#38 Christmas Time Rush, but oh so fun!!!!

We are definitely having a white Christmas!!! ....so far...I hope it stays....

It is going to be really busy getting ready for family and finishing up with Christmas sewing and knitting so I think I am going to give myself permission to just let the blog rest for a few weeks!!

I'll be back after the rush!!

Just in time for the Wake Up to Kona Blog Hop!!!

What I've Been Up To:

Tested the cutest pattern for Kristy @quietplay

Made more coasters and holders

Knit a Honey Cowl and mittens for my niece

and some mittens for my daughter too

and whipped up a simple Christmas Stocking

Oops and no City Sampler Blocks!! Oh well I will get caught up!!

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!! See you in the new year!!

(If I get bored after Christmas, I may post sooner!!) ;)

#37 I Had So Much Fun This Week

I participated in my first Blog Hop as a contributor and what a blast I had!! It was so much fun coming up with a project to share, and all the new people stopping by, was amazing! You all left such great and encouraging comments, and I loved reading about your favorite parts of Christmas. While some made my heart hurt, it was very uplifting to hear most was about family and sharing all the special things about Christmas....church, lights, music, decorating, etc. with the ones we love.

The Winners Are: 

Quilty Box has been claimed...Congratulations to QuiltingGranny

And Teresa Nance wins the Mystery Prize

Winners have been contacted and prizes will be mailed ASAP

Next Blog Hop for me and what is keeping me busy, getting ready for the Wake Up to Kona Blog Hop in January. So check back in regularly to get updates!

What I've Been Up To:

As promised a pictorial of the Chalkboard Table Runner:

The Chalkboard fabric I purchased was approximately 47.5" wide. I used that as the length for the table runners I have made. Cut the width keeping in mind the final size you can accommodate or want to achieve remembering to add your borders into the calculation.

Once you have cut your chalkboard fabric to size you will know your measurements for the borders. For this one I cut 2" x 4" pieces to do a scrappy border at the small ends. I folded the chalkboard and fabric  in half and pinched to find the centers and trimmed the ends.

 Press and measure for the long side borders. I sewed (3) 2" x 4" pieces together and added a 2" wide by ? on each end to make a border a bit longer than you need for each side. Then repeat to find center of both fabrics and sew in place, trimming extra off both ends. Measure for backing fabric.

Now I have finished with and without adding batting. When I added batting I stitched it to the backing fabric to make sure it stays in place and the batting won't bunch up eventually if it comes loose from the seams.

I flip the fabric so I sew left to right and then right to left, in case I pull or my machine pulls.

You can make a quilt sandwich and bind, but I put the backing and chalkboard right sides together and stitch around 1/4" seam, leaving a generous opening for turning. Trim corners, and turn. Chalkboard fabric is very stiff, and if you try to scrunch it up to much to turn you can damage it. 

Using a press cloth press border. Press a 1/4" under to create seam where the opening is and topstitch all around the border at 1/8".

I also stitch in the ditch on the chalkboard by the border.

City Sampler:

Final Sugar Block Club Block:

And I bought a panel to make new Christmas stocking, and buttons to embellish. (had to sharpie the eyes and mouth of the creepy snowmen!! lol)

Blog Hop is Over.....

Blog Hop has ended but......

 The Grand Prize Draw is open till 11:59pm (EST) December 8th!

 So don't forget to go leave a comment over at Jacquelynne Steves The Art of Home. While you are over there don't  forget to check out her wonderful Etsy Shop with her art work, and her Website store with her patterns and fabrics

Have a great weekend everyone and good luck on the draw!!

Holiday Hullabaloo Blog Hop....Day #3 My Post

Monday Dec. 2              Lily Pad Quilting  http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Dec. 3             Sew Cal Gal  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb  http://bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com/

Wednesday Dec. 4        Upstairs Hobby Room  http://upstairshobbyroom.blogspot.com/

Freemotion by the River   http://www.conniekresin.com/

                                                               

Thursday Dec 5              A Quilt & a Prayer   http://aquiltandaprayer.blogspot.com/

                                                 Tami’s Quilting Adventure  http://tamichaulk.blogspot.com/

Friday Dec. 6                  Needled Mom http://needledmom.blogspot.com/

I am so excited and honoured to be a part of this Blog Hop! My first Hop as a contributor!! Let me start by introducing myself....
Hi, I'm Sandy. I wear a lot of hats just like the rest of you...wife (28yrs); Mother of 3 great adults...only one left at home, and that is only some weekends home from College. Very strange dealing with empty nest!; Part-time Bookkeeper (married a farmer, love rural life!!); Crafter(lifetime) I have always loved all things crafty, but when I found quilting a few years ago that was it!! I love everything about quilting, especially all the nice people I have connected with via the internet!! Which brings us right back to today!!

