Design Wall Monday–November 28, 2011

This is the last of my UFO’s that I committed to completing this year.  It’s now hanging on my design wall and needs to be quilted this week. 

I should have been doing this but instead I’ve been working on clearing out old fabrics and such from my sewing room.  I have a ton of stuff that I know I will never use so it’s time to move it out.  I need to find a place to donate it or figure out how to sell it either on Ebay or Etsy or even just here on my blog.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

To see what others have on their design wall, head on over to Judy’s Patchwork Times Blog.  

Enjoy,

Snippets and Threads

As promised the tutorial is now available for Snippets and Threads.   I’ve included it in this post, but it is also available as a printable PDF on my website http://www.robinquiltsetc.com or directly http://robinquiltsetc.com/files/Snippets_and_Threads_Tutorial_1_.pdf and to see what other free tutorials I have go to  http://robinquiltsetc.com/freepatternstutorials.html and spend some time clicking here and there.  Once again, a big thank you to my friend Becky for coming up with the perfect name. 

Snippets and Threads

(A Foldable/Portable Thread Catcher)

 

To begin, you will need to draw a 12 inch equilateral triangle.  I used a piece of poster board to make a template so that I can use it over and over again.   Here’s how I made it.

Use a ruler to measure a straight line, 12” long.  Mark half way at 6” and draw a line perpendicular to the 12” line.

Remember each side of the triangle is 12”.  So take your ruler and measure from one end of the bottom 12” line and line up the other end of your ruler along the center line (make sure the measurement is 12”), draw your second side.

Now you’re going to do the same thing for the third side.

See?  Easy as can be and all three sides measure 12” and you have an equilateral triangle. 

Now using the template you just made, cut out two pieces of fabric for your thread catcher. 

Place the two pieces right sides together and sew around all three sides leaving an opening about 2” or 3” to turn your triangle right side out.  Be sure to clip the corners prior to turning. 

 After turning right side out, topstitch 1/8” or very close to the edge, make sure you catch and close the opening at the same time.

Fold each corner 2 ½” towards the outside, press and secure by sewing a button in place.

The last step is to fold and sew each side together to create a bowl to hold you “Snippets and Threads”.  Sew right on top of your previous stitching line.

That’s all there is to it.  Now you can simply fold it flat and tuck it in with your hand sewing so that you have your own, personal thread catcher with you at all times.

Hope you have fun making one of these for yourself and of course all you friends.  I’d love to see pictures of what you make. 

Enjoy,

 

 

Design Wall Monday–November 14, 2011

First of all – HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER, MELINDA!!!!  Love you big sister!!!!

Next, my design wall. 

After my hectic September and October I’m trying to get back into a routine.   I’m spending time each day in my sewing studio cleaning and getting ready to practice my freemotion quilting.  These two little quilts are on my design wall and are next up to go “under the needle”.  The one on the left was done in a guild workshop using a square in a square ruler and the one on the right is a little quilt I made at a Mary Ellen Hopkins retreat in Las Vegas several years ago. 

What’s on your design wall?  Head on over to Judy’s Patchwork Times blog to see what others are up to.

Enjoy,

I Finally Sewed Something

OK, so it’s not much but at least I turned my machine on and sewed something.

It’s a little pocket size note pad.  I always carry a notepad of some kind and I decided I wanted to make a cut little one. 

Here’s the inside.

And it’s mine. 

Enjoy,