Happy Halloween! Arrrrggggghhh!

 

 

This is Mo, our Chihuahua.

This Halloween he is Jack Sparrow.  Guess how happy he is about it!!  ;)

 

 

Happy Halloween!

Recycled Denim Journal Cover- An Etsy Find!

 

 

As a fan of denim, I couldn’t help but talk about this Adorable “Remains of the Day Journal cover”.  Recycled denim, batiks, laces…I love it! 

This was made by the very talented PolkaDotPossum from Lafayette, IN.  Her shop is gorgeous with One of a Kind treasures!  Sign me up for one please!

 

Sometimes it’s hard to get sewing done…

 

 

 

Why is it I seem to have THE most comfortable chair in the house…at least according to my dogs? And why does it happen to be my sewing chair??

:)

 

New Denim Pillows for Fall

 

I made a couple of denim pillows for myself using the tutorial I posted here on the blog.

 

I played around with fabric values in the first one (on the left) with a diamond shape in the center. 

 

The other one was just a different arrangement of the squares.

 

Fun and actually very comfortable!  I hope some people got to make one!

 

:)

 

 

How I Quickly Cut Up Denim Jeans for Quilts!

Drum roll please….Check out my first video below!!!

 

 

Love those Denim Jeans!

Glue Bindings- I Found the Metal Tips!

 

I discovered Sharon Schamber’s method for binding quilts with glue and it has become my favorite method!

 

My one frustration was that when I used the regular Elmer’s bottle, the line of glue came out too heavy.  I noticed in Sharon’s video, however, that she had a really nice and small metal tip on her glue bottle.

 

I’m not sure if I found the same one she uses but I was able to find one that works perfectly nonetheless!

 

I got it at Michaels. 

 

 

Here’s what you get.  There’s one bottle and top missing from this picture.

 

At first, I was filling up the plastic glue bottles that come with the kit with glue and attaching the metal tips.  However, this was extremely messy and I kept having to fill up the bottle.  

 

Then, after re-watching Sharon’s video, I realized that her tip was attached directly to the glue bottle.  It couldn’t be that easy…right?

 

So, I unscrewed the orange tipped lid that comes with the Elmer’s glue bottle and used one of the lids and silver tips you see in the picture.

 

Voila!  Perfect fit!

 

 

The only thing you have to pay attention to is the fact that this metal tip has a VERY small pin size hole.  It plugs very easy if left to dry.  The kit includes some metal wires which are the perfect size for cleaning out this hole. 

I did find, however, that you still must rinse out the tip with warm water in between uses.

 

 

Here’s the fine print from the box…

 

 

Excellent product and one that makes glue binding SO easy!!!

 

:)

Lil’ Twister Halloween Table Runner

 

LOVE, LOVE this cool template!!  Have you heard of the Lil’ Twister?  There is also a full size Twister…not sure what it’s called!  :)

 

So here’s what the template looked like.  I found it while wondering around a LQS not long ago.

 

 

All you need are 5” charm squares (the bigger version uses 10” squares).

 

I had an adorable charm pack from Riley Blake for Halloween.  Here I have them spread out and am starting to sew them together.

 

 

 

You just sew them all together and add a border.  That’s the first part.

 

 

So cute, right?  Well, it gets WAY Cuter!!!!  Check it out.

---

 

You use this cool little square template to start cutting apart the runner you just made!!  (Kinda scary!)

 

 

You reposition your new squares like so…you can see the pinwheels just starting to form!

 

 

And more…

 

 

It does end up quite a bit smaller than the original runner but it is really cute!

 

 

 

Here it is quilted, bound and sitting on my coffee table!!

 

I went Shopping!

 

Yesterday I went shopping at a few of our local quilt shops.  I haven’t done that in a very long time and I miss them!!

 

It’s a fairly diverse assortment but in the back there are 3 yards of navy blue chenille.  Do you know how hard it is to find chenille????  I looked all over.

 

There is also a layer cake with moose!  Moose always remind me of my sister since she is a huge fan of moose!

 

I also got 2 yards of pumpkin fabric from the Gobble Gobble line.  I LOVE that line of fabric and was thrilled to find some!  I also found some nice coordinating fabric to go with it.  I’m making some pillows and table runners for my Etsy shop with this fabric.

 

See that fabric on top?  The one that say’s J’heart Paris?  This is some very unique and pretty fabric.  Going to make an excellent table runner for my Etsy site!!!!  Can’t wait!

 

Lastly, at the very bottom hidden under everything is a X-Block plastic template.  I decided to try it, looks like fun! 

 

 

Don’t you just love to lay out your quilt shop purchases and admire them?  I hate to put them away and lose that wonderful quilt shop high!!!

Denim Circle Pillow, Tutorial- Part 3

If you missed Part 1, GO HERE. 

If you missed Part 2, GO HERE.

 

Here’s where we left off in Part 2... 

 

 

1.  Cut the backing fabric into two pieces, 13” x width of your

     pillow top.

     In this instance, I cut two pieces of fabric, 13” x 17 1/2”.

 

 

2.  Roll the long edge of each piece over 1/4” and press.

     Roll the edge over 1/4” a second time and press.

     Top stitch.  These will be the finished edges of your pillow

     backing.

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.   We are making an envelope style pillow backing.  Overlap the two finished edges on

      your table surface, WRONG SIDES up. 

      Move the two pieces of fabric back and forth until the width of the two pieces equals

      the width of your pillow top.  (i.e. 17 1/2”) 

      PIN the two pieces together at the top and bottom. 

