Acoustic Guitar Bag

This weekend I made a folder-holder bag for my big Ginger Kindergartener. I saw this tutorial at boredandcrafty.com for an acoustic guitar bag, and it is perfect for Ginger #1.



Ginger #1 carries her homework in a folder back and forth to school everyday. Her teacher doesn't like the kiddos to bring backpacks to school because, well, they take up too much space. This bag is perfect for storing her folder so it doesn't get wet. The Ginger loves that it is shaped like a guitar, but she did say that it doesn't REALLY look like a guitar. REALLY?! I had to use her favorite colors. So, yeah, it doesn't REALLY look like a REAL acoustic guitar. I TRIED!



She loves her new bag. 





Linking up at: 
gotosew // skiptomylou // naptimecrafters // crazymomquilts

Happy Stitching,

Selfish Sewing

Over the last two weeks, I have done a lot of sewing for myself. 

I have made:

1. hanging sewing tool caddy,
2. Sewing Machine Cover,
3. Mug Rug, and now
4. Thread Catcher.

HaHa. I like how this is going for me! Now, to my defense, I spent the last year making three quilts for other people. So my selfish sewing is long overdue.

Harken! A thread catcher...

I followed the easy tutorial at threadingmyway.

And here is a pic with the other sewing projects...

Happy Stitching,

Patience Is Not My Virtue

It's been a slow week here. I've been patiently waiting for some fabric to arrive. I can't wait to start a new Swedish Bloom quilt for Ginger #1. She'll love it. I also want to start a Marcelle Medallion quilt. I've been lusting over this pattern since I bought the Liberty Love book. Ahhh. I can't wait for the postman to bring me my fabric! Patience is not my virtue.

Well, I haven't been doing nothing this week. This morning I finished a sewing machine cover. Even though I use my sewing machine daily, it still gets dusty, and it needs to be prettier.

Tah-dah!



Ohhh, and the underside...

That's Riley Blake's So Happy Together, and that makes me happy.



Those are 1-inch squares on the front. Teeny tiny. The pocket can hold my next pattern.



Linking up at: naptimecrafters // crazymomquilts



Happy Stitching,

Hexie Mug Rug

I finished the kitchen trivet sewing room mug rug. I was scared of putting the binding around a hexagon. I have enough trouble binding a square, but this was actually much easier. The angles are wider so it makes sense that it's easier.



It turned out so pretty. Here's another picture in landscape...



...and don't forget to take a look at the back. Wow, all that hexie goodness.



Fall is on its way here in Northern California. The North wind picked up today, and we are due for our first rain tomorrow. Halle-flipping-lujah! I'm so done with the summer heat.

My next project involves a lot of teeny tiny 1.5-inch half square triangles.



Have a beautiful day.

Linking up at: gotosew // quiltstory // betteroffthread // sewmuchado // naptimecrafters // crazymomquilts




Happy Stitching,

Claiming My Blog

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How Do I Love Thee Hexie!

Hexies are all the rage now. So, I've decided to jump on that bandwagon. 



I used Moda Sew Stitchy. This just makes me happy.

Happy Stitching,

Piecing Madness And The Quarter Inch

Don't always trust you quarter-inch marks on your machine.

I love my sewing machine. It's a Kenmore model 385 with a bunch of numbers after that. There is a machine sold by Janome that is the same machine as the Kenmore. This machine stitches through everything, and I've been very happy with it over the past four years, until I started quilting, more specifically piecing.



I assumed that the markings on the bobbin cover matched the engraved markings on the needle plate. I always used the unmarked line between 1/8" and 3/8" as my 2/8" (or rather 1/4") sewing guide. None of my points EVER matched. This is sooo frustrating for a beginning quilter. So, I bought a generic 1/4-inch foot for my Kenmore.



I knew that this foot was off from the markings on my bobbin cover, but the bobbin cover markings must be correct. Right? They have to be correct. They are not. 



When I did my eight-point star with a pocket earlier this week, the points matched perfectly. I just used the guide on my generic 1/4-inch foot, and it looked beautiful! No wonkiness. What is going on? So, I measured, and I was shocked.



