Happy New Year!

Wishing all a very Happy New Year may it be filled with all that makes you happy!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our home to one and all!

Thanksgiving Wishes

Wishing all my fellow American visitors a Happy Thanksgiving!
However you enjoy celebrating your day of being grateful and counting blessings hope it is a lovely day !

We will be with family sharing a lovely meal and happy to be together one more year!
DH and I will travel to our son's home with our part of the meal.
We are cooking a country salt cured ham ( have it soaking now), collards and DH famous rolls!
Always have ham and turkey.  Just a Virginia country way.
Pretty sure we will come back home waddling, rubbing our tummy and ready to just not move! ;-)

Sewing has been a bit slack. Did some things but not as much as hoped.
Between busy times, behind the scenes issues and being sick my plans got waylaid!!
I did do a cleanup whirl around the sewing room today getting ready to make some Christmas gifts.
Put the Fall themed fabrics away and pulled out some Christmas fabrics.
Going for simple and easy so I may be able to tackle and finish my list!
Have at least a month to give it a shot!
Hope Springs Eternal as the old saying goes! 

Take care everyone and be safe!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Fall Yawl !!

So been a while since I posted. Time flies as they say! Health up and downs. Just have to roll with it sometimes! Could be a heck of a lot worse off.
I was trying to straighten up my sewing room and found a cute small panel. Fall themed. So decided to work on that for ME. Yes I said ME!! Not something that happens here a lot. ;-)

Added the dark orange border. Was thinking a simple pillow cover but it was calling for MORE!
Next pulled some fats and cut up into 1.5 strips for a patch border.
All in my fav color tones. Makes me want to do a simple nine patch soon!

 Not sure if this is a panel I bought or was given to me! I am thinking it was a quilt show purchase one year. Reminds me of the scare crow dolls I used to sell at craft shows!

 After it was all pieced and quilted I decided to add the appliques. Drew some leaves and pumpkins directly on the Heat n Bond. Did the machine button hole stitch in black and added some quilting. So pleased with it!

Now today I do hope to get binding on.
As for the sewing room straighten up....not done!
Got side tracked don't ya know! ;-)

Fall temps come and go here. So nice when we have a cool and no humid day! Love this time of year.
We are hoping to go to our local county fair tomorrow.
Love seeing the sweet animals, award winning foods and craft items. Was told would be more quilted items this year.
Hubby and I will share a funnel cake. We always do! Our only treat.
If I do not forget will take some pics.

Never Forget 9-11-01

Baby Bib Questions and No Reply Comments/Emails

If you ask me a question in the comments I try to answer with reply emails. A lot of folks will ask me questions on a lot of the older posts but I have no way to reply to you! So check out this great posting on Blog Tips by Happy Hour Projects on how to do your settings so I and others can reply to questions!
Same with emails! I need to be able to reply if you ask me anything.


On to the baby bib questions.

I have used a lot of different bib patterns. Some are from online and others are older bought patterns. I have to say I will just draw one out on a folded sheet of copy paper.

Use soft washed flannel both sides for infants bibs. Others use cottons or other fabric top and flannel on backs. A great place for flannel is local yard sales or thrifts for receiving blankets. Lot of fabric for 98 cents!  Pre washing( have my own bottle of baby detergent) all fabrics keeps the bibs from shrinking after they have been given. If you like giving 'new' looking and feel though just be sure to tell the Moms it will shrink. The quilting will keep that to a minimum as well.
I have some I am doing now out of hand towels. 

You can use sew on snaps or some use small bag magnets. I use the sew in Velcro. Buy the long strip and cut off what I need.

Sew bibs and burp cloths to be USED. Not to become family heirlooms. So keep this in mind when you buy fabrics!

Hope this helps!!
Thanks for visiting my blog!!!



List of free patterns and tutorials links.

Craftaholics

Free Baby Bib Patterns

Free Baby Bib and Tutorial Heather Baily

Sew Mama Sew

Wonderful Tut with great pics.

Nana Company

Vanilla Joy

Diaper Bag for Hunter's Mom

Here is my latest large bag made up as a diaper bag.

 Cute fabric with old fashioned baby buggies and the green is diaper pins. Super cute!

Used gray circle fabric for body and the orange for the handles is stars.

The orange star fabric is also used for lining and inside pockets.

Lining quilted and so is body of the bag but used the stiff bag interfacing as well.

As post title says it is for Hunter's Mom and here is Hunter! Born Aug 4, 2015! Our newest great grand! So GGma and GGpa sent off lots of goodies to Texas. Lots of homemade by GGma items too.
Just wish I could have put myself in one of the boxes too! Hard being a long distance grandparent. Miss out on holding and snuggling the babes. Thank goodness for new technology so do not have to wait on the US Mail for pics or long distance telephone calls!

I have been doing a lot of sewing so I must be in burn out mode! I was also sick a bit but meds seemed to have worked. Do hope I get back in the groove soon. I have other projects would like to finish or at least move along further!!

Can you believe it is August already!!!! I still feel like it is January in some ways...well except for the humidity and hot temps...;-)
I am so up for Fall though!!! Have some painting I want done so then I can bring out the Fall decor!!

So this all means we have Christmas screaming towards us at breakneck speed!!! Not sure how much holiday gift sewing I will get done! I still have birthday gifts I am late on to finish!!!!!!!
I'm Late... I'm Late for a very important......gift! ;-)
Could be a year for pillow cases and gift cards!!!

Get what ya pay for...buyer beware....

