Halloween cats, spiders, candy corn & bats!

I just had to use this fun fabric with the cats in costumes but really didn’t want to cut it up too much.  So I used an oldie but goodie pattern from Thimbleberries.  Originally it was used with a fabric line that had an all over tree print…thus the name of the pattern “Tree Farm Throw”.  We’ve used this pattern with all sorts of prints ever since (thanks Cheryl)…so I knew it would be perfect for the cats!

Now I think I’ll take it to the shop with me today and if I’m lucky I just might get it quilted!  So drop in and visit if you like and see my fur friends up close!

It’s still Friday…right?

Well I was really torn today because there were two things I really wanted to finish.  So which would I do first…the one I should do or the one I wanted to do.  Now don’t get me wrong the “should do” I really wanted to finish, but the “want to” kept creeping in and pushing the “should do” aside.  So I did a bit of both and finished the “should do” before I let myself settle in and finish the “want to”.  Have I got you completely confused yet?
Let me start by saying my favorite season is Autumn and my favorite colors are…you guessed it autumn colors…reds, oranges, greens, golds and browns.  So when all these fabrics start arriving at the shop I’m like a kid hyped up on too much candy.  What will I do?  Which fabrics to choose first?  Will I do a project from a book or a pattern?  A new pattern or an old favorite pattern?  I think you get the picture.  Now last weeks project was the quilt-as-you-go placemats (in fall fabrics) from the book Fast & Furious Holiday.  They were so much fun to do I had to do another one from the same book…take a look.

It’s a table runner with pumpkins…it was also a learning experience.  Best to READ the instructions and not simply LOOK at the pictures and think you know what to do.  I LOOKED at the first picture and I SAW the four background squares on the pumpkin rectangles and thought “Oh yeah, sew corner to corner on the square, trim and flip it out.”  WRONG!!!  This will not give you the nice rounded edges for the pumpkins…good thing I have plenty or fabric!!  Everything goes together much easier once you read all the instructions before taking your rotary cutter in hand…I’m just saying.
So that was my “should do” (that I really did want to do).  So what was my “want to” that kept getting in the way??


I love mysteries but they have to grab my attention right away…this one did…good book!  So now I must get the next one in this series and I think my next project will have this fabric as the main print…


Cute Halloween print....any ideas what I have in mind?!

Fast…Easy…Done!

Last week, if you recall, I was getting ready to try a new charm pack but had to substitute a few charms with fabric from my stash…and got somewhat side tracked!  After my mess reorganization was finally finished and everything put in its proper place (please don’t open THAT closet!) I could start in on my project.  This was so much fun and fast and easy and as of 14 minutes ago…done!  If you’re like me and really need instant gratification try out one of Gudrun Erla’s quilt as you go projects.  As you’re piecing the top you’re quilting it as well…so when you’re done all you need is a binding.

The placemats came from the book fast & furious Holiday and I’ve already decided to do the pumpkin runner next.  From her first fast & furious book there is a baby quilt on the back that’s calling to me…I’m all about fast…easy…done!

Now I’m off to make some headway on my churn dash blocks…or should I start that pumpkin runner…hmmmm!?!

So what did you finish this week?

I think this should count…

…as a Finish it up Friday!  Yesterday I picked up this wonderful charm pack that I’d decided to make placemats from.  The pattern is in Fast and Furious Holiday by G.E. Designs.  OK, so I needed 38 charms and the pack came with 40…but you know how some just don’t “talk” to you…well I had to pull out 6.

Next step, find 4 more that would play nicely from my “beside the cutting table stash”.  This is where all the bits of leftovers go after I’ve finished a project and before they make it to the cubbies in the closet.  Without any trouble I found 3 right off the top…and then

I started digging (please note that there was a very large pile to the left and much more on top) and separating.

Still looking for just the right final 5” square!!

Well, since I started this I might as well finish all the piles…it was falling over anyway!  All nicely separated piles by color or type…ready for the cubbies!

So there we were…Rosebud and me…finally found just the perfect square.

Are you wondering where this is going or how it should qualify as my Finish it up Friday project?  Well, these piles didn’t make it to the closet until today!  So now I can “Start over Saturday” with those perfectly coordinated charm squares!!  Maybe the placemats will be ready for next week.

Going Green is Good

I found this tutorial on making reusable snack bags last week and knew I had to try it.  Her directions were very good but I did make a few changes.  You can make these bags any size you like and I did use PUL because it’s waterproof (and we happen to have it at the shop :).  I also cut the Velcro (sew in type) 1” shorter rather then 1/2” that she recommends.  Let me show you how easy:

Begin with 1 piece of fabric and 1 piece of PUL cut the same size…for the sandwich bag I cut 8” x 17”.  Put them right sides together and stitch the two short ends.

Now turn the piece right sides out and press.  Position the Velcro on each end (on the PUL side) and stitch in place…the walking foot is really helpful here because the PUL is fussy to sew.

Next fold the bag in half with the PUL on the outside sew the two sides…trim it a little bit if you like.  Turn right side out and top stitch so no raw edges on the inside and…

you have a sandwich-chip-cookie-fruit-snack bag!!  And because I used the PUL (polyurethane laminated knit fabric) inside it’s waterproof and you can throw it in the wash if you need to!

So that’s my Finish it up Friday for this week…I’ve made 3 already…stay cool and be cool!

Finish for a cause…

Well, since I failed to finish anything last Friday I felt the need to over compensate this week.  As you may or may not know we are collecting unstuffed pillows for “Camp to Belong Massachusetts”.  This is a camp in Western Mass where kids separated from their siblings due to foster care or adoption are brought back together for one week of fun.  During the course of the week the kids choose one of the pillows and then decorate, embellish and write whatever they want on it.  They stuff them and finish the seam before presenting it to their brother/sister.  So with this in mind I decided instead of doing up just a few…I made 21!  That should make up for last week…don’t you think?!  And I’m not the only one this week to finish many pillows…last count we have 54.

These are just a few of the ones I did.

So if you’re interested in making some pillows for this wonderful cause just click here and you’ll be transported to our website where you can read all about the camp and get the directions for the pillows.

Now I’m off to my sewing room to try out something new (for me) and if all goes well I’ll share next week…going green!

Drum roll please...

I had this quilt in mind earlier this week.  It's been done and in the shop and then back home, oh about 4 years ago...without borders.  I have a thing about adding borders...least favorite step in the whole process.  Perhaps I should just do "Quilts Without Borders" or start a group "Quilters Without Borders".  So without further ado, I give you "Cosmic Stars" from Cozy Quilt Designs.

I think this was the first time I used Bali Pops....that long ago!

How about the churn dash challenge you ask?  Well I'm not too far behind.  I should have 11 done for today and I have 10...not bad, but I'll let you know how that goes next week!!