Sewing Lounge Update

Hello all!!

This week I got to spend some time at Heirloom Creations sewing with a few other gals. We got to hang out and sew the entire time the store was open AND they fed us lunch everyday -- awesome!!

I started the week by working on pillowcases :) 

  LOVE the Grinch!!

These fabrics used to be a 5-yard quilt kit...but they have been converted to 5 pillowcases instead. 


I also started working on a few more patterns out of the 'Three Times the Charm' book. 

 Meet Charlotte!! She is done up in Christmas prints and I'm hoping to spend Christmas Day quilting her.

Meet Dora!! Well hell-o thirties prints. I loved this little charm pack so much that I just had to make the quilt bigger. The pattern does not call for the small white border around the blocks but I thought it really helped set the blocks apart. The original pattern also did not call for the second, larger border but again -- once I got started I just couldn't stop!

 I am going to the shop again tomorrow so hopefully I have more to show you this weekend. Now for the task of actually quilting all of these!!

Happy quilting!

Angela S.

Pinterest Party Video

Heirloom Creations has posted a video for the Pinterest Party -- check it out!

We are also already in talks about the next party - find more information here.

We got some snow here yesterday so I am going to stay inside all day :) ahhhh should be a wonderfully productive day!

Happy sewing!

Angela S.

Pinterest Party Results!!

The Pinterest Party was a success!!

In sad news, the pictures of my gifts are lost somewhere but I have pictures of the gifts that I received. That said while I don't have pictures - here is the link to the tutorial that I used to make my gifts:

The premise behind the party was just like that of a cookie exchange. You bring 6 presents, you get 6 presents back. You bring twelve presents, you get twelve presents back. In my case 6 was the lucky number. 

We started the night off with drinks, appetizers and dessert-type snacks. From there we all drew a number and got in line around the gift table. We were not told who brought what gift so that made picking your gifts each time very difficult! Also you had to plan for the fact that for some of the gifts there were only 6 meaning that the next time you got in line....those gifts could already be gone!! Each time around you drew a number again to get in line and pick a gift for that round. 

SO ---without further hesitation here are the gifts I received!!

chipboard Christmas album

envelope cluth

 notebook cover with antique fabric and lace

 fabric cornucopia with antique fabric and lace

 embroidered gift bag with decorated ornament

 milk glass pincushion

 When Heirloom Creations posts videos/photos from the event I will post a link to them so you can see the events in action!

When the night ended we talked about having another party sometime this spring so I will keep you all posted :)

And now to prepare for my Christmas-time sewing retreat -- lots of fabric to cut!

Have a great rest of the week!
Angela

Meet Bertha from Three Times the Charm!

Whew - my Pinterest Party gifts are all complete!! With that said I got to do some quick sewing this weekend. Here is what I was working on :)
 

Here the table topper is before being all sewn together.

The pattern that I used was named 'Bertha' in the "3 Times the Charm!" book. While shop-hopping this summer I picked up two kits for the 'Greta' quilt - oops. Thankfully the 'Greta' takes a lot more fabric than the 'Bertha' so i have plenty of fabric for the top AND enough to make up the backing. This will end up being a wedding gift for a special person :)

If you haven't seen this book before it is really great. All seven patterns are shown in three different color ways which I think is really helpful! This was a quick pattern to cut and the quilt will end up being about 24x27 inches which would be great for a table topper or a doll quilt. I think you could also use this as a cute wall hanging.

Here is the table topper with all blocks sewn together and with borders attached.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and have a good start on your Christmas gifts!

Angela S.

Barbados Bag - Finished!

I picked up the kit for my latest bag from Heirloom Creations before I left for vacation in October. I finally got it finished up now -- eek! Oh well, better later than never. This bag provided me with a much needed break this weekend since I was working on Pinterest Party gifts again. 

Heirloom Creations is doing a 'Bag of the Month' type of things these days so they had kits and patterns all ready to go. Here is a link to their article for the October bag of the month. As you can see mine should have flowers on the outside pocket but I didn't like that fabric as much so I made that the 'main body' of the bag. 

