Sunday, June 30, 2013

Friday Finds

I bet you all wondered where I went....

Well... I am type two diabetic and for some reason, I had a huge problem with my sugars. One of the first things that I noticed was that my eye site was totally screwed up and sitting on the computer was definitely impossible. (Still isn't back to normal, but it is better.) Sewing was also next to impossible so I took a little holiday...



And now I am back! Today is going to be short and sweet though... Just the Friday Finds... which also will be short and sweet, since I didn't spend much time on the computer this last week.

I have changed the format for the Friday finds. Each week you will get a link to a PDF which you can save on your computer if you like.  You will also see a link at the top of my blog for Friday finds, that will take you to my website where you can see all the Friday Finds from now on. Eventually I hope to have a data Base so things will be easy to find.




Next week is going to be a very busy week....

First... on Monday, I have to link up to a year of finishes... remember this..

Well... it looks a lot better today, but you will have to wait till Monday to find out whether or not it is finished yet!

And on Monday, I plan to have another instalment of "My fa
vorite tools" ready for you.  Such slow going when you can't barely see.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day again!


On Wednesday, July 3rd, I have my day on the "Put your stamp on it" blog hop....My project is not quite done yet. But it will be...
So I guess I will see you all On Monday!


Happy Canada Day!




Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Sew day!

Yesterday, I spent the whole day working on my project for the "Put A Stamp On It",  blog hop which will start in a few weeks.  I can't show you it yet, but I can tell you, that my mind is an incredible thing... It thinks something will be easy, and won't take hardly any time, but the reality is... I really didn't get close to my imagination today.


Making a stamp is very difficult. You can't just cut some squares, paper piece, or appliqué it, unless you are some amazing, genius, quilter/sewer, which I am not!  I can't wait to see what the other bloggers are doing!

Hopefully, I will get it done on Saturday... Right after my little mini retreat at my friend Laila's cottage...( I can barely wait).

I think I will take this quilt to Laila's.
It would be really good to get it finished!


 But first, I have a mini shop hop with my friends tomorrow. I am looking for a batik jelly roll or two for #18 on my Friday finds post, last week!  (I love that quilt!)





Monday, June 17, 2013

My favourite things... Day 1

I tried this once before, and I was thinking it might be time to do it again. I am going to try to blog for the next 15 Mondays with my 15 Favourite Quilting Tools...

Today's favourite is my Thread Stand!


Well actually I have a few thread stands.

#1
 This was my original thread stand and up until recently it was still one of my favourites. It has a weighted base and the pole is one piece and metal. I use it primarily for invisible thread, now, since I have this huge industrial spool of invisible thread which I love! Its really great for heavy spools or those gigantic spools of thread that I usually use on my Gammil.

#1

 I discovered this thread stand and thought it was the best because I could easily put two threads on it ... but as you can see, mine is now in pieces and some of the pieces are lost.

 It actually came in pieces and I did like it when I first got it, but it broke so much that now it doesn't get used at all. it's probably on its way to the recycle bin!


I asked my DH to make me one to replace the one above, and it worked out OK, but still never became my favorite. It's really pretty and I use it sometimes when I am using my double needle, but it's not really practical.


This one I bought when we were in Newfoundland one year. My DH was a little ticked because he thought it would be a pain to bring home on the plane and didn't think I would really ever use it! It is nice except it has a few glitches. The posts are a little thick and the hooks are eyes, so it is really difficult to get the thread through them.  Not a favourite at all! (But I never did tell my DH. Wouldn't want him to know he was right...)

So that gets us to  my real favourite:


This is the Superior Thread Holder and I love it. I love it so much I am thinking about ordering another one. It is very versatile to use and extremely solid. I need a floss threader to thread it sometimes, but that's more me and my age than a problem with the thread holder.

I like it because it works well with all my machines. I just set the wire to the right height and any type of spool of thread glides through it with very few opportunities to tangle. Its a great thread holder and I use it all the time!


Here is the worksheet from the Superior Site!


I would love to hear your comments and information on your favourites or post a picture on my flicker site so I can see all your favourites. Maybe there is one that I never owned... tee hee.


Friday, June 14, 2013

Friday finds

Here are the things I found on the web this week...


