Terrain Tangled Windows: Complete

Yay!  I'm so happy to not only have this quilt finished, but also that I had a perfectly sunny day today to actually snap some pictures of it.  It was slightly depressing as I finished this quilt up last Sunday night, and realized that literally the next period of daylight I would have to take some pictures would be almost an entire week away.  Yes I know every day I come home from work its basically dark outside, but this really hit the point home.  

As I posted before about this quilt top, I kindly think that if this quilt and this quilt got together and had a baby, it would look like my Tangled Windows quilt.  When I was doodling out the design of this quilt on my graph paper, I had in mind the geometric design and mild askew-ness of both Hyacinth quilt designs quilts, and this quilt came to life.  

I am super super happy with how this quilt came together, and after the holiday craziness settles down perhaps I'll throw together a tutorial for the blocks in this quilt.  

I had in mind from the get go that I really wanted to put together some sort of design idea for the quilt back using left over scraps from the quilt front, as opposed to my more standard fairly simple quilt backs of the past.  I decided on some of these randomly sort of slice and dice blocks (basically just sewing scraps together, cutting them, and resewing them until I liked what I saw).  I then pieced them into some Kona Coal, and could not be more pleased with it. 

I also did something else new to me with this quilt, and did a scrappy binding using about 6 or 7 of my remaining Terrain fat eighths and randomly pieced them together, and just love the look, especially against the quilt back.

As for the quilting, I stuck with what  I am 1000% comfortable with and did a meandering stipple all over the quilt.  I really love how the solid portions on the  back show off the quilting nicely. 

It almost pains me to part with this quilt, but I have decided to give this quilt to my brothers girlfriend for Christmas.  I was so so tempted to keep this for myself, but every time Amanda comes to my house, she just fawns over my pillows that Anne made me and raves about how much she loves the fabrics in them, which are also Terrain.  It will be the absolute perfect gift for her, and I know that she will love it to pieces, so that makes me feel better about it.  If I have time, I still have a few Terrain fat eighths left over, and would love to make some matching pillow covers for her.  

It feels so nice to have one Christmas project checked of the list...one down, about a zillion to go!

Quilt Stats:

Name:  Terrain Tangled Windows

Size:  79"x 54"  

Fabrics:  Kate Spain Terrain, Kona Coal, Kona White

Binding:  Scrappy Kate Spain Terrain, 100% machine attached 

Quilting:  All over meandering stipple, white Gutterman thread done by me

WIP Wednesday {11.30.2011}

This past week was full of many things...however not many of them were quilty.  I'm also starting to just ever so slightly panic that tomorrow is December 1st.  Which means that Christmas is in 25 days.  Seriously?  I have entirely too many holiday to do's to complete for Christmas to only be in 25 days.  Anyways here's what I've been up to this past week.

Completed Projects

Tangled Windows

I actually finished up this quilt on Sunday evening, however I haven't had any daylight to snap some pics!  By the time I get home from work, its already dark out, how depressing.  More on this this weekend.

Sparkle Ornaments

Tutorial here.

New Projects

Christmas Tree skirt

My sewing room may look like it vomited Christmas fabric right now, but I've been wanting to make a new Christmas tree skirt for a while now.  I made this one last year, but its just too small for our live tree that we get every year.  

I actually did quilty geometry, yes you read that right, not just quilty math, but quilty geometry, and I *think* I have it figured out (I'm crossing all crossables that this comes out like I have planned) so that these pieced strips will form a complete circle.  I hope.  

This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 2

Completed Projects: 2

In Progress:  7

Christmas Tree skirt

4x5 bee blocks

ABC Crewelwork sampler

Birdie Stitches

Farmers Wife QAL

Blocks that need turned into a quilt:

Spiderweb quilt blocs

3x6 bee blocks

Be sure to stop over at Freshly Pieced and add your WIP!

{sparkly}

I'm officially in the holiday spirit.  Our tree will be up in the next few days, and I've started hauling the bins and bins of Christmas decorations up from the basement.  I've again been scouring pinterest for Christmas decoration ideas, and after coming across these awesome sparkly ornaments, I knew I had to make them.  

I absolutely adore anything Christmas and sparkly, but the worst part is that everything within a five mile radius of said sparkly decoration ends up covered in glitter.  These ornaments are the perfect solution, pretty and sparkly, but here's the secret: the glitter is on the inside of the ornament, so everything in their near vicinity doesn't become infested with glitter!

I found my glass ornaments at Michael's for uber cheap ($2.50 for a package of 6 ornaments), and used extra fine glitter.  I didn't use the Martha Stewart glitter as the tutorial suggests, but did make sure it was extra fine, and had no problems with coverage.

I cannot wait to replace my old school messy glitter ornaments with these beauties when decorating the tree this year- yay for glitter free hands!  

