February Across The Pond Sew Along Project

Across the Pond Sew Along  project for February

It's the beginning of a new month... and that means a new project

 for {our fun and low-keyed} 

 Across The Pond Sew Along!

Amy,  of eamylove@ Amy Made That! ,

 has launched the project plans for this month, today on her blog.

February Project:      Create a project including a Heart

Amy,  Amanda, The Patchsmith, and I will be sharing our own project ideas that have the theme : heart .   Now, that sounds  like fun for February! 

One day last week, while  looking around online for inspiration and ideas, I was drawn to a blog called The Crafty Quilter  by Julie Cefalu.  I saw her  beautiful UFO project she had finished, called,  Welcome Winter,  by Holly Hill Quilts  .    
  And  I noticed that she had four snow globes appliqued on the quilt.

Welcome Winter quilt  made by Julie Cefalu @  The Crafty Quilter.com

I immediately starting "seeing in my mind" (Ah.... that is why you might hear me muttering away to myself at times!) a Valentine's Day snow globe, with a scrappy heart inside the globe...that I could make into a mug rug.  I sometimes "put things together" without a pattern . This time,  I wanted to create a few templates , so that  I could share with you how I created my own Heart Snow Globe Mug Rug for our sew along!

Heart Snow Globe Mug Rug  by Susie's Sunroom

If you would like to make this mug rug,  I have some basic templates 

for you to download , in this pdf  file:

Heart Snow Globe Mug Rug 

The mug rug :

• is 8 inches x 8 inches finished
• used  applique  technique for the snow globe  ( I used Heat-n-Bond  iron-on adhesive)
• I used scraps for the heart;  strips sewn  onto paper foundation
• I pieced 1 1/2 inch scrap squares, sewing  8 of them together vertically
• main background fabric is 7 in wide x 8 in tall
• backing fabric is 10 in x 10 in
• I machine blanket stitched the heart and snow globe
•  Pellon Fusible Fleece  FF987  is the batting,  8 " x 8 "  
• I used the backing as my  binding ( A great tutorial for this method is on the blog Made by Rae)
• I  used my walking foot and  machine stitched my binding,  , with corners mitered

I began by picking out some Valentine fabric scraps for making the scrappy heart...
This was done by sewing strips onto a piece of paper, making sure to cover the heart (sew  like paper piecing with right sides together, and then  folding the right side over and ironing it.

The tweezers are my pointer!

This is the back of the paper;  I cut out the heart shape

I cut out the pieces of the snow globe, with the iron on adhesive pinned to the template and fabric.  The order of assembling the snow globe pieces*:

1. Place the base of the globe on top of the background fabric 
2. Place the circle snow globe above  the base, overlapping a bit
3. Place the heart inside the globe, with the bottom touching the base
4. Place the band on top of the base, covering the bottom of the globe ball

* see the diagram on page two of the pdf file 

Then, I sewed the (8) - 1 1/2 inch squares together, to make a vertical row.  this strip is then attached it to the main fabric piece.

The  snow globe pieces are put together and ironed on.  The backing is an extra inch all the way around, to turn down to become the binding later.

Close up of the base of  the snow globe.  Blanket stitched

My  Heart Snow Globe Mug Rug is completed and ready to be used during February

                                             
I will be posting my mug rug  in the Across The Pond  Sew Along Flickr group .
  
What  heart project will you be making this month ?   You can post YOUR heart project there, too!

If you get stuck, I will be showing a few more fun things during February.  Amy  will also be showing her project  andmore fun  ideas . Amanda is sharing a free pattern for her Valentine Coasters at The Patchsmith!
Join in with us... even if you haven't been able to do earlier!  Show us what you are making!  
And let me know if you make your own Heart Snow Globe Mug Rug.  I'd love to see it!

I'm off to my sewing room!

I am linked up to   Can I Get a Whoop Whoop @Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Triple Zip-Along

The Triple Zip-Along project

"What has Susie been up to lately ?" some of you may be asking yourselves....
Well, I have been Triple Zipping It!

Debbie,  from A Quilter's Table,  is hosting a sew along,  featuring her tutorial for a pouch with not one, not two, but THREE zippers!  How cute is that?!

Debbie's   Triple Zip Pouch  from A Quilter's Table

The first time I saw her pouch,  I knew that I would be making it eventually!  I can't resist 3 zippers and bright colors!!

