Clips, Snips & Quips

Old Into New

A while ago my Friday night sewing group put together a new challenge for the year.  The idea was to take something leftover, put it in a brown paper bag, and one night each of us picked a bag.  Our job was to make something out of whatever it was we picked.  Some girls had a couple blocks left over from a quilt top.  Some had pieces of fabric that had been cut but never used.  My bag contained six fat quarters that sort of went together and sort of didn't.

After packing those pieces around for six months, I decided to make them up and this is what I came up with.  Back in December I covered a snack table for Della and made her an iron bag to use when she went to class.  We found out that, while my intentions were good, the table just didn't work.  It was wobbly and too high for Della.   So we went to Office Max and picked up new tables and I started over.  I used a couple fat quarters for the table top, and used the fat quarters that didn't really match for the bottom lining.  No one's the wiser.  For the bag, I used a piece that "almost" matched for the top, more of the purple for an accent stripe and the ties, and another fat quarter for the orange bottom.  This pattern is different than my original bag, too.  This one was much more fun.  It used Texture Magic, a sheet that almost feels like plastic.  I quilted the Texture Magic to the orange fabric and then held the iron over it and it puckered the fabric up in my quilted design...adding texture to my base.  

When all was said and done, I used five out of the six fat quarters and I'm pleased with how it turned out.      

Last week I showed you my new kitchen table that I stole from my sewing room.   Here's what I replaced that table with.  I think it almost looks like an updated treadle-machine cabinet...almost.

This is the solid-wood writing desk I had the carpenter cut a hole through the top and fit my machine in.  I love the 30X60 work area.  I love that it's in front of a window that looks out on my neighborhood.  I love that it's the perfect height for me. And I love it most when a plan comes together!

Out with the old/In with the new

Changes are popping up everywhere, it seems.  My new Blog header came today, thanks to Michelle Laycock back in Wisconsin.  This is my year for change, so I needed an update here, too.  Hope you like it.  I DO!  Thanks, Michelle.

And you can't really tell from my pictures, but my table from my beloved craft room has been moved down to the kitchen.  I hemmed and hawed over it for months.  It took years for me to get MY room put together "just so" and I wasn't going to disassemble it under any circumstances...

BUT...when I was bedroom furniture shopping in spring, I found a wonderful desk which I've had modified into a beautiful sewing desk.  (I did have more than a few anxious moments as I watched the woodworking-type person cut a hole through the top and fit my machine into place...argh.)  And I found that once I put the sewing desk in that room, the table just really didn't fit anymore.  

Add to the mix that my kitchen table and lots of other furniture moved out along with my ex-husband (ouch), and I was left in a quandry of what goes where.  So last weekend I ventured out to buy my own set of wrenches so I could take the legs off the table, and then wrestled the entire set down the steps and into the kitchen, where it shall remain evermore.  No way in this lifetime will I be able to wrestle it back up.  I've decided I have my limits.

Since every new kitchen table needs new placemats and napkins, I decided to make some that were bright and cheery.  Whalah, here they are.  They're my placemats and napkins, sitting on my kitchen table in my house.  I'm still getting used to this new journey I've set out on.  Bit by bit, I'll get there.  I knew starting over at 54 wasn't going to be easy, but I'm determined to make it wonderful.

Thanks for stopping by...

Stash Stew #4...Time for Sunglasses!

I've been enjoying a series of classes given at The Little Shop For Quilting in Haddonfield, NJ.  I think they started almost two years ago.  It's a series of quilts that are called Stash Stew quilts since you're supposed to dig through your fabric stash and use up whatever you find.  

This bright blue, sunglasses needed, little boy quilt was the fourth in the series.  I remember buying the fabric on one of my first trips to the shop.  I didn't have a clue what I'd use it for, but it was bright, cheerful, and really caught my eye. 

For anyone who's interested, it's really nothing more than a big 9 patch, set on point, and joined together with sashing.  I know I'd looked it over and looked it over and wasn't sure just how it was going to go together.  I must say, of all the "Stashes" I've done, this was the easiest and fastest, by far.

Tonight, I'm heading up for another class.  We're finishing up Stash 5...far and wide, my favorite.  I'm looking forward to finishing up the borders and getting it to the quilter so she can work her magic.  It's going to make a perfect picnic blanket...so this afternoon I went online and ordered a picnic basket to go along with it.  I'm thinking it just might make a shower gift or Christmas present down the line.  OR, I just may keep this one for myself.  I'm really lovin' it!