       

   *Note: in the picture, the fabric is WRONG sides up.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Place your pillow top, RIGHT SIDE up on the wrong side of your backing fabric. 

    Match the edges and pin around the pillow.  Do NOT leave an opening for

    turning.

              

    

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   SEW using a 1/2” seam allowance.  Reinforce where your backing pieces

   overlap.

   I usually sew around the edges of the pillow twice, directly over the first seam

   to reinforce it.

 

 

5.  SNIPPING-

   There are many different brands of spring loaded scissors.  Some I like better than

   others.  Two of my favorites are “Galaxy Notions” and “Fiskars Craft Snip”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  I begin by snipping around the edges of my pillow.  The 1/2” seam allowance

  allows for plenty of room to clip.  Be careful not to clip the seam!!  Sewing twice helps

  in case this happens.  The space between each snip varies but averages 1/4-

  1/2”.

    

  The edges of the pillow will be more difficult to cut through than the edges of your

  circles because there is a lot more fabric to get through. 

                            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  Once you have cut around the entire pillow top, clip all of the circle

     edges.                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  Rough up the edges of your pillow top and the snipped circles using a stiff

     cleaning brush.

     This is entirely optional.  I believe most people just throw their rag quilts directly into

     the wash after snipping. 

     This is just one of my little tricks.  I like my quilts and pillows to be as full as possible

     so I give them a good “brushing” prior to washing. 

     When you’re done, shake off the excess fabric.

 

     Warning:  This is a messy process.  Sometimes I do it outside on the patio table.  It

     also kicks up a lot of fibers so if you are sensitive, you may want to wear a dust   

     mask to minimize an allergy attack.

                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.  Give your pillow a few good shakes, I do this outside.

 

     Wash and dry it and you’re done!  I usually iron my pillow back after it

     comes out of the dryer, it gets a little wrinkled. 

 

     You’ve got to wash and dry it to get the full frayed effect.  Make sure you clean your

     dryer lint trap once it’s done.  It will probably be pretty full.

 

   

  

    That’s it!!  Put it on your pillow form and you’re done!!

 

    

   

Thank you, I hope this was an enjoyable project.  If you have any feedback or comments, please let me know at:  heatherbanks38@yahoo.com. 

Denim Circle Pillow- Tutorial, Part 2

**If you missed Part 1, go HERE (Part I)

 

Now, we’re ready to assemble the pillow front.

 

Make sure you have the following supplies ready:

     -16 (5”) fabric squares

     -16 (4”) batting squares

     -your 4 previously created rows of denim circles

     -thread to match the denim

    

 

 

1.  Work on one row at a time.  Center each batting square in a denim circle. 

There is no need to measure, just approximate the center of the circle.

 

 

2.  Next, center the fabric squares over the batting squares.  Again, approximate the

center and in this case, the fabric WILL be too big for the circle but the excess will

not matter.  Just smooth the excess fabric up the sides of the flaps.

 

 

 

 

3.  Pin each flap down in preparation for sewing. 

Notice that you cannot see the excess fabric because it has been tucked up

underneath the flaps.

 

 

 

4.  Start sewing!

Begin with the first pair of pinned flaps. 

 

Sew down one side, pivot (this is easier if you keep the needle in the down

position) and sew around the other side.  Backstitch at both ends.  

 

I like to use about a 3/8” seam allowance.  The seam allowance

should be big enough to clip later.

 

Do this for all four rows.

 

 

 

 

5.  NOW…let’s put all of the rows together!

Use a ruler that is at least as long as your row of circles (I used a 24” ruler).

Measure 1” from the edge of the circles and draw a line.

 

(Again, no one will see this line so use any kind of marking device you

would like.) 

 

 

 

6.  With WRONG sides together, pin this row to the next one. 

Make sure that in both rows, the fabric squares are facing the OUTSIDE, wrong sides

together.

 

Sew along this line.  Backstitch at both ends of the row and reinforce each curve by

sewing back and forth over the line.

 

Reinforce at corners.

 

 

8.  Press open the seam and then sew the other two rows together just as you did above.

  

 

 

You should now have two identical sections composed of two rows each.

 

9.  Sew down the flaps in both sections. Use an approximate 3/8” seam

allowance. 

I have found that the easiest way to do this is to sew in a figure eight pattern,

down one side and up the other.

 

When you get to one end, leave the needle in the fabric, turn and sew back down the

other side. 

You are basically following a figure eight pattern.  (*see picture below)

 

 

 

10.  Join the two sections together in exactly the same fashion as above.  

 

Measure 1” from the edge and draw a line.  Pin the two sections together and sew on the

line.  REMEMBER, wrong sides together (fabric facing outward). 

 

**Backstitch at both ends and reinforce at the circle corners.  

 

 

 

11.  Press the flaps open and flat. Sew the flaps down.  Again, use a figure eight pattern

and a 3/8” seam allowance.

 

 

 

12.  Trimming the Pillow Top.

Measure 1” from all four edges of the pillow top, in this case it is not necessary to

draw a line.  Cut away and discard the 1” circle edges.   

 

 

14.   Check the size of your finished square. You will probably need to square it up so

that it is the same width in both directions.

You will want your pillow top to be somewhere between 17 1/2” - 17 3/4”.  Any smaller

and you may have problems getting your pillow form to fit.

 

 

On to finishing the pillow!  You will not do the actual clipping of the seams until the back is attached.

---

For the last step you will need:

     -1/2 yard of backing fabric

     -18” pillow form

     -spring loading scissors (or regular sharp fabric scissors will also work)

     -stiff cleaning brush (optional)