Chickens As Pillows

September 12th was my mom's 66th Birthday!

 

I purchased a 2lb. box of See's Chocolates (always a winner)

image from See's-you can order online too!

 

and accompanied those with two 12" pillows made from some left-over quilt blocks I had

Brrright little hens!

 

The pattern is from Buggy Barn Quilts located here in WA State.

Chickens in the sun

 

The hen blocks pattern, "Barn Chicks", is from Buggy Barn's Certifiably Crazy pattern book that includes 8 quilt patterns using their "crazy" method.

 

I love their "Crazy" patterns! It's sort of a stack n' whack method, but with cool designs.

They are great for a first time piecer/quilter as there's lots of room for error change.

Quality check by Bo

 

 

Messy Pleats!

I finished my Lindsay Sew's Pleated Box Pillow for the CraftBuds Sew-Along!

I used some purpley/pinky fabric for my scrappy strips.

Consulted Blaze about the cutting.

Took a pic of the top before pleating and discovered a mistake

(that's what you get for consulting with your cat).

After cutting off the extra fabric, I pleated my rows with messy pleats.

Made a lumpy pillow form with the lefthttp://www.craftbuds.com/pleated-boxes-pillow-sew-along/-over grey/purple sheet that I used for the background.

Then I stuffed the form into the pillow cover!

I like it!

Might have to make another square version to match.

Then I cleaned the sewing room.  The floor was littered with fabric scraps and thread--you know me!

Tova Sew-Along!

Very Kerry Berry is having a Wiskten Tova Sew-Along!



image via verrykeeryberry

Wiskten's Tova pattern has just become available as a PDF download and you will have to purchase it and the fabric.  This top seems like a wardrobe staple and very versatile.  Depending on the fabric and embellishments you could really dress it up or down.

Verykerryberry does a great job with her tutorials--and has many FREE tutes available on her blog! 

Hope to see you there!



Quick, Fun, Prize Laden Sew Along!

Hello!

The kids and I have been sick this week--the last thing I felt like doing was blogging, so I apologize for my absence. 

I did feel like crocheting!  Pictures and patterns of results will follow soon :)

Until then...

CRAFT BUDS is having a sew-along!

Image from Craftbuds

The pattern is free and said to take only 2-3 hours total.

Great for beginners too--each week Craftbuds will cover a new step in the process.

Link up your finished pillow and you could win prizes!

Hope to see you there! ~Tabitha

Valentines Cacti

Happy Valentine's Day!

For my little loves I made felt heart cacti.

A little weird, I admit, but it's along usual lines for me.  Last year I made them voodoo dolls.

Pattern is from the March Mollie Makes

You could go to their blog and download the free templates for Issue 10 and kinda figure it out (like sewing the 3 parts to each other and covering up stitches with flowers and hearts) from this picture if you don't have the magazine. Just a thought :) 

Have a happy day!

Linking to:

Whatever Goes Wednesday #104

Kitties on Purple

Working with paper piecing again.

Thought I'd give these Granny Nanny Kitties a try.

I've always had black cats and purple just seemed to be the right color for the day.

I tend to go a bit "Ellen Burns" when I paper piece.

I'll sweep.

My Inspiration?

Linking to Sew Much 2 Luv's After X-mas Sew-Along Week 3 Flickr Group 

Turning Fans into Sunshine

It's incredibly cold outside, but

Inside my sewing room the sun is shining through the windows and you'd never know it.

Especially if you find a cozy spot to curl up in.

I was going through some quilting items my aunt sent me a while back and I found these cute little paper piecing templates.

Only they're not paper--they're printed on fabric

Decided to give the sunshine a whirl.

There's something so meditative about "paper" piecing--cut, place, sew, cut, iron, cut more, place again...

You end up with funky little shapes that worry you a bit

and then everything's fine in the end.

I gotta say...I like the fabric better than paper! 

No problems withe needles, tearing, and removing the paper.

You know what I just noticed?!  Those are fans, not sunshines. 

In my little world we'll call them sunshines :)

Linked to:

Thingamajig Thursday at RadCrafts

MADE!

In a land far far away...

We vacationed for a week and I finished...



Kaely's Ripple Blanket!

She loves it and has been wrapped up in it since.

The pattern is from Attic24 and made with Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn"(and I do) worsted weight~great instructions!

I also made a pair of slippers

They're too big (you never know with the first go-round of a pattern) and still need buttons.

They'll fit someone in my family, though.  I kind of have small feet compared to most.

This pattern is from Craftsanity's Fall 2011 issue.

Circle Zip Earbud Pouches (or coinpurses)

Free tutorial from Dog Under My Desk

Zebra Pink Polka-dot is my fave

Monkey is a bit embarrassing with his uneven zipper and all.

Addie made snowangels :)

More to come. 

 We had a busy week all tucked away in a warm condo in the snowy mountains.



Why not?

Since I've already knocked off two of my to-do sewing projects, why not add another?

Little Jiminy Cricket Voice...Because you should be making the list smaller, not bigger?

Do I hear a cricket in a tux?  Nah.

Adding...

Image via UCreate

THROW PILLOWS. 

The Bow is cute...and there's a tutorial by E TELLS TALES.

I need.  UCreate's Create With Me for June is throw pillows.  How perfect.

I guess that means I better get sewing. 

Can you hear a cricket? I keep hearing this strange chirpy, follow-your-conscience rant in the background.  Hmmm.

I'm on a roll...or a clutch (hee hee)

I'm pumpin' out the to-do list projects!

I finished a crochet CLUTCH to replace my crochet ROLL today



I used the Crochet Hook Case free pattern and tutorial by Mad Quilter

Inside:

Pattern changes I'd recommend:

One: Read all of the instructions first.  A couple of times she adds things to have done in an earlier step.

Two:

Strap just doesn't seem functional to me in it's current placement

(I did double-check to make sure I did it right)

THREE:

Cut top flat to be the same width as bottom pocket and sew in.

I added a crochet flower to the end of my flap to tack it down and...

to provide a holder for my tapestry needles. 

Illustrated Version of my changes...

Other than those few things the pattern and tutorial were great. 

The clutch is easy to sew, it folds up perfectly, the size is PERFECT for metal hooks (as Mad Quilter suggests, be sure to use 6mm seam allowance) and it's quite cute and handy.

This would make a terrific gift for any crocheter friends.  We always need something to stow our spare hooks in!

THANKS, MAD QUILTER!

Linking this project to:

Whatever Goes Wednesday #68
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket
Your Way Wednesday at Elle Belle Creative

One Down!

Sleepover Pillowcases!!! 

Fun, Fun, Fun.  They are very easy to do, Lemon Squeezy Home's tutorial is easy-to-follow, and the kids love them.

Addie's all ready for 5th grade camp and Michael's set to see his Grandma & Grampa this weekend.

Little Sewing Note:  Addie's zips on the side because mom screwed up likes to be different.  If you'd like to be different too, just sew the zipper to the 18" end instead of the 21" (opposite of the tutorial).

My models were bored by this time, so not such a great photo of the backs, but they are there.

AND they work!

Turns out big sissies do like sleepover pillowcases and aren't too old for such things, so a third, 17-year old version is on its way.

THANKS for the pattern and tutorial Lemon Squeezy Home!



Linking to:

Whatever Goes Wednesday #65 at Someday Crafts