Apple Picking Tree Skirt

How About Them Apples....

I bought this super cute pattern, Apple Picking Quilt,  by Lori Holt, a long time ago. 

Apple Picking Quilt   by Lori Holt  { here }

Last week, I bought a bag of Ginger Crisp apples for my mother, and remembered that I had this  Lori Holt apple quilt pattern in my files.

So, I dug into my laundry basket of fabrics that I had pulled to together for making my Farm Girl Vintage Quilt.  ( FGV quilt  block patterns from the book, "Farm Girl Vintage" by Lori Holt.)   You can see my quilt Here. 

This is what I made....

 A Green Apple 

These 12 inch blocks make up so quickly!

A Red apple

Adding on a third scrappy apple

Before I knew it....

Whiskers is heading over to the quilt top to check out all of the apples

As I was making the apple blocks, I realized that this would make a really "delicious"  tree skirt  !

Inspiration:   I saw a video by Rob, at ManSewing, with Violet Craft, on how to turn an unfinished quilt into a tree skirt  {here }

The finished quilt came out to be 33 " by 33 " , after adding some sashing to the four sides.  

I made the quilt sandwich,  and quilted straight lines, at 1.5 " apart, both horizontally and vertically, using my walking foot.

Then it got hard.... 

I became REALLY nervous when I had to cut out the center circle, and the line out to the edge!!  I held my breath and used my special ( very sharp) Gingher Dressmaking shears, and cut!   Success!!

Next, I  sewed  up 4 ties, and pinned them on to the opening, before sewing on the bias binding.

The ties are pinned 

 I machine sewed the bias binding to the front of the tree skirt.  The binding was then hand stitched to the back side.  

Oops... after reading  checking out the pattern, I realized that I should have embroidered the seeds to the apple blocks  before putting the front and back together!  Carefully, I  stitched the apple seeds without thread coming through to the quilt back .  It was slow going, but worth the effort. I  like the addition of the seeds to the cut apples!   ( Note to self:  make a note on the pattern to embroider seeds right after making the quilt top !!)

Embroidering the apple seeds

And here is the finished " Apple Picking Quilt" tree skirt for my pencil tree!

My "Apple Picking " tree skirt    Susie's Sunroom

Before: The Apple Picking Quilt ...After: the Apple Picking Tree Skirt  ! 
by  Susie's Sunroom

I love the little patchwork apples!

I am so happy with my new little tree skirt!

I wonder how long it will be until it is covered with little black kitty hairs?!  LOL

Don't be afraid to cut into that small quilt to make your own tree skirt!

Next on my "To Make" List-   make a Christmas Tree Skirt before December.  (  I won't be  limited to tree skirt patterns to find what I like!)

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:   Can I Get A Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict   and
                       Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio   and
                      Finished Or Not Friday  @ Busy Hands Quilts     and
                         Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts   and
                           Fabric Tuesday   @ Quilt Story  and
                          Finish It  Up Friday  @ Crazy Mom Quilts

Let It Snow !

Let It Snow!!

I had some sewing  fun when we were snowed-in last week!  
(Oh darn, it was a blizzard ALL day Saturday.... so I "had" to stay inside .... and sew!!)

What did I make?

This cute little Mr Snowman block  , designed by Lori Holt, of Bee In My Bonnet  and Instagram  @beelori1   #MrSnowmanTutorial

Mr Snowman mini quilt   by  Susie's Sunroom
Design by Lori Holt  Bee In My Bonnet

I found her Instagram tutorial at  #MrSnowmanTutorial.   Lori had a Mr Snowman SewAlong in 2014, where she showed how to make this cute snowman block,  on Instagram.  I learned her technique for making the 6 1/2 inch blocks, from making the Vintage  Farm Girl Vintage Sampler Quilt.   (here)  So these snowman made up quickly.

I  got out my shovel, and dug into some of my favorite fabric piles,  ( wink) ,  and thought that the white dots on the mint background fabric looked like snow.    The fabrics are from Vintage Summer  by Little Yellow Bicycle  , and the mint background is  by Riley Blake.  I love those little Bluebirds.

I sewed them together with some sashing, and embellished  each snowman with embroidery and buttons.

This picture is  a bit off in color,  but I wanted to show my Mr Snowman mini up against the snow on our deck!!

Mr Snowman against the snow on our deck  

This Mr Snowman mini quilt then  led to my next project....

A " Be My Valentine Heart " Mr Snowman pincushion   !
  (Bet you can't say  that three times fast!!)

