Flag Plate Mug Rug

A quick Summertime project, very easy Flag Plate Mug Rug is made from Dresden Plate Wedges with reverse applique center and bias tape binding. Can be created completely from scraps!

Add an optional verso applique as a guide for quilting interest.  Flag finishes 10.5" diameter.

4" Dresden wedges created with Easy Dresden Ruler, or you can cut wedges 4" long with 1" wide base and 2-1/4" top. Requires 22 total wedges. Cut 7 blue wedges, 7 red, and 8 white. You will also need a 6.5" scrap for center, a 12" scrap of batting and 12" square of backing fabric.
Optional: fussy cut a clever shape and apply ironon interfacing for verso applique.

Stitch blue pieces together along 4" sides. 1" base will be in the center, and wide top edge of edges will be on the outside of "plate" or wreath. Next, starting with white peace, alternate red and white pieces until flag is complete.  [In this example, red stripe fabric are the 7 "red" wedges, and 8 "white" wedge placements are a combination of solid red and white scraps.]

Press in one direction. From the back of your flag, press seam allowances clockwise or counterclockwise. Press center circle under 1/4". Tack center seam allowance in place with glue stick or basting glue.

Choose a scrap about 6.5" square for the center of plate. With right sides up, align plate Flag and center with basting spray or pins. Hold in front of a light or window to check alignment of center piece.

With 12" square scraps of batting and backing fabric, create "Quilt Sandwich":  Layer flag with center scrap over batting and backing.  Hold together with basting spray and/or pins.

Stitch around center circle. Stitch through all layers including the pressed under (glued) seam allowance. Seam allowance will be a scant 1/4" from edge of plate center.

Here is what first stitching looks like from back. Good job! You just finished a reverse applique circle :)

Optional: Add a decorative fusible applique to the backing fabric. Pick something that will create an interesting shape on the top of your quilt when you stitch around it. Next, start stitching in the ditch.  [Stitch on top of the wedge seams.] Be sure NOT to stich through applique shape.

Once you have finished all the stitching, trim the batting and backing to match Flag plate top.

Only one more step to finish! Bind Flag quilt with purchased 1/2" extra wide double fold bias tape. Follow package instructions. [This binding color is Stone Blue, a near denim blue that goes well with red and blue.]

 

Long may she wave!

Sewing for Music

This was Bill from Canada's idea. Bill is tenor in our community choir. Alex and I both sing in the choir. Well, Alex sings, and I am learning :)
Choirs don't use music stands like other musicians. Sometimes it can be challenging to hold all your music. Bill made a super sewing project that solves all that. Really!
Are you ready to see it?

 

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Ta-Da!

Bills genius idea is to sew an elastic handle on your music binder!

 

 

• I used 7" of one-inch-wide plain old braided elastic. I'm wishing I would have used 9".
• Tape elastic in place 1/3 of the way from top of binder. Make sure you can close the binder without stretching the elastic.
• Machine tack ends of elastic in place. Use any old needle that you are ready to throw out. I used darning foot and covered feed dogs.
• Bill was right, you must hand turn your machine. Not that it's not strong enough to sew on the binder, but the thread keeps breaking unless you hand turn.

You never know where you'll meet new sewing friends! And I'm always pleasantly surprised when the defi de jour is solved with stitches:)  ---Mom

Scrappy Summertime Shoes

Now I know why I keep that big basket of strips; perfect stash for
 Rag Garland flip-flops upcycle, plus an ideal birthday present for our 9 year old neighbor, Kala.

The unique feature in our flip-flop creation are these butterfly button/charms by Jennifer Heymen (from the bead section in Micahels). Here's how easy it all was:

shoes + charms + strips (3/4" thru 1-1/2" wide) = FUN!

1. Loop strips around flip-flop straps (just like a rag garland), then tie in a not for added wearability. Easiest to work from center outward.
2. Trim ends of strips to 2" long or less (so you can't trip on them).
3. Hand-tack charm at center.
4. Ta-Done! Go outside and enjoy:)

Butterfly Bunting

Bunting and garlands are my favorite way to decorate. Here is a quick quilty springtime project, good for fat quarter or scraps. Finish with ribbon ties, vintage buttons and pipe cleaner.

http://roadhomequilting.etsy.com

Make a toast shaped pattern, 5"h x 6"w. [I like brown grocery bags for pattern paper.]

Make a quilt sandwich, where both sides are "top" worthy fabrics. Butterflies are reversible. Stitch on pattern outline. [I used spray basting and regular stitching foot.] Cut out with pinking shears.

Quilt toasts. [I made swirly shapes with darning foot and mismatched bobbin thread.]

Hand basted and gather center of toast shapes.

Now you have a butterfly :)

Use 1/2 stick of pipe cleaner folded in a V shape. Tack on back of butterfly.

Finish Butterfly front with 3 large [more than 1"] buttons.

TIP:  For perfect spacing, sew on the center button first.

Tack Butterflies together at top edges. Tack ribbon ties to end butterflies.

• ALTERNATE ENDING:  Extra Butterflies? Attach a clothes pin to back of butterfly with hot glue gun.

