just a few things...

A little goodness and inspiration in the mail today...

 I pre-ordered this sometime ago.    I don't buy many books but couldn't resist this one!  And it came autographed!

Between my recent online yard sales, etsy sales, etc...I have a healthy fabric budget.  Still saving for when FMF comes out next month.  But meanwhile I picked up a few things I needed on sale at The Fat Quarter Shop.

Some yummy linen, a little Aneela Hoey, a fabric glue pen, some hexie papers and more.

This past Saturday my Daddy and I changed my front and rear shocks on my jeep.  

I love my daddy he is so shockingly handy!

And tonight I had my No Boundaries training sponsored by Fleet Feet.  

We did 2.75 miles starting all the way up the stroll way by Old Salem including the killer hill.  Luckily we did that first. Then looped back through Old Salem to the teapot and back to the Gateway Family Practice for stretches, crunches(ugh) and push-ups(ugh ugh)!  I didn't get to partner stretch and I'm feeling it in my legs (ugh ugh ugh)!  But I survived.  BTW my fav fast walking (cause I don't run) music is the Las Vegas TV show soundtrack. I through a little fast paced Glee at the end too.  It is eclectic and rocks!

Keep dreaming....Colleen

My two favs Kalli-cat and my featherweight!

Moda Bake Shop Sliced contest entry #3

With this third project I have completed a wonderful set of three objects to use in my sewing studio.  The funny thing is they were three things that had been in my mind to make and the contest gave me the impetus and the challenge to make them.  

I loved designing my own projects.  I didnt even draw them out.  All three projects are easy  and be made in a variety of fabrics. You can read about the block storage roll and the sewing machine cover in earlier posts. I love how the different Moda lines coordinated . So for all three projects I started with a Moda Basic Grey Origins charm pack, a Moda Bella Solid natural charm pack, a yard of Ruby green pin dots , a yard of a Moda Origins print, and 1/2 yard of Moda Sweetwater dots.  I also used Pellon 100% cotton batting, two vintage buckles, and crushed walnut shells.

This is what I have left after making the three projects.  Hmmm...lots left to play with...

For the last project again I looked at my sewing desk for my Babylock Sofia.  I really needed a place for those too small scraps and a big pincushion for my yellow pins.

So I had a pile of eight squares left over from making the lil twister pinwheels.  A couple of pieces from the Ruby and Origins yardage and I  sewed a pincushion and scrap bag.  

  I sewed  an inner sack of walnut shells and wrapped it a couple times in scraps of cotton batting for the pincushion .  

The inner sack prevents leaking and the batting helps to give the pincushion its shape.

The buckle is used to attach the scrap bag through it loop.

So I made this during the Sewin at Sewingly Yours.  The Clemmons Guild and Our Guild Triad MQG were both there.  The Clemmons Guild had been there all weekend since Friday.  Ours was just from 2-5p.  It was a blast but I tend to talk and get distracted so I am surprised I got it done.

******

This is Read Across America week!  Go read a book!
*****

And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.

Dr. Seuss

Keep dreaming...Colleen

A picture of my studio from the corner by the door.  I painted the walls pale blue to match the blue carpet which I did not put in. The darker blue is felt for my design wall because they did not have a light green.  Of course you see the green accents everywhere.

Moda Bake Shop Sliced contest entry#2

So my mind has been spitting more ideas out for the Moda Bake Shop contest Sliced.  The contest auditions end February 29th.  This idea has been in the back of my mind since before I heard of the contest.  The challenge fit well together with my idea for a block roll storage.

 

I had already made one for traveling, but wanted a second one to use in my studio for projects with pieces waiting to  be sewn.

I started by choosing 8 charm squares remaining in my charm pack and sewing them end to end.  Sewing a 3" border of Ruby green pindots all the way around.

Then I got out my Lil Twister ruler which I had never used. 

This is the coolest ruler ever!  And easy to use!

 I learned that the 5" charm pack squares are the perfect size for this ruler.  I also learned (though I couldn't find it written) that however many squares you use that is how many lil twister pinwheels you will make.

Its almost like magic how they come together.

I then bordered the finished central piece on three sides with the rest of the Origins yardage.  It came together very quickly.

I used batting for the back side that is what holds the fabric pieces on the inside when rolled up.  The first one I made I used flannel. 

 Either works fine. Though I had to use batting in the project and I love how the cotton batting holds the blocks.  You could even hang this over a door or chair or on the wall and use it as a small design wall.  Or reverse it for a small wall hanging.  I must say after using the origins charm squares and yardage of the one print I really love the color pallet.

