9 Patch Quilt Top Completed

Way back at the end of April, Amandajean over on crazy mom quilts started hosting a one-a-day 9 patch quilt along.  I figured one quilt block per day was certainly doable, so I signed up.

By the end of the 10 weeks, I had the seventy 9 patch quilt blocks completed.

And there they sat on the top of that filing cabinet all through the summer and into the fall.  I’m usually pretty good at picturing in my mind how I want a project to look once it’s finished.  But no matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn’t picture how those blocks would look all laid out and sewed together with the sashing.

Then one day a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I’d just laid them all out on the living room floor and go from there.  And within minutes it all came together.  Funny how things work that way sometimes.

So over the next four days, I sewed blocks and sashing together into strips and then sewed more sashing onto those strips.

While I was cutting squares for the 9 patch blocks, I cut an extra 20 of each colour, so I had more than the 442 squares needed to make the scrappy border.   It took me all of one afternoon to sew those squares into the four strips of fabric needed for that border.  But by the time that was done, I could see the end and the next day it didn’t take me any time at all to sew the outer border strips onto the quilt top.

I’m new to quilting and this is the largest quilt top I’ve made so far.  Now that it’s done, I must say that I am really pleased with the way it turned out.

We had a bit of a challenge getting pictures of it, because every time I was just about to click the button, this happened:

Here are a couple of close ups of some of the squares.  I really like the way the sashing and the scrappy border makes all the 9 patches come together.

It’s so bright and cheerful and I’m looking forward to getting it finished so that we can use it.  But that will have to wait until later this winter.  We’re having a mostly handmade Christmas again this year, so I’m busy working on other projects.

9 Patch Quilt Along Blocks Completed

Back in April, Amandajean from Crazy Mom Quilts started a one-a-day quilt along, in which participants would complete one 9 patch quilt block per day resulting, at the end of 10 weeks, with 70 finished scrappy 9 patch blocks.

I soon discovered that I didn’t have nearly enough fabric scraps to make a truly scrappy quilt as I had purged my fabric stash when we moved from Hawaii to Florida and then again when we moved from Florida to Georgia.  To complicate matters even further, as I began cutting 2 1/2″ squares and picturing in my mind how they would go together, I decided I wanted an anchor fabric in the center of each square to tie all the finished blocks together.  That meant that even some of the fabric scraps I did have couldn’t be used because they didn’t match well with that fabric.

However, at the end of the ten weeks, with the leftover fabric scraps I had on hand and some purchased (after rummaging through every remnant bin at every fabric store around) I managed to complete 70 blocks.

As you can see, I chose 10 different fabrics for the contrasting squares and then made up 7 blocks in each.  While I was cutting squares, I also cut out 20 extra of each to be used for the border.

On one of my trips to search for matching fabrics, I was lucky enough to find more of the center fabric and purchased enough of that to use for the sashing.  But that will have to wait for another day.  For now, I’m just pleased to have completed the 70 blocks needed for the quilt.

Make it Monday – How to Sew a Round Tablecloth

This past Christmas, Dave and I decided rather than buying each other gifts, we’d take that money and buy a reading chair for the corner of our bedroom.  It took us a while to find a chair that would be comfortable for both of us; short enough for me, tall enough for him.  We finally found one in February, but decided to keep looking since it was a bit over what we had wanted to pay.  Of course, when we went back to buy that chair because we couldn’t find any others that worked for us, it had already been sold.

We had to order a new one and wait the 6 to 10 weeks for it to come in.  The chair arrived last week and it fits perfectly in the corner by the window.

We already had a small round table to use for a side table, but it looked just a tad bit shabby next to our brand new chair.   So last week, I got busy and sewed a pretty round tablecloth to cover it.  Read on for the instructions for this simple sewing project.

To calculate the size the tablecloth needed:

Note: specific measurements for my tablecloth are in italics.

First, measure the diameter of the table.  Ours measured 20 inches.

Next, measure the height and double it.  Ours measured 23 ¾ inches.  Doubled that comes out to 47 ½ inches.

Then if turning under ¾ inch for the hem, add 1 ½ inches.

All together:  20 + 47 ½ + 1 ½ = 69 inches.  Just to give myself some wiggle room, I added an extra inch.  Meaning I needed a piece of fabric 70X70 inches, which also meant I had to piece the fabric.

