Pattern testing - Gatherings - a wood crate liner.

Do you have one of those cute little wooden crates?  Well, I have a fun way for you to dress it up!!!!! And the best part, you can make it seasonal or to match your decor.


I have had a great opportunity to test a pattern called "Gatherings"  for Rachel Rossi of #designsbyrr that was just released today. It is a basket liner for a wood crate. I chose to do it in a patriotic fabric since it is close to Independence Day.

The instructions are easy to understand, very well written, and I think that it would work for a beginner sewer.  The advice I always give to people is to read through the pattern before you start. Yes, I have made mistakes because I haven't always done that.

If you are into the wood crate storage option or are just looking for a new pattern to try out, I encourage you to make one, or two, or a few.   I actually made this for my daughter. Right now, I don't have any wood crates. I am at a point where I am trying to get rid of things, not collect more, unless of course it is quilting related. My daughter uses this for books she checks out from the library for her kids. So, when you make one, what will you put in it?  Have fun!

Well, I guess I need to tell you how to order this pattern, right? I am going to link you over to Rachel's page and you can order it there.
http://www.rachelrossi.design/product/gatherings-wood-crate-liner-pdf/
 enjoy!!!!!!

throwback Thursday - hello kitty quilt

In late 2012, a friend commissioned me to do a quilt for his wife's birthday. The only requirement it had was to be Hello Kitty fabric. I asked for her favorite colors and went with that. I showed him some designs and he pretty much let me pick what I wanted to do. After picking the blocks I wanted to do, looking  at fabric and sending him pictures of it, I worked up a quote. This was my first commissioned quilt job and I wanted everything to be perfect. I kept him updated on the quilt. He did not need it until June, so I had some time to work on it.

I had lots of fun doing this quilt and making sure I got just the right colors. The quilting was just an allover meander, done on my husqvarna viking lily 550. The back was done with white, as was the binding. The binding was Stitched to the front of the quilt, then folded over and sewn to the back by hand.
He only needed it to be a lap quilt, so I made it about 50 x 60. He was so excited when I gave it to him, and knew his wife would really love it. He has mentioned to me that his wife really likes it.  I love the joy that comes from making a quilt for somebody and knowing that they really love it.

tricot nightgown

I made this tricot nightgown for my granddaughters 6th birthday. I sure hope she likes it. I used mccalls pattern 7221.

I chose not to put elastic in the sleeves. I also decided not to put the bottom ruffle on this and instead finished the bottom and sleeves with lace.

I really like to make my blogs informative. So, I am going to give you some tips for working with tricot. When pinning your pattern down, use sharp pins and pin frequently.
Use sharp scissors for cutting.
When sewing you can use a serger, or you can just use a regular sewing machine.
I used a size 80/12 schmetz universal sewing machine needle.
Pin frequently.  Yes, I know it takes time, but it is very slippery.
This pattern worked great for the tricot. I will definitely make more. I am thinking 2 layers if I use a light colored fabric, as it was just a bit sheer.
Tricot is fun to work with.
My granddaughter tried it on when I gave it to her, and decided she wanted to keep wearing it. She told her mom this morning that she loves it and it is very comfy.

This week I am linking up with Monday Making over at lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com
Let's be social at sew fresh quilts
Needle and thread Thursday at my quilt infatuation
Can I get  a  Whoop Whoop at confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com

Head in the Clouds pattern

I recently got to be a pattern tester for Rachel Rossi at Designs by Rachel Rossi (facebook) @designsbyrr(instagram).
The name of the quilt is "Head in the Clouds. "

 The pattern was easy to follow. One of the things I do, and I really don't recommend is I start cutting, then decide I need to start sewing, then I totally get lost of what I have cut. She gives a very good cutting it and she suggests the you put a paper on the pieces, so you know what each one is. Yes, by all means do this.

The quilt is being quilted now. I wanted to do something fun with the quilting, so being that it was "Head in the clouds", I decided to do an allover cloud design on the background. I used an embroidery thread in blue. It has a bit of a sheen to it. I used the same blue in my bobbin. I did all of the background first, then unrolled and re-rolled so I could do the balloons.

 At first I thought I might do a stitch in the ditch, but decided my balloons needed more. So I thought I would try some different designs. I love variegated thread, and I had a cone of maxi lock that the color is orange creamsicle. That is also a favorite ice cream treat. So, I started playing, and I did some fun designs. My quilting is not perfect, but I know with practice I will get better at it. I tried to do some figure 8's, swirls and kind of a pebble design.

All in all I had great fun doing this quilt. It was fun to try some designs that I had seen done and had wanted to try. One thing I would recommend is when you are contemplating a quilting design to sketch it out first.  I like quilts that are cuddly and not densely quilted. I think some of it may be too dense, but it will work. This quilt is being gifted to my grandson for his first birthday.

