Twisted House Potholder Tutorial

Here is one of the projects that I've finally gotten off my stack pile.  Actually I've had them made and photographed for about 5 months but never wrote the tutorial.  Well now it is done!!!!   Just click on the picture above and it will take you to the free PDF file.

I'm still working hard every day to finish some of these projects.  But I've also added some more to the pile.  Will we ever learn to stop!!!!   I don't think so.  I've recently joined a quilt chapter of our state guild called "Busy Bees"  so I thought it would be fun to make something using the theme of bees.  So tomorrow I'm starting to make a bee pouch, scissors keeper, thimble keeper, needle keeper and pin cushion.  They are so cute on paper.  I hope they will be in fabric too.  I  can't wait to show them to you.  Shh!  I've also designed them as mice and will be doing them up for my Big Sis.  She never reads my blog so I should be save here.  She is having a birthday the end of June so I have several weeks to get them done.  I think they are going to be fairly simple, at least I tried to keep them simple.  I'm going to start with the bees because that way I won't be on a learning curve when I make hers.

I've moved my office to a room at the back of the house and it isn't as nice but is closer to my studio/sewing room.  It's also quieter and I have a great view of my back patio with all my plants and fountains. It is also my extra storage for all my crafts so not as formal. So far the only thing I dislike is being the whole house away from the kitchen.  Thinking about putting in a small frig  to help out in that area.  That's what I've been up to, what about you?

Keep on keeping on!!!
Marjory

FLiQs Round 3

Yes, I did it again.  I joined another swap.  I just love the challenge of designing for others that I don't even know.  I stalk them on their photostream on Flickr and see what they like.  They also fill out a questionaire.  The group FLiQs is Fab Little Quilts.   Just click on the highlighted word above and it will take you to the groups photostream.  There you will find pictures of all the fabulous quilts.

This quilt was sent to Pinkbrain Quilts in Quebec, Canada and is 24" so the corners are just 3.5" finished.  It took forever to do all the paperpiecing.  Her favorite kind of small quilt was tiny paperpiecing.  So I searched the internet and found a few free patterns and worked from there.  The center of this quilt is available for a free PDF file on Craftsy.  Oh, I just relocated it on Craftsy and it is now $5.00 per pattern.  It was free for a long time.  I changed the center star to add the piece corners.  I felt it was too plain after piecing it.    The corner star was also available free from another site that I can't find now.  Such is life.  I then copied the patterns into EQ7 to work up the entire quilt with my fabrics.  Just love EQ7.

I made a Dumpling Bag and a pincushion made with a duplicate corner block sent along with some See's Candies Suckers for my extras.  The Dumpling bag was so easy and fast to make.  It is a design of Michelle Patterns and is available on her blog free.  Don't you just love all the free stuff on the net.  

My partner, Pinkbrain Quilts has already received her package and loved everything which is great.  I always worry that I am doing the right thing for my partner.  She didn't state a favorite color, just brights so I did a rainbow quilt with pink instead of red.  Surprise there right!!!

Now for the best part the quilt and loot I received:

I have named it "I'm a Frog".  Isn't he cute!!!  I'm going to be hanging it with all my frog quilts on the wall of fame in my bedroom.  I will share that after I hang this little beauty.  This was made by Spicedcoffee from California. She only posted one sneak peek of this quilt.  It was just a small view of the frog nose, but mostly background.  Everyone thought it was a watermelon.  I took one look and posted that it was a frog and it was mine.  LOL  I saw that picture and just knew.  It came in the mail two days later.

Here is all the loot I raked in on this swap. Fabric paints, 3 batik fabrics, a quilt book "Stratavarious Quilts" along with a card with my frog on it.  Everything is just a pink cloud of fun.   There is also a matchbook type item with paper inside.  I will admit that I don't know what this is.  Do you? 

Swaps are fun!!!
Marjory

My Favorite Bag/Tote Remade

Hi Everyone;

Thank you all for your concern.  Everything is fine.  I guess I just needed a break from the ole blog.  I went to start the quilt that I had promised you but needed to clean the studio to do this.  While cleaning I came across piles and piles of fabric that had been chosen for projects waiting for me to have time.  I just couldn't go on to a new project without doing some of these projects.  I knew it would help to clean the room and give me more space in my 10' x 10' space.  I thought, "This should only take a week or two."

Well here we are months later and I'm still at it.  Of course with a few holidays and out of state company there have been a few distractions.  Mostly I have been getting these projects ready for either quilting or hand sewing.  I'm almost done but not quite.  Most of these projects I can share but not give out the patterns, I guess that's what has kept me from posting.  That and guilt for not starting the next big quilt.  Not it's time just yet.

