Children's clothes

Yep - still making those last minute gifts...

Even though Christmas was yesterday for most, it is tomorrow for me. That is when all my kids and grandkids arrive. The good news is that I have an extra day or two for sewing and then wrapping. I'm still working on some things for the two DGD's.

Both girls will receive Ottobre's "pants with frills" made with the Baby Nay stretch cord. These are pattern #14 from spring 2007. You can't tell in the picture, but the front pant leg is in two pieces so that the lower portion is gathered onto the upper portion. I like that detail for little girls. Also I like the slightly bohemian detail of gathering the lower hems. That way, I don't have to worry so much about pant length.


I didn't really take advantage of the fact that the fabric is stretch. But DGD #1 has two favorite colors - red and pink, so this is just the perfect fabric. Later I'll make jackets out of the coordinating stretch cord.


I decided to omit the frills from the pants and add pockets, using the coordinating stretch cord. I used the fussy-cut technique to cut out patches on the pattern. I tried to use one of those long plastic gizmos for inserting the elastic but it stretched the elastic so much I had to go buy new elastic. It may have been the elastic; it may have been the gizmo. The jury is still out on that plastic gizmo.


DGD #1 will also receive a wrap jacket from Ottobre's autumn 2006 edition (pattern #19). I made it with a very small piece of stretch velvet I bought in Leominster, MA (Sage Fabrics) last year. The ties are made from a fat quarter, cut on the bias. I used those cool tube-turning gizmo's to make them. Now that's a gizmo I really love.



It's so much fun to make these small garments. Everything looks cute in these sizes! I also have another small piece of pink stretch velvet from Sage. So DGD #2 will receive a jacket from that. I'm thinking of using Ottobre's spring 2007 pattern #5. It's just a little bolero with curved front pieces. It's not quite as current looking as that wrap jacket though. But it might be easier for a 21 month old to manage.

My Punk Rock Brother Sews

I had a great holiday and I hope you did too. I received a wonderful gift from the garbage this past weekend. We arrived at my mom's for our holiday celebration, I went immediately to her sewing room because that is were I tend to hide out during loud family gatherings, only to find it occupied by my younger brother. WHAT!! I adore my younger brother, he and his family are the subject of most of my personal photographic work, but time and alcohol have really separated us for the last 5 years.

He was sitting at a lime green Singer Sewing Machine, crowing over the fact that he pulled it out to garbage the day before and it would not even "turn over" (he is a mechanic) and now it was humming along. The machine is pretty beat up but his joy was so apparent that I was immediately draw in by his enthusiasm for sewing.

He had just finished his first pillow and wanted to make a shamrock pillow. We scoured through my mom's stash and found a great plaid and I showed him how to create a pattern with freezer paper so the curves would be easier and he was off and running, literally, his machine would not slow down, petal to the floor and no stopping for the curves.

By the end of the evening, the party was in the sewing room, it was amazing. My mom, my brother, my nephew (15 years old) and me all cackling away, giggling, sewing and having a great time. Fortunately, I brought some stuffing along to finish up the Cathedral Window ornaments because pillows were the project du jour. Brent finished up 3 pillows and Hadyn finished up a great looking hand / foot pillow.

Brent woke up the next morning saying he dreamed about a dress he wanted to sew. We were at his place yesterday and he showed me were he and Hadyn were going to set up a sewing room and he wants to come look at my fabric, he needs it all. There will be a trip to the sewing store in our future for notions, he needs lefty scissors. His birthday is next month and I know what I am getting him.


Not to be super cheese girl but seeing my brother sober and sewing was the best gift of my holiday.

Cathedral Windows and Yo Yo Ornaments

Handmade for the holidays is hard. 

This past weekend I was at a very slow show and I managed to make 120 plus yo yos to string into wreaths and I found a cool ornament in our holiday stuff that I made about 6 years ago using the  Cathedral Windows block. 

The yo yos are made using the large Clover yo yo maker, stringing about 20 of them together and tying them up tight.  I think they need some noise, like jingles or maybe just some ribbon.

