GIFT BAG

I needed to wrap a gift and I was sure that I had an extra Christmas gift bag left over from last year.  Each bag I checked was either too small or way too large.

It is pouring rain and a real mess outside, so I decided not to go shopping.  I started looking for some fabric scraps to make my own version of a Christmas gift bag.

I found this cute Christmas fabric with holly and red berries for the bag.  Then I went to my solids drawers and found some solid red fabric for the lining.

I cut two pieces of each fabric.  In my sample I cut 14 inch squares.  You could change the size of this to fit whatever you want to wrap.

The first step was to sew the outside squares of the bag together and also sew the two squares of  lining of the bag together.  Sew around three sides.  I used a quarter inch seam but shortened my stitch length a little bit.  Leaving the top of the bags open will allow you to nest them later.  Also, it is important to leave a small opening at the bottom of the lining.

 

 

This little ruler is one of the handiest tools I own.  It is made by Perkins Dry Goods and is designed to help you get a true quarter inch seam.  I use it for many other things too.

 

In this project I am using it to draw a one inch square in all the corners. 

 

 

This will help me form the gusset to get the shape of my bag.

 

By forming a triangle with the corner you now have a line to stitch on.

Now I have two bags with corner gussets sewn in.

The next step is where you put the lining of the bag inside the outside bag right sides together.  I inserted the handle between the lining and the outside making sure that it was well out of the way of the stitching line.

I sewed a quarter inch seam across the top of the bag all the way around.
Now it is time to turn the bag right side out.  This is where that section at the bottom of the lining that was left open comes in handy.

Pull the outside bag through the opening and smooth it out making sure that the lining corners nestle into the corners of the outside bag.

Use a very narrow seam to sew the opening in the lining bottom closed.

Two rows of top stitching will finish off the bag.

I did not use any batting or interfacing because this is a gift bag.  If you want a sturdier bag you could have used batting or fusible interfacing.

My gift bag is finished and already filled with a special gift for someone.

                                           -sandi

 

 

DAY 2 DECORATING

A little more decorating.  I have put the Christmas quilts on the beds in preparation for the holidays.

This is my version of "Carolina Christmas" designed by Bonnie Hunter. 

Detail shot of the two blocks.  This was made with a variety of scraps that I found in the red and green bins.  The gold was a constant.

The guest bed is covered with another design by Bonnie Hunter which is called "Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll".  This is another winter Mystery Quilt offered online.

 

 

More decorating to follow.

 

-sandi

 

HOLIDAY SEASON 2013

For many years I started planning the details of the decorating for the next Christmas season around January or February of each year.  I made ornaments and knickknacks to use around the house.   I would choose a theme and then sew and craft almost all year.
  
 My daughter always enjoyed having several decorated Christmas trees in the house.  One year she quipped to one of her friends about our large "main" Christmas tree that "that tree is Mom's Better Homes and Garden tree and the others are our 'real' family Christmas trees".  We had kitchen trees with cookie cutters tied with ribbon; we had a tree in the library with musical notes and instruments; we had a tree in the den that had all of our family's collected ornaments, including the hand made ones of our children.

I displayed several of our "collections" which included a collection of hand crafted angels.  That collection, as well as the Nativity scene collection made from empty egg shells, have gone to "live" at my daughter's home.

I have come a long way from the BH&G tree days and now I have a simpler style of decorating.  I begin with changing the quilts that hang on the wall.  I do a small one over the fireplace and a larger one on the focus wall of the living room.

This is a paper-pieced wall hanging that is called "Falling Leaves".  I hand quilted this one.  It was a great practice piece because of the "busyness" of the background fabric.  I love the red and green of the leaves.  I guess it really should be an autumn wall hanging, but the red and green fit in with my Christmas decorating.

This is called "Yule Time in the Cabin" and is made with Batiks.  I made this one several years ago, but I never tire of it.  The "chimney" or "heart" of the Log Cabin is all the same fabric.  I love the hand dyed fabrics for the variety of color ranges. 

The quilting is pine needles that were free motion quilted by a friend of mine, Martha Steele, on her domestic sewing machine.

More decorating to follow . . .

                                              -sandi

 

 

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

One of the most wonderful things about holidays is spending time with family!  Over the years I have "gone home" to my mom's house for the holidays; then my mom passed and I started having the family come to "my home"; and, now, my daughter has picked up the ritual and invites us to "her home" for the holidays.  I will do a later post about the actual day at her home with the grandsons and my son-in-law and my dear daughter.

I am taking some food with me this year, but the things I want to show you here are some things that I get out to use at Thanksgiving.

I made this spiral table runner this year and planned to give it to my daughter at Christmas.  I have decided it looks more like Thanksgiving, so I will take it to her now.

This is a Fitz and Floyd pitcher from the 1990s that I have used for a long time.  I think my daughter should have this for her table now.

For years I have used Johnson Bros. "Friendly Village" dishes on my table from November to January because I think it looks like the winters you love.  I started sharing my place settings a few years ago.  My daughter now uses it for her table.