My fabrics are from Free Spirt-  Valori Wells    berries, bird, nest

I picked out some cute fabrics, which I had been saving for awhile.  I love the taupe and pinks together.  Then I looked in my zipper basket for the right colors, to make the pinks pop !  I get my zippers from the etsy shop ZipIt! They are economically priced, and I  get 

a variety pack, of 14 inch zippers.  You can always shorten a zipper...
And, I loved this pink fabric so much, that I cut out a heart shape, to applique on the front.

This is the  largest section lining side out, after all of the sections and zippers are put together

I sewed  the sides of each pocket independently, before sewing up the sides of the other pouch fabric

This large pocket  has an opening , for pulling the finished outer bag through this hole

You can see the 2 smaller pockets . I kept them out of the way when I sewed the sides  of the pouch together.

I used  HeatnBond Lite iron-on adhesive, then machine blanket stitched around the outer edge

Here are the THREE zippers!!

My Triple Zip Pouch

I decided to use it for my special buttons , thimbles and embroidery threads

Hop on over to the Triple Zip-Along Flickr group to see everyone's pouches and get inpired!  It's not too late to make one !

And look for the  February  Across The Pond Sew Along   project on Friday!  Amy from eamylove@Amy Made That! blog is launching this month's project.

I'm off to my sewing room!

I am linked to  Sew Cute Tuesday  @ Better Off Thread

Blue and White Teapots

Blue and White Elegant Teapot Table Toppers

This past weekend, if you looked around in my house, you would've almost certainly found me at my cutting table, ironing board or sewing machine.  I was hunkered in, determined to make 2 more table toppers, like the one I blogged about on Jan. 8. 
 (Some of you may have lost a bet if you'd have wagered on me that I was making more bird pincushions all weekend!  I did consider doing that, though!)

Elegant Teapot -paper pieced design by Kristy @ Quiet Play blog;   Fabric in Millhouse Inn by Moda. Posted on Jan. 8  blog

The two table toppers were commissioned by my friend, Samantha,  of At Home with Mrs. H.  Go on over to her blog and see what bags she has designed (they are beautiful! ) , and what she has been up to!    You can see the bags that I made using her patterns  at  Aug. 24   and   Dec. 9  in my posts.
 She asked for the colors of blue and white.

I had some blue fabrics  in my stash, that I thought she would like.  Timeless Treasures French Court.
After a  flurry of cutting ,sewing, seam ripping, and machine quilting ,  I came out of the marathon weekend with both teapot table toppers done!

Blue and white  Elegant Teapot Table Toppers

Teapot Two

Teapot One

The two toppers  only differed by  using different fabrics in the pinwheels ,in the corners.  
The toile , that is in the pinwheels on front, was used for the backing.

The back is the toile fabric

Well,   I am resting from making teapots for a little.   But it won't be long.    I have an order already for another.... for my daughter!  She said,  "  I'd like one of those, too!  I drink a lot of tea, Mom!"
I am getting myself a nice cup of holiday tea  and a quilt to  snuggle up in during this cold spell!  Stay warm!!


                                                Sharing at:

  

I'm off to my sewing room!

Seasons Pillow

 Seasons  in Pine Tree Park Pillow


Back in the fall, I was so happy estatic  to be able to test a  paper pieced pattern,  designed by Kristy,  of Quiet Play.  (Check out  her Quiet Play blog , where you can see all the beautiful things that she makes!  I love her style and her  blog, and  you can find her awesome patterns on her pattern page and  Craftsy!   She also  happens to be the host  of the fun sew along And So On.   (See my blog for details on how to join in with us!)

My  tester block  :  Pine Tree Park Paper pieced pattern  designed by Kristy  of Quiet Play 

I liked this  block so much, that I knew I had to come up with a project to use it in!
This was happening back in late fall, and I had just made some fun things for  Halloween .  I was looking at a few of my  Christmas stacks of fabric, that I had just selected out of my stash room, for inspiration to make some Christmas projects.  (My method - laying out piles of  coordinated fabric around my kitchen and sewing room, so that  I "trip" onto an idea for them! )
Then the idea to make a total of four blocks, with each block representing a season, popped into my head!  ( I love when that happens!)

This first block I made "felt" like summer to me.   The next  three other seasons were quick and easy to sew up. 

The hardest part for me ,was figuring out what fabrics to make sashes with. (We have an older couch that we know we want to replace "someday", but don't have a color theme thought out.  So I wanted something neutral. )   Luckily,  I had just ordered some blender  fabric from Moda  , Primitive Muslin Treenware  by Primitive Gatherings for Moda.  I LOOOOVE it!!