The Cathedral Windows Ornament is a bit harder to explain but I started with 2 nine inch squares of fabric, which I sewed up like you would start a CW quilt. I need to refine them a bit but if there is an interest I will try to post some how to pictures.

UpCycling - Better than Recycling

At one of my Yahoo groups there has been a great discussion about UpCycling or using trash to make something even better. There are a lot of great artists who incorporate this idea into their art, Pablo Picasso pops into my head as one.

This past weekend we were gathering up our recycling to make a trip to the center and my DH mentioned he (me) would need to get his office gifts into order, in the past he has given tins full of candy. Earlier this year, like 2 months ago, I offered to use my SUPER COOL newest toy, a Grand Mark AccuCut, to make the boxes for him. As we were breaking down stuff to put in the truck he said, "Can't we use some of this cardboard you get fabric in for the boxes." I responded that the AccuCut would crush it, but I had an idea that the cereal boxes and the cola boxes would work. AND they did!! so here is some UpCycling for the holiday.

Merry Christmas world. Hopefully folks will keep these around after the holiday as a novelty piece but since DH works at a very environmentally conscious place I know if they end up trash again they will be recycled.

last minute gift - placemats

Not too long ago, I discovered a quick, satisfying project that allows me to use up some of my fabric without committing to a huge project, like a quilt. Placemats. It's a nice simple creative outlet for crazy times like December.

Materials (for 4 placemats)*:
1 yard quilt batting or flannel
1 yard for placemat fronts
1 yard for placemat backs
2/3 yard for binding fabric



For myself, I prefer to mix and match fabrics to create a funky dinner layout. But right now, I'm making those last minute gifts. So the fabric combinations aren't quite as off beat. I used red-and-green paisley for one side; Christmas trees for the other. The binding is shiny gold.

From each of the placemat fabrics and the batting, I cut rectangles that are about 15 X 18. There was no need to be overly precise, because after I quilted the 3 layers of each together, I squared up the corners before binding.

The quilting is really one of the best parts of this project. I put on one of my favorite December CD's - Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Chrismas Attic. Now this is an important aspect of constructing these last-minute-Christmas-gifts, so if you try this, be sure to select music you love.

I put some variegated green-and-red thread in the needle of my machine; gold metallic thread in the bobbin and inserted my walkin' foot. Then I just gently stitched waves down the length of each placemat, sometimes just rotating it at the end and starting back in the other direction. The goal is to have no goal. That is, I enjoyed gently guiding the fabric in long unplanned curves, allowing them to cross.

Then I stay-stitched about 1/4" from each edge and took it to my cutting board to square up the corners. I tried to make the placemats a consistent size - about 14x17. Then I cut the binding 2" wide because I didn't think I'd have enough of it to go with my usual 2.5" wide binding. I also made the binding single thickness, since this isn't exactly an heirloom project.

So now I have some hand sewing left to finish the binding. This is TV-watching or car-riding stuff. I have a bit of both coming up soon.

*When I have made the funky versions for myself, I need only about a fat quarter of each fabric. This is a fun way for me to use a small piece of fabric I just need to play with.

Cleaner, Greener, New Year!

In the spirit of handmade gifts, I have been giving my friends homemade cleaning products! What does cleaning have to do with sewing? Well I do believe most sewists (clean, can't call them sewers!) have some common traits. We all love fabric. We all love good food. We all love making things, whether it be dinner, clothes, quilts, cleaning products, etc. We all love being at home mostly because that is where our hearts are and our sewing machines.



A sewing sister showed me this book Clean House Clean Planet and now I am obsessed with making the perfect smelling, perfectly green, absolutely cheap, cleaning product. I do love being at home with my 2 girls and I want my home to be a haven and a safe respite from the crazy outside world. These products are made with common household ingredients, mainly baking soda, vinegar, and casteel soap. They are non-toxic and won't bleach the clothing I work so hard to finish. They are scented with essential oils. My latest is a mandarin and clove scented all purpose spray. It makes my kitchen smell delicious! Best of all, they really do work. The soft scrub type product is fabulous and I don't have to worry about traces of it left in the tub harming my kids.

