The rest of Christmas

Just thought I’d show ya’ll what I gave MY mom!

The runner

Notice the AWESOME wine glasses!!  From my equally AWESOME Aunt!

closeup of the quilting

Just a general meander.

with place mat set #1

MORE left over blocks!!  I didn’t realize I could have done this quilt 2x!

with place mat set #2

And yes, she has 2 complete sets.  When we come over, my kids do a number on her tableware!!  LOL

So all that’s left to show off is Dinah’s desk set.  Eventaully, I’ll break in and photo that, too! Until then…

peace and pieces,
amy

 

Christmas gifts 2011

This is my last post of 2011!!  I hope to have many many many new posts in 2012!

I made quite a few gifts this year.  I hope I took pictures of them all, but I’m not sure I did!  Let’s see.

Gifts for my nieces in NC–One loves BLUE, so she got this.

Blue Windows for Amber

closeup of the orangepeel quilting

For the other NC niece, I went much more modern.  I’m disgusted with the pictures.  It rained ALL week, so I had to take indoor pictures.

Modern look for Bobbie

LOVED the backing

3 days before Christmas, Mike started saying that HE was getting a quilt for Christmas.  CRAP.  Walmart’s precut batik strips to the rescue!

Mike's Rock Candy Christmas

closeup

back

Gifts for the inlaws—

for Pop Pop

the yellow smudges are Phillip!

GiGi's placemats. Boys were crawfish..

..and the girls were crabs

waterbottle carrier for Tina

totebag for Tina

I did some goodies for Louetta–beautiful placemats–no pictures.  I did a horsie set for Dinah–notebook, binder, and kleenex cover–no pictures.  MOM didn’t get her stuff yet, so no pictures of that yet.  I THINK that was all that I made for gifts this year.

Here is to many MANY more posts in 2012.  Thank you to my loyal followers!!  Keep posted–I want to get more traffic to my blog this year, so I’ll host a giveaway, have some free patterns, and a few other stuff.  I am ALSO going to start charging taxes.  This will be the first year I actually might be in the black, so I figure I’d better sign up with the state and be legal!  Paperwork–YUCK!  LOL  so lots of changes on the way.

peace and pieces,
amy

 

Halloween Goodies!

I have a friend who found the main print at a garage sale for a steal.

She’s been folding it and laying across things in her house for a long while now.

so I sewed up a few things from it!!

BIG table square, small candle mat, 3 shorter runners, and one LONG runner.

She is a decorator’s DREAM!

Oh, and a Mantle Scarf!!   I’m in LOVE with how this came out.  Just wish I’d written down my “pattern” as I went!

He just made me smile–I didn’t make him!!

Don’t you wish YOU had a bunch of goodies like these??

Happy Halloween!

peace and pieces,
amy

Tableware.

Look at my NEW STUFF!  I’m still working on the pattern for the runner, but I’m ALMOST done with it.  I’m pleased with how it’s turning out.

And of course the placemats were made a while ago.  Tutorial HERE.

And of COURSE it’s reversible!

I still had a few pieces leftover, and managed to eek out some napkins by adding some flannel.

I need one more layer cake, and then I SHOULD be ready for the proper tutorial.  Keep your eyes and ears open!  It’ll be here soon!!

 

peace and pieces,
amy

TORTURE!!!

Just wanted to torture my Aunt Les!!  hehehehe

aren’t I EVIL????  MWUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

And these are my Bow ties for my Summer Bow Tie Challenge.  I have about 14 now, I think.  I’m going to TRY and do 2 a day.  I’m thinking about an On Point setting, so it’ll be a decent size.  And it’s for MY house!!

peace and pieces,
amy

Trash in to Treasure!

First, I made some potholders as a birthday present.

Pretty, huh???

Anyway, trimming them to a 9 inch square left a pile of shreds.  A pile of trash!!!  Add catnip–

Stuff it all into a tiny pillow…

And you have a Happy Kitty!!

A VERY happy kitty!

peace and pieces,
amy

Another set of placemats

This is what I started to test out my tutorial pattern.  I almost like these better!!  This is Connecting Threads’ Sunny Skies.  HOW stinking cheerful is THIS???

Once again, an overlock finish.

I smile just looking at this color combination.

It reminds me of my Mom’s quilt.  I made it several years ago.

Stay tuned—I’m working on a Table runner.  It’s a tad more complicated than the place mats (free tutorial HERE), but still fairly easy.  And I searched to find something similar, and found NOTHING!!   Did I really invent something totally new???  We shall see!!!

peace and pieces,
amy

FREE Placemat Tutorial

I was messing around with a layer cake, trying to throw together something as an Instant Gratification Project.  I managed to make 6 tops and 6 backs in about an hour.  It was AWESOME!!!  So I decided to make another set and show you all how I did it!!  Are ya’ll ready???

Materials list:
1 layer cake, or  24  pieces of fabric, a 10 inch square of each
Binding material
Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat
Batting of your choice

I started out with a GORGEOUS Layer cake from Moda.

I picked out the 12 pieces I want for the fronts-

Now pick out another 12 for the backs. (I know, they are JUST as pretty as the back!!  If you want, go find yardage of something more boring to use and save these for another set of fronts!) 

Now, it’s time for the cutting!!

Take your 12 fronts, and put them in stacks of 6.  I don’t care how you sort, just make 2 stacks.  Stack them NEATLY, and square off the front edge.  Cut a 4 inch, a 2.5 inch, a 2 inch, and a 1 inch.

Take the second stack and also square off the front edge.  Then cut a 3 inch, 2 inch, 1.5 inch, and another 3 inch.

Take a SINGLE fabric from each stack.  mix and match until you like the way it looks.  You can do this any way you want.  In this picture, I only have one piece of each fabric shown.

You can also do it a bit more organized.  In this picture, I picked 2 fabrics from each stack.  Doing it THIS way, you will have 3 sets of place mats that look very similar.

Just be sure you have one 4″ strip, two 3″ strips, two 2″ strips, a 2.5″, a 1.5″ and a 1″.  That is 8 strips in total.

Sew them puppies together!!!!  Iron all the seams in the same direction.

Now you should have 6 completed tops!!  Aren’t they AWESOME???  They finish at approx. 10″ x 15.5″.

Now for the backs.  Take 2 squares of fabric.  Cut ONE in half.

Sew to the sides of the other one.  Iron the seams.  The backs finish at approx 10″ x 19″. Do this 6 times.

There you go!!!  Now go find some scraps of batting.  I’m SURE you have as much laying around as I do!!

Sandwich the 3 layers.  Try to line up the top and bottom edge as best you can.  Baste anyway you prefer. For small projects like this, I love to use a basting spray.

Now, quilt however you want.  I thought a simple grid, or a tight stipple would hold it all down nicely.  Use your creativity and have FUN!

Now to trim up the rough edges.  Square it all up nice and pretty.  Mine ended up trimmed to 9.5 x 15.

You can bind the edges now.  Do that however you prefer.  For true newbies, there are MANY YouTube Videos telling you how to do that.  I’m a “lazy” quilter, and do it all on my Bernie.  In fact, for THIS set, I opted to just use the overlock stitch.  And I LOVE the way it turned out!!  A more casual look is what i prefer, and I think this is perfect.

Here are the fronts.

and here are the backs.

And there you go!!!  6 amazingly gorgeous placemats!!  With enough squares left over to make a matching table runner!!!!!!  Tutorial for that later.

peace and pieces,
amy