Wordless Wednesday....

Three Plum Blossom pincushion

mary

A Couple of Tutes...OR...One Bloomin' Long Post....

Ha!  This will probably be a tutorial you all have tucked neatly under your belts.  You are all very talented and experienced quilters and crafters.  But the lovely Molly came to me last night and asked me to teach her how to make a yo-yo.....so here goes.....

 I use a set of round cookie cutters (biscuit cutters for my UK friends) for making yo-yo's....but I also find them useful for other purposes when you need circle shapes.

Choose a circle...but be warned these yo-yo's get very small so pick a circle larger than you think you will need.  Trace the circle on the wrong side of your fabric and cut out on the line...

Then turn under the raw edge slightly less than a quarter inch....and with your threaded needle in hand {double strand and knot at the end} stitch a running stitch....turning the edge under as you go.  If you make your running stitches a little larger - the hole in the center will be smaller....if you make your running stitches smaller - the hole in the center will be larger :)

When you have reached the spot where you began stitching....gently pull the thread to gather the stitches....

Pop it inside out so the right side is on the outside now....it will look like a teeny little pilgrim cap!!!

Pull the thread so the center closes....and now you have a yo-yo!!!   Take a couple of tiny stitches in the folds to hold it secure....and you are done :)

Now the other tutorial I have planned is the cute little house block...probably something you know how to do as well....so I will forgive you if you just want to pass on by to the next much more exciting blog ;)

I do this block in stages - the roof and sky and the house and ground.  The block I am making is a 12 inch square block.  I usually over-size everything and then cut it down later.  So this block will be 12 inches before adding the borders.

I begin on the house part without the roof....for this block I cut the white {background fabric} 6 inches by 5 inches - this is for the left side of the house.  I cut the left side of the house {the side with the window} 6 inches by 3 1/2 inches....

I cut the left house side into two pieces to add a window and sides {house fabric} to go onto both sides of the window....bottom of the house under the window is 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches....and my window is 2 inches by 2 inches....the sides are 1 1/2 inches...remember I over-size so I can cut it down if I want to....

   

I took a piece of ribbon for curtains and folded it so it would fit across my white window ...and stitched the curtain onto the window square at the top....

  

Then I add the sides to frame the window....then the top above the window and the bottom underneath the window.... see I will trim this up nicely so the sides are even....

The door is done pretty much the same way...although for this house I wanted an arched door....so I curved the top of my door {convex} and the piece of house that goes above the door I curved {concave}...make the concave piece a little larger than the convex piece so you can ease in the arch....and mine turned out a little bit wonky....these are teeny pieces!!!

looks frightening doesn't it?

Once your door is done, add the other side of the house and the other piece of background fabric....

I added a window to the door in just the same manner...Now, on to the roof....

I want an angle in my roof and the background fabric on both sides of the roof....so to get the right angle, place the background fabric underneath your roof fabric.  For the left side of the house I have the left side of the roof just over the background fabric enough to catch both pieces when I angle it.  Position your straight edge at an angle and cut...most of the background fabric will be off to your left....just the opposite for the other side of the roof....

Another tip about the roof....you want the measurement of the bottom of the roof to be just slighly larger than your house measurement.  It looks okay if the roof is a little larger than the house but not if the roof is smaller....

Now your house is in three pieces....the roof and background sides - the house and background sides - and the grass....sew them together!!!

Molly did the embroidery and I will add some borders....hope I didn't bore you too much:)

mary

Wanna Come to My House????

Working on a sweet little project for work....more on this later....

I'll leave the light on for you :)

mary

What a Fantastic Group of Quilters!!!!

Just a quick post tonight....I have to share with you some pictures from my Friday night Beginners Quilting Class.  I love teaching quilting classes....and beginner quilters are so much fun!  This group was no exception!!!  And here pictures of their pinwheel quilts before we cleaned them up and added the binding....

Jennifer and her sweet pinwheel quilt using cloud nine fabric!!!

Melissa used Anna Maria Horner for a fabulous quilt!!!

