Scrappy Sunday

     Today starts Challenge 6 of Project Quilt.  The theme is Charm Squares.  The top has to be made entirely of 5 inch Squares otherwise known as Charms. 

 

   I decide to not use a charm pack and go with something out of my precut stash.  A long time ago I got these floral 5 inch squares from a swap.  They are not much my style, so I have never used them.  

     To go with them I went to my scrap bin and found these cordinating fabrics. 

     I cut them all into 5 inch squares and here is the scrappy looking collection so far!!

 

Sewing Machine Mat

    I finally sat down today and started my sewing machine mat!!!! I am going to that class next weekend and I still haven't made one for my Janome yet.

     I looked at a lot of tutorials over the last few weeks and found none that really met my machine size, likes or needs.  I did not like the pocket hanging of the side as most had either.  I found one pattern on Craftsy that was close http://so-sew-easy.com/sewing-machine-organizing-pad/ .  So I took ideas from that one and designed my own!

     Over the last few years I have collected a good bit of sewing related fabric.  Sad thing is I have never used any of it until today. 

     I pulled out the fabric and decided which one I wanted on top.  It was this cute "Stay Calm" fabric.  

     For the backing I chose a black background with gray safety pins.

     The binding and scissor holder are made of a white stick pin fabric. 

     The Pocket fabric is a black Stick Pin fabric.  

     To make it I measured my machine.  I have a Janome Horizon. It is a fairly large machine,  the throat is 11 1/2 inches.   I decide to cut my mat 19 by 28.  This allows for a few inches behind my machine and a few inches to the left of my machine.   I wanted at least 6 inches up front and to the right of the machine.   This allows for the pocket to be placed and room for your pin holder.  

     If your not sure how much room you need, just lay your machine on your cutting mat in the manner you sew on a table with it.  Then add about 6-8 inches to the right of it and 2-4 to the left and rear.  You now have your mat dimensions.

 

     Cut two pieces of fabric and one piece of fleece or backing your desired dimensions.  Spray baste or pin the layers together in your desired method.  Now Quilt the layers in the design and method of your choosing. 

    Cut your binding.  Make it your normal binding width, (or use premade binding).  Add an extra 4 inches of length when cutting.  Iron your binding in 1/2.  Then cut the 4 inches off, this will be your scissor loop. 

     Fold scissor loop closed with the main side of the fabric facing each other.  Sew the scissor loop closed.   Push it back into itself so the main fabric faces the outside. Iron strip in half. 

     For your pen holder pocket, cut a strip of fabric 6 x 10 inches.    On the top side of the pocket do a rolled hem or folded over hem.  Find the area you want to start your pocket.  It should be approximately 6 inches in from the corner.  Pin the scissor loop under the start line so that a 1/2 inch goes over the planned stitch line. Sew along the stitch line at a 1/2 inch from the fabric edge. 

     For the pen pockets if you chose,  place pen in area.  Pin on the opposite side from the start line sew just on the right side of the pin. I did this twice. 

     For the bigger pocket area, I squished in the pocket edge to leave about 2 inches of excess fabric.  Just enough to keep it from gaping open.  Sew it down 1/4 inch from the edge of the quilted area.

     Bind the quilt in your desired method of binding.  

     Add the strap to your scissors and your done!!  You can do this with Velcro.  Sewing a loop on each end of the strap or string or just sewing it closed. 

(I forgot to take pictures as I went.  If there is enough interest, I will do another step by step photo tutorial). Sorry the photos are not the best.  In a temporary sewing space. 

Scrappy Sunday

     I love my scraps.  I hate waste!!  So every Sunday I am going to try to post a scrappy Sunday Project.  That will mean that I have to use a bit of my scraps each Sunday!  It doesn't have to be finished.  Just what I need to encourage me to keep using my scraps up!!! 

     Today I sewed up another Fabric Selvedge Block.  I am planning on making a big Selvedge Star Quilt.  It's just going to take me forever to sew up 24 Suares. 

