GOOD USE OF SCRAPS

I saw this on the "Quilt Show" and I just had to try it. This is just such a great way to use those scraps that you just might throw away.



So....I got my trusty "Steam A Seam" ironed two sheets on some fabric.

Took off the backing paper
Some scraps from the latest cutting project. I would have thrown some of these away but saved them for this purpose.

Started placing the scraps on the "Steam A Seam"...no ironing yet.
Kept placing fabric as I fancied.

ended up with this....ironed down to the "Steam A Seam"
Need some Tulle
Place over your project.
Quilt the top, this would have been a good time to practice feathers, leaves, hearts...but...I chose the lazy man's way out and meandered.
Made a little zipper bag out of it....looks kinda wonky...but I love zippered bags and will find some kind of use for it.
I just loved this and plan to do more.

The binding of the quilt below is not done and as usual I am goofing instead of doing what I need to be doing. No excuse....just feel like goofing.

QUEEN SIZE - JELLY ROLL JIFFY BY MODA

Monday night I finished meandering this quilt.

Not until I put the borders on this quilt did I like it. That is when my feelings about this quilt changed. Maybe that is why it took me so long to get to quilting it, not liking the top.

Then when I started quilting it....the more I quilted the more excited I got.

Here is the results (minus a binding).

Here is the pieced backing. This is what took me all day Friday, that and sandwiching it.
Not a good picture...sorry.

I barely have a scrap left. I need to make two shams to go with it so I better scrounge some up from somewhere.

I need to get the binding done and shams to have this out of my house by next week so it can get to it's destination by the end of March. I think I will make it.... Whohooooo one more thing off my list.....

Today I am off to DC....when I get back this evening, maybe I will have the energy to put the binding on? Least ways, that is the plan.

MODA PILLOW TUTORIAL

Here is the pillow I submitted for the Moda Challenge (the side is not sewn up yet in this picture or right now).

To be honest, I really didn't like this pillow. I loved the flowers with the heart in the middle and ribbon but I didn't like the colors I chose. I was just trying to use up that honey bun I opened for the trash can. In fact I still have some strips left over.

So here goes:

I cut the batting to the size I wanted for my pillow form (pillow form was purchased at a garage sale for one dollar).

This is 32" by 36", you can see that it is folded in half at this point.
Once again, I just start from the end, putting one strip down face up and the other on top face down (right sides together) and sew a 1/4 inch seam. I do this all the way down the batting.
Here you see it sewn all the way down with the flower/heart applique already on them. The ribbons were tucked under the inside of the hearts and sewn down when the hearts were sewn down.
Here is the finished pillow minus the opening being shut.
I really do like the ribbon. Now you see below where the buckle part of the contest came in. It holds the pillow to the back of the chair or bottom. It just annoys me when my pillow falls off my chair when I get up.


For those of you wanting the flower applique, you can either email me or make your own. As you can see it is just a huge flower with a heart out of the middle. I had used this flower before and used the hearts from the middle as stems for a table runner , a tote and cosmetic bag. As you can see, I gave you the link to the runner and cosmetic bag but am unable to locate the tote.

WINNER OF THE BUTTERCUP BASKET GIVEAWAY AND RECEIPE

Here is one batch of rolls....



Oh...you noticed one missing (blushing here)...a gal has to try her food before giving them out...don't ya think?

ROLL Receipe

4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water (warm)
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg of yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3 cup shortening (I use oil)

Combine all of the ingredients (no certain order is required but I do like to add the water first and then the yeast and let it sit a minute.
I use my mixer and just let it mix up for a few minutes
Then I flour my hands and pinch off some dough and round it, put on greased baking
sheet. I usually get about 15 to 20 rolls from this. Let is rise for about an hour or until double

Put in over at 425 but I have discovered if I put it at 400 degrees and let it bake longer the middle gets done better. It takes about fifteen minutes, then I put it on the rack closest to the burner to bake about 4 more minutes to brown the bottom.

If the top browns too fast, just put tin foil over it and keep baking.

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I have made these for years and my sons love them. I like the fact that you do not have to let it rise twice.

OKay...onto the winner.

Nichole facebooked me this morning and chose The Weekes family with the number generator #44.

Thanks so much Nichole for this awesome giveaway, hope your baby gets better soon. She has had strep in her home and now her little one is really sick.

Thanks for all of your sweet comments regarding her giveaway and my trash can!!

