My T-Shirt Quilt

A family member asked if I could make a T-Shirt quilt for her from her high school days to take with her to college last summer.

I had never made one and knew it could be tricky working with knits.

She brought over around 12 T-Shirts and I washed them and ironed them.

Next I googled how to videos and found an excellent one explaining in details all the steps.

I cut out the sections to use.  It generated a lot of scraps.

I had to order the interfacing needed to stabilize the knitted pieces.

That took FOREVER due to COVID.

And luckily my niece’s heat press helped to reduce the time needed to press the interfacing to the pieces.  Ironing it would have taken forever and would not have been done as completely.

I followed the instructions from the video to mark the center lines of the pieces.

I cut all of the blocks (except for four) 13 inches by 13 inches.

The other four had larger designs on them so they became 16 inches by 16 inches.

I played around with the placement and once that was decided I started sewing the blocks and then rows together.

I decided to make a border around all the blocks alternating the knit colors.

In the meantime I ordered a knit backing fabric after my cousin selected the ones she liked.

Then it was sandwiched with the top, padding and backing.

That took several smoothing out the wrinkles to get it ready to quilt.

I tried to do free motion quilting but the quilt was so heavy to move around and I was very disappointed with the results.  So I picked out all the stitching and put my walking foot on.  First I stitched 1/4 foot on each side of the stitch lines to stabilize it.  Then with the walking foot I marked quilt lines for each of the blocks.

I made a machine embroidered label for the back too!

My cousin loved it!

But I did say it’s my first T-Shirt quilt and my last one.

LOL!

Row By Row “Bits ‘n Pieces”

 Another very cold day here in NE Ohio.  It’s in the teens (17 degrees feels like 8 degrees).  Snow is on the ground.  I tried applying de-icer the other day but it’s so cold out it’s not working.  My garage doors face north and are always in the shade and get icy very easily.  

Here’s another quilting project.

The Cath Kidston buttons were brought in the UK during our tour there in 2013.

I used string for the threading the needle.

In 2017 I received this cute “row by row” wall hanging kit as a gift.  It’s called “Bits ‘n Pieces”.  I don’t believe it is available anymore.  I loved the black sewing machine on it.  I machine embroidered the Janome name and the Horizon name on it.  It’s pieced together.  I used little clips for hanging the tiny quilts.

My niece pointed out I forgot to add the doorknob button.

I still have not gotten around to it.

One of these days I will.

Keep safe and warm wherever you are!

This and That..my iPhone Cases & My Sewing Room

 Sewing Room

Since I have been working on my sewing panel projects my sewing area in our Hobby Room really got messy!  Finally, this week I cut up left over pieces of fabric and batting to put in my doggie bag.  It’s a great way to utilize these scraps and some day will be a bed for a rescue doggie.  The cutting table is cleared...whew...so happy.

I bought some fabric eye glass cases at a Quilt Show last year and I have used them to hold my iPhone.  I pin the case to my pants waistband.  I don’t know why women’s pockets are made so shallow.  I like deep pockets to hold my iPhone and realized it was too much work to enlarge all my slacks pockets.  Much easier to make a few iPhone cases.  My first one was too small, the second one I used the eye glass case as a pattern but wasn’t happy because the seams showed inside.  I googled an excellent video of sewing a small tote bag with no seams showing and I was off.  I could make 2 in 30 minutes once I had my pattern and measurement down.  

IPhone Cases

Follow my steps to make an iPhone case.

1.  I cut my fabric pieces 4.5 by 14 inches.  (Some I cut a little larger depending on how thick the phone case is to 4.75 inches).  I used Pellon 926 Extra Firm Stabilizer.

2.  I quilted the right side (outside) fabric to the stabilizer.  And sewed up the side seams and added box corners.

3.  I turned the right side fabric to the outside but the inside fabric (lining) is left inside out.  So when they are sewn together the right sides are facing each other.  The right side and lining  are both done with boxed corners.

4.  Stitching the lining and outside fabric together.

5.  A small opening is left in the lining on one side so the right side (outside) fabric can be pulled through and then that opening is stitched closed.

6.  Then the edge is stitched around.

7.  All done.

My niece and her Mom asked me to make them some too.  So I whipped up five more.

I forgot to take photos of all of them.

Do you want to see my sewing area?  When we were planning our new retirement home, we decided to have a super large hobby room.  One half would be for my hubby’s model trains and the other half would be for my sewing.  We were thrilled to think of having all that room. 

Unfortunately, and sadly, my hubby didn’t live to see his side set up.  So, I had this huge room that was mostly empty.  I had Closet Factory put in shelving in my sewing closet and added a wall of cabinets to put my hubby’s model train equipment and photography stuff away.  I bought three more sewing machines.

Then my niece moved in with me and we planned to set up my hubby’s side for a small business for her.  She has it set up nicely but has been too sick to start her business.

I modified a few of my hubby’s model train tables for my nieces’s use and one for me as an ironing station which has worked out beautifully.

I love my cutting table.  I bought it a few years before we moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio.  The TV belongs to my niece’s boyfriend.  He moved in this past year and has been such a help and blessing for us.  He does all the shopping and running around for my niece and myself.  My niece has Lupus and many other illnesses and I’m in my 70s so we are at risk with COVID 19.  I’m so glad I’m not alone during this pandemic.  

