!  How many of you have lots of fabric and it's in plastic bins or drawers and maybe - just maybe it's sorted by color.  How many times have you turned that bin upside down to find that perfect shade that of course is on the bottom of the bin. I wanted a better way - an easier way to see all - well almost all my stash.  

I found this idea of creating "mini" bolts.  I used heavy duty cardboard like those used for backers for collectible comics and magazines.  Mine are about 8" x 12" but similar sizes will work.  Lay the fabric on a table and fold the folded edge to the selvage edge.  Your fabric is now four layers thick instead of two. Starting at one end, lay the cardboard on the edge of the fabric and start rolling it onto the cardboard just as you would on to a bolt.  I fold the end on a diagonal and use a long pin to secure.  Make sure you tuck the end of the pin into the fabric so you don't catch it on the bolt next to it.   You could also use those clicky hair clips or even large paper clips. I've put several yards on one card.  

Arranging them on a shelf as shown in the picture below saved me a lot of shelf space with half full bins.  I need to find a closed cupboard or set of drawers so that they will  no get fade lines. 

Arrange them according to a color wheel or color spectrum.  

How time is flying by.  My last post was October 30 and here it is January already!  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's are  all behind us for another year.  The hustle and the bustle are over and we are back to our normal routine.  Even though I have not posted, I have been sewing - not as much- but I'm keeping up.  I'll show you a few things I have been working on. 

I found this fabulous pin whale corduroy and just had to make this beautiful little jumper for my granddaughter:

 Is this not the most precious photo. We had an unusually warm day in November and this was taken at Onondaga Lake Park.  This is Kira and Evie.  Evie's Mom and my daughter have been friends since they were about five years old and now they each have daughters to continue that relationship - BFF.  This beautiful moment was of course followed by Kira putting Evie in a head lock and taking her down followed by much crying!   Oh well, at least we got this shot!

Kira's jumper was so cute, I thought Evie needed one too.  This is green pin whale cord with an applied red and white ribbon. Her Mom was so happy because they had a family Christmas party coming up which was a perfect occasion to wear it.  Isn't she adorable!?

We found this felt Christmas tree on Pinterst and thought it was the perfect thing to keep little hands off the real tree.  It's like a felt board and they can move the ornaments around where ever they like.  It is held to the wall with 3M removalbe fasterners.  They had so much fun!

Another project one of the ladies found.  Felt hair clips all done in the embroidery hoop.  Aren't they cute.  They were found at
http://www.digistitches.com/

Here's another travel roll, cosmetic organizer that I made for a friend for a Christmas present.  She loves dragon flies so I embroidered them on the front of the inside pocket.  I love this fabric!

I'm still working on some of the Party with Patrick and Quilting Celebrations designs from Patrick Lose.   This Snowman is a small banner which coordinates nicely with the table runner I previously posted.  I LOVE the pillows with the ribbons all tied up like a Christmas package. - I in fact made three sets for gifts. Another small banner is the New Years Eve one with bright colors.   And finally - catching up - Valentine placements