Project 365 - Week 6

 
Project 365 - One photo a day for a year. Kind of like a photographic journal of my entire year!

Day 36 - When the snow gets so high, it's too hard to shovel because you have to lift the shovel over your shoulders. You are very lucky if the wind doesn't blow the snow back in your face!

Day 37 - Spotted this beautiful cardinal in my tree today.

Day 38 - Look! A heatwave! It won't last long because we're heading back to below zero again as I'm writing this. Notice the snowflake on the weather report. Yes, we see a lot of days with those!

Day 39 - I got to see my precious baby Paige this weekend! Always brightens my day!

Day 40 - I can't believe Bubba didn't run away from my camera like he usually does.

Day 41 - Punkie found a sunny spot. This is the first time I've seen her on this table. She usually hangs out in my studio or on our bed, and rarely ventures over to this end of the house.

Day 42 -  Needed to make me a new sewing machine cover for my new sewing machine. It's much bigger than my previous one and neither one of my sewing machine covers would fit it.

For more of my Project 365 - Click HERE. 

The Long Cold, Snowy Winter!

It sure has been a cold and snowy winter here along the shores of Lake Michigan. Last year we were so lucky but we are paying for it now! We've had a deadly 30 something car pile-up, a snowstorm that left us in a State of Emergency for a few days, and temperatures with wind chills reaching 30 to 40 below zero. I sure am glad that I only have to commute across the hall now.

The photo above is from the snow we got last night. As you can see, the snow has beautiful sparkles. The photo does not do this blanket of snow justice. When I took Bubba out late last night, I was fascinated by the beauty of this snow. It looked as if someone had sprinkled glitter all over the yard. The photo above is the best I could do to capture it.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When Mother Nature gives you snowstorms, at least take a minute to enjoy it's beauty.

Hearts & Love Mug Rug Tutorial

Mug rugs are so popular right now and they are my biggest sellers, so I thought I'd create a tutorial for you so that you can join me in my addiction. I know they are called "mug rugs" but a lot of people make them for decoration. They look really cute displayed on a shelf, or hung on a wall.

My personal preference is to make them using hand applique, but so many of my customers have emailed me pictures of their finished products and almost all of them are machine appliqued, so that's the technique I'm showing you here. I use a tight zigzag stitch but you can certainly use any stitch you prefer. If want to make them using hand applique, that's fine as well. When I do hand applique, I start out with my fabric bigger and cut it down after the handwork. It's easier to work with a bigger piece of fabric when you are working with a hand stitching embroidery hoop. 

Before you begin you're going to need to download the pattern pieces to your computer. You can find them in a zipped file on the freebie page of my website. I've enclosed a graphic of what the finished item will look like as well as a PDF file of the pattern pieces, and a JPEG of the pattern pieces. Use whichever will be easier for you to get your pattern printed out at 100%. The PDF file should be the best solution for you. The following link will take you directly to the pattern pieces. You will find them at the top of the page.

PATTERN PIECES - CLICK HERE

Supplies:
Small scraps of fabric for appliques
1/8 yard of light weight paper backed fusible webbing
6 1/2 x 10 inch piece of fabric for background
6 1/2 x 10 inch piece of fusible fleece
7 1/2 x 11 inch piece of fabric for back
2 3/4” x 44” strip of fabric for binding
Fray-check (optional: to seal the stitches on the back)
Thread to match fabrics

General supplies:
Scissors, pins, sewing needles, paper & pencil, fabric marking pen or pencil, paper or cardstock (for printing pattern pieces), iron & ironing board, sewing machine, cutting mat with ruler & rotary cutter (optional), pressing cloth or piece of light colored, 100% cotton fabric for fusing your fleece to the top (depending on the brand you use, some fusible fleece instructions call for it).

Important tips & general instructions:
**Read tips and instructions thoroughly before beginning.

**Iron your fabrics before starting. If you will be pre-washing your fabrics, do not use a fabric softener. It can prevent your adhesive from sticking when fusing. 100% cotton fabrics work best.

**Be sure to print out your pattern at 100%. You will see a little square on the pattern, make sure it measures an inch square or your pattern pieces will not fit properly on the mug rug.

Instructions:
1.  Print out the pattern pieces and cut them out. If you use card-stock, it will be so much easier to trace around them.

2. Turn your pattern pieces upside down so that the ink side is facing the paper-backed fusible webbing, and trace them onto the paper side of your paper-backed fusible webbing. Do a rough cut just outside the traced line. You’ll cut on the line in the next step.

3.  Fuse these to the wrong side of the fabric scraps you have chosen for your applique pieces. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the paperbacked fusible webbing you are using. Cut your applique pieces out by cutting on your traced lines. Remove your paper backing and set aside.

