SCRAPPY TIME VALENTINE Wall Hanging

Here is my newest design.  I just love love love this.  It doesn't take long to make either.  I know, I say this about most things but truly....I have done all the grunt work.

Can't you just see this on your wall each day with a different message to your special someone or to your children?  Even send this in the mail with a sweet message.

This is one of my first times using chalkboard fabric and I love the Popart  water base pens.

So today I will give one pattern away (pdf) and  send enough chalk board fabric to make both of these, just leave a message and by the end of the week I will pick a winner.

LAST TWO BLOCKS OF THE SEW SWEET SIMPLICITY BOM

Bonus Block 2

Block 4

All the Block together

I am really excited about these blocks and I can't wait to show you next month what I have done with them...... I have the top finish and ready to quilt.  What a fun BOM Jacquelynne!!  thanks for letting me be a part of it..

As always there is a fun giveaway, just leave a comment...

Don't forget to check out all of the other bloggers....it is so fun to see the different colorways

Jacquelynne Steve's 

Lily Pad Quilting

A Quilt and a Prayer
Upstairs Hobby Room
Quilt Scapes
Crazy 'Bout Quilts
Wedding Dress Blues
Mountain Quilt Works
Garden Path Quilts

"LA BAMBA" FABRIC LINE WITH ISLAND BATIK - MY HOP DAY

Why not start out with a little music while you browse this post?  Get the juices flowing....

maybe even dance a little?

Welcome to the Island Batik Sock Hop Blog Hop....

My  FABRIC LINE!  "LA BAMBA"  aren't  they juicy?  You can find the fabric line Here!

Here is the store locator to find the Island Batik fabrics nearest you.

The block I have chosen is the Maple Leaf.  When I saw these fabrics I just knew this is what I wanted to do.  You can find the pattern here.  She gives instructions for a 12" block and I wanted a 9-1/2" block unfinished making each square 3 1/2".

Amazing fabrics and this Maple leaf showcases them wonderfully!!

 When I was making these maple leaves I thought...hummmmm wonder what they would look like with the stems touching.  Oh my gosh....this would make a fabulous quilt but I opted for a pillow instead because.....

I already had a quilt idea in mind and here it is....

Tried to get some good pictures outside

Here it is hanging on the wall in my sewing room. My rod is not big enough but it works for now.

 I just  have to say that Island Batik fabrics are just so awesome, great for making nature scenes or if you are trying to blend colors.  Most of all, they are so easy to work with.

Here is the close up of the tree.  I so wish you could see it up close.

You can go here to enter their giveaway, 2 beautiful bundles of batiks.

Don't forget to stop by Six Gables Designs tomorrow.  I have so enjoyed seeing the different fabrics and projects.


 

FUMBLES AND JUMBLES

If you have been a reader of my blog for a while, you will know that I get on jags....I make things that I like until I get sick of it.  This last two months it has been pillows.  I want to make enough for all seasons for my dinning room and living room.

Isn't it true that when a football player fumbles a ball he does everything in his power to get the ball back?

Well.....yesterday I started making this small top for a pillow.  I am actually not sure I like it but that is another post for another time.

So..... I measured my pillow.  I cut my border and this is what I got.  Not too shabby.

Then I went to see if the top will fit the pillow and my gosh was ever tooo big?  So.....I recalculated.

Cut

and by George if I didn't cut one side wider than the other but it works.

So here is my pillow.  I would say it is a jumble of a mess but once again IT WORKS!!

No matter how hard you try to recover yourself you still end up on the short end (sometimes)....

But.....why am I telling you this?  To complain?  

NOPE

Because I am frustrated?

NOPE

Because no matter how much we think we know and how much we sew, we still tend to fumble and that is ok......because "IT ALL WORKS OUT" or just throw it in the trash...HA!!!

I used Island Batik scraps which reminds me, Today is Freemotion by the River's blog hop day for Island Batik, she made two fabulous pillows....hope you go over there.

Tomorrow is Beaquilter's Day...

THE TIME HAS COME, THE TIME IS NOW!!! ISLAND BATIK SOCK HOP BLOG HOP

Two Beautiful Bundles of Island Batiks will be given away on their blog, so hop on over there!!!

1/12 Island Batik
1/13 – Susan Vassallo Quilting Arts – Topsy Turvey Log Cabin
1/14 – Freemotion by the River – 54-40 in Running Water
1/15 – Beaquilter – Hunter Star in Crimson Tide
1/16 – One Quilting Circle – Flying Geese
1/17 – Mary Mack’s Blog – Sisters Choice in Down in the Boondocks
1/18 – Happy Cottage Quilter – Nine Patch in Johnny B Goode
1/19 – Kauffman Designs – Drunkard’s Path in Downtown
1/20 – Tamarinis – Pinwheel in Saturday Night Fever
1/21 – Bejeweled Quilts – Maple Leaf in La Bamba
1/22 – Six Gables Designs – Friendship Star in Full Bloom
1/23 – Purrfect Spots – Duck and Ducklings in No Particular Place to Go
1/24 – Inchworm Fabrics – Another Star in In the Summer Time
1/25 – Sew Fresh Quilts – Stepping Stones in Cry Me a River


Notice I put my day in bold...HA!  It really is all about me (smiling).  This should be a very fun hop and I so hope you join us.

USING LEFT OVER FABRIC - TUTORIAL ON CONTINUOUS BLANKET STITCHING

I showed this Valentine topper yesterday,  Island Batik Fabrics "Full Bloom".  It is 30" in diameter.  If you cut out the hearts in the center carefully, you can make another topper. 

Here is the Valentine topper made from the scraps of the above topper.  It is 22" in diameter, so yes, we are getting smaller.

