quilted sewing machine mats

For a while now, my sewing machine and serger have been resting on flattened cereal boxes so they won't leave marks on my sewing table.  I finally decided it was time to bust out my scrap collection and make some vibrant sewing machine mats.

I used the quilt-as-you-go method for these mats.  This method turns out results faster than any other type of quilting because you do the quilting as you piece together the top.  When I originally learned this technique, I used this tutorial from Diary of a Quilter.  I also use the quilt-as-you-go method to make this changing pad.

This one is made of long scraps from past projects. It's always fun to remember the projects that were made from each of the scraps.

This one is my favorite.  I've been saving up selvages since I started sewing 4 or 5 years ago.  I was saving up for a selvage quilt but I decided that I didn't want these hanging around for another 20 years while I save up my edges.  So a sewing mat will have to do.

Each of these mats measures approximately 16 inches x 10.5 inches, a perfect size to fit under my machines without getting in the way.

modern boy tumbler quilt

How's this for a modern tumbler quilt?  I love this quilt.  I started making it for friend who had a baby last autumn--just so you know, I'm never on time with handmade gifts and I've accepted that.  Because she's not a really close friend, I decided not to splurge on fabric and use only scraps and other stuff from my stash.  But as I got further into the process, I realized that i. love. this. quilt.  How could I possibly give it up when the colors flow so well together and it brightens every day?

Let me repeat, she's not a really close friend.  During the process of putting this one together, I also read a post that discussed handmade gifts and the appreciation of the recipients.  It would be an incredible tragedy to gift someone with a handmade treasure like this that took so much time and thought only to find that they don't appreciate it nearly as much as you would have if you'd have kept it.  So far, I have only given these kinds of gifts to family and a few close friends who I am certain appreciate the love that I put into the project.

So does that justify my selfishness for keeping this one?  Maybe not, but since it was my time and energy, I have complete control over the destination of this quilt.  And since my 3-year-old, who typically couldn't care less about something I've made him, lit up with excitement when he saw this one and asked if he could have it immediately, there is just no better place for this one to go.

When I first became obsessed with modern quilts, I realized that most modern quilters didn't use borders.  That's actually what intrigued me about modern quilting.  But the more I quilt, the more I find myself attracted to quilts with borders.  A border frames the quilt design and, I think, brings more attention to it.  I'm not saying that borders are necessary all of the time--I've seen so many lovely quilts without borders--but I do think I will be using them more often.  A quilt with a border looks more like a photo inside a frame and I really like that look.

For the backing I used this dot fabric from the "Wild Cat Woman" line by Loralie Designs.  It's just greyish fabric with black dots, but once you know what it's called, it certainly does look a little girlish . . . but don't tell the boys.

I quilted this one by first outlining each column of tumblers and then quilting inside each column following the same outline.  I then quilted around the border with a few straight lines on both sides.  I didn't quilt inside the border because I wanted it to pop out of the design.  Very simple as far as quilting methods go.

This quilt measures 36" x 36".
It's just lovely . . . and it will definitely be well appreciated.

home sweet home {a wall quilt}

I finished the top for this wall hanging about 9 months ago.  I had a spot in mind for it when we made the offer on new house, and now it's finally done!  The spot in my house at the end of the hallway between the boys' bedrooms doesn't get much sun so I took these photos outside.

I used part of a Central Park charm pack for the squares and the trees and scraps of fabric for the house.  I like the cheerfulness of all the colors.

I decided to quilt it using a meandering flower pattern.  Considering this may be my fourth time free-motion quilting, this one is a success and I will be using this pattern again.  I had to doodle the flowers on paper first so I could get the right idea and it took a few tries.  But once I transferred the idea to the quilt, it went really smoothly.  I spent 2 hours quilting the entire thing on my regular old machine.

I just love this binding.  I think it's from the Punctuation line.  I colors are great and the stripes are just the right size.  I love having a stripey binding that appears to wrap around the edges of the quilt.

