A Tumbler Runner for ME!

Well I have been taking down the Christmas decorations and my buffet looks empty without the holiday runner on it.  I have a quilted wall hanging beside the buffet and I have leftover fabric from it, so I decided to make a tumbler runner out of this fabric. So here is how the project went.  I made a tumbler runner for my daughter with the 5 inch tumbler ruler and it turned out great.  But at Missouri Quilt Company I watched a video Tumbler Tutorial on making a quilt with the 10 inch and 5 inch tumbler rulers. So I decided to make a runner using both sizes.  It sounded easier than it was; for some reason I just couldn't get it to line up correctly.  I tried to do 1 row of large and 1 row of small tumblers but I could not get it to line up.  So I ripped it all apart twice, really most of the pieces I ripped apart 3 times, and finally got it right.  I would have thrown it all in the trash but it was the only fabric I had to match the wall hanging shown below so I persevered.

 

When I got it sandwiched I wasn't sure how I wanted to quilt it.  In the center larger 4 tumblers I just did free motion stippling which I am pretty happy with.  But between the smaller tumbler rows and on the long sides I decided to use a quilting stitch from the Pfaff QE4.  Now here is the funny story about this decorative stitch.  I rarely read the sewing machine manuals but half way through doing the quilting stitch I see that you are supposed to use transparent thread in the top so that it looks like hand quilting.  Too late but I actually like how it looks; next time I will try some samples of those quilting stitches with invisible thread.

 

 

 

Baby Isabelle in Her Bunting

So often we make gifts and know they are appreciated but never see them being used.  One of my favorite baby items to make are buntings to swaddle the child in.  Earlier I blogged about this gift http://juliannasjourney.blogspot.com/2012/06/gifts-for-baby-shower.html and just received a pic of baby Isabelle in her bunting.  Isn't she just beautiful and doesn't she look comfy!

Free Motion Quilted Pumpkin Runner

 

 

As I referred to in an earlier post, http://juliannasjourney.blogspot.com/2012/08/pumpkin-runner.html, I have been practicing free motion quilting and am really getting better at it.  I want to FMQ 2 quilts by Christmas so I need to get better at it.  With this in mind, I quilted the Pumpkin Runner shown above.  I used different patterns on the background, pumpkins and border.  Hopefully you can see my designs in the following pics.  The different patterns really added alot of dimension to the runner.

 

 

I did a circular design in the center of the pumpkins and a 2 way design between them.  On the right I used a graded long parallel stitch which looks great on it, although it is hard to see in the picture.

 

 

On the border I used a paisley design that I saw on Leah Day's site  Paisley  and it did come out fairly well for my first try.

 

A few things that have helped me with FMQ are Little Genie Magic Bobbin Washers http://www.daystyledesigns.com/magicgeniewashers.htm, the teflon oven liner http://juliannasjourney.blogspot.com/2012/09/fmq-and-teflon-slider.html that I made a slider out of for my machine and quilting gloves.  Along with these items, I have practiced FMQ for 15 minutes a day for weeks.  But I must say what finally made it click was a comment that I read, unsure of where I read it, that compared drawing with a pencil; when you draw you move the pencil around the paper but when you free motion quilt, you move the fabric around the needle.  For whatever reason, this radically changed how I envisioned the patterns and I have become better at FMQ.

 



Pumpkin Runner

I got together with several friends and started a monthly sewing club.  Our first project is the pumpkin runner shown above Pumpkin Runner from Hoffman Fabrics.  It was intended to be made of batiks but we each went through our fabric stash to come up with our designs.  We were able to get most of the front constructed in our first session.  Next we will add the backing and batting and at the next session we will free motion quilt our runner.  The directions for this runner are vague for beginners but we figured it out.  The term 'snowballing' was new to us and so I found a tutorial on how to snowball http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/snowbal_economy_4.htm which clearly explained it. The last part of constructing the runner was the mitered corners which proved to be the most difficult part but again, we figured it out.