FORGETFULNESS AND LIFE'S SMALL DISAPPOINTMENTS AND TUTORIAL!

As I was searching through my pictures for my tutorial I found these hearts I failed to post.
I got the idea over at Sew Cal Gal's, I ran all over town for the valentine M & M's...couldn't find any. These were for a church Dance.
Now for life's small disappointments. I made this trash can for the Moda Challenge and well...it didn't quite make it. What I realized is they were looking for simplicity. Maybe I have a little too much trashy taste in me?

Sometimes (I am sure I am not the only one) that we spend more time dusting ourselves off to get back on the horse than we do actually riding the horse. My poor knees are almost thread bare.

Congrats to those that made honorable mention and the four that made it into the contest.

This reminds me of the song "I like my women a little on the trashy side"...ha!!! Maybe my taste is a little on the trashy side????

Oh well...for those of you wanting to know how I made this trash can (which I love having in my sewing room).

Here goes

I took my ugly gray trash can, took my batting and made a template out of the batting as you see here:
I cut it to size, May I suggest that you cut it about an inch bigger on each side for it kinda shrinks some when sewing. Here is my template.
Backing - (I did not use my most expensive because no one will see it). Made the backing a little larger than the batting.
Then I got my honey bun and started sewing strips. The first strip is face up with the next face down (right sides together). Sew 1/4 inch.... Then you just repeat the step, sew another strip face down (right sides together) on top of the next strip.
This is what you will see. I just fingered pressed. Maybe I should have gone to the iron each time?
Keep sewing all the way down your template. My trash can was smaller at the bottom so I adjusted the stitches so they would taper as I sewed down the strip, so my strips were wider at the top and smaller at the bottom to accommodate this difference. It doesn't look this way in this picture but I figured this problem out as I went along.
This is what you will get.....I wrapped the piece around my basket and trimmed the excess.
Then I did a binding as you would a quilt.
Got my trusty glue gun and glued this to my basket.
I chose from the remaining strips pieces about six inches long or there about, scrunched them up and glued them to the back of the buckle like so.
Then I glued it to the trash can.
Well, this certainly frees up some of my March. March has already gotten away from me but now I will find the time to do those things I am committed to do and hopefully, free up some more of my time to do those things I want to do.

Nichole will chose a winner for the Buttercup Basket giveaway, if you missed it, just return to home and look a few post down (yes, I am too lazy to link it for you, no shame here)...oh...you say I am grumpy???

Well...I just drowned my sorrows in a bowl of Cheeros and bananas....oh yess......no shame here. There was no chocolate to be had in this house, trust me, I looked!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful week-end, will announce the winner tomorrow sometime.

TODAY IS A MEANDERING KIND OF DAY!

Yep, that is what I am doing today, just in a meandering type of mood. This is a queen sized quilt. Yesterday I spent my time piecing the back and sandwiching it. It is so much work to sandwich a quilt as big as this because I do not have the floor space.

BUT!!! GOT ER DONE!!

This is my first time for using Aurifil Thread to quilt and so far it is doing nicely.

Noon today I am going to be busy baking 100 rolls for a wedding. Wish me luck, every time I have company or doing baking for someone else, more often than not, it doesn't turn out as good it normally would.

Don't forget the giveaway below, great for cold weather and just for kids that love to wear hats.

GIVEAWAY TODAY!!! BUTTERCUP BASKET IS GIVING AWAY!!!

A 35 dollar gift certificate to her etsy store Buttercup Baskets

As you will be able to see from the pictures, Nichole does amazing work. All of these designs are her own. I was sitting by her one day and noticed this beautiful gown she crocheted for her little one. She is so talented, not only can she produce beautiful hats and garments by crocheting, she has produced some beautiful children as you will see below. They are her models.

Can I take this one home? Can I? Huh Huh HUH????

Her hats are simply adorable.

You can also find Nichole on Facebook and she has her own blog

1. So this is it, go to her store, pick out what you would purchase with the 35 dollars and then come back here and let me know... Now just because you say it does not mean it is written in stone, you can change your mind between now and the actual gifting of them.

2. BE friend her on facebook

3. Become a follower on her blog

4. blog about this

tell me each time you do one of these in a separate comment and you will get an entry for each.

Let us say Monday is the cut of date, I believe that is March 5th (March already.....oh my)

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED