Mini Iron Caddy

Another Mini Monday is done, I started on Monday -- really I did.  Today I completed a Mini Iron Caddy.  It only took me four trial runs out of paper.  You see I had the dimensions for the regular sized iron, but I don't want to carry that to classes so I worked....and worked...and worked to come up with a tote that would fit my Steamfast mini iron.  Now that it's done, it probably would be fairly simple to replicate, but who needs two?  If you decide to make an iron caddy for yourself, make sure your fabric and thread are 100% cotton, to avoid melting.  At least that's what I've read when researching caddy ideas.  The fabric is Wilmington Prints, Isabella.  The buttons came from one of my husband's old uniforms (now you know why everyone needs a button jar) not the fanciest, but functional and flat.  The ironing surface is iron quick, one layer of Warm and White, one layer of Insulbrite.

Happy sewing.

Dresden Mini Plates

Today, well really a couple of days ago I thought I'd try a new technique (to me) and make it a mini.  Small mainly because all, and I mean all, of my eventual studio is packed and covered in plastic as the build out goes on.  So here I am trying new things Mini Mondays and Technique Tuesdays.

I've always wanted to try a Dresden Plate, but didn't want to commit to the thousands of blades for a bed quilt.  The solution of course is to make it small.  Well if the quilt is small, shouldn't the plates be small?  Most certainly.  These are smaller, but probably not in the true miniaiture definition.  They are 5 inches across, the block is about 7 inches across and the whole quilt is about 22 x 29.  That fits my definition of miniature.

I also tried a new, again new to me, technique - piping.  What better place to practice something new than on a smaller scale.  I have to admit, this was a might bit tedious for me but I like the result.  Have  you tried anything new lately?

Its Sunday and I started working on the quilting the mini. I looked around the web for something appropriate and thought a cross hatch would look cute.  Have you ever tried to cross hatch without marking pens?  Remember all my supplies are covered in plastic.  So I went old school, ruler, blunt end object, and indentations.  If you do it this way, shadows are your friend.  (They help you stay on track.)  After the cross hatching, the next quandry is what to do with the sashing and plates?  Hmmmm.  (If only I was a better photographer)




I'm finished for now, note the first picture, and just going to leave the outer border alone for now.  I just cant decide what to do with it.  That and the fact that I'm having trouble FMQ today.  Try something new, have fun.

M

I'm continuing to work up idea samples for boutique items. Today it's a soup bowl cozie.  It went together extremely fast and easy using 10-inch squares of fabric and batting.  If you are going to use the cozie in the microwave while heating your soup, make sure everything is 100% cotton to avoid fire.  I've not tested this premise, but I'd rather err on the side of caution.  For full instructions, go to  Happy Hour Stitches, she has a well written tutorial.  Happy sewing.

Appliqué Tea Towels

Gosh I wish I had a better camera

I've been trying something new the last few days, appliqué.  No, not the hand stitched kind, I'm allergic to any handwork.  The machine sewn kind.  What started it was a trip to a Quilt Expo.  While walking around drooling, I spotted some patterns for appliqué tea towels.  Me being the adventurous type thought, I can do that even without the pattern, sometimes I talk crazy.  Well my first attempt was kind of straight forward, and I do love chickens.  Lesson learned:  what you trace on fusible comes out backward.






My second attempt involved yoyo's (yes I know handwork-bleh).  Lesson learned:  sometimes it's best not to ask the husband for his opinion.  I think it looks like a cactus and  that's all that matters, right?

What adventures have you taken lately?

How Small Can It Get?

I've been toying around with ideas for the guild's boutique (thanks Pinterest for the ideas) and yesterday this is what I played with.


I had some small leftover squares from another project and thought I'd give it a go.  It's a disappearing four patch, but due to the small size, it looks more like a 16 patch.  I am also without my regular Bernina (getting prepped for new flooring) so the trusty Singer 15-91 got to play with me.

Fancy Folded Star

Last week quilting with the ladies, we had a workshop.  I learned how to fold the star and stitch it down.  I took it a bit further, added another star and some sparkles.  It finished out about 18 in. square.  Think it will go on the studio wall.

Tiny boxes

It's time to start creating items for my guild's boutique, so I've been toying around with tiny things.  One could be a tiny treasure box, the other I think will be a tooth fairy box. Neither takes a lot of materials, in fact I went straight to my scrap pile and started with this.

Next I cut two triangles from the fabric, one from batting, glued them together with glue stick.

Then satin stitched around the edge.  Remember  these are "prototypes" so my satin stitching isn't quite up to par.  Fold up and match sides two at a time and stitch part way.  After that is done, fold down the tops, add bling or whatever and you are done.  Under 30 minutes start to finish.

Here they are.  Isn't the baby one cute?

Retreat Time

I always love when retreat time comes along.  Uninterrupted time to sew and be with some of the best quilty friends around.  This time it was great...except for the migraine that hit the first morning and continued on and off the rest of the time.  I was so excited to work on Ricky Timms Convergence, bought just the right fabrics that were out of my comfort zone, pressed, starched, got the first cut down, and whammo IT hit.  What came next was not pretty...my muddled brain skipped a step and I sliced the wrong thing.  Ugh with a capital UGH.  Well, that lemon will have to wait until I am ready to face it again.  What did come out was this - on the second try (when the meds finally kicked in).

I did learn a few things though, never attempt a new technique with a migraine and a convergence will look much better with three different fabrics.

Disappearing hourglass

I tried a new technique with this one.  I'd seen the disappearing hourglass all over Pinterest and thought I would give it a try.  It went together quickly, the hardest part was deciding which way to turn the blocks.  I used some donated fabric from the free table at the quilt guild meeting and sent it on its way to Comfort Quilts, hopefully there's a little girl out there that likes the 70's prints.