Go! Mug Rugs

Just for fun, I thought I’d play around with using the Go! for mug rugs.  I’ve got a bunch of ideas still to play with, but here are the ones that are in process.

I knew I needed the get the little dog for applique (I nearly said “I knew I needed to have the dog die” but realized as soon as I wrote it that  sounds more than a little macabre).  This one pays homage to the first dogs Jeff and I shared our home with – Dalmatians.  Gotta love spots.

And then because I couldn’t resist the Dresden plate die, here’s another bit of red and white homage.

I also thought I could use the Dresden plate to make up the cool tutorial that Quilt Dad showed on his blog –  only, of course, I used the Go! to cut the wedges.

And because one of the things I love, love, love about the AccuQuilt is how easy it makes it to get perfect circles, a little circle play.

I think both the red and white Dresden and the circles are going to get a little hand quilting with embroidery thread.  Perhaps the doggie, too. 

I think the circle one is the going to accompany the doll quilt swap to a new home.  I think (hope) it is to my swappee’s taste, anyway. 

Spiderlishous

I’ve been working around my mostly down sewing machine, so except for the one just below, these haven’t been quilted yet.  Still, here’s a bit of run down.  This one’s for the doll quilt swap

I love those teals and olive together.

And just about every quilter in the world right now must be wishing they were in New York City.  I know I am!

And I love this gold, black, white, and a bit of blue – even if my own true love said he doesn’t like it because it reminds him of the terrible flooring in our kitchen.

I really like where the quilt is at this point, but about the flooring?  I hate to admit it, but he’s got a point!

A very fun pattern to play with.  I think there may be another one or two of these in my future.  But before then?  I’ve been playing around with the AccuQuilt Go! and mug rugs.  Perhaps I’ll have some to show later this week.’

Meanwhile, like the rest of you, I’m soaking up the pictures on the blogs of all those lucky enough to be seeing that red and white quilt exhibit.  My Lord, those quilts are jaw dropping, aren’t they? 

Also, this entry is a bit of a test: my first attempt to post a blog entry from the Mac.  If you see this, it means I succeeded!  (Congratulations duly appreciated).

Table Mat Tutorial

Another super easy project using Pellon Fusible Stabilizer 1" Quilters Grid.  It took me just 2 1/2 hours to cut the pieces and sew up the top.  Since I did only very basic quilting after that, it was a  fast little project.  Of course, “Table Mat in a Day” just doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?

Finished Size: 18" by 26"

Materials and Cutting Directions

• dark brown fabric: 1/8 yard – thirty-five 2" squares
• medium tan fabric: 1/4 yard – thirty 2" by 3" rectangles
• light tan fabric: 1/4 yard – twenty-eight 2" by 3" rectangles
• tan print fabric: 1/4 yard – twenty-four 3" squares
• red binding fabric: 1/4 yard (single fold binding)
• Pellon Fusible Stabilizer 1" Quilters Grid: 3/4 yard (cutting directions given below)

Assembly

1.  Cut the fusible interfacing to size.  You will need a 32 by 22 grid.  (So as not to get lost while counting, I marked numbers as I went using a wash out pen).  Trim off that little overhang as well so that the fusible grid is exactly the size needed.

2.  Place the fusible grid fusible side up on an ironing surface and start placing patches.

With more patches added. 

3.  Iron the patches in place being careful to never place your hot iron an any uncovered fusible.  Once the patches are all placed and ironed, your grid will look like this.

4.  Fold over one of the rows onto the next row.  I usually start by sewing the long seams first (but it doesn’t matter which you choose).  It will be easy to do this since the interfacing will naturally fold where the fabric edges meet.  I lightly pin to help avoid shifting.

5.  Sew with a quarter inch seam.  Here’s what it looks like from the back after all the long seams have been sewn.

And here’s what it looks like from the front.

6.  Trim just a wee edge off the seam allowance.

7.  Just enough so that you can iron the seams open.

8.  Repeat these steps sewing the seams on the short side.  I once again pin to prevent shifting.

9.  And here’s what it looks like after it’s been pressed.

10.  A little quilting.  A little binding.  And that’s it.  Done!  I love these quick little projects!!!

I did mine up in soft browns since I wanted something mellow and unobtrusive, but I did just a little play in EQ for some other possibilities.

Blues?

Contemporary?

Or something for a baby’s room?

Feed the Geek

Or, How I Spent My Spring Break

Situation the First, on the Friday before break my sewing machine started skipping stitches, so all the sewing plans I had  in mind for the week?  Pffft!  All gone.

Situation the Second, earlier in the week my own true love said, “Do you want to go out Friday afternoon and buy a Mac?”

Do I love that man or what?  Though it’s his own fault if he invited the competition into the house.  I mean, look at her.

Isn’t she pretty?  Isn’t she a dream?  Look at that sleek aluminum body, those luscious curves, that fine black detailing.  Good Golly, even her keys light up and say, “Touch me, please.  You know you want to.”  (Though thankfully not in the seriously creepy high-strung voiceover that I somehow managed to turn on for a while and that Jeffrey, winning even more points, figured out how to turn off).

And though I teach literature (and love literature), I do have a pretty serious inner geek.  One who actually likes to read user manuals.  I mean, I like it so much I actually printed off and bound the user manuals for two of the software packages I downloaded nifty-spifty.  So I could read them.  Which I have been.  Really.

So that is how I spent my Spring Break. 

Still, not all is lost in my quilt blog world.  Though the sewing machine is still out of commission,  I do have a tutorial coming up.  Before my machine went flat, I made a table mat for my nightstand using more of the Pellon Grid interfacing.  I just need to type up the directions.  I haven’t gotten everything figured out on the Mac yet, so I have to use the old laptop to do this (which is, you know, so last week).  Later today or tomorrow, I think.

Also before my eager to please Bernina was supplanted by her evil twin, the stitch skipping Bernina, I finished the top to another little Spider Web quilt.  This is the one, I think, I’m going to send for Doll Quilt Swap.  Terrible color on this photo.  Would you believe me if I told you this is really a very pretty little quilt?

And now?  I have to go and grade papers.  Trying my best to ignore the beckoning call of the wild Mac.

Gosh.

Bits and Progress

Time for another couple of Civil War Sampler blocks.  It’s the first thing I do on a Saturday morning – check to see what the new block of the week is and read the history.  I never posted last week’s so here it is: Cotton Boll. 

I just love getting to rifle through my reproduction fabrics!  A sampler quilt is just such a perfect use for them.  The two fabrics that form the X go pretty far back.  And then there’s this  one: Birds in the Air.

I received my mug rug(s) from Natalie.  Very modern.  Aren’t they fabulous?

 

Here’s a close up of the yo-yo’s.

And I’ve been playing some more with the Spider Web block which I just love.  This is a possibility for Doll Quilt Swap.  Just one more block to go.  The individual blocks will finish at 6" square.

I also got some very cute decorated pins from Mamacjt but I’m going to make up a little pincushion for them before I take their picture.  Sometime this week . . .  (when I’m not grading because,  sad to say, both papers and exams came in this week).