And this is Missy with her fantastic Spring Street quilt!!!

Aren't they just wonderful?  I think so....pretty darn good for a first ever quilt!!! YAY!!!

mary

Liberated Spider Webs....

I played around with more spider webs today....I actually "liberated" some spidey webs :)

Again, I began with some strips of fabric...this time of various widths.  I needed to sew a piece of fabric at least 5.5 inches wide...this time I am making a 10 inch block so that block corresponds with the 5.5 inch mark on my ruler....

I am using the 45 degree edge on the ruler so I need 8 wedges to make a complete block...

You could certainly make your own template...geometry is not my best subject so I will leave that up to you :)

Again, I pieced the wedges in pairs and then in halves and pieced the halves together....

If you stop just short of the center when sewing all the wedges, your block will be flat in the center and you will get the swirl :)

I love the more "liberated" look....

I pieced a couple this morning to see how I liked it...

What fun!!!  I love it!!!

Hope you are having a great Friday...TGIF!!!

mary  

I'M BAAAACCCKKKKK!!!!

Well, I had a couple of fun relaxing days with my mom.  We talked and talked and laughed and laughed....ate too many brownies....and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.  It is so nice to go home, but so sad when it is time to leave.

That's okay...I am going back in a couple of weeks and this time I will not forget my camera!!!

While I was there I popped into the quilt shop....

my mom lives in a very small town so in the quilt shop I was able to get some of the latest scoop about town....and of course I picked up some fabrics....I absolutely believe in supporting the local economy no matter where I am :)

I thought these would make perfect additions to my QAL scrappy quilt....ha!!!  I always get a kick out of buying new fabric for my scrappy quilts!!!  

I just loved these....and I know they will find a home somewhere....

Today I am waiting for my sister-in-law to stop by for a visit....she is bringing Girl Scout Cookies....YUM!  And a couple of old quilts she wants me to look at.  I think they have some areas that are worn or torn.  I have always felt quilts that are torn and unable to be repaired should be left in that state rather than cut up for pillows or other projects.  I still think there is a lot to learn from looking at old quilts - even if they are a bit tattered.  I don't know...do you have an opinion regarding quilts that are in disarray?

So while I was waiting I wanted to just play around a little with some fabric...and the Kaleido- ruler....

I sewed some 2.5 inch strips together....

Using the ruler I cut triangles following the line for an eleven inch block....

From the other end of the ruler, I cut triangles (4) for the tops of four corners to make this a square block...again using the measurements for an eleven inch block...add the triangle tops to 4 of the pieced triangles....

I joined the the eight {pieced} triangles together in pairs and then joined the pairs to make two halves....

You guessed it!!!  I joined the halves to make one cute spider web block....

Hopefully, later today I can fool around with this some more....I want to cut smaller strips and strips of different widths to give it a more "liberated" look.

Hope you are having a fun day....I can't wait to sit down this evening a see what everyone is working on!!!

mary

Oh Where, Oh Where, Did My Bag of Supplies Go?

Are you singing along with me?  Let me tell you - I was not in a singing mood earlier....I am over it now....

Have you ever lost something that you really need?  I don't usually...I try very hard to keep track of all my "stuff"....but I cannot find a pattern, needles, and buttons that I had all together in a zip lock bag.  I am sure it is here somewhere - probably snickering at me - I just can't find it.

This is just one box of fabric....I have about 5 or 6 more - some larger some smaller.  Then I have baskets with patterns and worksheets, folders I use for classes.  It would be so much better if I had one location for all of this...oh well

As I was searching....I found a few things I had forgotten about.....fun, fun!

This is a sweet little quilt I made several years ago....

It is not large - about 24" X 27" - I guess....I had an estimate on framing it, but geesh it was an outrageous amount so I need to just put a sleeve on the back....

It is just a peaceful little quilt :)

And I found a book from years and years ago....it is full of Early American crafts...

Wouldn't this be a precious applique project....

And this I LOVE!!!

More projects....I did manage to piece another ring for the QAL....

It may be quiet here for a couple of days...Mary McNeil and I are going to visit my mom....

