Just Let Me Quilt

Monday, October 13, 2014

Creepiness Runs In My Family

I've been called "Creepy Carol" by Wicked Wendy and that Comanche Lady, plus

That Other Lady is well aware of my love of creepy and fully supports my creepiness.

Creepy Bunny with the Creepy Purple Spider mug...see, I told you he would love it!

My sister likes creepy, too, which was confirmed when she called me yesterday and said,

"Carol, hurry and bring your camera over!

There's a spider on a web in my backyard!"

Of course, I ran right over!

It was just a garden spider, so there's was no danger it would jump on me (I was hoping it wouldn't), because I got up close and personal with this yellow and black striped arachnophobia-causing thing.

My sister had some flowers blooming and since I was already there with my camera..

More creepiness is coming soon!

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Just A Round Trick Or Treat Bag

My friend needed a place to store his stash of goodies, so I made him a Trick or Treat bag.

I think he's warning you to back away from the candy.

He doesn't play well with others.

It's okay for him to reach for some candy, though.

The monster ghouls had their own bag, so he felt he should have one, too.

I didn't have any more of that RBD quilted cotton, so I made my own with two different fabrics, some

batting, and I quilted it myself using my favorite tool...blue paint tape...to make my lines straight.

The letters and cat from AccuQuilt's die cuts made a perfect "BOO" and cat.

I used my pattern that's on Craftsy (HERE) but without the extra pocket...easy!

I use this bag ALL the time for taking my sewing items on quick trips.

It's about 12" tall and I love the clear plastic pockets to show me where my tools are!

Now if I can just get my friend to share a candy bar or two...or three.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Creepy Is My Kind Of Thing

That Other Lady knows I lean towards the creepy side of things,

so when this mug arrived I was in Halloween bliss with all its creepiness.

Did any of you hear me howl with joy! I did!

The Purple Creepy Spider might just find it's place next to Creepy Bunny...he'd love it!

The mug is sitting on my Black Cat Crossing project that I'm hand quilting.

I'm still working feverishly to get it done in time for the hop!

(That's Black Cat Crossing fabric from Maywood Studio peeking through.)

I've taken a little time away from hand quilting to sew pillowcases...I love making them!

As old as I am, how did I never make even one.

I think the Monkey Boys will love them!

Riley Blake Designs is still showing off their fabulous flannel

and you can check out what everyone is making with it here:

9/5 Riley Blake Designs - Flannel Play Dress

9/9 Quiltscapes - Pajama Pants & Pillow

9/12 Fishsticks Designs - Reversible Button Bibs

9/19 The Stitching Scientist

9/23 Sassy Quilter

9/26 Simple Simon & Co.

9/30 Fabric Mutt

10/3 Just Let Me Quilt (me)

10/7 Jedi Craft Girl

10/10 Rose and Odin

10/14 Sew We Quilt

10/17 Haberdashery Fun

10/21 Leigh Laurel Studios

10/24 The Cottage Mama

10/28 Flannel Queen

10/31 Lucy Blaire

11/4 Riley Blake Designs Final Post + Giveaway

I made a soft and cuddly nightgown and robe using it...I love that flannel!

(No creepiness went into the making of the nightgown or robe.)

Monday, October 6, 2014

A Little Ghoul Made Me Hand Quilt

I've been away from my sewing machine for a few days and took some time to smell the roses.

Okay, so they're not roses, but they were PURPLE and quite lovely.

Feeling slightly panicked that Black Cat Crossing is coming up way faster than I'm sewing,

I decided to hand quilt the project I had brought with me using some crochet thread.

What was I thinking!

I love the look, but I still have a long way to go before this project will be done and it's

been years since I hand quilted anything...oh my, oh my, what have I done!

I'm sure it was a naughty little ghoul who took over my brain to make me do this,

but I love to try new things so we'll see if I can beat the clock and get this thing done.

Sore fingers, hands, and eyes...here I come!

At least my new header is ready for the Black Cat Crossing Blog Hop!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

RBD Flannel Exhibition Blog Tour...My Day!

Riley Blake Designs has come out with some of the most gorgeous flannel and what

better way to show it off than to have a Flannel Exhibition Blog Tour.

You're going to love all the designs they have available!

My mom made nightgowns for all her daughters and granddaughters almost every Christmas.

They were amazing and loved by all of us! There was ribbing at the wrist and a zipper front.

I wish my mom had some of the beautiful flannels by Riley Blake to sew with...

she would have gone nuts over the quality and designs!

My nightgown isn't at all like my mom's, but this one is better suited for the hot weather around here.

I chose the Girl Crazy floral blue flannel...

...and the Girl Crazy dots blue flannel for my nightgown.

It has an underskirt lining and the polka dot flannel makes a great accent as ruffles.

My mom also made heavy-duty quilted fabric bathrobes for all of us and we'd wear them until they
were tattered and worn. I went for a simpler robe by creating one in the form of a hooded cape
using a basic design that I found at Simon and Company (her cape has a collar, mine has a hood).
Her directions are perfect, easy to understand, so there's no need for me to be reinventing the pattern.

It kind of has a Little Red Riding Hood look to it, only in blue.

I made my cape 20" long, but followed the directions about measuring and folding fabric in quarters.
I cut one piece of the fabric, one piece for lining, and one piece of batting (to make it cozy and warm.)

I cut down 2.5" for the neckline just like Simon and Company instructed.

