Hope Valley is out!!!!

Denyse Schmidt's next line of quilting fabric is now viewable online!

Finishing the Quilt

After getting all the squares done, I sewed the top together first by rows, then sewing the rows together. When connecting rows, be sure to start at opposite ends on each row. This helps to ensure that your quilt won't be slightly curved to one side.


Here I laid out the back piece, right side facing the floor, then the batting, then the top of the quilt. You can either hand baste it, but I liked using quilting safety pins. They are curved so it is easier to pin then in place. Be sure to start from the middle and smooth all your layers.



I managed to get about 3 inches of sewing done when I decided it was time to buy a walking foot. Well worth the investment. Of course I was also suckered in to buying a 1/2 inch seam foot as well. I managed to hold off when the sales woman asked if I needed more bobbins.

The finished product!

The greatest part of this, aside from seeing it all come together, was that it sold, on Etsy, in about 24 hours!

Calling all Flea Market Fancy Lovers!

A goof friend of mine sent me a link for this blog that is solely dedicated to bringing back Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy line of fabric. Currently it is not being produced and fat quarters go for a hefty sum like it's a black market for quilters. So if you would like to join along - and you know you do! - sign her petition that will be sent to Free Spirit, the company that prints Schmidt's fabrics.

The Next Quilt

(A bit wrinkly)

I'm getting the quilting itch again. I found a stash of fabrics that I bought a few years ago just after graduating from college. To me they looked sweet and perfect for a girl's quilt. I'm using a log cabin pattern. One block left before I assemble the top. I'm already thinking about the next few...

The Earring Holder

I had decided it was finally time to retire my crappy window screen earring holder for something slightly more glam. Debating whether to do a cool tree like hanger (cats would play with it) or maybe another vanity top contraption (took up too much surface area) I decided to make a wall hanging version. This is super easy to make with the right tools:

8 x 10 or larger frame in decent shape
Stamped metal mesh (think vintage upright radiator screens. You can find this at any hardware or home center)
Tin snipers if you are lucky or have a brother in law who loves tools.
Little metal tabs for holding glass (in this case metal) in the frame. Available at a craft store such as Micheal's.
Small felt pads (under the chair leg floor protectors)

1. Start by finding a neat frame. I found this guy at the Goodwill! Can't beat 99 cents! Use the glass as a template to trace out the size directly onto the stamped metal.

1. Using a tin snipers, cut your metal.The trick with tin snipers is to hold it paralel with the metal. Found that out the hard way.
   

1. Insert into the back of the frame. If it's tight enough you may not need to secure it, otherwise use pointy metal tabs that can be inserted with a flat knife edge or an edge of a putty knife.

1. If the frame will sit too flat against the wall for the hooks of the earrings, then use small sticky-backed felt pads used for under chair legs. This will raise it off the wall and keep it from sliding around too much.

Free Spirit Fabrics Free Patterns

Free Spirit Fabrics, which carries several designers like Anna Marie Horner, Joel Dewberry, and Denyse Schmidt to name a few has several free quilt patterns! The quilt above is called Good Folks by Anna Marie Horner.

Darla

From David Walker's Robots

Cool Blog - Film in the Fridge

The cutest dang potholders you have ever seen!

I had to think about what this name means and then I remembered back to high school and my photography classes. Oh yeah, you keep film in the fridge to preserve it. Cool!

This woman is uber talented! Maker of quilts and other sewn goodies she also has a fabric collection to die for - including many rare out of print Flea Market Fancy pieces. Her quilts are lovely and she has many great tutorials and images of her quilt squares.

Be sure to check out her string quilt tutorial.

She also has an http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7001061 where she sells her cute quilts. I love her Baby Girl Stripes quilt here. Great color combination, not too girly, but just sweet enough.

All images from Film in the Fridge