Category Archives: Tutorials

Basic Sandwich Quilt Tutorial… Part 3

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Hi.. I’m back for Part 3 of our tutorial for quilt making.

Our quilt is now tied and is beginning to really look like a quilt.  It’s time now for the binding of the edges.  First, the edges must be trimmed to be straight.

Since I was going to use the back fabric as the binding, I started trimming the top fabric and the batting to have a straight edge.  The idea here is to then fold the backing once to firm up the edge of the fabric and then again over the batting and top fabric, sewing it in place and forming a self binding. 

As you can see from the photo, mistakes happen.  They are not insurmountable.  1)  If the cut had been a little closer to the edge, it’s possible that the first fold would encompass the cut and the second fold would not show it… alas, that was not the case here.  2)  A separate binding could be made.. which is the case here.

Here is where all work on the quilt stops for a bit and a binding must be made.  Easy, peasy… just takes a little time.  First, pick a matching or contrasting piece of fabric and cut into 3 inch wide strips.  These strips can be long or short.  They can even be made up of different colors of fabric if you don’t have enough of one color… For this quilt, I decided to cut a separate strip for each side of the quilt.  I did have enough of one fabric, so I cut each strip 3″ wide  and the length of the side I was cutting it for.. On the short ends I added  1/2 inch on each end to fold under and make the edge look neat.  Here’s how I did it…

By sewing smaller pieces of fabric together with edges at a 90° angle, the seam will not make a huge bump on the finished binding.  Place the two pieces together, right sides together, at a 90° angle and sew as shown above.  Trim the seam back to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.  Straighten the fabric and press the seam one side.  Continue sewing your binding pieces together until there is binding for all 4 sides.

When your binding is complete, fold in half and press.  I did not get photos of the next step, but now you lay it out flat, fold the top to the center fold and bottom to the center and press.

You now have your binding.

Now back to the quilt.  Trim through all thicknesses of the quilt to straighten all edges of your quilt.

Lay out your binding on the BACK of your quilt with the seamline to be at the fold as shown in the photo.  I sewed each side separately, sewing the long sides first and having NO OVERHANG ON THE ENDS.  Then I sewed the short sides.  Before you start sewing, please see the photos coming up of how to pin your binding at the edges of the short side of the quilt.

Before you begin to sew, make sure you line up your binding edge with the edge of the quilt and pin it well.  Now you can sew the long sides.  The short sides, however, have fabric left over at each end.  This is to cover the raw edges of the binding left by the binding sewn on the long sides.  (I surely hope this makes sense..lol)   When you position your binding for the short sides, be sure to leave about 1/2 inch of fabric overlap on each end.  This fabric is folded over the edge of the quilt, pinned and will be sewn in that position.  Be sure to line up the fold lines on the back side with the fold lines on the right side.

Now sew the binding on, following the fold line as your seam line and continue to sew the folded end.

When this seam is sewn, turn the quilt over and fold the binding out with the corner turned to the front as shown in the photo.

Now fold over the first fold.

Now fold one more time and your binding is ready to be sewn in place.  Do this for each end of the short side binding and sew each  seam.  You’ll notice that I used a buttonhole stitch for the top seam of my binding.  This is only a personal preference.  You can sew it using a straight seam close to the edge of the binding… or use any stitch that you think would look nice.  If you want your stitches not to show on the top side, then use a needle and thread and hand sew it using a blind stitch.

And you are FINISHED!  These quilts can be made in a week-end.  All other quilts are just variations of this quilt.  The top can be sewn in squares that are pretty colors.  The blocks may be pieced to make pretty pattern, embroidered, appliqued,  pieced and cut to be resewn to make a completely different pattern… you can do whatever you want.  But all are still just a basic quilt and are finished the same way this quilt was made.

I hope you have fun making as many quilts as your heart desires.. ;o)

Basic Sandwich Quilt Tutorial… Part 2

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Now that I have my fabric picked out, the next step for some quilters is to wash the fabric.  Usually I don’t do this because I like the sizing that is in the new fabric to hold it a little more firmly than washed fabric.  If I am using old fabric or for some reason have to wash my fabric before quilting, I will iron it and use a spray sizing.

Cut your batting to the size of the piece of fabric that will be the top.  I have cut top fabric and batting to be about 1 1/2″ on each side smaller than the backing fabric.  The intention is to use the back fabric as the edging for the quilt. (btw..this did not work.. more later.. ;o)

The next step is to actually make the quilt sandwich.

