Hexie Pincushion Swap

Here is my little pin cushion for the English Paper Pieceing Swap found on Flickr.  I had lots of fun sewing these little 1/2" hexies.  I uses a charm pack and Essex linen to make this baby.  It's filled with crushed walnut shells.  I bought a small bag and now have enough for 10 more pin cushions!! Looks like I will have to come up with some other cushions to design.  

Working on some string blocks now....pictures to come soon.

Happy sewing, K

A Little EPP This Week

Happy Sunday, looking like a georgous day today and a perfect day to sit in the sun with my English Paper Piecing project.  Yes I have been working on it forever!!  I am still in love with my fabrics, Polka Dot Stitches, by Lori Holt, and only have 40ish more pieced hexies to make.   I started basting with the sewline glue pen and that has really speeded up that part of the process so I can get down to sewing.  Here are this week's pics....

On a side note the Get Your Hex On Bee (on Flickr) is coming to an end and Stacey is looking for someone to pass the baton to...I'm kinda contemplating doing it?  Anyone have thoughts on this? Have you ever hosted a year long group?  What are the challenges?  Love to get some feedback!?

Off to sew, K

Finished Clamshell Bag

All done and in the mail to my swap partner.  I hope she likes it!!    

Super challenging as the clasp came with a very basic pattern and no instructions.  I really wanted the clamshells to line up on the ends so it was a bit wider than the pattern and the boxed corners didn't match up to what I had planned so I added more circles to the bottom so it all lined up.  I really, really liked the end result and want to make one for myself now. I used Essex linen and a charm pack of 30's prints that I picked up at "The Road To Ca Quilt Show".

There may be another swap around the corner, you can check it out on Flickr.

Happy sewing, K

EPP Progress and Clamshell How To

I joined a cool little pouch swap and one of the requirements was in had to be 50% EPP.   This is great because I love EPP!  

So I peruse the interweb for ideas, look over my partners mosaic and decide I want to do clamshells.   I find a lovely picture of some and am instantly inspired.  Molly Flanders Pinterest.  see her tutorial here.    

First off I need some papers. I want 1 inch.

 Nope... not found on the web unless I want to get them from down under.  Too long of a wait.  

 Ok how to make my own??  Searching......ok her we go. 

 Grid paper?  Check

 Compas?  Check.   Uh oh this sucks!

 Ok what next? Paper punch?  Go dig it out....oops don't have one....run to store!  Ok got it!!  

 Punch on 1/2 grid lines, snip off corners.    

 PERFECT paper clamshells.  Well..... not exactly perfect but they are working quite well!

Basting went fairly quick as I used a Gluestick and stylus to tuck in the seam allowances.  

Here is one layout style.

Sewing them is a bit of a challenge.   There are lots of blogs and Vidieos to help you along.  This is what I chose.....

First you line up a row and whip stitch the side corners together.  I did this for all the rows.  Then I laid them on top of each other and used Roxanne's glue baste to stick them all together into 1 piece.  Then I used an appliqué stitch to sew them all together, pulling out the papers as they got in my way.  

At this point I prepped my fabric for the bag using my new Bohin 3 in 1 chalk pencil to draw my pattern onto my fabric.  I then position my patch of clams onto this once again using glue baste to adhere for sewing.  I did an unusual pattern with full circles for the bottom of the bag as you can see in the picture so that all the clams are going up when the bag is complete.   

This is as far as I got with late night sewing.  Changed the color order, I like this better.   Just about done with the appliqué process.....Gotta go figure out how to make the sides go together.   Hopefully it's going to wrap around and line up!!  Because I said so 😀

Happy Sunday Sewing, K

Linking up this week with WIP Wednesday  and Ellas Cottage

EPP Progress and Clamshell How To

I joined a cool little pouch swap and one of the requirements was in had to be 50% EPP.   This is great because I love EPP!  

So I peruse the interweb for ideas, look over my partners mosaic and decide I want to do clamshells.   I find a lovely picture of some and am instantly inspired.  Molly Flanders Pinterest.  see her tutorial here.    

First off I need some papers. I want 1 inch.

 Nope... not found on the web unless I want to get them from down under.  Too long of a wait.  

 Ok how to make my own??  Searching......ok her we go. 

 Grid paper?  Check

 Compas?  Check.   Uh oh this sucks!

 Ok what next? Paper punch?  Go dig it out....oops don't have one....run to store!  Ok got it!!  

 Punch on 1/2 grid lines, snip off corners.    