The pattern for the bag is from Pink Sand Beach Designs and I have to tell you it was a little confusing! I think my issue was that I had cut out my fabric a few weeks ago and then didn't get back to it today so i had to keep measuring my pieces to see if they were the front, the back, a pocket or a lining. Next time I make the bag I will be labeling my pieces :) 

The inner pocket of the bag is bag enough to fit my iPad with room to spare! The top of the bag has a zipper closure and there is also a zippered pocket of the front(my cell phone is peeking out). On both sides of the bag there are open pockets and there is a set of pockets inside the bag as well. 

I wore the bag out and about today while running errands and the length of the strap is perfect even while wearing a winter coat. In the summer this bag may look a little long on me but that can easily be adjusted next time I use the pattern.

I made a little trip out of town this weekend and FINALLY visited the Dell Rapids quilt shop, Always Your Design. I have seen this shop at a few quilt shows so it was nice to finally get there in person. My husband helped me pick out this great cat fabric. 

I have no idea what I am going to make with this but it was just too cute to pass up! 

I have got to get back to those Pinterest gifts now but I'll check in again soon!

Happy quilting!

Angela S.

Pinterest Party Sneak Peak and other Ramblings

So I have finally figured out what I am making for the Pinterest Party that I am going to! Here is a sneak peak of the fabrics that I am using.

Ohhhh aren't they just awesome! When I bought them I still had no clue what I was making so I just picked up two yards of each. I found both of them at the Fabric Bin in Aberdeen, SD. If you have not been there I highly suggest checking them out. I lived in Aberdeen for nearly 8 years and didn't step foot in the store until after I moved away - sad. Anyway they have TONS of great fabric and loads of samples. They also have a Facebook special every Friday. I happened to shop on a Friday and the special was $1.50 off each yard of bolted fabric - woohoo!

The plan is that I will start/finish cutting up my fabric this weekend and hopefully get a few things sewn since I have a 3-day weekend.

Tomorrow night it is time for my guild meeting and I just finished up the blocks for that. We made the Patience Block this month - pretty!! The guild provided the leaf fabric and I used some Kansas Troubles fabric that I thought went well with it. 

This was an easy block to make and ended up being 12 inches. The last few we have made have all been smaller so its nice to get something this big for once. I think these blocks would be nice to make with leftover fabric and place on the back of a quilt. 

Well enough for now! Wish me luck with the Pinterest Party and I hope to have a few more things posted soon :)

Angela S.

Craftsy BOM Update

So I have finally finished the April blocks for Craftsy's BOM class. Whew! I don't know why but the hexagons just seemed like to much work. But I'm finally over it and here they are!

 

I think both blocks are going to have some updates made before they actually make it into the quilt but at least now they are 'finished' enough for me.

Along with these blocks I also started working on the July blocks -- Dresden plates ooooohhh!!

 I really like the way this turned out. I tried not to think about the colors too much and just used 20 different fabrics from the fat quarter bundle that I started with. The next Dresden plate is going to be a more modern look and I should have that one done shortly :)

Once July is done I will be working on the August, September and October blocks. My goal is to have the entire top done by the end of November so that I can get it in to my quilter before the end of the year. 

The gal that is putting on the class put up pictures of her finished quilt and I can't wait to see mine all done up as well!

Have a great week!

Angela S.

Our first snowfall and other randoms

Hi All!!

Just an update that I am working mostly on Christmas gifts right now so there are not a lot of pictures to show since I don't want to ruin the surprise for people :) In between those projects I am working on a purse for myself and I will try to get that finished up and posted soon.  

In other news -- my sewing room is being rearranged and we had our first snowfall this morning! Crazy on both accounts! I will have pictures of the new sewing arrangement once I get the room put together in a reasonable fashion :)

I hope you all have a great weekend snuggled up with hot cocoa!

Angela  

Sewing for a cause!

This past Saturday I was invited by my friend Gerri Lynn to come and sew up some make-up bags with her. The bags that she was sewing are for the annual 'Make-A-Difference Day' event that Heirloom Creations hosts at their store. 

