Miles of Pillowcase Smiles Ladies and Gentlemen start your engines.... Our Miles of Pillowcase Smiles Campaign is just around the corner and it...

I have a serious affection for nice linens on a tabletop, they’re just the easiest way to add a touch of comfort and elegance to any table setting, from for ...

It's that time of year: the Spring tease. Real or not, the warmer weather and bright sunlight have me excited about parties! In our...

I Spy Snowball quilt made by the Joy Circle of do.Good Stitches using a tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew. This quilt will be donated to Project Linus in the UK Blogged

W.I.P. Works in Progress. Just a really nice way to say unfinished projects :) Here it is mid January already!! Wow! We had our first snowfall yesterday that hasn't melted. I spent the day warm and cozy in the craft room working on some new and not so new projects. First up is my Wonky Star project that I started this summer. I had no idea what this was going to be, but I think it is an awesome pillow sham! First attempt at hand quilting. Still needs binding. Next is a Christmas gift from Becky. Embroidery!!! YAY!! I haven't done embroidery in years, but I saw this darling sampler on etsy, and hinted that I would really love for Santa to leave one in my stocking. She actually gave me two samplers, but I started with the easier of the two. ♥ it. And finally...Dresden!!! Fun! This ruler is the best $5.00 I've spent in awhile. (50% coupon at Joann's). I have lots of projects in mind for this little guy. I see a trend towards smaller projects. I like having small, portable projects, AND I am using up scraps and stash fabrics. But I really want to make one of these like Trish at Notes of Sincerity. It really does make me SWOON!!!

It’s a skirt AND a dress! This may be the most perfect vacation piece ever. Make yourself one (or a few!) with this great tutorial from Delia Creates! Supplies: about 2 yards of light to mid weight knit fabric matching thread ball point needle and/or double needle (if not using a serger, these needles work...Read More »

Guys can be notoriously hard to shop for, and even harder to craft for. Every year in my family, we have a tradition of giving handmade gifts to each other. I love how this has taken the focus off shopping for the gift; instead of stressing about finding the “perfect” $20 gift (hint: it doesn’t […]

You make me so happy. Also making me happy: two more days left of work until summer break!

Who doesn't just love strawberries? Even with it Fall you can't resist them. Though the season may be over it still can bring that brightness into your day even when the weather is a bit cooler. Lately, I've been busy making strawberry pincushions thanks to my sweet friend, Erin who invited me to the Strawberry Pincushion Swap. I made my partner a prettified pincushion but changed the top with adding a pretty mini hexie flower with some of my favorite strawberry fabrics. I loved making this version of Ayumi's pincushion. I then made a mini strawberry pincushion and attached it to some cute birdie embroidery scissors for my partner. I packaged up a few extra plush strawberries with the pincushions in a lovely strawberry basket and added some strawberry ribbon. And it is winging its way to my partner and should hopefully be arriving soon. I hope she likes her package. Then yesterday I received the most amazing package from Amy of Nanacompany. Even the box was as cute as can be!! So much strawberry goodness I tell you!! I just love the amazing large felt leaves with wool strawberries adorned to a fabulous pincushion jar! Then a sweet plush strawberry pincushion and an adorable strawberry needle book. I have been truly spoiled! Aren't these the most fabulous leaves and wool strawberries!! I love how creative Amy is!! She is so talented!! I can't wait to put the plush strawberry pincushion and needle book to use!! They are perfect!! For shop news, I added some lovely new Atsuko fabrics. I have this larger bundle listed, and then I have them separated into smaller bundles too. Aren't they so sweet!?! See you soon, my friends!! Hugs, Kerri

The Scrap Bag Bag is a perfect overnight bag – fun, roomy, zippered closures, lightweight – and sews up quickly using Stash Fabrics. Today’s post is the tutorial for sewing these …

