Strippy Qult

 

 

I am entering my "Strippy Quilt" in the Summer Sewing Contest over at Ellison Lane Quilts.  There I are so many fun entries - you should check them out!!

 

I used a Moda Fandango Jelly Roll for this quilt.  It measures 62 1/2" x 74 1/2".  You can get the pattern HERE for free!

This quilt is entirely made of 2 1/2 inch strips.  But don't let that fool you!!  This created it's own set of challenges.  Since there are no blocks or intersections, there is nothing to line up the strips with and it's easy to get wonky!  The method of construction is to sew cream pieces on each of the ends of the colored fabric.  Then you offset each row how you want.  When I was piecing I was left with a huge quilt top that had uneven sides to be "squared up".  I was taping it to the wood floors - trying to use the lines in the floor to measure the sides.  I spent as much time sewing the quilt top as getting it even! 

 Once that was done it was fun to quilt and even funner to use!  (Yes "funner" is a word in my house!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Chewy Brownies from Brown Eyed Baker

I have spent my life looking for the perfect brownie recipe from scratch.  I try a brownie recipe only to find that they are dry or crumbly, or bland, or just not like the yummy box mix!  I found this recipe on Brown Eyed Baker - she is amazing and recipes are amazing!  She said the recipe is from Cook's Illustrated.  Wherever it's from doesn't matter - what matters that they are amazing!  They are chewy and chocolaty and everything a brownie should be.  This is now the brownie recipe I will always go to!! 

Chewy Brownies

Yield: 24 brownies
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups (17½ ounces) sugar
1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into ½-inch pieces

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk cocoa and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.
3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours.
4. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
(From Cook’s Illustrated, March & April 2010 issue)

Petal Placemats

 

I am submitting this in Ellison Lane Quilts' Summer Sewing Contest!

 I just finished these placemats! I have been looking for new placemats for a long time now.  It's either I can't find the right color/pattern or they are too expensive.  I found this pattern in "Quilt Almanac 2012" and I knew these were the placemats for me!  It's such a fun project - you only need small pieces of fabric for each petal so it's a great "stash" project.  It is also perfect to use up all those small pieces of batting I save!!

 I love that the placemats are more like fabric chargers and really set off the dishes.  Yes - I really like polka-dots!!  And I think I am a colorful person :)

 Thanks for stopping by!  Want to join me for lunch?  The table is all set :)

Matching Skirts

Ellison Lane Quilts (super fun & cute quilting & sewing website) is having a Summer Sewing Contest.   This is my entry in the "Clothing" category:

I love matching with my girls - I know it's kind of nerdy.  I must get it from my mom.  When I was a child she would sew coordinating outfits for myself, my little brother, and little sister.  For these skirts, I choose fabric that would all coordinate and then choose a style of skirt that reflects each of us.  My skirt (below) has a waist band, zipper and pleats.  I love that it lays nice and flat and as a bit of structure.

 Ella's skirt (below) looks more like a 12 year old.  It has an elastic waist band for an easy fit, and two longer ruffles on the bottom.  It is the perfect length for a 12 year old - not too short and hits just below the knee.  I love that it has lots of flow.

 

Sally's skirt is the perfect skirt for an energetic yet fancy 4 year old!  I originally wanted it to have two layers of ruffles.  When I had sewn the first two I realized that it was way too short.  So, another hour later, it had another ruffle.  This skirt has an elastic waist band and I covered it with 2 belt loops and a fabric sash.  Each layer of ruffle is separate from the others and has ric rac trim.

  

I decided we ALL needed to match - so the guys got coordinating ties.  Ties are interesting in their construction - I had never sewn one before.  I took apart an old tie and just used it as the pattern.  Ties are mostly pressing and hand sewing. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Let me know what you think!!

Ruffled Bag Tutorial is Here!

I am linking this post up to Family Ever After's "Pinspired...Rewired" Link Party.  I had seen ruffled tote bags all over on Pinterest.  Here is the bag that was my inspiration.  There wasn't a pattern or tutorial so I came up with this one on my own. 

What you need:
1 tote bag
6 strips of fabric 3.5"xWOF.  4 strips are for the ruffles, 1 strip for the trim, and 1 strip is for the flower.  You can use ribbon instead of making the top trim.
1 button (I made a covered button)

 

Here is my lovely denim blag.  It measures about 12" x 12" not including the handles.  

 Cut your fabric into strips 3.5" - this is a great Stash Buster project!!

 

Here are my fabrics

Do a narrow rolled hem along the 2 short sides of the 4 strips and the bottom of the strip. 

 

So the top of the strip is a raw edge.

 Turn your stitch length up to the maximum and sew 1/4" gathering stitch along the raw edge of all 4 ruffle strips.  Then pull strings and gather each ruffle like this:

 Take your tote bag and mark a line 3" from the bottom.

 Then mark 2" from your first line.  Repeat every 2" until you have 4 total lines drawn.

 Pin your bottom ruffle to the tote bag matching the raw edge of the fabric to your first marked line.  You kind of have to scrunch the bag to get it pinned.  This one is the hardest.  It SOOO doesn't have to be perfect!

  Sew along your gathering stitch.  Again, this one is the hardest, the rest get easier.  You have to bunch it around your machine - but it will work!

 

Then go over your seam with a zig zag stitch to keep it all from fraying.

Repeat this process with each ruffle matching the raw edge of the ruffle with your marked line.  Stitch along your gathering stitches and then zig zag to finish.  You don't have to zig zag the last ruffle because we will cover it.

 Take your "trim" piece of fabric and cut it so it is just slightly longer than your bag.

 Press this piece in half

 Then open it and press the two sides into the center fold.  Then bring these two sides together to make a trim piece with no raw edges. 

 Fold one end in and pin in place.  Adjust the length and trim if necessary.  Fold the other end in and pin in place.  Top stitch all the way around the trim piece.  You can totally use pre-made trim, double-fold bias tape, or ribbon.  Your bag is almost done!!  Just the flower is left!

 To make the flower, take your last 3.5"xWOF piece and fold in half - don't press in half - you want it to puff a little.  Use your gathering stitch again and run it 1/4" along the raw edge. 

 

Pull up the threads to ruffle - you want it as ruffled as possible - careful not to break the thread.  Since the fabric is double thickness, it needs a little extra care.

 

Then tuck the end of the fabric under so you can't see it and start to twirl it around.  You can play around to get the look you want.  Here is where I got the hot glue gun out.  I added glue each time I turned.  You can sew it too.  I was just in a hurry:)  Once the flower is done I hot glued a fabric covered button in the center.  You can use any button that you like.  Then I hot glued it to the bag. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you get the chance to make one!

Princess Draw-String Bag

We were invited to a princess birthday party.   I sewed this princess draw-string bag using this amazing tutorial again.  I am telling you - you gotta make one!  They are so much fun!  I thought it would be the perfect birthday gift for a 4 year old.  We included inside Bath & Body Works body spray & lotion and some princess sunglasses.  We were so excited for the party!  That's my little Rapunzel!!!

I won!!!

I am so excited!  I won favorite wall hanging in the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side!  Thank you to those who voted for my Whoooo La La owl wall hanging.  I didn't even think I had a chance.  It is the first thing I have won!!