Look What I Got!

I received my Pretty Little Pouch Swap package and aren’t I just the lucky one?

Once again, I received not one but two great little pouches.  Isn’t the little snap pouch perfection?  I love it.  It is exactly to my taste!

The larger pouch is because BeachGirl Sews read my blog where I said I wanted to make a larger pouch for myself to carry papers – so she made one for me!  How sweet is that?

I love the fabrics she chose and the linen with hand stitching.  It’s all perfection, really.

The snap pouch is even perfect on the back.  Look at this:

She even mailed it more creatively than I’ve ever seen.  I’ve blocked off the addresses but look at the envelope she made!

Seriously.  How cool is that?

So, thank you BeachGirlSews.  I love what you sent!

Meanwhile, the pouch I made has been mailed off.  I found a great tutorial on using the AccuQuilt Go! hexagon and equilateral triangle dies to make up a pincushion, so I dashed off one of those and included it in the package.  I believe I have to make a few more of these, I think. 

I’m so impressed by everyone who comes up with such creative uses for the Go! dies.

Meanwhile, I’ve got more stuff coming up.  Remember how I mentioned last post (or so) that I needed to paint the office.  I did.  The color is so close to the previous wall color you probably won’t notice much difference, though it is a little purer in color and a little more teal.  What it mostly is though is a whole lot less dingy!  (Yeah!)  I want to make up new wall quilts to go up there, so I’ll have new projects to show soon (I hope).

Meanwhile, today my own true love and I are off to his company picnic – and it’s going to be hot!  Think cool thoughts . . .

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. 

Go! Round Flower Wall Hanging

It was so much fun playing with the Round Flower die for this one!  The shading in the photo is a little off.  The sun was behind the tree branches and I had shadows falling across the quilt.  Still, the general idea is here.

One of the things I vowed when I got the AccuQuilt is that I would justify the expense of it by putting it to work on my stash.  So, for this project, I just pulled out a bunch of taupes and started running them through the two inch die and the Round Flower die (with Lite Steam-A-Seam 2 already added to the fabric, of course).  Oh, and the 5 1/2" die, too, for the applique backgrounds.

My first project with all those little bits was the Pink Chalk Studio Mail Sack, which I love and use all the time.

I also made up the Round Flower Coasters (which you can see here). 

I knew I wanted a wall hanging, too.  Obviously, I could just make up the flower itself and I did make up some of those. 

But there were all these other pieces.  So, there’s the weave block.  For this one, I drew chalk lines through the middle of the block and then 1/2" in from all of the sides, letting those lines guide the placement of the circles.  Then I just wove the stems in around them.

And I just love the effect on this next one.  It reminds me of garden pinwheels.  For these blocks, I drew diagonal lines in an X across the block and additional markings 1/2" at the corners .  I placed the leaf tips at the corner marks. 

There’s no way I would have either the skill or the patience to cut out so many little circles by hand, but given that the Go! took care of all that, they sure were fun to play with.

So, yes, this was a very fun wall hanging to put together.  Now I have to decide how to quilt it.  Not quite sure yet how to approach it.  Any ideas?

But, hey, speaking of quilting, look at this!

There it is.  Hand quilting on the Civil War Crossing mini quilt.  Not great quilting, mind you, but I’m impressed I’m doing it at all.

Speaking of what’s next (were we speaking of what’s next?), I’ve got these pieces lined up and ready to begin putting together tomorrow.  I love how the olive green and teal play against the white.  (I’m hoping I’ll still love it once the blocks are assembled).

And, yes, I did use the 2 inch die again for all those little squares.

Go! Christmas Tree Table Runner

I really wanted a better picture of the table runner, so I braved the cold yesterday out on my deck (for all of about two minutes) to get a better picture.  I am so happy with how this project came out – I love the purple binding.  Still not a great picture but a little better on color.

For those of you who are interested, I used the two inch square die and the Holiday die.  If you have it (I don’t), you could also use the 6 1/2" square die.

