Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Heading to Houston!

I'm busy, busy here getting ready to head to Houston for Fall Quilt Market.  You can click here to download a pdf file of our Fall Quilt Market Flier with my newest patterns premiering this fall.  I'm so excited to be working at the Quiltwoman Booth on Saturday, so if you're there, stop by and say Hi!

PS ~ I'd love it if you'd give a copy of my pattern flier to your local quilt shop, and stay tuned for my annual Quilt Market Giveaway of Goodies when I return :)     See you when I get back ~ and if I can figure out this new camera, hopefully I'll have some pictures to share!!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Saving an Old Sweater ~ Continued

In my continuing quest to repurpose some of my old knit sweaters, here is a Christmas pillow that I made yesterday out of an old Nordic sweater that needed a new life.

Before I commence to showing you my up-cycling process ~ please pardon the quality of the photos.  My digital camera died Sunday night, and I made these pillows yesterday before running out and purchasing my new little camera, so the photos were taken on my phone.  Now I have to learn the new menus and button symbols on the new camera...so hopefully I'll be up and running with it by Market :)

To make a recycled sweater pillow, you'll need an old sweater to cut up, a half yard of cotton fabric for the pillow back, and a pillow form (mine is 16 inches), and Fusible Fleece or Interfacing.  

First I cut the sweater up the side seams and around the arm holes.  This is the back of this particular sweater that I'm using for the pillow front.

Then, in order to stabilize the sweater, I fused a 16 1/2 inch square of fusible fleece to the back side of my sweater panel, placing it in the area that I want to become the pillow front.  Other types of interfacing could be used for the same purpose, I just like the body and stability that the fusible fleece adds to the pillow. 

Now, using my 16 1/2 inch square up ruler, I cut out around the fusible fleece square to give me my sweater pillow front.  (The pillows can be any size that you want, or whatever works for your sweater ~ I chose 16 1/2" because I have a 16 inch pillow form).     

To make the overlapping pillow back (so that a pillow form is removable), trim the half yard of cotton fabric to 17 inches by the width of the fabric.  Then cut the fabric in half to make two pieces that measure 17 x 22".  Fold the pieces in half, wrong sides together to make two pieces that are 11 x 17".   Lay them out, using the grid on a cutting mat, so that the folds overlap each other in the center by 5" and the outer edges fit around a 17" square on the grid.   Then lay the sweater square right side down, centered over the pillow back pieces and pin, then sew all the way around the outer edges using a generous quarter inch seam allowance (A walking foot is helpful for sewing through the layers).  Clip the seam allowances and corners then turn the pillow right side out, and insert a pillowform.
 
For another alternative, a plain sweater square (leftover from the sweater that I cut up on Sunday) can also be embellished with applique.   On this piece I used some wool shapes that I cut with my Accuquilt Go Fall Medley Die #55041.  I then machine blanket stitched around the shapes (the fusible fleece has a nice affect here of making the appliqued shapes have some dimension).  Border the embellished sweater square with some cotton strips, and back like above for another up-cycled sweater pillow

All three are available in my Etsy store, or do a little archeology in your sweater drawers and make one for yourself...I'd love to see pictures of the ones you make!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Autumn Green

What can you do with a pretty Autumn knit sweater that is all stretched out from years of wear?  Well cut it up and make a throw pillow of course :)

I was in an Autumn mood, so I made this one today by bordering it with strips of cotton fabric in some lovely fall colors.  This one is for sale here in my Etsy Store

There are many ways to work with upcycled items, and giving them new life.  I'm busy recycling some other old sweaters, so check back soon ~ there just might be a little tutorial on how I make mine :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Need a New Christmas Quilt?

My Winterberry Wreaths quilt is now a pattern available at Quiltwoman.com.  It's available as both a hard copy pattern and as a pdf downloadable pattern ~ Just in time for the holidays!

This is a nice Christmas quilt, that is not toooo "Christmasy", so you can leave it on the bed well after the holidays :) 

And the pattern includes instructions for the bonus throw pillow that can be made in any coordinating fabrics.  Happy Holidays a little early!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Monday, October 18, 2010

More Autumn Fun and a Vintage Find

I'm back home after a fun Autumn weekend in Virginia with the kids.  There were lots of pumpkins,

 and very first ever pony rides!

The idea was to wear them out good since I was babysitting that evening...mission accomplished :)

And for another fun find:  I came across these cool vintage wooden bobbin style spools that I've paired up with some cute ribbon.  A few are available to purchase here in my webstore.

The ribbon is 3/8" wide and in a neat plaid that looks very Christmasy with the red/cream/green/black colors.  Each spool has 5 yards of ribbon wrapped around it.  Fun to use in your own crafting, or to give as gifts! 

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Pumpkin Baby Smiles

So what do I do when I take a day off from making quilts?  I go to a friend's house and make something else of course! 

