This weekend, I helped my Mom with a quick sewing project. She bought a super cute bathrobe, but didn't want to use the tie that came with it. She prefers a button. I told her I could add one for her and here it is:
I took the lazy way out and stitched it with my sewing machine and I figured I'd put together a short video for you showing how lazy a choice that was. This is a real time video of the process, and even with all the talking, it takes just 5 minutes!
Do you remember my post about the Cambridge Modern Quilt Guild Color Challenge? You can read the rules here. In essentials, we did a fabric swap so that we each ended up with 6 fat quarters of fabric:
2 of a particular given color
2 complementary to the given color
1 analogous color on each side of the given color
This is what I ended up with:
2 orange
2 blue
yellow & red
And you may recall that this is what I made with those fabrics:
Well, on Sunday, the rest of the Quilt Guild showed up with their versions of this challenge. Everyone had different color combos and different fabrics, but they all followed the same color rules (2-2-1-1). Here are a few of my faves:
I feel like it makes a big difference if you add in a neutral like white or just use the colored fat quarters. Some of that is because the colors are different, but many of the values are the same. Take a peek in black and white:
The three quilts that used white are on the left side and they have the most visual contrast. The three on the right used either just the colored fabrics we were each given or grey as a neutral. The value contrast is much lower on those pieces. Interesting, isn't it?
I am a member of the Cambridge Modern Quilt Guild. At our Guild Meeting on Sunday, one of the Guild Members taught us how to make a pincushion from eight hexagons. I used some leftover scraps that another Guild Member didn't want.
It's not the most beautiful pin cushion, but I really enjoyed the process and I'd like to make another one in fabric I love. Maybe even some hand painted fabrics?
Here are some things I liked about this project:
This pin cushion uses up very little fabric and is perfect for leftover scraps you can't bear to throw away!
It's also all hand sewn, so it's perfect for taking on the go or doing in front of the TV.
I assumed that the pin cushion would be filled with Fiber Fill or something similar. Instead it's filled with crushed walnut shells. Because they're heavy, the pin cushion doubles as a pattern weight.
I was introduced to sewing clips and I immediately bought a pack of 100. Where have they been all my life?!
It was my first experience with English Paper Piecing and it was much easier than I thought it would be.
In case you'd like to try, I did some googling and I found this video tutorial, which looks very similar to what we were taught. Enjoy!
This is a quick and easy way to add beautiful custom décor to your home. And it’s a low sew project, with just a bit of decorative stitching added at the end of the project. Let the ScanNCut do the bulk of the work, cutting an intricate pattern from your favorite fabrics.
Supplies:
ScanNCut DX
ScanNCut Mat with High Tack Fabric Support Sheet
Fabric with Fusible Web
Brayer
Pre-Made Pillow Cover
Iron & Ironing Board
Sewing Machine with Free Motion Foot
Thread
Pillow
Watch the video for the how-to:
Instructions:
Choose a design. I’m using one of the built-in designs from the ScanNCut DX 225.
Use a ScanNCut Mat with a High Tack Fabric Support Sheet on it. Place Fabric with Fusible Web onto the mat, with the fabric side down against the mat.
I left the paper on the fusible web because I’m cutting an intricate pattern.
Load the mat into the machine and cut. You may wish to change the Cut Speed Settings to a “1” because this is such an intricate pattern. Find those settings under the wrench tool on the Cut screen (just before you hit start).
Remove the fabric from the mat and if you have additional pieces to cut, go ahead and cut them in the same manner as the previous piece. If you’re working with smaller pieces of fabric, be sure to scan your fabric so that you can place the cut files onto the small pieces.
Remove the paper backing from your cut pieces of fabric.
Place each piece of fabric onto your pre-made pillow cover and iron it into place.
Repeat for each piece of your applique design.
If you wish to add some decorative stitching, use a sewing machine with a free motion foot and some colorful thread.
Put a pillow into the cover and you are done!
And here is the color variation I showed in the video:
I hope you'll give this fun and easy project a try!
Thanks for stopping by!
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P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut. It is a machine that I love and use. All projects and opinions are my own.
I loooove going to craft fairs. There's something so wonderful about buying art from the person who made it. My absolute favorite is when the artist is working on new projects in their booth. It's an opportunity to see how they create the beautiful products they sell.
When I walked into Jessica Joy's GOLDYFISH Handbags booth, she was sitting at the sewing machine stitching up a storm. Her booth was filled with unique handbags -- no two exactly the same. She uses a collection of several (hand drafted) patterns to create her handbags, but she uses different fabrics for every bag. In fact, my Mom and I bought the same handbag -- but because the fabrics are so different, they don't look the same at all.
Please note that some links on this blog contain affiliate links and I receive a small percentage of those sales. Rest assured, I never recommend a product that I don't believe in. :)