Finished Size: 14 3/4" by 48 1/2"

Cutting Directions:

• White background fabric (1/2 yard): seven 6 1/2" squares
• Squares for seven blocks (scraps): 14 fabrics, eight 2" squares of each
• Trees (scraps): seven trees, approximately 5 1/2" square each, with fusible webbing attached (I used Lite Steam-a-Seam 2).  You can use the Go! or simply free cut any simple tree shape.
• Sashing (1/4 yard): thirty-seven rectangles, 6 1/2" by 1 1/4"
• Cornerstones (1/8 yard): twenty-four 1 1/4" squares
• Binding: 1/4 yard for single fold binding

I think the assembly is pretty straightforward on this.  I liked using (primarily) Kaffe Fasset fabrics: one, because it allows me to keep the runner up past Christmas and two, because I love them.  The Fasset fabrics really give the trees movement.  The color on this photo is pretty awful but it shows the design.  This is my favorite tree.

And the quilt on my dining room table, where it is going to live for a month or two, I think. 

Next?  I finished sewing up a little 13-Square foundation yesterday.  I should have that little quilt up either later today or tomorrow.  Once the semester starts up again this sewing party will slow down, of course, but it sure is fun while it lasts!

Would you believe?

I’ll be getting to this:

But first, would you believe I have had to do another operating system reinstall, the second time in less than a month?  Grrrr . . .  so, there it is, the advantages of my literature degree: I know exactly in which circle of hell Dante would put the pond scum that create computer viruses.  (Circle 8).  I like to imagine every once in a while, given the world we live in, what Dante might do if he added a circle or two. 

I must admit though, these reflections are hardly in the Christmas spirit.  Which is as good a reason as any to remind myself that most of the people I deal with in my life are really quite lovely, thank you very much.

And family will be here to celebrate Christmas in just a few days.  Oh, yes.  Much better to think about that.  Also think about the fact that (YE-ESSS!) grades are in.  Whew!  I was a little too brain dead to do much with my tree table runner today.  I kept trying out sashing fabrics.  This?  Or how about this?  Or perhaps this?   

By the time I’m done with grading, I don’t really have much mind left, to speak of.  I do know that this will be the case, though every semester I try to pretend that this time it will be different (it never is).  Hope springs eternal.

Still.  Grades were in.  The sewing room was singing its siren lure.  I had to do something.  Particularly I had to so something with that AccuQuilt Go that has been begging me to play with it.  (Really.  It was very distracting while I was finishing up grading, listening to that little voice calling me, singing, “Come play with me . . .  you know you want to!”  And “Yes,” I’d say.  “I do.  I do.”)

So.  Here it is.  The Quilting Arts gifts issue had ideas for making an ornament using the Holiday die.  I decided to use the Snippets technique I used making bookmarks a year ago.  (See here for the tutorial).  I still had a bunch of little cut up fused pieces so I just pulled them out.  I wasn’t sure how this would work with the Accuquilt, so I just worked up enough for a single ornament.  I cut out a 5 1/2" square of batiste.

It’s super easy: just start adding little pieces.

Keep adding until the background piece is completely covered.  Fuse in place.  (It’s a good idea to use a pressing sheet or cloth, just in case you got it wrong and some of those snippets are fused side up rather than down).

I fused that to some stiff fusible interfacing I had lying about.  Décor Bond, I think. 

And then I randomly stitched with some pretty decorative thread. 

Then I fused some Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 to a backing piece.

And fused those onto the back of the snippets piece.  Time to run it through the AccuQuilt Go.  It went through like a dream.  Add an eyelet and some cord and it’s good to go.  Cute, cute, cute.

And tomorrow I should be back to myself enough to make some decisions with that table runner and get it all put together.  I’m hoping  1) to have it done in time for Christmas and to show all you all and 2) to have working on something so sweet and pretty put me right into the holiday spirit.  Meanwhile, wishing all of you and yours the very best. 

In Process

Well, because of this ever growing rambunctious guy,

my own true love and I decided that it would be better if we didn’t put up a Christmas tree this year.  We are taking it as a given that said ever growing rambunctious guy would consider it a positive cornucopia of chew toys.  Doesn’t that dog chew look rather like an ornament?

Not to mention, our sweet little guy seems to have a multiple personality disorder.  There are times he is Mr. Mellow.  There are times he is Mr. Out Of His Mind.  Like when other dogs are around.  Like when my son’s dogs are around.  Like they would be Christmas Day.  So, Mr. Cooper, Madeline, and Munin and a tree with breakable ornaments all in my living room at the same time? 

