Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

It's almost Black Friday. And who doesn't like and want a discount. I know I do! Check out my Etsy shop and use the code blackfridayblog when you check out. It's easy and free to join Etsy if you never have. Registration is just your name and email.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I wish I could say I was ready, but I procrastinate way too much, so still have plenty to do. I am cooking gluten and dairy free this year, so I am trying out new things.

I need to keep my hands off of this:
Chex Ginger-Honey Crunch. It is absolutely delicious.



Friday, November 19, 2010

Mug Rug Again

I finished another Mug Rug.

Peacock fabric for the back and binding.

Two makes a set!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Mug Rug



I used to put my coffee cup on a coaster. That's what I called it. But someone always comes up with a better name. Now it's a "Mug Rug" and I love that name. I made one today. It's bigger and better than just a plain old coaster. But it also took me a little longer to make. Here are the steps.



I cut 2" squares from three different color families, one from each of 24 fabrics. The photo shows the yellow squares only. I had already made the other blocks before I started this tutorial.

Then I made Half-Square triangles using my Stitching Lines.







I pressed the Half-Square triangles to the dark side. You could press them to the lighter side if you like.

I made the HST's larger than I needed, so then I squared them up to 1-1/2"

I placed the HST's where I wanted them.
The seam on the upper left square is pressed up, the seam on the upper right side is pressed down. the lower squares are opposite. Then everyone is happy and seams fit together nicely!


I sewed the HST's together and pressed them all in the same direction.

I made two identical blocks.

I sewed the two halves together.

And then I removed the last few stitches between first stitching line and cut edge.

I pressed half of the seam one way, and the other half the other direction.
Then I arranged how I wanted the blocks.

And sewed them all together.. Again I removed the last few stitches at each intersection, so I could press the seams all flat.
This photo shows all the seams going every which way. But it makes for a nice flat quilt top.

Here is the front side, all nice and trimmed and squared up.

I added a 1" cut border to the four sides.

I stacked up the three layers.... backing, batting and top.

I quilted it with a simple "Stitch in the Ditch".

Now it is bound and done.
Just big enough for a mug and some goodies.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

One Top Done

I have been sewing away. Still working on two projects at once. Last night I finished the first top and I have been busily writing directions for it. Lots of illustrations to make. How can a simple pattern take so much instruction. I need to simplify!
It looks like this. Ha! Not really. I still don't want to show it to you, but you can see the pretty colors.



Jungle Flower is coming along nicely. Strips and squares are all cut and ready to go. It's just that life gets in the way and these are all the Alternate blocks I have made. I hope that the border fabric will look OK. It's pretty and very traditional, not always my cup of tea. If not, it won't be the first quilt where I have had to replace the border after it is all made.


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Two a Day

Do you do this?
I've got two projects going at one time.
I have set myself a daily goal to work on both each day. Does that slow me down or speed me up? Who knows, but I don't get so bored with my sewing that way!

I am making a new Jungle Flower. After taking the same one to numerous quilt shows, I thought it would be time for something new hanging in my booth. Tomorrow I will start on the Alternate Block.
And I am working on a new design at the same time. So I set up a second machine and am making twice the mess!




Ha! I blurred it on purpose! I don't want you to really see it. LOL

And my phone is working today. After getting a message that it didn't have a SIM card in the phone, I left it plugged into iTunes all night and it worked today. It just doesn't have all the apps back on it and I am afraid to add them back at this point. But at least I have a working phone and I can get my email off my phone.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Bad, Bad Phone


Has anybody had an IPhone that has crashed?

I am so frustrated with my phone.

My first IPhone lost its Blue-tooth ability. It was under warranty so Apple replaced it. I don't think it was with a new phone, but a refurbished phone. Now this second phone started crashing on me on an almost daily basis. This last weekend, all the apps stopped working. So I did a restore a couple of times, and it actually looked like it was back to working.......for about an hour....then all by itself.....with nobody touching it....it beeped and crashed again. The phone had been working until tonight. Now it doesn't work and I haven't done anything to it. So I am trying another restore as I write this.
I am frustrated. Hope Andy gets over here this week to take a look at it.

BUMMER!!!
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