Quilt of Valor

Guess it's time for a new post, huh?  I received two concerned emails today since I hadn't posted in a while.  At least that means someone's still looking at my stuff.  That's always a good thing.

This quilt is a Quilt of Valor I finished a few weeks ago.  I'm sending it to wherever it is you're supposed to send quilts that get distributed to Vets coming home from the war.  I haven't yet figured out where that is, but when I get an address, I'll ship this one out.  

I started this project in February.  I was missing Mom and decided to pull out fabrics I still had from her stash.  Just playing with her "toys" always seems to help.  

All the reds are from her.  When I pulled out the navy, I received a pleasant surprise.  It wasn't just from Mom's pile of fabrics.  It originally came from Grandma's.  How did I know?  There was a big round circle of fabric cut from one end with a pinking shears.  Grandma was the only person I knew who put a piece of fabric between her good dishes to keep them from chipping -- and she always used a pinking shears.  Mystery solved.  As I unfolded the blue, it was even more apparent it had been around a long, long time.  There were several long white stripes from where it had been bleached from the sun.  But, as with the reds, I decided that's what I wanted to use.  

Patch by patch, I kept cutting, following the directions.  I know Mom and Grandma were both watching me, giggling the entire time.  I kept running short of reds.  Then I'd go back to my cabinet and find another little piece that would be enough for another few patches.  Just about the time I thought I'd exhausted everything Mom had, I was done cutting.  Then came the blues.  Like I said, there was a big stripe of white that had to be cut around.  No big deal, right?  No, not at all.  I had all the patches I needed.  Then I realized that one of the borders still had to be cut.  I sewed together every little scrap and schnibble I could find, even picking up shreds I'd thrown on the floor.  Grandma always was great at making "something from nothing".  That's exactly what I did with her blue piece of fabric.  
By the time I was finished, I had a piece no bigger than 1"X2" of scrap.  She would've been proud. 

The result was this red-white-blue blanket I hope keeps someone warm and lets them know how much we appreciate all they do.

The Unveiling

Seems like forever ago that Don & Michelle asked for a quilt for their bed.  They wanted it to be blue and tan.  They didn't want it to be flowery.  They didn't want an intricate pattern.  

And so the search began.  Together we looked through magazines.  We shopped for fabric.  And one day this combination showed up and it just seemed to work.

That was back in November.  

The quilt was actually a pattern from a Mystery Quilt weekend, a weekend when I had other plans.  Eventually, though, I found time to piece the quilt, which led to matching throw pillows, pillow shams, pillowcases and even valences.  

I can truly say I don't have 1/4 yard of anything left from all the yards upon yards of fabric I bought way back when.  And that's a good thing, since I don't think I have anything left to make for their room.

Last Saturday I finally got the chance to put all the pieces together in their room.  As you can tell from the first picture, Landon thought it was great fun.  A few minutes after this picture was taken, the bed became a trampoline and the quilt was properly broken in as only a two-year-old can do.  His giggles were priceless.  Definitely the best part of the day.

With that, the biggest project I've ever undertaken is finished and it's time to move onto something else!

Enjoy Don & Michelle.

Love,

Mom

Get Well Wishes

 What do you do when you get the phone call from your best friend and she says "They say I have cancer"? 

Nothing.  There's just not a thing in the world you can do.  Nothing...except be a friend, cry, and repeat just how unfair it is.  And somehow that's just not nearly enough.  Not even close.

But that's exactly what happened a few weeks ago.  Bonnie phoned, and with that phone call, started a new chapter in our lives. 

I guess the planets just couldn't get in alignment fast enough.  At the very least we should've been able to finish the the nasty business of my divorce before getting plunged into a new challenge.  It didn't happen that way, though.  Instead, tomorrow my best friend heads into the hospital for surgery, followed by a few months of chemo and radiation.  The sooner this gets started, the sooner it's going to be over, right?

Tomorrow when she gets home from the hospital and is ready to sleep the afternoon away on the sofa, I hope she wraps herself in this new blanket.  It's not much, but it's all I could think of.

I've never wished a summer away before, but suddenly I just can't wait for Thanksgiving to get here!!!

Get Well, Kiddo -- quickly and completely!!!

Love you.

 

 

 

 

Landon's 2!

Happy Birthday, Landon!  It's time to hold up two fingers, eat cake and open presents!!

Along with turning two today, I've heard that you have new bunk beds...and that means you'll need your own big blanket to stay warm.  I have this one ready just for you.  It's filled with cars and trucks, airplanes and trains. and there's lots of little "roads" for us to play with your race cars.  Hope it keeps you snuggly and warm.

