Friday, August 26, 2016

One Block Wonders BOM, X Boxed Quilt Link Up

This month's pattern, the X Boxed Quilt, is coming to a close.....

and we will be starting on our last One Block Wonders block...


But not before we have a viewing party to see all the lovely blocks you have made







But first let's thank this months sponsors, again!!

Rita from 

don't forget our discount code that Rita has shared with us all year long

And

Pam from

has a discount code for us all month long in August
  "MERRY20",
Saving you 20% off the Merry Mistletoe line
(which is gorgeous!!)



And P&B Textiles

 Sponsored the fabrics




 And again this month are sponsors have some great prizes for you ......




is offering a $30.00 store gift certificate

and

has put together a FQ Bundle






...and my lovely version of the  X Boxed Quilt just needs to have the binding added to it....
I love how bright and fun this one turned out!!
I would buy a bolt of each of the fabrics in the Bear Essentials line if I could afford it...lol
Not only can you use them as the main fabrics, but they would make great background and secondary fabrics in so many of my quilts and projects!!



And now its your turn to show off 
what you have sewn this month, 
using the X Boxed Quilt pattern.....






Congratulations to 
Melissa
&
Laura
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Monday, August 22, 2016

One Block Wonders, X Boxed Quilt Check In

I know I keep saying this but time keeps flying passed me....
Here we are almost at the end of August.....

...and I'm scrambling to write the check up post, because I've lost track of time again....oops

I've just been having way too much fun sewing!!






Here are a few reminders 
from our wonderful sponsors this month....


Don't forget Discount Code MERRYMISTLETOE
Saves you 20% off the Merry Mistletoe line till the end of August








and our year long discount code has been 
WONDERS
at Fabric Please


and 



supplied the lovely 
Bear Essentials 3 fabrics for this months sample...
Seriously love this line....
and this is just one of the prints.
Check out the full line here and then ask your LQS to order it in!!





Don't forget the link up for this months block will 
start on Aug 26-Sept 2 at 10am.


I can't wait to see what you have created using this months block! 

#XBoxedQuilt

And if you have't started....
you still have time....

Here's how far I have gotten with my quilt top. I still need to add borders and quilt it, but hoping to have it done by the end of the week and ready for the link up!!



Have a great week everyone...and 

Happy Sewing....



Friday, August 12, 2016

Fun Sewing Distractions.....with Eden's Road


I should be working on my X Boxed quilt for the One Block Wonders BOM August block, but.......

I got distracted.......


Anyone who has been following me on  IG, FB, or here on my blog knows I am expecting my first granddaughter in October, and I couldn't be more excited!!

And, what does a maker do in a happy situation like this?
Go crazy making beautiful things with beautiful fabric of course!!

This time I'm using Eden's Road from P&B Textiles


And what could be sweeter than a Tiny Tank Dress...




....well maybe a pair of little shoes.....



.....or a reversible sun hat.....


....or a little diaper cover....



...or maybe....its all of the above, together....



For me the sweetest thing is knowing that my first granddaughter is going to be wearing these next spring....it can't get any better then that!

...and I still have more of the Eden's Road fabric left, so I am on the hunt for more lovely projects to distract me...... I mean sew....😉

Links, tips and my thoughts on the patterns I just shared:


This was an easy sew and no major problems. Some of the illustration pictures could have been clearer, but having done some clothing sewing, it didn't slow me down. I even got brave and used pink thread, which shows and my topstitching went really well!! (it doesn't always...)


This is one picture I wished was clearer, just for new sewers. Make sure you tack the elastic with some stitching at each end of your casting to hold the elastic in place. Or you will be fishing it out and that will be a pain.  Using a safety pin thread your elastic through the casing till the far end of your elastic lines up with the opening of your casing. Tack to hold so you don't pull it all the way through. Then pull your safety pin and elastic all the way through to the far end of your casing. Remove the safety pin and line up the other end the same way and tack again. If you are worried about the elastic slipping back inside the casing put a pin in to hold it in place to sew.
Also the only seams in this pattern that aren't enclosed are the side seams, if you have a serger, it would be perfect for finishing your seams....or zigzag, or overcast stitch with your regular sewing machine.