So why not give the gift of a clean, green house this Christmas? You can add a little apron to your bottle and if really motivated, machine embroider the ingredients on it! Have a clean, green, and perfectly non-toxic Christmas!

Made by Others !

Cool Stuff I purchased at local artist sales.

I don't know who the artist is on these pots. I will take a look see on their bottoms.

Love this bug!! Kathy Walton is the artist name.

Need to look up this artist too. These were actually purchased for my 10th anniversary, but I am hoping I will get some more flowers for the holiday.

Handmade by ME!

Works in progress.

Working toward the GOAL - Handmade Holiday

I am feeling pretty good about the upcoming Holiday. I made the pledge to do a handmade holiday. Friday I took the girls to the school to work on clay angels and ornaments. It was a disaster, of sorts. I think any time you take your kids to do something you love to do by yourself you are setting yourself and them up for frustration. They were fairly good about listening, but try explaining waiting for clay to get leather hard before moving the ornaments or how to slip and score clay so their amazing sculptures don't die in the kiln. I went back on Saturday, mostly to clean up, but I was seduced by the silence and started to make a few small things. All of the sudden it was noon and I needed to get home. I can't wait for tomorrow to check on all of our work and begin to load the kiln.


I continued with the good work on Saturday, I cut out the cutest doll from a great new book I just picked up called, Toys to Sew. The doll has the longest legs I have every seen, way cute, as are most of the projects in the book. It is a MUST HAVE!!!

I found an old pattern I clipped from a 1985 Quilter Mag from my mom, supposed to be a guardian angel. I am going to rework the pattern and make her seated, she looks goofy flying.

AND last I drew up a cute kitty to make into ornaments. We have a bunch of kitty lovers in our family. All of the photos are of the patterns in natural. I will use printed fabric on the final projects.

I went to 2 great holiday sales in the past 2 weeks, "The Work of our Hands" and "E*L Sapo" I found some great things at both of them. There is another artist market at Chastain Art Center, that I hope to sneak off to this week.

Gift Bags

Oh, that there were more hours in a day. Oh, that I didn't have to eat and sleep. Think of all the things I could accomplish! Somedays I think my life would be so much simpler if nobody knew that I sewed. Everyone expects handmade gifts from me which brings me to my latest late night, last minute, creation!

My Sunday school class has an annual Christmas auction with proceeds being used to support our class charity projects throughout the year. Last year I made a couple Lazy Girl purses that went for $125 each! Finally, I'm getting paid what I'm worth....too bad I don't get the money. Of course being the seamstress that I am, I couldn't drop the ball and buy something to auction off this year. I've been making these buckwheat hull travel pillows and thought they would be a good item for the auction. Problem is, just a pillow seemed a little, well, boring! Travel pillow, travel, ...how about a travel gift set? Now to execute my well thought out plans. Actually, I had hatched 2 ideas, a travel bag, and a spa basket. The spa basket was simple, buy a basket at Target! The travel bag, well, that needed just the right bag to bring the set together.

Have you ever held up your hands and said "I need a bag about this big"? That's how I got the size for this one. I cut 2 rectangles 19 wide x 13 high. Ok, honestly, I cut it 19 x 15 and then decided it was too high and lopped off 2 inches after it was mostly constructed. The bottom is boxed to make a 3 inch deep bag. I used 1/2 inch seam allowances. Lazy me didn't bother lining the bag. Instead I bound the seams on the inside with 1 1/4 inch strips of fabric. I don't fold under or cut bias. They stay well enough and look finished if you glance in the bag! I filled the bag mostly with bubble wrap and then added the pillow, a travel mug, and a candle. In the front pocket I added some lavender sachets.

Hmmm, if a little purse goes for $125, what will be the auction price of the tote and basket?

Start Now!

