31 Days of Creating 2021 - Day 29

 

“Every moment is a fresh beginning.” 

~ T.S. Eliot 

Happy Friday!!! I hope you had a great day and spent some time doing something joyful!!! It was a rainy day here but it was still full of beauty. 

I started cutting the fabrics for this adorable quilt today!!! I’ve had it in my stack of projects for months now, and this rainy day seemed like the perfect day to get started. I love beginning a new quilt!!! I hope you did something you enjoy as well!!! 🧵🦊🪡

~ Cindy

My Favorite Lotion for Crafters...

 

I have people ask me about lotions all the time. Crafters are always looking for a lotion that works and doesn't leave greasy hands behind.  And I think I have tried every lotion available over the years.  I am happy to say I have found my favorite lotion ever!!!  Especially for anyone who crafts, sews, crochets, knits, etc.  I rub the smallest amount on my hands and literally within a minute or two it is absorbed, there is no greasy residue, and miraculously, my hands are super soft!!! Plus I only have to use it every few days.  I love this aloe-based lotion and I have shared it with many people.  I love it so much I have even become a L'BRI Independent Consultant so that I can share the joy with others!!!  

If you are interested in purchasing some you can contact me, or find it here.

Another aspect I love is that it comes in several fragrances, OR you can get fragrance-free, which is my personal favorite!!!  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. 

I'm off to piece together a few quilt blocks.

Happy Stitching Friends!!!

Cindy

Quilt Binding: by Hand or Machine?

Hi Stitching Friends!!!  I have been so busy with parenting, homeschooling, and homeopathy that I have completely neglected my love of all things fabric!!!   I realize I miss it terribly!!!  So I decided I will have to be more intentional about sewing, stitching, etc.

With that in mind, I was determined to start binding this quilt today.  I pieced this quilt several years ago and finished quilting it this past summer.  All it lacks is a nice binding.  Today I started working on that.  

I often have been asked if a quilt binding should be hand-stitched or machine-stitched.  So I thought I would share my thoughts on what I do with my quilts.  

This is going to be a large lap quilt.  I tend to hand-stitch the bindings if they will not be machine-washed excessively.  So for our lap quilts I usually hand-stitch the binding because I do not expect to wash them all the time.  When I hand-stitch the binding I have a bit more control and can make sure it is nice, tight, and wrapped just right around the edge of the quilt.  And I use small hand-stitches that disappear into the backing fabric.  And an extra bonus, for me, is that it is very relaxing and therapeutic to hand-stitch!!!  

Now on the other hand, if I am making a quilt for a baby or small child (like this one I made my for second child 17 years ago), I usually machine-stitch the binding because I know it is going to be machine-washed a lot and I want the binding to be as sturdy as possible.  On the front side of the quilt I "stitch in the ditch" and hope that I catch the back folded edge of the binding with the needle on the back side.  Using my edge-stitch foot on my sewing machine makes this process so much easier!!!

The drawback is that it is a bit more difficult to get a nice and even line of stitching on the back side.  It is certainly not impossible, just a bit more tricky (for me anyway).  Another tip is instead of using straight pins, I use "Wonder Clips" by Clover, and they make the whole process easier whether I hand or machine-stitch.  

The bottom line is that there is no right or wrong answer. Rather, it is a personal choice and I think whatever motivates you to finish the quilt is the best answer!!! I machine-stitched the binding on this quilt years ago because I never would have finished it otherwise.  A finished quilt that is not perfect is better than a perfect quilt that is not finished!!!  That is how I feel about it anyway!!!  :) And remember, sewing should be fun!!!  If it is not fun you won't do it, so make it fun!!!  

Keep Stitching!!!

A Sweet Little Pillow...

I found this embroidery pattern from the Clementine Pattern Co that I really wanted to stitch.  I like all of their patterns but I thought I would start with this simple one.  I stitched the letters in a pretty coral colored floss using a backstitch on a piece of cotton fabric and quilt batting.  I often put batting behind my embroidery projects because I really like the finished product it yields.  I feel like the batting gives it more body than just stitching on a single layer of fabric.  

