New quilting technique

So our quilting class continued last night. We learned how to applique - something I've never done! So I was excited. Jean was nice enough to make kits for us, so all we had to bring was thread and our machines. We practiced on some other scrap material before working on our projects, just so we could get the hang of things.

Here is the finished pillow Jean brought:

It's the size of a travel pillow - she said she makes hers all the same and just changes out the pillow in different cases for various holidays - what a great idea!

Here is what I got done at class last night:


I still need a lot of practice, but it was really fun! I'm not sure when I'll finish it, but it won't take too long. I just need to work on the nose and mouth, then add the leaves, do the boarder and then the backing. (That sounds like a lot - it may take me a day.)

I ahve Friday afternoon off for the 4th, so maybe I'll be able to work on it then.

I worked on my laptop bag a little bit last weekend, but it's just not coming together like I wanted it to, so I'm back to the drawing board. Maybe I'll try to find a pattern online - or Todd says I should just buy one! We'll see. I just haven't been sewing much lately - ever since I signed up on facebook and became hooked on the games there............... lol

Valances!!!

A friend of Sam's asked me to make some valances for their new house. She picked out the fabric, so I sat down last Friday night to make them. They were really easy and turned out pretty well! I took them over Saturday night and snapped a picture before I left. I also made her one for the kitchen, but didn't get a picture.

Wohoo!! Another ETSY Sale!!!!!!

One of my tote bags is going to Virginia!!!! I'll wrap it up and put it in the mail tomorrow! So EXCITING!!!!!!

Placemats!!!!!

Since I have the tablerunner done, I decided to get a new tablecloth because I was tired of the cheap one I had on the table. I found a really pretty off-white one while I was shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond on Saturday morning and it was the perfect size (our table has a leaf with it, so the tablecoths I usually buy are long enough to fit when the leaf is in it). This is just a few inches bigger than the table, so it fits perfect! Anyway, I decided I didn't want the tablecloth to get too dirty right away, so decided to make a couple placemats to match the tablerunner. I started Friday night and finished them Sunday afternoon. I only used the "Friendship Star" block, but I think they turned out pretty well! I did a much better job on the stars on these than I did on the tablerunner. I ran out of the dark blue fabric, so had to use pink for the binding on one, so I guess that one will be mine and Todd can have the one with the blue binding.

Just as a re-fresher, here is the tablerunner:


Todd's placemat:


My placemat:


And here they are together on the table:


I had taken a couple other pictures (at least I thought I did), but when I uploaded them, there were only three. I was going to take a couple more, but my camera is acting up and won't let me. The LCD screen on it quit working about a year ago, and now I can't take pictures at all! I'm going to have to tell Todd I need a new camera - and the one I want costs $900!!! Anyone want to break the news to him for me???????????

Not exactly sure what my next project will be. I have a new idea for a purse that will be really cool, and I still haven't worked on my laptop case much. We'll see.

It's DONE (the tablerunner)

I stayed up a little later than usual last night to finish it. It turned out OK, but I still need more practice.

Front:


Back:


I decided to use the red for the binding since I already had cut strips. I also should have used an off-white thread in the bobbin, but the problem with that is if you don't have the tension set right, you can see the colors on the opposite side. Next time I'll try that.

Now on the the next project (not sure what it is yet, maybe work on the laptop bag).

Table runner top is almost done

We had our quilt class on Monday night again. We put all the squares together and I got the boarders on mine. I'm not too happy with the stars - I made them too small so I don't have nice crisp points showing. I only have two corners to finish - I mitered them this time and it worked pretty well.



Next I have to make the sandwich, then machine quilt it. I bought some thin batting to use at Hobby Lobby this morning, along with some blue machine quilting thread that I'll use on it.

For the back I'm just going to use some off-white muslin since I have a bunch of it in my fabric stash, and will use the blue for the binding, too.

Not sure if I'll get to it this weekend, but next week I should be able to get it done.