So next, I had to calculate the size of panels I would need:

After preshrinking and trimming the selvedges, my fabric was 42″ wide.  I cut one panel 70″ long.

I knew I would need 1 inch for seam allowances (1/2″ for either side).  That would leave the center panel 41 inches.

70 – 41 = 29 inches needed to be added.  Which meant that two 14 ½ inch panels needed to be added to either side.  Adding ½ inch to each panel for a seam allowance, gave me a final measurement of 15″.

I, then, cut a second piece of fabric 70″ long.  From that I cut two 15″ wide panels.

To make a nice finished seam I chose to sew a princess seam:

Pin one of the narrow panels to the big panel, wrong sides together.  Sew a scant ¼” seam.

Trim seam slightly to get rid of any frayed threads.  Press seam to one side.  Turn the fabric right sides together and press seam flat.

Sew using a full ¼” seam.

Press finished seam toward small panel.  Topstitch in place.

Repeat for second small panel.

My completed piece of fabric measured 70X70 inches.

To cut the circle:

Fold fabric in half lengthwise and in half again.   Doing this gave me a 35X35 inch square.

Smooth the fabric so that it is laying flat with as few wrinkles as possible.

Place your measuring tape at the folded corner.   To obtain a 69″ circle, I place it at 34 1/2 inches.

Next smooth the measuring tape out flat.  Don’t stretch it.   With a pencil, mark the ¼ arc of your circle.  Move the measuring tape along the arc, while being careful to keep the correct measurement always on the folded corner.

I made tiny marks several places along the arc and then filled in with a solid line.

Before cutting, pin the layers of fabric together just inside the line.  This will prevent the layers from shifting while cutting.

Cut along the drawn line through all layers of fabric.

Remove the pins.

I now had the 69″ circle, I needed to fit my table.

For the hem:

Turn under ¾”.  Pin and press all the way around.

As the pins are removed, turn under the raw fabric edge until it meets pressed fold and then re-pin.

Sew.  Press completed tablecloth.

This is what my finished tablecloth looks like:

If you would like to make your own round tablecloth and need help understanding my instructions or making your own calculations, please feel free to leave a question in comments and I will do my best to answer.

Make it Monday – How to Sew the Cover for the Rice Hot/Cold Therapy Bag

To make the cover for the rice therapy bag that I posted the instructions for on the last Make It Monday:

For the rice bag cover:  Cut one piece of polar fleece 7″X25″ and one piece 7″X27″ (the extra two inches form the button flap extension)

Now because this was a Valentine’s gift for our oldest daughter… I wanted to jazz it up a bit, so I also cut one piece 7″X27″ from a colourful cotton fabric on which I centered a piece of redwork embroidery.   I’m including those steps in the instructions but it is not necessary and they can be ignored if you’re simply wanting a nice soft cover for your rice bag.

For the button flap extension:   cut one piece of fabric 2″X7″ from cotton if adding that or from fleece if not.

To begin,  place center of redwork embroidery at what will be the center of the finished cover.   Remember you have the button flap extension, so the center of the finished piece would be 12.5″ from the end opposite the button flap extension.  Pin redwork in place and sew.

Place 7″X27″cotton right side up on right side of 7″X27″ fleece.  Baste all the way around using ¼” seam.

Turn under and sew a ½” hem on 7″X25″ piece of polar fleece.

Next, pin the two pieces of fleece right sides together.  Sew down one long side, across the end and up the other long side, using ½” seam.

Clip seam as shown, making sure not to clip more than one half inch:

Trim seams to ¼”.

For the button flap extension, I cut one 7″ side of the extension on the selvage edge of the cotton to eliminate the need to hem, but otherwise, you’ll need to turn under 1/2″ hem.

Pin this piece to the wrong side of button flap extension.  Sew using ½” seam as indicated in photo.

Clip corners diagonally.  Trim seam to ¼”. 

Turn extension right side out and sew along bottom edge of cotton to hold in place.   Turn the rice bag cover right side out.

Sew two buttonholes one inch in, on either side of button flap extension.

Fold button flap extension down.  Mark position for buttons.  Sew buttons in place.

Heat or chill your rice therapy bag and insert it into cover.

Now sit and relax while the therapy bag goes to work on those aches and pains.

If you have any question about these instructions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will try to clarify.