Now we are all beginners at free motion quilting and it is truly an art in itself. There are many helpful videos on the Internet but the most comprehensive source is The Free Motion Quilting Project by Leah Day http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/.  FMQ takes hours of practice but I am quite intrigued by the beautiful results I see posted everywhere on the Internet so it has become an obsession to me to master it. 

So look forward to the posting of my finished product in the next few weeks.

Puzzle Bouse

I have recently become intrigued with a pattern for a Puzzle Blouse that I found in the book Simple Serger Sewing by Julie Johnson.  You can also find a variation of it by Suzy Seed on the Alice's House blog.  Basically it is a square piece of fabric that gets 3 serged seams and serged edges on the hemline, armholes and neckline. The finished blouse is on the bias. When I made my first one, the tangerine shown below, I realized that it makes a great bathing suit cover-up. So I proceeded to make a few for friends. The ones I like best are made of silky prints from Joann fabrics; they hang quite nicely.  The key to the size is making the square either your hip measurement or high bust measurement, whichever is greater. However, a 38 inch square makes a nice cover up for most sizes.  If you use the pattern for a blouse, you have to shorten it appropriately.

After you make the first one, it takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.  On the first one, it is truly puzzling to figure out how to make this serged blouse.  I actually do a rolled hem on the armholes, neckline and hemline.  The pink one is made from a soft cotton and instead of using a rolled hem stitch, I just serged around the openings. What I have learned is that I need alot more practice serging curves and probably need to take a serger class.

A Taggie for Maggie

It has been very hot this week so I spent a little extra time indoors sewing.  My daughter-in-law dropped off fabric for throw pillows so I figured I would whip them up.  Also my niece had a baby a few weeks ago and I wanted to make something personal for her.



A Taggie for Maggie

I got the idea for this taggie from a couple of posts on sewforum.com.  I used fleece for the center that I embroidered on and flannel for the borders and back.  Since she was 9 pounds and was born on June 9th, I was able to use the 9 for 2 stats - I am hoping my niece likes it!!

The pillows were made with outdoor canvas from Joann's.  The plain one were made from the method I described in an earlier post Decorator Pillows and the one with the sash I just added a rectangular tube of fabric and neatly sewed a button to the center after I added a pleat. I must add here that I just love sewing buttons on with my machine; I simply hate sewing buttons on by hand and with the sewing machine they are so much more secure. The pillow with the 4 buttons was just a strip of fabric that I finished both short ends; of course I sewed those 4 buttons on with my machine also.

Gifts for a Baby Shower

I recently made some items for another baby shower.  The nursery theme is pink and purple butterflies and the baby's name is Isabelle.  I made the baby bunting from Simplicity pattern #2165, as I did for a gift in a  previous post.  But this time I added the baby's name on the inside of the upper back, along with a butterfly.

I made a blanket of two different flannels, one side with butterfly print and the other plain so that i could embroider the name on the top.

I made 2 types of hats, both that I had not previously made but adorned both with butterflies.  I also bought a onesie and added a butterfly.  Lastly I made 2 burp cloths with flannel left over from the other items, a pacifier bib and a case for baby wipes.

Embroidered Golf Shirts

I was at Penney's today and found these 2 Xersion shirts for $14/each.  They are Quick-Dri, stretch and semi-fitted short sleeve shirts for sport activities.  Since they will be perfect for golf, and it has been unusually hot thus far this golf season, I bought a white and a mango one.  I thought they might look cute with a golfer emblem and decided to adorn them. The golfer stick lady design I had saved in my stash and, unfortunately, do not know the source.




For the first one (mango) I used a layer of No Show translucent mesh 1.5 oz. Wunderstitch stabilizer in the hoop and floated a sheet of Stitch and Tear underneath. Afterwards, I ironed a piece of  Sulky Tender Touch on the underside.  I found that fusible does not work well on this thin fabric, as it shows through.  So I removed the Tender Touch and it looks much better.

For the white I just hooped a piece of Wunderstitch 1.5 oz. mesh cutaway and am much happier with the result. This fabric is too thin to just use tear away on because the design would not keep its shape. The design on the mango one is 2"X2.33" and on the white it is 1.6"X1.9".  Although both are acceptable I prefer the smaller design.  Both look nice on and I think are just a little cuter with the design on them.