After I finished stitching I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with it, but I knew I really liked it and therefore I wanted to enjoy it daily.  Finally, I decided to turn it into a pillow.  

I had a Moda jelly roll of some gorgeous fabrics that worked perfectly with the floss color I chose.  I added the strips to the sides in a log cabin style and embellished it with a little more stitching around the perimeter.  The back of the pillow is another coordinating Moda print.  I filled it with stuffing and gave it a place of honor on my bed. Now I get to see it everyday and it never fails to make me smile!!! I love it!!!

Have you made something lately that makes you smile?

Happy Stitching!!!

xoxo

A Beautiful Bookmark.....

My Emily was very kind and generous in her gift giving this past Christmas.  Not to mention that she made all of the gifts that she gave.  She was a busy girl!

She made me two of these beautiful and delicate-looking hand crocheted bookmarks!  I love them!  I think I will put one in each of my two favorite Bibles.  She got the pattern from here, if anyone is interested in making a few for gifts this year.  They would make wonderful gifts for anyone on your gift list though out the year!!!

We are hibernating inside awaiting bitter cold weather the next few days.  Brrr!!!  I'm thinking about what projects I'm going to work on if the opportunity presents itself.  Probably my next quilt assuming we have power as I am still piecing it.  And if we are without power I am thinking I could work on my next hand embroidery project.  It's always good to have a few projects ready for any given situation. That's my philosophy anyway!

Keep Stitching and Stay Warm!!!!  xoxo!!!

The Finished Quilt.....

I am always so happy to finish a project.  And I was ecstatic to finish this one.  I've worked on it off and on for years.  Definitely time for it to be finished.  Plus it's the perfect time of year for another warm quilt in the house.

And as I expected, we are all rushing to grab it when it gets chilly.  It is one of the largest lap quilts we have.  And I put a low loft cotton batting in it, which is my favorite because I love the way it feels.

I guess when it warms up outside it will be easy to find a place to display it.  It matches the colors in so many of our rooms.  But for now I keep it folded on our bed when not in use.  I am enjoying this quilt so much it has given me the itch to start another one.

Birthing A Quilt......

Wow!  Long time...no write.  Sorry about that!  We had a wonderful Christmas with our four children, plus my 18 year old niece came to spend the holidays with us.  We had fun in the new house deciding where to place the tree, how to decorate the front of the house, building our annual gingerbread house, etc.  Oh, plus we also made our new and old neighbors hand crocheted dishcloths with lotion, and a small plate of chocolate treats.  That is one of our favorite traditions each year.

With Christmas over and the New Year here....we are slowing getting back into our routines.  That was disrupted a bit as all four kids came down with the "coughing virus," as I call it.  It is taking awhile to shake it but I think they are all on the mend at this time.  They are running around the house irritating each other so I have to assume they are feeling better.  :)

As for me, I have actually worked in a bit of sewing here and there.  I was able to finish a quilt that I started awhile back.  The days, and nights, have been so chilly here and we have all been fighting over who has which quilt that I decided to finish this one so there would be another quilt in the mix.  And it's a huge lap size quilt....so it is the perfect kind for cold and lazy days!  Well, I really shouldn't say lazy....I find the kids wrapped up in quilts reading and doing school work pretty often.

Anyway, above you see all the yards and yards of binding I made.

Then I stitched it in.  I use my walking foot for just about all things quilting...but I use my edge stitch foot for the last seam when attaching binding.  It rides right in the ditch and catches the binding in the back for a perfect looking binding.

I'll be back with the finished quilt!

I hope you all have worked some stitching in too!!   Happy Stitching!!!

Christmas Eve.....