No. 

So, as I sneak away from grading for a wee bit of sewing here and there, it is time for a little more AccuQuilt Go time.  Here are some trees Mr. We Love You But Wow You’re A Handful won’t be knocking over this year.

A table runner in process.  I’m thinking of that dotted fabric for the sashing.  Not sure yet.

Once grades go in, I’ll be able to finish that right up.  Lousy photo but it’s actually looking very pretty.  Lots of lovely Kaffe Fasset fabric. 

And now, back to grading.  Hope all of your holiday preparations are going well!

Go! Round Flower Play

So, this is on the design wall.  It uses the two inch, the five inch, and round flower dies.

After I made the mail sack, I knew I liked the squares and flowers in taupe so much that I really needed to do more.  I ran a bunch of fabrics through the two inch die and the round flower die, probably about twenty or so each I think.  I wanted enough to play with.  And, yes, it has been fun!

I really love this flower version, it has such great movement.  It makes me think of a field of flowers and a summer breeze.

Then I had a bunch of stems left over and I thought, “Well, surely I can think of something to do with these.”  And I just love this little block.  Here it is in process.

And a finished version.

A few more nine patches and then it will be time to think about the border.  Well, I have the new 3 1/2" tumbler on my way at some point.  I might consider that as a possibility.  Any other ideas?

Round Flower Coaster Tutorial

Well, brownie points to Accuquilt for marketing.  All those blogs showing off their new Accuquilt Go cutters.  The gadget girl in me couldn’t resist.  I mean she couldn’t resist.  My first project was making a Pink Chalk Studio Mail Sack.  I used the Round Flower and the 2 inch square dies.


(Cooper is wondering if there’s a chew in that sack.  He is ever hopeful.)
In fact, I had planned to do a tutorial showing how I drew guidelines on an interfacing to do a variation of Fold and Sew that made sewing up that square grid very fast and easy.
Enter the Big Uh-Oh – which is to say a freeze on my laptop that required a complete reinstallation of the operating system to fix.  Don’t I tell my students to back up frequently?  (Yes, I do).  Did I follow my own advice?  (No, I didn’t).  So, I lost all the photos for the book cover project, the Pyramid Triangle Christmas Trees, the Mail Sack, and photos on the other Round Flower project I’ve been working on.  Well . . . lesson learned, c’est la vie, etc.  I stand here bloodied but unbowed (okay, bowed a little because, you know, putting your computer back together is really a pain).  And I have a tutorial.  My first for the Go! 
Reversible Coasters, front:

And back:

With a little bag to keep them in:

Yes, those coasters look a lot like the ones I showed a couple posts ago.  These got me to what I wanted: a little thicker, and a finished edge that wasn’t satin stitched and didn’t require me binding the edges.  These are built off of two tutorials I found on line: one, the very popular Criss-Cross Coasters, and the other, a round version from Bethany Reynolds.
This project uses two dies: the Circles die and the Round Flower die.  Directions are for a set of four coasters.
The Coasters: Cutting Directions.  Cut four 5" circles for the lining fabric (which won’t be visible) and sixteen 5" circles for the criss-cross reversible side. 

You will also need four backgrounds for the Round Flowers.  Before running those through, however, iron Fusible Fleece onto the wrong side of four 6" squares.  Then run through the Accuquilt Go to create 5" circles.

In addition, cut four 4" circles of Insul-Fleece.  (I just used a template for these since there isn’t a 4" circle on the Circle die).

From the Round Flower die cut four flowers for the coasters.  If you plan on making the bag as well, cut five.  Before cutting the shapes, iron fusible web (I use Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite) onto the backs of the fabrics.  (Truth in advertising: I didn’t cut out just five flowers.  I was working on another taupe round flower project for which I ran through a whole bunch.  These are some of my leftovers).
Fuse the flowers onto the circles.

If you desire a little more durability and a more finished look, stitch down the edges of the fused shapes. 
Assembling the Coasters:
1.  Iron the sixteen criss-cross circles in half, wrong sides together.  Leave the lining fabrics flat.

2.  Place the lining fabric right side down and center the Insul-Fleece on top.

3.  Next place the Round Flower applique right side up.  Take one of the folded circles and place it on top, folded edge to the center.