I got a comment yesterday saying that this topper must be so hard to blanket stitch so I am going to show you how I do a continuous stitch.  No loose threads, nothing...just a beginning and an end.  

Here we are blanket stitching all the way until I hit a different heart (no need to cut thread).  On my machine all I have to do is punch in the number, blanket stitch is 58, straight stitch is 1.  So I do my blanket stitching and then when I come up to the next heart, I just put it on straight stitch.

I don't know if you can see but I just straight stitch around.

Here is a better view, then when I get to the other side I hit 58 for blanket stitch.  I had a machine one time that I had to toggle and that was not fun but this one I just hit some buttons.

Here we are again....at the end of the road for this heart

Straight stitch...

We worked our way inside the heart and now it is for the top of the heart.  Notice where the light pink meets the dark pink (already blanket stitched)....your starting point should be at the bottom of the light pink, let's call this the "O"...come up, then go down the other side and then come around on the inside of the dark pink and then across the top.  Then go to your next "O" and repeat.

I don't know if this helps or makes sense but this way is sooooo easy.  I actually do this with most of my projects that I blanket stitch if I am using the same color thread.

I also have to say that I am not getting many comments in my email but when I come to my blog there are comments so if I do not answer you that is the reason.  Don't know what is going on but hey....just so you know I appreciate all of your sweet comments.

VALENTINES - SEW SIMPLICITY BLOCK

Today I spent my afternoon making this Valentines topper.  I just love this topper and you can find it in my craftsy shop on the sidebar.  The fabrics are from Island Batik "Full Bloom", the background fabric is from another source.

Then as most of you know I am part of the Sew Simplicity BOM  hop, this block is is the bonus 

block 1, I loved it so much I decided to just make a quilt from this one block.  So far I have 4 completed blocks and a ton of half square triangles to square up.

Which brings me to Jacquelynne Steves Sew Simplicity.  She is hosting a catch up day Saturday the 10th. on facebook, instagram, and her blog.  There will be a lot of fun surprises, chatting, and catching up if you are behind.  So won't you join us?

It is suppose to be 18 degrees tonight...I say I say...burrrrrr

TWO HOPS IN ONE!!!

The winner of the Sweet Simplicity giveaway is Shelia Lvany, Shelia Lvany...come on down with your email address!!!!

Thanks so much for all of your comments, so very appreciated.  Hope you are have a fantastic New Year!!

Thanks to Jacuqelynne and Sew Cal for such awesome hops...

I know what you are thinking.....HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?   If you are not, I am....

Lucky for me Jacquelynne and Sew Cal didn't mind me combining the two, Sew Simplicity and the Holiday Blitz.

Here is the Sweet Simplicity BOM.

Block #3  Made by my Daugher in Law, Bethany.  I have been so busy and was truly worried that I would not be able to make this block so she was sweet enough to make it for me.  It has been squared up since the picture and looks fantastic.  The middle block was done by me months ago.

I was able to squeeze in the Bonus block 1.....YEA ME!

In the center is an embroidered Tree as you see and the words Merry Christmas to the side.  These blocks are so great for personalizing them.

Oh....do you see what I see?  I didn't see the mistake until I took a picture.

 Had to go and redo it.....there you go....looks much better!

 Made a Christmas pillow.  I am soooooooooooooo happy with the outcome.

 I put a little zipper in the middle of the back.  So easy.....I think I will go this route every time.  Which means that I can do a lot of these for the different seasons.  Unzip one and zip on another.  Oh yessssss....

Please go by and see what everyone else has done with these blocks.  I always like to see the different colorways.

Jacquelynne Steve's 

Lily Pad Quilting
A Quilt and a Prayer
Upstairs Hobby Room
Quilt Scapes
Crazy 'Bout Quilts
Wedding Dress Blues
Mountain Quilt Works
Garden Path Quilts

Jan. 10th will be a catch up day on facebook and instagram.

Here is the giveaway this month and will last til Jan. 2nd.

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Here is the link to all those wonderful bloggers that will be participating in this Holiday Blog Blitz

I don't know about you but....I am ready to eat!!!

• SewCalGal 
•  Stitch This (Martingale)
•  Leah Day – The Free Motion Quilting Project 
•  Wendy Sheppard (Ivory Spring)
•  Marjorie Busby (Blue Feather Quilt Studio) 
•  Jeannette Jones (Inchworm Fabrics) 
•  Barb Gaddy (Bejeweled Quilts)
•  The Electric Quilt Company (Behind The Mouse – The Electric Quilt Blog) - 
• Bea Lee (Beaquilter)

Here is one of my sons favorite recipes:  I just had my third son and a friend came by with these bars...so at night when I got up with the little one I would sneak one of these bars...oh my stinking gosh....ever so good and was my reward for getting up.

CHOCOLATE CARMEL BARS

You will need:  50 carmels, one chocolate devils food cake mix, one cup of chocolate chips, can of evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter

Melt:  50 Carmels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk

Mix until blended - 1 chocolate cake mix (dry)

                              1/3 cup evaporated milk

                               1/2 cup butter melted

Spread 1/2 mix in a 9 x 13 pan, no need to grease

Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes

Then pour 1 cup chocolate chips over it while hot.

Spread carmel mixture over the chips

Then spread the last half of the cake mixture on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

UMMMM UMMMMM GOOD

What I have found is if you take the last half of the mixture that goes on top and roll it onto wax paper about the size of the pan and then flip it over the top....it is so much easier than trying to spread it or spoon it on.

Thanks Jacquelynn and Sew Cal in letting me have both hops on one!

Giveaway Closed