My daddy is Santa Claus

For those of you who don't know me I am part of "The Direct Descendants of Santa" in that my daddy is Santa and they just published a rockin' article about him in the Atlanta Journal.

If you need a Santa he is the ONE.

I LOVE this Picture of him!! -- Although he certainly knows better than to iron his velvet suit like this;-)

Save the World Shopping Totes

Wow this month is CRAZY. I finally finished up the directions for the first official Some Art Fabric pattern, inspired by my DH. Every time I make a bag he wants to know if it is sturdy enough to be a shopping tote. Finally, I can say yes. These bags are big, hold a bunch of groceries and get comments from every one I meet. I have a great time looking for food fabric.

If you get a chance to make one please send pictures. We are thinking about having a contest, another first.

Pattern available at the shop.

Sewing Project for the First Day of School

Today was the first day of pre-school and I worked very hard this weekend to make my baby a new outfit. She picked out the fabric and has waited patiently for the last 3 weeks while I procrastinated. This weekend was the final hour for a first day of school dress. Finished it last night. I wanted to get some more action shots after school today but when we picked her up she was soaked and needed to change outfits. The pattern I used is 5222 from Simplicity. The pattern is altered heavily. The fabric is from Northcott, Kitty Kaleidoscope. She loved the dress and is looking for the next perfect pink for another. This one needs to be ALL pink.

What's Pink & Purple & Cute All Over....

This little guy is just TOO cute for words so I had to include some pictures of course! Rumpled Quiltskins. That's the name of the patterns and I fell in love with them when I saw them. I wanted to make all of them but settled on three...the Elephant, the Lion, and some fishies. Lions have fluffy manes, these fishies have lots of pieces, so I thought I'd start with the elephant.

This pattern is not for the faint of heart or the easily discouraged. There are lots of pieces (some rather small), some "gasp" hand basting, some rather precise seaming, and some stay-stitching and clipping. The machine stitching is rather time consuming as you have to quilt all these pieces individually before assembling. It wasn't hard and I just drew the lines on the muslin backing, put the right color in the bobbin and stitched on the lines. The instructions say to use tracing paper and a wheel and transfer the markings to the right side. I didn't have tracing paper but I did have lots of thread and a pencil! I was told they are not "stuffed animals", they are "soft sculptures" and I think this is a better way to look at these little creatures. However you look at it, they are 100% adorable and worth the effort.

The fabric is Lonni Rossi, which you all have seen me argue with before! Fortunately for this little guy, directional fabric was not an issue as it was in small quantities. I do have to confess though, I tried to get Pickled Mushroom on the bottom of one of the feet. Much to my dismay when I got to that part, the instructions said that the feet were oversized to accommodate different size legs! The resulting words turned out to be "ickle hroo". Hence this elephant will be named Ellie Ickle Hroo.

The End.

Aprons for everyone

Last month, my best friend from high school came to visit me. Before she arrived, I was fretting about what we were going to do while she was here - what did we have in common after all these years? It had been 10+ years since we'd really spent time together, but I knew it would be a great visit she blurted out "Des, I want you to teach me to sew while I'm here". I just about ran my car off the road I was so surprised.

Apropos Pack - Studio Kat Design

Martha gave this small bag by Studio Kat a great review and I sure do appreciate her plug.

The frog fabric is called Bazaar and it has been very popular.

Ottebre Linen Pants

These are not quite finished. They need buttons and a hem but I am so PROUD of myself. These is the first thing I have sewn for me in ages and the first thing I have sewn in a decade that has a zipper and pockets. I took a great class by Pam Howard. She teaches and open style class at a local sewing machine store. We did a muslin and I started the pants yesterday, finished them this am. There are a bunch of issues but I will wear them and I will make more. Now off to find the parts of my machine needed to make button holes.

Pattern Alterations: I had to make a lot of alteration in this pattern. The pattern was too small for me so we redrafted the pattern to fit my hips and waist. I added an extension onto the contour waist band to bring the waist up to my natural waist (and to cover my undies). I put the dart in up through the back waistband. I had to scoup out the crouch seam to create more space for my backend. I moved the pockets to the side seam, out of laziness.