My sewing friends (Mary & Starlyn) and I gathered at Starlyn's house and she guided us through making her cute Pumpkin Babies.  I brought mine home and sat him up in this little wooden rocker that I have, and he waves to everyone.  Heather thinks he's kind of creepy, the guys just kind of shake their heads at me, but I can't tell you how many times this silly little thing has made me smile :)   You can see Mary's Pumpkin Baby too here on her blog

And It's not a Friday Find Day, but I wanted to share my newest fun find...This is my new notions carry along.  I love all of the zippered compartments (I'm a sucker for organizer bags).  This is a picture of mine loaded up with what I have in it right now.  I'll be carrying this little baby with me on my next trip.  It closes with magnetic snaps which is really nice, and it's a great size measuring 4" x 4 1/4" x 8 1/4" when closed, so it'll fit well in my travel bags.

I have a couple of these Quilt Happy Fold n Go Notions Boxes here in my webstore if you are in need/want :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Monday, October 11, 2010

Halloween is in the Air

Just like last year, I've been busy making my little Trick or Treat Totes for the kiddies.  (I have just a few of them left in the Etsy Store).  And of course I made one last year for my little grand daughter. 

Well Elsie has picked out her costume this year and like a typical 3 year old, she is excited to be Tinkerbell.  Well the Orange/Black Halloween Tote that I made her last year just wouldn't coordinate right.  So this is what I did while watching football all day yesterday...

...A Tinkerbell Trick or Treat Tote!

I got the large Tink Applique from Joann's Fabrics, and the rest of the materials are just from scraps left over from other things.  A simple thing and small price for the smiles that it'll bring :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

PS ~ If you're looking to make any last minute Halloween projects I have Halloween Charm squares and Scrap Bag available in the Etsy Store...but hurry!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Bloom Whenever You Can!


It's Autumn here...

But you can't convince my hydrangea.
 
It just goes to show, it's never too late to bloom :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Another Hive Autumn Creative Challenge Piece

Last week with all of my waiting room time, I was able to get a bit of knitting done and I got this shawl finished in these great Autumn colors.  I used one skein of Abstract Fibers painted wool, and a little over one skein of a Cascade 220 wool in brown. 

It's basically a large semi-circle.  The pattern is called Concentric Shawl by Melanie Dilworth published by the Black Trillium Fiber Studio.  I purchased the pattern as a download on Ravelry.

It's my second Autumn Creative Challenge piece on the Creating the Hive forum.  This one is going to be a gift, but I won't say for who because she might read this...so I'll just leave you guessing :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

A Sneaky Peek

Here's a sneak peek of a happy little finish that I've had this week (...ahhh, great feeling!).  It's at the quilter's right now being turned into a real quilt :)  I can't show the whole thing yet, but hope to introduce you to it come January!

This morning I'm going through my bag of goodies that I brought home from my Quilt Guild meeting last night, it's like Christmas here!  We had our Annual Silent Auction with the proceeds going to charity.  Everyone brought in items to donate, and of course bid on things to bring home.  I bid on many things that I got out-bid on, but I did come home with a bag full of circular knitting needles to add to my collection, a really cool doily runner, A Quilter's Christmas Cookbook (so I can read recipes, and pretend that I actually cook...I've been terrible about that lately), and a bag full of little organizer totes (I'm a sucker for containers).  This was the first time I've attended the Silent Auction, and I had a ball, but somehow I came home with more little items than I donated...that was poor planning on my part ~ I will definitely have to fix that next year :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Sunday, October 3, 2010

We Have a Winner!

Wow, I've been away from blog land almost all week!  It was a crazy week here, but settling down now.  My dad is doing much better and has been discharged from the hospital, and we got him settled back in to his room at the nursing home.  Thank you to everyone who wished him well, I got some really sweet comments and emails!   

Then I had a visit from my daughter and her family, and I got to cuddle grand babies all weekend :)  Alas, I didn't even take out my camera all weekend, so no new cute grand daughter pictures (I don't know what is wrong with me, really slacking in my grandma duties ~ I'm sure if one of them held up a quilt I would have snapped their picture!) 

So in getting back into my normal swing of things, I attended Civil War Sunday at And Sew It Goes today.  (And to prove my point above I did think to pull out my camera when I was heading out to the quilt shop).  These two pictures are shots of a quilt that Rita showed today from a Jo Morton pattern that I think appeared in American Patchwork and Quilting earlier this year.  

And I'm excited to say that I had 101 entries for the wool pumpkins and fat quarter from my Autumn Penny Runner blog entry from Monday!  So fun :)  Thank you to everyone who participated, tonight I drew the winner...

WvHummnbrd!  I'm sending you an email for your address to ship your wool out to you :)

Talking about Give Aways, my friend Mary has a really cool blog anniversary give away for some Ginger scissors going on right now, but hurry it ends tomorrow morning! 

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn