Quilting!!

The weather cooperated, the stars aligned~ I am not sure what happened! 

BUT I was able to spend the weekend quilting up a few small tops for a friend. 

My friend (no blog) has a friend who is a Chaplain to a firefighting unit and he is a member of the Federation of Fire Chaplains.  The federation will be meeting in TX this fall and will have a silent auction fundraiser as one of their activities. So my friend decided to donate some of her tops and I donated the quilting.

I think we make a pretty good team. What do you think? :-)

   I used some pantographs to do the quilting. I really prefer pantos over rulers as I am just too left handed to properly control my machine and the ruler. LOL

Today I finished up a few pattern tests and other things on my cutting counter, so now it is time to dig into a new project! :-)

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!!

A Little Challenge...

Good afternoon!! I hope you are having a great day!

 While we were on our trip in June, I visited my friend Barbara (no blog).

We have known each other for many years and like to do joint projects. We share a love of embroidery, cross stitch and quilting, among other things. So it was that I used my Crafter's Edge Crossover II to cut us both little partial kits.

I had purchased mini charm packs of Kansas Troubles 'Prairie Dreams' and I used the smallest tumbler die to cut the mini charms. A set for each of us. The challenge was very simple~ make something with your tumblers. :-)

Well, Barbara got busy before I was even gone LOL and cut herself a bunch of solid tumblers to match the small ones in the kit~ she made a template from an already cut tumbler.

And she proceeded to make and hand quilt (!) this adorable mini~

Sorry, I could not rotate it properly. :-/ BUT isn't it adorable?!!!!

 

when I got home, I had a jillion and one things to do and while I had my tumblers right next to my machine, and my idea in my head, I just didn't find the time to play until today. :-)

My tumblers are sewn together. (click on pix for closer views)

I found a scarecrow coloring page and simplified it and I am going to embroider it and them attach it to the side of my tumblers. :-)

 I will start stitching tonight and hopefully you will see it finished pretty soon! 

 

BTW~ that little Tumbler Die worked great!! It comes with 5 different sizes, but the small one fit the mini charm pack perfectly.

The Crossover II is still on sale until the end of the month  ;-) ;-) 

Be back soon with a finish!! (I hope!) LOL

Happy stitchin'!!

Do You Sew Clothes?

I did. For many years I made my own clothes

 and when our kids were young, I made theirs too.

When I started quilting, I got out of making clothes, but every so often I get that call. ;-)

This time, it really was a call!

My DD needed a vendor apron for a craft fair.

I loosely followed the tutorial on Crafty Staci's blog~

I made it shorter for my DD and used velcro instead of a button, I switched the placement for the two pockets and a few other things. DD loved it, which was the whole idea. :-)

I also made a dress for DGD.

 This was a McCall's pattern (I can look up the number if you need it)

It was a quick sew, and I enjoyed it. A nice change from my usual sewing.

Now I am thinking about getting back into it and making myself a few tops...

maybe...

Do you sew clothes?

Until next time~

Happy stitchin', whatever you are making!!

 

Quilts & Stuff

Why does it take so long to get back into your routines after a long trip?

It seems like I have been putting away for ages! ;)

These are the quilts I delivered to the grandkiddoes on our trip.

This is 'Ripples Cubed' by Joanne @Canuck Quilter. 

The large squares are Batman fabric for my Batman loving DGS. 

 Backed with a light grey Minky.

This is 'The Taylor Quilt' from Erica @Kitchen Table Quilting

I backed it with a snuggly roses plush fabric from Hobby Lobby. 

It was a bit of a trial to get pieced, but it quilted up really nicely and washed up so soft!

Ready for snuggles, just like my oldest DGD. :) 

 

This is 'Luv Bugs' by Catherine @ Running Doe Quilts, 

but is a card for Villa Rosa Designs. ;) 

I turned it into lady bugs for my little red headed DGD. 

It has lady bug fabric in the alternate squares.

All of the quilts were fun to make and to deliver. It was way too hot for quilts on our trip, but I am sure the kids will get a lot of use out of them this winter.

 What are you doing this summer?

Any trips?

Until next time~

Happy stitchin'!!

 

Do You Love A Sale?

  Then you will want to head over to Crafter's Edge where the Crossover 11 machine is 25% off this month! :-)

 Have I told you how much fun this machine is?!

I made the balls for the DGkiddoes, my DGD's top~

 

I've cut binding~ very fast! And now I'm working on a Tumbler Die project.

Check out all the fun dies at Crafter's Edge soon! ;)
 

Happy 4th of July!!

Are you celebrating with family today?

Our kids were all busy, so DH and I are grillin' and chillin'.

We just got back from a month long trip, so a little chillin' is definitely needed! :-) While away we picked up my DMIL's sewing machine. DH's aunt had saved it for one of his sisters, but they didn't want it--so we asked if we could take it for DD and they were very happy to keep it in the family.  It is a National, Model FA630.  I don't know very much about it other than it was made in Japan. 

DMIL took very good care of it and has notes in the book, stuck to the machine, on the needle packs and just everywhere! It is really a trip to read them and think about her. She did a LOT of mending with this machine.  She & DFIL farmed, and raised 5 kids... 2 boys + DFIL = a lot of jeans to mend! :-)

 

I cleaned and oiled it for DD and then took it for a test drive. 

Oh my goodness~ this machine is a work horse!!! :-)

I had this bag that I wasn't able to topstitch with either of my domestic machines, so I wondered if this machine could do it~ it sewed through everything I had thrown at it so far and would you believe it did!!??  It acted like it was sewing through butter!!

This is the Artemis Shoulder Bag.

 The pattern is by Tori of Toriska

I am not sure where I got the faux leather, I really liked it, but sure learned a lesson about it~~ just too thick for my little machines. Hmmm, I wonder if DD would let me 'borrow' her machine... long term? :-)  LOL

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!!

Play Ball!

Are you having a good summer?

I had some fun playing with my Crafter's Edge Crossover II machine recently.

I used the Beach Ball die..

And made some balloon balls for my grandkiddoes!

These are just too fun! I tried 2 different ways to insert a balloon~ by leaving a seam open and by making a buttonhole. The buttonhole was by far the better way. It seemed like leaving an opening in a side seam made the ball slightly wonky.  I made these when my kids were small, and when I saw the Crafter's Edge die I just knew I had to make them again. The great thing about them is that you don't have to worry about a child biting or inhaling balloon bits. When the balloon loses air, just take it out and insert another and blow it up. 

The kids had so much fun batting them around. If your kids are older another fun way to play with them is to insert a marble in the balloon~ the balls go wacky! LOL

In the above pic you can see my buttonhole vs side seam. ;-) 

Looking for a little indoor (or outdoor) fun for your littles?

Try balloon balls! :-)

Until next time~

Happy Stitchin'!