First Quilt Started

I'm really shocked how much I love cutting fabric! And I really enjoy designing my own projects. I adore the purple and turquoise and fun patterns in this line and decided to make my first quilt with it. See my design process here.

I used Domestic Bliss by Liz Scott for Moda (charm pack cut from a layer cake) and only used 25 charms. The white sashing is 1.5" cut (1" finished) and I plan on an outer border of White Moda Bella Solid using a jelly roll which is 2.5" or 2" finished. Then the back, batting and binding which I'll find at my local quilt shop will come later.

I pieced these on my daughter's Janome Sew Mini!

First Quilt Design

I love Domestic Bliss by Liz Scott and actually pre-ordered two layer cakes from Green Fairy Quilts (I love that option)! It is really simple to cut the layer cakes into charm packs and that's what I did to start. The squares are 5" with 1.5" Bella Solid White sashing (both unfinished).

I put my favorite 25 charms on the floor and moved them around until I had the balance I wanted. Then I made the same design in Publisher. After I arranged the fabric squares on the floor, I downloaded jpgs of the entire Domestic Bliss line from ModaFabrics.com and moved them around on the computer screen. Then I printed a piece of graph paper and drew the design by hand to the proper proportions.

The center square was a fussy cut from the layer cake because I really like the symmetry of the design and wanted that special center square to be symmetrical as well.

Now I'm ready to start sewing!

First Table Runner

I recently started a fabric obsession. One night I thought it would be fun to look at fabrics on Etsy and I started collecting images of fabrics and color combinations I liked best. Terrain by Kate Spain for Moda and Domestic Bliss by Liz Scott for Moda quickly became my favorites (until later I found Pam Kitty for Lakehouse)!

I also fell in love with Circa 1934 by Cosmo Cricket for Moda for my wonderful mother-in-law. Her dining room table is black with a spicy red built in hutch and buttery walls that wrap around into the living room which has sage walls. This fabric matches her decor beautifully. I decided to try a table runner and decided to use the free Tricky Table Runner Tutorial by Spool Sewing.

It was SO easy and I did it on the Janome Sew Mini! I used 5" squares instead of her 4" and made three 9 patch blocks. I pre-washed my batting and destroyed it! It came out of the soak and rinse with holes. :( And once I did the piecing I didn't know what to do next and it was the day before Christmas Eve! I emailed a friend who sews & quilts to ask for a quilting referral and she offered to pick it up, quilt it (stitch in the ditch) and return it the next day. WOW! What a lifesaver! That is her on Friday picking it up and again on Saturday (Christmas Eve) dropping it off! She even used her own batting and thread. Thank you SO much Jacquie!

I've since fallen in LOVE with the versatility of the Disappearing Nine Patch and can't wait to do a little baby quilt with it. Stay tuned!

SEW Handsome!

In November after we bought Sarah's tiny sewing machine, the entire family ended up at Joann Fabrics one night after dinner because we needed more pillow stuffing. The kids were enjoying picking out (more) fabric and my husband said, "I'd like to make a pillow for my mom and sister for Christmas". Instead of looking at him like he had three heads (too late), I said, "OK, what colors"? He selected six different fabrics as each would receive a bookmark, bed buddy rice pack and a pillow.

Can I just say...I am SO impressed that he selected the fabric and actually followed through! You can see his sister "YOU made this"?! Doesn't it look awesome in her chair!? The "seeds" pillow is sage and peach, just the colors his mom loves. I'm so proud of him!!!

My New Sewing Machine!

My daughter's mini sewing machine has inspired me! In the past ten years, I've purchased two old Singer sewing machines on Craigslist and never got them working. I'm SO ready for a machine that can handle what I want to do (surprisingly, the Janome Sew Mini is quite robust for such a little thing).

I didn't do a lot of research which is SEW unlike me! I bought a highly rated computerized machine with a TON of features. I bought a Brother PC-420PRW for a screaming great price. $450 plus 10% off coupon at Ken's Sewing Center plus a $30 rebate (free shipping, no tax) so the grand total was about $370! Thank you Grampa! It has lots of decorative stitches and over 30 accessories and I can get just about any kind of foot I would possibly need.

My local sewing machine shop will show me how to use it and I'm going to go ahead and schedule something because I don't quite know where to start!

First Mini Blanket/Quilt

So I've been inspired lately to sew since we got my 8 year old daughter a Janome Sew Mini. It is the perfect size and very light so it is easy to put away and set up.

I've also been looking at quilting and thought it would be interesting to try making Black Kitty a patchwork blanket. I've always wanted to quilt. I used vintage pillowcase scraps that a friend bought at Value Village. No batting.

So, uh, here it is...looks more like a PLACEMAT! It was supposed to be 8x10 but it is more 6x9ish, oh well. I took it upstairs and placed it over Black Kitty so Sarah will see it in the morning. I'm sure she'll be thrilled with her placemat/blanket! But a worthy first try and I learned several things, mainly that I included the seam allowance in the width instead of adding it on as extra, duh, that's why it is too small! AND because the lighting isn't that great in the dining room and the right and wrong side look the same, I gave my seam ripper a workout when I attached the wrong sides together when sewing on the backside! Then I tried to get fancy and did a little lame scrolly thing thinking it would look more quilted. Sigh.

Pajama Pillows!

What to do with pajamas that the kids have outgrown? MAKE A PILLOW! We sewed up the arm holes and neck hole and stuffed it!

We did this with Daniel's old shirt, but I can't find the photo...the kids LOVE these pillows that they stitched and stuffed themselves.

Rice Heat Packs

Our friends were rear-ended yesterday so we decided to make them some bed buddy rice packs for their sore, achy muscles. We went to Joann and picked out fabric for everyone (4 children and 2 parents) and came home and sewed really fast so we could deliver them this afternoon. What a fun project (with unhappy circumstances)!

Sarah's Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine

My 8 year old daughter has been asking for her own sewing machine so we got the Janome Mini Sew for her. It has great reviews and though it is a mini, it is a REAL sewing machine. And under 5lbs we can move it easily. She is a total NATURAL with the sewing machine, I was astonished at how adept and confident she was using it the first time! It is AWESOME having a sewing machine that actually works!

First Post-New Sewing Machine

Last fall I purchased my second old Singer and this November my daughter started asking to sew. I was showing her how to thread the machine when the entire bobbin casing popped out and I could NOT get it back in!

DONE, I am DONE with old machines. I decided to do a little research on getting her a small machine that is really simple (so mom can understand it)! We ordered a Janome Mini Sew from Ken's Sewing Center on Amazon for $69 (free shipping, no tax). One thing that helped me make this decision was this nice lady's YouTube video! It arrived in perfect condition with a 10% coupon.

Sarah was super excited to try out all six stitches and Daniel did quite well stitching straight lines!

That's what started this blog!