Frolic Done! Christmas in August

It has been a long time coming.  Some sewing projects just take longer than others...like, years longer.  Many years.  Eons, maybe.  

But, it's all good.  Because right now, I have a completed project.

Frolic.

I am so happy with it.  The bright, pastels, the, it's a Christmas quilt, but I can keep it hanging through winter because it's really a winter quilt!  Not an elf in sight!

My favorite block.  I love how all the colors work together.  The pinks for the body of the reindeer, and the bright green and red on the ribbon.

The little embroidered touches and the fabric that is fun, not jolly.

I started out needle-turn appliqueing this puppy, but wasn't loving how all the blocks were ending up.

So I switched to iron-on transfer and never looked back.  A sweet little blanket stitch around all the pieces to keep everything secure and I was one happy quilter.  Plus, I kept the needle-turn blocks that I thought were fine. So, this quilt is 1/3 needle turn and 2/3 iron on transfer.  And it's perfect!  You don't even notice the different methods unless you look carefully.

For the many berries, I simply used felt and secured them in place with a sequin.

Felt for the faces too!  Love the ease and simplicity, and as a plus I didn't go insane sewing itty bitty teeny weeny triangles and circles.

For those in the know...can you even imagine needle-turn appliquing this one?  Nuh uh!  No thank you.

And here it is, hanging up in my living room...four inches too long.  But I'll make it work.  Think it goes pretty well with my summer pillows.  I'll show you those in a few days.  I was on a Dresden Plate Kick for a long time and now I'm on to Courthouse Steps!  Lots of fun sewing going on!

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Doing it...MY way.

In all my times as a quilter, I have never enjoyed teensy, tinsy applique.  For one, it's tedious to do.  And, for another, it's so hard to get something perfectly sewn.  Now, I am not a perfectionist, by any means, and what I am about to show you will testify to that.  But, I do want what I am making to look as good as possible.  I love a crisp corner and a sharp point.  I thrill at a perfectly round circle.  So, in the case of itty-bitty sewing, I've made a compromise.

This is one of the few times I am going to willingly show you where something didn't turn out quite right...and this is because I've re-done the entire block.  If you'll notice the carrot nose in this one, it's kind of lumpy and the tip isn't a nice sharp point...and you can see my pencil marks...right then.  Not amazing.

What it is now.  I have decided, since this quilt is a wall-hanging and won't be used for snuggling and keeping warm and won't be washed, that felt is just fine.  As you can see, you can cut out a piece of felt and it won't fray.  I didn't even take the time to do a blanket stitch around the edge, I just took some matching thread and tacked the felt piece in place with a few well-placed cross stitches.  So easy.  So quick...and it looks sharp.

Here's another bit on my original that I am exceedingly displeased with...spots like this glove where you have a concave curve.  It sharply turns up after the curve and there is no way to appropriately sew that down with applique.  So, you have to kind of use little stitches around the curve and hope nobody looks too closely.

Here they are, side by side.  My new one which is iron-on transfer, tacked on using a blanket stitch and using felt for the small bits, and my original which is 100% applique.  I could have iron-on transferred the small pieces on the new one and gotten the crisp look I wanted, but I didn't want to blanket stitch around them all.  The felt, really is me being exceedingly lazy.  But, I want to enjoy my crafting, so I knew that sewing around every coal eye and button and carrot nose would make me crazy.  For the safety of my family, felt was the right choice.

I hope you'll agree, my new one is much better than my original. 

So, moral of the story...if you hate something, don't do it.  Change it to suit your pleasure.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

You better watch out, you better not cry...

That's right, gotta get working on the never-ending Christmas quilt.

Here's some shots of what I have done so far...by the way, I love making this with the bright, spring colors.  It's unusual for Christmas, but so darn cute!

I have been working on this...for two years now...It's called Frolic and while I really really like it, I had no anticipation of finishing it this year...or in the next decade due to my chosen applique method.  I was doing what is called freezer paper applique.   Too slow!  Too much work.  And...

I wasn't loving how it was turning out. I am not an accurate enough turn-under appliquer to keep going with this method.  As you can see from the above picture, that's a panel I get to remake...because...yeah, not awesome.

Luckily I took a class and it reminded me that Fusible Web Applique is a better option.  It's easy.  It looks exactly like you cut it out.  So, even though I was half-way done with the quilt, I was changing my sewing method.   Everything from this point onward, is fusible web applique...and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to leave it like that.  Half fusible web applique and half freezer paper applique...and I think I'm okay with it.  We'll see. 

I believe in sewing for fun.  I know that if I have to remake every panel I will have anger issues towards it, and it won't be fun. So, I have to resign myself to having it half and half and only fix the ones that I completely hate.  Like the one above...unless I decide I have to fix them all...to be determined.

