Wednesday, July 27, 2016

More testing and finding the silver lining

Funny Bunny Blocks
These two blocks were tested for Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts (here). She has done many nature based designs. Last week she had this block and three others up for testing. The big one is 10" x 12" finished and the little one is 5" x 6" finished. Her finished pattern has directions for several different sizes of quilts. These were just fun to do.
Now for the silver lining part of the post. Yesterday I went to the local pharmacy to pick up some eye drops. I had phoned ahead to renew my prescription and it was to be ready at a certain time. I went 45 minutes after that time to allow for whatevers to happen. Well of course there was a big line up so I did the rest of my shopping and came back and there was still a line up so I got in line and waited. After I had been waiting for about 10 minutes a female person walked her shopping cart in through the groups that was waiting and when the "can I help who is next?" was called she just waltzed up to the counter. I will admit I pointed out to her that there was a line and we were all waiting our turn. There were still two people in front of me. So I got to wait some more. The silver lining you ask??? Three months ago I could not have stood at the counter as I did for a few moments short of half an hour so I am gaining my strength and stability back tiny bit by tiny bit. Enough negativity. I am heading back to my sewing room. Piecefully, Joanne

Monday, July 18, 2016

Welcome to Day 6 of the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop

Thank you for stopping by.  I am thrilled to be part of this particular hop. Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has done a fantastic job of organizing this varied gaggle of bloggers and keeping us in line (well sort of).  Make certain to visit her blog daily for the next installment for the quilt along.  She had us test the project ahead of time so that it worked into about an hour or less of sewing per day.

We have reached the midpoint of the blog hop.  Based on what I have seen so far it looks like there is something for everyone who celebrates Christmas and with a little tweaking there is something for everyone who celebrates anything.

For my turn I am going to talk about Folded Fabric Ornaments or Fabric Origami.  There are all kinds of videos on YouTube showing how to do the folding.  This I discovered after I started my love affair with folded fabric.


The red and green "flower" above started as two 21" circles of fabric and finished at just over 10" square.   I have found good contrast between the front and the back improves the final look of the flower.  I thought this one could be a hot mat for the table so it also has an insulated layer of thermolam inside, much as you would have layers of a quilt.  I layered the batting, then the back (green) right side up and then the red print right side down and stitched around the circle, leaving a hole to turn the circle right side out. Before I turned it right side out I went around the circle and took tiny little notches out of the seam.  This reduces the bulk in the seam and helps the seam lie flatter when turned right side out.  Once turned right side out and the opening is stitched, the directions for all sizes are the same after adjusting for the newer size.


The maroon and green ornament shown above started as an 8 1/2" circle, and finished at 4 1/4" square and the smallest one, next to it, started as a 4 1/2" circle and finished at 2 1/4" square.

Steps to make your own:

1.  Start with two fabrics that have fairly high contrast.  Determine the size you want and cut two circles to that size. The final product is approximately half the starting circle size and in this case a circle becomes a square.

2.  Place the two circles right sides together and stitch around the outside edge with 1/4" seam, leaving a break large enough to turn the circle right side out.

3.  Clip the curves on the seam or if using a batting take little V notches out of the seam.  This reduces bulk and allows the seam to lie flat once turned right side out.

4.  Turn right side out, press and stitch the opening in the seam closed using a blind hem or other nearly invisible stitch.

5.  Fold the circle in fourths and find the centre and mark that with a pencil on the good side. this will be covered over when you are finished.

6.  Lay the opened circle on a flat surface with the good side down or the back facing up.

7.  Fold in the curved edges all the way around (1/2" for the small, 1" for the medium and 2 1/2" for the large).  This photo shows the back of the piece with the edges folded back.


8.  Turn your piece over so that the side that has the folded over edges is at the back.  Pull each corner to the centre.  That is the spot you marked in step 5.  Stitch these four points together.  To "hide" these stitches you can add a button or a bead to this center location.

The book Flower Origami by Kumiko Sudo has this and many other flower shapes made using origami techniques. The instructions are clearly illustrated and easy to follow.

Be sure to "hop" over and see what today's other 12 Days of Christmas in July blogger, Suzy over at Adventurous Appliqué and Quilting, has to share! Piecefully, Joanne


Wednesday, July 13, 2016

The Wait Is Almost Over


The 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop is coming to a blog hear you starting before you know it.  Beginning tomorrow and for the following 12 days you can blog hop here and there, travel across an ocean or two and meet bloggers famous and not so well known. Each and everyone will be sharing an idea or two that could apply to Christmas.  If Christmas isn't your thing there will be gift ideas and thoughts of cooler weather for those of us in the NorthernHemisphere who are finding the weather a trifle warm these days. I will make my entrance on Tuesday July 19 so see you then.

Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has us all organized and she is also running a quilt along while the blog hop is running so make certain you stop by her blog (here).

Piecefully, Joanne
Here's a list of all the blogs and their posting dates:

July 14th:     Sharon Vrooman @ Vrooman’s Quilts
                    Carole Carter @ From My Caroline Home

July 15th:    Yanicka Hachez @ Finding Myself As An Artist
                   Chris Dodsley @ made by ChrissieD

July 16th:     Marsha Hodgkins @ Quilter in Motion
                    Leanne Parsons  @ Devoted Quilter

July 17th:     Tonia Conner @ All Thingz Sewn
                    Selina @ Selina Quilts

July 18th:     Lara Buccella @ Buzzin Bumble
                    Soma Acharya @ Whims and Fancies

July 19th:     Joanne Harris@ Quilts by Joanne
                    Suzy Webster @ Adventurous Applique and Quilting

July 20th:     Vicki in MN @ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting
                    Jennifer Fulton @ The Inquiring Quilter

July 21st:     Michele Kuhns @ Crayon Box Quilt Studio
                    Jan Ochterbeck @ The Colorful Fabriholic

July 22nd:     Alla Blanca @ Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.
                     Zenia Rene @ A Quilted Passion

July 23rd:     Joanne Hubbard @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt
                    Paige Alexander @ Quilted Blooms

July 24th:     Carolyn Jones @ …by CJ
                    Tisha Nagel @ Quilty Therapy

July 25th:     Susan Arnold @ Quilt Fabrication
                    Beth Sellers @ Cooking Up Quilts
                    Linda Pearl @ One Quilting Circle