DIY Stagecoach Blind

I just made this stagecoach blind for my son's kitchen window.  My daughter-in-law selected the fabrics and the yellow-gold ribbon really makes it pop.  It is not just a window topper but a workable blind.  I basically used directions from eHow but modified the bottom to have a placket to hold a second identical rod.

She chose a decorator fabric for the top; Rich FC Jovial Island from Joann fabrics. The robin egg blue matches their KitchenAid Mixer.

We used an Offray grosgrain 1 1/2 inch ribbon; Yelgld 9.



The lining is a cotton; Meadow Lark Circle in orange

Embroidered Gifts

I was asked to monogram a canvas tote bag as a birthday gift.  It is for an 80th birthday so I figured the recipient would like a classic font.  I used a font from Embroitique the Fancy Monogram 1. 


I also wanted to give some kitchen towels as small gifts at dinner on Mother's Day, so I made a design using The Fancy Monogram 1 for a 4 inch initial and then for the full name used the Embird Alphabet #23.  I used a small coffee cup symbol that I had downloaded from somewhere in the past.  I will use this combination again because I really like it.

Make Your Own Decorator Pillows

I always forget how easy it is to make decorator pillows until I get a request to do so.  Pillows are inexpensive and can drastically change the look of a room.  I usually make the envelope style just because it is easy to launder when necessary, but when I am short on fabric I will do panels and just sew the opening closed.

My daughter-in-law wanted to put bright pillows on her outdoor furniture so we bought outdoor canvas that resists mold and mildew.  I sometimes use it for indoor pillows because it holds its shape so well. 

First of all you need the pillow form so that you can determine how much fabric to buy.  For a 16 X 16 you will need 1/2 yard of fabric that is at least 40 inch wide.  The front piece will be cut 17 inches by 17 inches, essentially adding 1/2 inch to each side to allow for the 1/2 inch seam.  To make the overlapping back you will cut 2 rectangles 17 X 12.  So for any size pillow form, the front panel will be the width plus 1 inch and length plus 1 inch.  The back panels will be 3/4 of width and length plus 1 inch. If the fabric is lightweight, the back panel can be interfaced.

On the back panels, one of the long edges of each need to be finished as they will form the envelope. I use my Janome Coverpro because it will hem and overcast at the same time. I press under 1 inch on the length and then stitch on the front and the back is overcast.

Other options for finishing the back edge are serging the edge and then pressing under 1 inch. Also the edge could be turned under 1/4 inch and then pressed under 3/4 inch and sewn with a straight stitch.




Now you are ready to sew your pillow together.  First lay down your front panel, right side up.
Next place 1 back panel wrong side up onto the front panel matching all three unfinished edges.
The next back panel is placed wrong side up, matching the opposite 3 unfinished edges.
Pin securely.

Sew completely around the square backstitching at beginning and end.  When you get to the section where the back sections overlap, backstitch over the 1 inch section to strengthen this area.  Stop sewing 1/2 inch from end of side and pivot fabric to sew the next side.

Before you turn right side out, cut across the point at each corner to reduce bulk and allow for a nice point when turned.

Now turn right side out, use a dowel to push out the corner and press before inserting the pillow.

DIY iPad Case

Well my daughter got a new iPad and wanted a customized case.  She went to Joann Fabrics and chose a light violet swirly print cotton for the outside and a soft yellow flannel for the lining.  I looked online for a free pattern and used a combination of 2 patterns to get the look she wanted. The 2 sites for the patterns are Tablet Coverlet  by Pat Bravo and the Kindle Case by 100 Billion Stars; I used the measurements from the directions from 100 Billion Stars and the strip of lining on the outside and squared flap from the Tablet Coverlet.  She wanted a button and elastic loop for the closure also.







Instead of using fleece and interfacing, I chose to use 1 layer of Soft and Stable because it provides cushion and support without adding bulk.  I would definitely recommend using it for purses, totes and cases for electronic devices. This case only took about an hour to make but the funny part was that I could not figure out how to slip the lining inside the outside; it was like a puzzle to me but I figured it out finally!