*I have an updated/additional tutorial here.* Little kids are always getting scrapes and cuts. I'm not sure if it's their closer proximity to the ground, that they're always moving, or they're still learning how to use their legs [most likely a combination of all of the above]. No matter--they're always getting hurt. Once upon a time, I would ration the band-aids like it was WWII. Show me blood. Show me dripping blood. That sort of thing. But I've learned along this road of motherhood a few things. One of which is that the whole world will go around easier if there is free access to band-aids. Cut? Have a band-aid. Scrape? Have a band-aid. Bruise? Have a band-aid. Itch? Have a band-aid. Psychological or not, kids like band-aids. But what about a middle-of-the-night ear ache? You get the acetaminophen going, but what to ease the immediate discomfort? What about those general aches and pains? The other night Divine woke up with an ear ache. We did the ear drops and the acetaminophen. She settled down for about 15 minutes until the ear drops wore off and the acetaminophen hadn't kicked in yet. More ear drops. In pain a few minutes later. I filled a drawstring bag with rice, stuck it in the microwave for less than a minute, she put it on her ear and was sound asleep moments later. So, what did I do? Made two for each of them! In the colder months they can keep them in their coat pockets, just the right size. Of course you can make these any size you want, larger for warming your feet or a leg ache. Around here we like petite. Supplies: Fabric and ribbon scraps Bias Cording Thread Rice 1 Cut your bags the size desired [2 sides for each bag]. For mine, I use a 3" X 5" index card and just rounded the corners. Use cotton or linen, as natural fibers breathe the best. I also cut an extra 2 sides of muslin to line them and give them more stability and weight. I love piping. I could do a whole post on it. Maybe another time. To make your own piping, iron your bias flat and fold it over your cord [you can use any size cord that you want--for this project I used a very small size]. You want to stitch RIGHT next to the cord. You can use a zipper foot, or if you have a foot with grooves the size of your cord use that, as it also guides it. 2 Pin your cord in place, but also keep the cord pushed up against the center crease with your fingernail right before it goes under the foot. 3 Pin the freshly made piping around perimeter, overlapping ends, and curving them toward the raw edge. The raw edge of the piping will line up with the raw edge of the right side of the fabric. Don't forget to put the muslin on the wrong side. Fold ribbon piece in half and pin in place. Stitch, following the stitching of the piping. 4 This is what the next layering will look like with the muslin as the bread of the sandwich and the patterned fabric in the center. 5 Turn sandwich over and pin, leaving a 2" opening. Follow the previous stitching exactly. 6 To reduce bulk in corners, clip triangles. Turn right side out. A frequent scene as I sew: a scissor social! 7 Fill bags with rice. My choice: Jasmine. Exotic, fragrant scent. Hand stitch opening shut. You can, of course, omit the piping, which I did on one bag. It comes together much more quickly, but I really like the look of the baby piping. Rice bags + band-aids = World Peace [at least less crying]

I made this quick project one afternoon last week, for my dear friend from The Woolly Tree. She has recently started wearing glasses and is studying again. I wanted to give her a present to say good luck and congratulations! I used the template from Betz White's caterpillar eyeglass case tutorial and foundation pieced the selvedge strips onto interfacing. I padded it using bamboo batting and chose a happy yellow spot for the lining. Voila! I secured it by sewing on a press stud, to stop the glasses sliding out. I was thrilled to finally make a selvedge project! I have been saving them ever since I read this issue of Down Under Quilts. It featured lots of amazing projects using selvedges, including the work of Karen Griska, author of "Quilts from from the Selvege Edge" (you can check out her Selvage Blog) and Jodie Carleton. Check out Jodie's INCREDIBLE Selvedge Dress that was featured in DUQ. Her blog has more photos of this incredible work of art plus lots of other cute project tutorials.

Explore quarter inch mark/ Chase's 1803 photos on Flickr!

