Quilt Guild Block of the Month

I know I've been gone for awhile for awhile and I'm sorry.  I have been really busy.  I have belonged to my local Quilt Guild for a couple of years now but recently decided that I should become more involved.  So I am now in charge of doing the Block of the Month program at the Guild. 

My first month being in charge of the BOM was July.  I decided to do something patriotic.  The block I picked out was called "Land of Liberty".  It is done in red, white and blue of course.  It was a really easy block also.  I found the instructions on the website Quilters Cache  http://www.quilterscache.com/L/LandofLibertyBlock.html  They have thousands of quilt block patterns you can download for free.

 

I made up several of these blocks so decided that I would put them together and make a couple of table runners for July 4th.  I made one for myself and another for my mother.  I  finished them off with batting and backing and decided to just quilt them myself by quilting in the ditch.  I'm not really good at it yet but decided it would be something that I should at least try to do on my smaller projects instead of sending them off to the Longarm quilter to be quilted.  It will save me some money also and that means I'll have more money to spend on fabric!  YEAH!  That's a good thing! 

The next block I chose for August was called "Ribbons".  I made it up with a white background, a red solid, a black solid and then a floral print that had red,white and black in it.  I also thought this one was a relatively easy block to make. 

I did put a few together wrong but I still liked the way they turned out.  Can you see how the correct one I  made above the ribbons make an X and has the two triangles in the center?  The one below is the incorrect way.  The ribbons kind of bow out and forms a squarw on point in the center.  I didn't even realize they were wrong till someone pointed it out to me.  These blocks were found on another free block website.  It was called Delaware Quilts http://delawarequilts.com/BOMs/Ribbons/index.html

The block I picked for the Guild to make in September is called Indiana Puzzle.  I made it up in a Hot Pink, Orchid and then a floral print that had both colors in it.  I thought it turned out really pretty.  It was also from the website Delaware Quilts http://delawarequilts.com/BOMs/IndianaPuzzle/index.html

I haven't yet decided what to do for the Quilt Guild for October.  It is kind of weird that I have to work that far in advance but at least it makes me be prepared!  I can't be the procrastinator that I sometimes am.  I have to present the BOM that I have chosen already done up to the Quilt Guild Board a month in advance and then it will be put in the next month's newsletter so that the members will have time to make it up.

Our Guild raffles off half of the blocks to one lucky member.  Each member gets 1 ticket for each block that they made that month.  So if you win you get to take half of the blocks home with you.  You also have the option for buying more of them if you want that day for $2.00 each.  Then the other half of the blocks that are turned in goes to our Quiltique.  Every even year we have a big Quilt Show and have a little boutique were members can sell their handmade items at.  That is what we call our Quiltique.

Okay I'm off now to sew a little more for myself!  Linking up to the fun parties at:
Transformation Thursday@ The Shabby Creek Cottage
Show and Share with Southern Lovely 
Creative Juice-Thursdays @ Momnivores Dilemma
Talent Tuesday Way Cool Linky Partay 
Tell Me Tuesday @ Me & My Boys 
Time To Shine @ A Diamond In The Stuff 
Tiptoe Thru Tuesday @ Crayonfreckles and Tiaras & Bowties  
Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef-in-Training 
Craft & Tell @ Cherished Bliss 
Fabulously Creative Friday 
The Cure For The Common Monday @ Lines Across My Face  
Primp  
Wow Us Wednesdays 
Delightfully Iinspiring Thursday Party
I ♥ Fridays Link Party
Make It Great Monday @ Etcetorize 
Show and Tell Fridays @ My Romantic Home  
Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
Garden Fun & Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted In Thyme 
Rustic Restorations Weekend Linky Party @ Homespun Happenings 
Blissful and Domestic Feature Friday Link Party 

Aloha Flirty Apron Swap

I just recently participated in another Flirty Apron Swap. This time round the theme was to be an Aloha Flirty Apron that you sew especially for your secret swap partner. You are also suppose to include a few tuck in items as gifts for your swap partner that go along with the theme. You can make any style apron you like but the swap coordinator does supply us with information about our partner with their likes and dislikes, style they prefer and favorite colors, etc. Usually you can go and look at your secret swap partner's blog and kind of get a feel of what you think your partner would like also.