So, that's some of what I've already made...get ready in a bit to see the new, and I hope, better ones!  SO EXCITED!  Oh, and by the way...60% sure this may be ready by this Christmas.  Cross fingers.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Bestill my Heart...

Looovve it!

What do you guys think?  I mean, it's not done yet or anything...but this flimsy makes my heart flutter.  Kinda like The Mister does.  wink wink.  It's called What's Coming Up Summer by Jodie Warner.  She's the one who designed This little Beauty that's sitting in my living room right now just until June 20th or so when hopefully the new one is complete.

I want to say what a creative mind Jodie Warner is.  She can put together a quilt block like I've never even imagined.  I'll show ya...

This looks like it might be straight forward...but the angles involved are ridiculous!  So each row is it's own pieced block which you later sew all together.  But then on top of getting all the angles right for the machine paper foundation piecing so everything matches up, she then has you make a couple extra blocks that you strategically place over the previous block and with a snip snip here and a snip snip there she manages to get those angles to match up with the previous angles...it's black magic if you ask me. 

Oh yeah...I also think the leaves kinda look like dragon's wings.  My Sister, who thinks the name Kaleesi would be a good one for a baby girl, would like these leaves..Do you watch HBO's Game of Thrones?  The Mister who is a former D & D nerd...would also like these leaves for obvious reasons.

I will also say as I've said before, the great thing about quilting is taking somebody else's idea and making it your own.  I love the bright reds and pinks and oranges that I've chosen and the border fabric is my favorite.  The Hawaiian theme makes me happy as I have a special place in my heart for Hawaii...

Thanks to The Mister and I honeymooning there and my Baby Bro for getting married there.

My Oldest gave herself a haircut the day before we flew out.  Right then.  As you can see, she was in awe of the man portraying himself as King Kamehameha at the Luau we went to.

My Youngest enjoying the view from my baby bro's rental house...pretty fancy.  I have dreams to this day of moving to Hawaii and buying this house...just need a little more cash.  Just a touch more really.  A smidge maybe

Anyway....Hawaii dream to be continued at a later date...in the meantime, back to reality.

It may not be as awesome as living in Hawaii...but I still think it's pretty swell.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

What's Coming up Summer...WIP

Not a lot of new sewing going on in my neck of the woods right now.  Just been busy.  Instead of crafting I've been doing a lot of...

This year, as you can see I am gardening partially in pots.  I am rotating my crops to help prevent diseases from infiltrating my garden plot...and I don't have anywhere else to put them really.  So pots it is.  I am going to do a little series on gardening as I have been taking gardening classes for the last several weeks and I am going to put to use my new knowledge.  I am a walking tutorial as we will see if this knowledge pans out at the end of the growing season.

Plus, we'll see if my seedlings actually grow and thrive...or fail completely. 

So, gardening has been my thing for a couple of weeks.  I'll get back to sewing...after today, when I plant my garden plot with corn and beans and beats and carrots and parsnips.  Yumm!  Plus, I really can't wait until I am harvesting  all this good stuff again!

In the first of my gardening series, I'm going to give you the recipe for what you should put in the pot before you put in a plant.  It's a witches brew.  It's science.  It's a witches brew and science all mixed up into one pot...or 10.

Okay, so onto the sewing.

Like a Shakespearean Tragedy

Out, damned spot!

uhhh...Sorry.  I just went all, Lady Macbeth on you there.

It's not really as bad as all that...but it's still pretty bad.  Let me show you.

That's right.  Seedling murder.  Oh, I cannot bare to look at it.  La Chienne is a foul murderess.  She thinks anything in the back yard is hers to do with as she pleases...I do not agree with this assessment.  Let me just say I have had to repair more shoes than you can shake a stick at because La Chienne likes to eat Velcro off of things...that's it.  Just the Velcro.  And apparently seedlings.

See this little guy?  I am attempting a save.  I had 4 of them and planted them in the veg garden, but it's so early...I am nervous.  One didn't make it already.  Cross fingers for the other three.  Now I am going to have to pay attention to the weather each night and if it looks too chilly, take preventative measures.

On to happier news.

The big swelter

Where's Spring?  I just made this mini quilt and it's the wrong season apparently.  I refuse to turn on the air conditioning.  Am I just being stubborn??  Maybe.  But, it's April.  The air conditioning should not be on in April.  Even if it is almost 90 degrees outside.  I don't want to turn the ac on until June to be completely honest. 

So, because of the sweltering heat, I have started on my summer mini quilt by Jodie Warner called...What's Coming Up Summer.  It's along the same lines are What's coming Up Spring...only more summer...y.   I have the perfect border fabric which is where I stated with this one.  I'll show you it in a bit.  But, let's just say summer is going to be shades of hot pink and orange and turquoise accents.  So cute.