Skorts!

School starts in a week and I thought it was time to make J some new outfits. She is hard to fit and am working on the "perfect" tee for her. Today I traced off a great pattern from the Children's Corner Sara's Skort. I hope to start carrying some of their patterns soon but for now I just order from them.

I made the skort from Lucky Girl Stretch Twill by Robert Kaufman. I loved the colors -- so much so that when J tried it on, her first comment was "Mom, these are your colors, not mine." After I sewed through my finger doing the elastic, she told me she really liked the skort. I am excited, it went together like a breeze. I need to alter the shorts to accommodate her below the belly wearing of pants. I made her pull them up to her actual belly for the picture.

Confessions of a Seamstress

I have a confession...I purchased a simple t-shirt at Ann Taylor Loft for way too much money. In my defense it was so cute and I have gotten a lot of wear out of it. I also justified the purchase by saying that I could copy the design very easily. I have had the shirt for several years and had yet to copy it!

Enter several yards of yummy knit and a new Ottobre Woman that had the t-shirt pattern ON THE COVER!!! I was so excited when I saw it because I said THAT'S the t-shirt. Yeah, now I don't have to make a pattern! I washed up the knits, a lovely rayon blend. It was pretty when it went into the wash, it was even better when it came out of the dryer! So soft my daughter's wanted pj's and bedding out of it! I told them I knew where I could get more but that these few yards were all mine.

I traced a size 36 based on my minimal bust measurement and set to work. The knit sewed up beautifully. I wasn't real sure because it's thin and sort of stretchy but my serger sewed through it just fine. I even used some of it for the neck binding and it turned out great too. Within an hour, I had the perfect t-shirt. Dressy enough to wear with skirts, soft enough to wear everyday with jeans. Ok, so there are 3 prints, black, red and polka dot...if I make 7, do you think anyone would notice if I wore them every day? I apologize for the picture...I am ready for bed and was so excited with my new tee, I put on a bra and had hubby snap a picture!

Knits Have Arrived!!

I am having sew much fun sewing knits that we decided to start carrying them. Our first 3 rolls arrived yesterday. I should have something sewn up soon. They are a Poly Rayon Spandex and they are very classy.

J's First Doll

My daughter is so very proud of her first sock doll. FYI She is wearing a modified tee shirt pattern from Ottobre. I made the shirt a bit A line so it would not be so tight around her budda belly.

Next Stop - Birmingham Quilt Show

I had a helper for Birmingham. My mother-in-law and my youngest came along for the ride. Yee Ha!

Travels with Charley ( the big white trailer)

We spent the month of June hopping from vending event to vending event. It was hot work but I meet some great people and got to talk about sewing, quilting and fabric.
Charley is the large white hauler we use to move all that fabric around. I actually backed in myself! (It is not as easy as it sounds).

Quilt Symposium of Alabama - Cullman, Alabama

First Stop

Cullman, Alabama

I foolishly did this event by my self but it taught me a lot about patience and a good hand truck. The Alabama Quilt Symposium is held at the Saint Bernard Monastery. It is a great location and the high point was visiting the Ava Maria Grotto. Here is a bit of info from their web page

Benedictine Monk Joseph Zoettel spent 50 years crafting cement, stones and junk into a miniature city of the world's most important religious structures. Born in 1878 in Bavaria, he was maimed in an accident that gave him a hunchback, but luckily didn't hurt his ability to bend over and build tiny things. Brother Joe died in 1961, and all 125 of his buildings still stand, protectively nestled on the campus of St. Bernard Abbey.

I was able to get some great photos in the grotto, especially of my Our Lady of Guadalupe Bag.

Pickled Mushroom Anyone?