So this time I was to make an apron for Grace in Washington. This is the apron I made for her. She seemed to be a outgoing fun lady and I wanted to make her an upbeat and happy apron with bright colors. I knew she also liked pink so I went with this pink and green floral fabric.
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In addition to sewing the apron for her I also made her a set of 4 fabric criss cross coasters out of fabric I got when I was in Hawaii on my last trip. I included 2 dish towels with palm trees on them, another set of coasters, an aloha themed note pad and 2 small scented candles.

I wrapped everything individually and then threw in some metallic Hibiscus flowers to help decorate the box. I wrote her a little note letting her know that I enjoyed making this package especially for her and I hope she enjoys all the Aloha spirit I was sending her!

These apron swaps are so fun! I of course have so much fun receiving a special apron made just for me and all the fun little goodies that go into it but I really have just as much fun creating a special apron for someone I don't know. I like to try and think of clever little tuck in gifts to go with it. Goodness knows I really don't need another apron but I've already signed up for another apron swap in the near future!

I hope Grace doesn't mind but I'm posting the pictures that she took and put on her blog as I'm having camera issues at the moment.

Friday Night Sew-In

Well my weekend was so busy that I forgot to post about what I did last Friday night. My friend Debbie and I got together to sew for a few hours so that we could participate in the latest Friday Night Sew In. Debbie came over with her sewing machine and quilting supplies and joined me for an evening of cutting and sewing out the latest block for our Starry Night quilt, which is the BOM for Cornerstone Quilt Shop in Fairfield, CA. We meet the third Saturday of every month, and we have to have our block completed and turned in then, and so with both of us being procrastinators this was the perfect opportunity for us to get them done and participate in the FNSI.

Debbie had already cut out her fabric for the BOM so she was ahead of me when we started. I didn't have too much trouble cutting out my fabric for the block so I soon joined her at the sewing machine. I had just recently ordered 2 different types of 1/4 inch quilting foots for my machine so I decided to try it out. I did one little square and hurriedly measured out the seam. It looked like the seam was measuring just a little bit smaller than 1/4 inch but I thought that would be okay. I was thinking that was what they are always referring to as a scant 1/4 inch seam.

Well I should have stopped and remeasured a few other of my seams. Needless to say that I didn't and soon had my block almost done minus the borders. I go and press it and go and measure it and it is way bigger than it should be. I guess they are right at the quilt store when they say one little bit off carried out over the whole block or the whole quilt makes a big difference. It was almost 1 inch bigger than it should be. I knew I couldn't just trim it because I would cut off all of my points. So I decided to rip everything out and start over. I had it almost completely ripped apart and Debbie suggested that if I had enough fabric left over it would probably be easier and quicker to just redo the whole thing. So Debbie left to go home and I stayed up and cut out another one and resewed the entire block. That was after I got my machine calibrated to precisely sew a 1/4 inch seam! So it took me all night but I did get my block done in time!

Flirty Apron Swap

I recently participated in another Flirty Apron Swap. The theme this time was Cupcakes and/or Mary Engelbreit. I know I said I wasn't going to do another apron swap because I already own a zillion but I couldn't help myself! I love aprons and I loved that the theme was cupcakes so I went ahead and signed up again.

Being the procrastinator that I am I waited until the day before the apron had to be made to start it. I work well under pressure! I had already purchased the cupcake fabric that I was going to use but I of course changed my mind as to what type of an apron I was going to make and at the last minute had to run to JoAnn's before they closed to get enough fabric to finish the project and make a ruffle. I always like my aprons to have a ruffle and extra long ties so that if you want you can wrap the ties and tie it into a nice bow in the front. I had already picked up the little extras that I was to include as a gift in addition to the apron so that wasn't a problem.



I decided at the last minute to add the little pink pom-pom trim to the top of the apron and again on the top of the pocket. I thought it just added a little extra to the look of the apron.



Here is all of the goodies I included with my package. I of course had to send one of my all time favorite apron patterns as part of the gift. I included a roll of Mary Englebrite ribbon, some colorful candy or muffin liners, a magnetic note holder that I made and a few other little things.