  1. Pineapple upside down cake... from Yesterfood.com. I had forgotten about this favourite. I will have to make sure I try it, soon! 
  2. Becky's 52UFO blocks.
  3. MyMoppet's hexagon table runner
  4. Here is a free Beach bag pattern on Craftsy.
  5. Sentimental stitches has a tutorial on a great bag... the Sew So easy Schlep bag
  6. Watermelon Mint Iced Tea... Wow, that sounds delicious!
  7. How to make pockets for the inside of a bag from Liz Moments
  8. Here's a Moda pattern... Simply Styled Stacked Squares quilt.
  9. I love bags! especially useful ones. Here is a boxy travel Bag tutorial from Mommy by day, Crafter by night.
  10. Everyone who has every hemmed a pair of dress pants wants to see this Blind Hemstitch video!
  11. The Quilting Edge has a tutorial on quilting spirals on your domestic machine with your walking foot.
  12. Here is a pattern for a Log Cabin Baby Quilt.
  13. I am so making this bag from Bag'n Telle.... the Multi Pocket Urban tote. And while you are there, check out all the other great bags under her tutorials.
  14. Here is a free pattern from Blank Quilting 
  15. Rhubarb and Dates... this sounds good!
  16. Here is a tute on creating continuous bias from The Sewing Loft Blog
  17. Here's a block tutorial from back in 2012 by Quilt Dad, but I just love this block. Had to share!
  18. Here is another Moda pattern using Jelly Rolls... My friend Aimee will love this one!
  19. the mother huddle has a pattern for an apron with built in hot pads... so cute!
  20. This one is for all my friends from the USA... An American Flag table runner.
  21. Here is another Cute Quilt from the Pellon Website.
  22. Another great tote pattern from NoodleHead. The Super Tote... you will see one of these finished on my blog soon!
  23. And another one... a divided basket this time... I need to make this one too.
  24. A recipe for Blueberry Buckle... I always wondered what a "buckle" was.
  25. I think Betsy loves bags as much as me. Here is a pieced pouch tutorial... Double hourglass pouch.
  26. Here's another block Tutorial.
  27. Here's another quilt pattern from the Fat Quarter Gangs blog... Scrappy stars.
  28. I found an Etsy shop that sells the bag clasps that I have been looking for. I heard about them from another blogger I follow who orders from them, so I am going to try this site.
Let me know if you visit any of these sites and especially if you have made anything from these link ups. I will post pictures when i get some of them done...







Thursday, June 13, 2013

Sew-A-Long... Finally Finished!


My byAnnie Sew-a-long bag is finally finished and I love it!  but...

The last step was the hardest! I would make this bag again now that I have the process under control.. but the first bag finish was totally a learning step! 

The bag is on my hip as we speak, because it is a great place for my cell phone, not to mention my credit cards and GUM! fit in it nicely too!
I have been carrying it with me all the time since we decided our house phone was redundant!

The Final Steps... TIPS!

PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE!!!

1. byAnnie suggests you pin the centre top and bottom of both the zipper strip and the center of the case front.    

 I notched the centre top AND sides on both pieces because I found it very difficult to pin through the many, layers of the front and the vinyl on the back; notching was still a little tough, but I no pins were injured in the process!  Although this is a very small purse. It was much easier to get the pieces to fit with 4 reference points, vs just the two that Annie suggested. 





2. Match the centers and pin all around.   

Well... That didn't work out so well for me!! Matching was good, but the pinning was way to difficult in the thick areas ( There was 12 layers of material including the interfacing for the front. Next time, I will not interface the outside pocket or the card pockets... it just made everything two thick!) I choose to use the binder clips at the notches, and matched as I sewed where I couldn't pin. It wasn't perfect, but it looked fine in the end.



3. Sew Together easing around the edges.   When I was following the directions for the front, I did exactly as commanded. But I honestly believe that every quilter should READ those directions and do what they are most comfortable with. I was very comfortable, BASTING first. so that's what I did. I actually hand basted but you could easily do it by machine. PINNING was impossible for me. Quilting pins are too bendy. So basting was a good solution. 