Review – Bird Brain Designs

It isn’t very often that I write reviews.  Even for the blog on my writing website, I only write reviews of books that I can honestly recommend as good reads.

I am so impressed with the speed with which my order arrived from Bird Brain Designs and the kit I received that I had to pass this along.

As you’ll see in my post about How to Sew a Basic Throw Pillow and my upcoming post How to Sew a Hot/Cold Therapy Bag Cover (watch for it on Make It Monday,) I’ve been doing some Redwork embroidery.

In my search for more patterns to embroider I came across a link to Bird Brain Designs and after spending way too much time browsing through their many pages of adorable craft patterns and kits (for more than just embroidery), I decided to purchase a small kit just to see what they were like.

I placed the order the morning of Tuesday the 17^th and within minutes received an e-mail confirmation.   The next afternoon, I received another e-mail stating that the order had been shipped.   The package arrived today!

I couldn’t be more pleased with the kit I chose.  I can’t show a picture because they are going to be gifts and I don’t want the recipients to know what they are getting, but I can tell you that the materials included are top quality.  And the instructions for completing the projects are well written and printed on good quality paper in dark type.   That, in my view, wins this company extra points as I’ve bought kits in the past where the instructions were on cheap paper and the print so light as to be barely legible.

Now that I’ve seen for myself the quality of their products, I can highly recommend Bird Brain Designs.  Check out their website and if you see a pattern or kit that you like for yourself or as a gift for one the crafters in your life, go ahead and order.   I’m sure you’ll be as pleased as I am.

Make it Monday – How to Make a Rice Hot/Cold Therapy Bag

Rice therapy bags are great for soothing and helping to relax sore, aching muscles.  They can be heated in the microwave to be used warm or stored in the freezer for use as cold packs.

They are also a super, simple easy-sew project that can be made in whatever size you need.

For our oldest daughter for Valentine’s I made one to drape over her shoulders after a long day in front of the computer doing medical billing and transcription.

To make your own shoulder hot pad:

Cut a strip of fabric 7″X48″ from a 100% white cotton thrifted sheet or if using cotton yardage, cut two pieces 7″X24 1/2″.

Fold fabric in half so that you have a piece 7″X24″.  Sew ½” seams along the two long edges.  Sew a second seam 1/8″ in from first seam.  If sewing two pieces together, sew another double seam across one 7″ end.

Trim seam to ¼”.

Turn right side out.  Press.

Press under ½” hem around open end.

Fill approximately 2/3 full with long grain rice.   (Do not use minute rice.)  I used a canning funnel to make it easier to fill.

Pin opening closed and sew close to the folded edge.  Sew a second seam 1/8″ from first.

Your therapy bag is now ready to be used.

To heat: simply pop them into the microwave on high. Each microwave heats differently and you don’t want to overheat them and burn the rice, so it’s best to start with one minute and then if that’s doesn’t get the bag warm enough, continue to heat in 30 second intervals.   It will take some experimenting to find out how long works best in your microwave for the size of rice bag you are heating.

Then sit back, relax and let the heat ease away any muscle tension you may be experiencing.  Or on cold nights, heat it and put in under the covers at the foot of the bed to warm your feet.

To use as a cold pack, store them in the freezer until needed.

Click on the link for instructions on how to sew a cover for your rice therapy bag.

Make It Monday – How to Sew a Basic Throw Pillow

Sewing a basic throw pillow is perfect for both the beginner and for the more advanced who just want a quick, easy-sew project.  You can either recover an existing throw pillow or buy ready made pillow forms.

For a 16′ pillow, cut a 17″ square from a double layer of fabric.  This will give you the front and back of your pillow cover.

Cut two 17 inch squares

Next, pin and sew ½” seam along four sides, leaving an opening approximately eight inches on one side.

Pin right sides together

Trim seams to a ¼”.  Clip corners on the diagonal.

Trim seams

Turn right side out.  Press well.

Press pillow

Insert pillow form.  Hand sew opening closed using either a slip stitch or blind stitch.  I prefer to use a blind stitch.

Sew opening closed

The pillow is now finished.

Completed pillow

And for a bit of a surprize, I’ll turn it over and show you the other side.

Surprize

This was a simple addition.  I  turned under ¼” on the Redwork embroidery, centered it on one of the squares of fabric (before sewing them together.)   Then I pinned it and sewed it in place by machine.

