Quilt Store Inspiration

In years past, I made most of my Christmas presents, but now my list is long and I don't enjoy the luxury of time I once did. Not expecting to make any more presents this season, I needed to take a trip to the Village Quilter for my monthly fix--my Buck A Block and peruse through the store to see what is new. Kind of a mini vacation that I take once a month to a quiet fabric filled paradise.

This trip something caught my eye--a cute fabric with an assortment blond, brunette and red-headed skaters. Since one of her granddaughters is red-headed, one a brunette and her grandson red-headed, it seemed like the perfect gift for my mother. Add in the artwork, reminiscent of a favorite childhood card game we would play of little kids taking dragons for a walk, it was sure to be a hit.

Susan suggested a piano key border, so I picked out some complimentary fabrics. Was able to assemble the top in a Sunday afternoon, but finishing it was tricky. With all the necessary Christmas preparation, pagents and concerts, time was at a premium. So, another deadline was missed and now it is a New Year's present.

Expecting this entry to be the last for this year, but looking forward to many more finished projects to post in 2009!

Fabric Origami

When I was little, my dad would make all kinds of origami for me--samurai hats, water bombs, blow-up frogs and cranes are all part of some of my favorite childhood memories. He patiently sat at the kitchen table, teaching me the folds and how to read the directions when I was old enough to make them myself.

Since I have far more fabric than colored paper, decided to plunge into doing some fabric origami. Soaked the fabric in straight starch and allowed it to stiffen. Next time, will use Stiffy or a similar project to make it very stiff. The directions were frustrating --pretty much backwards. For anyone that tries this technique, always make the bottom of the box first, then the lid, regardless of what the directions tell you.

So, now my dad will have a fabric origami box holding a special Christmas gift from Arizona. What a wonderful way to continue a tradition!

Window Treatment

Took a quick break from what quilting needs to be done and finished a curtain for the living room that compliments the new furniture. Learned that it is not a good idea to wait too long once the "right" fabric is found. Would have loved to have had eight yards of this cranberry and tan striped moire, but there were only five and three quarters yards left--rats! Now I had to rethink my plan. Fortunately, my mother could see the perfect window treatment, which saved me time I didn't have.

Always working with cotton, this slippery stuff gives me the willies. Was not sure how to keep it all from raveling after cutting, so another phone call to my personal sewing hotline--my mother! She suggested that I pink the edges and, as always, mother knows best! That worked like a charm! Oh, and thankfully, I have a ton of pins that kept everything lined up.

All in all, this project took a few hours for a custom window treatment. Now, off to find sheers that fit a 67 inch window....