4. Enclose the raw edges with Bias binding!!!    OK... I hate binding my quilts so binding these little edges was tough work.  I choose to use a wider binding but afterwards decided I could have gotten away with something smaller (2" as per byAnnies' instructions!)


Ok, so my binding isn't pretty... Well, it's inside!
Just ask me if I care!


5. Turn right side out   (through zipper which I opened slightly  before sewing the front and back to the zipper strip) this was so exciting, because I really didn't know how it was going to look until that moment...  but I was excited to see that it was much better than I thought it would be!

6. Attach zipper pulls.  My zipper was just a regular YKK zipper that I had gotten out of my zipper box, so the little pull I made was way to big!  I had just ordered 25 Assorted 14" YKK Zippers from Zipit Zippers  (have you been to their site... you should go!, right now, I will wait!) last week and they had included a zipper pull  so I used it and it matched my little bag perfectly...


See how well the zipper pull matches. It was perfect for this bag.
Got it from Zipit Zippers!



7. Add Straps. Well off you go to visit byAnnie.... she has three great videos on attaching the straps. (Please note... these videos are not about this project, but the method is the same. )

Attach the hardware to the strap!

Attach the strap to the bag!

Adjust strap

And Voila... you have a finished bag!  




Have you been sewing along?... I hope so. If you have, please send me a picture so I can see your finished bag.  You can also add it to my Notion Nanny Flicker Group!

If not! Run over to byAnnies and get the pattern and the finishing kit and get started today. This was a fun little project and I love my bag!

Well That's All Folks.... 



Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Internet malfunction

I am posting on my iPad... My home Internet is down... Which includes our phones!

The final tutorial on my cellphone, bag is too involved to do on my iPad so it will be delayed.  The   Internet people promise, no later than Wednesday!  Lets hope!




In the mean time... My beloved 830, is sick again and off to sewing computer hospital!


Well this has nothing to do with my garden, but it is a stinkin' cute picture!

So I decided I would work in my garden for these few days... But it's RAINING!



So I am off to visit my niece, the Potter!  She has just returned to her summer home from British Columbia.  I hope I get a chance to spin her wheel this summer!





I'll be back!

Friday, June 7, 2013

Friday freebies...

Look what I found on the web this week...

  1. Here's a great way to cook corn on the cob. http://liz-moments.blogspot.ca/2013/06/i-warned-you.html
  2. Here's a tutorial on how to make the batik braid quilt!
  3. Lets make a ruffle tote  from Passion and Couture!
  4. Here is a great idea for making a little pouch...
  5. Are you a Doctor Who fan.. Here's a little sew-a-long!
  6. I love bruschetta and here's a great recipe!  
  7. Have you visited Wayne Kollingers blog yet... You probable should!
  8. Here's a great summer sampler and my summer favorite in a block
  9. Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Crash Hot Potatoes.. Oh my!

  10. EQ has a free quilt pattern for you here...
  11. 10 tips to quilting large quilts from Dining-room Empire! 
  12. Quiltville has a free pattern on her web site...Dancing Nines.
  13. Little Boy Blue... Toddler bean bag from Moda Bake Shop!
  14. Semi Improve quilt block tutorial from Theresa Down Under!
  15. Strawberry rhubarb crisp....   Yummmmmmmmie!
  16. Fuss free gathering tutorial.
  17. Easy ruffled flange binding!
  18. OK. I couldn't resist another recipe.  This one is for ribs!
  19. Here is a pattern for a little red work bird.  
  20. The Inbox Jaunt has a free tutorial on FMQ spools! 
  21. Do you like jelly roll quilts?  The you will love this sew-a-long! 
  22. Here's another quilt from Moda Bake Shop... Jiggity quilt!
  23. This one is very cute... A quilted crafty caddy!
  24. I love these little vintage embroidery patterns... 
  25. This weeks edition of 52 quilt block pick up!  One of my favorite weekly finds!



Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Day 7 of the Sew-A-Long

Today is the second last day of the Sew-A-long. 

I will wrap everything up on Monday. (I need the time because it is looking like the finish needs some testing!)

At this point in the process you will have to have your finishing kit. Lucky for me, mine arrived yesterday. These little parts were impossible for me to find anywhere, so I ordered them from byAnnie
(I apologize for these highlighted areas, I have no idea where they came from, or how to get rid of them)





These pieces need to be on your front piece before you you add the zipper so you should get them ready! More about that Monday.

