Giveaway Results and Update on Autumn Leaves Fabric

Good morning! Here's the result (of using random.org, which generates random numbers from the range you submit) for my orange print fat quarter fabric giveaway contest. I disregarded all the even numbers (my comments) and Joy, who requested to not be entered. Here are the winners:

Betsy B, I hope you will make this little project. If you do, will you please let me know? And maybe send me a photo or two of the process and/or result? Actually, I'd like it if you would videotape it and put the video up on YouTube; it would be an instant hit, I am sure!

Quilting Tangent, who liked two of the fabrics in particular. I'll do my best to select one of those for you, QT.

Angie, I am positive that your crafty 11 year old could do this -- and with some help from younger ones, too.

Emily, you have some (not quite so little) little helpers that you can include in this project.

Congratulations! I hope you will use the free tutorial to make this easy project. If you do, will you please let me know? And maybe send me a photo or two of the process and/or result?

Thanks; this was fun! And even if you didn't win a fat quarter, you can still use the free tutorial to make one (or more) of these pumpkins.

Update about my autumn leaves fabrics
I completed another table mat. It's for a friend who has a birthday next month, and her table is quite a bit larger than mine. I had that in mind when I made this one.

And I'm now making a reversible apron with these remaining pieces (and adding in some leftover linen fabric from another sewing project):

What are you sewing this weekend?

Blessings and peace...

Fabric Pumpkins: Easy No-Sew Craft Project and a Giveaway

A couple of years ago, I hosted a little Craft Day for a friend, her two daughters, and their four little children. I'm not really used to doing this; most of my sewing are solo projects. However, when I saw this tutorial over at the Sew Thankful blog, I just had to invite them over so we could make these together! I knew it would be fun. (I was right.) The one I made is shown in this photo from my most recent sewing project: It's the pumpkin on the table runner. 

The small pumpkin (the size I made) uses a fat quarter of fabric, and the large pumpkin uses 1 yard of fabric. 

Here I am demonstrating  the fabric-tucking technique.

Two cute little girls selecting "leaves" from my collection of fabric swatches.

That was easy!

And, exhausting!

Photos used with permission, of course.

Giveaway: Would you like to make one of the small pumpkins but don't have any suitable orange (or green or purple) fabric? Let me know in the comments by Thursday, October 3; I'll select a couple of names and send a fat quarter to each person selected. You see that I have more than enough! Or just leave a comment, even if you have fabric and/or if you aren't going to make one of these. My feelings won't be hurt, I promise! :) 'cuz you know how we bloggers love comments!

Blessings and peace...

Invitation to Be Generous: Pillowcases

My Internet sewing friend, Rhonda of Rhonda's Creative Life, has undertaken an enormous project: making 900 pillowcases for... I don't think she'll mind if I copy and paste from her most recent post:

The pillowcases are for the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. Each child that is admitted to the hospital is given a special pillowcase. They find that a simple pillowcase helps to lift spirits and brings color into an all to white and scary environment. If you think that you might like to contribute to the project, here is a link to the simplified instructions I did to make the pillowcases. I believe in the motto of "there is strength in numbers," so if you feel that you can do just one pillowcase, it will be greatly appreciated.

Oh how I wish I knew how to indent a paragraph here. Anyway, I have made six so far and plan to make at least a few more. They are one of the easiest-peasiest sewing projects ever, thanks to Rhonda's great tutorial. Here are the first four I made:

My first four pillowcases, details follow, from left to right

Bumble bees and ladybugs

Seashells and triple zigzag stitching at edge of main fabric

Row of pink flowers stitched at edge of main fabric

Serpentine stitch (I think) at edge of main fabric

Inside view of the lower edge/side seam

What do you think? Can you make one (or maybe a few)? Each pillowcase takes only 3/4 yard of the main fabric plus smaller amounts for the accent and trim. Rhonda posted today that she now has 640 pillowcases! Only 240 to go (well, 230 after I send her the six I've completed and a few more).

