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

CHRISTMAS EVE PROJECT - GIVEAWAY of EIGHT FAT QUARTERS OF lA BAMBA FROM ISLAND BATIK

THE WINNER OF THIS GIVEAWAY IS KAHOLLY......KAHOLLY.......COME ON DOWN!!!

Trust me it truly was not easy cutting up these fabrics....sob sob...

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Today I got up to my husband doing dishes.  He even made lunch.  So I have the whole day to sew.

Sew........I am using this Omnigrip  3 1/2" square ruler

To square up these squares

Using these awesome fabrics!!!  I just love these Island Batik fabrics  called La Bamba.  I am working on a project for the Island Batik Sock Hop Blog Hop starting Jan. 12.  My day is January 14th.  I do hope you join us then.

So in the mean time, I am going to giveaway eight fat quarters of this amazing fabric.  Don't think this will be an easy task for me to do.  I just love these fabrics and I am crying inside on choosing to give some away.

So....Merry Christmas to all of you.  Let's say Dec. 30th will be the end of this giveaway.  Just leave a comment!

Oh, before I forget......This is all that is left of the carmel bars I made yesterday....now you know they truly are the family favorite....you can find the recipe below or here:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

TUTORIAL - PUTTING A ZIPPER INTO A PILLOW BACK

Remember this pillow?

 Here is the back, some of you asked for a tutorial.....

 So let us begin!

I can not show you the front of the pillow just yet but I can show you the back.  This is batik from Island Batik, fabric line is La Bamba.

• My pillow top is an 18" square.  Your pillow can be any size but add 1" to the top and bottom.  In my case, I have added a 1" square on all sides in case I forget and cut the fabric the wrong way....ummmm  did I just say that?

• So...this will be an 19" square.  

• Cut in half

• Then turn under 1/2" on the side you cut (both sides).  Iron

One thing I love about batiks they take to an iron marvelously...no starch is needed.

• Now that you have both sides turned under, find the center of the zipper and center of the fabric.
• Match zipper up to fabric.
• Sew one side on first, then do the same thing to the next side.

• You can glue your fabric to the zipper, pin, or like I am doing here....free floating.  

  Notice that I am not using a zipper foot.  For me it is easier to just use a regular foot.

• Do the other side the same way.  Simple so far?

 Here it is finished.

 There is a whole on both sides of the zipper ends and so we are going to cover them now.

• I just used some scraps about 1" wide.  Fold to the middle on both sides and iron.

• Place the right side of the fabric strip to the right side of the pillow back fabric centering over the zipper.  Sew across as you see here.  As you can see here that the stitches are reinforced by going over them several times.

One note of caution:  Be careful of the metal brackets on the zipper.

I have my trusty Lapel Stick, use a glue stick, pins or nothing...your choice.

Flip the strip over the zipper and glue over the fabric on both sides.

•  Top stitch down as shown here.  Then trim to match the edge of the pillow fabric.

•   Size up your pillow back to the pillow top by placing right side facing each other.  Trim the excess fabric from the pillow back. 
•  Sew all the way around your pillow leaving no hole.
•   You are done!!!

Be sure to leave the zipper open some when sewing or you will have trouble opening the zipper when the pillow is done.

OHHHHH LA LA!!!

 I received these awesome fabrics in the mail today from Island Batik.  I can't tell you how much I love love love these fabrics.

I hope you join us

SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN

I know I said I would have these done by the end of Nov....no such luck.  Today I finished them up and since taking this picture I put the hanger on them.  There are 45 of these puppies and I will have to say "I am so glad I am done!!!"   Here is the last post on this and the link for the pattern

It seems this month barely started and it is just about over...

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

With sons coming in and out, parties to help with the list goes on and on.  Have I been sewing?

Not really....sometimes when I have the time I am too tired so maybe next year?

Or next week?  I have a son leaving for Japan this Sunday and then another son coming the week after he leaves.

Am I complaining?  No way, as all of us moma's know, we love it when our babies comes home....so off I go and maybe tomorrow I can get some sew time in?  We will see!!