Potholder Pass 3 Assignments Are Out!

The baby cooperated and took a two hour nap this morning while Daddy took the middle child to the hardware store and the biggest was at school. This allowed me to get all the Potholder Pass Round 3 assignments out. The two bowls above held numbers which I drew randomly, one bowl was domestic shipping only and the other was international. I think everything went off without a hitch and all 67 assignments are out. I hope you are all excitedly pondering your potholder creations. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Don't forget to join the Flickr group! As promised, tomorrow I will tell you more about the upcoming summer long pincushion swap!

Potholder Pass 3 Signup Deadline

The deadline to sign up for Potholder Pass Round 3 will be this Thursday, April 29th. I will begin sending out assignments on Friday and finishing up on Saturday if I can't get it all done in one day. If you haven't joined before, now is your chance! This is the last round until at least September. Pretty soon I will have information about the Pincushion Pass which will be held over the summer for a change of pace. Some early birds have already signed up but you are by no means too late. Once I get the assignments out for the Potholder Pass 3, I will have the Pincushion Pass button and signups notice out!

Back to the Potholder Pass,
The rules will be the same as last time:

1. Potholders should be a minimum of 6", preferably 7-8".
2. Please use insulated batting in the potholder-at least one layer, preferably two.
3. Try to accommodate your recipient's color requests and their taste.
4. Send a set of 2 potholders. They can be identical or coordinating.

I will also add:
5. You must adhere to the deadline for the swap. (the deadline for this round is the last day in May)
6. You must join the Flickr group and respond to group posts, etc. because good communication makes the swap work so much better.
7. Please mind your manners and promptly thank your partner when you receive your potholders.

To join, you must send me an email message with the following information:
Your name
Mailing address
Color Preferences
Email Address
Blog Address (not required to join swap)
Flickr Account name (A Flickr account is required for Round 3)
Will you ship internationally? Yes or no.
Do me a favor and include all of this information in one single email so that I can cut and paste it onto my list. Please don't make me hunt you down because it takes too much time!

It will be a secret swap which means that you will not know who is sewing for you. Participants can post mosaics of potholders that they like on Flickr for inspiration but it is not necessary. Sending along extras with your potholders is of course permissible but also not required. This is intended to be a fun for all, stressfree swap!

Grab the button in my sidebar for your blog and join the Flickr group where you will post pictures of the potholders that you create.
Come join the fun! So far, we have a group of about 60 participants this time around.

April Mini QT Swap

My swap partner, Liz, received the mini quilt that I made for her today. She was away on vacation so I knew it arrived a few days ago and had to wait patiently for her to return and open it. She said that she liked blues and greens. I was glad because I like those colors too so I enjoyed working on it. The quilt measures 9 1/2" x 11" and has a raw edge applique pear, just because. I fussy cut it to work with the circular design on the material. Liz reports being happy with the quilt so I am much relieved! It was a pleasure to meet her. This swap was a great introduction to the group for me!

I wield my own hammer

I made this little romper for Penny. It's a McCall's 2141. I took a picture of the pattern so you can see the shape of the outfit since Penny isn't standing yet. Seated pictures make it tricky to tell what an outfit looks like! As you can see, the pattern calls for snaps at the crotch. I would normally sew those by hand but I braved the hammer in snap fasteners this time.
I am so pleased with the look! It is much more professional looking and they feel more rugged. And while I thought about it, I did not chicken out and ask my husband to put them in. Yes, I punctured the outfit with sharp metal spikes and then wielded my own hammer. It was easier than I thought and now I feel silly for being chicken. Here she is, in her new romper made with Windham House's Tulips in Petal from the Scribbles line.
I couldn't decide which front view was cuter so I included two.
And here is the back. I used three flower shaped buttons and there is a tie at the waist. One of my favorite features of the pattern is the hemline. It curves up to the side seams.
I think I will have to make one more of these. It is the perfect spring into summer outfit.