Shangri La Big Charm Star Quilt

     Another Project Quilt inspired finish!!!  This time the theme was your favorite fabric.  Everyone knows my favorite fabric designer and a few know my favorite fabric.  Jason Yenter, Deco!!   The only thing is I can't touch it till my 2 years in the making EPP project is done.

      To choose my next favorite is hard.  I love all Jason Yenter fabrics!! My next 2 favorite lines are Shangri La and Paradise.  I have been using a bit of Shangri La lately and already have it out. Out of the basic fabrics I loved the teal of Shangri La, So my decision was made, Shangri La. 

     I love the patterns and colors that Jason puts into his fabric. They are sooooo vibrant!!  The repeats are wonderful for EPP.  Each collection has several color ranges that all blend together.  If you follow my blog you have seen me use the blues of the Shangri La collection lately.   If I had to chose one fabric of the collections, it would be the base fabric.  Here are the 3:

      In this quilt I decided to use just about all of the collection. There are 24 different fabrics in this quilt.  I couldn't decide what to use, so I used most of what I had.  I have issues cutting into my Yenter fabric so I was proud that I cut into so many different pieces! 

     A while back I decided I was going to make a Big Charm Star Quilt from the Missouri star video.   The quilt is made of charm packs.  Oh how I wish In The Beginning made Charm packs, but they don't.   So I cut my own.  

     The quilt is made using **** charm squares and a big star.  The big star is made from six, 9 inch stars.  Four from the teal and 2 pink.  

 

     For the charm squares they were laid out as follows: Two rows of 12 across the top,  five rows of 2 on the left of the star, 5 rows of 5 on the right of the star and Twelve rows of 9 across the bottom.  I miss counted and only have 8 rows. 

     The star was made by putting two of the 9 inch teal squares together and sewing a 1/4 inch sean around all the sides. Then putting a pink and teal square together and sewing the outsides if this also.  Do this twice.  Next, cut the squares into triangles, this is done by cutting each square from corner to corner.  The cut is just like an "X".  Lay out the star and sew it in rows, then sew the rows together.  This was actually an easy process.  

     I decided to add 2 borders to the quilt.   The first of 2 1/2 inch teal.  Then a 4 1/2 inch Pink Blender.  This makes my largest quilt I have made for Project Quilt yet, 65x80. 

     For the backing,  I sewed 2 pieces of material together.  A pink blender and a black and pink floral. 

     I like a thicker binding.  I cut one of the main fabrics into 2.75 inches.  I machine sewed it. 

     I am taking a Craftsy free motion quilting class by Leah Day.  I am watching a section of the video before each time I FMQ.  I am then practicing the pattern she is teaching in my quilt.  In this quilt I used three.  

     For the inner star and teal boarder I did a continuous twirl pattern.  

     For the Pink part of the star I practiced my first Paisley's.  In the corners I did single paisley's and in the centers I did triple paisley's.

     In the charm section of the quilt I did continuous Paisley's all the way around from the boarder to the star. 

     This is the most detailed I have been with my FMQ in a quilt this large.  It's not at all perfect, but I like how it turned out!!

    My quilts are always earmarked for someone else before I finish.  I think this one will stay with me.  At least for a while!  

     

March Goals

     This month I get to go to something exciting!!  My first Quilt meeting!!  I joined the Quilters of SC last year and have not been able to go to a meeting yet.  But I did go to thier retreat last spring.   Not only do I get to go to the retreat, but I am going to hear Kimberly Einmo speak.  Then I get to go to one of her classes on Sunday!! Sooooo excited.  More about that later. 

     One of my goals this month is to make a sewing mat for my sewing machine.  I keep saying I am going to make one and haven't.  I found a neat pattern for one here:  

http://so-sew-easy.com/sewing-machine-organizing-pad/

     I think I might base mine off of that!  I didn't want to make a mat that hung over since I know that every seating area I go to is going to be different.   

