sidetracked

These are the silly little things that get me sidetracked. Bookmarks.:) My boys were telling me that they didn't have any (well lost them) and I thought "I could make fabric ones!!" So I did.

These are the backs to the top fronts. These make me want to pick up a book and read and then use the book mark and then hurry up and get back to that spot. I'm such a dork!!

And this is the book cover I made. Apparently, I'm still in high school!:) But I love the fabric and when I check out books from the library I think this will help keep them better than when they just sit around. Am I crazy or what?! What sidetracks you??? One more thing that sidetracks me is a giveaway. There is one at Lovely Little Hand Mades. Check it out!

Bright and Cheery

Here is my first quilt top for the mountain baby blankets. I wanted it to be bright and cheery and my husband said I accomplished it. That made me smile. I used all scraps which isn't exactly what I intended to do but I really, really like it. I want to make one for myself.:) I am in the prosses of stippling it right now.

Here is another view and the bottom picture is of the binding. A lady at church said she was cleaning out her craft stuff and wanted to know if I wanted her cotton fabric. I told her sure!! She brought me TWO GARBAGE bags FULL of stuff. This was one of them and I think it goes GREAT!! We are supposed to get a snow storm so I need to run!:) Have a fantastic day!!

Gettin' It Done

I sandwiched this swell quilt about a week ago and thought I haven't posted about it. This quilt has gone a lot of different directions and I'm happy with how it ended up. Which is good because of course it's a full/double size AT least. I had three left over blocks and put them in the back to tie it together and not waste any of this swell fabric.:)

I won't start stippling this though until I get my mountain baby blankets done. I don't know how to get the button on my blog but I am participating. I saw that show when it was on and my husband and I were sickened and sad that this is going on in OUR country. I am very sheltered and am not sure I like that about myself. So hopefully I will have a quilt top done for tomorrows post. I pray that you all have a great day. Thanks for stopping. I love hearing from you!

Anyone interested????

I was cleaning up my area yesterday and came across a few bag/purses that I made and didn't know what to do with them and then thought maybe someone would want to do a swap online.

If anyone is interested please email me and we could work something out. I have certain fabric in mind - in case anyone was wondering.:) I just feel like a swap is a better deal than $. I know I must be crazy.:)

I you have any questions about the bags let me know.

As always I appreciate your stops!:)

I hope you have a FANTASTIC day!

Finishing up stuff!

This weekend I thought I would get some projects finished. I wanted to finish my pay if forwards and I did. But as I was thinking about what to do I came across this little doll quilt that I started probably 6-8 months ago. I ran out of the parchment (creamy/white) color and put it aside. It was all scraps!! I loved it. So I finished the top and put a back together quilted it and there you have it a doll quilt. You can't see it real well but I used scrappy binding. Whatever I could find in my scrap bin.

I don't know that you can tell there are two different pinks seperated by some parchment. I really liked the back. It measures 19x21. I had to laugh that I can't even make a small doll quilt.:) It is small and I was very proud that I kept it small.

Lastly, I was in this spring fat quarter swap and I got my two spring fat quarters!!! Cherries! Can you get any better than that? :) Have a fantastic day!!

the how to on the boxes

Okay here goes. This is how I make my boxes but I'm not the best at explaining so hopefully you will get the jist of what I'm doing. I choose a box and then measure it. I chose the one on the left for this box. It is to lid of a copy paper box. It measures long length 18x3 3/4 short length is 12x3/4 and the bottom is 17.5x12.

I cut my pieces though a bit bigger. I cut 4 pieces the long length at 18.5x 5 1/4 and the short length I cut 4 12.5x5 1/4 and the bottom I just cut the half inch seam allowance. The reason I make the height bigger is for the binding and trying to get the box around your machine. I ONLY hand stitch binding. :)

Once my pieces were cut I went and got my left over batting and matched them up and am ready to quilt. I did use decorator fabric and still quilted it because you want the stiffness come batting time.

Then I quilt on a diagonal line. If you are perticular you could use masking tape to help. I just eye it up. I don't use anything on the back. It's just fabric and the batting. That's what the picture below is showing you.

Once you have quilted all your pieces cut the excess batting off.

Now I have two sets of the same pieces. 4 long length, 4 short length, and 2 bottom pieces. You could obviously use cordinating fabrics I just didn't.

You take a long and a short side and facing each other you sew them together.

Once sew they will look like this. Reapeat this step so that you have a long touching a short and then another long touching another short. See picture below.

So that it will look like this when you are done. It will take on the shape of your box.

Then you pin the bottom like so and sew it and continue around until...

it looks like this. Do this with both sets that you have for your box.

The picture below is supposed to show you one box is inside out and one is right side in. One is for the outside of the box and the other is for the inside. You see where I'm going. Right:)

Then you start putting it together.

One on the outside and one on the inside. The inside one will seem bunchy. That's okay.

Make your binding. I cut 2 1/4. You could do 2 1/2. It's up to you.

Start in the middle of one the longer sides and put the binding around. I fit the binding first...

Then cut the 1/4 inch...

Then I take it off and sew it. Wow I'm sure you really needed to see this picture:):)

I finger press the seam.

Now your binding is a circle.

Put it back on your box and...

pin it all the way around.

This can be the tricky part. Sewing on the binding. But it you give yourself that bigger allowance and pin it - it's not so bad.

It is nice when it's done though.:)

Then hand stitch the binding and TA DA!! You have a quilted box. If this didn't make sence I'm sorry. I could try and answer questions if you have them.

Have a fantastic day!!! I'm going to use this box in my sewing room for scraps!!!

and the winner is...

The winner of the giveaway is Aimee!! Lucky # 11. I used a very scientific method!:) If you want to know I'll tell you. I just couldn't wait any longer. Sorry, I'm early but I have to many things to blog about to wait another day.:) (real reason - I'm terrible with surprises or things of that nature:))

I also finished my other sons quilt. This is a view of both beds as best as I could get. We just separated the bunk beds. Like it A LOT!!

Folded view and below is the back side. Both boys got to tell me how they wanted the back to be. This is what Grant told me and Nolan designed his back.

Last but not least the front view. I'm still trying to figure out how these pictures work. So I might be a little backwards.