Here is the iPad pillow pattern! To be fair, it could be used for any tablet type of device like a Kindle or Nook. As for the pattern, I'm not wild about it for several reasons, and it's mostly because of the size and bulk. There is also the fact that most of these bigger devices have some sort of stand that is built into the cover, so the lack of practical usage is low. But, maybe you feel differently and you want to have your device propped up by cool fabric and rice! So, grumbling aside, let's get onto the sewing stuff. This pattern is a little bit different than the iPod Pillow: 1. All the pieces are separate. 2. There is one triangle, which serves as the base, that is shorter than the other three. This was done to minimize bulk. Although, it's still pretty bulky! 3. You are going to use a 1/4 seam allowance. 4. You are going to make the stopper 1 1/2" wide Click here to see how the pattern is laid out. Also, here is a pic of all the fabric pieces when they are cut. It's difficult to see, so that is why I drew it all on paper to help you get a better visual. Here is the pattern to get you started: iPad Pillow Pattern. (For whatever reason, google docs decided to upload that one completely upside down! And I have no idea how to fix that . . . sorry! It's still totally useable, I swear!) To make the iPad version, follow the iPod Pillow tutorial. But keep in mind the changes I outlined above and you should be fine. Here is a naked iPad Pillow for your viewing enjoyment. (Ignore my tomato pin cushion! It's bigger than the "usual" tomato pincushions that you might be used to seeing, so don't let that be a point of reference!) Update - Here is a pic with an iPad . .. finally!

I am cooking {dumplings}! { the dumpling family} { the minis} { I shall save one for myself} { which??} { Dumpling# 1, side a} {Dumpling #1, side b} {Dumpling #2, side a} {Dumpling# 2, side b} {Dumpling# 3, side a} {Dumpling # 3, side b} {Dumpling #4, side a} {Dumpling #4, side b} {Dumpling # 5, side a} {Dumpling #5, side b} {Dumpling #6, side a} {Dumpling # 6, side b} {Dumpling # 7, side a} {Dumpling # 7, side b} {Dumpling # 8, side a} {Dumpling # 8, side b} I have been {cooking} some yummy {dumplings}! Each day, I made little progress on them and they surely turn out cute and really fun to make! Hope you are not tired of these scrappy patchwork projects that I have been posting/ working. I haven't play in my own stashes for a little while! These scraps are so many possibilities for me! More dumplings for me before the holidays. I carefully matched the zipper colors with each {dumpling}. The zippers were purchased here, and I am really happy with the quality and how fast they shipped. It sounds crazy, but I have total of 8 bigger dumplings and 3 minis. I love the minis so much even though it is the harder version. Somehow I like the size of it and it would be great for threads and buttons and a small pair of scissors. Maybe a set of dumpling from big to small. Find the patchwork steps here I shall return and continually cooking.... xxC

my grandmothers pot holders are almost done.

Wowzers! Take a look at all these selvage projects by Michelle from Florida on Nostalgic Cafe! Numbering them 1-9, top to bottom, left to right, which is your favorite? I especially like #4 the spider web and #8 the house (or pool cabana). Oh yeah, #9 the Asterisk blocks too! Cool selvages in #2 too. Nice job Michelle!

Hey there! I bet some of you have thought I wasn't coming back... I didn't plan on being away from blogland for so long but life and Summer have a way of taking over at times. I am so looking forward to crisp, Fall evenings with the sewing machine working overtime. Amidst all that was going on this summer I participated in a Flickr swap hosted by Sewtakeahike and Noodlehead. We swapped Noodlehead's super cute Gathered Clutch, you can buy it HERE. The clutch above (and below) was the one that I made for my super secret partner, Angela. Here's a link to the clutch I received from Kirsten of Three Dancing Magpies...... I love it so much. Already I've had girlfriends try and claim it...fortunately, they're not swift enough. I hope you all are enjoying the end of summer and the last long weekend for awhile. I'll be back soon to share some of my summer thrifty finds and creative endeavours!

En mi página blog personal encontrarás patchwork, detalles con encanto, bordado, tutoriales, viajes, y muchas cosas más...