Place one piece of fabric .. right side down… on a flat surface.  On top of that, place the batting that has been cut to the size of the top fabric.  On top of that, place the top fabric .. right side up.   If you will be wrapping the bottom fabric over the edges, make sure you leave approx.  2″ on each side of the bottom fabric for the overlap.

Pin evenly over the entire surface of the quilt… making sure that the top and bottom of the quilt are both smooth and even.   On a larger quilt,  I will baste with a needle and thread and begin in the center of the quilt and baste out toward the corners and center, then around the quilt.  This keeps the fabric from shifting as you quilt it whether you use pins or basting.

Now is the time for placement in a hoop, if that is what you prefer.  I have a large quilting hoop that I’ve had for years.  This is the first quilt that I have been able to use it comfortably!  Usually I just baste the quilt very well (or pin very well) and roll the ends under so I start working in the center of the quilt without using any kind of hoop.

I am using the cherries on this piece of fabric as my measurement, so I begin with a cherry on the right side of the fabric since I am right-handed.   I push the needle completely through top, batting and bottom and then come back up just like in the photo, leaving a tail of thread about 1 1/2 inches long.   Then I repeat the stitch in the same cherry and without cutting the thread, move over and do the same stitches in the next cherry.

As I go along making my stitches in the centers of the cherries, there is just enough thread when I cut it in the center to leave enough on each side to tie into a tight double knot.   Continue this sewing, cutting and tying the knot until the quilting is complete.

More tomorrow.. ;o)

The weather here in North Texas has been wonderful for the last few days.  My pansies are finally blooming and the sun has been shining.  Today up to 62° today.  Whether your weather is warm and sunny or cool and snowy, hope your day is a good one.. ;o)

 

 

ROC Day … and The Basic Sandwich Quilt … Tutorial Part 1

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Lest I forget… ROC Day or St. Distaff’s Day is on Saturday, January 7 this year.   My friend Pat from Confessions of a Fiber Enthusiast  and I will be spinning away at her house .. perhaps dyeing a little wool or even weaving a bit.  No matter.. it will be fun!  Leef fromApple Leef Farm in Van Alstyne, TX will be celebrating ROC Day on Saturday the 14th with a Pot Luck Lunch and all day fun… If you can get away that really is THE PLACE TO BE.. :o )  And, you ask, “What is ROC Day?”…

“In times past, January 7th, the first free day after the twelve of Christmas was known as St. Distaff’s Day. It had no connection whatsoever with any saint but its place in the folk calendar gives an indicator of the importance of spinning at a time when this was the only means of turning the raw wool, cotton or flax into thread capable of being woven into cloth. The day, which was also know as Rock Day (referring to another name for either the distaff or the spindle) indicated that this was the end of the Christmas festivities and the return to the normality of spinning whenever there was a spare moment. As Anthony Fitzherbert, wrote in his ‘Boke of Husbandrie’ (1523) ‘it stoppeth a gap…it saveth a woman from being idle, and the product was needful’.

Before the invention of the Spinning Wheel, spinning on what is known as the Drop Spindle (a pin or stick weighted by a whorl) was a slow and tedious task. The spinning of one pound of woollen yarn could take about one week and one pound of heavy cotton yarn several weeks to spin. The method had not changed since the earliest times. There are images from as far back as time of the Ancient Egyptians showing how the distaff was used to hang the flax or tow and the spindle to effect the twisting. The distaff was carried under the arm, and the spindle left dangling and turning in the fingers below, and forming an axis round which to wind parcels of the thread as soon as it was made.

Women of all classes would spin. Everyone from the Lady to the peasant was expected to spend time on the task, though the wealthier may have elaborate spindles. In the evening, after the chores of the day were done, there would be spinning, and the spindle would be taken to visit friends as the task could be undertaken at the same time as a conversation.

The woollen industry became in the Middle Ages, the major industry in the land with huge areas gaining there main income from sheep. It is said that many of the elaborate churches in East Anglia, such as those at Long Melford and Lavenham, were financed from the woollen industry. In the 14th century, Edward III commanded that the Lord Chancellor should sit on a sack of wool – a reminder of the importance of the trade, for not only had home consumption increase but there was now a thriving export market.

It was at about this time the spinning-wheels first started to appear, to replace the drop spindle. There are several depictions of women from this time using the spinning wheel – all show the woman standing at her work, moving the wheel with her right hand, while with her left she twirls the spindle. The introduction of this method speeded up the production of spun wool and the addition of the foot driven mechanism in the 1500s made even more of a difference.

