Progress Update...

I had a few minutes this morning before work, so I cut out a few blocks and sewed them up for my Thanksgiving quilt. Talk about fun. I love putting unusual combinations together to see how they turn out. Well, I've got 4 Sawtooth blocks out of 6 complete....

Vintage dishtowels...imagine shopping from one's own cedar chest

Since I am a product of the 1960's, these dishtowels could be considered vintage. When I was a young girl, my mother gave all my sisters and I opportunities to learn how to sew, embroider, cook, clean, and the list goes on. There are some of you out there that will remember the ARTEX paints and TRI-CHEM paints and we painted on every surface imaginable and made quilt blocks, and dishtowels, and home decorator objects. Talk about memory lane and how the painting is so obsolete now. Hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I did uncovering them in my cedar chest. I want you to know that when my eyes were in tip top shape, I could take the tiniest of stitches. Now, well they are somewhat bigger....

Happy St. Patricks Day--Just finished my mini quilts

I finally had a minute between work, family, and projects to finish up my mini quilts for St. Patricks Day. It was a fun project to work on.

Touch of Class Tablecloth--Pattern book is Livin' Large by Anka's Treasures

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day. My husband and I went out to a Valentine all you can eat buffet. I had shrimp, more shrimp and more shrimp amongst other delectable foods. I live for food. It was amazing and I look forward to it next year.

This cute little table topper, 50" x 50" was a blast to sew. It went together fairly quick as I sewed it here and there over the weekend for the store. It has a real tropical flavor. Pretty cute, huh?

More information on the wonderful purse...

They make these purses in the prisons in Mexico. It is quite sturdy and fun and bright. Remember making the chains out of gum wrappers when we were kids? This is kind of the same thing. In looking at it closely, it has a lot of foil and either candy wrappers or wrappers from chips. I just love it to pieces. Oh, it is not made of fabric. I was asked that a couple of times. Sorry to disappoint all you fabric lovers like myself.

A Very HUGE thank you...

My very best friend in the whole wide world, Shari, sent me this wonderful box yesterday, containing this wonderful fun and interesting purse, which by the way I adore. The box also contained many other wonderful treasures. I just want to say a HUGE thank you Shari. I absolutely love it, love it, love it. I will carry this around with utmost pride. THANK YOU!!!

Also, stage 1 of stage 3 is done on the embroidery for my Thanksgiving quilt. I'm really excited for this to come together. I apologize for the bad photography. One day, I'll master the camera...until then, it gives me something to laugh about.

Swap Meet by Country Threads

Every year, I host a annual quilting retreat for my family. A few years back, this is the quilt that was featured and we swapped out fabrics amongst my sisters, mom and aunties. Fun project. It now perches atop my table.

Valentine quilt for the store by Pieces of My Heart

I just made this fun little quilt topper yesterday. I needed a quick turn around on it as it is Valentine's Day Saturday. Fun shortcuts made it go quickly and it was fun to sew.

"Y" Seams--that nasty sewing technique

There are times when quilting, when is it hard to avoid that nasty "Y" seam. I was told I volunteered to teach this at our quilt guild tonight. My memory totally shut this volunteer thing right out because I really hate to sew "Y" seams. I can do it, but it is often accompanied with naughty language. In preparing for tonight, I googled "Y" seams and came up with a couple of you tube videos to watch. I learned from them. The first video was called Rex's Y-seam demo and the second was Quilting tips make the Y seam easier. It really helped me.
The first step in the Y seam process is you join the diamonds together, leaving a quarter inch unsewed where the Y seam is going to be.

It helps if you clip right where the 1/4" seam ends.

Next, you take your square and I start at the opposite end and sew to within a 1/4" from the intersection. I also clip this portion. Next, keeping all other edges free from being caught, sew from the intersection out 1/4". I also like to clip this area as well. The clips allow you to press your seams open to reduce bulk. Wish me luck tonight....