In addition to the pillowcases she's making, Rhonda hangs the pillowcases she receives in the mail on a clothesline and takes photos for us. Thanks, Rhonda, for inviting us all to be generous. I'm just extending it a bit to any of my readers who haven't been following this lovely journey with you.

Blessings and peace...

Sewing Some Charm Ornaments and Cat Toys

It's all Ruthie's fault. She put the Christmas hearts idea in my mind. Then, I knew I wanted to make this...

...as soon as I saw this pewter charm at Sew Thankful last week.

It's about 3/4 in. across.

I bought six gold tone and six silver tone charms. They are sold out now, but if you do a search for nativity scene charm, you'll get plenty of results at a wide price range. Or you could use any other charm – or no charm at all – to make these sweet ornaments.

For the charm ornaments, I gathered my supplies, clockwise from the top:
Plaid flannel fabric left over from table linens made for a baby shower this summer
Red felted wool left over from dining room chair pads I made a few years ago
Green/red/gold ribbon
A heart-shaped cookie cutter
(Not shown: small pieces of white/pastel cotton flannel plus the usual sewing supplies)

I made a paper pattern from the cookie cutter for the heart shape. I used a plastic lid for the ornament shape to which I added a rectangle shape at the top and a slightly smaller plastic lid for the white flannel.

For Each Ornament
Cut out one heart shape from the red wool, two ornament shapes from the plaid flannel, and two circles from the white flannel. Cut 1 piece of ribbon 6 in. long.

Hand sew the charm to the felt heart.

I was having a bit of trouble tying the knot on the back because everything was so small and light. Until I set a pattern weight on the plaid flannel to hold it in place while I tied the knot.

Place the heart onto one plaid flannel ornament so that the charm is aligned with the little rectangle at the top. Using any decorative stitch, stitch the heart to the plaid flannel. I used two threads together in the top so that the stitches would stand out, and I used stitch #26 on my Bernina 1130, increasing the stitch length to 3 and setting it to mirror image. (Please pardon my too-detailed information here. I might want to make these again some day!)

Place two layers of smaller white flannel in the center of the second plaid flannel ornament shape and stitch around.

Place the "charmed" heart embellished plaid flannel onto the plaid flannel that has the white flannel circles so that the white circles are on the inside.

Fold the ribbon in half and insert it between the layers of plaid flannel, at the top little rectangle. Stitch all the way around all the layers as close to the edge as is easy.

I used all of the charms – some to keep and some to share.

Cat Toys
I exchange a small Christmas gift with my friend Mariquita every year and always include something handmade for her kitties. She has two young Ragdoll kitties that I will see for the first time when I visit next year. I'll be sending Mariquita one of the nativity scene ornaments and these for the kitties:

I gathered my supplies:
Two 4-in. square pieces of blue felt left over from a jacket I made some time ago
Red felted wool small scraps left over from the nativity scene charm ornaments
Two squares of TP
Small amount of catnip
Usual sewing supplies

First, use your zigzag (or plain) rotary cutter (or scissors) and cut a few thin strips from the red wool. Straight stitch them onto the blue felted wool in no particular pattern but keeping them 1/2 in. away from the edges.

Fold the embellished square in half, with the embellishment on the inside.

Stitch a 1/4 in. seam along the long open side.

Press open.

Turn right side out. Sew across one end.

Place a small amount of catnip on a square of TP.

Fold to enclose the catnip.

Slip the little packet of catnip into the opening. Turn the blue "tube" 1/4 turn, then insert the end of a ribbon and stitch across. That looks kind of like a mouse, doesn't it? If you squint your eyes almost closed and then turn off the lights? I happen to know a few other kitties that might like these.

I hope you enjoy reading about my (sometimes very little) sewing projects, and that they will inspire you to make something easy, simple, fast – if you feel like it, that is.  


Blessings and peace...

Use Leftover Fabrics to Make Cute Linen Dish Towels

These are what I made out of some leftover fabrics. Don't you love to find a way to use up leftovers? And who can't use some new dish towels (for themselves or for gifts)? I am including in this post my tutorial for my one-measurement, low-bulk, mitered-corner hem technique. I've never seen it anywhere else; it was a puzzle I wanted to solve.