The past few years I have not made any bags but I did go to the store to help fill the bags up. The bags are filled with travel-size shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, a toothbrush, deodorant and a comb. Here we are filling up the bags last year! For the 10th annual event Heirloom Creations provided 1,250 of these make-up bags to Children's Inn and other charities in the community. It's a really exciting day at the store...mostly because the young Girl Scouts are there helping fill the bags and then also because we are trying to beat our total from the year before :)

Charity Gift Bag Event - 2011

I wasn't sure how much help I was really going to be to Gerri Lynn and her friends but I figured I would just be sewing at home anyway so why not go hang out with some other gals. We had an awesome day of sewing....mostly because we were fueled by some great food! Gerri Lynn and her husband Ken had a system worked out so that while he was cutting fabric, she was putting in zippers and I was sewing. Our other friend Deb was either putting in zippers or sewing the side seams of the bags with me depending on how far behind I was getting :) 

Sewing and chatting away!

All in all we finished 270 of these bags! With the three of us sewing and Ken cutting it took about 7 hours but that's also accounting for my wonderful caramel roll breakfast and then our wild rice soup lunch mmmm mmmm good. Just imagine what a larger group of ladies could do! Also Deb and I were just using sewing machines and I would imagine that a serger would make quick work of those bags.

  

270 bags ready to be filled

If you would like to help fill the bags this year the event will be on Saturday, October 27th from 10am until the 'fillings' run out! Check out the Heirloom Creations link below for more information: 

11th Annual Make-A-Difference Day – Charity Gift Bags

If you would like to help actually make the bags for the next Make-A-Difference Day event here is a link with the bag instructions:

Charity Gift Bag Sewing Instructions

These bags are such a nice size that you probably even have scraps that you could put together to finish a couple of them. Donations of the bags and 'fillings' are accepted throughout the year. 

 

If this isn't something that interests you - no biggie!
BUT
I have to tell you that sitting and sewing with friends is an awesome way to spend time
no matter what you are making :)

 

Happy quilting!

Angela  

Pinterest Party

Best idea ever!!

If you are in the area please check out the Pinterest Party that Heirloom Creations is hosting on December 4th. There is sure to be lots of food and lots of fun! Bring anywhere from 6-20 gifts and get that many back :) 

Heirloom Creations - Pinterest Party Info

If you have any great ideas that you have found on pinterest please let me know! I am still looking around for ideas. I have a few things in mind but I'm just not ready to commit yet. I also would like to try and use up fabric I already have and that mainly means my Farmer John fruits and veggies fat quarters. I am thinking that I will only make 6 gifts since I'm not exactly sure who I would give them all to...or maybe I will just keep them all!

While I don't know what I am making, I DO know how i am wrapping the gifts up. Check this out:

Gift bags from newspaper 

I am thinking I will use the funny papers instead of the actual newspaper though because that's how my grandma used to wrap our gifts :)

This colder weather sure makes it easier to think about the upcoming holiday season!

Have a great week!

Angela  


  

Back in action!

Sorry all - I took a vacation from work, blogging and my normal life in general for a bit there :) Here are a few of the things I have been working on. 

This fun hexagon quilt is actually going to be my new shower curtain. I am so excited that I am putting my 'Hometown' fabric to use. The rows on the left have been pieced together but the rows on the right have not been. Working with fabric on the bias is not my favorite but I think I am really going to like the finished project. The pattern is from Layer Cake, Jelly Roll & Charm Quilts by Pam and Nicky Lintott. This particular pattern is called Hexagon Hiphop. 

The above little wine bag was so fun to make. I especially love the cork fabric that I used as a lining. I know that the One Yard Wonders book has been out for quite some time now but I just picked it up recently. This was my first project from the book but it certainly won't be the last. I'm really interested in the pattern for the tabletop ironing board as well as some of the garment items such as the bedtime shorts. 

In other news around here....I get to see Darlene Zimmerman tomorrow evening! She will be speaking at my guild and then teaching a class the next day. I am really excited to see what topics she will be speaking on.

