Modern Snack Mats/Rug Mugs

I think these are so cute!  Using up the very last of my Kate Spain Terrain fabric - although I will have to buy more because it's just so darn pretty when quilted...I LOVE it.

Circular Geese Top Finished

I finished this top a few weeks ago but have been too busy to take pictures and post it...so...here it is!  Finally!  I've been working on this off and on for over a year.  The design has changed several times but I'm thrilled with how it turned out.  I've had several people ask me for a pattern, and I'm working on that currently.  It will be available in both a traditional paper version and PDF version in the next few weeks.  Now...to QUILT IT!  :)

Spring Blooms PDF Version

Hey, look at me all stepping into modern times.  ;)  Lol*  My pattern experimenting continues - Spring Blooms is now available in a PDF version.  Pattern is emailed directly to your inbox within 24 hours of purchase.  :)

http://www.pumpkinpatchquilter.etsy.com/

Silly Jack O' Lantern Quilt Finished!

I really love how this turned out - it was an experiment, but I think it's adorable!  :)

What's on the Sewing Machine Today...

I don't want to completely give it away, but here is what I'm working on today...it's gonna be awfully cute!  :)

Slow Start to the Week

I am really enjoying my time on Etsy, I have to say.  If you have ever wanted to sell your crafts or quilts but never found the right venue, it's a wonderful place to sell and shop alike.  Because I am a stay at home Momma I have a little more freedom than a working Mom in that I can stay in my pj's all day and make little things while my daughter is napping.  It can be a s-l-o-w process with lots of interruptions, but fun none the less.  I find it very difficult with my lifestyle of taking care of a baby all day, taking children to sports and activities after school, and then doing all that you must do to keep children fed, clean, dressed, and ready for another day of school and preparing for craft shows.  So Etsy allows me to make what I can make when I can make it.  Boy has the world changed, where you can sell your crafts from home - but what a WONDERFUL thing!

On the sewing front it's been a slow start.  A very nice woman requested another little quilted spiderweb topper so I made her this...

...I have materials to make a couple more so I am going to get on that today.  I have so many ideas for little things I would like to make, but the baby is teething and coming down with a little cold so cuddling with Emma has taken up a lot of my time.  You know a crabby baby just needs a lot of snuggling!  My favorite thing this time of year is watching the spooky ghosty shows and cuddling up with the kiddos under a blanket.  So off we go.  :)  Hopefully at naptime I get some sewing done!

Experimenting ... Halloween Framed Art

More doodle art...I thought this was cute for Halloween lol*

Tea for Two Placemat and Runner Set...and Some Doodling

This little tea for two placemat and runner set I am pleased to say immediately generated a lot of interest on Etsy!  What a good feeling!  I love how the back turned out...the light colored thread against the bleached white muslin really shows of the quilting.

I spent some time (probably a little too much time) blog hopping yesterday.  While I love my quilts, once in a while I like to dabble in other arts as well.  I love oil painting, pastels, charcoals, knitting, crochet, soap molding, mixed media arts...as a matter of fact my Husband said I change hobbies everytime the wind blows.  I like that about myself though.  :)  I have a LOT of interests.  The way I see it, life is so fun, there are SO MANY things I want to do!  Sometimes, even at 30, knowing I have quite a lot of life left to live (if God would be so kind to allow me to live a long life), I still feel in a hurry to jam all the arts and crafts into my schedule as possible.  Partly because I get lost when I'm being artsy fartsy and lose track of time, but partly because I know that I will never get to do everything.  But darn it, I'm gonna try!

So anyhow, my fascination with art quilts led me to an amazing doodling blog...and looking at all the delicious and inspiring art work I thought...I can do that!  Maybe not as well, as the artist is a professional, but I certainly could have a fun time playing and making it my own.

So I started with a little doodle...

...that became a sort of tiny painting...

...that became this...

My very supportive Husband came home and saw my little doodle, and immediately said, "Nice, but what are you going to DO with that?!"  LOL*  Thanks Husband!  I don't know yet...I think it might make an awfully cute handmade card.  I made a little pumpkin too and a few other doodads.  Boy is it fun to play.  :)

Spiderweb Snack Mats/Mug Rugs

More spiderweb fun...I thought these snack mats were awful cute and fun.  I have to make more because the kids LOVE them.  LOL* 

I actually think the back turned out really cute!  I like how with the muslin for backing you can really see the thread colors.

Way to Go Walmart!!!

I received this in the mail yesterday...FABRICS ARE BACK!  YAY!!!

Woohoo!!!  There has been a lot of talk about Walmart getting rid of their fabric and crafts department and selling just prepackaged precut fabric...looks as if all the petitions and letters paid off!!!  I know I for one cannot afford to make all of my projects from quilt shop fabric, though I love to patronize our area shops.  Also having lower cost fabric and supplies allows me to offer some of my quilts and crafts at lower prices, so everyone can enjoy hand made items.  Way to go Walmart!!!

