GREAT MINDS!!

Here is my tank topper from yesterday.



I got an email from Ruth, Country Log Cabin, she said she did a tank topper as well, hers posted in January of 2011. So....what is it to be said for great minds? I love her topper as well. Can't you just see all of the fun things you can do to your bathroom? I asked permission before I took her picture. Cute huh?
Well....I have company, my niece and her kids are her and guess who is making them chocolate chip cookies. Her one son said that I cooked as good as his grandmother....I don't think so but I think I grew a little taller.

A MATTER OF CONSIDERATION! TANK TOPPER!!

YOU ASK...." Just what is a tank topper?"

This tank looks so sad....

Oh yes....what a way to brighten up a bathroom.



This is what I submitted to Quick quilts and was told just recently that they had enough projects for 2012. In other words....bug off.

I came up with this idea during the summer and when the Ghastlies came about I made it up. I get a ton of compliments from friends visiting the Loo.



I took it a step further and made a lid topper. Oh yes...you say grosss....but not so Dear Watson..... Now this one does have elastic to keep it in place but...you can forgo the elastic and just use your glue gun and put a few drops (you don't need much) in just the right places to keep it in tact. It should pull off easily to wash and then glue back on.... EASY Can't you just see matching curtains, etc..... the possibilities are endless.
So....the age old question "To BE or Not To BE?".....

I will confess I was not too bummed about this not getting accepted, it just made me reevaluate what I am doing. It is not for the money because there is not much money to be had in submitting an article....it was just having my name on something. Oh well....

Now....I have several items I have been working on for a book "Thinking outside the box with the Accuquilt Go Cutter" .... the matter of consideration is...should I just finish what I have and submit it.....and go about my business, or just forget it all together? Should I stop the press and go full steam ahead or ....that is the question...or....or...or...

Now....when you see the tank topper, you see that it is similar to mug rugs, can you just imagine what you can do and put on these tank toppers? If you do want to make a topper, I will have a pattern at Inchworm Fabrics, not in her store yet. If you decide to go it without one, my hats off to you but please if you show it on your blog, could you give Bejeweled gal some credit for it?
> I wanted to mention that both items only takes 5 fat quarters, it doesn't get much better than that.

FREE PATTERN - A Gift from me to YOU!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

A lot of you had expressed an interest in this Round table topper so for a week I am giving it to you free. After the week is up, it will go on sale at Inchworm Fabrics.





You can find the free pattern at Inchworm Fabrics. There is no picture but it tells you Christmas Tree Round Table Topper.

If you have a problem, let me know. So this is my gift to you, thanks for joining me through out the year, for your encouragements, wonderful comments, and most of all for your friendship.

I think I am going to take a break, not unless I have something fantastic to show you....

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!!!

New Pattern and one free one

This has been adorning my table for the last few weeks. I just love it. I had designed it a while back along with the rectangle one below. I was kinda concerned about the binding for a round table topper but as long as it is cut on the bias, it will work out great.


It was such fun designing this table topper.



This one here you can find for free at Inchworm Fabrics...for some reason I don't have a place to highlight and add the link..don't know what is wrong with blogger today. So go to www.inchwormfabrics.com and then on the left look for link and you will be able to down load the runner below or just click on the picture on my side bar, it will take you to her shop and then look under link. I had to wash it and block it. I had quilted it so heavy that it was quite the waver.....so in the wash it went, then I pinned it down to a wood plank and let it dry... Not a good picture but I love this one as well.


The round runner only has partial instructions for it right now. As you can see it is similar to the rectangle one but the trees are bigger.

THIS CONFIRMS IT........I AM ONE CARD SHORT OF A DECK

Yesterday I was trying to sort my Christmas fabrics before leaving. I had about 45 minutes before I had to be somewhere. While sorting I came across this fabric......

All of a sudden I broke out in a cold sweat, the light bulb above my head was going off. I grabbed this fabric and went to town.


I started doing pleats.....and more pleats...watching the clock the whole time.

Shaking my head and thinking....Gal you have got to be nutzzzzzz. You have no business starting all of these towels. did that stop me? NO!!!

You can't see the wings on this one but after it is stitched it will be fine. I took the image off a few of these fabrics for the applique on the towels.

What possessed me? Why couldn't I stop. The whole time I was gone all I wanted to do was get back and finish the pleats and start what I had invisioned in my head,

When I got home....fabric started flying, glue sticks were being used up.

And so now..... everything is put away and all that is left is to stitch these down. The night is still young...

I don't know what came over me.....lost my senses I guess....

But oh....what fun!!!

I AM A GUEST AT "SEW WE QUILT" TODAY....

Sew yesterday I was at "SEW WE QUILT" and I saw this runner... Oh my gosh, it spoke to me.

I HAD to make it. I just HAD to. I had a friend coming over to sew yesterday....I know I said I had a lot of running around to do but she brought over what I needed...


so we played instead and this is what we made.

She wanted to work on the pleats (that is posted over at SEW WE QUILT) today. She did the pleating while I cut the fabrics out that we needed for this runner.




I love love love love...did I say love this? My friend had to leave before she could finish hers but I kept right on sewing.