Land use was also greatly affected by the wool trade. Many of the deserted villages that have left their mark on the English landscape, particularly in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire occurred as a result of whole communities being moved to make space for the grazing of sheep between the fourteenth and the seventeenth centuries. Spinning the wool became more important than ever and Distaff Day a crucial date in the calendar

But whereas women would recommence spinning on Distaff Day, the men did not return to the plough until after Plough Monday when their ploughs had been blessed. Robert Herrick in the seventeenth century collection of poems ‘Hesperides’ describes young people maids and ploughboys messing around at this time with the lads setting fire to the flax and in return, the maids soaking the men from the water-pails“

And now…

My sweet DH and I have very different thermostats… his is never cold and mine is always cold.. ;o)  As a result our separate sides of the king size bed show very different bedclothes.  His side….. bottom sheet, top sheet and if it is very cold one medium weight quilt/bedspread.   Mine… bottom sheet, top sheet, medium weight quilt/bedspread, another medium weight quilt (folded so he won’t smother on his side of the bed) and very often a large crocheted afghan.  So I’ve decided that in keeping with the idea of quilting… either Block of the Month or just How to make a quilt  I’ve decided to make a very simple quilt for the first project.

The Basic Sandwich Quilt

I have chosen my fabrics.  ($2.00/yd at WalMart.  This will be a twin/single bed size that I will use on my side of the bed… ;o)  It will be used and abused, washed and dried so I have not chosen expensive fabric that would be used to make an heirloom quilt.   I did pay attention to the pattern of the fabric.  This will be a tied quilt  as opposed to a quilted quilt.   The tied quilt goes together very quickly and easily.  The thread is stitched twice, cut and tied.  As you can see in the picture below, the pattern of the fabric is quite consistent with the cherries patterned into straight lines about 2 inches apart and the lines below almost making a square.   The fabric you decide to use does not have to have cherries.. ;o)  But see if you can find a piece that has a fairly easy to see design repeat.  It does not have to be 2 inches… it can be 3… but I would not use one with a distance between ties of greater than 4 inches.   If you prefer to use a solid fabric, the ties can be placed using a card spacer.

I will give you the supplies I used… but this easy quilt can be made any size you would like, from doll quilt size to California King.  This quilt is just to introduce you to the very basics of the quilting sandwich.

So if you would like to follow along and make yours with me the supplies needed will be:

Top fabric of your choice…..  2 yards  (Mine was 42″ wide)

Bottom fabric of your choice….  2 yards   (Mine was 42″ wide)

Batting  in the width of your fabric … 2 yards ……  You may not find batting exactly the width of your fabric, but you can cut it to fit very easily.  ( Very light quilts can be made with no batting…but it will not be very warm.. ;o)

Matching or contrast heavy thread  (I used crochet thread to match the cherries in color.)

Darning needle…  Mine is about 1 inch to an 1 1/2 ” long, sharp (not round tipped), and has an eye large enough for the crochet thread to go through.

Scissors

Optional:  Quilt frame or large embroidery hoop.  If you baste the pieces together really well, you can quilt it without the hoops.  I prefer stitch quilting without a hoop, but I find that tying is easier when the fabric is held with a more consistent tension.

More on this tomorrow.  Right now I’m off to bed.  Had a short 3 hour hospital stay “yesterday” for a lumbar epidural that we sincerely hope will help with back pain. And since I slept for quite a long time after we got home I suppose I should not be too surprised at posting this somewhere around 3am..;o)

Have a good day…;o)

My New Audio Book CD Holder… free almost tute… ;o)

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I decided that my quilted booklet would work… but not for what I really wanted.  So I totally revamped my idea.

Rummaged around my guest/craft/storage/junk room and came up with a smallish scrap piece of mat board that was left over from something else (you can use any kind of cardboard…i.e. cake mix box) , some white craft glue, a small piece of really cheap fabric, scissors ( I have both fabric and craft scissors) and a small piece of cardboard to spread the glue all around.  There’s an ice pick to stick a hole through the finished cover, a pencil to draw the pattern and of course the plastic sleeves I found at Office Depot.I first laid out the plastic cd cover on the mat board, drew around it.  Now that is a little misleading.  There has to be two pieces here or my book will not bend …therefore it would be difficult to get the cds to turn the page… So… I drew around the “CD Part”.. that is up to the dotted impressions.  Then drew another pattern around the flap that extends from the dotted impressions to the edge with the other dotted impressions.  The mat board was then cut using the heavy-duty craft scissors.  Now.. I know that this is as clear as mud… ;o/   So here’s a pic of the cut out pieces. Now I cut the fabric at least an inch larger all around and a little longer on the edge that has the flap. This fabric will have to cover both the flap and at least 1/2 inch onto the cd cover.

