Fun fast projects

I got the honor (?) of doing the last demo of the summer. It was a two-fer. I was only planning on doing a demo on one project, but P asked me to do a demo on another project too.
First up:  wine glass lampshades. These were another market find. Quiltsmart has lots of great patterns using fusible interfacing to make quilts and bags. This little project was new.  One panel makes two lampshades. Very little fabric needed. You can leave them plain or bling them up.
I added beaded trim, rick rack, lace, ruffles, and pom poms to name a few. They go over a wine glass. Drop in a battery operated tea light  and you have a pretty party favor, or some mood lighting.

The second project is one more market find. A chenille rug. We got the fabric to recreate the rug back at the shop. A customer (and former employee) saw the fabric and quickly volunteered to make the sample.

 

This is an easy project and one that anyone can do. The actual rug was five panels, a layer of batting and a backing. For my little sample I did four layers of fabric, batting and a back. Anything will work, it is about the color. If you are using panels line them up by picking something on the panel (like the center of a flower)m and put a pin through that reference point on all layers. You will need to do that in several places to get the panels lined up. Layer them with the batting and backing like you would any quilt.

 

Next stitch seams on the diagonal about 1/2 inch apart. If you go closer together there is less fabric to fluff up when you are done. If you go much bigger, the fabric is kinda floppy when you get done. Start at a corner and draw a line on a 45 degree angle. Then mark the other lines going out toward the edges.

Once you finish all the stitching you are ready for the scary part. Slicing. Some tips. Don't get in a hurry now. Use a chenille cutter. It looks like the top of a rotary cutter and has a plastic projection which helps you guide through the channel that your stitching created. You do not want to cut through the bottom layer of fabric, or the batting, and certainly not the backing. Sooo on the 5 layer rug you want to cut through 4 layers. B used a letter opener under the cutter to sort of lift the layers to cut and prevent cutting into what shouldn't be cut. Once cut, bind the edges.

Once the binding is done wash, dry, and repeat until the edges are soft and frayed. This  one I used four different fabrics.

This one has four of the same fabrics. Cute either way I think.

 

And now you all have an even better idea of why I have a huge UFO list. Quilter's ADD. (grin, snort, laugh)
Happy stitching

Round Two of the Cousin quilts

I have more cousin quilts ready to be shipped off.  I heard from the cousins that already got their quilts. Made me so happy to be able to share these fabric hugs with ones I love.
The quilts leaving this week:

 

In addition to getting these quilts ready to go to a new home I have been working on one that I liked until the final border. So the poor thing got folded and put in a bin. For a long time. I got it out with the plan of just finishing it and sharing it. Could not do it. Just couldn't get  past that border. It wasn't what I wanted when I got it. Lesson learned. Went to the big box where most of this fabric came from with the hope of finding something. I found a fabric that is in the quilt and I bought it. I wouldn't say I love it, but it is better than what was on it before. By the way, I just took the rotary cutter and cut off the border. Made the inner border a little smaller, but I didn't unpick a stitch. :)
The not quite right border

Quilt fixed and on the frame.

Will get another shot once the binding is on.

Happy stitching

A Bit of This and That

I can hardly believe that summer is gone and October is just days away. Does anyone else remember being a kid and how it took forever for birthdays, Halloween, and Christmas to come? The older I get the faster time seems to go. Even when I am not having fun. LOL  Thought that I would get caught up here with the rest of summer and try to keep up.
After the demo I did on the clam shell cases I did another demo on English Paper Piecing. The plan is to have a little sew along club and try out some small quilts using different shaped pieces and some tips from Sue Daly. I am not done with the first sample for that and forgot to take pictures of the demo so no photos just  now.
At market we found some really cute hand embroidery patterns. I snuck a pattern home to make a partial sample of a quilt. I did one block of the pattern called "Boo La La". The full quilt has 6 blocks, but  of course you could do as few or as many as you like. I am seriously considering doing the whole quilt cause I love it that much. (But there are so many cute patterns...).  This block combines applique with embroidery and a bit of embellishment. I can't remember the designer's name, but I will post it after I look it up at the shop.

I am sure everyone has done one of these before, but I never had. It is the 10 minute table runner that is free on-line. We did some samples a while back, but we got in some  fun fabrics and we made new samples. I made two of these, one for DD in LA who works in a specialty beer and wine shop, and one for the SIL who likes specialty beer.  They were so easy that when we needed samples for a big quilt show I made 8  different runners in two evenings after work.

I finally managed to finish the baby blanket for my cousin's son's new baby in Texas. After sending the quilt I became facebook friends with M,(the baby's Mama) which is great because we have never met but are getting to know each other now.

 

More to come....
Happy stitching