Kitchen Sewing

 

One of my first projects for 2021 was completed on the weekend. My mother asked me to make her a cover for her Kitchenaid stand mixer. She wanted the same fabric that I had used as the backing for the tablerunner I had made for her in the Spring. I used a tutorial from Sew Can She.  I was able to get more of the fabric from my LQS. There were some difficulties with getting it done. I had some thread that kept constantly breaking as I was sewing it. This project I am very happy to have finished and I am hoping it is a good start to 2021.

Finish

 

I usually choose One Word for the Year, and this year the word is Finish. I really want to finish what I have started. I have so many projects that are almost completed, that get set aside for one reason or the other and this year is their year! I have reorganized my quilting room and I am ready to begin.

The first finish I have for the year is my hexagon place mat.  I started it on my retreat in November and decided that I did not want to wait until next Christmas to get it done. I am so happy that it is done, and I have a spot to keep it all year round.

Microwave Plate Cozy

My mother asked me to make her a microwave plate cozy. I thought that I would try to enlarge a bowl pattern but then I found a great tutorial by SewWhatYvette. I bought fabric that I knew she would like and made it. The tutorial was very easy to follow. I gave it to her on Mother's Day. She was very happy to receive it. I thought it would be great for me to have as well but of course I have yet to make one for myself

For the Sports Lover

After the Anniversary quilt was done for my parents, I decided to take a break and finish up some smaller projects. I made some microwave bowls and some pot holder trivets for my husband and my friends.

The basketball pattern was from Cluck Cluck Sew. I have been apprehensive before about patterns where you cut and put in small lines because I always worried about matching them up. I found that I did well with this pattern and I am tempted to make a quilt with it.  Now with this little break I am ready to get back into some more quilting. Once I clean my quilting room, of course!




Linking to Let's Bee Social.

Happy Halloween Christmas!

My daughter is going as an Elf for Halloween and some of her friends suggested that she should use a big stocking as her Halloween bag. She thought that was a great idea so we went out on Friday afternoon to a Dollar Store to find a stocking. It did not have any huge ones, so she decided to make one herself. We picked up a tablecloth, a neck warmer, and some ribbon from the store, and she had some Christmas buttons at home. When we got home, she made her own stocking template and sewed it all together that night. It looks fabulous. I am trying to convince her to make me one now. Her Dad has told her that she can't use it as her Christmas stocking because it is so big. I think I will find her a gift that can fit in it.

Linking to Let's Bee Social

Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop

Finish It Up Friday

Stockings - Friday Night Sew In

Friday Night Sew In was my daughter's. She made a mini stocking for her and her friend's miniature Christmas tree and I got to be the sous-sewer. I helped her cut them out and she did the rest. She made the template, picked the fabrics, chose the embellishments and sewed them together. I was so impressed how it was such an easy thing for her to do. I am trying to convince her to make me one. I think we have skipped Halloween and moved right on to Christmas.

Lotus Finale

My Lotus quilt, pattern by Jaybird Quilts is finished and given to my friend. It was very much appreciated. I like to name my quilts and I called this one Triangulation. This quilt was one I fell in love with more and more as I put it all together. The fabrics are outside of the realm of what I would choose to make for myself which is one of the reasons I enjoy making quilts for others. It helps stretch my creativity and this quilt helped me get through some health issues I was having. Quilting has given me so much.

I also made an envelope pillow cover for the first time using this tutorial. A friend had gotten the embroidered cloth from Panama and wanted me to make it into a pillow cover for her sister. Again, this is something I would have not done for myself but knowing how easy it is now, I will definitely make another one at some point.

Linking to TGIFF and Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop.

And Pretty Maids All In a Row

 "Mary, Mary, quite contrary"

By Mother Goose

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row.

Source: The Dorling Kindersley Book of Nursery Rhymes (2000)  

These boxes remind me of this poem. They were made as thank you gifts for people who have supported my children. I used the pattern from Seaside Stitches and Freemotion by the River. The sides are meant to be sewn down but I liked how they resembled tulips to me and decided to keep them that way. As always I need to make one for myself now.

Linking to Finish It Up Friday, and TGIFF. 

Being Grateful

Today is a day where I decided the gift to myself is to be grateful. I have so many people to be grateful for and so many things to be grateful for. Today I worked on the binding for my son's teacher's quilt. I also made a test fabric box made using a couple of patterns by Seaside Stitches and Freemotion by The River. I just need to add some buttons to it. I am going to be making a bunch of them for people who have been a big part in my children's lives. Being grateful feels good.


Linking to Let's Bee Social and WIP Wednesday and Linky Tuesday.

Monday Making - Sweet gifts

I made this cathedral window pincushion for my daughter. It is the first time I have tried making a cathedral window, and the first time I used crushed walnuts in a pincushion. I used this pattern to make the pincushion and I found it very easy to follow.

My daughter has become quite the quilter. She attended my quilt guild meeting last week to show off a quilt she had made for herself. She has another one almost done and plans to present it as well to my guild.

In another quickly done projects, I made this microwave bowl for my roommate from my quilting retreat. She showed us how to make these really cute sheep at the retreat and when I saw this fabric I immediately thought of her. I made quite a few microwave bowls for Christmas for family and friends, but of course I have not yet made one for myself!

