T-Shirt Quilts….

Natalie has been BUSY doing several custom T-shirt quilts!  She is having a great time putting them together…..and we all think it is so interesting to see the different quilts take on different personalities.  (depending on the type of T-shirts)

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We will be doing a tutorial on this type of quilt coming up…..

They make great gifts.  I think it is especially cool to have your old t shirts put into something that is useful, rather than sitting in a box in the closet.  🙂

Have a great day.

A Jelly roll pattern….

Mom is using the Stars Aligned Jelly Roll pattern, and this quilt is coming along nicely!!  We are loving the way the strips come together to make the stars!  SO pretty…..

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This is the kind of pattern that would look great in all sorts of color ways!!  I can just imagine it in brights, in pinks, blues, florals you name it, and I bet it will look good.

What are you working on?  Tried any new patterns lately?

Out of the boot-back to the boot…UGH!

It’s GRADUATION DAY!
We finally turned the corner on my ankle healing.
The Doctor said to remember that I am NOT healed but that I have finally turned the corner and my X-Ray shows clear sign of bone growth! Still no exercising and back to the boot if there is any pain, but….for the moment I’m free!

Get the boot the boot!
Give the boot the boot!

Here I am today with my boot off. There is still a lot of swelling as you can see. I had to loosen the buckles on my faithful Birkenstock, but I am out of the boot! I now have a new best friend …
‘brace’ yourselves, you’ll get a ‘kick’ out of this…
the ankle brace! Made in the criss -cross fashion of neoprene fabric,
this sports the latest fashion in ankle wear!

The new me!
The new me!

Yeah for me!!

***** SO, before we could even post this…..and get all excited for the Mama, she is back in the BOOT!!!  I know, I know poor her!  That stinkin’ ankle-leg-foot stuff just won’t heal!

Lucky for us, she has a fabulous chair on wheels that she uses at the quilt machine!!  🙂  And she is amazing (gotten used to) using her left foot at the sewing machine.

Maybe by Christmas she will be out of the boot!  (my fingers are crossed, BIG TIME!)

4H quilting fun….

We  had the privilege  week ago of hosting the girls of the 4-H group here in Hamilton.  They came to the shop to learn basic sewing skills, and by the time they left they were almost pro’s.  Each girl got to pick out her favorite fabric from any bolt in the shop and then pick out the needed accessories (for this project it was a piece of coordinating jumbo ric rac).  After the shopping was done the girls all sat down at their own sewing machine and used the skills they had been taught to put together their

own fun pillow cases.

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Mom told the girls that her first experience with sewing happened in 4H for her as well.  She said “this is where I learned to sew, and have loved it ever since.”  She reminded them that sewing is a learned skill, and it takes practice to be better.  Not to get frustrated because it isn’t perfect, just keep trying. In the end, they had fun and so did we!
Where did you have your first sewing experience?  What got you into this hobby, anyway?  I’d love to know.
You all have a great weekend.  I am hoping to get a little cleaning done, some thrifting, and maybe a few paint projects going….oh, and also some sewing.  I am STILL working on my disappearing nine patch.  (don’t judge)  Wish me luck….really.  I need it!

Giving new life to old clothes….

to old ratty jeans!  I mean really we all want to extend the life of our kids clothes, right!?!!?  They wear them out so fast, especially when we are buying them half worn out already! 🙂 tehehehe.

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What we had to work with

Today what we did was take a pair of old jeans, and cut them off….

Pretty easy, of course…..But I have issures with things being straight.  So, we used the good old rotary cutter and mat for a more precise line!

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Straighten the cut

The next thing we did, was fold the end of the shorts up.  Yes, I said UP….here let me show you.

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Fold the jean up

See, it is gonna make a cute edge at the bottom with a minimal amount of work.  (My favorite!!)

Then you pick out the kind of trim you want to use.  My crazy girl picked this mini dingle-ball stuff we have in the shop, and I think it turned out darling.

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Work the trim in

Next of course, measure your trim…..cut it and get ready to sew it on!!

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Sew it all together!

Slip the jeans through the throat of your machine, and we just zig-zag stitched around the whole thing.  Rinse and repeat.  (uh, skip the rinse part) WHat I mean is, do the same thing to both legs.  🙂

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Alakazam!

Badd-A-bing.  You are done.  The only other step now, is to have your child try them on!

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Now we’re stylin’

Now you have one project complete, a happy child and many more ideas of repurposing old clothes running through your head!  🙂

I am SO loving these pink dingle-balls (we have then in white too) that I want to give some away!  Mention this blog with your order today and I will throw some (a yard)  in your package.  (and if you have already ordered just email me…chances are I can still throw some in!)

Hope you are all having a great day, and WHY not!?!?!?  It’s Friday!

I love Fridays!