I still can't wrap my brain around the fact that it's Christmas already. I always vow to start preparations earlier each year...but the fact is...I never do. I can't seem to get motivated to work on Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving...but somehow by that time I am already behind. One day I will be prepared...I hope.

In the meantime, I did finish the two full-size quilts I mentioned before. I was happy with the final products. If you remember a friend from church asked if I could take her deceased grandmother's shirts and make them into two quilts that she was going to then turn around and give to her mother and aunt for Christmas. Most of the shirts were of the sweatshirt variety which at first caused me concern. But with my trusty walking foot on the machine I did not encounter too many problems. There was some stretching that occurred...but not enough to bug me. Not everything matched up as a result...but again, I was still happy. She also supplied with me her grandmother's sheets to use as the backing and she picked out what color she wanted for the bindings. My friend seemed happy with the end result, and I was happy to have been able to use my talents to minister to this family.

I also was able to sew one small little gift for my Elisabeth. I won't post pictures until after she opens the gift tomorrow though. I am happy with the outcome though. Let's see...I also started a cute little Christmas jon-jon for Ean. But I am still not quite finished with it. I'm not sure if I'll get the opportunity to finish it up tonight or not. We'll see.

My four little ones have been taking their turns having a little bug going around. Basically it's a fever, headache, sore throat and stuffy nose that lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 days or so. Sweet Elisabeth is in the midst of it now. I'm hoping she feels fine by tomorrow. She was sick last year on Christmas day too. This same sweet little girl also had the nerve to turn 9 last week. They are all growing up WAY too fast!!!

I'll leave you all with one of my favorite songs (it has nothing to do with Christmas though.) If you have ever heard of the videos by Homestead Blessings then you know the West Ladies. I just love this song written by Ce Ce, one of the daughters (the one playing the guitar in the video.) Whenever I need a smile I just listen to this song. The video is even better though. I bet you can't watch this video without smiling! Enjoy!!! Oh, and Merry Christmas!!!

Pure Pleating Laziness......

Yesterday it hit me that Christmas is just over two weeks away! And my sweet Elisabeth also has a birthday between now and then....just to add a little more stress to the equation! But my hands still desire to have something to work on in the little bits of time that present themselves here and there. So I did the unthinkable....I stopped by the local heirloom shop and bought two pleated panels! I know, crazy (and maybe lazy?) when I can easily pleat them myself! But my Ethan really wants tractors smocked on a jon-jon...and honestly this is the last year he will be able to wear jon-jon's and get away with it. So I really do want to make this for him. But I knew if I waited to get the pleater out and ready I would postpone it for several more weeks. Why do I do that?

So I bought two pleated panels in hopes of stitching them for my sweet little boys. I'm not sure what I'll put on Ean's yet....I'll think about that. But in the meantime I can start stitching tractors for Ethan.

And do you see the colorful quilt in these two pictures? Well guess what? That is another bargain I got at the Martha Pullen Warehouse Sale. It is a baby crib-sized quilt (a very generous size) and gorgeous. You can't see the edges but they have large rick rack stitched on them, and the back is the same fabric as the block on the front with all the little cars and such...precious. You won't believe it when I tell you I paid $3 for this amazing quilt. I could not even purchase the supplies for that amount....plus add in the time for construction and such. I love this quilt for so many reasons!!!

And about the sleeping baby, Ean, in the top photo....I could just about kiss his cheeks off!!! That's all I'm saying!!!!

Free-Motion Quilting Fun.......

The other day I forgot to mention that I also signed up on-line for a pin cushion swap with a group of homeschooling moms. So today I got busy working on a bright and fun pin cushion. I had an idea for one...but could not find a pattern so I drew one out. That is so much easier and faster than drafting kid's clothes! I also thought it would be a great opportunity to practice my free-motion quilting. I only do this type of quilting every few years so I never really take the time to get good at it. But I am ok with that! I will show pictures of the finished pin cushion after the swap is completed. But I do like it so much I am going to make myself one.

Baby Boy Quilt......