This is what I've got done so far...yeah, not much.  These are peony blossoms...which I find perfect as I have a peony shrub in my front yard that is about to burst forth with the most beautiful magenta blooms...I am trying to decide whether to change the larger circles and get rid of the light pink that's around the edge...I think the edge needs to be a darker pink all around with the light pink in the middle.   Settled.  I am going to have to change it.  I'm so glad we had this talk.

My seedlings.  They seem to be doing fine....except the flat that I let die from lack of water one day...ahem.  They didn't all die...just half.  I'm a beginner.  I can't be expected to have all my starts survive.  Casualties were expected.  I worry that maybe I didn't get them started soon enough indoors and that they won't be quite as thriving as I want when they get planted in a couple of weeks.  We'll see.  I have two weeks to go so....cross fingers.

Due to a bout of High Cholesterol in mi familia, I am now cooking much more low carb.  This is an experiment that went very very right!!  I wanted to slow cook.  I wanted soup.  Here's the shake down...


Low Carb Chicken Soup...Crock-Pot Style
5 chicken legs with thighs attached
25 oz or so chicken stock
A large pile of carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces
1 onion diced
A largish handful of green beans, ends removed and chopped roughly
Fresh Thyme...several sprigs
Smoosh...yes that's a technical cooking term...ahem.  Smoosh a good size amount of tomato paste...I used the kind from the tube that way I won't waste the rest of the can.  I would say I probably used 2 Tbl. of tomato paste
Smoosh a good size amount of garlic paste...less than the tomato paste.  Maybe 2 tsp. or so.
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Or be like me and cook on low for 5 hours and then bump it up to high for 1.5 hours.  I was running out of time.  Take out the cooked chicken and remove the meat from the bones.  Discard the bones and skin unless that's your style.  Place meat in a bowl, spoon a hearty amount of stock and veg over the chicken.  Serve.  Your family and you will be very happy you did.  For a recipe I made up on the spot, I am incredibly pleased with how this turned out. 

If you haven't seen the tomato paste and garlic past in a tube...here's a visual for you. 

It's really a convenience item, but to be honest when I'm cooking low-carb I need all the short cuts I can find.  Unfortunately I am not inspired by low-carb and consequently I want the easiest options possible.  I don't even want to chop garlic.  But really, in this soup, you don't want chunks of garlic.  The garlic paste is a perfect fit, it blends seamlessly.

The Mister ate it for 4 days straight thanks to the large amount of left overs it created.  My Young also ate this quite impressively even though I thought they would hate it at first sight.

Gratuitous I got a cute kid pic of the Day

That's right....6 teeth and counting.
Thanks for reading all!

Heather

What's Coming Up Spring...The Big Reveal

It's done!!  It's so cute.  It sits in a seldom used corner of my living room...that may I say could use a little zazzing up and I love it.

What do you think?  I don't mean to brag...but I did say it was going to be cuter than the one the designer of the quilt, Jodie Warner made.  It really is....if I do say so myself.  It's all relative....and I'll say it again, that's what's so fun about quilting.  You take somebody else's idea and make it your own.

How 'bout some close ups??!?

The cherry tree complete with cherry blossoms.  Her ideas are so creative.  I love that she doesn't just use your typical fabric.  She uses Organza here, where you melt the edges with a flame so they curl up and look like petals and attach them with beads.  Clever!  The Mister though, was quite concerned when I would sneak down to the basement to burn things...

This is made from the loveliest wool felt.  It's something special when you buy a material of quality.  Normally I would buy whatever Joann's had, but as we were at a lovely little craft store, I bought their true wool felt, it really wasn't much, maybe $6 for 1/2 a yard.  But as I am only using a bit of it, I want really nice quality.  My Mother worried that the dark brown wording over heather grey back wouldn't work...but I think it worked very well! 

The bee tag.  Again this was a very clever technique.  We used Organza again to make the wings.  You can't really see in this picture.  But the wings have veins sewn in.  Using your sewing machine you sew over a pattern, then cut it out a scan 1/8" around the edge and then lightly burn the edges to melt them sealed.  I was supposed to use an eyelet to attach the tag on...but I don't have an eyelet punch for one....and I didn't really want to buy one.  For another, I don't know how I feel about punching holes in my quilts.  Maybe, since I am making 4 of these and my Mother is making 4 we'll feel the need to buy a hole punch...but as for now, I just tacked it on and sewed the leather strap on.  I think it works fine.

