Big Scale prints

Look at these fabrics Rachel is going to make in t0 a quilt, we cut these into large rectangle blocks, and even laid them out and forgot to get another picture but they are too pretty to miss out on the picture.

Recycled Skirt into Apron

Rachel and I looked at all my apron patterns at the end of her visit. She commented that she loved the one that looked like a skirt.

Well, I was at my local thrift store when i had the AHA! moment and realized I should make the apron from a skirt. I had so many to choose from that my cart was full of skirts; the kid's skirt's were 3 dollars and the women's were 4. I decided to try one first and I put the rest back.

I cut the labels from the back of this kid's size 7 corduroy skirt. Then cut on either side of the back seam. then i hemmed those cut edges with a simple turned under hem. I made some ties from quilt fabric in browns. I pressed the edges under and folded it in half to make ties, quick, quick! It helps to angle cut those straps to reduce bulk before you fold them in half., That pin is just to show how to turn it down. It was removed before sewing.

I talked to my daughter about this idea and went upstairs and was finished and took the photos 10 minutes later. One of the pluses about this skirt was that I crossed the ties in back and could run them through the front belt loops and tie in a bow. The corduroy was pretty lightweight and easy to sew.

There were so many choices of skirts too. many clothes already were gathered or had embroidery on the fabric or interesting border designs, many for prices well below what similar fabric would cost. If you wanted a full rather than a half apron you could use the back of a full size apron to cut out a front panel. I even think a pretty sundress could be used top and all! Many aprons patterns had shaped tops on them

Baby Wearables

Rachel found this online idea for a baby carrier. Everyone comes to my house armed with their own sewing projects they want to work on together. Rachel had brought this gorgeous embroidered linen to make her baby carrier. We lined it with a bright floral and it is reversible. We had decided to make it bigger, It was huge, way way too large. We had to cut it back down, since we made it with the pretty embroidered border we cut off the top.

Here is Rachel using it with Joy, Even after she went home she has used it and even figured out how to get Joy on her back with this carrier. The baby is nice and secure and it is a simple breathable carrier.

Bias Square apron

Simple apron idea copied from a very pricey one at our local store. What is surprising is that the square only has to be about 25 inches and fits my tall daughter sideways. We lined it with a pretty contrasting fabric. This went together so quickly and is a great way to use my quilt fabric stash.

Bodice Ripper handbag continues part 2

Found this great fabric  left over from Valentine's day with LOVE printed all over it. This became the sides, bottom and handles. I made binding and we bound all the edges. These little binder clips seemed like a good idea but kept catching on the machine. I just wanted no pin holes in the vinyl which might weaken it. By binding all the edges it reinforced all the seems and covered any rough vinyl edges. It has pictures on both sides.We did not have to line it because the way we made the bound edges everything is finished inside. 

It is so cute, but too much work. I think next time I'll just buy one of those "grandma brag" handbags for photos and just stick my extra paperback covers in the photo slots... Of course, that won't have love word  handles. The love fabric was one directional and so we had to make all the words line up the right way too!

Bodice Ripper handbag part 1

I had this idea to make a handbag with covers of romance novels for my sister for her birthday. I tried to collect ones with provocative titles. It made me laugh just picking this out from garage sales etc. Then I backed them with fusible web and fused them to this insipid pink calico.

Then I covered them with a medium weight vinyl sold for covering tablecloths, found in the fabric section.

This whole project was a bear to sew, maybe you will take this idea and make it easier? Backing it with fabric made it easier to slide through the feed dogs than vinyl alone would have been, but the vinyl stretches (surprise!) not fun--

Learning Quilt

This really should be called a learning to tie quilt. I had 13 girls around my quilt frame learning to tie. They did not want to learn to cut squares, or piece, or sew or bind a quilt, just tie! My mom taught my sisters' and I to tie simple comforters made of two sheets tied together with yarn and batting between. We used to do these on our driveway, with half of the neighborhood girls on a sunny spring or summer day, I guess I was 10?

I forgot the batting after we got to the church building and had no time to go for any- so we told the girls that this was for a beach blanket or tablecloth. They learned to tie easier without the batting, and then we drew names and one girl got to keep it. She was pretty excited to be the winner.

One day years ago mom and I went to this "all you could stuff in a grocery sack for a dollar" thrift store in Maryland. We bought all the bright colored plaid shirts and Hawaiian shirts, striped oxford cloth etc. We had five full sacks. We took them home and washed them up and cut everything up. We made many different types of quilts from them. This one had all the plaids. Being us we even purchased some plaids to add brightness to this. I had this top in my stash when they asked for a quilt to be taught.

The pastel one has men's striped oxford dress shirts with additional feed sack reproduction prints and the blue one has blue striped dress shirts from those original grocery bags. There is a lot of available fabric in a men's shirt!