Visions of Quilts Dance in Her Head

Slowly but surely I'm getting caught up on projects and house upkeep.  It's a challenge at times but one this hyperactive lady can rise to.  Especially while I'm in my creative mode.

Last night I slept awful.  It was a night filled with visions of quilts and quilt patterns dancing in my head.  My latest quilt top...see below...I see as large and small spirals scattered about the quilt.  I got the idea from my best friend Phyllis is a quilt she showed me.  It just made sense and I think I can do it in pretty quick order.  The quilt is someone's (don't know who yet) Christmas gift.  Yeah for getting things off the shelf and moving out toward the door.

Got my new/used sewing machine last night from UPS.  It had a bonus I wasn't expecting--a generic carrying case.  This will be useful for carrying either machine with me when I go someone to sew.  Hip Hip Hooray for bonuses.  Gotta love it.

The cats got a bonus as well--a box filled with shipping peanuts and bubble wrap.  Annie was on it like stink on kitty litter.  She loves boxes with lids and playing with the peanuts.  I'll leave the mess she's made for another day so she can have full blessings of the bonus box.

Off to create.  Happy sewing and creating.

Apron Explosion--The Saga Continues

I thought I was nearly done with aprons but my sister-in-law's aprons have spurred an epidemic.  I have three more to make for her friend for Thanksgiving.  So....I am thankful for the fact others appreciate my work and make requests.  Yeah.

There was left over fabric from the last project and it was enough to make a cute little "helper" apron for my sweet kissey great niece Kiersten.  I can only hope she likes it.  Little kids sometimes can be hard to please but it is a companion to her MeeMaw's apron so that is a plus.

Back to feet...the sewing type.  This latest project I got to use three different feet: one for doing pintucks; another for edging and top stitching; and yet another for ruffling and gathering.  This sewing feet thing is getting really easy and fun--plus the end product is so much nicer.

On a sad note, one of my sewing machines "shot craps" and lost.  It's not very old and hasn't been overly used so here I am down to one machine again.  Thank goodness for eBay.  I managed to find a replacement of the same brand and make for $42.00.

Happy sewing and creating.

Seeing What's Possible

Today was about doing a quilt top...that is finishing what I started last week.  The picture posted is a creation that started from scraps of sample fabric I bought from the wholesaler.  I've cut and laid out the picnic blanket, but not sewn it yet.  The three center sections were from some of the leftovers.  By adding additional fabric I have a vibrant lap quilt or something that could be used on a toddler's bed.  The colors draw me in...but then I'm into color. 

What do you think?  Leave me a comment if you have one.

And She Does It Again...Another Apron

Here's a pic of my latest creation.  It gave me the most difficult as I decided to be very creative.  Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it presents challenges I don't want to deal with.  This was one of those.  But it's cute as can be.  And, the one thing I really like is the neck strap is adjustable and features a detachable flower on the end.  Something a little different.  Where's my fray check?

Happy sewing and creating.

Aprons, Aprons Everywhere!

Another apron done.  It's amazing that when I picked up the fabric I knew immediately what the finished product would look like.  I'm pleased and my sister-in-law is pleased.  That's what truly matters.  She's the one who must be seen in it.  He he!

Time to go sew some more.  I have two more aprons to go and I've purchased fabric to finish another quilt top/picnic blanket.

From Scraps to Keepsakes

Last night was interesting. I hosted a casual family dinner for my cousin, his fiancee and my best friend. So nice to be around people you enjoy and care about, to share what's up and to co-miserate about what's down. Mostly we have "ups" and interesting projects to talk about. For me and my best friend, it was sharing with everyone what we've recently completed. We are both on a mission to complete projects ideas from the past.

When Phyllis arrived I was so excited to share the new apron. She countered with a quilt top she had completed made from the floral scraps left over from shorts she had mass produced for her eldest daughter. The quilt was beautiful and amazing and will be a gift to her child when backed and bound. Can you imagine what joy she and her daughter will have remembering events and life's journeys based on the fabric of that quilt. It will be transformed into "The Fabric of Our Lives" as a fabric memory book. My friend does such an incredible job taking scraps and turning them into keepsakes.

If I've learned nothing else over the last year of quilting, it is to rethink what I call scraps and to not to be too generous in what goes in the trash bin. Phyllis has taught me to keep what is 1" or wider and keep it because those make beautiful quilts. She has taken what I would discard and made some wonderful baby quilts that can be sold. It never occurred to me that scraps could be someone's next keepsake quilt.

So the moral to the story is, short of being a pack rat, save you sewing scraps and create Fabric Memory Books. It will be a journey well worth taking.

This the quilt I finished yesterday. It's soft petite floral prints framed in tea stained muslim--perfect for the little girl it was made for.

One more project down, and I can hope in my heart of hearts it will become a keepsake for the baby it is intended for. It will be fun and exciting to see the mommy's reaction to this quilt.

For now, it's back to aprons. There are another three to be done for my sister-in-law. Love the creative time and playing in fabric.

Kitchen Diva--Aprons for All

Nothing makes a morning start off right than a great cup of coffee and another finished project. This morning I put the finishing touches on a project for my sister-in-law and dear friend (one in the same), Lynnette. She loves aprons and sent me fabric to sew a few. In the mean time I've found a darling print and made her another. This one is called "The Old Fashion" because it is a more traditional version of days past where aprons used to be longer, along with hems. I like these because the provide more coverage from spills and messes in the kitchen. It's got the big pocket to put things in and a sweet little ruffle at the botton to make it "girlie." All this aside, let's pray she likes it because she will see it here for the first time. More aprons from the KitchenDiva to come.

