Saturday, October 31, 2020

Virtual Cookie Exchange And Christmas Blog Hop Sign-Ups

It's that time again! I've been doing the Virtual Cookie Exchange for several years and it just keeps getting better and better. There are always so many great recipes and inspiring projects! I'd love to have you join me this year...it's easy, it's fun, and you'll get great ideas for gifts, decorations, and yummy food.


If you don't want to bake anything, that's okay...you don't have to. THE RULES for the Virtual Cookie Exchange are simple and should be stress free:

Share a Christmas cookie recipe, tradition, and/or quilt.
Recipes can be a favorite from your childhood or a current one.
Traditions and quilts can be old or new.
Post your project on your assigned day.
Have a giveaway or don't have a giveaway. It's totally up to you!

Add a tutorial or just post photos...again, it's up to you.
Visit everyone's blog on the list and leave a sweet comment.
That's it!

Email me with the following information if you want to play along:

Name:
Email:
Blog Name:
Blog URL:

My email address is:


You don't have a blog? 
I can host a few people, so email if you're interested.

Let the Christmas planning, baking, and sewing begin!

Friday, October 30, 2020

Crafter's Edge Fall Leaves And Strips Quilt

It's always fun for me to design something using the applique and quilting dies from Crafter's Edge. With cold weather starting to happen, a fall quilt seemed just the thing to sew. I used Basic Grey for Moda "Hallo Harvest" fabric.

Falling Leaves, 42" x 56"


I used four fabric dies for this quilt: 1 1/2" Strip Cutter for the white border and vine, 2 1/2" strip cutter for the binding, and Oak Leaves and Fall Maple Leaf.


Iron HeatnBond Lite adhesive to wrong side of fabrics; let cool. I love using my Mini Oliso for this! 



Following Crafter’s Edge instructions, place paper side of adhesive facing up on platform*. Cover as directed before running through machine. *To reverse the direction of leaves, place dies with fabric side up before cutting.


Run die and fabric through machine. You'll love how easy it is to cut four to six layers at a time. The dies are sharp and they take very little room to store. Cut as many leaves as you would like, varying the fabrics and shapes.


This is a great video on how to cut those strips with the cutter die...check it out!


You can find the full instructions for "Falling Leaves" in a PDF pattern found HERE.


Crafter's Edge fabric dies make it so easy to cut out a quilt!

I'm so glad you stopped by!

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Riley Blake Designs Meadow Lane Project Tour

When I saw one of the newest fabric lines by Riley Blake Designs, "Meadow Lane", it was instant love. The combination of fabric designs are so sweet! I designed "Where Flowers Bloom" using four of the fabrics. That pink is so yummy!

Where Flowers Bloom, 54" x 64"


Meadow Lane by Sara Davies for Riley Blake Designs is great for quilting, apparel and home decorating with so many pattern designs to choose from.


The quilting by Ginger at Sew Sassy Longarm is perfect for this fabric and quilt. I love the swirly design amongst the flowers!


Seriously, isn't that RBD Meadow Lane Main Gray just so pretty with the pinks, oranges, and turquoise colors. RBD Meadow Lane Scribble Floral Pink made the sweetest binding!


Such beautiful flowers in Meadow Lane RBD Meadow Lane Scribble Floral Pink and Posies Mint!



Riley Blake Designs Dashed Daisies Gray adds a great border between fabrics.



You can find the pattern for "Where Flowers Bloom" HERE.


Check out Riley Blake Designs blog for more projects to sew with their beautiful fabric. Here are a few other projects using Meadow Lane:


All of my applique projects are made using ThermOWeb Heat n Bond Lite. I love that I can trace them or use the EZ Print sheets to run them through my inkjet printer. You'll love how easily the backing peels off the paper...no scoring!


Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

From The Heart Blog Hop Day Three - My Day, Too

Three days of From the Heart fun...aren't you just loving it! The rules were to share a small gift idea that could be given to someone. With such an amazing line-up of bloggers, you'll be so inspired! I'm really lucky to share the day with them!