Now I just need to add a way to hang it and I will have something lovely to look at when I wake up the boys in the morning . . . besides them of course.

This wall hanging measures 45-1/2 by 26 inches.

not much to show . . .

So . . . I've been gone quite a long time.  There's a lot to do when you move into a new house, and I guess summer is filled with it's own fun activities so it's hard to keep up with hobbies.  And when your new house is 20 degrees hotter upstairs than downstairs, your new sewing room doesn't look so enticing.

I just counted up my project starts the other day and I have at least 10.  Yep, I have officially exceeded single digits.  I guess I've had trouble focusing lately.  But that also means that I should have plenty to post about very soon.  The cooler weather and shorter days help boost the productivity.

I thought a would share just a bit of this project. This small scale project took 100 2.5-inch squares.  I love how these colors work together: light blues, oranges, and yellows.  The combination looks fresh and modern but still boyish enough to pass on to my little guys.

I hope to finish up this project this weekend so stay tuned . . .

shamrock shirt {happy st. patrick's day}

Here is another boy's t-shirt that I made from t-shirt scraps.  I just love creating t-shirts for my boys.  When I asked my 5-year-old if I could make him a shamrock shirt for St. Patrick's Day, he told me that I can make him everything that I want to make him.  He even prayed during grace that God would help me make one.  He is such a great audience for my projects.

Now that I've drafted my raglan sleeve patterns for my two boys, I spend much of my time things of new details to add to make the shirt unique.

In this shirt, I added not only a shamrock from a green knit, but also green stripes on the sleeve.  These were very easy to add with the help of double sided fusible web.  I used the kind sold by the yard that I use for all my appliques, but I know similar stuff comes in rolls that is more likely used for hems and bias tape.  That stuff would probably have worked great here.

I actually ran out of black t-shirt scraps for the sleeves, so I decided to go with the "mock double-shirt sleeve."  I used scraps from a white t-shirt to continue the sleeves.  I just sewed them to the short sleeve hem on the inside of the sleeve.

The best part about the construction of this shirt is that I was able to use all existing hems.  There are 5 hems on this shirt: one on each short sleeve, one on each long sleeve, and the bottom hem.  And I didn't have to sew one of them.  I really don't mind sewing hems, but it does cut down on completion time.

I really do like the details on this shirt.  This is a new twist on my favorite shirt pattern proving just how versitle one pattern can be.

saddle up! {another boy's t-shirt}

This is my favorite shirt so far.  I spent some time a few weekends ago modifying the t-shirt pattern that I made for a boys size 4-5 into a boys size 2-3.  I'm sure this would have been easier if I understood the dynamics of pattern grading, but I consider myself a confident beginner and that it beyond the scope of such skill level.

Anyway, I just trimmed a little here and measured a little there and voila!  A new pattern size for kids ages 2-3 was born.  This was my test piece and I couldn't be happier with it.  The white part of the t-shirt was transformed from a ready-made woman's shirt that my sister was no longer enamored with (and she admits that it is much cuter this way).  The sleeves were refashioned from t-shirt scraps that I used to make a t-shirt quilt (top) for the hub.

I just love the raglan sleeve, particularly on little boys.  Girls gets all kinds of fun ways to dress up their wardrobe like ruffles, shirring, and other frilly things.  This is my way of making boys' t-shirts more interesting.  And the dual color style always reminds me of baseball . . . my favorite sport and a sure sign of spring.  These sleeves are sewn with wrong sides together, and the seams are folded to one side and sewn down.  I just love this look.  I've seen this type of seam finish on a lot of other blogs lately; they have been using a pattern from Patterns by Figgy.

And I am experimenting with neck seam finishes to give the shirt a cleaner look.  For this one, I took a scrap of white knit and folded it like double-fold bias tape.  I wrapped it around the back neck seam to hide the stitches.  I like the look, but I will keep looking for something a easier.  This takes a lot of concentration.