4.  Take another folded circle and lay perpendicularly over the first.  Using a ruler can help you get an exact cross.

5.  Place the next folded circle, once again perpendicular to the previous patch.

6.  With the last folded circle, place it so that it weaves under the very first folded circle (like folding the top of a box in).

7.  Sew a quarter inch seam all around the edge of the layers.  (NOTE: you can see that I used pins in the picture, but after a couple of circles, I decided it worked better if I didn’t pin them and just held them carefully together as I sewed).

8.  Turn inside out through the criss-cross side.  Press and you’re done.  Couldn’t be easier!

The Bag: Cutting Directions.  Cut two outer pieces and two lining pieces, all 8" square.
Assembling the Bag:
1.  Fuse a round flower centered and low on one of the outer fabrics.  (NOTE: I was making this up as I went along.  I didn’t originally plan to box the corners and so placed the flower fairly low.  If I was doing this again, I’d bring the flower up about an inch).
2.  Place the lining and outer fabrics right sides together.  Sew the top seams.  Press the seam open.

3.  Time out for a gripe.  There are two things in the typical construction of a drawstring bag that I really dislike: one is picking out seams with a seam ripper so that I have an opening for the tie; the other is trying to get the safety pin with the tie attached out through the opening and having it tuck into the seam allowance instead.  I mean I really, really find this annoying.  What I’m doing here is taking steps to avoid that.  So . . . .
Place your ruler at the 3/4" mark on the open seam line of the top and make a mark next to the edge of the fabric.

Now place another mark 1/2" further down.

Do this for both the lining and outer pieces, on both the right and left sides.
4.  Pin the two sections together, right sides together, lining to lining and outer fabric to outer fabric.  Sew along the sides, top to bottom, and then sew the bottom of the outer fabric only.  Leave the bottom edge of the lining fabric unsewn.
As you sew, skip over the gap between the two marks on the outer fabric side only.  In the picture below, the outer fabric is on the left, the lining on the right.

5.  Draw a one inch square in each of the corners. 

6.  Cut out the squares. 

7.  Step number four took care of having to pick out stitches.  This next step insures that your safety pin doesn’t get stuck behind the  seam allowance flaps.  Take a little bit of quarter-inch Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite fusible and iron into the seam allowance centered over the marked dots.  Do this for both the lining and outer fabrics.  It’s hard to see in the photo so the arrows point to where the paper is.  Since you are fusing all the seams downs, there is also paper on the seam allowance of the other side as well, you just can’t see it in the photo.

8.  Peel off the paper and iron the seams flat.  Now they are fused down and won’t get in the way later. 

9.  Sew the bottom seam, leaving a gap in the middle of about 2 1/2" to 3" for turning the bag right side out later.
10.  For all four corners, fold out the cut outs so that the seams match in the center.  Sew across the raw edge. 

11.  Turn the bag inside out.  Stitch the opening closed.  You could be a pretty quilter and hand stitch it, but I am not that big a purist.  It’s the bottom of an inside of a bag; I’m fine with machine stitching it.  (Though I will think highly of your craftsmanship if you hand sew it instead).

12.  Push the lining to the inside.  You have two choices.  You can push it all the way in so that the seam is the top edge of the bag.  Or you can do as I did here: fold it in so that a quarter inch of the lining fabric folds over the top and creates a binding edge. 


13.  Almost there!  Place your ruler at the 3/4" mark along the upper seam edge and draw a chalk line across the full width of the bag, front and back.


14.  Stitch along the line, circling all the way around.  Then draw another line 1/2" down from the sewn line.  Stitch once again.  (You should be catching the opening you created earlier in-between these two sewn lines).

15.  Cut two pieces of cord 28" in length.  Put a safety pin through one end (forgot to take a picture of this – oops!) and thread it into one of the side seam openings; circle all the way through till you come back out through the same opening.  (Enjoy how easy this is when you don’t catch the pin in the seam allowance!)
Repeat on the other side with the other cord.  Knot the ends.
And you’re done!

Hey, did I mention I love my new Accuquilt Go?
Oh, and I am linking this post over at SewCalGal’s great blog and her listing on Accuquilt tips and ideas.