Category: Projects

Faith Sings Quilt

Quilting and Sewing

Well, I finished my first quilt for 2010.  I am calling it my Faith Sings quilt.

bird applique quilt
I like how it turned out.  It was one of those projects that sort of evolved as I went along.

I couldn’t find a pattern that I wanted to cut the background fabric for, so I decided to just make a quilt with it alone, and added some borders.

Then I decided to use a little free pattern I’d photocopied at a local quilt shop for a branch, two birds and some leaves.

bird applique quilt
Once I got going on that path, I remembered the quote I’d put on my Christmas cards for 2008, and decided to embroider it onto the quilt.  I lengthened the branch so there would be room, and embroidered it in brown.

Faith is the bird that feels the light embroidery
I love, love, love this quote.  “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”
It was sort of my quote for 2009.  Many times the dawn felt dark, but we tried to sing.  I didn’t sing as much as I should have, but we pressed forward.

At the bottom corner, I embroidered this:

"sing on" embroidered on quilt
Okay, so I realize that it should have been finished in 2009.  I tried, I really tried.  It just didn’t happen, so instead it’s the first completed quilt of 2010.  And I still love the quote, so it’s fine with me.

"Faith is the bird" quilt
Originally I thought this quilt would be for my baby, but with once the embroidery was done I decided it’s mine instead.  If I’d planned for it to be mine, it probably wouldn’t be pink and green, but I like it anyway.

I used a soft minky stripe on the back.  YUM!

back of quilt
Hooray!  One project done, countless to go!  (Could you imagine how bleak life would be without lots of projects to look forward to?)

applique birds on branch
Hope that you’re feeling the light and singing, even if the dawn still feels dark!  Have a great day.

Jennifer

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10 Minute Scarf

Quilting and Sewing

I discovered something amazing the other day, something I’d never heard of before (but probably should have) and which just opened up a world of possibilities in my brain.


It’s called elastic thread.  I was able to purchase it at a little fabric store in town.  It came on a spool of 30 yards for $1.15.  You can find it with the elastic in your store.  I like it when I can find something I like this much for so little.

Thanks to this tutorial from Hope Studios , I learned how to use it to make a scarf in 10 minutes.

I’m not kidding you.  Ten minutes.  Two seams.

Here’s what you do.  You need elastic thread (I only found it in black and white), matching regular thread, and material.  Your fabric needs to be something that won’t fray or unravel since you won’t be finishing the edges.


I bought this black stretchy fabric that has a lace-like pattern cut all over it.  In the tutorial they used knit fabric.  I liked this better.


The big key is length, because the elastic thread makes it half as long when you’re finished.  I bought everything that was left on the bolt, which was 1 2/3 yards (60 inches).  The first scarf I made with that length was too short.  It now belongs to my 11 year old daughter.  I’ve since made one that was twice as long (I cut 2 lengths and sewed them together end to end for 120 inches in length) and one that was 1 1/2 times that long (90 inches).  I liked both of them.  So, basically you need at least two yards of fabric, but I would probably go for 2 1/2 or 3.

Cut a strip of fabric that is 2 1/2 yards long by 8 or 10 inches wide.  I’ve tried both 10 inches and 8 inches wide and they were both really cute.  (You’ll be able to make several of these scarves, but that’s a good thing because you’ll be so excited that you’ll want to make one for all your friends!)  From my fabric I was able to make 5 scarves.  Not bad for a $10.00 investment.

After you cut your fabric (or piece a couple of strips together if you need to), take one end of your strip, and make a straight cut into the fabric up the middle for about 16 inches.  Do this on each end of the fabric.  This will make kind of a tail on the scarf.




Now for the elastic thread.  You’ll need to wind it onto the bobbin by hand, and then put it in your machine.  Use regular thread on the top.




Now, working from one end of the fabric, pick one of your little tails and start sewing about 1.5 inches in from the cut you made.  BE SURE TO BACK STITCH AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF YOUR SEAM!!!!




Sew down the entire length of your scarf.  See how the elastic thread makes it gather as you sew?








Then you just do the same thing down the other half of the scarf!  Trim your thread and you’re finished.  That’s it.  I also made a long skinny one (4 inches wide) with my last piece of cloth.   It’s really cute as well.




Now you can do what Jennifer at Hope Studios said to do:  “Prance around all giddy-like with your new scarf.”




Super cute, super fun, super cheap, and super fast!  I love it!

Seriously, go make one.  As in, right now.

Hopeful Homemaker

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Baby Stocking

Christmas, Quilting and Sewing

At about 11:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I addressed the problem of having no stocking for my 4 month old baby.  The fabric I purchased to make one that matches the family was still sitting on my sewing table, and I didn’t have time to make it then because it requires embroidering her name on it by hand.  I was already tired, and still had breakfast to make and gifts to wrap.

I remembered this sweater, sitting in my bag to go to goodwill.


Well, it’s not going there anymore.  I cut the back of it out to make a stocking, and I’m saving the rest for another project.  I took about 30 seconds to draw a stocking shape on it with my fabric marking pen.


Then I cut it out, folded it with the right sides together, and sewed around the edges.  I used the cable design around the original collar for the top of the stocking.  Simple and beautiful.  (And just for the record, yes, I know it’s crazy to start a project like this at a time like that.  But sometimes your mother’s heart just needs to do something.  I’ve learned that when I listen to those feelings I feel happy.)


I took a strip from the sleeve to make a little tab to hang it with.




It needed a little something more, so I cut a strip of silk fabric and made a rosette to embellish it with.  I used another piece from the sleeve as a sort of leaf, and then added a paper tag cut from vintage sheet music to write “first Christmas” on it.




Just a little bit of time, and my little bundle has a special first Christmas stocking!

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