The blue baby boy quilt is done and I love it!!!! I wasn't too sure about it until I put the binding on. And that was all it took. I love how calming and relaxing it is. And I like the diagonal positioning of the squares. I'm not sure how I would like it if they were all random.

I used the medium blue fabric for the backing and the dark blue for the binding. I think it pulls it all together. And as I mentioned before, I did not pre-wash the fabric....so when I did wash it it made it all puckery (is that a word????). I like it. Now to finish a few more projects in the next few weeks!!! Three weeks from today...the sweet baby is due to arrive...unless he comes sooner. We'll see!!!

Tomorrow I am participating in the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway. Check back late tomorrow evening to see what I am giving away. I hope you will like it!!!

Quilt Beginnings.......

Every time I visited our local quilt shop the past few months, there was a group of blue fabrics that called my name. I finally went back last Monday and purchased a piece of all eight fabrics in the collection. I brought them home and started working on the new baby's quilt. Wayne thinks they don't really look "baby" enough. But I continued on anyway.

Emily and I sat down and arranged the blocks in a diagonal pattern. I really like it. (I am stalled out right now waiting to pick up some quilting thread for the quilting part. I don't know why I always forget to pick the thread up while I am there getting the fabric....but it seems to happen every time.) I have safety pin-basted the quilt layers together and I plan to quilt on the diagonal, in both directions. And I did not pre-wash the fabrics like I usually do. Mostly because I am anxious to see what it looks like after its first washing...I really like the wrinkled look that generates.

In the meantime, I've pulled out these whimsical blocks that I did with the "block of the month" last year. There are only six blocks...but if I add some sashing and borders it just may be big enough for another quilt for this sweet baby. And I think it will be perfect for a baby boy. I'm still happy with the other quilt...but can a baby really have too many blankets and quilts? Not from my experience.

What's On My Ironing Board.........

Even though I've been neglectful of posting here....I have been working on some projects here and there. First up on my ironing board is this lap quilt. I went to the quilt store a few days ago and picked out border, binding, and backing fabrics. I am really looking forward to having it finished. It's home will be in our den....the colors will coordinate perfectly and the evenings are already getting chilly.

Next up....three Wee Care gowns that I had to iron and turn up the hem. I will hand stitch the hems during the girls ballet classes or a good movie. I think these are the last gowns I have pleated up....I need to put a few more together and start smocking.

And lastly, a skirt I made for myself for these cool days and nights. I really dislike pants (because they never fit right) and prefer skirts, dresses, and jumpers as much as possible.

My pretty ironing board cover was purchased from Cheryl M. I have had it for quite some time now and it always makes me smile while ironing. Cheryl's work has great attention to detail and is just beautiful!!!

Quilt Blocks.....

I am still actively participating in the local quilt store "block of the month" program. The first six blocks this year have had a child-type theme. I did not care for it at first...I like much more classic and traditional fabrics....but it has truly grown on me. Tomorrow we start with a different type of quilt for the remaining six months of the year. I am looking forward to it. Sometimes I think I would rarely quilt if I were not encouraged to do so through this "block of the month" program. I do love to quilt...but I really enjoy a quick turn around project...like the garments I enjoy making.

Speaking of which, I currently am working on a sweet little girl outfit. I'll post pictures as soon as it is completed.

I've also been spending some time planning for our next smocking guild (SAGA) meeting. I will be presenting it in just over a week. I think the theme will be embellishments for children's garments. In addition, I have a few Wee Care gowns that I really need to finish up. I think we are going to schedule a delivery to our local hospital soon.

She Has Finished It!!!!

Emily has completely finished her first quilt. She finished quilting it several weeks back and it only lacked a binding. So Tuesday we decided to pull it out and finish it up. First she basted the raw edges. Then she attached the binding to the front side of the quilt.