I used another vintage buckle from my stash to form the belt like closure.

I love how my two projects go together and match my studio with the wonderful fabric choices.

Stay tuned who knows what else my mind will think up...the 29th isnt until Wednesday.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

This vintage token from Chevy, hiding in my buckle collection made me grimace.
Ready for Winter?  I've been waiting forever!

Moda Bake Shop Sliced contest

Moda Bake Shop is having a contest called Sliced where 4 sewers will compete in a sew off with one contestant getting sliced from the contest each week.  Details are over at the Moda Bake shop.  To audition you have to create your own design of something for your office or studio, using  all moda fabrics including a precut, batting, and a buckle.  My brain stewed on it for a couple of weeks and last Sunday I started to create a plan.  I had picked some fabric the week before from my stash. A charm pack of Basic Gray's Origins,  Bella solid charm pack in natural(I think), a 1/2 yard of a Sweetwater dots print.

I also added yardage of one of the origins prints and yardage of Bonnie & Camille's Ruby's green pindot.  

I pieced my favorite half square triangle.  I added the pin dot border to make it large enough to cover my Babylock Sofia with the embroidery attachment.  You could modify the design easily to fit different size machines.

I layered backing, batting and front and pined it well.  Before I machine quilted it I decided to clean the lint out from under the throat plate on my Featherweight.  And then I spent an hour trying to figure out why it wouldn't sew.  Finally I remembered that I did this before, and it was because the bobbin case was out of alignment.  

But I did get it quilted.  When I sewed the binding I did it so it would turn to the back so I wouldn't see it on the front.  

I could even use the back side out. The buckle is from my vintage buckle collection mostly from my Grandmas house.

The one I am using is had cut from bone. 

 I think it turned out great!  I love the colors, the fabric, and the look!

Keep dreaming...Colleen

Finally it's snowing!

Dress Up Your Roll challenge

Oh no!  You mean you don't cover your roll?  LOL!  Over at QuiltJane she is having a Dress Up Your Roll contest.  I decided to play a little with some fabric as it's a great stress reliever.  I was a little stumped at first.  I mean what in the world could I design to cover a toliet paper roll?  So I perused my shelves and pulled 3 coordinated fat quarters off the shelf that I had bought at the shop hop last fall.  I added an orange leaf print from DS Quilts Aunt Edna.

I used my EZ Dresden ruler and cut out 2.5" segments from the gray, orange and aqua print.    

They are so easy to sew.  Then just turn out the end and press.

Match up the sides and sew all the pieces together.  Easy peasy.  I cut a circle plus seam allowance for the center.  I use a thin interfacing to sew wrong sides together all the way around.

The cut a slit in the interfacing, turn, poke out the edges, and press!

I love the way this turned out!  I will use it on the top of the roll cover.

I used this tutorial by Barb at Bejewled Quilts as a general guide for the roll structure.  I layered circles for the top-inside plain gray fabric, between some thicker interfacing, the gray fabric, and the dresden flower and circle on top.  I appliqued around the center of the dresden using a zig zag stitch.  I didn't sew any other way through the top  layers.  I cut out a 10x20.5" strip of fabric and folded it layering a piece of batting inside.  I quilted straight lines through all layers.  

The putting wrong sides together I attached the top to the raw edge of the side leaving about 2 inches or so for sewing the side seam later.  I didn't pin but just lined it up as I fed it through the machine. 

 I think If I did this again I might sew a scant seam around the top's layers to hold them together as I did have to go back and resew two places where the top layer didn't catch.

After I checked all the seams I turned it using a plastic knitting needle.  I bought 3 different size sets on clearance at Joann's last year for about $.50 each.  I keep one of each size by my machine and one set on my cutting/work table.  They have rounded ends and are great for turning tiny corners or large, wide or narrow openings.  They are one of my favorite sewing tools.

Tada!  Finished.  Very quick and easy to make.  I may have to make some gifts.  Easter, Mother's day....so pretty.  

Sorry the colors are too dark in the above photo.  
But yes there is a large size Scott toilet tissue toll in there.

Here it is in the upstairs bathroom.  The bathroom is painted a pale Heirloom spa blue that leans toward the aqua.I have four vintage shoofly blocks in deep aquas, browns, and orange in a vintage wood frame hanging in the bathroom too.  

So this holder matches very nicely.

Yes, MY roll is very nicely dressed.


Keep dreaming...Colleen,

Finally a real picture of my Habitat challenge top.
 I'm working on quilting this so it can be in next months quilt show.