Let me tell you about the bag/tote pictured above.  I received it from some book purchase years and years ago.  I thought it was a terrible color and the wrong shape to be of much use to me.  But being frugal I started using it.  I used it so much that it has holes in the bottom.  I loved it!!!!   It has been sitting in my closet
waiting for me to make a pattern for it so I could have a new one. Years it's been patiently waiting.  Then about a year ago I got it out, decided what I wanted and picked the fabrics.  It's been a pile on my cutting table since.

This was the first project that I tackled on my goal of de-piling my space. It is about 17" x 17" with a 12" circle bottom. Here is my version:

I have written a tutorial for this fun bag and I have two more designs and fabric picked out. So much for de-piling.  Just click on the picture and it will take you to the free PDF file.  Enjoy!!!!

I will try to come back next week with another pile undone.  LOL

Quilting is everything!!!!
Marjory

Chain of Love Pattern Now Available

I've just spent the afternoon trying to post this pattern.  I had trouble uploading the PDF into Google Drive.  Kept telling me that I had no server.  If that was true how come I'm online?  I downloaded the new Google Drive hoping that would fix it.  I downloaded a newer version of Adobe Reader to try and fix it.  I had no luck.... Ugh!!!!!   

In the back of my mind, I knew that MSN Windows had done a massive upgrade last night.  I know how to go back to before the download but I really want to try everything else before I do that, because I will lose everything they downloaded not just the portions messing with Google and Adobe.  I finally did reboot my computer to last night and while doing that the system told me it would interfere with 2 programs.  Guess which ones?  Yep, Google and Adobe.  Well, it worked.

  

The upgrade was doing something to make both those programs to not work.  I not only could upload my PDF but Google Drive did it for me.  I just had to add it to my Google Drive file on my hard drive.  When I went online there was the file automatically.  How great is that. 

I just hate upgrades from MSN.  Seems like there is a war going on between Google, Adobe and MSN.    This is like the 3rd or 4th time in the last 12 months that I've had to recover my hard drive to a previous date. Thanks for letting me vent.

Well, on to my newest pattern.  It's going to take me awhile to get my next big project off the ground so I did this one for a quicky.  Check out an earlier post do read about how I designed it.  Just click on the picture and be taken to Google Drive for the free download.  Let me know if there is any problem.  I've tested the link as usually but sometimes it still doesn't work.  Email me at peckspieces@yahoo.com if you continue to have a problem, let me know which file you would like and I will email it back to you.

Keep on Quilting!!!

Marjory

Chain of Love

Last night was the first time I joined a group of quilters that sew alone together. It is called Friday Night with Friends featured on Gone Stitchin' .  Click on the name to read about this fantastic group that meets this way every month on the first Friday.   Then click on the blog name to see what else Cheryll is up to.  Then click on the list of others that joined this months fun FnwF . You will need to click on each person to see what they worked on last night.  Here is what I worked on last night.  

I am calling it Chain of Love and it will be featured next week as my next free pattern.  So come back and download the free PDF's.  Maybe you will be able to complete it by Valentines Day.  It's really pretty simple to complete.  This is one days work for me.  That's after I choose my fabrics of course.  That actually takes the longest.  LOL  It is only glue basted so it's not really done.  I will applique it today.  I see from some of the comments that some think this is a block.  It's actually a small wall hanging and will measure 24" x 24" when completed and another border is added.  

Part of this design was an accident created by EQ7.  Here is a picture of what I really designed. 

This how you are supposed to design triangles for placement.  I've done it before but this time it kept coming out the way it is in the quilt.  I kept turning it and flipping it and it still wanted to be the way it was.  So I finally left it alone. That was after I checked to make sure the foundation printing section actually would use the quilt and not the block.  It worked and I guess I like it better.  It lets the blue outline the center which makes everything pop.  

Hopefully next week I will also have my Santa and Snowmen quilt tops completed.  I just have a few more stitches of applique on the last snowman and two more blocks to complete on the Santa's.  I also have to make the pines for the snowmen but that I have down to a science and should have them done in an hour or so.  Better get back to work.  I still have to start the next quilt for sharing.  I won't let myself start it until the tops of these others are done.  So maybe by the 15th or so I will start giving away the blocks for that quilt. 

Valentines is almost here!!!