Once the fabric is cut, glue is applied to the side of the mat board that will be glued to the WRONG side of the fabric.  There is a scant 1/8 ” of separation between the cd part of the mat board and the flap part.  This scant 1/8″ is to be carefully guarded as the fabric is glued to the mat board.  This separation is what will allow your cds to fold and the book to open easily.  Spread the glue after it is applied and looks like this ( in the pic below). Now, using a small piece of cardboard or your finger, spread the glue until it is smooth and has as few clumps of glue as possible.  Then gently pull the fabric over the edges (both pieces of the flap and the cd back) and glue firmly, making sure that the space between the two is maintained.  Then glue the other side, then the top and bottom.  I cut a triangle of fabric from the edge folds so they would lie flat (in a similar fashion to the way we old folks used to cover our books at the beginning of the school year.. ;o) Now.. I got carried away and forgot to take the next picture… therefore this is called an “almost” tutorial.. ;o)  When all four sides are glued down, I cut a piece of colored paper (any kind will do) that would fit JUST THE CD SIDE OF THE COVER.  I glued this in place to cover all the edges of the fabric backing and to make the inside of the cover look good too.  ;o)  Now I know this pic is a little ahead of the tute.. ;o/  Anyway, everything about the front and back are now all “gluey” and must  be allowed to dry.  As impatient as I am, the two hours this took was like an eternity..lol  I let them dry just a bit and found that they were curling a bit, so I dug out some large, heavy books and tore off some wax paper, laid the front down on the wax paper, folded the wax paper over the top of that side and then laid the gluey side of the other half down on the was paper and weighted everything down with the large, heavy books..  (I hope that makes sense.. )   Because of the gap between the flap and cover, the pages open easily and can be flipped to easily get to the cds in the back.      While these were drying, I used a hole punch (forgot to mention that.. thirty lashes for me.. ;o/)  and punched holes in the plastic cd covers.  I lucked out and found a two hole punch that it really easy to do this.  You can do it with a one hole punch.. just punch your first one and use that one as a guide for all the rest.   I then used the two holes punched in the cd covers as a guide to punch holes in the flaps of the top and bottom using an ice pick.  I used some handspun yarn and a large needle to string from the front to the back beginning on the bottom of the front cover, go thru from the front to the back of all your cd covers, then through the back cover flap … then back up through everything on the other side.  I did this twice, wrapped the yarn under the first wrap, tied a knot and then a bow and then tied the bow in a knot..                                                                                                                                                                                Voila”   My new audio cd book cover..

I love this much more than the quilted one.  I will make many of these as each audio book will have to have one.  These will stand on the shelf.  I love it.. (Would make great Christmas gifts…  Can use this in any size to make your own scrapbooks… picture books… baby books… etc. )  Gifts, gifts, gifts.. ;o)

If you make one, please let me know.  Would love to see yours.. ;o)

xoxo… Linda

Tea Wallet .. Free Pattern at Is It Nap Time Yet?

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I have lost my tea wallet!!!   spfttt**##@fftt  smahsh splatt bang  shhhplt!!!

Yes, I’m having a tantrum..;o(

I really DO NOT like the coffee at our Golden Corral so I always take my tea wallet with me and just get a cup of hot water..

I made my tea wallet almost 3 years ago using the tutorial at Christie’s Creations.  She has since changed the name of her blog to Is it Naptime Yet?  but the wonderful tutorials she has are still there and still great.

 

I was in a bit of a panic.. Wonder if that tute is still there?  What if I can’t find it?   ( O Woe Is Me!!)  But it is still there.. ;o)  And it’s still called Tea Wallet Tutorial.  Now that I have ransomed my sewing machines from the shop where it cost $60.00 apiece to have them cleaned and oiled, this will be the first thing made.. today.. ;o)

I hope your preparations for the Christmas Holiday are going well.. This little easy project might just be great for a gift or stocking stuffer… hmmm.