Be My Valentine Heart Mrs Snowman  pincushion     by Susie's Sunroom

First, I made a "Mrs " Snowman block, wearing her  Valentine's Day' s scarf.
Next,   I made a scrappy heart- shaped front for my pincushion...  using the new
Be My Valentine Heart Mug Rug pattern by Eamylove at Amy Made That!   

Amy's pattern makes an elegant scrappy flat mug rug...

Amy made this gorgeous Be My Valentine Heart Mug Rug  for me as a gift!  Lucky me!!

I gathered together my red , pink and hearts fabric scraps, and some pink ric rac, to make  the patchwork square.   (I enlarged the heart template to make it just a bit bigger, so I could include more of my snowman block for the pincushion back side.)

I followed Amy's excellent tutorial style directions,  and at the end, I  filled my mug rug with polyfil stuffing until it looked  plump and cute.  

The end result is a Valentine's Day season pincushion, with two fun sides!!

Side A:   The Be My Valentine Heart

And Side B:   The Mrs Snowman 

If you live where there is not any snow....   then I hope you have enjoyed a bit of snow happiness here. (Without getting sore muscles and numb fingers and toes from shoveling!)

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:     Can I Get A Whoop Whoop! @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict   and
                          Fabric Frenzy Friday  @  Fort Worth Fabric Studio   and
                         Let's Bee Social  @  Sew Fresh Fabrics        and
                     Sew Cute Tuesday @  Blossom Heart Quilts   and
                         Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story  and
                         TGIFF  @ Busy Hands Quilts

Farming

Farm Girl Vintage Blocks

Bee in My Bonnet Sew Along

Well.... I couldn't resist joining in with everyone sewing these ADORABLE   Farm Girl Vintage blocks!!     { My book  came from the  Fat Quarter Shop.  Thanks, Amy !!}

In reality, I was hooked early, when I saw pictures of the hen and that barn block...  Then, when  I actually got my  real book, I saw that I wanted to make many , many projects in the book.   

The Farm Girl Sampler Quilt

Sew, this summer I will be making these 6 inch blocks,  whenever I can.  I am jumping in late with the  Farm Girl Vintage  Sew Along , but it will be fun to "catch up" with the blocks, with no real deadline pressures.

Amanda, The Patchsmith, also began making the FGV  6 inch blocks.  Have you seen her "Block A Day" 2015 collection yet?    I am in love with her fabrics and scraps and how she combines them!  

While we are talking about beautiful fabric combinations.... Amy,  at  Amy Made That, has her own FGV book, too,  so I am sure we will be seeing her FGV blocks on her blog soon!      When I get  slowed down , I look at their blocks and projects,  get inspired and energized,  and can't help but go find some fabric for the next block I need to work on!

My Farm Girl Sampler Quilt -
Fabrics to be used-   various pieces from my fabric stash and scrap piles-
    
     Ginghams
     Happy Go Lucky    Bonnie and Camille   Moda
     Aunt Grace Classics    Judie Rothermel  
      Aunt Grace Christmas  Judie Rothermel  
     Hannah Bella   by Robyn Pandolph  SSI
     DS Quilts Collections    Denyse Schmidt
     Lazy Daisy Baskets Small    Darlene Zimmerman  Robert Kaufman
     Paula Barnes  Marcus Fabrics
      Mirabelle  Fig Tree & Co.    Moda    charm pack
     ***   anything that reminds me of 1930's fabrics, small flowery prints, or  make- me- happy prints!   ( I am not excluding anything that makes me smile!)  And I am "finding" charm packs I have hoarded  lovingly stored away!



First Farm Girl Vintage Block:     Crops     page 23   (size- 6 1/2 " )

Crops Block  page 23    Susie's Sunroom   #CropBlock

This is a fast and fun block!  I had a few scraps leftover....

So I decided to make various little blocks with the  leftovers.

The  second mini 1 1/4 " block didn't turn out to be even.  I'll save it , in case I can use it later.  Maybe I can make a mini quilt from the leftovers.  

Crops Block  and some leftovers  ( a 4 " square and a 1 1/4+ " square)

Second FGV Block:   Baby Chick Block     (page 10)    ( size 6 1/2 ")

Baby Chick Block     Page 10    Susie's Sunroom    #BabyChickBlock

Another delightful block to make!  The hand embroidery  was relaxing.




Linking up at:    

I'm off to my sewing room!