As you can see, my fabric really needs some refolding and organization.  That’s on my to-do list.  I purchased the big covered ironing board and it fits the former model train table nicely.  Buried under the mess is a sewing cabinet next to the ironing station.  It was my mother’s, and before my Mom, was my paternal grandmother’s Singer sewing machine from the early 1940s.  It needs to be repaired one of these days but when working it stitches beautifully and even has a reverse stitch.

Well, that’s all for today.   I don’t know if anybody reads my blog anymore.  But if you are visiting I hope you enjoy reading about my life and hobbies.  Have a lovely day!

Colorful Quilt “Trinkets”

 

I quilted this colorful quilt about two years ago.

I can’t remember the name of the pattern.

I’ll have to look it up when I’m in my hobby room.

Update:  The name of the pattern is “Trinkets”.

I cut strips of all the different fabrics to make a variegated binding.

It was a kit I bought at a quilt shop.

I like the white background and fabrics.

I’m using it as a tablecloth on my dining room table.

I don’t have the wall space to hang quilts.

This one just fits the table.

  The table was my parents bought in 1961 and is solid maple.

It’s scratched from many moves from Ohio to Florida, then to Illinois and Pennsylvania and finally back to Ohio.

Many family dinners were around this table over the years.

So many memories.

Camper Wall Hanging

Before our warm Fall days leave us I wanted to show you this cute little project.

It was a kit I purchased.

I love the fabrics I chose.

As many of my long term readers know,  my hubby and I were campers when we first married and then advanced to RVing.

We owned many different RVs over the years:

Pop up Camper truck, Sunline trailer, Chinook (a Class B van), Hitchhiker Discover America 5th wheel travel trailer and lastly a Pleasure Way (Class B van).

We traveled to Alaska in 2010 in our 5th wheel which is like having an apartment to live in.

We were on the road 105 days for that trip.

I liked all of our RVs but my favorite was the Pleasure Way van.

At just 21 feet it could park just about anywhere and it’s small size helped when looking at campgrounds sites.  It was so easy to keep clean and we learned to take just the essentials.

My hubby designed our new garage to hold the van with huge 10 foot garage doors and an extra long bay so we wouldn’t have to store it off site.

We never had a chance to take the van on a trip after we moved into our new home.

I reluctantly had to sell it.

Oh, how, my hubby loved to travel all over our great country.

And I loved being with him.  

 

Halloween Table Runner

 I had fun sewing up this Halloween theme table runner.

It’s 74 degrees out today with rain this morning.

But you can feel fall in the air.

I free motioned quilted the blocks with a spider net.

When I showed it to my quilting cousin she pointed out I didn’t connect the web correctly.

And she was right.

Currently I’m working on a Halloween hand embroidery.  

I hope to finish it by Halloween.

I’m not sure what is happening with Trick n’ Treat this COVID 19 year in our community.

I had a specialist appointment last week and the doctor told me not to go to any restaurants/bars or grocery stores and to wear a mask outside at all times.  

I haven’t been to a restaurant or any store since early March.

Just three doctor visits and dropping my taxes off is the sum of my adventures outside.

Luckily I have help with my groceries but not everyone does.

Stay safe!

Kimberbell Watermelon Table Topper & Screened In Porch

 

This project sat unfinished for about two years.  I finally decided it is time to finish it.

I sandwiched it with top, batting and back fabrics, squared it up and started sewing on the binding.

Only to realize I forgot to quilt it. 

LOL!

What really makes this topper POP is the theme appropriate fabrics.

Whole watermelons, red and white checks with cute little ants and red backed fabric with the black watermelon seeds add so much personality to the topper.

All the fabrics came from my quilting cousin’s fabric closet.

    

I used my Janome 15000 embroidery/sewing machine to quilt it.  A little straight line quilting and free motion quilting.

I have about seven different table toppers done so far.  

My next one I’m working on is a November (pumpkin) table topper.

We’re still having summer weather here in Ohio.

Even today it is currently 81 degrees out.

A couple more weeks and I will have to think about breaking down my screened in porch.

I purchased a storage box to use to store the porch furniture cushions over the winter rather than storing them in my spare bedrooms.

I move all the porch furniture together in a corner and cover it all with huge painter’s cloths for protection from dirt and pollen over winter.  

I also roll up the outdoor rug and cover it too.  

So far that system has worked out well.  

As much as I like Fall, I dislike all the leaves in my gutters.

You can see the huge tall trees and they produce “millions“ of leaves in the fall and early winter.

We are lucky to have woods behind us although someday soon there are plans to build 28 homes there.

I hope they leave some trees as a barrier.

Some parts are considered “wet lands” and they have building restrictions.

So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

So, are you ready for Fall?

My Christmas Gift Wrap Quilt

What do you think of my Christmas Gift Wrap quilt?

I saw it hanging in a quilt shop and bought the kit.

Cutting all the strips.

All the little bow pieces.

Bows sewn together.

Blanket stitched bows.

Everything else is pieced.

I mailed it to a quilter friend who used her long arm to quilt it with a gift box design.

And then I sandwiched it and finished the binding.

I’m so pleased with it.

 

Summer Wall Hanging

As Summer comes to an end I thought I would share this machine embroidery wall hanging I embroidered way back in 2013 when I first brought my Janome 12000.

It sat in my sewing room unfinished until this summer when I decided to make it into a wall hanging.

I used two 1930s fabrics I had for the borders and a striped binding.

The cute clothesline is a built in design on both the Janome 12000 and 15000 embroidery / sewing machines.

I added the title and text.

I can’t believe that that tomorrow is September 1, 2020.

Fall will be here soon.