Dear partner, I think I covered all the bases with your wish list. I used a gate ring so that you could use the strap and puch a bunch of ways; meaning you can leave the strap off it, or use it on the pouch and hook your keys to it. anything! Hope you like it!!

I’m getting ready for Mother’s Day and I don’t think my Mother in Law reads my blog, so I feel somewhat safe posting here. (And if you see these before you get them Linda, Surpri…

A blog that celebrates the world of pattern design. Covering greetings cards, gift wrap, fabrics, kids design, wallpaper, stationery and more.

Alright, I gathered up 30 more fat quarter projects for you. :) Country Living makes pincushions using cookie dough cutters. You could make several out of one fat quarter. I like this idea because you are reusing what you have in your home. I think they would make great gifts too. whipstitch made this castle. I know it looks big, but it really is not. Mauby thought about the little boys! Here's her tool belt using one fat quarter. Positively Splendid made a ruffled sunglass case. Now if only I would stop losing my glasses . . . Remarkably Domestic covered a small tin using one fat quarter. Checkered Tote from BHG. edward and lilly made a fat quarter tote bag using Cicada Daydream's tutorial. Cicada's bag. If you don't want to make a little bag, you can opt for this easy wallet from BHG. Elsie, from A Beautiful Mess Blog, shows you how to make hair bows. I need to wear hair bows. You can make little treat bags for birthday parties like the people at allpeoplequilt.com did. Stop Staring and Start Sewing made an Apron in an Hour for you. I would have never thought about making a pillowcase from fat quarters, but Quilter's Home will show you how. Amy Friend will show you how to make an iPhone case. I love the print. Blissful by quenna made this mini wallet. Youcanmakethis.com offers a free downloadable "Charming Twirl Skirt" pattern for the American Dolls. Perfect for those people who bought those expensive son of a guns this Christmas. And here is a little quilt from Sew, Mama Sew your daughter can tuck her American doll into. {LBG} Studios made a cute mini coloring book bag. She also made a makeup brush roll. If you have felt fat quarters, which, honestly, I don't know if you can buy felt fat quarters, and you are feeling whimsical, make these shrooms. I guess you could always make it from cotton. Visit Saltwater-Kids for this coaster. Or as Jen would say, "Mug Rug." This is a cute appliqued bag from V and Co. 2 Little Hooligans made this Ruffled Wristlet. She also made these clothes dividers. (She has a Fat Quarter Friday post, if you are interested) Craft Blog shows you how to cover a notebook with a fat quarter. Soule Mama made a Gratitude Wrap for writing notes. Here's a drawstring bag from BHG. Jen Grant Morris covered a trough with one fat quarter. The Sewing Blog made a Moleskin Journal Cover. This quilt is from Bolt Neighborhood. This would be up my alley since I have never quilted before. Moda Bake Shop made plate chargers. Didn't get enough of a fat quarter fix? You can see more here, here, and here. xx nancy My quilting book released Sept. 24, 2015 and is available on Amazon. Check it out!