The daffodil.  For the yellow center, we ruched a yellow ribbon and then over it, tacked on the little buttons.  Very nice touch.  Apparently though I forgot what she did.  My Mother said that she put all the buttons right in the very middle whereas I put them all over.  I think it's okay.

Here it is in it's place in the world.  It's only missing one thing and that's a wooden rod going through the back to make it hang straight.  The Mister has to get on to chopping one to size for me.  He loves helping me with projects.  Good news is...he's going to compost my vegetable garden today too!  Love!

Thanks for reading!

Heather

What's Coming up Spring Progress and then some.

I currently have 4 beasts in addition to 2 children and one husband in my house.  This makes for a lot of creatures that I have to take care of.  My Youngest is currently chasing two of the dogs around...yes 2 of them which means I have more than that...around the house insisting Lucius NOT eat Gingie.  I haven't been getting a terrible lot done over the last several days sewing-wise, but I feel like I have a lot in the works. 

I have decided that this year I want to finish my Christmas applique Wall hanging.  It's called Frolic and it's so cute with the pastels...but I sometimes have to convince myself that I like applique.  I have decided...almost half-way through that I'm going to change my method of applique.  Instead of Freezer Paper, finger-turn applique, I'm simplifying and going to use Fusible web and then just use a blanket stitch around the edge of each piece.  See, this way I may actually work on this quilt...and it might some day be complete.  This is a good chocie.  I may or may not re-do all blocks.  I'll have to see if I hate having the top half turn-under applique and the bottom half not...tricky.  But with the fusible web method I can place my pieces so much more accurately...much less guess work as I am using an applique sheet...which is this sort of magical sheet that you can put your applique pieces on, and actually iron them together so they look like you want on your fabric...then you lift your assembled portion off the magical sheet, put it on your background fabric and iron it again and it will still stick!  Magic.

What’s Coming Up Spring Progress

I have really enjoyed this project...probably more than I had anticipated.  I think it has turned out so cute and can't wait for it to be completely done as it will be hanging in my living room...hopefully before spring is actually over.  Probelm is..I ofcourse failed to read all the instructions before thinking I could bind it...and now I have to figure out a way to put on the sleeve and ribbon ties without it looking too horrible...I'll figure it out.  Never fear.

The pansies.  I am not purple's #1 fan.  I enjoy purple in clothes, I have red heads and purple is their color, but that's typically it.  I do not decorate with purple.  But I sure think these pansies are pretty.

The Crocus.  If I was going to do something different, I would choose a different yellow.  Against the beige gingham background, the lines of the yellow sort of make it blend together a bit.  I would go with a much more vibrant, rich shade of yellow.  But, I'm not redoing.  So, it's fine as is.

The Hostas.  I feel the polka dot green fabric stands out a bit too much, but I still enjoy it.  So again, no re-do.  It's just fine.

Next blog post I'll show you everything assembled.  Yay!

Granny Square Pic of the Day

I have really been neglecting my granny square blocks.  Luckily they are just fun for me.  I don't need to get them done in any kind of hurry.  They're just there if I feel the need to sew.  I don't have to commit to a large amount of fabric to be used, and there's minimal prep work and I can get a block done in 30 minutes or so...it's the perfect on-going project.

Thanks for reading!

Heather

WIP June 8th

Lots going on over here cratfywise.  Nothing finished, but I can show you my works in progress...some I don't even really have an end project...exactly.  I have some ideas...I was just having fun sewing.  I'll come up with something I'm sure.

Applique for the Christmas wall hanging that will cross fingers be finished by December.  Lots of pins.  Lots of piercing myself.

Here is the finished block.  Sorry for the wrinkles.  It gets scrunched a lot mid-sew.

I had sewn a bunch of strips like this for a pattern...then promptly lost the pattern that I had scribbled down on a note pad, and couldn't remember what I was going to do with it anyway.  So, I decided since I had all these already sewn I should do something with them.  All these cutes solids need to be used. 

So I made 4-patches out of them and am planning on something like this.  I don't have enough of the colors to make a complete quilt, so I am thinking of finishing the outside edges in grey and white 4-patches...any thoughts?  Love me some solids though!

My WTF quilt's progress.  I like how the white fabric gives it a slightly more modern vibe than I expected it would have.  I paired it with some Bari J plaids and though the colors are a little washed out in this photo, they're really vibrant and match perfectly I think.  It's a sweet marriage of Traditional and Modern Quilting which is how I roll.  All this hate between the modern quilters and traditional quilters is just silly to me.  If you ask me, we're all making the same things, it's just the fabric we choose that makes them different, and a tendency towards minimalism for the modern quilters maybe.

I'll keep everyone updated on the progress. 

Completely unrelated quote of the day: "Don't you dare hit me with your swimming suit!"  Oldest Daughter as said to Youngest Daughter