Too Busy!

Its that time of year... canning, sewing holiday gifts, and soccer, gymnastics... and MORE!  Its been hard to get sewing- i do have more to post so come back soon to check out a drawing!

Crafty Pumpkin

Items that you will need are:

2 green fabrics- one for leaf and one for the stem

Orange for the pumpkin

Leaves to embellish

Raffia

Embroidery Floss

stuffing/batting and poly-pellets 

McCalls pattern #M4942

Thank you Kristi Christophersen

This is a quilt that I have just finished

Click here to see more!

Paisley Quilt for Kristi Christopherson- THANK YOU !

Pocket of Posies Quilt Block or Framed Sewing Art

Pocket of  Posies
Wall Decoration or create more for a quilt.

Things that you will need:

Green Fabric for the "grass"
Blue Fabric for the "sky"
Three colors of  "flower" colors
pinking Shears, straight pins and a button
an 8x10 inch picture frame

Measure the Back Insert of your picture frame.  You will need to add 2 inches to this total this will be your measurements for your block.  

I have a 8 x 10 inch picture frame,
so my measurements are going to be a finished block of 10 x 12 inches
 

Next measure, cut and sew your main block.

For this particular block I cut the Blue block 10 x 7 1/2 inches

for the green block I cut it 10 x 5 1/2

Now you are ready to cut all your Posy Petals

Repeat with all "flower" circles
My larges posy measures 8x8 inch square- circle measures about an 7.5inch in diameter
my middle posy :6x6 square and 5" circle
my small posy: 3x3" Square and a 2.5" circle 

  

You are now ready to use a spray adhesive, my fast and easy way of appliquéing

When your sewing the Posy on to your block, sew a 5/8 inch seam from the edge (I move my needleplacement over to the far left and sew with the fabric lined up against the edge of my presser foot.

Now Cut and fray your edges.

make slits with your scissors, cut up to your stitches, do this on all your posies.

I now rat or crunch my fabric to fray the edges.  

now repeat these steps till you have enough to make a quilt:

I will post the dimensions in another post 

"Pocket Full of Posies" Quilt

OR

center into the picture frame

Place frame back on

Use your spray adhesive to secure fabric to the frame backing.  I like to use pins to secure till its dry.

After it is dry you are ready to display your sewn art!

Pillow Cases

Pillow Cases are a great gift, they are fun to make and you can make them for yourself, a gift for a cousin, niece or nephew, or your little girls dolly.  They only limit is your imagination. 

I have just recently started teaching a young neighbor friend, and she decided to make one for her cousin's birthday.  She made a Standard Pillow case and mine is a "baby-doll" size.  I measured the doll crib to help me get my measurements.  I knew I wanted to make the finished pillow case 14" X 9" - I had to do a little math to get all the dimensions just right, but it was a fun project to do.  

What you will need is:

Fabric for the body (I like to use a cotton/polyester blend- it has minimal shrinkage and after washings it doesn't need ironing as much.)

Contrasting color of fabric for the hem

Thread

Scissors or Pinking shears or cutting blade

Straight Pins

Sewing Machine

NOTE:(*fabric usually comes approximately 42"to 45" wide when you are buy it off the bolt from the fabric store, so if the fabric measures 42-45 inches these are the right measurement to follow.  If the measurements are different you will need to make appropriate adjustments.)

The measurements for the different size pillow cases are:

Baby Doll:       Body: 10" x 11"  (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 8" x 10" (cut 2)

                        Finished: 9" x  14"

Fabric needed for 1 Pillow Case:

                        12 x 12 inches of fabric (for the body)

                        9 x12inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

Standard:        Body: 22" x 28"  (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 9" x 22" (cut 2)

                        Finished: 21" x 32"

Fabric needed for 1 Pillow Case:

                        30 inches of fabric (for the body)

                        10 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

For A pair of Standard Cases

                        60 inches of fabric (for the body)

                        20 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

Queen:            Body: 22" x 32" (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 9" x 22" (cut 2)

                        Finished: 21" x 36"

Fabric needed for 1 Pillow Queen Sized Case:

                        1 Yard of fabric (for the body)

                        10 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

For A pair of Queen Sized Cases

                        2 Yards of fabric (for the body)

                        20 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

  

King: :             Body: 22" x 38"  (cut 2)

                        Contrasting Hem: 9" x 22"  (cut 2)

                        Finished:  21" x 42" 

Fabric needed for 1 King Sized Pillow Case:

                        1 Yard of fabric (for the body)

                        10 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

For A pair of King Sized Cases

                        2 Yards of fabric (for the body)

                        20 inches of contrasting fabric (for your hem)

After you purchase you fabric it is important to pre-wash your fabric.

Wash it on a normal setting and dry it on a medium to low setting.

Iron it gently- DO NOT STRETCH OR PULL your fabric

  

Square up you fabric and cut to the appropriate measurements.

Follow the measurements for the body and the hem.

Fold your HEM fabric in half and press. 

It now should measure 4 1/2 inches x 22 for the standard, queen, and king sizes 

 and  4 x 10" for the dolly size.

Take the ironed hem fabric and the body fabric, with right sides together line up and pin,

 (line up the raw edges of the hem to the edge of the shortest side of the body fabric).

Set your needle position to the center of the presser foot, measure 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Straight stitch - be sure to back stitch at the beginning and at the end of your seam.

After you have finished your straight stitch set your stitching  for a zig zag and place your presser foot to the edge of your fabric, zig zag along each edge of your pillow case.

Press your seem  toward the body of the pillow case.

Repet these steps with your other "body and hem" fabrics.
   

Now you should have two halves that look the same. (front and back)

Match up the two halves, place right sides together,

pin and sew a straight stitch all the way around the case

Trim corners
Turn Right sides out and press.

I like to use a double needle to "TOP stitch" around the hem,
but you can use a single needle and straight stitch over it twice.
this puts a nice finishe look on it, but also helps the hem to stay flat after washings

You are finished!  Turn it right side out and Press.
Put your pillow inside and ...

TA-DA!!! you have finished another wonderful project!

HAPPY SEWING!