Going green with napkins, & a few giveaways

I have just been lolling around the last few days, can't seem to get started on my list of to-do's. I have got to get labels on two quilt today, to get ready for mailing. I also have 2 little flannel throws to finish and mail before Christmas.



I have been in the sewing room, when my daughter was here for Thanksgiving she commented on the every day napkins I use. I haven't used paper napkins in about 10 years, I was green before green was cool.. No need to iron, they just get better and softer with age.



I cut mine each 10" Press a shirt tail hem, (take the time to press the hem) If you have serger or a rolled hem attachment that will work too.







I made 4 dozen napkins, in about 2 hours, used up 2 yards of stash fabric that would have never been used in a quilt, and saved a little space in the landfill.
So DD watch your mail box for a green gift.



Gail Pan Designshas the cutest FREE Christmas redwork pattern, just visit her site.

Pilgrims & Pioneers has a giveaway going on, but hurry it ends tomorrow evening.

Crazy Ladies has a giveaway going on too, A $10.00 gift certificate for Piney Woods Primitives Shop ends Dec 15.

Ok here is one more Cat Nip Primitives, is offering 4 chances to win.
Most of these are Primitive offerings, but quilts and primitives definitely go together, don't you think?

Happy Quilting!

N. Star progress & a diagonal set tutoial

I am moving right along on my designing of the North Star quilt. I will soon be making a decision about adding borders, but for now I am working the diagonal setting blocks. I thought I would share with you the math/method I use to figure the blocks for the corners and side sets.
In order to have the straight of grain on the edges of the corner pieces they are cut differently than the side pieces. I cut 2 squares 2" larger than the block.
Then cut these in half diagonally for the corners.
4 corners.
For the side setting blocks I measure the diagonal size of the block, add 3" cut your square using that measurement. Then simply cut into four sections, the outer edge will be straight of grain.



Add the side setting blocks to the end of the rows before sewing the rows together. Simple as that.

Now to come up with a border design.

Happy Quilting!

Color it Red, top complete

This is what I have been doing for the past few days, finishing this BOM from Claudia's a year long project, I posted about it back in Jan. a snow day.


I have always planned on making a red & white quilt, this may be as close to red & white as I ever get, but I am pleased with the outcome, my favorite quilts are the scrappy ones.

I am going to be quilting this in four sections, then put it together using the quilt as you go method.
I will have four seams on the back that will need to be stitched down by hand,when finished, but compared to quilting the quilt on my DSM as a whole, sewing by hand is easy.

I have this layed out in the 4 sections with tag on each corner so I know how it goes back together, I also tag the edge so I know where not to quilt.

This is going to be practice piece for free motion quilting, so I'll let you know how that goes. Since this is a sampler quilt I think I will do sample quilting, each set of blocks differently. I'm not very good at free motion, but they tell me practice practice practice. So I am off to give it my best shot.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Making of a kitchen sink

I've had a couple emails asking if I was ok, I'm still here, I have just been busy finishing up a few projects and running around.


Thursday I went on a local shop hop with Mary visiting 5 shops here in the valley, I forgot my camera, so no photos to share from that.

Mary and I visited 5 shops, I had never been to 3 of them before. Yesterday I went to 3 more with Lucille. Fun stuff.

My kitchen sink is finished, thanks to Gypsy Quilter for the inspiration.

And a big Thanks to Bonnie at Quiltville for her method of using scraps and enders & leaders.


I made all the quilt blocks while I was working on sample quilts for the quilt shop, using the enders & leaders method.
I have had the top finished for awhile but I was dreading the challenge of quilting it on my Bernina. Then I happened to pop in a quilt shop when Sandy Moore was doing a demo on quilting larger quits in sections, then putting them together, kinda like "quilt as you go" only on a larger scale.

I came right home, took mine apart, dividing it in to 3 manageable sections. NOW it was do-able.



this made it easy to use up those smaller pieces of batting.



no large quilt back to make.



quilt as usual, then sew with right sides together, trim one side of the back, stitch the back together with a by hand with a blind stitch.


I love pieced backs, using this method I was able to use 4 different fabrics on the back.


Now I can see many unquilted quilts being finished in my future.


Now that Mary has closed the shop we find that we still want to get together with all the new friends we made there. Our first meeting of the "Sew n'Sews" was last week there was 8 of us there.
We were ask to bring something for show and tell, I was so busy yacking I only took a couple pictures.
Here I have a couple of quilts to show from that meeting.

Can you believe it,this is Betty's first quilt. She said she didn't know how to applique, so she made all the pieces, lined them, then stitch though from the back to tack them to the quilt. What an amazing job she did.




This is Linda's cat applique isn't it cute, I have it on my to do list.



Our weather here as been typical fall, with the leaves in my yard just beginning to turn. Cool mornings & sunny afternoons. I hear that is about to change.
Until next time.

Happy Quilting!

Cherries and Crows quilted place mat tutorial

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Begin by cutting the backing and batting, I use Therolamb, layer these together, pin in place.

Cut 5 strips the width of your fabric, I cut these 3" wide, sometimes it depends on the design in your fabric, especially if you choose to use a stripe. But no less than 2.5".

before sewing press under 1/4" on the outside edge. Using a 1/4" seam with right sides together, stitch around the edge, much like sewing on binding. Stopping to pivot at each corner.( One 45" strip will not go all the way around, just stop at a corner, backstitch and begin with a new strip butting up against the last strip.) If this is a little confusing, just sew 2 strips together end to end .





Press all the darts to one side, making sure the un sewn edge match evenly.

Stitch the dart on the pressed line, starting at the outer edge, stitch toward the point.

Trim and press open.

Clip outer corners, just to stitching.

Turn right side out, and press.

Measure and cut a piece to fit in the center, pin in place, then top stitch. I like to top stitch a couple times, and also a 1/4" from outer edge.

Whaooooo! you are done.

These make great gifts, wash like a dream and they re reversible.






Below is an example of a set I made for Marge.

Happy Quilting!

Email me or leave a comment if you would like the dimensions.