Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Coffee Accessories are Cool

If you click on this link, you'll be whisked away to a quickie tutorial about this, but we had to share anyway - it's a coffee container and placemat that I made lickety split one day. Well decoupage is never quick, but you get my drift.


It was time to gussy up the counter with something other than blah for the grinds and mat. It's a simple decoupage on a Cool Whip container and then a strip quilted mat. The coffee doesn't stain the mat if I spill a drop while pouring out and it's easily machine washed. I didn't have a pattern and I didn't follow any real rules. I just did it. And you can too.

Projects You Can Make

You can find most of the projects I've done here, with photos and instructions. I will add more as time allows. Let me know if there's something you'd like me to try. (Updated 02/19/10)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Cathedral Window What? How to make them and some I've made.

I was asked today what a Cathedral Window quilt was. Several years ago, I did a sewing project for Sewing.com about how to make a Cathedral Window quilt. Since then, I've made several. I've made doll quilts, finished a wall hanging, and made one for the family. I also made one for my nephew. You can find the project and how-to by clicking here or on our projects link.

Here are some that I've made over the years, though certainly not all!

This is a doll quilt and pillow made with a dark blue print for the frames and lace for the windows and binding.

This is a piece of a full sized Cathedral Window I made for myself with black and white fabrics that I've been collecting for years as the frame and recycled denim for the windows. The frames started with 11" squares. The windows are about 2" squares of denim.

This is a doll quilt made in the traditional sense with muslin frames, but nontraditional in the sense that I used flame fabric for the windows.

This is a Paddington Bear doll quilt and pillow. Each window has the face of Paddington Bear. The frames are muslin. All doll Cathedral Window quilts started with a 6" square.

This is a red/white/blue doll quilt with muslin frames. I alternated a star fabric with a flag fabric.

This is my first Cathedral Window which I made and included in the project linked above. It's another full sized one and the squares began as 11".

I really enjoy the portability and hand sewing involved with Cathedral Window quilts. I'm getting ready to fly to Phoenix and will take another project with me. This time, I'm using 8" squares to start. My hands got a little tired the last time I started with 6" squares.

There are no real rules. Do what you love!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Digging Groundhog Day

Sounds like Phil saw his shadow. Know what that means? It means six more weeks of sewing. I know I'm going to follow that edict! How about you?


I sold a few items on Etsy and a few on eBay, but mostly, I'm sewing items to sell in the fall. I'm on a Halloween kick now that I have Christmas stockings made and ready for next year. The final one is made of Smurf fabric and is embellished with a few Christmas buttons and some trim.

There's snow on the ground, my work day is almost done, and I'm going to sew today. I'm feeling the urge to feed my creative beast and that's one way to do it.