Then we wrapped the binding around to the back and stitched in the ditch so that the stitching would catch the binding in the back. She is so comfortable and precise with the machine that it amazes me. I did all the cutting and pinning....and she did ALL the stitching. Yes, she put EVERY stitch in this fantastic quilt.

She is so proud of herself....as she very well should be!!! I am super proud of her. She told me last night...."Now I see why you like to sew and quilt so much." Bingo!!! She gets it!!!

She is already planning her next sewing project. She said she wants to make some doll clothes. As soon as she determines the details....she'll be off and sewing again. I am looking forward to it!!!

Tuesday's Tip......

This is a simple tip...but one I did not know for many years. When you start sewing at the beginning of a seam, hold the two thread tails down gently with your left hand until you have a few stitches completed. This will anchor the threads which could otherwise get pulled into the bobbin area and create a "bird's nest" on the underside of your fabric. Not fun. I did it many times before I realized how easy it was to avoid. Try it if you don't already....and see what you think.

In the above photo I am working on my "block of the month" quilt block. It is due this Friday....I always seem to wait until the last minute. Fortunately they generally go together pretty quickly. I'll post a picture when it is finished. Is anyone else sewing today? What are you working on????

Fabric Flower Tutorial......

Ok, let's make some flowers!!!! These sweet little blossoms are so versatile. A lovely lady in East Tennessee gave me a flower similar to this many years ago. It was from studying that flower and making a couple of changes that I learned to make these.

You can make them with any fabric that you have and then add any type of button to completely customize it to coordinate with an outfit, a bag, or whatever!!!

You can even attach the button to a covered rubber band to make it a pony tail holder. Oh, this is going to be fun.....let's get started!

Cut five (5) squares of fabric approximately 2 3/4" x 2 3/4". Thread a needle with a long piece of thread and knot both ends together.

Start with one square of fabric.

Fold one corner over to meet the opposite corner....making a triangle.

Take your threaded needle and start in the bottom corner.

Work a large running stitch from that bottom corner up to the next corner, turning the corner and working towards the other corner.

The long edge with the fold will be the only edge not stitched. Another way to look at it is that the raw edges will all be stitched together with the running stitch. If you lay it flat...it should look like the above photo. DO NOT Cut the thread. Instead, gather the fabric down closer to the knot by holding the fabric in one hand and the thread with needle in the other. Gently slide the fabric down towards the knot....you have now made one petal. Four more to go!!

Take your next square and fold it the same way and work a running stitch around both edges.

Gently slide the fabric towards the first petal. Now you have two petals.

Take your third square of fabric, fold it and work a running stitch. Three petals made so far!

Take your fourth square, fold it and work the running stitch. I am sure you are getting the hang of this now. And it's becoming fun. This is where the addictive part comes in. Now as you see the flower forming before your eyes...your mind starts working overtime thinking of all the places you could put one of these sweet flowers. But we're not quite done yet....keep up the momentum!

However, you could stop with four petals. It would be a sweet flower. But I generally prefer five petals.

Take your fifth and final square, fold it and work a running stitch.

Take a minute and gaze at this sweet bloom you just made!!!! Then turn it over and take a few tiny stitches to attach the last petal to the first petal near the center area. Tie and knot the thread.

Turn the flower back over and decide what you want to put in the center. This can be fun because different centers can make the flower look completely different.

For this one I put a mother of pearl button in the center. It has a shank on it so I used the same thread (still attached to the flower....I did not cut it) and sewed the button on.

This green little flower also has a mother of pearl button in it.

I made this flower to go with Elisabeth's smocked sundress that I made her a few weeks back. I put a covered button in the center.

But before I put the button in I attached a covered rubber band to the shank and then threaded it through the center of the fabric flower.

Instant pony tail holder!!!! And the centers can be interchangeable with different covered buttons. I'd love to see what you all come up with as far as these flowers go. The options are really endless. I'll post pictures of your creations if you send them to me!! If you have any questions feel free to ask!!! Let the flower stitching begin!!!

*Check out my post on my favorite lotion here.