Spring has Sprung

I think you will agree that things are looking a lot greener now a couple of weeks later, if not a bit empty thanks to the mean, mean moles who ate my plants over the summer. At last count, I think 8 plants are missing and 4 are damaged from the moles. There are a few things that are alive (I think) but come up late. My husband helped me split my out of control Alaskan Daisies that are in the centers of each of the 4 outer beds. They need to be split about every three years. They were a good 4 feet around. We replanted a small clump of each. This year it might look a bit meager but they were growing into other plants and over taking them. All but one clump of the dug up pieces have now found good homes.

Currently blooming in this garden are Basket of Gold, Candytuft (above), ground phlox, and my all time favorite, Pasque Flower (below).

Elsewhere in the yard, Bleeding Heart is blooming. I have a pink one and a white.

Goldenrod is starting to go by and lilacs are in bud. I can't wait for them. They are an all time favorite as well. Daffodils are still going strong, as well as my Lungwort. The other day, my husband captured this image of the Lupine after a rain.

I thought I would try taking a picture of my "kitchen garden" through the windows as well. It worked like a charm. Here it is. It's located in the center of our driveway, right outside the kitchen door.

It's looking a bit empty because I plant a lot of things that I start from seed each year in this garden. They are still in their little greenhouse trays. I won't plant them till about Memorial Day. In the triangle I have 3 hybrid tea roses and one miniature rose. Two of the rose bushes didn't survive the winter well. I hope they will make it. In this garden, I am growing Oregano and Ornamental Oregano, Egyptian Onions, Sage, Tansy, Columbine, Catmint, Rue and Tarragon, among other things. My "vision" for this garden is herbs and cutting flowers. Because our house and barn are old and were painted with lead paint, I tested the soil and it was high in lead. We dug out the soil and replaced it with top soil that we ordered. I tested it again, just for kicks, and low and behold, it was still high in lead! Apparently, you cannot trust the soil that you order, FYI. So, I grow the herbs here for looks and put basil plants in pots scattered around the garden so that I can actually use the basil. The flowers I grow from seed and we cut them to bring in the house. There is so much to do and it is hard to do it only during nap time! Penny isn't walking so bringing her outside to garden with me isn't happening yet. If only the deer and moles would cooperate, the gardens might have a prayer of looking decent!

April Mini QT Swap

Look at this embroidery!!

I was fortunate enough to receive this little beauty in the mail today. It was made by Liz from Canada for the April Mini QT Swap. After my initial astonishment at receiving something so beautiful, my next feeling was of inadequacy. Trust me, what I sent to her doesn't come close to equalling this work. I adore embroidery and her work is so perfect! It is really amazing. And she used such pretty pinks in her coins which really appeal to me. On the back of the quilt, she made nifty little triangular shaped pieces in the upper corners in order to hang the quilt. This is a "new to me" technique that I plan to use for my next mini quilt. As if this quilt were not enough, she also included the three pieces of fabric that you can see under the quilt. It has been a pleasure to meet Liz and get to know her a bit this month. She is such a nice lady and obviously, a very talented one! Thank you Liz! I don't know how you were able to part with this one!

Bloomers!

As I was contemplating making shorts for Penelope, it occurred to me that there is only a limited time in one's life when it is ok to wear bloomers and that time is now!

Bloomers it is-so much cuteness from a quarter yard of fabric! I used a pattern from 1992, Easy McCall's 6017. I edged them with lace and because that made the leg opening a little scratchy, I lined the opening with pale pink ribbon. Look at those little knees. These make me happy. I can't wait till it is warm enough for her to wear them.

Editted to add: The material is Treetop Pink by Alexander Henry.

My Strawberry Girl

I'm still sewing for Penny. Hand me downs aren't working for this season so she gets new things! I used Simplicity 4203 again. These are the same pants that I made in the last post, this time with another Minny Muu print, strawberries in blue. I bought these fabrics on Sew, Mama, Sew clearance not too long ago. They are perfect for baby clothes because of the small scale designs. Many of the new modern materials are so bold and the patterns are so large that they are a bit overpowering for baby clothes, in my opinion. This top is from the same pattern. What you can't see here is the back of the top. It has an elastic that gathers the material across the upper edge. So the top has no fasteners; it slips over the head.
It's funny how patterns can bring back so many memories! I made my daughter Lily three of these tops with matching shorts when she was just two. Hopefully those will fit Penny next summer. This pattern also has an adorable sundress version. I made that for Lily as well. I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of this pattern!