Start with possibly the coolest fabric, arm yourself with a Lazy Girl Pattern and start cutting. What do you get? A big fat cultured cotton, directionally challenged MESS! I have decided that true lazy girls can only cut squares and they DO NOT ever use directional prints. This one does whip up rather quickly, provided you use something with a tiny pattern or something so hideously ugly that nobody would notice the recipe for pickled mushrooms was not only upside down, but perfectly placed on the bottom of the bag. Grrrr...so it's rip rip rip, break out my higher math skills I've long forgotten and figure out how in the world to fit this pickled mushroom recipe on the SIDE of the bag. Alright, mission accomplished on to the lining. One thing I have learned is that Lazy Girls love to read instructions. I apparently am flawed in this regard and pretty much neglected the entire section on lining and pockets and just chose to look at the pictures instead. I don't recommend this method as you will no doubt end up as I did, with raw edges that were suppposed to be finished and ripping at least 14 lines of stitching. Read the instructions and finally succeeded in a perfect lining and pockets. On to the flap which definitely needed something directional. Obviously I like torture. This wasn't too bad as I have a see through ruler and so just lined it up and zip zip with my faithful rotary cutter and ta-da...gold artichoke. At this point I do believe I heard that music they play in movies when something is perfect and there were definitely twinkles around the corners of the bag. I chopped up a lot of veggies for this bag, does that count as cooking? ...Rena

Not so Lazy Girl

I work faster under a deadline because I know that what I am working on must be finished. Unlike the garments for my kids that I have moved around for years. I missed the deadline for the first child and thought well, I'll finish them for the next. The youngest passes the size and I just don't have the heart to throw them out so I keep them, half finished, in a box with all my other half finished garments. I keep hoping that someday the sewing fairy will come along and finish the hem, or sew on the buttons, or find the other sleeve that I have strategically placed somewhere. Is it against the rules to give partially finished garments to Goodwill? Half the fun of a sewing project is getting started right? Choosing fabrics and a pattern, cutting and sewing enough that you can see what the finished product would like if perhaps it actually got finished. So on to my current deadline at hand. .. Lazy Girl purses, totes, and wallets (oh my)! How bad can they be with a name like Lazy Girl?

I started with the Sassy Bag. A bag that I have made half a dozen times so it should be easy. What I love about the Lazy Girl patterns...no pattern. What I hate about Lazy Girl patterns...no patterns. It's easy enough rotary cutting out rectangles but you have to be really on the ball to know which way to turn the fabric to get your directional prints right side up. So that said, Poodles were marching the wrong way across my flap and pocket. Shooooooot, re-cut. The only instruction I changed was to make the flap with no cut to turn it. I just left part of the seam open and turned it and then stitched up the seam. Looks better in my opinion.

I'd gotten myself warmed up so on to something new and exciting! With the temps warming up, the Summer Tote seemed like a winner. Armed with several yards of coordinates and a whole lot of Wonder Under, I set to work. I wasn't quite sure how the Wonder Under would work as the instructions call for Steam A Seam 2. I had some but not in a large pieces. For those that have not made Lazy Girl patterns, the instructions are something to behold. The pictures are great but the wording is a little odd at best! Step one, fuse these two pieces together. Ok, how hard can that be? Well, for starters, they are 20 x 16 and don't quite fit on my ironing board. I pressed onward (get it!). Half an hour and an ironing board full of Wonder Under, an iron coated in gooooo, and my fabric firmly fused in spots to my ironing board, my pieces were perfect. Did you know that you are supposed to let Wonder Under cool before removing the paper backing? Let me just say, read and follow the directions.

Honestly, I loved the weight the fused fabrics gave to the tote. But let me say a few things about cutlets and notches. Lazy Girl decided to name the little squares and rectangles that are cut out to make this tote such a wonderful shape. The squares are cutlets and the rectangles are notches. I decided to just name them Harry and Annie after my daughter's twin Bitty Babies. Of course you could also call them squares and rectangles. Conveniently there is a template included in the instructions for the rectangles. I guess true Lazy Girls cannot make anything other than a square because those pieces are left out even though you will use them later. Bag construction went together beautifully and I spent more time reading the instructions and calling all my friends and quoting them, than actually sewing. I

sewed everything as is except the handles to which I added some batting and upholstery cording for stability. This is a BIG bag and if it were full, it would need that stability! Let me just say there is nothing "Lazy" about the instructions. They include LOTS of words. I love the patterns though so it's off to my sewing room to giggle through another pattern. After all, I am on a deadline! ~Rena

The Swan Glimmer Quilt

How the swans got into the garden.
The tale of the Swan Glimmer Quilt Kit.