Pin applique to center of pillow

So you see, you can take a basic pillow cover and jazz it up with an embroidered applique or even with a piece of contrasting fabric.   You are only limited by your imagination.   Have fun with it!

Christmas 09 is 11 Months Away

That’s right… as of today there are 11 months until Christmas 2009.

This year, as last year, we’re going to be having a mostly homemade Christmas.  But this year, we’re going one step further and in order to get everything done so that I’m not rushing those last weeks, I’m starting now.

So what am I adding to this year’s homemade list that wasn’t on last year’s?    Gift bags!

This past Christmas, we used up almost all of the Christmas wrap that I bought on sale in January, 08.   When I went to buy paper on sale this year, I found that the after Christmas sales on wrapping paper weren’t any better than the before Christmas sales and to be honest, I wasn’t able to find any that I thought were all that pretty.

However, our local fabric store had some gorgeous Christmas fabrics that they put on sale for 75% off in the week after Christmas.   And while it’s true that the upfront cost of buying fabric on sale versus buying paper is more, buying fabric is a one time cost as the gift bags will be used over and over for many years to come.

Christmas fabrics

Of each of the fabrics pictured above, I purchased between 1 to 1 ½ yards depending on the fabric and how much was left on the bolt.   I’m still hoping that the fabric will be further discounted to 90%, but I knew if that did happen, unless I was there when they posted the sale signs, I wouldn’t have much of a selection left from which to choose.  So for fabrics that I really liked, I decided to go ahead and buy them at the 75% discount rather than wait for a possible 90% that may never happen.

Over the next couple of months, I’ll be sewing up various sizes and styles of gift bags.   I’ll be posting pictures and tutorials, so if you’re wanting some easy sewing projects to get a head start on Christmas, while at the same time eliminating the need to ever purchase wrapping paper again, bookmark this post because I’ll be updating it with links to those projects as I complete them.

How to Darn a Sock

This is a perfectly good sock.

Except when I zoom in, you’ll see that there’s a small hole in the toe.

And every time I put it on, my toe works it’s way out of that hole and that is really uncomfortable.

It was a simple fix though.

First, I gathered my materials.

Cotton thread, needle, scissors and light bulb.   Yes, a light bulb.  It’s what my grandmother used and it’s what I use.

Next, I put the light bulb inside the sock, like this.

I started by weaving the needle in and out all the way across to close the hole.

I made sure to catch the little knit loops so that the hole wouldn’t continue to unravel after darning.  Then I wove in and out in the crosswise direction until there was no hole left.  Then I tied a knot, wove the thread in for a few stitches and then cut the thread.

There… almost as good as new.

For a larger hole in wool socks, the process is basically the same, it just takes a bit more work and weaving.  Here’s a great video showing how to darn a wool sock and it will also give you a better view of weaving process:

This technique can also be used to repair small holes in clothing.  Larger holes will require patching and that’s something I’ll be doing a post on in the near future.

Puppets Are Great Imaginative Play Toys

When our youngest was little he loved to put on puppet shows.   The couch was his puppet theatre of choice.  He’d hide behind it and then up, over the back would pop his two bear puppets and the show would begin.

This year, my husband’s grandson is about the age our youngest was when he started putting on puppet shows.  Since we’re having a mostly homemade Christmas this year, I decided to make simple puppets and a doorway puppet theatre for him.

The puppets cost next to nothing to make.  Each one used two felt squares (32 cents each at WalMart) plus some felt scraps and bit of black embroidery floss to make the faces.   The inspiration for them came from this site.  

But the patterns printed out way too small for hand puppets so I started from scratch and created a basic outline and then adjusted it for each individual puppet.   I also made changes to the cat’s face and slight changes to the bear and frog.  They turned out cuter than I dared to hope.

For the doorway theatre, I repurposed one panel from a set of curtains I had stored away from when our son’s room had a space theme.  The dark blue fabric dotted with gold stars worked perfectly.   ¾ of a yard of gold fabric (on sale 40% off) for the stage curtains, three dowels to give the theatre it’s support and a set of 3M Command wall hooks to hang it from were the only out of pocket costs. 

A few dollars, a bit of time and my husband’s grandson will open a gift on Christmas morning that will provide him and his little sister with hours of fun, imaginative play for years to come.