The engravings on the needle plate are correct. I never use those! They are behind the needle and hard to see. The bobbin plate markings are easy to see.



Now, I have two needle plates, one that the machine came with, and I bought a straight stitch only needle plate thinking that this would help with my piecing. It didn't. I put the two bobbin covers together, and the markings did not match.

Surely, the new bobbin cover from the straight stitch needle plate would match the engravings. No! Two bobbin covers with different markings, and still neither one of them match the needle plate! The quarter-inch mark below on the ruler is the needle center position. The other line to the right is where the bobbin cover marks where the needle center should be located. The mark is WAY off! The marks on the bobbin case are measured out correctly each 1/8" from each other, but the needle center mark is wrong on both bobbin covers.



The moral of this story, check your machine! If you are frustrated with piecing, it may not be you! Say, WHAT?! My generic 1/4" foot was completely 100% accurate. The engravings on my machine were completely 100% accurate. The marks that I was using on the bobbin cover were off, completely off. The Kenmore Owner's Manual only talks about using the marks that are engraved on the needle plate. It says nothing about using the bobbin cover markings. I don't see anywhere in the Owner's Manual that these marks are even acknowledged. Huh. Interesting. 

Now I use a piece of blue painter's tape as an extra guide for 1/4-inch.

I want to be clear...The Kenmore is a fantastic sewing machine. I bought it from Sears, and I've sewn together six layers of Terry Fleece material for my daughter's cloth diaper inserts. This machine is a trooper. And reliable - I haven't had any problems with it. I constantly had issues with my previous machine. I have even free motion quilted with success on this machine. The bobbin cover markings, however, are incorrect. I'm wondering if other people have experienced this problem. 

Happy Stitching,

Hanging Sewing Tool Caddy

Don't you hate it when you need a tool, and it's not right there where you need it when you need it? I don't have that problem anymore with my new hanging sewing caddy.



All of my most used notions are now directly above my sewing machine. The seam ripper took the prominent pocket in the middle of the eight point star. Yes, I have to use that WAY TOO MUCH. Thank goodness for seam rippers.



I love it! I used Windham Fabrics Type by Julia Rothman. I also used denim for the background fabric.



This was a project found in the book Quilting Happiness.

I'm linking up to:




Happy Stitching,

Eight Point Star With Pocket

I haven't accomplished much over the past few days...I've been relishing in my featured pillow over at craftgossip.com. OK! I'm over it. Time to work.



Here is the start to a new sewing caddy.

This is a great idea for an advent calendar. Hmmm. Make 25 of these in Christmas fabric? Yep, I'm that crazy.

I'm linking up over at:




Happy Stitching,

Featured at CraftGossip.com!

Did you see the Easy Ruffle Pillow on CraftGossip.com?! Yes, today I've been doing a happy dance in my head. If you are visiting from Craft Gossip, Welcome! Please subscribe to my blog using the bloglovin' button to the right.



My next project is a hanging wall caddy found in the book Quilting Happiness. I will use fabric that has been in my stash for the past year. My love for typewriters is just as great as my affinity for cheap furniture at Ikea.

Happy Stitching,

Star Surround Finish

I have finished the Star Surround quilt. This is a lovely pattern by Melissa Corry at Happy Quilting. The QAL was the perfect motivation to finish this quilt.



Ginger #1 really liked the finished quilt.



However, the colors were not right for Ginger #2. She didn't like it.



She wanted YELLOW! Wha-ha-ha.

I like it. My mom was thrilled with how the quilt turned out.

Now, what should I work on next? The mail-lady dropped off some inspiration for me today...



I think I'll find a few good projects somewhere in there. :)






Happy Stitching,

Almost Done With The Star Surround Quilt

I've been working, mostly procrastinating, on this memory quilt for the past nine months. Yes, that is right, NINE months. It's almost like pregnancy. Yeah, not really like pregnancy at all. I am so close to finishing this baby, and I'm so happy.


I loaded the quilt on the mid-arm this morning.



I went with free motion meandering.





I love how the stitching disappears on the backing.



The quilt is even trimmed and ready for binding. Woot! Woot! I'm almost done.



Now I better go cut up some binding.

Happy Stitching,