I made a shape like this for the hood (real scientific pattern, isn't it!)
I added a little tab and used Velcro for the closure...the button was just for looks.

My cape was going to be made of flannel, which I thought I ordered from Lady Luck Fabrics,
but when my package arrived in the mail it had the luscious Girl Crazy design in regular fabric.
Whoops!
I was actually excited about my error, because it is so cool that this fabric comes in both
flannel and cotton! I added some RBD yellow gingham for the lining, some polka dot flannel
to keep it soft around the face, and then quilted it with straight lines to keep it all together.

I used this pattern to create my nightgown (it's really a dress,) but changed it up a bit, of course!

I added six inches to lengthen it and folded the ruffle over so I wouldn't have to narrow hem it.

McCall's M6065

Thanks, Riley Blake Designs, for creating such amazing and beautiful flannel!

Check out the other blogs showing really cool things to make with flannel:

9/5 Riley Blake Designs - Flannel Play Dress

9/9 Quiltscapes - Pajama Pants & Pillow

9/12 Fishsticks Designs - Reversible Button Bibs

9/19 The Stitching Scientist

9/23 Sassy Quilter

9/26 Simple Simon & Co.

9/30 Fabric Mutt

10/3 Just Let Me Quilt

10/7 Jedi Craft Girl

10/10 Rose and Odin

10/14 Sew We Quilt

10/17 Haberdashery Fun

10/21 Leigh Laurel Studios

10/24 The Cottage Mama

10/28 Flannel Queen

10/31 Lucy Blaire

11/4 Riley Blake Designs Final Post + Giveaway

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

What A Rush It Has Been!

I'm still in awe at the amazing projects that appeared during the Rush Hour Blog Hop.

Wowzers!

I had such a blast cheering this hop...really, it was so much fun!

Thank you to all the participants who did their best to show off the Rush Hour fabric

by Studio E and to those who went all out with red, white, and black fabric...you are all amazing!

Thank you to all of you who left sweet and uplifting comments on each of the posts.

Your kind words give us the encouragement to keep on sewing!

Oh, and...

I have a winner of the Soft and Stable giveaway.

#16

Vickie from Commanche

(I've sent her an email)

Congratulations to Vickie!

But, wait! There's more!

I'll be here on Friday, October 3rd, with my Riley Blake flannel project.

I hope you come back to visit!

And in a few weeks...

You all just make me smile...thanks for visiting!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Look Out! Rush Hour Ahead!

Oh, Madame Samm, you really know how to make cool buttons for these blog hops.

That lady looks like how I felt when I saw Studio E's Rush Hour fabric...

I was instantly crazy in love with it and wanted to rush off to sew something!

I knew as soon as I saw that sweet bundle of Rush Hour fabric that I was going to use a pattern by

Daniela Stout called "Touchstone." It was perfect to show off these gorgeous fabrics and the design

totally made me think it looked like city blocks and a place to get caught in rush hour traffic.

It's Rush Hour!

This quilt is about 89" x 101" and was quilted by Quilted Works.

The back of the quilt is a black cotton sateen that is SO luxurious!

Remember these?

If you don't know what it is, you are just a baby and have only used computers to type things.

This little beauty was helpful in writing all those essays and doing homework when I was in school.

Sorry, hahaha, hysterically laughing here...I wasn't a big fan of school or homework, so maybe this was

mostly used for writing letters to my grandmother or the Monkees (I was a huge fan in the olden days.)

Look, it still has a ribbon in it!

I love the patterns By Annie and found one that was meant for an iPad or reader and enlarged it a bit.

That typewriter is way too big for this handy case, but my laptop fits perfectly inside and

Annie's Soft and Stable gives it some added protection in my suitcase when I travel.

It looks so good in the Rush Hour fabric!

Laptop-To-Go

The zippered pocket on the back stores my mouse and cords.

The Rush Hour Blog Hop wasn't just limited to Studio E's Rush Hour fabric, so I also made a little

girl quilt using red, black, and white. My Accuquilt came in handy to cut some small tumblers using

Riley Blake black and white gingham. I also used the gingham on the binding with some red piping.

I did some hand embroidery on it using "Balloon Girl" from Down Grapevine Lane

and sent extra balloons flying up, up and away.

My friend, Barbara, did the quilting...it turned out just beautiful!

A giveaway?

Of course, there's a giveaway! ---It's over!

By Annie recently had the best kind of sale...buy one, get one free of her Soft and Stable, so I get one

and one of YOU get to have the other one! If you haven't used it for making bags, you will LOVE it!

~~The Rules~~

~~Leave a short and sweet comment.~~

~~One comment per person.~~

~~The giveaway can be mailed anywhere...yes, even to the other side of the world.~~

~~You don't have to be a follower to play along, but of course that makes me smile if you do.~~

~~Giveaway ends at 5 p.m. PST on September 30th. Entries after 5 p.m. PST on September 30th will not be included in the giveaway.~~

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: If you aren't sure whether or not you are a no reply blogger, LEAVE ME AN EMAIL ADDRESS...pretty please! You can't win if I can't contact you! If you don't get a reply from me to your comment, you are a no reply blogger.

Look who else is in the middle of Rush Hour:

Tuesday, September 23

Just Let Me Quilt

I piece 2-Mary

Marjorie’s Busy Corner

Wednesday, September 24

Stitchin’ By The Lake

Buzzing and Bumbling