Archive for ‘Sewing & Fabric’

December 9th, 2013

Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar

by Julie Hirt

Yikes!  I almost didn’t get this made in time.  Finished it up this weekend and I’ll be delivering it to my niece and nephews this evening.

Countown to Christmasn 627handworks (1)

The pockets are stuffed with little goodies.  I used a Riley Blake charm pack for the pockets and some bright solids for the interior.

Countown to Christmasn 627handworks (2)

I tried something different for the quilting by using different colors of threads.  It’s okay, not sure I would it would be worth it on a printed fabric.

Countown to Christmasn 627handworks (3)

Since I waited so long to finish this up I purchased backing and binding fabric at Joann’s.  It goes pretty well with the Riley Blake fabrics.

Machine binded for the first time (I always hand sew it on the back) and it’s pretty terrible. ha!  Definitely need to practice.

Janice at Better of Thread hosted a Quilt-Along.  I’m just sorry I didn’t get mine finished in time for the party!

julie

November 22nd, 2013

Tutorial: “Boutique Bones” Removable Dog Bed Cover

by Julie Hirt

Sew Lux Fabric challenged me to a duel!

Okay, not really.  It was a design challenge using 6 fat quarters from their shop.  Immediately I knew it was the perfect chance to make a dog bed cover.

Boutique Bones 627handworks

I picked some fabrics that I loved, ignoring the fact that Bojangles is a boy. Dogs are color-blind, right?

dcnov13-3.gif These lovely bundle is available at Sew Lux Fabric.

MATERIALS

  • 6 Fat Quarters
  • 22″ or 24″ zipper
  • 32″ x 40″ piece of batting
  • 32″ x 40″ scrap backing fabric for quilting (which will be hidden)
  • 30″ x 38″ piece of duck cloth for bottom.  (You can really use anything, like flannel, fleece or cotton)

This will make a 28″ x 36″ removable dog bed cover that fits most of the larger sized dog beds. We have 3 different beds that are slightly different sizes and this fits all of them.

If you don’t have dog beds lying around you can easily make a filler bed:

  • Take muslin (or an old sheet) and cutting 2 rectangles 29 x 37.
  • Place right sides together, sew down 3 sides using a 1″ seam allowance.
  • Turn right side out, stuff with stuffing from a couple of old pillows and sew up the 4th side.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (2)

Separate your fabrics into piles.  2 fabrics for ‘bones’, 2 fabrics for background, 1 for the corner squares and 1 for the border.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (4)

 

CUTTING

All “strips” are 2.5″

Bones:

  • From each fat quarter cut (six) 18″ strips. Take those 6 strips and cut from each:
    • (two) 6.5″ strips
    • (two) 2.5″ strips

Background:

  • From each fat quarter cut (three) 18″ strips. Take those 3 strips and cut from each:
    • (four) 4.5″ strips
  • From each fat quarter cut (two) 18″ strips. Take those 2 strips and cut from each:
    • (seven) 2.5″ squares

Corner Accents:

  • Cut (twenty four) 2.5″ squares

Border:

  • Your fat quarter MUST be at least 21″ wide.   Cut into (six) 21″+  strips.  If you have extra length, leave it!

 

Boutique Bones 627handworks (6)

 

BOUTIQUE BONE BLOCKS

For each block pull:

Bones fabric:  (2) 2.5″ squares, (2) 6.5″ strips

Background fabric:  (4) 2.5″ squares, (2) 4.5″ strips

Corner fabric: (2) 2.5″ squares

Boutique Bones 627handworks (10)

 

Lay out your fabrics like shown above.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (11)

 

Sew the sides together.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (12)

 

Lay your background fabrics on top of your bone fabrics like shown above.  Mark or crease a diagonal line in the same direction as shown.  Sew, iron, trim!

Boutique Bones 627handworks (13)

 

It should now resemble this.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (15)

 

Sew the strips together and you have a “boutique bone” block.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (17)

 

Create a total of 12 Boutique Bone blocks and sew them together into three rows of four.  Then sew the rows together forming one large rectangle.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (19)

 

BORDER

This is a tight fit so sew accordingly.   Attach your strips end to end using a 1/4″ seam allowance so you have one long border piece. Iron open.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (21)

 

This will be a close fit, so don’t waste the border fabric by leaving a lot of overhang!

  • Place your border onto a side (right sides together).   Line up with top edge and sew down.  Cut the border fabric even with main block when you reach the end.
  • Now place your border (right sides together) on the opposite side.  Line it up with the top edge and sew down.  Cut the border fabric even with main block when you reach the end.
  • Repeat for the other 2 sides.

 

QUILT

I forgot to take a picture!  

  • Sandwich your fabrics:  scrap backing fabric (facing down), batting, bones (right side up).
  • Quilt however you’d like.
  • Trim to the border.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (23)

 

ZIPPER

Place your zipper right side down along the short edge of your quilted bones (see above).

