Vively Online: Tutorial: Reversible Slouchy Beret

Vively Online: Tutorial: Reversible Slouchy Beret

Here I am in my newly made slouchy beret! I just love it! The instructions above were so incredibly easy and the results are just what you see! For this project I used 2 old t-shirts my hubby had given me for that t-shirt quilt--waste not! I followed the insturctions and made for myself this very handy pattern.

• I taped 4 sheets of regular copy paper together--in this case orange


• found a center point on my page and made a dot


• used the above links directions to find how large the outer circle should be and made lots of dot points that far away (in my case 6 inches) all the way around to create a circle. then connected these points to create a full circle. hard to see but check out the outer edge of my pattern


• repeated the formula for the center circle


• cut out my pattern


• then used the pattern to cut out the 2 circles needed


• *side note! it is kinda hard to see in the instructions but you will need to cut 2 circles one with the center hole and one without from both fabrics. so in the end you will have 4 pieces, two with a center hole 2 without.


• then I cut my 2 band strips folling the directions to find the correct length


• took all this to the sewing machine, used a stretch stitch stitch...and wa-la I have a very cool slouch beret that I am sporting --even to church this evening :)

Hope you try one for yourself!! It's fun and easy! Happy hat making!

Flower power!

Here it is another flower done! I am loving the roll I am on :)

Motivation helper! rock on!

Well, well, am I an excited lady today! I have been working hard to complete/stay on task on my Grandmother's flower garden quilt. I have even made it the focus of my Finish it Friday.


Now I add another layer of get it done with One Flower Wednesday!
On this site you are asked to complete one flower every wednesday and post your results...oh man I am so in! I guess the plan is in to get this one done this year!!!!

And how convenient it is Wednesday today!!!!...gotta go post my most recent flower!! Happy quilting :o)

T- shirt quilt hand quilting

Man O Man am I excited!!!

I have so many quilt tops lying around waiting to be quilted... Waiting for me to figure out how it should be done...

Well I figured this one out quick! And I can't contain my excitement!

See the quilt's theme is NRA/guns and I needed to do quite a bit of quilting in each square (my interfacing is pulling away in parts).

So I brainstormed guns...guns...NRA....!!!!! Eurika! Crosshairs!!! (target!)

This would not only complement the theme of my quilt but gives lots of quilting going on to hold down my fabric sandwich!!!!

Happy dance.... Tap dance....

Ok I'm back on task phew! And now to get this one quilted!

Oh, and I should mention that I am hand quilting using white hand quilting tread and a size 7 sharp (no I don't do it "right" buy it works for me.

To make the circles I have found 3 round objects around the house (largest being a dinner plate) to use to make the circles and a plain Jane quilting ruler to make the 1/2 inch in the square border and the center lines.

I am boiling over with energy right now! Gotta get back to my quilt...

Happy quilting :)

T-shirt quilt

Well I have finally done it! My first t-shirt quilt!

It was a bit trickier than I imagined but still not difficult.

This one is a homage to the many NRA conventions my husband attended with my father.

The shirts were done being useful clothing and now they continue their mission of warmth and fond memories as a quilt.

Now to decide how to quilt this thing???

I will post a how-to soon :)

Happy quilting!

On a roll

Here it is 2nd flower in a row!!!

I am working hard to stay on task and thus far all is well!!!

In fact I am off to cut my third flower! Hopefully a progress complete tomorrow!! At this rate I may get this quilt pieces this year!!!!!!

Happy sewing :)

Another flower added

Not much going on around here lately. I have a sick kid so time is very limited!

But today I was able to complete and add another flower to my grandmothers flower garden. Yipee!

I'm guessing that if I put a plan together to complete two flowers a month I could have this top done before the year is up! That would be awesome!

Haha but then my hold up would be how to finish it :) always questions!

Hopefully I will be more productive over the weekend! Wish me good luck!

Happy sewing :)

12 scrappy plates done!

Here we go!

I am so happy to report that I have completed (actually a few days ago but am finally posting :) that my 12 plates for the Bunny Hill Designs: Scrappy Plate Club BOM are now done!

I have also purchased the block background fabric ( a creamy off white) and am ready for what comes February!

I just love that I was able to keep up on this one!!

Have fun and Happy Sewing friends!