Today, Katy from The Littlest Thistle is going to show us how to make perfect zippered pouches. I have been lucky enough to meet Katy in real life, and she is fun, interesting and generous. Don't be put off when her tutorial starts talking about math - and seemingly complicated math at that - you have all the calculating power you need on your cell phone or computer to lick this bit of math in an instant. And with Katy's help, you will be sewing prettier and technically complicated zippy pouches too. Read on. Hi I'm Katy from The Littlest Thistle, and I'm here today with a FAL tutorial to help with an oft puzzled over conundrum - how to create a zippy pouch with a flat bottom and vertical sides. So lets take a look at the 'traditional' zippy pouch, where you squish the sides down to meet the base, sew along a line and chop the extra off: You can see the sides slope down to meet the base, which is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that with patterned fabric with any kind of horizontal or vertical pattern you'll lose the effect with things wrapping oddly round the side. The angle of the sides depends on how far up the seam you go before stitching the line across, and it's not easy to see what the effect will be until the pouch is turned through. The next option is to cut a square out of the bottom corners of the rectangles you're using to make the sides. You sew the sides and base together, leaving the square openings free, then you squish the sides down to meet the base again, but this time you have a cut edge to sew along the seam allowance for: You can see the sides are at less of an angle, but they're still not vertical. Now I do have to break the news to you that there's maths involved in the ultimate solution, good old Pythagoras and his theorem in fact, sorry! The good news is, it's easy, and you can do it on the calculator on your computer :oD Taking the 2nd example from above as a starting point, we're going to use the cut out corners method, but instead of vertical sides on the fabric we start with, we're going to angle it up to the top. By doing this, when the right angled triangle at the side is folded round and the base is folded up, they will meet to push the front out, leaving the sides vertical. A right angled triangle is one where the side and the base are at a 90 degree angle to each other, or thinking about a clock face, the big hand (side) is at 12 and the small hand (base) is at 3. We need a right angle between the side and the base to keep the base flat otherwise you would end up with a rocking pouch! Because we're using a right angled triangle, to work out how to get the height and the depth we want we need to use Pythagoras: In the diagram above: a = the height we want the pouch to be + seam allowance top and bottom b = half the depth we want the pouch to be (as there is a front and back) + 1/2 seam allowance c = ? Pythagoras says: a2 + b2 = c2 So since I've decided that I want a height of 7 1/2", a depth of 4 1/2" and a seam allowance of 1/2" I get: a = 7 1/2 + 1/2 + 1/2 = 8 1/2 b = 2 1/4 + 1/4 = 2 1/2 c2 = (8 1/2)2 + (2 1/2)2 = 78 1/2 (that is, c2 = 72.25 + 6.25 = 78.5) c = √(78 1/2) = 8.86 which we round to the nearest 1/8 inch, making 8 7/8 (8.875) (** For those who have forgotten a few math things: c2 means c multiplied by c. When you know the value for c2 you then have to take the square root of that value to get c and you can do that by putting the value of c2 into your calculator and hitting the square root button that looks like this: √. The calculator will tell you the square root and you can check by multiplying that number times itself to see if you get the c2 number you started with.) Are you still with me? I hope so... In the diagram above, there are some unlabelled measurements, so for the depth to work correctly the bit below c must be the same length as b, ie 2 1/2". The width of the pouch is entirely up to you, but I went for 10". If you are going to create your pattern using paper and pencil, I suggest you draw the triangle sides on a separate piece of paper with side a vertical and side b horizontal to ensure you have your right angle, then you can connect the 2 and double check that c is correct by measuring it. Once you're happy that you have all the right measurements, cut them out, and tape them to the main body. Gridded paper, like graph paper, can be really useful for this kind of thing. If you want to use a program like Illustrator to create your pattern, as I did, I suggest you also draw your triangle with a vertical and b horizontal, joined by c, then group the lines together and rotate the shape until c is vertical. Using the grid functions available on most drawing programs should help ensure that your measurements are correct, and that you have managed to get c vertical Here are a few step by step shots to show you how the construction works: Front of pouch piece cut out Having added the zips, I'm now constructing the pouch. Note that the cut out bits are unstitched Stitching the corners closed Finished front on (that left side is vertical, honest!) Side on shot This actually allowed me to tick off one of my Q3 finishes, so thanks for helping me out with that Leanne! And thank you Katy! Don't forget to link up your Q3 finishes - the Q3 post-quarter link is open here and it will close at midnight MST, October 7, 2013. And if you still have some UFOs I hope you will join us for Q4 of the FAL, Q4 FAL lists can be posted starting on October 8.

Recently, I turned 29. My last year as a 'twenty-something'. Before all of my 30 and over readers begin an unanimous eye-roll, I will assu...

It seems there isn't enough of us to go around these days. Enough love, enough support, enough hugs, enough protection, enough faith....