Some time back, I told you that when I remembered the name of the lovely lady who made those sweet cards that were in the Rose Petal Soaps give-away, I would post and let you know who she is.. Well… finally… here it is.. ;o)

Her name is Kim Sorensen-Nielsen and she has an Etsy shop called Kreativity  where you can find hand crafted cards, hand crafted jewelry and right now some lovely paper flowers.

Have a look.  You’ll be glad you did!  ;o)

It’s a beautiful day today here in North Texas.  Temps supposed to be up in 70s … Even tho I know that ice and snow can still arrive at any time, I’m sure going to enjoy this while I can.. ;o)

Have a lovely day…

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)

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)

“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)

I must show you … I can hardly wait… My Sweet DH  found this online, picked it out himself and absolutely made me jump with joy when I opened  it on Christmas day!

A Viking Ship Golding Spindle… took my breath away!

That fiber I’m spinning is called Panda.. a blend of wool/silk/bamboo.  And does this spindle spin like a dream!

Now… that jacket that I said I would make… Well, I did make it that very day!  And here it is….

I love it… It’s just warm enough for all those “almost winter” days that we have here in North Texas.  I can wear this 90% of the time.  I love it!  Quite easy to make.  When I make another one… and I will make another one… I will do hand stitching around the inner edging since it’s difficult for me to “stitch in the ditch” and catch the bottom layer of fabric and make it look good… hmmm   Anyway.. I would definitely recommend this pattern for a quick and easy light jacket.. ;o)

After making this, the sewing machine bug grabbed hold of me, shook really hard and then refused to let go.   So I bought a pants pattern, some fabric and elastic and got with it!  Duh… phooey…bleehhhh…  Since I am truly pear-shaped and measured quite accurately…got the pattern that the measurements called for.. cut the pattern according to said measurements… I was truly disgusted when I found that the said pants looked like I had used Downey on a stovepipe and was trying to wear it… ;o(    So… not one to give up easily.. I cut up a pair of pants that I knew fit me well… drew the pieces off onto muslin with a pencil allowing for a 5/8″ hem and tried again..  Now this time was better but I was trying to use the same fabric from the previous pants… Let’s just say that it didn’t REALLY work…

I have given up… and ordered this book…  How to Make Sewing Patterns by Donald H. McGunn.  It should arrive sometime around the 6th of January.  I’ll let you know how this all turns out… ;o)

Would you like to do some small Block of the Month Quilts ?   I’m thinking this would be a good way for me to grow comfortable with some of the easier quilt block patterns.  What do you think?

Well.. must go.  I hope  your holidays have all been wonderful.  And that your endeavors throughout the coming New Year will all be successful!  ;o)

Back in 2010, son Phil and my wonderful DIL Loretta traveled to Earth Guild in Asheville, NC.  They sent some wonderfully soft and fluffy merino wool that I immediately began to spin.  I knitted Phil a warm  hat to wear in the winter (and this one finally fit comfortably.. ;o) But the peach/orange has been spun, skeined, washed and finally wound into several center pull balls and have patiently waited until I could finally decide what to make from them. I took several pics of the hat when I finished it and I like that it can be worn a couple of different ways.  Just finished the wristlets last night.  If you’ve never used a pair of wristlets under your coat… you just don’t know what you are missing.  They keep the cold from worming it’s way up your coat sleeves.  I had never used them until my DDIL made me a pair.  I accepted them gracefully and thought… “I’ll never use these..hmmm”  And then we had an ice storm and had to go out in it.  Believe me, I seldom go out in the winter without them any more.

The Watch Cap is probably my favorite way to wear any cap.  That extra layer of warmth around the ears is like Christmas every day for me.. ;o)

It can also be worn as a small tam.  This would be good for a stylish college or high school day.  Since I personally look like The Creature From the Black Lagoon in almost any hat or cap, this would have to be for someone else to wear..lol

I have the pattern for the wristlets written down and will try to get them up as a free pattern in the next day or two… but don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen until after Christmas.. lol  I have wonderful intentions.. you do understand.. ;o)  Please bear in mind that the wristlets were just finished last night and have not been washed and blocked yet..

Finally decided to try my hand back at the spinning wheel.  Since the discovery of the labrum tear in my right hip (and the light bulb understanding of why it hurt to spin..duhhh)  I have been reluctant to spin very much since I have a single treadle wheel and use my right foot to spin.  Finally, following the several times given advice from my buddy Pat, I went to Serenity Day Spa and had Brian do his magic massage on my right shoulder and hip.  Amazing is the only way I can describe it.  Release from pain is a wonderful thing.  The labrum tear of the hip and the bursitis of the shoulder are still there, but the pain is so far diminished that it truly is like magic!  And it’s wonderful to be able to spin again.

Now.. I’m gonna make me a jacket.. today.  Pat and I spent some time yesterday at JoAnn’s and I found this pattern, this plush for the jacket and this print for the edging… I can’t wait to see it finished…

I’m really anxious to get my sewing machines out.  I guess that crafting cycle calling for sewing has hit once again…lol  We’ll see how long this one lasts.. ;o)

Must go now and get something done around here or none of my hobby’s will get done.. ;o)  So… if I’m not back on here before the Holidays…

I hope all of you have the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years…. and may the Joy of the Season last all year for you!

I’m still working on how to get my book covers to work with the cds.. ;o/  I’ve made several now and love the way all my cds are bound, but I really need a more solid binding.  Been looking into that and will deal with it a little more later.

Decided to do a little  cooking..  About a week ago the cranberries were calling my name.  And an orange.  And a cinnamon stick…  Cranberry sauce for the holidays!

Yesterday I decided to make some grape jelly.    I’ve made jelly many times over the last 45 years and it always came out wonderful.  I mean..really.. who could mess it up if you just follow the directions.. Well.. it never pays to think you will never forget..;o/ It seems that it’s been a bit longer than I thought..  I did almost everything wrong and I have no idea if it will really set up… but then I will not complain about having grape syrup for pancakes either.. ;o)

And then there’s the recipe for cookie dough that will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.. This recipe came from Judy over at   Apron Strings and Other Ties That Bind.   I love it.  I’ve made cookies 3 times over the last 8 days and still have cookie dough left!   This recipe will be a definite keeper in my recipe book.  Thank you, Judy!

I’m sure there’s more and I could go on and on, but since I’m posting at 3:30 in the morning, I think I’ll go sink back in my chair beside the fire and see if I can get a little more sleep.. ;o)  This is one of those things with me.   If I ever wake up, then I’m up for the rest of the night.. ;o)   Then again, there’s a lot to be said for sitting beside the fire and listening to a Kindle audio.. ;o)

Hope you have a great day…

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

Well, I try to keep hard copies, but I also want them to be safe and unscathed.. Soooo..

I thought.. how cool would it be to have a little quilted book that opens up and holds all my cds for one book… Make several.. have one for every book… GREAT IDEA!

Ummm .. maybe not like this..

While this one will work.. if you pick it up with the strings at the top untied you will have a real waterfall of cds.. ;o(

While at Office Depot doing some errands, I came across some plastic cd covers that have a little flap on the side that can be used to either sew them together or punch holes and bind them together for another kind of little book..

Guess what I’ll be doing today???? ;o)

Hope you’re all staying warm out there today.

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