Red and Purple Table Topper Finished

I was able to get this on Etsy today.  I wasn't really happy at first about the direction of the feathers but now that it's completed I think it's really interesting.  I think I'm going to have fun playing around with this type of quilting.  :)

Working on more ways to play with spiderwebs today.  I will post a few pictures tomorrow.  ;)

Another Finish - Woohoo!

Yay!  I'm so happy with how this turned out, it's so cute!  This one goes on Etsy...now I'm off to eat a stromboli dinner with the family, have some popcorn with the girls and watch Dispicable Me, and then make another lil' Halloween table topper for ME!  :)

Quilted Spiderwebs Mini-Tutorial

Playing with spiderwebs...eek!  Lol*  Can you believe Halloween is right around the corner?  The girls keep coming up to the sewing machine as I work on this to feel the spiderwebs and comment on the candy corn...kind of makes me hungry!  ;)  Here's a little mini-photo tutorial on how I created the webs...I think they are so cute!

Start by creating lines through your block.  I began with an X from corner to corner.  Then trace back over the lines and create another line going through the center of the block.  You can go back and make another line going through the block if you want to, but I left it at this.  ;)

Now make swooping lines connecting the straight lines you made...creating the spiderweb effect...

Continue connecting lines all the way around until you have filled the entire block with web...

...and now you have a spiderweb!

I did swirls in the candy corn for additional cuteness.  ;)

Mail Day

Fabric...EEK!!!  Pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty...  ;)

More Thread Experimentation and Giveaway Winner

Inspired by a few amazing quilt artists blogs (Patsy Thompson, MarveLes Art Studios, and Ferret Fabricates to be exact) I have been glued to the sewing maching playing again with thread and quilting.

Wish these pictures could be better and show the true colors of this little project.  The thread is much more vivid in person.    I goofed up on my feather and where I turned the feather I had planned on ending and beginning a new feather, but instead ended up with this sort of wonky change in direction.  The first part of the feather I am in love with though.

I think this would be the perfect little project to experiment with bobbin work.  I have heard so much about Ricky Tims line of thread, Razzle Dazzle (Superior Threads), and I think I will place an order and try it out.  I am really liking the shade called icicles.  It is described as "white" and "pearlescent"...sounds like it would work wonderfully with the swirls I have already quilted into this with dark purple thread.

Here is what I used so far...three inexpensive poly trilobal embroidery threads from Coats & Clark, and Dritz invisible monofiliment in the bobbin (for all three colors).  I had a lot of skipped stitches and just plain wierd things happening when I began using the poly thread...I don't know if it's thread weight or my machine or what, but I started using the monofiliment and I haven't had any of those problems.  I am very good about changing my needle and use a size 14 sharp needle so I don't think that was the issue.  In any case unless I really need the underside to be as colorful as the front I like the way things went much better with this combiniation.

GIVEAWAY WINNER

Well, I didn't reach my goal of 100 comments (or ANYWHERE near it LOL*) but hey, who can complain about 26!  LOL*  That's 26 times you took out of your busy schedules to pay me a little attention and participate, so for that I thank you all very much.  ;)  I also really appreciate all of your thoughtful and encouraging words...you really cannot know how truly motivating and inspiring they are!

The winner for a free copy of my very first lil' pattern, Spring Blooms, is Marj from Eclectic Quilter!  Thank you Marj for participating!  I hope when you make your lil' quilt you will share a picture with us.  ;)

3D Pinwheel Block Tutorial

Several of you have asked for a tutorial on the 3D pinwheels I used to make my youngest daughters baby quilt.  So here you go!  ;)

Step One:  Cut yourself 4 squares of each your focus fabric, and background fabric.  You can pick any size square you want, depending on how large you want your pinwheel.  I chose 3" squares - my finished block size will be 5" x 5".

Step Two:  Layer your squares right sides together, placing your focus fabric on top, like this...

Now fold the focus fabric down, like this.  Fingerpress with your thumb or thumbnail.

Now fold again, like this...again use your thumbnail to fingerpress.

Pin in place.  :)

Do this with all four layered squares.  Arrange into a pinwheel to prepare for sewing.  :)

Step 3:  Now take the top two squares...or the bottom two, doesn't matter...

Line up the edges to be stitched, being careful not to lose the point of your pinwheel in the process!  It may help to place an extra pin on that loose piece there...

Pin...

Sew!

Now you should have something that looks like this...

I like to press my seams open for this block...it gets VERY bulky.

Here's a picture of what NOT to do.  I got a little excited and didn't match up myseams well.  Now if I were to sew this there's a pretty good chance I'll sew the point of my pinwheel off.  If you look at the quilt top I made, I may or may not have done this a few times.  LOL*  *blush*  I'm not going to admit it if I did.  ;)

Now repeat for the remaining two pieces...and layer right sides together again to finish the block, taking care to match up that inner seam.

Sew and press.  For the completed block i like to spray a little water or Best Press back there when I press to help it stay open and reduce bulk.

Turn it over, and, TA-DA!  A perfectly cute little 3D pinwheel block!