Here is me modeling the apron. I fell in love with the cute cupcake apron and didn't want to give it up. I always do that. I should just know by now and buy enough fabric to make 2 of them because this has happened the last couple of apron swaps.

Quilting Fun with my Girl Friend

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day at my girlfriend Debbie's house quilting. We don't get to get together as often as we would like because of all the things that take up our time in our busy lives. So it is especially nice when we get to spend the better part of the day working together on our quilts and having the companionship of someone like you who enjoys doing the same types of things.

It really doesn't matter how much we get done or accomplish as long as we are having fun together. We sewed and sewed, cut and measured fabric, talked all day, and drank coffee. Some of my very favorite things to do! So it was a very nice day indeed!

I look forward to getting together with some of my other friends soon to quilt and sew with also. We have a little quilt group that tries to get together once a month to sew and encourage each other. Our group is called the Double D's. No! it's not what you think! It stands for Domestic Diva's.

It is so fun to see what type of projects the other ladies are working on and I think everyone both learns and teaches each other. Each one of the ladies brings something different to the group. We have a variety of different levels of quilters also. Some have been quilting for a really long time and there are those of us who are relatively new to quilting.



I personally have sewed since I was in Junior High School but haven't been quilting all that long. I started my first quilt about 15 years ago but then put it away for about 10 years before I started working on a quilt again. I've only been seriously quilting for about 4-5 years now. I know have way too many UFO's or Un-Finished Objects but I have found the time to finish a few quilts recently.

Physical Preparation for Sewing- Circa 1949

From Singer Sewing Book that was published in 1949.

When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Go through a beauty ritual of orderliness. Have on a clean dress. Be sure your hands are clean, fingernails smooth --a nail file and pumice will help. Always avoid hangnails. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine where you can pick it up and dust your fingers at intervals. This not only absorbs the moisture on your fingers, but helps to keep your work clean. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on with care. Looking attractive is a very important part of sewing, because if you are making something for yourself, you will try it on at intervals in front of your mirror, and you can hope for better results when you look your best.

Again, sewing must be approached with the idea that you are going to enjoy it, and if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should. Therefore, “spruce up” at the beginning so that you are free to enjoy every part of any sewing you do.

Can you believe it? I'd hate for them to know that sometimes when I know all I'm gonna do is sew all day long I stay in my P.J.'s and don't even put on my makeup!!

Flirty Vacation Apron

I participated in the Second Flirty Apron Swap that was hosted by Shawnee. The theme was where I wished I could have gone on my summer vacation. We had to list a couple of places we would like to go for our secret swap partner to choose from.

I said I would like to go either to Italy (again- please!!) or to Paris. Either place would be a great and wonderful experience. It also asked you to tell about the colors you like and anything else you would like your swap partner to know about you. I also said I loved all things girlie, pink and feminine. I also love old and vintage things.

My swap partner made me the cutest apron out of pink gingham and a cute floral on a white background. It looks very vintage which is something I love. She had also sewed little appliqued flowers around the waistband. It turned out really nice. She sent me a recipe for some French Chocolates and a wonderful book that takes place in France. Now I just have to take the time to sit down with some cappuccino and delve into the wonderful book!

Purses, Tote Bags and More Purses

My daughter Heather and I started our own little internet business selling purses and tote bags. Hippie Sacks Hawaii is the name of our website. Heather recently came to visit me from Hawaii to get a few more purses and tote bags sewn so we would have some extra in our inventory since they were flying out of the shop so fast the first 2 weeks. Her visit home was for 9 days.

We sewed all week long. We sewed in the early morning , we sewed in the daytime, we sewed in the evening, we sewed in the wee hours of the night. We really sewed!! We started referring to the sewing room as the dungeon and the sweat shop.

We managed to accomplish quite a bit though. I think we made about 40 bags or so in all. We managed to have some fun though while she was here and did take a little time out to get pedicures and have some play time with baby Connor. Heather loves her one and only little nephew. She has decided she wants to be called Auntie Boo.

So if the website keeps going well maybe she'll just have to visit us more often!!

The Sewing Machine- A Girl's Best Friend

The Sewing Machine- A girl's best friend! When you need a break from sewing you can always watch this cute little video about sewing machines.