Boutique Bones 627handworks (24)

 

Pin in place and stitch down using a zipper foot.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (26)

 

Now open it up and top stitch, securing your fabric and zipper.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (29)

 

Place your bones (facing down) onto your duck cloth (or other fabric, right side up).  Pin the zipper in place like above.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (30)

Sew with a zipper foot and top stitch in place.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (31)

 

Place your top and bottom right sides together, pin all the way around.

When you get to the zipper UNZIP IT!  Kind of pull the zipper to the outside of the sandwich and pin in place.

Sew along the edges using a 1/2″ seam alowance.  Sew about 1/2″ into each side where the zipper is. Be sure to secure with back stitches.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (33)

Turn it right side out through the zipper hole.

Boutique Bones 627handworks (32)

 

Hope you enjoyed this.  If you make one, be sure to share it with me!  Thanks again to Sew Lux Fabric.

julie

September 28th, 2013

Saturday Sewing

by Julie Hirt

I’m caught up with cutting up the squares for my Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar.   I’m using a Riley Blake charm pack and some solids from my stash.

adventfabrics

Decided to use plain white squares for the pocket lining and haven’t picked out fabrics for the numbers yet.  Maybe white felt?   I just don’t know.

 

My projects have been a little quiet on the blog, but I promise I’ve been busy!  I’ll be sharing a few of those in the coming weeks.

Right now I have an empty design board.   It’s strange to see but exciting at the same time.  Since there are three quilts on my to-do list so it won’t stay empty for long.

emptydesignboard

 

What are you working?  Hope you’re having a great weekend!

julie

 

September 21st, 2013

Giveaway Winners & Birthday Decor

by Julie Hirt

I wanted to share this birthday table topper I made a few weeks ago. We laid it on the table to put my nephews cake on, but it also has tabs on the back so it can be hung on a wall.

birthdaybanner

The print is a Michael Miller panel and one of my first fabric purchases ever. It was too cute not to buy, even if I had no idea what to do with it.  In my cleaning frenzy a few weeks ago I came across it and started playing around with it (anything to avoid cleaning).   The polka dot fabrics are leftovers I had from the Funky Monkeys by Moda collection.  It measures around 2′ square.

 

 

sundayfunday

I had a lot of fun with the giveaways during the last 6 weeks.  Maybe we could make this a yearly thing?

If I learned anything this past week it’s that the majority of us like to sew barefoot!   I always have a pile of shoes under my sewing table because I have to be barefoot, but I had no idea it was so common.  One of you could be rich if you invent some kind of ergonomic sewing pedal (I’m open to royalties).

The winner of the V & Co. Simply Color Large Aurifil Thread Box is:   Manda Clark

The winner of the Club Medallion Border of the Month by Sew Lux is:  Vickie Adkins

Since there were so many entries I added another prize.  Winner of an Aurifil Thread Sampler pack is:  Joanie Byrnes Page

Congrats, ladies!  I’ll be sending you an email shortly.  Have a great weekend!

julie

 

September 13th, 2013

Countdown to Christmas QAL

by Julie Hirt

As soon as I saw Janice at Better Off Thread announce the Countdown to Christmas quilt along, I was in.  I had been wanting to make the advent calendar since the first time I saw it.

My Riley Blake charms arrived today, so I matched them up with some solids from my stash and I’m ready to go.

christmaspull

 

Here is the calendar – those are little pockets!

EFF727091

You can find the pattern here.

 

countdown

 

Since the kids in this house are teens, I’ll probably give it to my brother and his family since they have 3 little ones.  Have a great weekend!

julie

 

 

September 9th, 2013

Unicorn Pillow

by Julie Hirt

I’m so happy with how my little unicorn turned out!  Yesterday evening I decided to “sew one block” then stayed up till midnight quilting the pillow.  Oops.

Unicorn Pillow

She’s destined for my niece who is turning five and now I kinda wish it was for me. Do girls ever outgrow unicorns?

And don’t tell my niece, but I’ve already named her  Princess Prancy Pants.

Unicorn Pillow 1

This genius paper piecing pattern is from the talented Kristy at Quiet Play.  It’s a perfect little pattern and you can find it here.

Princess Prancy Pants is the first paper piecing block I’ve made outside of stars or symmetrical type shapes.  She’s not perfect but it’s no fault of the pattern.  Kristy has oodles of blocks to choose from and several are on my to-do list.

Embarrassingly, I’m a little too giddy about the unicorn and she looks at home on MY bed.  Although, I’m not sure if my husband will go for unicorn decor in our bedroom.

Unicorn Pillow 2

For the stitching I used assorted Aurifil thread colors along with fabrics from my stash.  The pink and white border is from a vintage sheet and the back side has the same fabric with a zipper enclosure for easy washing.

This is only my 2nd attempt at piping (first time was my Weekender).  It really isn’t too bad to make and sew in.  Not sure why the thought of it is scary.

Hope you’re having a good Monday. Prance on!  heh

julie

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