Happy Springtime & Happy Quilting

Stitching Shamrocks Reverse Applique Mug Rug

It's Shamrock time! Here is an easy mug rug featuring twin shamrocks to help you celebrate. Big stitch quilting with embroidery floss frames details and adds texture. Reverse applique shamrocks look complicate, but they are sew easy! Let me show you:

Cut four 6"x10" pieces, 1 each: top, fusible batting, back, green lining (this is Shamrock piece).
Iron fusible batting to back of green piece.

Trace two shamrocks onto TOP piece. [for easy quilting stencil see Cookie Cutter Quilting Trick, step 10 in Candy Corn Pillows in 3-D tutorial]

This Mary Engelbreit fabric is sew sweet :)

Score the center of shamrocks with rotary cutter so you can insert scissors and trim away inside of shamrock shape. The marked line is the stitching line, not the cutting line. Leave a generous 1/4" allowance inside shamrock.

Is this hoop upside down? Works better this way for reverse applique.

Layer "quilt sandwich" as usual, with green side of batting next to cut-away top piece. Hoop project.

Reverse applique shamrock shapes: using thread matching top piece, blind stitch top to green/batting piece, using needle to fold 1/4" margin under stitching line. Clip curves as necessary to aid turning.

Outline quilt around shamrock with big stitches using 4 strand green embroidery floss.
When both shamrocks have been quilted, square quilt sandwich and bind with green bias strip.
Lastly, outline quilt edge in floss 1/4" inside binding with big stitches.

Congratulations! You finished :)

Candy Corn Pillow in 3-D

This Road Home Quilting tutorial, Candy Corn Pillow, features

a unique 3-D effect, Cookie-Cutter Quilting Trick,

and a Treat for using-up extra tiny scraps.



Don't be afraid!

I, Kitty Pearl, will guide you  

each step of the way. 

To begin with, let's do some research.

Get some Candy Corn.

Candy Corn is triangle shaped, but longer in the center than on the base. Banded with white on top, orange in the middle, and yellow or brown on the bottom. So go ahead and use any color for the bottom band. The center orange stripe is the largest of the 3 color stripes. Yum!

 

Step 1:  Choose 3 fabrics; white, orange, and something else. We are using the adorable

 Boo! to You! by My Mind's Eye from Riley Blake Designs. You will need a fat quarter of each color. [2 fat quarters of each color will make 3 pillows]

Step 2:  Cut fat quarters in half to create 9" strips.

Join the strips into 3 very long bands with orange in the middle.

Step 4:  Press seams flat. Direction doesn't matter in this step.

Step 5:  Make a Candy Corn pattern. [Recycle Tip:  We  use grocery bags for pattern papers.]  Pattern is a triangle, 24" tall with 20" base. Use a cup or bowl to help you draw round corners. Center your pattern over your stripes. Mark both edges of the orange stripe on your pattern to create "register marks," that will help accurately reposition the pattern.

Step 6:  Start cutting out some Candy Corn! [Tip:  We like pan lids for pattern weights.] Flip your pattern upside down with each cut. Remember to use the register marks to re-align your pattern.

 Step 7:  Sort pieces. Some will have white on top, some will have white on bottom. Decide if pillows will have matching backs or reversed backs. Pair pillow pieces. [If making one pillow, you will have a reversed back] Notice that orange band now appears to be the largest stripe. Spooky!

Step 8: Press pillow pieces so that seams run opposite on each piece, and will easily nest together when pillow is assembled.

Step 9:  Layer pieces with batting. No backing necessary. We like spray basting, but any method will work here. Fusible craft batting is also suitable.

Step 10:  Quilt as desired! 

 Quilting Tool TRICK: Turn cookie-cutters into quilting stencils.

Ink holiday themed Cookie Cutters with a stamp pad. Use washable ink if you are stamping on quilt top. We stamped and quilted on the batting side.

Step 11:  After quilting, trim batting with bevel cut. Hold scissors parallel to top. Batting is angle cut to reduce bulk in seam allowance area. Press one last time.

Step 12: Secret 3-D Step Baste curved edges. Pull basting bobbin to gather edges. Easy!

Step 13:  With right sides together, match orange seams, stitch around pillow leaving a hole in side.

Step 14:  Turn pillow case right side out through hole. Remove basting stitches in corners.

Step 15:  Stuff pillow then close hole by hand with blind stitch.

Because pillow is lined with batting, it will be hard to stuff with batting. The battings will want to stick together. This is an opportunity to recycle that box of cuttings and "scraps too small to use." [Admit it, you know you have one too.] Go ahead and stuff your Candy Corn Pillow with scraps. Since pillow is lined with batting, the scraps won't feel lumpy. Sweet!

Optional: Having trouble matching the orange side seams? Hide uneven seams with giant ric-rac.

Congratulations! You created a yummy Candy Corn Pillow made with Tricks and Treats. Thanks for quilting with me, Kitty Pearl, and Happy Halloween from Road Home Quilting

"Hey, where did everybody go?"