I just love this shirt!  At first I thought the shirt was a little too big for my 2.5 year old, but the pattern seems to lean a little more toward the 3 side.  So it really is perfect for boys clothes that will last at least another year.

bean bag toss game

A lot of sewers have tackled this easy project.  I turned mine into a game.  I was enamored with the idea of creating some of these super simple bean bags, but I wanted more than just a few bags to keep the busy boys, well, busy.

I created this mat to toss the bags onto.  The mat was made with 6 different 8.5 inch squares.  I appliqued a number in each square so we can keep score (I always use double-sided fusible web to hold the applique in place while I sew).  Keeping the numbers low (1, 2, and 3) allows my 5-year-old to total the points on his own.  This game will help him start learning simple math. 

These bean bags are so simple to make.  I bought a Central Park by Kate Spain charm pack during my last visit to a local quilt shop and the size is perfect for this project.  I was nervous to use my coveted charm pack for the bags (I confess to hoarding gorgeous fabric), but I just love how they turned out.  I used the same fabric for the backs as I used for the binding, but I could easily have used more charms.

These bags measure 4.5 inches square.  I filled them with about 2/3 cup of cheap white rice.  This amount filled the bags about 3/4 full.  I used almost 2 lbs of rice to fill 6 bags. 

I just can't get enough of these.

And since I can't stand when accessories stray from their toys, I added a few extra details to transform the mat into a carrying case for the bean bags: a tri-fold style, side flanges with hook and loop tape, a hook and loop closure, and a convenient handle for easy transport.

Now the game can stay together and we don't have to go searching for the bags before we can play.

This was just one of the ideas I came up with for a bean bag game.  There are so many other ways to go with this (a bullseye style mat and nesting baskets to throw the bags into were a few of my other ideas).  I think this game might just be my go-to gift for little ones now.

two new boys' shirts

It's still cold here, so I've been making the boys a few new long sleeve t-shirts.  I know it's getting late in the season for long sleeves, but I want to experiment with my patterns, improve my techinque, and see what kind of designs I can come up with.  It's really hard to find cute boy stuff out there.

I made this one for my 4-year-old out of t-shirt scraps from the t-shirt quilt (top).  I decided to try a raglan sleeve.  I totally love raglan sleeves, particularly for boys.  It's a great way to add interest (assuming at least two colors are used) without too much effort.

I didn't have enough solid red to make both sleeves, so I decided to incorporate the front lettering on the t-shirt into one of the sleeves.  This sleeve advocates supporting our troops.  It's a little different and, at first, I didn't like it.  But every time I see it, I like it more and more.  It's definitely unique which is always the goal.

I made this shirt for my 2-year-old out of a $10 very lightweight knit from Express.  After I brought it home, I realized why it was only $10.  The sleeve seams were crooked and the stitching came loose after the first wash (ah, the things you notice once you learn how to sew).  But I cut it down to a 2T size and it serves it's purpose.  I added some new white ribbing around the neck, and I really like the contrast.  I wonder how long it will stay white, though.

The USA patch came from a 12-month t-shirt that both boys have outgrown.  I have kept several of my favorites to reuse in the future.

Speaking of working on techniques, I added something a little more professional in this one.  I took a leftover strip from the hem and covered the back of the inside neck seam and shoulder seams (can you even tell?).  Most professionally sewn t-shirts have this. It really didn't take that much extra effort.  I also top stitched the arm and neck seams for a more professional look (and to tack down the inside seam for extra comfort).

Unfortunately, these details go unnoticed by most people.  I might not be able to crank out as many projects when I concentrate so hard on the little extras, but it makes me feel good to know that I really put a lot of energy into one project and did it well.

Watch out.  There will probably be more of these.

and Lucy's present . . . a new bed pillow

This is Lucy's Christmas present.  A little late.  She needed a new pillow for her bed because the other pillow was scratched and worn.  I was hoping that the original bed pillow was an actual pillow with a cover so I could just make a new cover, but it wasn't.  It was a cover filled with fiber-fill.

