A few weeks ago, Jo-Ann Fabrics had fleece on sale for 75% off. It was worth standing in line at the cutting table for 45 minutes. I bought enough to cover a futon cushion, then decided to buy two yards of a different fleece for charity quilts.
Fleece will be the backing, so all I need to do is add a top (no batting). I debated buying a cute patterned fleece, but thought that might be a little much with a pieced top. So I picked this green, because I like some oomph in my colors.
I have buckets and buckets of fabric I don't like anymore, so this will help use some of it up. I found easy blocks I like in Modern Blocks. One quilt will use that Kaffe floral (north side of the fabric pile) as a center point, bringing in the other colors.
I also found a pattern I like in 3 Times the Charm, but I'll make the blocks bigger so I can get the quilt done faster.
I plan on making two lap quilts and one shawl. Due date is next Monday. Gotta go!
This weekend I finished my quilt with the two dogs. I'll eventually explain the name, so hold that thought.
It's a small wall hanging, 17" x 30".
This part of the quilt is from a pattern by Stephanie Nordlin, named Sirius Fun. You make two dogs, cut them in half, then swap their parts.
I did a satin stitch with embroidery floss for the nose, but thought it easier to glue on those eyeballs instead of using little pieces of black fabric like she did.
The dogs were done using fused applique. I scribble stitched the edges with matching thread, then free-motioned in black around the outer edges to add just a bit of dimension.
I didn't want two tiny quilts with no borders, which is what the pattern showed. Nor did I want to just stick two dogs together on one quilt with nothing in between.
So I added some large borders and four log cabin blocks. The dog print fabric was my focus fabric. I used it as the basis for my color choices as well as the fussy cut centers of the log cabins. Two of the featured dogs are in this large top block, framed in warms colors...
... and the other two are in the large bottom block, framed in cool colors.
This block has a narrow sashing strip of black fabric with dog bones. I meant to put it in the top block, but I made them on separate days, and I forgot to use it. Oh well. I think I prefer the asymmetry it offers; otherwise the two blocks would be too similar.
Here's the back. I used the black bone fabric for the sleeve and the binding. It was really old, so I was glad to use most of it up.
The label.
The label is a pocket, with a card tucked inside.
Inside the card, I taped this cartoon from Rubes, which I call Poker Tails. (Be sure you click on the link so you can read the cartoon.)
The excited tail thumping of the dog in the cartoon brings to mind the perky, wagging tails of the dogs in the quilt. I suppose the quilt should be called Not Poker Tails, but that sounds odd.
This is my favorite cookie jar. I found it at an antique store about 15 miles away, didn't buy it, and as soon as I got home I had buyer's remorse. I called them and had them hold it for me, then ran back the next day and bought it.
It looks like I'm not the only one that likes it.
Am I the only one that thinks the traditional nutcrackers are creepy looking? That's why I was pleased to see the nice variety of modern nutcrackers at Target.
I picked the snowboarder.
She and I've been waiting a long time for snow, and today is finally the day.
Sometimes Christmas ornaments are just fine not hanging on a tree.
Like this poodle, for example, that looks like a cross between Liberace and a Chia pet. (Did you know that chia seeds are edible? I didn't.)
Out for a walk, Sparkly Poodle is attracted by a lovely vision of green and silver.
Kindred spirits and now best friends.
I joined an applique club a few months ago, and although I missed the last two meetings, I still consider myself a member. We sit and sew at the meetings, which last a few hours. After that first meeting, I went over to Jo-Ann Fabrics for a crucial piece of equipment.
I looked at a lot of options, and this one seemed the best for me. It has both a magnifier and a lamp, in a heavy base so it won't tip over. Both arms are goose-neck adjustable, independently. It works great, and it's portable so I can take it to the meetings.
I used it the other day when I did my dog's nose.
I love this lamp so much that it inspired me to reorganize a corner of my sewing room. I gathered all my applique, embroidery, and
embellishment paraphernalia and they're now in this newly dedicated spot. I'm doing the final organizational steps, and when it's
all done, I'll show you.
You know how yesterday I discovered that Frixion pen ink will reappear at room temperature? Supposedly it has to be 20 degrees or colder before it reappears, but for me it came back at 57 degrees.
Too bad I didn't know that before I marked up my dog's nose.
This is one of the two dog blocks I'm working on. The other one has a similar dog, but the top and bottom are opposite of this one. And it has different blocks on the side, in a different color.
But I digress. I'm supposed to be worried about his nose, and I am.
Before I embroidered his nose, I drew it with a Frixion pen. Except I drew it too big, so I ironed it off, redrew it smaller, then embroidered over it. Now I think that one of these days, the big nose will reappear and I won't be able to iron it away again, just like on my name tag. That will be the time I invest in my first set of fabric paints, I guess.
Another thing I'm worried about is his eyes; they look too puny, don't you think?. Since I hadn't glued them on yet (I'll wait until after all the quilting is done), I ran to the store today and bought a set of larger eyeballs.
I need to get cracking and get this project done. It's been dragging on for WAY too long.
I had heard that the marks made by Frixion pens, which disappear in
heat, come back in the cold. But I didn't think my house was THAT cold!
I made this name tag a little over three years ago. It used to look pretty good, but now you can see ghosting behind my name.
When I first inked in my name, the letters were upright and a little
formal looking. I ironed them away, and tried again, with a swoop.
Liking it, I free-motioned over them and all was well until who knows
when.
I was ready for an easy fix - just iron them away again. But I applied heat until the fabric started to smell a little done and I still can't get those marks out.
I guess you only get one shot at this, and you need to make sure your ink gets totally covered. Makes me a little unhappy that I had stocked up on so many of these magic pens.
I'm going to switch to chalk. Blech.
At the flea market this weekend, I gave in and bought a pin cushion I had been looking at for three months.
Now that I have it home, I wonder why I waited so long.
It looks like the pins are sticking in his head, but they're not.
You can see that there's a pin cushion that sits behind the dog.
It started life as a planter, but it's much happier now.
I thought I had a good storage solutions for my ribbons.
Up until this morning, I kept them in this paper suitcase. It was better than what I had before, when I stacked all the large spools into two columns and stuck bamboo stakes through the center holes. I always kept the little spools in that silver oval tub, and when I unstacked the columns and put them in the suitcase, I was glad there was still room for the tub.
Now I have a different storage solution for my ribbons. This weekend, my favorite flea market was open. They had this hanging on the wall, and it was holding spools of ribbons. I had a brilliant idea - buy it and put MY spools of ribbon on it.
The only change I made was to swap out the ribbon on this heart. Their ribbon was red/white gingham; I used something a little more modern and colorful, to give it some glow.
I like the clock on the top. I need to find cute little doodads like that so I can glue them onto things. Where does one find such trinkets?
All my spools fit, with room to spare. In the drawers, I put my tiny spools.
Left drawer.
Right drawer.
Cute button paper on the drawers.
Now the ribbons are more accessible and visible and inspirational. I just need to do a little rearranging to find a spot to put this cabinet.