WIP Wednesday {better late than never}

Yes, WIP Wednesday is almost over, but I figured I'd sneak in a quick post at the 11th hour.  Between working today and getting my house ready for Thanksgiving day dinner guests tomorrow this Wednesday just seems to have slipped by.

New & Completed Projects

12 Days of Christmas Sampler Quilt Block tutorial

If you haven't already, check out the tutorial here.

Amy Butler Reversible Everyday Shopper

Holiday Pintoppers

In Progress

Tangled Windows 

For some reason I've completely been stalling on putting this quilt back together.  I couldn't tell you why, I really like the design, I just seemed to have zero motivation to actually piece the blocks that have been hanging out on my design wall for entirely too long, into the Kona Coal I had picked out.  That is until today!  After cleaning the house from top to bottom, I willed myself down into my sewing room and got working on this quilt back.  I'm so glad I did, hopefully I can finish it up at some point this weekend and get to basting and quilting.

This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 3

Completed Projects: 3

In Progress: 7

Tangled Windows

4x5 Bee Blocks

ABC Crewelwork Sampler

Birdie Stitches

Farmers Wife QAL

Blocks that need turned into a quilt:

Spiderweb blocks

3x6 bee blocks

Be sure to stop over and check out the awesome WIPs at Freshly Pieced.  

I'd also like to wish everyone a very happy Turkey day!  

Hanging Ornaments: block tutorial

Hello and welcome!  I am so excited to share today's block with everyone, and that Sara asked me to be part of her 12 days of Christmas Sampler quilt along.  I don't know about everyone else, but one of my absolute favorite parts of the holiday season is decorating the Christmas tree.  I may be slightly obsessive, (no, you can't just hang the ornaments anywhere on the tree, as my husband likes to...is it so wrong to want the "nice" ornaments on the front of the tree, and to bury a few of my not so favorite ones in the back??)  but I just love going through the box of tree decorations and hanging them for all to see.  

When Sara asked if I'd like to take part in this quilt along, I immediately said yes, and almost just as immediately knew I wanted to put together a block that had something to do with ornaments, which leads me to block #9 of the quilt along: Hanging Ornaments.

Hanging Ornaments Block tutorial:

12.5" unfinished block

(1) 12.5" square piece of white or light colored print fabric

assorted scraps of red/green or holiday fabric

scrap of black or dark fabric approximately 3" x 9"

one or two sheets of fusible web (I use Steam a Seam Lite)

ornament template ( click here to print template--when printing, the template should take up the entire page, like pictured)

red 1/4" satin ribbon (optional)

1. Print out the ornament template and trace onto one sheet of fusible web.  When doing this, make sure to trace onto the side of the fusible web that does not peel off easily, this will serve as our cutting line when the fusible web is adhered to the fabric.

(please excuse my very faint tracing lines)

2.  Roughly cut out your traced fusible web shapes like so:

3.  Be as creative as you like with your ornament designs!  Here is how I made a few of mine:  For one of the medium sized ornaments, choose a scrap of colored fabric that is slightly larger than your cut out piece of fusible web with the ornament tracing on it.  Peel off the side of the fusible web that pulls of easily.  One side should now be tacky, and one side (the side with your tracing on it) should feel like paper.  Place the tacky side of the fusible web on the WRONG SIDE of your fabric, and press.

4.  The fusible web should now be adhered to your fabric.  Cut your fabric along your traced edge, and voila!  One ornament is complete (you can leave some ornaments just as is, or as pictured, I fussy cut a second circle, and followed steps 1-3 to adhere the fussy cut circle to my red circle ornament)  again, be as creative as you like!  Set your ornament aside for now.

5.  To make the strip pieced larger ornament, I sewed together approximately (9) 1.5"x 5" strips together and pressed the seams open.  Again, peel off the easy to pull away side of your fusible web tracing and press fusible web to the WRONG SIDE of your pieced fabric.  

6.  Again, cut along the traced line on your fusible web, and set ornament aside.  

7.  Once you have all six ornaments made and adhered to the fusible web, pull off the second paper side of your fusible web, so that the wrong side of your fabric is now "tacky".  Arrange your ornaments in any way you like on your 12.5" piece of fabric (be sure to keep a 1/4" inseam around the entire block for piecing the quilt together).  DO NOT press into place yet.  Set your block aside.   

(just imagine these paper templates are my actual ornaments made of fabric)

8.  To make the black "strings", cut a 2" or 3" piece of fusible web from the short side of your fusible web sheet.  

9.  Peel off the "easy to peel" side and fuse to the wrong side of your scrap of black or dark fabric.  Trim your fabric to the size of your fusible web adhered to the fabric back.  Cut 6 strips of your black fabric (with fusible web attached) measuring approximately 3/8" wide (I varied my widths as small as 1/8" and as large as 1/4").     