Baby Shower Gifts

Here are my latest creations; gifts for a baby shower.


I embroidered these designs on onesies for the fall holidays- baby due in July so I figured the 3-6 months size would be good for the fall.  I got the designs from  Planet Applique; all their designs stitch out so well.  I personally like the Halloween one best!

I made this bunting from the Simplicity pattern #2165.  This is the first time I made this bunting but it will now be a staple for a baby gift.  The instructions were easy to follow and it came out perfect the first time and is truly just too adorable.  If you used a solid fabric for the outside you could personalize with some embroidery also.  It only takes 7/8 of a yard each for the inside and outside fabrics.  I used flannel for both since it will be used for the summer and fall.  If you were making for a winter baby you could use fleece or minky for it.

I also made this personalized blanket for the new baby and pacifier bib and baby wipes case.

The blanket is made of fleece with the top embroidered portion made of flannel with another applique that I think I had downloaded from SewForum but I cannot find the exact source.  The back is made of the same flannel that I used for the top of the front and also for the inside of the bunting.  I found the pattern for the bib that has a tab to hold a pacifier on the Internet as a freebie; it was made by Nicole Scott but I do not have the link any longer. The embroidered lion on the bib is fromSewforum by Robin. I actually made the bib and case from receiving blankets that were on the baby gift registry.The case for the baby wipes was a free pattern from simplicity.com Baby Wipes Case.  I hate making binding but it did not turn out too badly, although I need a no fail way to sew binding on.

Personalized Burp Cloths

Back in the day when I had babies, burp cloths were old diapers and receiving blankets or whatever was handy when the baby needed burped. Today there are burp cloths that are adorable and personalized. I looked over tutorials online to make burp cloths and found one can make them out of three layers of flannel or out of flannel layered on a diaper.  Since my niece just had a baby, I decided to try some of each. Here are a few pictures.  This is becoming my favorite gift for new moms because the possibilities for creativity are endless.

Personalized Badge Holders

My daughter needed a few personalized gifts for her nurse co-workers so I ordered a few blank badge holders and embarked on my first badge holders.  I chose a Curly font for the initial and then used small squares of fabric. I chose thread that would contrast with the fabric and set to work.

First of all I embroidered an initial on the fabric using the 4x4 hoop; initial is .76 x .78 inches.  As you can see below I was able to do several in one hooping.

I then removed the hoop and proceed to cut out the initial by placing the clear plastic circle on the fabric and just cutting around it. I took the cutout initial and trimmed it to fit perfectly inside the indentation of the badge holder.

 

Next I popped on the clear cover and the badge holder was done.  Because I am never certain that the cover will stay on indefinitely, I put a few dabs of super glue around the edge before putting the cover on.

Too Much Fabric!

So my son gave me this print awhile back and it is framed and placed right outside the entrance to my sewing room.  I find it amazing he was able to discover a print of a piece of his life.  Did he commission an artist to do this piece just to instill guilt into his mother?  Yes, it is true!  I took him to D.C., moved him into his freshmen dorm, traveled back to PA and quickly gutted his room.  By week's end I had a new sewing room complete with a huge set of drawers stuffed with my fabric stash.  So you ask, what would motivate a mother to do such a thing?  Could fabric really take precedence over a middle child?  Can I plead insanity?  Hmmm......it did motivate this son to stay away from home long enough to become a lawyer.  So my work was completed - it is called 'tough love'; one cannot make it too easy to come home again!

Monogrammed Blanket

This is a blanket from Bed, Bath and Beyond that I embroidered for a teenage boy for his girl friend for Christmas.  I so wanted to put a heart or a fancy & symbol in place of the + sign but he did not want either. Although it was too mushy in his eyes, I am sure it would have melted the heart of the girlfriend! The pile was a little high so I was concerned about the stitches getting lost in it but it turned out well.  I used Number 23 alphabet from Embird and made them a little wider to be sure to show.  I used a heavy tear-away stabilizer on the back and a water soluble on the top.