Oh my goodness, these are so adorable...this is the first pair I made using the Garden Gate line, also from P&B Textiles. This pattern had 2 things that I wanted to change. The first one was the shoes finished with a seam showing inside the shoe. I just didn't like that, I'm too fussy maybe, but I like things to be finished.😜 The second was that you cut two slits into your fabric...I just didn't like the thought of the raw edges fraying over time.....so


...on this next pair, instead of following the pattern instructions for the slits I made small button holes...


Have you seen this cool tip for cutting your button holes open using a stitch ripper?
Place a pin at the top of the hole so your stitch ripper can't go any farther than the pin...perfect!!


When sewing the shoe together,  I sewed the heel on first, added the toe, both using a scant 1/4" seam. Then I flattened the the shoe and added the sole on top, pinning it in place all the way around.





 Leave an opening for turning somewhere, preferably not where the toe and heel cross,  just so your hand stitching will be easier. ( I say this from experience...lol)


A little bit of hand sewing to close up the turning hole and you have a shoe with no seams showing!!


For me this is perfect...but it is a little fiddly, so if the inside seam doesn't bother you....stick with the original instructions.


I had no problems with this pattern either, and love how it turned out, but I did take the time to add a few extra details...and I'm glad that I did ( I know, big surprise...😁)
You can see on the light blue brim especially, I did a scant 1/4 or a generous 1/8" topstitching on both sides of the seams on the brim and body of the hat,  and one side of the seam on the top and where the hat body and brim join. It helps hold the seams flatter and adds some interest. ( and I trimmed the 1/2" seams to approx. 1/4"  before topstitching)







Where the brim and the hat body met the brim, the seam naturally wanted to go towards the body of the hat, so I topstitched along the base of the hat body, catching the seam. I didn't trim this seam down at all. I did still clip it though. I figured leaving the extra seam height and interfacing would help the hat stand and keep its shape better! 



Diaper Cover:
(update: A lovely blog reader, Vicki, found a YouTube tutorial for this item!! Thanks Vicki)

I have to be honest....I just made this pattern this morning and it should have been an easy sew......but it wasn't. I'm not sure if I just did something wrong or the pattern actually has a flaw. 


The problem I had was with those tabs you can see at the leg openings on the pattern. I'm assuming they are meant to help with the elastic casing, but I just couldn't get them to line up properly after I sewed the side seams and crotch. Then when I tried to turn the casing, it was to big on one side of the seam and too small on the other, and all that extra tab fabric ended up inside the seam and made getting the elastic through the casing at the seams a nightmare.
I came really close to giving up when the fabric started fraying after repeated stitch ripping, but I am just too stubborn 😕 and hate wasting fabric, so I pushed through.
I knew once the elastic was added and the legs gathered, some of the issues would be less noticeable, so I made the casing work as best as I could, not my finest sewing but I got it done.....😥
(I still think the tabs at the crotch are the issue. I noticed in the video the same issues with her pressing that I was having. I am going to try another pair with no tabs there and with stopping the stitching at the pivot point instead of sewing the tab....see if that works? I'll let you know!)

If you have tried this pattern and have had success, please share some insights in the comments...
Or if you have made a different diaper cover pattern with great success, please share that!! 
I would like to make a few more! If I was't afraid of wasting fabric or frustrating myself again, I would just remove the tabs from this pattern and try again..... any seamstresses or clothing sewers out there have any thoughts on that idea???


The good thing ....
Every sewing experience good or bad
is a chance to learn and grown...
and nothing was wasted, not even my time because I persevered and finished.....
another sewing muscle was created....

and I have the cutest outfit to show for all my efforts!

I kinda of feel like I just medaled in the sewing Olympics✂️🏆

And look at those little birds, don't they just make you smile!!😃 


Happy Sewing Everyone....
Have a great weekend