It is such a wonderful feeling to start sharing more of the traditional things that I have had for years.  These wooden figures have been used in our home for a long time and they are going to their "new home" now. 

 

Look at these details.

 

 

One of the quilts that I get out at Thanksgiving time is my "Hidden Wells" that is done in fall colors.  This will grace my mother's drop leaf table during this fall season.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  Make more precious memories and enjoy the traditions that you cherish.


                                      -sandi





 

SISTER WEEKEND

I love to spend time with my "little" sister.  We laugh and tease each other and have so much fun.
She is a member of the Huntsville (AL) Botanical Garden and they offered a basket making class.  She and I both have made baskets many years ago.  I made egg baskets, market baskets, and a variety of baskets that had no classification name.  She made a lot of beautiful free form baskets that she called "nature baskets" because she used lots of different materials.

Now here we are several years later and she is trying to decide if she wants to get seriously into basket making.  Of course, she needed a "partner in crime" to go with her to take this flat-reed class to get back in the groove.

We started making the basket and, of course, we are checking with each other as we go along.

 

Yes, we were making the same basket with the same directions.

Here is Gigi's finished basket.

And now mine . . .

I like the oval shape that Gigi made.  Maybe if I make another one like this I will try to do the oval shape.

 

 

 

There is another class being offered next month.  Hmmm, maybe we should go do that one.  It is a wine carrier basket.

 

I still have to paint the one I just did and then it will be ready to put my fat quarter bundles in to set on the shelf in my studio.

                                            -sandi

 

 

LOTUS BLOSSOM QUILTERS' RETREAT

Here we are for four days of sewing and sharing!  I made these little pincushions for favors for the  ladies.  They are paper-pieced and finish at about 3.5 inches square.  They are filled with steel wool and batting.  The steel wool will help sharpen  the pins and needles.

All of us (there are 15 quilters) made Rail Fence Blocks to exchange with each other so we could make small quilts to remind us of our new friends we made and the joys of being with old friends to sew.  We signed our names to them.

Here is my group of blocks with every one's signature.  Now I want to get them put together into a sweet memory quilt.

They may need some sashing.  I do not think I want them turned two different directions.

I  put these blocks together and had the sashing ready to add, but decided I wanted to change the cornerstones.  So I will finish these right after the holiday.

 

 

Someone gave me a layer cake with these fabrics in it.  I have not done a Twister Block quilt, so I put these blocks together and then did not have anything with me to border it.  I have brought it home to put on the border and to cut the twister blocks to make a cute little quilt.

I took this with me to Retreat because I thought I would separate it and do another strip and add some borders.  I changed my mind.  I like it the way it is.  That means it is now ready to be quilted and will make a nice Christmas gift.

This was a wonderful retreat with lots of great friends and fun and laughter and food!!!

                                                            -sandi
 

NOVEMBER MUSINGS

November has arrived and I am greatly behind with lots of my sewing.  Lil Bit and I are going to have to get off our heating pad and the iPad and get to sewing!!

Okay here are some things that I need to get completed this month.

These little pincushions are nice little favors to add to any gift that you might be giving.
They use little snippets of fabric.  I am stuffing them with steel wool and batting.  The steel wool helps to keep pins sharpened.
Paper piecing is the technique.

Still hand quilting this little piece.  It is a Christmas gift.

This quilt uses the pattern Lawn Chair Quilts from Moda Bake Shop and is another Christmas gift.  I love using the grey as the neutral.

Here is another quilt that needs to be quilted and bound for a special Christmas gift to someone very important to me.

And the last piece I am working on for a December deadline is this cute little quilt.  Well, these are some of the blocks for a cute little quilt.

I think this is enough to keep me busy for the next 3 or 4 weeks.  I will keep you posted as I progress!

Enjoy your holiday season!

                                               -sandi



 

GEE'S BEND STYLE

Years ago when I was active in Garden Club, we were getting ready for a Flower Show.  I wanted to do a piece with sharp clean lines that was like the Japanese style called " Ikebana".  When I told the director of the show that I was doing an Ikebana piece, she quickly corrected me and said that I was doing a piece in the "Ikebana" style.  I couldn't call it "Ikebana" because I had not been properly trained in the method.

So this little quilt I have done is in the "Gee's Bend Style".  It is a rendition of an original Gee's Bend quilt called "Rooftop".  Since I am not a Gee's Bend quilter, I must say it is in the style of Gee's Bend Quilts.  The fabrics I have used came from Windham Fabrics and have a wonderful brushed cotton finish.

                                                                 
This is a small throw size that could be used as a table cloth.


                                                                                 -sandi

A SINGING BIRD

This is a tea towel that my sister gave me.  I just loved this thought.

There was a bird on the towel but no tree!  The fact that this is all in black ink made me want to add some color.

So I rounded up some extra green hexies and made a few brown hexies.

I added the "tree" and appliqued the hexies onto the towel. 

Now it looks better but I think it is still a little bare in spots.

Okay, now I am happy!  It has some red to give another little pop of color.

This tea towel will look really cute as a wall hanging in the breakfast room with this table topper.

Hexie happy, I am !!!


                                    -sandi