4.  Fuse the piece of the fusible fleece to the backside of the background fabric, following the manufacturer’s directions for the fleece you are using. Mine requires the use of a damp pressing cloth.

5.  Flip over so that the right side of the background fabric is facing up on your ironing surface. Arrange your appliques on the fabric (glue side down) making sure to keep them at least 3/4 inch away from each edge. Your binding will take up about 3/8” of the edges. Once you are happy with the arrangement, fuse in place following the manufacturer’s instructions for your fusible webbing. 

I make a lot of mug rugs so I created a template (from card stock) that helps me keep my appliques where they belong. The template measures 6 1/2 x 10 inches, and has a cut out center that left a 3/4" margin all the way around. I just place my template on top of my background and as long as my appliques are inside that cut out, I know they will be centered perfectly, and stay within that margin. 

6.  Machine applique around your applique pieces as desired. Use any stitch you like best. I use a tight zigzag.

Pre-binding preparation:
1.  Place the ironed backing piece with the wrong side facing up on your work surface. Center your applique and fleece piece on top. Hand baste, pin, or spray baste to secure. I personally prefer to use the basting spray on all my small quilt projects, it's just so easy! Using a rotary cutter or scissors, cut your backing piece to the same size as the top/fleece combination. Machine baste all the way around this piece, 1/4 inch from each edge.

 

2.  If you want to machine quilt these layers together, you can do that. I always get best results when using free motion machine quilting, but most of the time, I don’t do any quilting. This is such a small piece and fusible fleece was used for the inside.

Applying the binding:
1.  Fold one of the short ends of the 2 3/4” x 44” strip of fabric 1/4” to the wrong side and iron in place. Fold the entire length of fabric in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together, and iron.

2.  Beginning at the center front, along the bottom edge of the mug rug, and using the edge that you ironed in at 1/4", pin the binding to the mug rug with the raw edges of the binding even with the raw edges of the mug rug.

3.  Before you do the remaining edges, you will stitch this section in place using a 3/8” seam allowance. Begin your stitching at the folded end of your binding, and stop your stitching 3/8" from the corner. I like to run a couple of back stitches at the beginning and ending of my stitching to secure seam in place. Remove project from machine and take back to your work table. Do not exceed your 3/8” seam allowance.

4.  Flip your binding piece down forming a fold at a 45 degree angle. Then bring the binding back down so that the fold in your binding will be even with the raw edge at the bottom. Your raw edges of the binding will be even with the raw edges of the mug rug.

5.  Secure with pins and stitch in place just as you did with the first edge stopping 3/8" from the end. Repeat these steps with remaining corners. With the remaining corners, you will also be starting your stitching 3/8” from the corner too. When you get to the end, leave an overlap of at least and inch and trim off the excess binding before stitching that final section down.

6.  Trim off excess threads and remove basting stitches that might have been left behind or exposed. Flip the folded edges of the binding to the back and secure in place. Hand stitch binding to backing.

Be sure to check out the SUPER-HUGE selection of mug rugs at my Etsy Shop.

Do you like free embroidery designs and tutorials?

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Project 365 - Week 5

Project 365 - One photo a day for a year. Kind of like a photographic journal of my entire year!

Day 29 - I was taking some video of the deer in the yard while they were running around, and was able to get a few photos before they ran off.

Day 30 - There's nothing like that first sip of tea in the morning out of your favorite mug.

Day 31 - I couldn't pass up these cute black cat clips when I saw them at the grocery store. How can you not smile when you see them?

Day 32 - Somebody got a bath!

Day 33 - My favorite kitchen tip. Today I froze milk in the silicone cupcake cups so I can use them whenever I need them because it may not be for a while. Blogged here.

Day 34 - Had my heart set on a homemade waffle Sunday morning only to discover (during cooking) that my twenty-five year old waffle iron wouldn't get hot enough. Bought this new one today and had waffles for dinner! Now to locate the chocolate waffle recipe...

Day 35 -  Out and about today. Check out the snow pushed to the side from the plows. Yes, that pile is way taller than me, probably twice my height. And we are getting more snow tonight!

For more of my Project 365 - Click HERE. 

Kitchen Tip - Freezing Liquids

I can't tell you how many times we have thrown away milk. There are only two of us in the house, and the only time we ever use it is when we need it for pancakes, in a recipe, or someone comes over and uses it in their coffee. Even if we only buy a quart or half gallon, we throw most of it away. Then something dawned on me, milk freezes very well! I got out my silicone cupcake cups, placed them on a couple plates, poured the milk into them, and froze them. Each cup holds 1/2 cup of milk. After they were frozen, just a few hours later, I removed them from the silicone cups and put them in a ziplock bag for use later. Since they are frozen in half cup servings, it's easy to grab what I need next time I want pancakes or oatmeal. You can thaw them out the day before, or in the microwave when you need them.