Do visit SEW WE QUILT Today, I am showing easy pleats or ruffles for your towels or just anything you want to put a pleat or ruffle on and....and...I am giving away a free pattern as well. Hope to see you over there.

NEW HOBBY - THE UNFINISHED!!

Last night I made these. I like this idea because I am tooo cheap to buy cards. It is rare for me to buy one.

Mondays Card making session. A few of us gal got together and we made these. I felt way out of my element....give me a piece of fabric and I am in the zone...but card stock???

This is a 14 card workshop, you need 2 sheets of different patterned paper, 2 sheets of different colored paper, one sheet of neutral, and 7 white card stock paper. You are not suppose to have any scraps. I have a confession....I had scraps. I had mistakes. On my report card will be written, she does not follow instructions well.

If any of you are interested in the pattern for this no scrap cards....I would be happy to scan it over.

Now for the unfinished....well...I did finish this little guy last night but he needs to be sandwiched and bound.
Finished the stitching on this guy as well. Should someone tell him that smoking is bad for his health?
Did up a bunch of penguins. Now I don't know what to do with them. I had a plan but the plan did not turn out well. If you want the penguins, they are yours....the first to say I want....will get them.

Still undone.
Not done...
These were suppose to be gifts....I don't think I can make it in time. This one here I can't get the measurements to work out. I can add a few pieces of fabric here and there...so much work has gone into this that I don't want to throw it out. Should I just "MAKE IT WORK?"

Today there is no time. I have Young Women's tonight, it is my responsibility tonight for the craft. We are painting on ceramics. Someone donated the ceramics and paints. I have to run to the store for items, make treats, find my Christmas music (I know, should have already had it out).......so that is my day.

Tomorrow I am going to be on SEW WE QUILT

SERIOUSLY? Twenty-eight of these?

What was I thinking?



I ran out of steam halfway through these, made myself finish them last night.
You can get the pattern here.

If you are counting, (I know someone will check up on my math), there are only 27 here, gave one away already.

Have a wonderful day!!!

MY NEW TOY

Oh....for a new toy!!!! Doing the happy dance here..... jiggle, wiggle....more jiggle than wiggle.

I saved my pennies, sold a few quilts and this is what I purchased off ebay.

More jiggle jiggle.....can you feel it?

I can see why my two sisters were thrilled with their embroidery machine, this is so much fun.

This was just a sample fabric, I still don't know what is on the smart card, my computer can not read it....any hints or ways I can figure it out.

Last night I was so unhappy, my son and I thought we had to wait on the cards the gal is sending us. But all reasoning in me said that this one card should work. So this morning I sat down with the book and worked out all of the flashing lights and beeps (yes, those beeps are annoying) and I got it to work......

Now to read the cards so I know what I am embroidering.....

WHAT A FUN PRODUCTIVE DAY!!

Last night after supper, I sandwiched this quilt and quilted it. Just finished binding it.

I wanted to show you what I did with my little candy cane topper. It is starting to look festive in our home. No tree yet.


I had a friend come over today, while she prepped her a candy cane topper, I got all the bindings ready and sewn on the next three toppers and a runner (will show later)

Trust me, the above toppers look so much better in person.

What a great day! Wonderful finishes, one pulled out of that endless UFO pile.....and an awesome friend to keep me company. Hope all of you had an awesome day as well....

I do think it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!

CHRISTMAS BALLS TUTORIAL

Three friends came over today and we did these Christmas balls. We had had it planned for sometime now but since I was trying to figure out things for my young women to do we just got together sooner. I do know that some of you have sent me a link to these balls, just so you know there is one out there. I am too lazy to go and look for it (no need pretending, it is what it is)....

So here is how we did ours. I had to redo my ball....I thought maybe I should just stick to sewing but I hung in there.

You need

styro foam ball

applique pins 3/4 inch

fabric cut in 2 1/2 inch squares (a Go cutter would come in handy for this)

ribbon and glue.
You fold in half. I ironed mine. I didn't the first one and well, if you iron it seems you have more control over your fabric. The gal who was teaching did not iron and hers turned out beautifully.
fold in half again
open up and then fold both sides to the middle
open up, find the middle.
If you want to hide you pin, you put the pin on the inside at the center point. If not, just pin on the outside.
You have to find your center point on both sides. She just put a regular pin on both sides and tried to eyeball the center. I did that at first and was sooooo off (one reason I had to start over). So when everyone left. I got out my measuring tape and found the circumference and went from there....worked out a lot better. So now that you have found the middle, you place the pinned fabric there. Now the gal that was showing us glued hers down.
This is what it looks like with all triangles in the middle. I placed pins at the bottom of the triangle just to keep the bottom of the triangle under control. Now when you go to put on your second row, you will take out the bottom pins because the next row will be overlapping and then just pin down the next rows bottom....easy...
You do the top and then the bottom, then add the second row, top, bottom, then last row. Oh...I almost forgot, I measured from the center to the tip of the next triangle on each one. The first ball, she said to just eyeball it...I did but for some reason it just looked bad bad bad. So measure I did, I am not ashamed....
Here is all three rows done.
This is what it looks like when it meets...yes...a mess but at least they meet.
Here it is all cleaned up with a ribbon around it.
How about some rick rack?
There you have it....