I will post an update on how things went :) In the meantime, have a great rest of the week!

Angela

A new purse and some baby books

Lazy Girl has done it again. Well actually this is an older pattern but still. I love their stuff. This was a super easy bag to make and they make zippers feel like they are not even work - mostly because they aren't. I picked up the cat fabric on my Minnesota Shop Hop Bus Tour. The pattern only takes 2 fat quarters, some batting and a zipper so its really easy to pick out cordinating pieces.

The books were all picked up from my Minnesota Shop Hop Bus Tour as well. The Little Golden book came from the shop in Worthington and the other two came from the shop in Windom. This will be the last of my baby books for awhile now i think :)

Hope you are all having a great week and hopefully your Friday goes quick!

Angela

English Paper Piecing Tutorial -- No Handwork!!

As part of my stash busting September I am working on my Craftsy BOM project. And I got stumped. I do not like handwork and don't want to do it. So I have figured out a way to skip the handwork and still get the look of English Paper Piecing. So here we go with my first tutorial!


I am working with 2" hexagons so keep in mind that this may not work as well for small pieces...but it is working for this size.   

 

Start with a piece of fabric that is slightly bigger than your template. Either pin or use glue stick to keep the fabric and the template together.

From here trim the fabric to roughly a quarter inch around the template. I go with a little more just for fun. 

Now get out those handy dandy Wonder Clips!! With 'regular' English paper piecing you would fold over the edges and baste around this hexagon...thats too much work. Instead fold over the fabric and place a Wonder Clip at each point. 

 

You will end up with some crazy looking thing like this. Place it on your ironing board and spray with starch of some sort. 

Then begin pressing.  Go around the flat sides of the hexagon first.

 

Now start removing the Wonder Clips and press down all of the points.

Flip the hexagon over spray with starch and press again. Wait to remove the pins and templates until JUST before you are going to sew the pieces together. 

Pins and templates have been removed and we are ready to sew!

Use a small zig-zag stitch that will catch both pieces of fabric. 
 

All sewn together - how cute!

And a close-up of the threads that bind them.
 

 Just keep on putting single hexagons together until you end up with a long chain. You will then be able to set them together side by side and use the same zig-zag stitch :)

 

 The final product -- hurrah!

 

I hope this helps others out there that don't like handwork but still like hexies!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Angela

Another Free Craftsy Class

Hello All! 

I just wanted to give a heads up that there is another free quilting class on Craftsy's website. The gal leading this class is Elizabeth from Oh, Fransson! the class name is 'Creative Quilt Backs'. This class is described as a mini-class to give you a good feel of how the actual classes work and what the presentation is like.

Again this is completely free and a great way to see if you like the way that Craftsy is set up. Personally I find myself watching a lot of classes while I am in the sewing room and want some noise but don't necessarily want the radio on. The classes never expire and are available 24/7.   

In other news, I'm working on some projects on my list and should have some updates tomorrow :)

Have a great rest of the weekend!

Angela S. 

Fast and Furious Quilting

I made up a baby quilt from my new book 'Fast & Furious - Quilting As You Go' by Gudrun Erla. The entire thing took about 2.5 hours with cutting and binding time included.

I had bought a bag of scraps from a local quilt shop a few months ago with no plans. Turns out I had more than enough fabric to complete this quilt with what was in the bag. I did piece the back but the only downside to that is that some of my stitching showed though. I'm pretty sure a baby won't care though :) I really love the purple border print that was in the bag. I think I may have to make myself something with it!

I also managed to finish the binding on my new little runner tonight so I can show that off at my quilting meetings this week :)

Close-up of the fabrics

Front of the quilt

Pieced back

Happy Monday!

Angela

Productive Saturday

I worked on quite a few projects today so I can cross some things off of my list. I have been worked on some seasonal wall hangings for my grandpa. This is the second one that I have completed so its now in the mail. I think they are a really pretty thing to just hang on the door.

 

Next I worked on a soft baby book. I found out that I only had enough fusible for one book so I finished the one that I needed to get sent out and its in the mail now too :) I have never made one of these before but they are really easy and cute to boot so I think it will get a lot of use. 