If you would like to order the pattern, here is the link www.rachelrossi.design/product/head-in-the-clouds-hot-air-balloon-baby-quilt-pdf-copy/

Monday Making week 3

This week I have a few things I am working on. I will be sewing some clothes. My oldest granddaughter will be 6 on Friday, and she wants a new nightgown,  so I thought I would make one from tricot for her. I had a tricot nightgown when I was a little girl, and it was one of my favorites. I also thought I would make her a dress.

Bet you can't guess her favorite color, can you?


So what is tricot? Tricot is a knit fabric, with a silk like feel to it. It is used mostly for slips and lingerie. However, when I was married almost 33 years ago, it was very popular at the time, to use it for quilts. People would make whole cloth quilts. I have used it for quilts as well. It is not hard to hand quilt with and I am going to try to use my longarm to do a whole cloth quilt. I need more hours in the day.  When I give it a try I will definitely let you know.

Tricot is fun to sew with. Yes, it takes some patience,  just remember to pin it well as it can be very slippery.

I  am also working on my farm girl vintage quilt. I don't have a new block to add for that one.

Today I am linking up with Monday Making over at lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com

throwback Thursday

Today I want to share 2 things with you. The first is this blessing dress. I did it for my 2nd granddaughter 4 years ago. It is done with shadow work embroidery and hand smocked. It was so much fun to do, but yes, a lot of work.

The second one is a quilt I made for a friends little girl in 2010. I was talking to my friend the other day and she said that her little girl still uses and loves her quilt. My friend told me it is one of her favorites of all the quilts I have made. I quilted it on my domestic machine.

I love to quilt and sew. I also enjoy hand embroidery and smocking, as well as applique.

Monday Making #2

This week I am going to work on finishing some things up and work on my blocks for my farm girl vintage quilt. These are some of the blocks I have done.

I have done some of the blocks by machine and some by hand. I enjoy hand piecing. It is relaxing. The funny thing is, I sew at work and will sometimes work on these during my lunch break. On Tuesdays, one of my local shops has a free sew day. I don't have a great amount of time for lunch, but I will take my hand piecing and work on it for about 30 minutes. Hand piecing to me is very relaxing.

This past Saturday,  I was doing a shop hop, and I showed my granddaughter that is almost 6, a quilt that was hanging in a shop, and it just happened to be a farm girl vintage. She asked who I was making it for and I told her for me. She said "or for me." Yes, I could do one for her. Maybe if I work fast, I could do one for her birthday. It is June 17th, but I get an extra day or two, because we will celebrate it on father's day. We shall see.

Today I am linking up with Monday Making over at lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com.

bricks and Blocks quilt along week 5

This week we are quilting our quilts. Because I have problems with my upper back in my shoulder area, I use a machine quilting frame, rather than quilt on a domestic machine. So I am going to show some samples and explain how the quilting is done. The first thing I would like you to do is stabilize your quilt. To do this stitch in the ditch along every other block. So start in the center and quilt on either side of that row of blocks all the way down. Then go onto the next one. Repeat all the way across. Then you can do the rows across. You really only need to do what you need to be able to keep the back from getting all puckery.

The first example of quilting that I think would look good in the "bricks" is called back and forth. With this one you start in one corner of the brick and go straight across, and then turn, and go across and repeat. Very easy and fun.

Another option you can do is called "wishbone" with this one you start in the top corner and angle slightly, then when you get almost to the opposite edge of your brick, make a loop, just a small one, and angle back to the other side. Repeat.

For both of these I like my free motion foot. When I can't decide what I want to do, I just do loop-de-loops. They are always fun or even just a meander or a stipple. Something like this is fun. I am doing little cloud shapes.

For the big squares you can do a heart in there, of course you have to start and stop a lot. You could also do an "x" in there. You could also do a large meander in there and a little bit of stitch in the ditch to get to another large square. I am only giving you ideas. This is your quilt and you need to quilt it the way you want it quilted. One of my daughters has chosen to handquilt hers. It is a queen size and there is no way she could do it with her machine. This is her quilt.

I currently have a quilt on my frame, but keep watching as in the next week, I will start quilting the crib one my daughter put together for me. 

throw back thursday

Today is thursday, and I decided it would be a great day for blogging. I was reflecting on some of the quilts I have made and today I want to share about this one.

This quilt was made back in 2010 for a great nephew. It is hard to believe it was that long ago. This was the 2nd quilt I quilted on my domestic (home) machine. I used my husqvarna viking lily 550. Very small throat to put a quilt in. I know there were mistakes in it, but the parents didn't seem to notice. One of the things I told them is that this quilt, as all of mine are, was made with love. It is a simple 4 patch pattern, and I did a meandering in the center and the borders have hearts all around. This was a fun quilt to do.