Sometimes when fabric arrives my children commandeer it. I tend to indulge their need for fabric and cut off a couple of inches so they can wrap it around their dolls. When the Glimmer line from Free Spirit came in last year my oldest child wanted more than just fabric, she wanted a quilt. Occasionally the world meets in a perfect place and I can give her what she wants. I also fell in love with the Glimmer line, full of swans, dragonflies, cricket, cattails and koi, in wonderful art deco style with great colors. The fabric line only had one flaw; most of the fabric is directional. Most of my quilts are designed for fabric with allover patterns. I put the fabric aside and waited for inspiration. Inspiration arrived during a visit to my mom. She has a subscription a Clotilde’s Sewing Savvy, a magazine I like but since most of my sewing is quilts I have never subscribed to it, and I have a subscription now. Well last summer they had a great cover quilt; I loved the design but thought the colors were too soft. I “borrowed” the magazine from my mom and put it up in my studio. It took another couple of days and I subtle hint from my daughter that I NEEDED to get started on her fairytale quilt.

Every time, she walked past the fabric she would add to her quilt’s story. It started with a princess, as all 6-year-old’s stories do, who lived in a castle, the quilt is her garden. Every morning, she would take a walk and during her walk she would stop and see her swans and watch the dragonflies. The story changes now every time she looks at the quilt.

The pattern in Clotilde’s was perfect for the fabric. I could easily keep all the directional fabric going in the right direction, super easy to piece. I started and finished it in a week.

Of course, these days if I make something it has to "do time" in the store. The quilt went traveling in March, started in Athens, GA. It also had the singular honor of hanging in Mittie’s closet (toilet) at the Bulloch Hall Show. This summer the quilt will be in Alabama & North Carolina. We sold most of the kits in March and J is hoping that we sell out of kits in June so she can have her quilt, free & clear.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

We all have our "things," one of my BIG "things" is imagery of the Virgin Mary. I have the double whammy of attending Catholic school and a minor in Art History. So when I notice two of my favorite fabric manufacturers, Robert Kaufman and Timeless Treasures, had our lady of Guadalupe fabric it was a must have for the store.
In two weeks, SAF goes mobile for the month of June and our first stop is Saint Benedict’s monastery, home of the Ave Maria Grotto, the holy land in miniature. The Alabama Quilt Symposium starts on June 7th.
So the fabric came in on Thursday, I put some up in my studio. I wanted my projects to be quick and fun, so I decided on pillows and totes. The Kaufman fabric has 4 panels, approximately 10 x 11. I had the perfect fabric to go with it, Florentine by Peggy O'Toole. Both lines are full of metallic gold accents, the solid fabric with dots is Fusion, one of the Kaufman’s Basics.
The pillows use a 12 x 12 pillow form, but I made them 17 x 17 to create the border. Fast and easy and no ruffle to catch while you sew around.
The Kaufman tote is a bit bigger than I thought it would be. Watch out for the math you do after 11 at night. It is about 17 x 22.
The Timeless Treasures fabric is an all-over pattern, so I centered up one of the images and cut a piece about 16 x 21. I was trying to get them to match exactly so I took the first piece I cut and laid it on next identical image and I realized that the Lady motif shifts across the fabric. I finished up with buttons. I wanted Milagros but I have button, so I tied them on with embroidery floss.
Any who, on both of the totes I used Pellon Fusible Fleece for body.
I would have done some quilting but my walking foot walked away, which led to a huge cleanup of the studio and a recovery mission that netted over 6 seam rippers, tons of pins, a cording foot and a doll tee-shirt that went missing 6 months ago, but no walking foot.