Spring Clothes for Penny

I wanted to make a little sundress for Penny for the warmer weather (that I hope is coming!). I used the Simple Sundress pattern offered by Habitual. I thought that the bow at the neckline was a bit too frou-frou for a baby so I thought of using a button somehow.

I saw this dress in Chasing Fireflies and thought I would make a neckline something like it. Of course, I started sewing without taking a good look at the picture! I extended the neck "strap" out about an inch on each side and put a button on one side and a button hole on the other. After looking at the picture, I see that they put the button on the front part of the dress itself. I like that better so I might try another one and pay better attention and do it that way! When I do, I will change a few things about the pattern too. I will make the arm openings smaller. They are really big which will be nice for the hot weather but I think that I could close them up a bit just the same. And I will shape the dress in more of an A-line. Right now, the pattern is basically a sized pillow case dress. I would like to add a bit more fullness to it. I needed to start somewhere though and this pattern helped me start with the general size and shape.

Penny seems to like it just fine...or is it simply that she is thrilled with the measuring tape she is wielding? The fabric is from the Minny Muu collection by LECIEN. I am also contemplating making a top like this with matching ruffled panties.
I also made some lightweight spring pants. I can't get a good picture because Penny will not stay still. Here is an action shot of her Simplicity 4203 pants made with Mrs. March's Collection the 30's printed by LECIEN. They are supposed to be capri length but they come to her ankle. I did this intentionally because it is still a bit chilly here and this way they will grow with her as the season changes. I like this pants pattern. It is super simple but they are shaped nicely. They go in a bit at the knee and flare out a touch. They are made with a little slit in the sides. I have ordered fabric for two more pairs. I might make the next one with a ruffle bottom. We will see!

Another Buttercup Bag

I made my second Buttercup Bag recently. My first was last spring right after Rae released her pattern. That first one was for me but this one is for my only non blogging crafty friend. She lives right in town. Imagine that! She mentioned this bag to me awhile back and said that she liked the pattern. She hadn't gotten around to making one for herself yet and I know she has three pairs of pants to make for her little girl and a tunic for herself and some place mats too. You know how it is! So, I felt that it was safe to make one for her. Last fall, while visiting, she spotted the fat quarter that I used for the lining and said "Oh, that would make such a cute bag lining." I made a mental note and used it for her. Of course, she didn't remember!

When she opened the gift bag she said "A Buttercup Bag!" like only another crafter could.
Happy Birthday Alyson!

Korker Hairbow Fun!

I have long wondered how korker hairbows were made. I foolishly thought that there was special curling ribbon and wondered why I never saw it in the stores. I finally googled it and it's amazing! All you do is wrap your regular old ribbon around a 1/4" dowel, secured at each end with binder clips, and...get this...bake it in your oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes. I never would have thought of that! I fired up my toaster oven so that I didn't have to waste so much electricity and gave it a try. It is fabulous!
My son has a birthday party to go to this weekend so I made his friend a hairbow hanger with a stuffed butterfly on the top. On the ribbon, I hung one large, raspberry colored korker bow and a set of smaller blue polka dot hair barrettes. My son chose the ribbons.
I love making hairbows for my daughter (the one who is old enough not to put them in her mouth). The korkers are so much fun to make and I am happy to add them to my hairbow making repertoire!

Sneak Peek

I joined the Mini QT Swap for the month of April on Flickr. This month's theme is coin quilts. My partner requested blues and greens, which happen to be a color combination that I too enjoy so I was happy to comply! One of the rules is that you need to provide a sneak peek. I shared the picture above. My husband was happy to whip out the macro lens and take the picture for me. I can't reveal the whole thing until she receives it. Her package is heading out tomorrow but it has to travel to Canada and she tells me that it often takes 14 days from the States! It will be another lesson in patience for me.