  Back to my goals!  I almost met my goals for Febuary,  so I am going to try hard to meet my March goals!!!

    There are 2 project Quilt challenges left for the year and they both due this month.  One starts today!! 

    For Ahhhh's I want to finish the small diamond one I have been working on for months!!  And maybe one more!! 

     I am going to do the Pantone quilt challenge.  I want to finish the star center of one of my tops by then.  It will all be paper pieced. 

     I also need to also do a commissioned tshirt quilt.

     I know that's a lot,  so I am crossing my fingers to finish!! 

     Here is my list of goals for 2015 and where I am at. 

1. Scrappy Quilt around the World

2. String Quilt- 12 blocks done

3. Crab Quilt 

4. Jean Scrap Quilt

5. I spy boy quilt- cut

6. I spy girl quilt

7. Christmas I spy quilt

8. Christmas tree quilt- done

9. Civil War quilt

10. Batik quilt- done

11. 2 inch quilt

12. Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt 2013- I think I am only going to finish the parts I started. 

13. Feed Sack quilt

14. Autism Quilt

15. Crown Royal Quilt- All cut and sewing started 

16. Herbie scrap quilt- Shawn 

17. Bejeweled quilt

18. All Project quilts

19. Yenter Star quilt- working on

20. Anna tshirt quilt

21. Brad's wedding quilt- fabric cut

22. Tree skirt

23. Ahhhh Quilt- finished 3 this year. 

     This should be enough for a hopefully uneventful month!!!

February Finishes

     

     It's time again to post about a year of libel finishes!!!!   In February I finished just about everything, except my Ahhhh's will have to make that up next month!!

     My 2 Project Quilt challenges I finished were,   Charles Heart and The Rain Boot Strip Quilt.  

     I didn't finish any Ahhhh's for my Ahhhh project, but I finished the first star of my "Stargazing" quilt! 

     Here is the one Ahhhh I finished this month,  #52, peaks and valleys. 

     I also finished a top out of all Hexies for the Quilt By Hand Challenge! 

      And I almost forgot!!! The Pat Sloan, Hip to be Square Challenge finish!!

      Now it's time to think about the goals I will set tomorrow for March!! 

Scrap Hexie Flowers

     A few months ago I joined a new Facebook group called "quilt by Hand".  This group is for all skill levels to learn and share about hand quilting methods. 

     Each month the group has a new challenge.  This month the Challenge was to try something new!!  After last months Challenge I had a good bit of scraps left.  I knew just what to do!!  Hard to believe, but I have never done a Hexie only piece.

     For Christmas I received a Hexie punch by Fiskar.  The punch makes 1 1/2 inch inch sided Hexies out of whatever material you punch them.  I literally use my junk mail and office supply trash.  

     Since I had a month worth of pieces all I needed was a plan.  Of course I went to Pinterest!  I saw these Hexie flowers with little embroidery flowers inside.  I thought this would be a good project!!

     Then I cut out and glues my fabric onto the Hexies.  No fussy cutting this time,  I was using scraps.  

     I then put the Hexies up to the White material and decided that it wasn't going to work.  I auditioned black and yellow Yenter blender fabric next.  With my friend Tonya, I decided to do yellow centers! 

     All of the scraps came from only 2 pieces of fabric.  I separated out the ones with like color or patterns.  I then separated them into groups of the 6 pieces that were most alike.  Bagged them up and commenced to sewing Hexies.  

     There ended up being 16 Hexie flowers.  I tried to lay them out in different ways.  In the end I only liked a big triangle and or a diamond shape. After playing with the layout I decided I liked the diamond best.

     I have sewed lots of Ahhhhs and have only sewed a few together. Sewing batches of Hexies really still seems odd. I feel like I am always crushing a piece. 

  

    This is my first top using only Hexies.  The colors blend a little too much maybe,  but I love how this has turned out using just scraps!!!