I am almost a knitter

Last Thursday I along with my SIL took a free knitting class at my local library. I was not sure these women would be able to teach me how to knit.

I have tried on my own a few times to teach myself with no luck! But these miracle workers I can now report we're able to create a little skill in me!

I am so excited to report that lesson one-casting on and lesson two the basic knit stitch are in the bag! And I present photographic proof of my skills!

Next Thursday is a new free lesson- maybe we will learn to pearl! So excited!!!!

Until the next post... Happy sewing :)

pressing pad

OH MY! I just found over at One Piece at a Time a link to directions to make a pressing board!!!! this is a must have for me!

I have an ironing board that works ok but when I try to iron large quilt tops and such I am playing an unfun game of tug of quilt that just drives me nuts!

For oh so long I have wished to find/make a larger ironing surface and now I have it! With some manly hubby help this one will be in use soon :o)

check it out! Happy Sewing :o)

First plate almost complete

After school lessons were over today I decided to try my luck and see how hard this dresden plate construction was going to be.

Well, while I will not be able to whip these out at an alarming rate they were not so bad!

I am not so sure I love the scrappyness but I am pleased to report that one is done! Now to get the 11 more completed :)

tip- make sure to keep stitch length at 1.5 and keep an accurate 1/4 seam!

Good luck! And Happy sewing!!

Blades cut and sewn

My plan worked! I slept on it. Then this morning told my darling hubby my dilemma! He was so kind and sat with me during lunch today and made my 12 piles of 20 blades.

My only rule to him was that each Dresden plate must not have any repeats. He sorted we ate. When lunch was done I had my 12 piles.

After a quick clean up I got to stitching the top points. All done! Now onto assembling the entire plate!

Hows yours coming along?

Happy sewing!

Dead slump!

Yesterday's major work has now lead to a quilters block!

Yesterday I cut and cut my stash and I am sure I have more than enough blades cut for the "Scrappy Plates BOM".

But now which should go together??? Do I make the plates totally scrappy and just grab? Do I make plates with a theme? Oh oh oh! Decisions!! My plan is to sleep on the decision and sew in the morning.

How's it going for you?

Happy sewing :)

Progress :)

Wow! Did I do some cutting today!!

First I cut up my hubby's collection of gun t-shirts separating fronts from backs.
Then, ironed interfacing to the backs. Then cut them up into 15 inch blocks.
Next will come the actual quilt construction but I must shop for the material. I'm just so happy to have part one done!!!

The plan is a 12 block quilt and so far I'm on target :)

And because I am crazy (hehe kidding) I drug out my fabric stash buckets and de-stashed away by cutting my 4 inch strips for the Dresden plate quilt (link is on the top left) -scrappy plates- I am sure I cut way more blades than I'm going to need but I'll figure what to do with those later. For now I'm just tickled to have had such a productive day!

Hope you did too! Happy sewing :)

Craftsy BOM january #2 block

I just love sewing wonky stuff :)

Craftsy Free BOM 2012

Here is my first block in the Craftsy Block of the month club with Amy Gibson.

My plan is to go all scrappy with this- its really time for me to lighten up the stash a bit :) not to say I will not buy any material but the goal is stash only.

January has 2 blocks. First up was this block "Asterisk". It was actually really easy! Lots of slashing which makes me a bit nervous but with only one minor error in the end!!!! I am so pleased with this block!

So head on over to the Craftsy web page and sign up! I am so excited to learn new stuff!

Happy sewing... Im off to do januarys block # 2.

LMS Birdie Stitches BOM 2011

I am done! A quick trip through the laundry tomorrow and this one will be in use :)

I just LOVE how this quilt has turned out!

My kids helped with the reveal pic so sorry about the crookedness ;)

Took a bit of a break today

I took a break of sorts today from my quilting to take a free knitting class at my local library.

Truth is I do not know how to knit but have always wanted to get in with that hip knitting crowd :)

After one hour lesson I can cast on and knit some what. The pearl stitch was introduced but for now I am sticking with casting and knitting.

Breaks over. Now back to my hand quilting. Pics of that tomorrow!

Happy sewing :)

My sewing effort for the day

Want it, Need it, Quilt!: Free BOM - Penny Rug

Want it, Need it, Quilt!: Free BOM - Penny Rug