Marjory

Final blocks for Snowmen in the Pines

Block 3 Bottom Left

As I sit here and write this post I am listening to some of my favorite Christmas songs from Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Burl Ives, Frankie Lane, Gene Autry, Clay Aiken, Johnny Mathis and some unknowns.  We listened to everyone of these except Clay and Johnny, of course, every Christmas.  Today I am starting my Christmas baking and felt this would be the thing to listen to as I bake.  Can't wait to hear from favorites like "I saw Mommy kissing Santa" .

This will probably be my last post before Christmas so I want to wish everyone a great Holiday and/or Merry Christmas.  I'll probably be back before New Years hopefully with finish tops for both these small wall hangings.  So today I will be sharing both the 3rd and 4th block for Snowmen in the Pines. Please note that the red strip needs to be added to complete the applique on both blocks.  Sorry, no corncob pipes.  I just don't have the time to meet that challenge.  I need to finish up these wall hangings and get ready for the floral quilt I want to share with everyone.  Then don't forget that in the summer I will be sharing a new cat quilt featuring fun stuff for Christmas.  Then who knows where my imagination will take me.  If you want to share ideas please feel free. I've thought of doing a series of monthly wall quilts that are all the same size so that I could replace it every month in the same spot on my wall. They would feature things from that particular   month. Whatever comes after these 2 quilts I will try and keep it as simple as possible.  

Block 4 Bottom Right

Merry Christmas!!!!
Marjory

Santa in the Pines Final

Here is one block with the paper pieced trees added.  That's all the time I had to do this and still get it to you all in time.  Just click on the picture and it will take you to a PDF with the Paper Piecing Pattern and the final cutting instructions.

Oh, I have to tell you that I had to revise Part 3 & 4.  I had forgotten to add the shoulder pieces that I added as I was sewing them.  They are ok if you have already done them.  I just wanted to add more red.  Anyway go here and here to get the revised patterns.  Sorry for all the confusion on this pattern.  At least I've worked out all the kinks so the Snowmen in the Pines should be a breeze.  I hope!!!

This block is Part 2 of the Snowmen in the Pines version.  No special instructions for this one.  Just have fun!!!!  I will be back in a few days with the next two blocks.

Hope you are all ready for Christmas!!!
Marjory

Santa in the Pines Part 4 and a Surprise!!!

Here is the last applique block for the Santa in the Pines wall hanging. This is the bottom left block.   No special instructions for this block.  I hope you enjoy making these blocks as much as I have had making them. 

I was going to give you the PP piecing pattern and final instructions today, but I was challenged last week by a reader to make these same blocks into snowmen.  What do you think about the same Mini Wall hanging featuring snowmen.  I couldn't resist so here is the first block in the Snowmen in the Pines wall hanging.

This is the top left block.  You will need to add the red strip to the bottom of the block before the snowmen's scarf can be finished.

I will be back early next week with the second block in this wall hanging and the pattern for the trees.  I will also give the final instructions for the Santa in the Pines wall hanging.  

Hope this is a pleasant surprise!!

Marjory

Santa in the Pines Part 3

So today we start with Part 3 of Santa in the Pines.  On this block a third strip of red needs to be added in order to sew down Santa's mustache.  Cut a strip 1 1/2" by 7 7/8".  Sew this strip to the left side of a prepared background block leaving open about 3" on the bottom of the block.  This is the bottom left block.   Just click on the picture and it will take you to a downloadable PDF.

Have Fun!!!!
Marjory 

Santa in the Pines Part 2

I'm Baaack!!!  LOL.  I flew to Memphis on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and all considered it all went well.  Weather was warmer than normal but so was it here.  I had so much fun that when I got back on Sunday evening I went to bed and basically rested all of yesterday.  I'm doing laundry and catching up today.

First thing was to get my files in order for this project.  Second will be to sew the blocks.  I didn't touch a needle all 4 days and didn't miss it.  What I really missed was not having the internet for 4 days, 5 really with all the travel.  I kept telling my son I needed to get online.  I hadn't even printed my flight schedule because I thought I would have access.  But we stayed with the another member of the family and they didn't have access.  We were about 40 miles into Mississippi in the country.  Beautiful country and we really had a good time.

There isn't any special instructions for this block and I've double and triple checked to make sure it will print at the right size.  Just make sure that your printer is set at 100% and not at "Fit to Page".  "Fit to Page" almost always reduces the images even if they are within the printing area.  So just click on the picture of the Santa and it will take you to the PDF file.  

Hope you all had as great a Thanksgiving as I did.

Marjory