Day 1: Where To Begin? How About Some Candy!

For several years now I have posted one idea per day for the 24 days in December before Christmas.  The ideas are things quilters would like to give or receive for Christmas.  I try to find new notions, patterns or other items that have come out over the past year. 
This year I have become stressed trying to decide which is the most exciting for this year.  Brenda's wonderful new patterns for her 'Among Brenda's Quilts and Bags' pattern line?  Best new notion?  My favourite new fabrics and designers?  Wonderful quilters I have met who are doing fabulous things?  Where to begin?  Yikes!
So to overcome the stress, let's start with something small, something quilters would love to get and would love to give to other quilters.

Moda Candy

 

This candy has no calories and provides hours of enjoyment.  It is 42 squares measuring 2 1/2" each.  Think of a charm pack (5") cut into 4.  Cute little squares made from one fabric line that are available long before the bolts arrive in a store. 

You can play with them to plan a future quilt, make them into small projects or dream about which ones you will add to your stash in larger amounts.  Moda has printed small sized pattern books with projects.  Here are some of the ideas we have made as store samples:

 

This tablerunner is from "Crossroads Table Set' by 'Among Brenda's Quilts'.  We decided not to bind it but to turn it through to show off the candy squares. 

 

This is Karen's modern mini quilt.  Some people think it is a placemat but that is your choice.

 

  

Ela sewed rows together and added piping around the outside.  What a great way to make an easy gift: all co-ordinated fabric with some bits from your stash instead of having to find 36 fat quarters.



So, what about tomorrow...

Snow Walk

Finally the sun came out so Nellie and I went for a walk to the conservation area behind the store.



No one had headed this way through the parking lot.

Nellie lead the way and plowed through.

Nature' shelter for animals, snow on plants and bushes to burrow under.

Nellie got to the pond first.

 


Winter can be beautiful!


 

It was hard walking through the snow so the store up ahead was a welcome sight.  Home to lunch and a rest for tired Nellie.



Hope you enjoyed the walk with Nellie.  There are so many ideas for quilt colours on a bright and sunny winter's day!



Snowy November

Our autumn season seemed to last longer than usual.  I didn't need to find a warm coat until early last week.  Christmas seemed so far away.  But it started snowing last Saturday with a snow storm warning and we ended up with knee high snow.  Today we have another warning and could have another foot of snow.  Looking out the window shows some snow but it has been heavier than that and more is on the way.

This year the staff are making Christmas stockings to hang in the window.  Is that why we are getting so much snow so early?!  There is one more to come.  December 1 is Sunday and I am planning to start the 24 days before Christmas blogs.  Every day I will post about something a quilter would like to give or receive.  I collect up all the new notions, patterns and wonderful ideas from over the year.  I have my list ready and just need to start taking photos and typing.

Talk again Sunday.  Out to play with Nellie and Tim in the snow.....

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.