10.  Peel off the paper side of the fusible web so that the back of the fabric is now "tacky" and arrange black strings on your 12.5" block with your ornaments like so:

11.  Leave your ornament strings long, and once you are happy with the layout, press your block, adhering the ornaments and strings to the 12.5" block.  (don't press your extra ornament strings hanging off your block!)  Once you have pressed everything into place, now use your rotary cutter and ruler to trim off the excess strings.  

12.  You are now ready to stitch!  Using a medium to narrow width zig zag stitch, machine stitch around all six ornaments, and any extra fussy cut fusing to hold everything in place.  To stitch the "strings" I used black thread and a zig zag stitch width about the width of my strings.  

13. If you wish, you can tie a few bows using a 1/4" width satin ribbon, and hand sew your ribbon right where your ornaments and strings meet.  Apply a dab of fray check to the ends of your ribbons, or CAREFULLY expose raw ribbon ends briefly to an open flame to seal and prevent fraying.  

Ta-Da!  One completed ornament block.  I hope you enjoyed stitching along with me today, and be sure to add your completed block to the flickr group.  If you've missed  any of the previous blocks or want to jump in on the fun, here is the 12 Days of Christmas Sampler quilt along schedule:

Oct 25 - Julianna @ Projektownia Jednoiglec

Oct 27 - Sara @ Sew Sweetness
Nov 1 - Kaelin @ The Plaid Scottie
Nov 3 - Jennie @ Clover and Violet
Nov 8 - Elizabeth @ Don't Call Me Betsy
Nov 10 - Riel @ The Q and the U
Nov 15 - Jennifer @ Ellison Lane Quilts
Nov 17 - Lindsay @ Lindsay Sews
Nov 22 - Jessica @ SewCraftyJess
Nov 23 - Sarah @ Fairy Face Designs
Nov 29 - Heather & Megan @ Quilt Story
Dec 1 - Kim @ My Go Go Life

Merry Christmas and happy stitching!

Amy Butler: Ginormous Edition

My mother in law asked me a while back to make a tote bag for her, and of course I put it off to the last minute, until this weekend, as I was scrambling  to get it done.  She is a teacher, and wanted a gift for her student teacher this semester.  She asked that the bag either be all white, or have a large white portion, as she wanted to have each of her students sign it before giving it  to her at the end of the semester.  Her other request was that it was pretty big so she could use it to carry her books and other teaching supplies to and from class.

Now, as soon as she said "big tote bag," I immediately thought of the Reversible Everyday Shopper from the Amy Butler Style Stitches book.  All I can think of with this bag is how Kati's small children actually fit inside! Now if that doesn't say "large tote bag" I don't know what does.  

I pulled out my Style Stitches book, and went to town cutting out the pattern pieces (only 2!) and cutting out my fabric.  I will say this is by far the easiest Amy Butler pattern I've worked on to date, and quick also.  I'd say from absolute start to finish it took about four hours to complete.  

I knew I wanted to use some print in this bag, as plain white is just too boring.  I found this green leaf home dec weight print at Joann's and thought it would be great.  I also just love that this bag is reversible.  For the purposes of this particular bag, I loved that the pocket was so large, and definitely will accommodate many  a children's autographs.

I veered off the cutting instructions slightly from the pattern, as I made the inside version of this bag the exact opposite of the outside.  That way if she doesn't want all the signatures on display all the time, she can simply flip it inside out and have a fully functional bag!

I also made just a small alteration to the size.  I toyed around with scaling the pattern pieces down on my home printer/copier, but the more I played with it, the more I realized that my main issue with this bag and its size was the height, and not the width.  I decided to trim the top of the main body and side parts of the bag down 1 inch, and I think that really helped.  If I had it to do over again, I would probably cut an inch of the top of the pocket pieces, and two inches off the top, but I'm still pleased with the end result here.  

I could see myself making this bag again, as I keep saying I want to make a few fun reusable shopping bags.  I would definitely make the the above mentioned size adjustments, and I think it would be just right.

I'll be linking up to Sew Modern Monday over at Canoe Ridge Creations, stop by and see all the modern finishes!   

pintoppers: holiday edition

I know its not quite Thanksgiving, but I am getting into the holiday spirit!  I had a custom order for a few pin toppers, and as I was working on them last night, I got an itch to whip up a few holiday toppers as well.  

Once I got started, I couldn't seem to stop.  And I was hungry for a cupcake when all was said and done, but that's neither here nor there.  

This is another great little "sit in front of the TV and mindlessly work" type projects that I pull out now and again.



and a little non-holiday topper fun also:



If you are interested, I will be selling these little guys for $4 per topper.  I am toying with the idea of opening an etsy shop, but for now, you are interested just email me at sewcraftyjess@gmail.com

On an aside, these are the first pictures taken in my new light box!  After seeing Megan, Anne Marie, and Jeni's light boxes, I knew that I just had to have one.  I followed, or should I say the hubby followed the same tutorial, and voila!  About an hour or so later, this contraption was born:



I think this will really help with my case of poor lighting during the dark dreary winter days of Pittsburgh.

Happy Friday everyone!