So I scrapped that idea and made an actual pillow to allow me to just make a new case next time.  I used some extra sheeting (I used polyester/cotton blend white sheets that I picked up from Ikea...these are not very pretty and they feel rough to the touch but a twin set costs $5 and I use them as lining for my pillow covers).  I lined the pillow cover with batting and quilted the layers a little to ensure the batting does not shift.

My favorite part of this entire pillow is how I stuffed it.  I didn't have any foam and I didn't want to use fiber-fill.  So I dumped my entire tin full of waste fabric into the pillow instead!  I read a tip once to save those non-usuable selvedges and tiny thin scrap pieces as filling for boxes when shipping fragile goods.  So I have been saving for over a year . . . but I don't ship fragile goods.  So I decided to fill this pillow with them.  It's a little rougher and bumpier than I would like my pillows to be, but for a dog it works great.  Lucy's first choice for a place to sleep is bundled clothing, so this is like the next best thing.  And I got to use my entire tin!

I bought this dog print fleece as a remnant and, of course, it wasn't wide enough.  So I added these grey fleece stripes which ended up being more trouble and not really worth it.  Next time, I will just cut the fabric in half and let there be a seam down the middle.  This bed sits under an end table with at least 7 blankets, so I doubt anyone but me will notice the new cover.

My mom made Lucy this blanket when she was about one year old.  So we've had it for almost 8 years now. .See how it puts her right to sleep?  We both love it.  The flannel on the back is starting to wear but it shows how much Lucy uses it.  I will keep this blanket forever.

quick zipper pouches

After my last few projects (that I absolutely loved making but required a major time investment), I wanted to make something quick.  I have plenty of scraps and remnants laying around (as I'm sure we all do) and they work perfectly for small projects like this.  I only had 6 inch zippers on hand so these pouches measure about 4 inches x 6 inches.

I used my invisible zipper foot for the first pouch (the greyish one).  I guess I've gotten a little too good with that foot because I sewed just a little too close to the teeth.  I didn't sew over the teeth, but the zipper is a little hard to open because it runs over the fabric just a wee bit.  Not too big of a deal, but I decided to use a regular zipper foot for the next pouch (I forgot I had a regular zipper foot).

I don't know what I will use these for, but I know that over the last several months I have thought to myself many, many times "I should make a pouch to carry those."  If that thought crossed my mind that often, I'm sure these will be put to good use.  And if not, I have a jump start on Christmas presents.

my new green wallet

After finishing my Charlie Bag earlier this week, I just had to make a wallet to go inside.  I used some leftover fabric from this messenger bag.  It was simple to put together really.  It just stole some extra brain cells.  I may have thought more on this little project than on anything else I've made.  But I often have a pattern or visual inspiration, but this one came totally from my head.

I included plenty of slots to hold my cards, but I do wish I had a few more.  I just have so many cards to carry these days and my insurance cards are hiding behind the top slots where I really want my receipts to go.  But I'll figure it out . . . probably by adding a small pouch that attaches to the wallet (notice that I planned ahead by attaching a D-ring to the side).

But my biggest success with this project was the pocket zipper where I keep my coins.  I've never sewn a zipper quite like this before.  Well, I did give it a go with a gym bag that I made for my sister last Christmas but I didn't know what I was doing then.  I think this one looks pretty sharp and I'm really proud of myself.  I even put lining on the inside of this zippered pocket so the zipper seams wouldn't show.  Pretty fancy if you ask me.

The only thing that I would have done differently with this wallet is to add more interfacing.  I put one lightweight layer in the middle because I knew I would add extra bulk and stability with the pockets.  Those parts of the wallet are very stable, but the top flap is super flimsy and it takes me a few extra seconds to unvelcro the opening.  This small issue is not a deal-breaker.  I still really like the wallet, but I know myself well enough to forsee slight annoyance in the future (like when I drag two active little kids to the store with me, stay too long browsing for nothing, and then have to try and quickly pay before one wonders off and the other yells at me for taking too long standing in one place).

So this project definitely goes on my wall of successes.  And I do think it goes well with my new Charlie Bag.