 I was thrilled to be asked to participate by Jacquelynne from The Art of Home . I love her website and blog. She is so talented.... artist, fabric designer, writer....check out her blog, online magazine, Etsy shop...you'll see what I mean.

I have only designed 2 very simple  project of my own so far, my nephew's quilt , a simple double sided game quilt and the olive green and cream quilt on my bed. There is so much to learn when you first start a new hobby, I have primarily been making other peoples designs. (But) I knew right away, when Jacquelynne asked me to participate, I wanted to come up with my own design for a simple and quick homemade gift idea using blackboard fabric, that I would be able to share with everyone who stopped by.  I hope you will find inspiration, an idea or two to run with and make your own or maybe you will even try out this project!
Also... read right to the bottom to make sure you don't miss out on anything fun like information on the prizes and my give away too!!



 Portable Chalkboard Mat

First one made, working out the kinks!

Another idea! Buffet Table Runner
(I'm going to post a pictorial for the Chalkboard Table Runner Dec 9)

Find the pattern here

Portable ChalkBoard Placemat 

Prizes....Don't worried I didn't forget!!

Ok, prizes... Jacquelynne is offering a randomly chosen prize per blog, valued at $15-30 (which means I don't even know what you will be winning) and a grand prize drawing at Jacquelynne Steves' blog, worth $100.00. So check out all the blogs to enter including Jacquelynne's, everyday, to increase your chances.

Also I have an October Quilty Box to give away!! I ended up with an extra box, and when I asked Tabitha if it was okay to offer it as a prize she said yes and offered a coupon code upstairs5.
 You can use the code to save $5.00 off your first box if you check out QuiltyBox.com and like what you see. Good till December 19th.

(Sorry about the poor picture, I had taped up the box for mailing before I realized it wasn't in focus)

Now, how to run the prize draw... I thought about asking, how you follow me, but truthfully I have more Instagram followers than blog follower. If you want to follow me, please do I would love that, but I am not going to make that a requirement!! And forget about Facebook, I do have an account, and I think when I post to Instagram it goes to my wall or time line or something, and I know lots of people love it, but between Blogging, Instagram and Flickr  I'm maxed out, I need sewing time too!! lol..... so just look around my blog and leave a comment, letting me know what's your favorite part of Christmas , and you're in the draw for the 2 prizes on my blog. 2 prizes 2 winners! Good Luck everyone!! And thank you for dropping by!!! (P.S) if you do follow me on any of the social medias add another comment telling me how, and you just doubled your chances!! And thanks!!

Please note if you are a none reply entry, another person will be chosen! 

*I usually send a reply to everyone who stops by and leaves a comment, but depending on how many comments are left during the Hop I may not be able to get to everyone. So please don't be insulted if you do not receive a reply during the Holdiay Hullabaloo! Good luck everyone!! 

#36 Holiday Hullabaloo Has Started

The Hullabaloo has begun!! I will be back on Wednesday with my Post/Tutorial and give away. In the mean time, check out all the other Bloggers and maybe get inspired and increase your chances of winning!! Every blog has at least one prize draw and Jacquelynne has the grand prize available on her blog. (Link below house)

Monday Dec. 2              Lily Pad Quilting  http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Dec. 3             Sew Cal Gal  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb  http://bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com/

Wednesday Dec. 4        Upstairs Hobby Room  http://upstairshobbyroom.blogspot.com/

Freemotion by the River   http://www.conniekresin.com/

                                                               

Thursday Dec 5              A Quilt & a Prayer   http://aquiltandaprayer.blogspot.com/

                                                 Tami’s Quilting Adventure  http://tamichaulk.blogspot.com/

Friday Dec. 6                  Needled Mom http://needledmom.blogspot.com/

Jacquelynne Steves The Art of Home

What I've Been Up To:

I only have a few projects that I can actually share today. I have mainly been working on Blog Hop projects over the last week. 

Modern Blocks QAL Crosswalk

and City Sampler Blocks!!