Christmas Countdown

The Christmas countdown has been on for me for a while. I have been a busy Elf making Christmas gifts. It is a fun thing to do and puts me much more in the holiday spirit rather than buying lots of gifts which I need to do too.

One of my projects has been making this advent calendar. I love Snowmen and it was a sweet project to make. The panel was given to me by a friend to make for my children. I added some stars into the night sky for quilting. I think this will be a treasure for years to come!


Linking up to TGIFF, Finish It Up Friday and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop!

Hard to let Go

As I near the end of a project I always find it hard to let go. After all the time, sometimes months that go into a quilt or project it is hard to realize that it will soon be over. Part of my quilting retreat focused on getting these projects done and letting them go. I also have a tendency to take my time getting labels on quilts that I make for myself. I am committing to getting all of my labelling done by the end of the year. The quilting retreat made me realize that it is time to let go and move on to other things. I am going to use this in my life as well.

Linking up to TGIFF,  Finish It Up Friday and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop.

Getting My Loonies Worth

These two loonies represent something special to me. They mean I sold something I made. I am not sure if I have ever sold anything before. Selling my items has never been a huge inceptive to me to craft. I understand that I am never going to get the real value for what is made, so I have always preferred making things for the ones I love and care about. There can be exceptions to the rule, and my son's teacher from last year asked me to make her son a pencil case. I had made her one last year as a thank you gift. She said that her son liked navy blues or blacks, and I found some great fabric in my stash.








I decided to charge her the $2.00 for the price of the zipper. I did not want to charge a lot as she has been a wonderful teacher to my son, but it did seem fair to charge something. In some ways the loonies represent the same as the $1 bills you see, or use to see in Canada at stores for their first dollar made. I am very proud that someone was willingly to buy my work but I definitely am not planning on making a habit of it.

Teacher Appreciation

It is that time of year for teacher appreciation gifts. My children had outstanding teachers this year. We always like to give homemade gifts or books. I love seeing how much my children have developed and grown over the year. They gain so much confidence in what they have learned. I think that if I had to play Am I Smarter Than Them, I wouldn't be.  Some of my closest friends are teachers, and I appreciate how much dedication and effort they put into teaching students, even if they don't always get the recognitition.

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday, Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop, and TGIFF!

Hers and Hers

I made two pencil cases over the weekend. The first one was declared to not be wide enough, so a second one was quickly made. I noticed that the first pencil case would be perfect for my sock knitting, but they are hers and hers. Eventually, I will get around to making one for myself. I love how little fabric it takes make such a personalized item.


Linking to LinkyTuesday at Freemotion by the River.

One Word

For the past few years, I have chosen one word, and found it to be very helpful for me to think about throughout the year. The past years, I have chosen MYSELF, BREATHE AND RELAX. This year I have chosen the word:

FOCUS

When I did my Year End Review for 2013 I was amazed at how much I had accomplished and how many WIPs I had completed. I want to continue this and really focus on each project I am doing and really continue to strive to complete the goals and projects I have set for myself.

 

Here is one of my first projects of the year. My son needed a new pencil case, so I offered to make him one. He wanted it to be bigger so it could hold all of his supplies. He chose the fabric and I made it. I have to say I love his taste. Now my daughter wants me to make one for her.

Christmas Wrap Up

As I start to organize my quilting for this year, I realized that I did more than just quilting for Christmas gifts.
I made quite a few homemade gifts done this past year for Christmas. I got quilts finished, socks, pilowcases, a Christmas stocking, Christmas tree and some microwave bowl.















I enjoyed mixing it up this year with some big and smaller projects. I think I will continue that this year, but my first priority is to get three quilts done by June. Time to get back at it!

His and Hers

I made some pillowcases for Christmas for one of my friend's grandchildren. They were fun to make, and my daughter helped me pick out the fabric. It amazes me sometimes how much I love to sew, and how simple pieces of fabric can be turned into useful items. It can be addicting to make these quick gifts, rather than the time and effort it takes to make quilts but I won't be stopping to make quilts any time soon! I think for next year, my New Year's resolution will be to make some clothing.

Life is like a bowl of cherries

Here is one of my Christmas gifts. It is a microwave bowl. When I went on the retreat in November, some of the quilters there made one. They looked great so I tried one out myself. In the end it seemed smaller than I thought, but it did fit a bowl. I looked at quite a few tutorials to make the bowl. Each seemed to have better photos than others for different sections. I did get the 100 % cotton batting and it did say microwave safe. I gave it to my friend, who being with her, feels like getting to have a bowl of cherries. She liked it, and appreciated it. I think I will make another one of these.


Linking up to Finish it Up Friday, and Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop!

Sewing with My Girl!

Yesterday, my daughter and I did some sewing together. We made this bag from fabric from her collection. I think she has almost as most fabric as I do. I also think she will become a much better sewer than me too! I borrowed it last night to put my binding clips in, as I was getting the binding done a quilt I am making. We were also entering some of the Quilting Gallery's Blog Hop Party and Giveaways yesterday. One of the questions on a blog was if you had a name for your sewing machine. I told my daughter that I did not have a name for mine, and she decided that she should name it. My sewing machine is now called Zoey/Sewy. I have not asked her the preferred spelling. It was a lot of fun sewing with her. Next we will be working on a pillowcase together.