Linen Dish Towels With
Gingerbread Cookie Trim

I had about 2/3 of a yard of medium-weight brown linen leftover from this skirt (Kwik Sew 3789 blog post).

And I had these leftovers from a cotton print of gingerbread cookie baking after making three aprons some time ago.

Here's a close up of the recipe.

I happened to be moving the linen from the leftover pile to a drawer (always trying to get organized), and I serendipitously laid it next to the gingerbread fabric. Well, I thought, those are nice together. So I pressed both pieces of fabric and laid them out to see how many dish towels I could make from the linen. Three (see first photo).

Measure:

I cut the linen into three rectangles, approximately 17 in. wide x 24 in. long.

I cut the print cotton into 6 pieces: three pieces at 17 in. wide x 6 in. long, with the "recipe" more or less in the center, and three pieces at 17 in. wide x 3 in. long.

Mark and Press:

Notes: In "home dec" sewing, most seam allowances are 1/2 inch. All folds in this tutorial are 1/2 in.

I mark, using a soap sliver, 1 in. from the long edge (width) on the wrong side of the print fabric.

Then I fold the fabric up to the marked line and press. Repeat for all long edges (widths) of the print fabric.

Place and Pin:

Place the print fabrics right side up onto the right side of the linen pieces. In placing it, be sure to allow for bottom and top hems. Pin into place along the folded edges of the print fabric.

I placed the bottom of the larger piece of print fabric 4 in. from the bottom edge of the linen, knowing that after hemming, it would be 3 in. from the bottom. The placement is purely a personal decision.

I repeated with the narrower pieces, placing them 6 in. from the top edge of the linen, again, a personal decision.

Stitch:

From the right side, stitch the print fabric to the linen, close to the edges, leaving the ends open (they will be enclosed in the hem later). Repeat with all pieces.

(I think the center towel has been folded under at the bottom. As you can see from the finished towels [first photo], the print fabrics are all placed at about the same place.) 

Trim Edges:

Trim any edges as needed. I wasn't precise when cutting the width of the print fabrics, knowing I could trim any excess at this point.)

 

Hem:

As promised, here is my tutorial for my one-measurement, low-bulk, mitered-corner hem technique. {{Feel free to grab a piece of graph paper (or plain paper on which you have drawn a 1-in. grid), so that you can follow along with paper.}} First, the one-measurement, fold, and press step.

1. Using a soap sliver and a ruler (or your preferred marking tool), measure 1 in. from all 4 edges of each towel on the wrong side of the fabric.

2. Fold the fabric up to the marked line and press. This will result in a 1/2 in. fold. Repeat for all 4 sides of each towel. The order (short sides first, work around clockwise) doesn't matter.

The steam pressing has removed
the marking; no problem.

3. Fold the fabric again, this time, where the fabric is now doubled, and press.

Next is the low-bulk, mitered-corner step.

4. Unfold one corner.

I have marked in white soap and photo edited in red the cutting line. It's up, across a diagonal, and over. If you're following along with paper, go ahead and cut it. Here's the piece that is cut off:

5. Now, working again with the towel, fold the corner so that the first set of folds is back in place. Make a new fold (shown here) and press.

I photo edited in white to show
the former fold so that you can see
how this works.

6. Fold one edge, paying attention to the corner angle.

7. Fold the adjacent edge, again paying attention to the corner angle.

Are you seeing the miter coming together?

8. Clip or pin from the right side. I find that clips do not move the fabric the way that pins can, especially when going through 3+ layers of fabric. Repeat with remaining sides.

Clipped/pinned from the right side;
photo shows the wrong side.

9. Stitch from the right side. I like to stitch around twice, once close to the outer fold and again close to the inner fold.

Two rows of stitching (right side)

Two rows of stitching (wrong side)

10. Admire your work.

I made four linen towels and a teapot mat in a similar way this past summer, but with log cabin patchwork instead of a single print.

 
Questions? Comments?

Here's my comment: It took me significantly less time to make these three dish towels than to create this tutorial. It's one of those processes that takes longer to explain than to do. Give it a try!

Blessings and peace...