 PERFECT paper clamshells.  Well..... not exactly perfect but they are working quite well!

Basting went fairly quick as I used a Gluestick and stylus to tuck in the seam allowances.  

Here is one layout style.

Sewing them is a bit of a challenge.   There are lots of blogs and Vidieos to help you along.  This is what I chose.....

First you line up a row and whip stitch the side corners together.  I did this for all the rows.  Then I laid them on top of each other and used Roxanne's glue baste to stick them all together into 1 piece.  Then I used an appliqué stitch to sew them all together, pulling out the papers as they got in my way.  

At this point I prepped my fabric for the bag using my new Bohin 3 in 1 chalk pencil to draw my pattern onto my fabric.  I then position my patch of clams onto this once again using glue baste to adhere for sewing.  I did an unusual pattern with full circles for the bottom of the bag as you can see in the picture so that all the clams are going up when the bag is complete.   

This is as far as I got with late night sewing.  Changed the color order, I like this better.   Just about done with the appliqué process.....Gotta go figure out how to make the sides go together.   Hopefully it's going to wrap around and line up!!  Because I said so 😀

Happy Sunday Sewing, K

Week of Wonderful

I have had a lovely week relaxing and catching up on all my blog reading, WIP's and some cleaning(ugh).

Let's get this list of WIP's on the table....

• Lunch bag, ordered extra fabric for the lining. Ready to sew.
• Hexie quilt- made a few more blocks.  I'm happy I got some done. Still my largest WIP.

Things to get started on

•  Sunnyside chevron quilt for Michelle.
• Pouch swap- bought a circle punch to make some 1" clamshells.  If you missed this round there is a wait list for the next one.  Super fun!
• Rag rugs, I am in desperate need of new floor rugs in the kitchen and this has been on my want list for quite a while.

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Oh and I started a rag rug with this cool tool I picked up at the Quilt Show.  Here is the beginning picture.  I love how I can use up some fabric that I am never going to use again.  It is a juvenile print but when sewed up all you get is a nice color story.  Love it so far.  

Here is some of the stuff I picked up at the quilt show....patterns

Fabric

And some tools...

That's it for now....happy sewing, K

I Have Survived!!!!

OMG, I'm done with inventory!!!!  So, so glad it's over.  Now I have a week to catch up on my rest, sewing, housework, gardening,  TV watching etc.  I may even get to it all.  Gonna have to make a list.  Oh yeah and start making my New Years resolutions.....

So I had a bit of sewing time yesterday and worked on my EPP.   I need to get a bunch prepped so I can start taking them to work again since I will have time to take a whole hour lunch instead of eating at my desk.  May need to be one of those resolutions.  

I am also working on a 1" postage stamp lunch bag made with Chez Moi, Mimi.  Love, love these colors! I ran out of fabric for the inside and straps, have some on order....  I have some laminate that you iron on for the inside to keep it clean, has anyone ever tried that?   Hoping it works out.  One more of my resolutions is to take lunch a couple times a week.  I never take lunch, always eat out.  Always make dinner and rarley go out.  

Then I need to start another chevron Sunnyside quilt for my younger daughter, gonna be a busy week.  

I also joined a EPP pouch swap, you can find info on flicker...

Oh and one last thing!!!  Super important, it's The Road to California Quilt Show this week and I will go Friday/ Saturday to check it out.  Anyone else going to be there??

Happy Sewing, K

"In Hand" EPP Party 2

Well this seems like a fun little party to join over at Splish, Splash, Stash!!  I love my EPP and sharing it on my blog, but for some it can be a bit boring seeing the same thing over and over again, when really I am so excited about sharing the 1 block that I worked on for hours!!   I am always drawn to the complex, I don't know why, things may start simple but I just like adding more.   I have been slowly working on my EPP quilt that is a version of Broderie's Candied Hexagons that I found on flicker.  Here are some pictures.... They started out simple like this...

Then started to get more complex....

And  this pink and grey one has been getting pinned like crazy on Pinterest even one  pin by Lori Holt. This is her fabric line that I am using.  Really weird because I am just a small time blogger doing this to amuse myself and keep focused on my art while working a very demanding job in retail.  My therapy as it were. 

 This one has a bit of bleeding from the printed lines on the template but it will wash out on the final quilt.  

This is the current WIP.....I started using glue stick to fold over the edges but that not be good for long term projects.  We will see.  

You can see all my blocks on my Flickr page. Here.

Off to go work on my Christmas present list, happy sewing, K