Hugs… Linda    btw… these pics are of the one I made for my cousin back in 2009.. sigh

Arbee Designs… Free Quilting Patterns and Tutorial

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I have so many sites in my favorites that our computer guy makes fun every time he has to do anything to our computers!  This morning I was going thru some of them and found just one of the sites I love to look back on every now and then.  Arbee Designs is a favorite site for learning applique quilting.  Here you can purchase patterns, take a quilting class or do the first quilt tutorial for a lovely quilt using 7 different patterns that are covered in the free tutorial.  You can also take a free applique class and pattern for a book cover when you register for their newsletter.   There is much more on this wonderful site to browse through and see…and use… ;o)

This small applique quilt is one that I put together for my granddaughter a couple of years ago.  The little snail and mushroom is a little ditty that I have drawn on everything from napkins to canvases for years.. ;o)  So I make it into a quilt… This is one of the things that the Arbee Designs site can help you achieve.   Design it yourself.. ;o)

Hope you enjoy the site.  I did.

Hugs and stay warm…

Make Your Own Olive Oil Lamp… Free Tutorial

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No.. it’s not a fabric lamp…lol   And I know this is a fabric/yarn/craft blog.  But… The temperatures are beginning to drop here in North Texas.  Real winter is popping up a little more frequently.  We’ve been having electricity flickers and outages more frequently lately… have no idea what’s happening.. ;o/   We keep flashlights handy, but the bad thing about a flashlight is the need for batteries.

When I saw this video by sockermidgit on YouTube… I had to do it.

I first gathered everything I would need.  Non-galvanized clothes hanger, needle nose pliers, 1/2 pint Mason jar, pure olive oil, hand spun flax and my triple twist fringe maker.  Please make sure that whatever wire you use is NOT GALVANIZED.   GALVANIZED WIRE WILL RELEASE TOXIC FUMES DURING THE BURNING PROCESS.  

Cut the wire at least 3 times the height of your container.   Now begin.  The pictures are clickable and download by right clicking the picture, scroll down and click  “save image as”  and then download to where ever you would like to save it.  The images have each step written on it and they  are each numbered.

The first step is gathering your supplies.  This is shown in Pic #1 to the left.

Picture #2 on the right shows how the wick holder is made.

 

Picture #3 shows the sizing of the wick  holder.

Picture #4 shows how I made the wick using hand spun flax (linen) by plying 2 threads together to make a thicker wick.  You can use almost any natural fiber to make a wick.. including a strip of denim or wool.

Picture #5 shows the placement of the wick in the wick holder.  It should be as close to center as you can make it.  This may mean bending your center coil to one side or the other so the flame itself is center.

Picture #6 shows the measurement of the wick.  There is no need for more wick than is shown.

Now that the wick is in place, fill to the bottom of the center coil with pure olive oil.

This pic just shows the handle I put on my wick holder.  I found that just having the holder lay flat at the top did not give enough to grip.  This is entirely optional.

Now we can light our candle.

And there it is… a lovely warm glow.  I can see several of these lined in a row down the center of the holiday table, surrounded by greenery and holly berries.

Now here is the absolute best part of this lamp.  Olive oil stays cool to the touch.  That is not say that the wick holder will stay cool.. but the olive oil will.  If it is knocked over and spilled, there will be NO FIRE.  Olive oil will suppress the flame.  The only part of the candle that can start a fire is the flame on the wick.. and that is enclosed in the container.   Also… NO SMOKE and NO ODOR…

I love everything about this candle.   It is safe to keep around all the time.  No fear of fire.  Very good emergency lighting or maybe a wonderful warm romantic glow on that anniversary table.. ;o)

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.  ;o)

One Million Hits.. How Can I Ever Thank You? !

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A SALUTE TO YOU!

Sometime this evening or late tonight, this blog will have its ONE MILLIONth hit.  I have to say that I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all of you who have visited over the nearly 5 years I have been blogging here.  You have made all of the early morning, bleary eyed typing worth every minute.. ;o)

December 16, 2006 was the very first post on Fabric Follies Two.  Make Your Own Miniature Trees … This post was the first one carried over from my original blog Fabric Follies .  That one   was also a delight for me.  At the time of the change, I was very close to the limit for pictures that WordPress allowed, hence the new Fabric Follies Two.

How to say “Thank You!”..??

I have decided to put the names of everyone who comments between now and Tuesday the 29th of November  into a hat, have my husband draw 3 names out and each will receive a Secret Surprise Gift… but just so it’s not too big a secret, I will post a picture or two in a few days.. ;o)

Thanksgiving is almost upon us.  And what a wonderful time to be thankful for the joy you have brought me.  Thank you.