Moda Primitive Muslin Treenware and some blender fabrics with brown and green and cream

So I joined my blocks ,using 1 1/2 inch sashes,  to create the pillow front.  I used the darker brown and green blender for the back of the pillow (envelope style.) 
(For a great tutorial on envelope style pillow covers, I used Freshly Picked 's tutorial.  I just doubled  the fabric width and folded each piece in half,  to the proper width  for the overlap on the back. I like the firmness on the back that this creates by doubling the fabric. )  

The back side

All put together!  I added a button , made with the backing fabric

 Seasons  Pine Tree Park Pillow

I think I might make a mini quilt/ wall hanging some day , using different shades and patterns of greens!

Hey!  Did you see that??!!!  I saw something PINK in the picture  with the brown fabrics.....   what is that?

Oh yeah......  I guess I forgot that I made another Bird Pincushion the other night!

Bird Pincushion  from  Across The Pond Sew Along   Jan. project

Happy Friday , Everyone!

I'm off to my sewing room!

Susie's Sunroom is at the Linky Party    at :   

•  Can I Get a  Whoop Whoop!  at   Confessions of a Fabric Addict
•   TGIFF   at   Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday

Fun little projects

A Busy Week

I thought that January would be a month when things would slow down. So far, that hasn't happened for me.

During the past week, I did find time to make a few smaller projects.

Bird Pincushion      made with  Moda Fabric-  Mill House Inn  

( Notice that I used some gingham for Amanda,  The Patchsmith, and polka dots for Amy,  Amy Made That!, to make them  happy!)

"Tea Time" for bird, sitting  on her coordinating  Elegant Teapot Table Topper

The bird is great for using scraps from favorite projects.

And, one evening,  I made this little Cathedral Window pincushion .

A Cathedral Window   pincushion for February

The plumpish bottom side

Last week,  Amy , of Amy Made That!   made these beauties

That happened to be a coincidence.  

Ok, I admit  that I copied her! 

(These little pincushions are  so addictive !)

Sometimes little projects, that can be made in a single evening, can be so satifying!! 

I'm off to my sewing room!

2013 Fun Sewing Groups

 "Join In and Sew with Us"  Bees

This year I am having so much fun participating in two fun groups... that are filled with SO MANY talented quilters and sewists and designers!    And friends!  (They need me in the "friends" category, so I am just  happy as a clam to be 'amongst '   them all!)

             { see  further below on second half of blog for  BoM  And Sew On !}


Group One:
The Across the Pond Sew Along 

Here is my January project:   Bird Pincushion   by Joel Dewberry

Get the pattern and directions,   for free, at this link below:
 http://www.thediydish.com/promo/theDIYdish_Season3_Ep1_BirdPinCushion.pdf

Bird Pincushion  by Susie  of Susie's Sunroom

We have the  Across The Pond Sew Along Flickr group, where you can see what other folks are making, see/chat with  members of the sew along group, and read helpful hints, corrections, ideas and comments about every project!!
See what has been added to the Flickr group already:

made by Amy of  eamylove at Amy Made That!

made by Amanda  at  The Patchsmith

Made by Lea

made by Liz of dandeliondaydreams.blogspot.co.uk

made by Amanda  of  The Patchsmith

New Bird on the Block!  Made by  Susie   at  Susie's Sunroom

Pincushion birds   Made by Creativemomentscary

           
Aren't these all so cute!!  I am going to make another one this afternoon, to add to my pincushion collection!
                                                          **********************

Group Two:
Yesterday, I finished my first block in the And Sew On BoM,  hosted by Kristy, of Quiet Play !

This is a paper pieced block-of-the-month, with 9 patterns designed by Kristy.  
Every month,  a new pattern is introduced, and you can download it  free from  her Craftsy store , during that current month!    
The blocks are 10 1/2 in unfinished, and are themed  around sewing items!!  How fun is that!

Monthly, there is a linky party at Quiet Play for you to share your finished blocks. And Kristy has prizes lined up!
There is a  Quiet Play flickr group Quiet Play Flickr Group , too, where you can share  your pictures and chat about the BoM.

Here's my January Block:     Measure Twice

Measure Twice   by Susie  at Susie's Sunroom        

I chose fabrics with lots of bright colors and  some sewing themes.  Naturally, black and white fabrics  will be thrown into the mix!  (Check out my Flickr page to see what I love to make.)
Fabrics:    Sew Pins  The Henley Studio  makower uk ;  Sanctuary Glass Tile  Michael Miller ; Remix  Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman ; Scissors  The Henley Studio  makower uk ;  Ruler- stash yellow, with satin stitched inch lines by machine.

Well, these  ongoing groups should keep me out of trouble .... for awhile! :)

I'm off to my sewing room!