Monday, July 20, 2015

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Time to make Christmas gifts!






Now is the time to start making Christmas gifts at a leisurely pace. No stress here! 
I will do my best to post instructions/ tutorials of a few popular ones . I will strive for one a week . Come back often to check my progress. 
We will be making:
Microwave Bowls
Microwave Potato Bags
Infinity Scarf
Zipper Bag for Cosmetics( or whatever you want!)

You can make anything you want! Want to know how to make something  you saw? Ask me! 

Ok, let's get to it! We are making a Microwave Bowl. This is basically a pot holder for your bowl of oatmeal ( or corn for dinner ) . Instead of grabbing a hot bowl, you lift out a soft warm potholder that your bowl is sitting in!
There will be lots of photos! You never know when this is someone's first project. Be patient . 


Note: ALL ELEMENTS MUST BE 100% COTTON for this project or YOUR BOWL WILL CATCH ON FIRE IN THE MICROWAVE!!!

You will need :
2 squares of COTTON fabric ,10 1/2"
You could use a Moda Layer Cake😀
2 squares of COTTON batting
 ( save those batting scraps!)
COTTON thread to match
Layer one of each fabric square on top of one of each of the batting squares. Draw an X on the back of each batting square , from corner to corner. Sew on this line, to hold your layers together. Now you have 2 quilt sandwiches.
Fold each sandwich in half, right sides together. On the folded edge, mark 3/4" on the open edges and 2 1/2" on the folded edge.Turn it so you can mark the other edge. THEN fold each one in the other direction and mark that fold the same.Do this on both sandwiches, on the batting side. 
Now connect your lines into a curve. Sew on the curve.



Trim the outer portion of the curve to 1/4", to have less bulk.






You now have the two halves of your bowl!






Put them together with right sides facing and batting on the outside. 


Line up the corners and the curves you just sewed. Before you pin the curves together, flip one to the right and one to the left so that they nest together.





You should have no less than 8 pins holding your bowl together.



On one side, between the corner and one curve (dart), mark a 2 inch space where you will not sew. I usually just put two pins together at the beginning and the end of the space. I know that I will not sew past 2 pins together.Do whatever works for you!

Once this is done, sew all around the edge (leaving that 2 inch space open!)





Trim the corners.






Now turn it right side out!











Push the corners out using a chop stick or some blunt tool





Find the opening and press the edges in the form the seam.



 
Go ahead and give the whole thing a good press.


Sew 1/4" from the edge all the way around




Your bowl is now done!!


Friday, July 17, 2015

Lots of pool time!

I have really been enjoying the pool this summer! I get in every morning (almost) at 9:00 and just swim from one end to the other, back and forth , until I get tired. Then I grab my green noodle and kick from one end to the other . I do this for about an hour. Yes, I'm calling it exercise, hehe! Sometime I get back in the pool in the evening, around 7:00, especially if it was a hectic day. Ya know, sometimes you just have to take a break from the sewing machine!