From our house to your house, may your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth and comfort.

 

 

Creative Little Daisy … Boot Socks Tute

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Winter is fast approaching here in North Texas.  It’s not really cold enough for a “coat”, but there have been days when a nice, warm sweater fit the bill.  Along with all this cooler weather comes lots of outdoor walking around and ..ta da… Christmas shopping.. ;o)   It seems that even with all the shirt, pants, coat, scarf, gloves.. I can’t really stay warm.  So.. I was doing one of my frequent pop overs to see what was happening with Autum at Creative Little Daisy  and found the perfect thing.  Boot socks that I don’t have to knit!  Very cool!  ;o)   (And yes, my kids do razz me a bit over using the word “cool”.) 

I think a pair of these will be the perfect things, even without boots, to slide over the pants legs.. or even under the pants legs if you’re nearing my age.. ;o)  And what a great recycling idea!

With Christmas around the corner, you might want to take a look at some of the other wonderful ideas she’s shared lately.   There’s the Super Easy Key Chain tute,  the Basic Purse tute, and the Patchwork Belt tute… among others.

Drop over and look around.  I think you’ll enjoy these every bit as much as I did.. ;o)

Have a great day today.. ;o)

Our House is wishing Your house a warm and comforting Thanksgiving.

Cable Needle Ring… Tute (I love mine!)

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This is another of those things that I found online several years ago. I made one and let it set in my knitting box for years.  I cannot tell you where I found because I really don’t remember.  If you have any idea who came up with this wonderful idea I would love to know and give them the credit they deserve.

I’ve used cotton yarns to knit dish cloths and face cloths for my nightly knitting to the point that I have about 30 stacked away in drawers.  I do love the plain garter stitch ones to use as face cloths.  They are so soft on my skin that I seldom use anything else.  However, there are only so many plain garter stitch ones a person really wants to do.. ;o/   I decided that these wonderful small projects would be good to try new things… hence the cables.  After losing my cable needle a of couple times down the side of my chair, I decided to dig out this little ring and see if it works.

I love it.  No more fear of cables.  Just wish I had pulled it out sooner.   The picture above shows how the ring is used.  Very practical and easy.

The picture on the left shows the finished dish cloth.  The beginning of the cloth is at the bottom.  This is the practice for  making the cables front to back.  The upper part of the cloth is practice making the cables front only.  I can’t believe how much this little ring made a difference in how I feel about knitting cables.

Making one is as easy as measuring your finger.  Mine is 2 ½ inches around.  I wanted the ring to  ½” across.  Here’s what I did.

1.  I cut a strip of fabric (I used cotton) about 2 ½” long by 1 ¾” wide.  This time I used fabric ribbon.  The selvages are tight and it’s woven closely.  The grosgrain ribbon would make a good ring, but for the purpose of this tute it didn’t work out very well.. ;o)

2 I folded the cut piece in half lengthwise and pressed it with my iron.

3. I opened it back out flat and then I folded the edges back to the fold line in the middle and pressed each side.

4.  For this ring, I used regular sewing thread to make my cord for the buttonhole.  Crochet thread, yarn or any other cord of the right size would also work for this.  I sewed the two ends of the cord together, placed them to the inside of the folded ring and sewed it very well to the end of the ring fabric.  Then I continued to sew along the end, the side and the other end to completely sew the ring together.  I did this with a needle and thread (please don’t look closely at the stitches..lol) because it seems the electric cord and foot pedal for my sewing machines decided to stay behind.. I guess they just didn’t want to leave!  This is much faster with a sewing machine.. ;o)

5.  Now I placed the ring around the finger that I wanted to use it with to decide the button placement.  I marked where I wanted the button with a pen.

6.  By sliding the needle with the thread still connected through the center of the fabric ring and coming out again at the mark I made for sizing, I continued bye sewing on the button with no cutting of my thread.  This step you may want to do differently.  You can certainly fasten your thread firmly, cut it and then come back to the mark to place your button.  Either way, the button needs to be very securely sewn on.  Voila’…

You now have a Cable Needle Ring…

If you decide to make one of these, please let me know.  It would be nice to see if anyone else finds these as useful as I do.. ;o)

Have a wonderful day.  The sun is shining here in North Texas and temps are in the low 50s.  Still not too bad for this time of year.   Thanksgiving is coming up soon and here’s wishes for everyone to have a lovely day with family and/or friends.. ;o)