Now we are ready to make the zipper.


My first suggestion is to go to byAnnie's Website and watch all the zipper tutorials. Whether you are sewing along or not... these are great videos! ( the links don't work here.. you need to go to: http://www.byannie.com/zippers_videos/ to see the videos!


Unfortunately, this zipper is not one of the video tutorials,  but it is very easy to make.

You need to prepare your side flaps by folding the pieces in half ...


Then attach the two pieces to each side of the zipper by sewing them about 1/8" from the zipper teeth...



You can see the little tailors tacks at each end of the zipper. These will help keep your zipper tab on the zipper after you cut the zipper to fit!

Next you will sew the end pieces on to the zipper. You will layer all three pieces and sew across the end.


Now these end pieces get attached to the other end of the zipper to form a tube.


And your zipper is done. 


I generally love putting together zippers and find them very easy to do. This was no exception!

I will be spending the next few days putting together the bag and I will have the final tutorial on Monday. Let me know if you are working on one of these little bags. I would love to see pictures!

This was one of the first wall hangings I designed when I started
quilting again after a long hiatus, raising kids and buying running shoes.
Who could afford to quilt!



Monday, June 3, 2013

Day 7 of the sew-a-long... NOT!

Well you know how it goes... 

You have great plans until the moment they are necessary and then they go off in a row boat!

My "Beast"... had a technical failure Saturday, which translated, means another trip to the Bernina Hospital! Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking when I bought that sewing machine. But then I get it home and it is so wonderful, I get over it. Not sure this time, but we will see!

Anyways, not to whine but it put me way behind on my Sew-A -Long, which I had finally gotten caught up to my sewing. So a little patience, please. I will work on it tomorrow and hopefully you will see it here some time on Wednesday!

Breaking News.


My friend Laila shared some wonderful news with me yesterday. She had entered two quilts in two different shows this month and received Viewers Choice on both of them. I was so excited for her.

Bears Paw

I quilted a quilt, identical to this one when Laila and I first met. We  became such good friends afterward. A few years later she brought this one to me. Her husband, Ed, loved all the quilting on the first one so much that Laila made another one for me to quilt. We live miles apart, not mentioning the border that has to be crossed for us to see each other. But our friendship has grown all because of this quilt!

Simple Elegance

A few years ago, when Laila and Ed were at their cottage only an hour from me,  the three of us put our heads together and designed this layout on Electric Quilt. Laila and some squares of fabric she wanted to use in a quilt and Ed wanted another quilt with lots of white space for Quilting. I had forgotten what a great design it was! It turned out beautiful!

This quilt not only won viewers choice, but it also won the Judges award at the Genesee Valley quilt Show! There were 600+ quilts in this show. What a great honour for Laila.

Great big kudo's go out to her long arm quilter, Ahem, the quilting is phenomenal! Here is some eye candy!




I am just bursting with pride! Congratulations Laila!

Finishing report... 


Another border finished on my quilt... YEAH!  Maybe I will get this done before the end of June. 

And

See the brown and green quilt in the center... thats mine from Quilt camp, 3 or 4 years ago... Its quilted!  just needs a binding! 


Saturday, June 1, 2013

Saturday Sew Day

This sewing day has been interrupted by Link Ups!  LOL

If you are looking for the sew-a-long go here...


Today I finally finished a quilt I started a year ago, put on my frame in January to quilt, linked up to the...
for a finish in January... and today I finished it! (well it still needs to be squared and bound!)

This is a quilt pattern from Geta. The "Ball of Flowers" was all pieced by hand and quilted on my Gammill by me!






Today I am linking back up to a year of finishes for another quilt I started in 2002. This is a pattern by Alice Wilhoit that I machine appliqued and hand embroidered. It is all done except for 2 borders and I plan to finish it!!!!!

Flower Basket by Alice Wilhoit
And lastly I am going to link up to...  




With this newFO that I am starting. This is last years Spellbinder Mystery and I love it!  I am doing three sets of blocks at a time... these two for wall hangings, and I am going to use the other set of blocks in a quilt later on. 
Spellbinder 2012

Now... back to sewing...