The pattern for Landon's new quilt came from last spring's Stash Stew III class at The Little Shop.  By the time it was finished, I knew more about half-square triangles, Thangles and setting blocks on point than I knew before.  Actually, I think I know now more about half-square triangles than I want to know.  

I'm hoping to have more things to post shortly.  I have a king-sized quilt for Don and Michelle in the works.  I have a Quilt of Valor, red-white-blue, quilt that's almost finished. I have the new Stash Stew IV class starting in a few weeks.  And I have another little bug quilt that I hope to send in to one of the Children's Hospitals in the area.  Of course, I'm hoping with all my heart that our snowstorms are almost over and spring comes soon.  It will put a halt to some of my sewing time, but I'd love to be able to open the windows and listen to the birds!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jean

Last Call -- for Christmas Gifts

As much as I'd like to keep going, I think my days of finishing up projects for Christmas gifts are over.  There's just too much else I need to finish up...but I'd rather be working on my stuff. Wouldn't we all?

I've been in a quandary over what to give a very good friend.  She started quilting about the same time as I did -- even though we didn't know it at the time.  She bought her first machine, I bought mine.  And when we finally got together we realized we'd gotten almost the same stuff.  

Unfortunately, we outgrew those machines faster than we should've, and I traded mine last Christmas for one that was bigger and better, built to last forever, and would do everything but handstands.  Within two weeks, Della did the same.

Needless to say, her gift had to be something quilt-worthy, yet something that we didn't already have. Not an easy idea to come up with.  I knew I'd know what I wanted when I saw it.  I just was hoping I'd see something before Christmas.

And then it happened.  Friday night I went to my Sew What Christmas party.  We had a Yankee Swap/Pollyanna with 20 people.  One of the neatest gifts was a Hot Iron Tote -- i/o/w, a bag you can put your hot iron in at the end of a class night so you can throw it in the car and not melt your seats. No, I didn't win the tote, but I found the pattern yesterday morning and set out to see what I could do this afternoon.  A couple hours later, here's what I came up with.  

Then I went to Target and picked up a black snack table, put a couple layers of batting and canvas on it, and then topped it with some of the leftover lining fabric from the bag.  It'll be a great little personal ironing board she can keep next to her machine when we go to our next sewing weekend away.  Once the holidays are over and the snow flies, we'll both be ready to pack up and go.  This time, she'll be able to go in style:)

I'd better start sorting gifts and find out just how many things I still need to pick up.  And to think, in a week it'll all be over!!

Jean

 

The Little Ones

Another finished Christmas gift!  I've had a great time with all of these projects...can't you tell?

This wallhanging is called The Little Ones.  It's a machine applique project from Smith Street Designs.  Each of the little angels is machine appliqued and then trimmed into a 6" block.  

My favorite angel is the block on the top right. The little tyke's name is Uh-Oh, and he's holding a piece of coal in one hand and his empty stocking in the other.  I'd love to know his story behind the coal, but I'm pretty sure I know how it happens.   There's probably a twinkle in his eye, and that's the kind of twinkle that warms my heart every time.

And so my quest to complete old projects before starting new continues.  I'm actually getting pretty far.  Of course, that's creating a new problem.  What should I do with all my completed stuff?  

Christmas is only a couple weeks away.  I wonder who's going to get what?  And I wonder who's going to end up with my angel with coal in his stocking?

Another BIG project finished!!!

 My list of finished projects continues.  Tonight's is a culmination of many, many nights.  One thing led to another.  First there was a trip up to Pennington which resulted in buying the pattern for this table runner.  I actually wasn't guilty when it came to buying the pattern, but Della was.  Thanks, Della.  You knew I'd need to borrow it sooner or later:)!!

Once the table runner was finished, it looked lost on my big table, so I decided to make placemats, which then needed napkins.  And since the placemats and napkins were both rather plain, I decided to embroider a couple elves, Santa and a snowman on them.  

By the time I finished them this evening, I realized I'd really gotten carried away ... since I originally said I didn't need the table runner pattern because I'd never get to it.  :):)

When I went to cross the placemats, napkins and table runner off my list tonight, I realized that I'm almost out of unfinished projects -- so it's almost time to start Don and Michelle's big quilt that they've been patiently waiting for.  Maybe I'll post pictures of that "in progress" since it's going to take a bit to get it finished...and maybe I'll find other things to post in the meantime.  Only time will tell!