Last night I got a wild hair and thought I would use my new book 'Fast & Furious - Quilting As You Go' by Gudrun Erla. You can find the book here. Amazon is a great source of information on this book because you can see all of the color pictures of the projects in the book. 

I picked the 'Lucky Charms' pattern for a cute little table runner. This whole runner is just 1 charm pack, a little bit of binding fabric and some cute buttons. I think you could probably finish the whole thing for under $15. It took me about 1.5 hours to get this far so with the binding on it will probably be finished under 2 hours!!

CLose up of the runner and cute button

Runner minus the binding

 I think today I am going to tackle some of my flannel scraps and see if I can complete another pattern from Gudrun's book. The quilts in the book and more like a lap/baby sized but that will be just find with me. 

I hope you have a production weekend too!

Angela S.

Friday Night Sewing

I finally got my QAL blocks done!! Here all three of them are in their finished glory!

Block 10 - Quartered Star

Block 11 - Hour Glass

Block 12 - Jacob's Ladder

It feels great to be caught up with this project! I had all the fabrics cut out and just needed the time to sit down and sew...mark that one off the list! The next step was supposed to be available yesterday but its still not showing on-line so I'm still counting it...

2) Catch up on Quilting Gallery - Beginner's QAL

This weekend I'm hoping to work on another project from the list. Hopefully the baby books since I need to get a few of those finished for new babies in the family :) Working on the flannel scraps that I have doesn't sound bad either considering that the weather has turned more fall-like this week. Maybe one of those rice or wheat bags is in order for the foot of the bed hmmmmm

In other news go out and enjoy this weather since in a few months we'll be going stir crazy with snow outside!

Angela S.

Stash Busting September

Well folks - it's time to face the facts. 

My stash is too big for its own good. In order to tackle this issue I am going to spell out the projects that I can work on that will take no shopping(or little shopping). For some this may just finish the top but that will work for me for the time being. I usually attempt to make my own kits for projects so that later on I know I have everything I need to finish a quilt top. The backing is usually a different story :)

I plan on taking September off from shopping so that I can get prepared for Christmas and all of its projects early. I don't have many people on my list this year but hopefully I can make a few great things for people. 

1) Catch up on Craftsy BOM
2) Catch up on Quilting Gallery - Beginner's QAL
3) Flannel scrap bag - 2 of these
4) Soft baby books - 5 of these
5) Hometown fabric layer cake - Hexagon Hip Hop quilt from 'Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts' 
6) 7 charm packs - I will be working my way through the book 'Three Times the Charm'
7)1 Halloween charm pack for a 'Little Charmers IV' table topper
8) 5-yard quilt tops - 2 of these
9) WIP casserole carrier
10) Toooo many fat quarters
11) Seuss pillowcase
12) Cat paper piecing - Christmas fabrics
12) 10 minute self binding baby blanket - boy fabric


Updates on my stash attack to follow!!

Angela S.

Blog Hop Party Winners

Did you register for the blog hop giveaway last week? If so, please check your e-mail. I have notified 2 winners so please make sure to check those junk e-mail folders for an e-mail from me!

Thanks for all the great responses to my posted question. I love hearing feedback from other on what they like to see :) If you have other suggestions for the site please send them my way....I'm still a beginner here and would love to learn more!

Thanks again!

Angela S. 



****Update**** 
Both winners have now contacted me back - thanks for playing everyone!

WIP - Scaredy Cat Wall Hanging

Here is my progress on the Divided by 3 Wall Hanging/Table Runner. I am thinking that the popcorn fabric will be the large border and then I will do the binding in black to set off the colors. I originally wanted to use the popcorn as the inner border and the black fabric as the outside border but it just didn't POP. I think the popcorn fabric will look much nicer in a larger cut because then you will actually be able to tell what it is.

I previously made a bag out of this cat fabric along with the popcorn and every time I use it someone comments on it because its so cute :)

I hope you all get to enjoy a long weekend! Make it great and enjoy summer while we still can!

Angela