Like so many others, I bounced around with different ideas and finally landed somewhere. It was a bumpy landing, just so you know (too many ideas swirling in my head!)

Gnomes have been my favorite thing lately to design, so I created a potholder to share with you. The purple and gold fabric is from one of my favorite designers, Laurel Burch, and some Canvas from Northcott for the gnome.


This gnome pattern is for you, from my heart, because all of you inspire me so much. Find "From the Heart Gnome" potholder pattern HERE.


Having my needles and/or pins ready for travel to retreats or just to the chair to watch TV is important to me. I love this needle holder for just that purpose. My daughter jumped in to help me sew a few and I'm so grateful that she did! With six boys at home during this Covid thing, she's got her hands full.


You can find the "Folded Needle Holder" pattern HERE.


With some extra Laurel Burch Christmas fabric in my stash, I made a 10" fabric bag with a strap. It's really easy!

The strap gets held on with buttons and the inside has an enclosed seam. You can find the "Round Gift Bag" pattern HERE.



Now off you go to visit and take in all the sweet gift ideas! Be sure to leave a comment because it will make someone's day. 


Thanks so much for stopping by!

From The Heart Blog Hop Day Two

Yesterday was amazing and full of so many inspiring projects...loved it! The rules were to share a small gift idea that could be given to someone. With such an incredible line-up of bloggers, of course it's mind-boggling!


Ready, set, go visit and be inspired!

Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, October 19, 2020

It's A "Halloween Hoppin" Blog Hop Day

With Marian hosting the "Halloween Hoppin" blog hop, she was nice enough to let me slip in at the last minute to share a few Halloween projects I've made this year. Some of them are free, too! Thanks, Marian!

You may not know this but I love Halloween...a lot! Some times things about Halloween scare me, but I still love it! A long, long, long time ago Frank used to scare me, but now I know he's just a big loveable guy.

I even share a Facebook group with another Halloween crazy lady, Joan, from Moosestash Quilting. The group is called "Cackling Stitches" and we have so much fun with all the people who are nuts about Halloween, too. We'd love to have you join us!

This is the newest project I made for Wicked Wednesday at Cackling Stitches. It's a mini quilt, "Halloween Treats" that measures 14" x 14" and it's free! You can find the pattern HERE.

I've been in a bit of a gnome mood lately, so "Celebrating Halloween" came to life. You can find this in my Etsy store HERE.


These applique designs were made for my Halloween costume project at ThermOWeb. They can be made using a no-sew iron-on or my favorite HeatnBond Lite applique adhesive. A couple of the Monkey Boys really got into the spirit of being a pirate! You can find these free applique designs HERE.



This guy definitely needs his eyepatch, but he's got the pirate leer and squint going on.


My "Trick or Treat" quilt became a sew along on Cackling Stitches. It was so fun to see all the quilts made from this. Joan had a quilt retreat where they sewed this...I loved seeing all the pictures! She's got it on her blog during this hop so check Moosestash Quilting.


This was another Halloween project for ThermOWeb using Riley Blake Designs "Scaredy Cat" fabric. It was Creepy Bunny approved just in case you're wondering. You can find this free pattern HERE.


Early this year I designed "Bellagosa's Boutique. You can find it in my Etsy store HERE.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Halloween Treats Mini Quilt

This mini quilt was made for "Wicked Wednesday" over at our Facebook page "Cackling Stitches." Thought I'd share it with you, too!

Halloween Treats Mini Quilt, 14" x 14"


It's been my goal to use my stash as much as possible this year and this mini quilt helped eliminate a teeny tiny bit. Some is better than none!

You can find "Halloween Treats" HERE.

Check out Cackling Stitches on Facebook HERE!

Give It A Whirl Blog Hop Starts Today

It is time to whirl, twirl, and spin with the "Give It A Whirl" blog hop! What was the challenge? Somewhere in or on your project ...