Both may be apt for this post.
Was shopping one day at a chain fabric store and saw some items on sale for a REALLY great price.
I had used some of this brand flannel yardage and fats qts for several baby projects before and needed to whip up some more projects for another baby on the way.
So scooped up the fat qtrs for 97 cents each , charm packs for 1.97 each and jelly roll for 3.00.
Figured I had a grand deal!!!

Well how in the world the charms were cut is beyond me!!! Some had bias on ALL SIDES. All wonky cut  and a hot mess.

So I took them and re-cut down to a workable size.Took some time as I needed quite a few for the baby patch receiving blanket!

So was not surprised when I unrolled the jelly roll and the strips were wobbly wonky messes as well.

More trimming. So took extra time and loss of fabric but did make it work!
Have to say the fat quarters were fine. So if you happen upon these deals you will be warned...;-)


 I have been busy sewing.  A bundle almost ready to mail.  Burp cloths, bibs and blankets.

The patch blanket.

 Changing pad or really a small quilt!

Even dozen bibs! All so cute!
So one package off to Texas for a soon to be born little fella and a couple more to follow.

I Spy a One Year Old!

 Finished this sweet nap and play I Spy quilt for Olivia.  Today she is a year old! Goodness has the time flown by!

 Fun fabrics used. Zoology was name of the line mixed in with some other fun prints. So bright and cheerful!

 I normally quilt the label in but forgot so it is sewn on by hand.

 Love these chevron stripe fabrics for fun quilt borders. 

Very soft flannel backing and used a chevron quilting theme as well. it is a light weight quilt. Used one layer of Fusi Boo batting. Love that batting. Steam press on and good to quilt no pinning!

Also made up a couple sundress outfits. Been a while since I have sewn clothing for little ones so hope they fit. Will share pics of those later.

Here is our cutie pie birthday girl with her proud Daddy! Her party will be tomorrow. Oh yes walking now too!! We are so blessed to have this sweet baby girl in our lives! She is our Sunshine!!

Happy Canada Day!

Want to wish all my lovely Canadian friends a Happy Canada Day!
I love Canada and have enjoyed our many visits to the Canadian Maritimes!!! 

Clean up..again!

 Having to do a sewing room clean up here between projects.
Just finished up a cute baby girl sundress outfit and now need room to quilt a small quilt.
Have it all marked and ready to go.

Above pic taken a few years ago after redo from water leak damage.
My room is small. Very small. Though I am very very grateful to have a room, it can become a chore keeping it work friendly and still have room to move about!
The rule has always been all sewing related items must remain in this room.
This worked out well for a while. ;-)
Now I have more vintage machines, fabrics, assorted battings, interfacing, threads, ironing boards, and sew on!! Nothing is leaving this house!
So my plan is soon to clean out the large hall closet and put some of my machines in there. Easy to pull out and use.  The rest is just a matter of finishing up some big projects and put stuff away when done!!

I love looking at pretty rooms as much as anyone. My room is a working room though.
Do have a few things that are just for decor..;-)

Saw this "5 tips to organize your small sewing space" posted on Face Book and thought you all would enjoying looking and maybe finding some cool ideas for your sewing room or area!

Please share any tips you have that have helped you out!

Bags Bags and more totes and such....

 As you all know I love making bags or totes for myself and as gifts. Mostly I just do my on thing. Some I have used patterns . I have some new  bag patterns I would like to sew up!

Diaper bag size.

 Pieced and quilted big tote.

 Small one.

 Sweet little bag...

 ..with matching accessories.

 One year I made lots of these for all my cute beach babes.

Messenger bag for a special fella!

 Recall the ruffled top bags?? This pink pretty was for grand nices to use for her dance class.

A floral number.

 A flower themed one for a gal which loved her flowers and the garden shows.

 Made these for myself an a pal to use at the quilt shows. We need new ones.

The was for a cross stitiching gal to use for her projects!
Well there is more but you get the idea! Bags make great gifts!

 This evening while I was blog hopping I came across this wonderful FILLED LONG post on WITH HEART and HANDS ! Michele simple loaded it up with so many awesome links for free patterns and tutorials for tote, bags and such! I just had to share it with you all on my blog!
You will be busy for a long time checking them all out!!
Who knows maybe if you get busy now you will have Christmas gifts 'in the bag' long before DEC 25th!!

Thank You Jeanie!!

Jean who blogs at Jean Creates and Life in My Happy Place was having a d-stashing while cleaning up her studio. Jean so happily gifted this lovely pile of fabrics with me!!

 Buggy Barn quilt kit with pattern and some Kim Diehl in the tall yummy stack on the left! Thanks again so much Jeanie!!

Set it up here with some of my Kim Diehl fabrics to enjoy looking at for a bit!
To me this is a lovely photo!

The framed photo is of my BFF , Brenda , who passed in 2003.
Small angel painting hung on the cabinet door was a gift from a friend. It reperesents my Mama Angel and Brenda Angel. Love it!

So wanted to thanks Jean for her kindness which is why I made her this large retreat or class tote.

Left the top open with no closures so she could stick tall things inside like a cutting mat, rolled up things,etc... even a picnic lunch bag for two!


 Did quilt the outer bag and lining. Used a stiff interfacing so it would keep a good shape. Made some pleated pockets and flat one on other side.

Purchased these handles to use instead of fabric ones. Thinking maybe more durable for a well used bag. The bright colors of these pretty fabrics just said JEANIE to me. Jeanie is a lovely bright spirited gal and I am happy to have 'met' her in our blog world!
Thanks again Jeanie for all your kindness you share so willingly and hope you enjoy the tote!

Flag Day

Today, June 14th, is Flag Day for us here in the USA. Read about our Flag Day here.

We have a flag pole in our yard and proudly fly the red , white and blue everyday!