I've been doing this for years with our leftover gravy, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and all kinds of sauces. The silicone doesn't absorb odors and they clean up so easily.

Here's a tip: The cheaper silicone cups are easiest to remove from the frozen milk because they are thinner. Just peels right off!

Clipart image from "Country Kitchen" available at Etsy.

Project 365 - Week 4

Project 365 - One photo a day for a year. Kind of like a photographic journal of my entire year!

Day 22 - Brian and my 4 year wedding anniversary.

Day 23 - Lots of colorful projects in motion. I am planning something BIG!

Day 24 - We finally replaced our old house phone! The number pad barely worked anymore, and this new one has three additional phones and little charging bases so we can have them all over the house.

Day 25 - Anniversary dinner celebration at the Olive Garden. Yummm!

Day 26 - A special birthday greeting is in the works! Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

Day 27 - This may be a silly picture but if you could have seen the "before" of this drawer! I've been meaning to make some organization of this mess for a while. Now I can easily find the cable, batteries, and anything else that goes with each electronic device or camera. Everything is in a labeled bag. We're such nerds!

Day 28 -  YES! Our Panera is now open. I've been wanting one by me since I had my first "soup in a bread bowl" about eight years ago. If you are wondering what I ordered this time, it was the egg sandwich with their Vermont white cheddar cheese, and bacon on a ciabatta bread. So delicious!

For more of my Project 365 - Click HERE. 

FREEBIE - Digital Designers Facebook Hop!

FACEBOOK HOP HAS EXPIRED
YOU CAN STILL GRAB THIS FREE MINI KIT ON THE FREEBIE PAGE OF MY WEBSITE!

The digital designers are at it again! The theme for this Facebook Hop is Valentine's Day! All you have to do is follow me on Facebook. After you have received my contribution (shown above), you can go to the next one and do the same. If you ever get lost along the way, you can always go back to the Facebook hop home and get the list of contributors there. By the time you are finished you will have a whole lot of Valentine's images, printables, tags, and other fun things that will create one huge and coordinated set. 

What are you waiting for? Hope over to my FACEBOOK page and get started!

Be sure to look for the pretty, pink DD on the Facebook tabs!

FREE - Sizing Chart for Crafts and Sewing!

One of the most used items in my sewing studio is my sizing chart. When I'm designing a pattern, or following a pattern from someone else, I'm always grabbing my sizing chart. This is how I choose the right size buttons, beads, ribbons, wiggle eye, as well as other embellishments. Mine is laminated and kept in a basket within an arms reach away from my work table. 

I want you to have that same convenience and accuracy so I made one just for you! You can download your chart from my Craftsy Pattern Shop HERE.

Enjoy!

Project 365 - Week 3

Project 365 - One photo a day for a year. Kind of like a photographic journal of my entire year!

Day 15 - My favorite breakfast, the dependable, yet delicious egg sandwich.

Day 16 - I've had some people write me asking me where they can get this fabric. It's used in my Happy Snowman Mug Rug Pattern as the binding. I decided to lay it out and photograph it so they have a better idea of what it looks like when they try to find it. If you are wondering too, it's made exclusively for JoAnn Fabrics. It was in their Christmas  collection this past year.

Day 17 - My business partner and little buddy. She will be 14 years old this summer. I just love my Punkie!

Day 18 - Made this M&M Trifle for my Mom's birthday party. It is always wiped out immediately and is everyone's favorite. It is sooooo easy and so pretty! I know you want the recipe!

Day 19 - Great Grandma holding baby Paige at her birthday party. She loves her grand-babies!

Day 20 - Yes! The generator is installed! No more filling up the bathtubs with water when I know there is a storm coming. When you live in the country, you're the last ones to get power back and it can be out for days! I do love my candles and my candlelight, but it's not good for putting on makeup.

Day 21 -  Black squirrels are not very common but we do have a few in the area, and one of them lives in my trees. I see him everyday but I can't get a good picture of him. This is the best I can do for now, but I'm bound and determined to get a better one soon! 

For more of my Project 365 - Click HERE. 

Mom's Vintage Sewing Box

Do you have something in your home that you will never get rid of? For me it's the sewing box that belonged to my mother. She let me have it when she gave up sewing years ago. I've seen similar ones at stores but they are nothing like the old original. They are much smaller and made with much thinner wood. I love the way it opens up to expose all your tools and notions at a glance, yet folds up quickly into a smaller space. This one actually looks good for it's age.