Christmas String Spiderweb

My Christmas String Spiderweb is complete! I used this tutorial to create the paper template. I used a variety of scraps of Christmas materials that I have accumulated over the years to make the strings. I cut them in strips measuring 1”, 1 ¼”, 1 ½”, 1 ¾”, 2”, 2 ¼” and 2 ½” wide. I challenged myself while sewing to use the smallest piece possible for each string to keep myself interested! I pretty much depleted my collection of Christmas material. I also used scraps of about 5 different ivory materials including a fine wale corduroy for the center star shapes. I used the paper piecing method described in the tutorial, as I did one time before. This time, instead of removing the paper once each triangular section was complete, I assembled the entire quilt top with the paper in place. It really helped to prevent stretching at the tips and the bumps in the middle of the spiderwebs. It was, of course, really tedious to then get the paper off. I dipped my finger in water and ran it over each seam first and that made it easier and put less stress on the stitches.

The backing and binding I bought when the material was on sale just after Christmas this past year. The backing is by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics and the binging is Grandma’s Gingerbread by Dianna Marcum. I really love the traditional look of these materials. I wasn’t going for trendy or modern with this quilt but just traditional Christmas; something I would like for years and want to drag out each Christmas.
The finished quilt measures about 43 ½” square (before washing).
I used my new Janome Memory Craft 6600 to quilt for the first time here (besides potholders). I am really thrilled with the AcuFeed. I can’t say it enough. It quilted so nicely and quietly and went right through thick seams with no trouble. I didn’t notice any change whatsoever when stitching into the corduroy even. The thread cutter was handy once again but proved that I am a very impatient person. Apparently, it doesn’t cut fast enough for me. I push the button and lift the presser foot before it cuts. Then I get a message on the display screen telling me to put the presser foot back down and press the button again.

My quilting design was inspired by these potholders from Potholder Pass Round 1. I was waffling between this design and other possibilities and asked Ariane’s direct opinion while chatting with her over email and she was kind enough to push me in this direction. I am happy with the decision. I started quilting 1/4” from the seam and then every ½”.
Now it is time to start working on some more seasonally appropriate things and my coin mini quilt for an April swap!

I was spoiled today

I received my potholders from the Potholder Pass Round 2 today! This time I was spoiled by Linda. Linda made these gorgeous summery potholders AND a tea cozy!

These pictures were taken in the sunroom where the lighting is best but the wall color is the same as in my dining room. There I have a soft green trim. The potholders and tea cozy look wonderful in there. And I am not a coffee drinker but a tea drinker. I don't think I ever mentioned that anywhere so I can't believe my luck. The tea cozy is modelled here by my china tea pot and it fits perfectly. I also love pink and gardening so the colors and the flower and fruit covered materials are perfect for me. The potholder backing is the strawberry fields print.
I tell you, the thing about hosting the Potholder Pass is that it is torture. I see the pictures of the potholders popping up all month long and I know full well that none of them are for me because my partners are all smart enough to hide their work! So I have to wait and wait. It was well worth it though. Thanks Linda!

Hair

I thought I'd just share a smile with you today. Not many people are cute enough to pull off a hairstyle like this! Penny's hair has to be over an inch long and stands straight up. I am wondering how long it will need to grow before it flops over!
I hope you all had a happy Easter weekend.

Christmas String Spiderweb Progress

I didn't think that I would have a chance to get any sewing done during the baby's naps today because it was a day off school but the big kids were both itching to get their hands on my new sewing machine. I let them man the foot control and the thread cutter and we stitched the triangles into blocks. So now I have all 16 blocks complete. I believe that they are just over 10" complete. I hope to sew the blocks together tomorrow.

I was trying to estimate the number of different fabrics used. I think I must have used scraps of at least 25, probably more, Christmas prints. I even used scraps for the ivory sections. As you can see in the close up, I was brazen enough to use fine wale corduroy scraps from my daughter's Christmas dress one year. I think that they work in well for a winter quilt and add nice texture. I do worry a little about quilting them though. There are some ivory on ivory snowflake prints, Kona Ivory, some other ivory cotton that I found in my collection, and one lonely wedge of ivory colored muslin.
I have backing fabric all chosen that I bought on sale right after Christmas but no quilting plan. I was hoping to use straight line quilting which works out well since I still need to play more with free motion quilting to get it right on my new machine! I am heading to Flickr now to find straight line quilting inspiration.