For those who don't know, I'm working on a pattern and product line of aprons called KitchenDiva. This one will definitely go into my pattern line for development. There must always be a prototype and someone to field test the product. I'm fortunate to have a couple of really great friends, a sister-in-law, a daughter, and other family members who don't mind my sewing fascination and musings. Thanks to you all for your support.

Now it's time to go finish a quilt that's been sitting on the shelf for almost one year. All that is left is the binding and I cut it out this morning. Happy fabric and sewing to all.

The Joy of Giving...Something You Made

My friend and I have a favorite restaurant where we try to go every week or so. It's called Herradura, and they offered the freshest, well prepared Tex-Mex food for this area....and the margaritas are to die for. So what does this have to do with fabric? It's simple.

One of our waiters, named Antonio, and his wife are having a baby in a week or so. Antonio is about the most puffed up proud daddy I've ever seen. He's beside himself with excitement. He did tell us his only regret is that his little baby boy will not be born in his home country of Mexico.

Phyllis, my friend and partner in quilts and projects, and I have known from the day Antonio and his wife were expecting we would give the baby a quilt. The gift day has arrive and little Angel (the name picked for the baby) will get his quilt. It's a pretty scruffy-edged quilt done in greens and yellows, oversized so it can be taken into childhood and has the cutest frogs embroidered at the top. Phyllis and I call it the Fernando el Ramos quilt as ramos is the Spanish name for Frog. In English it would be Fred The Frog. We had more fun creating the concept and taking the drawing of a frog and lily pads and translating it to a computerized drawing we could print and use.

Antonio has been kind and become a true business friend. Both Phyllis and I have a deep admiration for this young man and his dedication to his wife and the baby on the way. Nothing could compare to the pleasure we will receive giving him and his little family something that came from our own hands. It's our turn to serve him. Receiving from another who serves from the depth and strength of their character is rare these days. While it a treat the true reward is being able to give back in the same spirit. It will give me personal joy imagining little Angel wrapped up in his baby quilt and using it for a few more years. Perhaps his mom and dad with save it for their next baby and reuse it, or little Angel will sleep with it at night. Whatever happens a piece of the love and spirit that went into that little quilt will remain with it and hopefully be passed to Angel. May he have the grace and kindness his father has because it is what made us want to share our gifts with him as he has shared his with us.

Happy sewing and crafting. Make something and give it away.

Good Morning

Blogging is a fabulous way to let others know what you are thinking. This morning is a Grrrrrrrrreat day. I've been up since 3:20 and as soon as the laundry was going I sat down at my machine. First order....try out the pin-tuck foot since I managed to buy two twin needles...just what is needed to make the pin-tucks tuck. It's all so amazing. Then I used the ruffler again. So much to play with.

Speaking of pin-tucks, my best friend advised me to pin-tuck the portion of fabric that will be used prior to laying out the pattern. What a fabulous idea. I have a little girls apron that will have a pin-tucked top and was trying to figure out how to figure for the tucks. Doing that section prior to laying out the pattern is the perfect answer because I won't have to worry about measuring and accuracy. Great suggestion.

Off to make beds and vacuum. Happy playing in fabric.

Foot Fetish II, A Journey of Discovery

So today I was surprise to find my two new sewing feet in the mailbox. You have to imagine that I day dreamed all day about using them. It was a day filled with anxiousness as the hours ticked by so slowly.

Once at home with my little package I tried out the 1/4" roll hemmer first. The results are amazing. In quick order the new ruffler was installed on my machine and I gave it a whirl. Wow, my ruffles and pleats need work but still the beginning of this learning experience is well underway.

During a free moment I visited a site today, CreativeSewingSolutions.com. Here they have little mini videos of the different feet they sell and how they work. It was heaven. In between teaching webinars I learned something new myself....Hurray!

Kudos to my sister-in-law, Lynnette, for loving the aprons I mailed to her. We can only hope she gets as much joy out of wearing them as I did sewing them. I have visions of more aprons dancing in my head.

Happy sewing, happy fabric.

Sewer's Prayer

Lord forgive me when I sew
There is so much that I don't know
Gadgets, rulers, and special tools
Sometimes make us feel like fools
When I acheive that special look
Then I will write a nice big book
But for now I continue to grow
My ever changing talents as I sew

Foot Fetish

I can't believe that at 56 I have discovered something about sewing that has been under my nose for years. It's called sewing feet. I knew some of them existed, but I thought they were for fancy sewing machines, which I don't have. Many thanks to my friend Phyllis for introducing me to the many wonders and uses of the different sewing machine feet.

As I moved through there uses this week I've discovered the: 1/8" rolled hem foot; free motion foot; cording foot; pin tuck foot; ruffler foot; and the shirring foot. I've ordered a 1/4" rolled hem foot and a ruffler for my machine which will turn my boring every day, low cost machine into a wonder.

The most amazing part to this is that as I used these new found tools I've learned to forgive myself my short-comings and mistakes that I made doing everything the old-fashioned way or by hand. Sometimes frustration would set in as sewing projects progressed because the quality I sought seemed elusive. Now it is clear why that was...TOOLS MAKE IT WORK!

If you've not discovered or ventured into the world of various sewing feet, grow a foot fetish like I did and discover them one at a time. You will be excited about your sewing projects once again. That is a guarantee.