See you when I get back :)

***Oh, I almost forgot, Jodi at Pleasant Home was so sweet to feature Molly Flanders on her blog today!!!  YAY!  I am always inspired by the features on Jodi's blog - there are lots of creative people in our little sphere!!!   

  

  

Sunday Business....

It was a busy fun weekend around here...I had a great class on Friday night...then Saturday the shoppe - Sew To Speak -  { where I work and teach }  celebrated a 3rd. year with a Tea Party....remember the apron I made?  It was a fun and busy day...with giveaways and treats.  And best of all lots of good friends :)

Sew To Speak....Columbus, Ohio

Then today I worked on a quilt for daughter #3.  She asked for simple framed squares using Amy Butler fabrics...

So here is what I worked on...some Amy, some solids, a little wonky...

And then she tells me that is not the type of quilt she is looking for...so back to the drawing board...but there are a few other things that I am interested in working on so she will have to wait.

I put together another wheel for my QAL with Lynne at Lily's Quilts....

I am going for a scrappy look {so I can use my scraps and not look like such a hoarder}

Two rings complete...I need to decide what to use in the center....hmmm.

Everyone is off for the week...so I will get to sleep in late and will travel to see my mom this week....YAY....no cookin' or cleanin'....HA!

mary

EXCITED....EXCITING!!!!

Wow!  I have finished quilting the Gypsy Kisses {pickle-dish} quilt.....

The pattern is from Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke's Material Obsession 2....I started this quilt way back in October!!!!  Pickle-dish is a block design I have always loved...and since I knew the Quilting Fairy wasn't going to bring me one, I had to do it myself.  What's a girl to do?

The pattern calls for 4 rows of pickle-dish blocks (3 in each row), but I didn't need a quilt that large so I made mine 3 by 3....the final measurement is about 93 inches square....more or less....

The arcs are pieced using foundation piecing and then the entire arc block is hand appliqued onto the background....the center eyes are appliqued to the center section of the arcs....

I added a piano key border to the two sides and a background border to the top and bottom....and hand quilted the quilt with perle cotton...

I absolutely LOVE this quilt....as you can see by all the photos :)

  

Other news that has got my heart a thumpin'....I was tickled to find out that Carla is featuring my blog today as she celebrates her one year blogiversary.  Her blog is Lollyquiltz....she is one talented lady so I am thrilled that she wants to feature little old me.  And not to mention that she has been blogging for a year now....that is something to be applauded!!!  Visit her blog...she is planning a giveaway tomorrow!!! 

Now that my pickle-dish is quilted....it is time to start my Tea Party {Strawberry Fields} quilt....

This is a pattern by Sarah Fielke from the first Material Obsession book...I am telling you - I can't get enough of these books...these women are some seriously talented gals!!!

I marked my quilting lines with a Hera marker....

A Hera marker leaves a crease line to follow rather than an ink mark....

I have chosen my colors...perle cotton of course....

love hand quilting :)

Finally,  with all the excitement going on....my quilt, the quilt along at Lily's Quilts {which is just too much fun}, the tea party at work and all the fun stuff going on at Sew To Speak, and finals and cleaning the bathroom :(  ...... I forgot to mention that I won another award!!!  I was honored by Cindy at Rose Room Quilts with the Stylish Blogger award!!!

As a recipient of this award I have to list 7 little known facts {or not so little known} about me....hmmmm.....

1. I am a child of the 60's 

2. I was born in Ohio and attended THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY....Go Bucks!!!

3. I am married to Mike

4. We have 3 beautiful daughters and one mutt

5. Everyone in my family has an M name...which made it difficult to yell someones name without stuttering....Mike, Mary, Molly, Maggie, and Mary McNeil 

6. My dog's name is Flanders...and I love every inch of her :)

7. I want to live {at least part of my life} in Ireland...proudly we are of Irish heritage

I will need to choose other blogs pass on this award...YAY...another excuse to peruse the blogs!!!

Okay- sorry for the very wordy post!!!

mary