Christmas Placemats - Quilt As You Go

 

 

Make quick placemats for Christmas with this 'Twelve Days of Christmas' panel.  You can make all 12 as placemats or use a couple for potholders or trivets.  I made the placemats to finish 14" by 17".

 

 

Cut the panel designs into 7 1/2" by 7 1/2" squares.  I lined the 7.5" marks on my ruler with the design of the square.  There is usually a little difference in the printed design so it isn't quite square but it was easy to fudge this print to make it look square.

 

Cut the backing and batting to 17" by 14".  Spray or pin baste the batting to the wrong side of the backing.  Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner of the batting for placing the centre square. A chalk marker or heat removable marker work well on batting.  You could try pencil or pen but it could be harder to draw with the nappiness of the batting.  I used scraps of backing and batting which weren't perfect but there is extra on all sides so knew I would be okay.  I didn't have any more squares of the Twelve Days so I am using turquoise and lime.  Your red is my lime.  Your border print is my gray background with turquoise and lime. 

 



Lay a centre panel design on the batting right side up. 

In the bottom photo I found the centre of the square and matched it to the crossing of the diagonal lines, looking to see that the corners were about the same distance from the blue lines.  In the top photo I lined the upper corners on the blue lines.  Either way works to keep the square in alignment.  Pin the square to the batting.

 

 

Cut strips 1 1/4" wide.  You need one strip for each placemat.  Cut 2 side strips 7 1/2" by 1 1/4".  Place right sides together on the sides of the centre square.  Pin.  Sew, making sure to backstitch at the ends because you are quilting through all layers.

 

 

Press the strips away from the centre.  Cut top and bottom strips 9" by 1 1/4".  Add to top and bottom and press away from the centre.

 

 

 

Add the side pieces of the second border.  I cut mine 3 1/2" by 9".  You can make them wider or narrower, depending on the finished width you want.  Here is the calculation:

 

Decide on the finished width.  Measure the width of the centre square with strips sewn on. 

Subtract finished width - current width, then divide by 2 and add 1/2" for seam allowances. 

Cut and add to placemat.

 

Add the top and bottom border.  I cut mine 2 1/2" wide to finish 2" wide.  The length doesn't matter as long as the strips are greater than you need.  After they are sewn on, press away from the centre.  Trim placemat into a rectangle.  I trimmed the Christmas ones to 12 1/2" by 15 1/2".  You can add more quilting now if you wish.  Bind as you do your quilts. 

 

Hope this makes sense.  Enjoy!

 





 









Quilting Celebration

Quilting Celebration

 

Monday September 16

7 pm

Komoka Community Centre

133 Queen Street

 

 

Join us for the 4th annual celebration of a new year of quilting.  Sew Creative and The Marsh Store are having an open house tomorrow night in Komoka. 

 

We have been selling advance tickets for $5 at both stores.  If you have a ticket, it will be stamped at the door.  When stamped it becomes a coupon for you to use at either store.  Your $5 will be donated to the Rural Women's Resource Centre in Strathroy.  Over the past three years we have taken over $1500 to them. 

 

There will be displays for each store to show things that are new and what is coming up in the fall.

 

At about 7:30 pm Joan and I will begin a presentation. 

 

Store samples will be available for purchase.

 



Woolly, Woolly: a knit or crochet bag

It's a holiday weekend so I can stay up late sewing!  I finished a store sample of 'Among Brenda's Quilts and Bags' pattern 'Woolly, Woolly'. 

 



This is a bag for the knitter or crocheter to carry all the necessary supplies for a project. 

There are zippered see through pockets on both sides.  You can see which pocket has the needles for sewing in ends and which has the stitch holders.  The adjustable strap can be shortened to sling a light project over one shoulder or lengthened to tote a heavy project across the body.  There are outside pockets divided to hold long pairs of knitting needles and angled pockets for circulars, and patterns.  I am sure you can find the best place for sets of sock needles.

The top has a casing to cinch tight while travelling.

Inside there is plenty of room for several balls or skeins.  It is hard to see from the photo but there is snap tape on both sides to feed yarn through so it doesn't tangle as it comes out.  I used a light coloured lining so you can see better inside... just in case.

The outside pockets and batting help the bag stand straight when opened.  The strap is on rings so it falls out of the way when you need to get in the bag.

There is a casing around the top to hold cording to pull the top shut.  This late (after 11 pm) on Saturday night, it is hard to go shopping for cord to match the fabric so I dug through my stash and found some off white grosgrain ribbon.  Since it is lighter than cord, I threaded one piece from left to right and tied it.  Then I threaded a second piece from right to left and tied the ends together.  Now I can pull from each side and draw the top tightly shut.






Now I can head off to bed knowing I finished a project today!  Yeah!

'Silhouette'. the Shop Hop Quilt

This is 'Silhouette', the July Shop Hop quilt designed by Shania Sunga.  It features two fabrics designed by her for the quilt.  There is a print with the Great Blue Heron and one with cattails.  The applique in the centre is die cut so all you have to do is snip a few bits, peel off the paper backing and applique in place.  The quilt and fabrics are available at the 10 shop stores exclusively until January 14, 2014.

All the walls in the shop are covered with quilting supplies and samples so we are hanging the quilt on the porch.  There has to be a chair in front of the stand to keep the quilt from tipping into the garden.  Under the balcony, it is protected from rain and sun.  One customer said she liked being able to see it from a distance. 

This is a bag I made with the leftover fabrics from the quilt.  I used 'Among Brenda's Quilts' pattern "Tie a Ribbon".  It will make a great donation to the Enviro-Friends of Coldstream fund raising gala next spring.  We raise funds to run programs and to help maintain the conservation area which is behind the store.  There is a pond created by a dam on the Sydenham River.  Nellie, Tim and I stroll back there in the evening.  Sometimes we see the Great Blue Heron who is a resident. 

July Shop Hop Banner

I picked up a new banner today.  It is hung from a flag pole as close to the road as we are allowed.  Both sides have the July Shop Hop poster so you should be able to spy it from both directions. 
Getting more excited!!

July Shop Hop

The July Shop Hop starts on Thursday July 4.  Visit www.julyshophop.com to see up to the minute news.  Find out the location of the shops.

The 10 shops are featuring a special edition of Cantik Batiks.  Designed by Shania Sunga, there are 2 styles exclusively available at these shops until mid-January 2014.  One style is Great Blue Heron and the other is Cattails.  These will be unveiled on the first day, July 4.

If you love the fabrics as much as I do, you will want to make the shop hop quilt, 'Silhouette'.  It will be revealed on July 4 and be exclusive to us until the same time in January.  The quilt is 72" square, includes a fabulous die cut applique and is beautiful.  Pick up a kit from each of the 10 shops ($4.99 each) and finishing kit ($129.99) from your local participating shop.   These prices last until July 31. 

Look for more information tomorrow.  I am off to work on another shop sample featuring Great Blue Heron, Cattails and other Cantik Batiks.  Pictures coming July 4!!

Steam a Seam

I read this information in a digest today and thought it needs to be shared.  There is a shortage of Steam a Seam by The Warm Company.  Here is an explanation:

The problem was created when the European paper company that made the
release paper for Steam a Seam decided to no longer produce that paper.
Warm Company is researching several other release papers and feel they are
close to selecting a suitable replacement. They are reluctant to give a time
frame when Steam a Seam will be available for shipping until that paper
selection is finalized.

A group of quilters was in today and bought some because they are having a hard time finding it.  If you are thinking of a project and need some, get it when you see it as it may be a while before you see it again.