The Halloween Rag Quilt

Here it is folks, the quilt that almost killed me.

It's a Halloween rag quilt for our Church's blanket trick or treating, of course!

8ft by 6ft

96 individually quilted and ragged blocks.

I used a different quilting technique for each block color.

Some have words or pictures. Some are just lines and swirls.

For this rag quilt I cut all of the squares out of the top fabric and also the back fabric (which was black).

I also cut the batting into squares an inch smaller than the fabric.

After making my block sandwiches with back fabric, batting, and top fabric, I quilted each block. I just used my regular sewing machine to do this. I drew designs onto the fabric with a disappearing marking pen and then "traced" them with my sewing machine. It was time consuming, but it wasn't difficult.

When all of the blocks were quilted, I sewed them together with wrong sides together. This puts the seams facing the top of the quilt.

After putting together all of the blocks, sit down, put on a movie and get comfy. Then start snipping! Wash the blanket and enjoy!

2x4 Pumpkins

I saw this tutorial here which linked me to the original post, here! This was a great project for all of our random scraps and cull lumber pieces!

I asked the hubs to cut the wood for me and he came up with two sets that look like this one below... So, I gave one away. haha! 12 pumpkins would have been a little much. He also made the grooves for my with our table saw. Yay for hubbies!

We have 2x4s and 2x6s cut in 8,6, and 4 inch tall pieces.

I went back and cut the 8inch 2x4 one in half and made 2, 4 inch pumpkins and gifted those out as well. As of right now, the 8inch 2x6 is still sitting on my kitchen island. I can't decide if I want a super tall pumpkin, 2 short pumpkins, a white pumpkin, or no more pumpkins.

Oh.. the brain of a crafter.

And here is the finished project!

Well, maybe I need some more raffia. :)

Getting Ready for Fall

I think every couch should be adorned with candy, don't you?

This idea came from a friend of mine on Facebook, but I can't retrace my steps to link to it. At any rate, I love my new candy corn pillow.

And this:

I saw here.

And then I saw it about a million other places, but I knew when I first saw it that I HAD to make it.

I haven't hung it yet. It still seems a bit early.

I love the extra splash of orange.

Father's Day Bunting

At about 9pm the night before Father's Day, I decided I wanted, no, NEEDED to decorate.

I had seen various versions of neck tie buntings, or garlands, or banners, or whatever and decided to just make a quick version my own way.

All I did was cut out two of each of the ties and then one piece of fusible web (the no-sew Heat and bond stuff.) I fused each of them together and then sewed some single fold bias tape to the top of the ties. Double fold bias tape would have given the banner a finished top edge, but I had some single fold lying around that I had no idea what else I would use it for. See? Quick. Easy. So cute.

And, my husband actually noticed. In fact, when he came home at 3am from work, it was the first thing he mentioned when he woke me up.

This project could be no sew if you pinned, ironed on, or glued the ties together.

The Valentine's Day Wreath

After seeing this done here, I knew I had to try. Amy says that this wreath takes a lot of little circles and she was right. I bought some cream ribbon and some black ribbon to hang it because I couldn't choose, but for right now it is resting on the hutch's knobs.

Happy Valentines everyone!

Christmas T-Shirt

I saw this basic idea a couple times while surfing around cyberspace, and made one for my little boy.

Sorry this picture is blurry, it is the only one I have of him in it!

He isn't one for standing still much.

Here is a link to the only tutorial I actually saved. That is SO unlike me. :)

I used:

Ribbon

(I got the whole 6 pack of 18" lengths from the Target 1$ section!)

A toddler t-shirt

(I bought it at Target and then used my seam ripper to take off the pocket.)

liquid stitch

(you could sew them on for added durability.)

Fray Check

Scissors

Seam ripper

(to remove the pocket)

My Target purchases.

To make the tree, I just cut the first ribbon color to about one inch and slanted the cut. I fray check-ed the edges of the ribbon and then used liquid stitch to glue the ribbon to the shirt. I could have sewn them on, but I figured the shirt would only be worn once anyway.

After that first cut, I cut each ribbon one at a time slightly bigger.

Not exactly a science.

I took this picture with my supplies after I had gotten started.

I continued cutting each of the six ribbons in the same way.

Then, when I got to the bottom, I used some brown ribbon I already had to make a trunk.

After all the ribbon was secured, I knew I needed a tree topper.

I thought about this gem, but thought better of it since I have a little boy and the gem was looking a little too girly.

I opted for the understated button.

It turned out so fun, and it didn't take me long at all! Maybe 15-20 minutes.