need a new project? or ten?

can you believe that we're almost to february? we're 3 weeks into january! how did that happen?!!?


there are SO MANY THINGS going on in blog-land these days. i'm a little disturbed by it, to tell you the truth. how do all of these people have time? why aren't they spending their januarys finishing late christmas presents? did they all just throw up their hands in defeat on december 31st? that must be it. and really, good for them. if the presents are late, they're late, an extra month or two won't make a difference. or maybe they said screw the handmade gifts for 2011... i applaud that as well.

i was wishing that i had the time to do a quilt-a-long or two, but that's just not gonna happen at the moment. then i decided to keep track of the interesting quilt-a-longs so that i could go back to them when i DID have time, and there were so many of them that my list turned into this post. if you know of others, leave a comment with a link, please.




there are multiple scrappy quilt-alongs at the moment, and it seems to be good timing - enough people have been quilting long enough to have ridiculous scrap piles!

Jodi from Pleasant Home is running a Sew Scraps Along with tons of inspirational posts, links to tutorials, prizes and so much more.

Rachel over at Stitched in Color is doing a Scrap Attack Quilt-a-long, with weekly tutorials and/or interviews with other bloggers. and if you finish a scrap quilt by the end of March, you can win prizes!

justabitfrayed is doing a scrappy quilt-a-long with a specific pattern, and it's so pretty!

however, the most popular Quilt-Alongs by far are star or sparkle themed. HUGE trend for 2012, obviously! (and isn't my little group quilt cutting edge then?)

Chelsea from Pins and Bobbins is running a quilt-a-long for the Made In Cherry star quilt designed by Sarah Fielke

Faith from Fresh Lemons is doing a sampler style quilt-a-long that's all different star blocks, called Solstice Stars.

Jeni from In Color Order and Megan from Canoe Ridge Creations are coordinating a Sparkle Quilt Along that's super cute.

Elizabeth Hartman of Oh Fransson is running a quilt-a-long for her pattern Sparkle Punch.
here's a pillow top made up by flickr user GoingSewCrazy. isn't it gorgeous!?

Hannah from Heartbreak Homestead has posted the first block of her Starry Skies Sampler Quilt project, and it's very lovely.


and vintage sheet stars!!! Holly told me about this yesterday, and i'm so in love! Sheila at Thought and Found is creating a stunning star quilt, with blocks that she's designed as well as blocks designed by various guests. i know i totally don't have time for such an ambitious project, but oh my goodness!

if you're not into stars, you still have a few other options...

Jeni from In Color Order has started an HST block of the month for 2012, so you could do that instead!

or how about the Swoon-a-long that Katy from Monkey Do is organizing, using the
Swoon pattern by Camille Roskelley?

or the monthly mini-quilt sew-along that Randi at I Have To Say is doing for 2012? each quilt will start on the 2nd tuesday of every month, and the supply list will go up about a week before that. january was courthouse steps, don't they look lovely?

Sarah from Narcoleptic in a Cupboard is in the process of designing a really lovely quilt as well, called the Stained QAL because of the quilt's stained glass look. you can see the original quilt here.

Jenna at Sew Happy Geek is doing a modern/traditional mixed sampler style quilt-along that looks awfully cute. 3 blocks have been posted so far, and the flickr group is so pretty!


Kim's Crafty Apple is coordinating a House and Tree Quilt-Along that could be super fun! there will be 16 blocks total, all designed by different people, and each block will contain either a house or a tree, or both. Two blocks have been posted so far, and more are coming! i saw a sneak peak of the block that will be released on January 31st and it's GORGEOUS! seriously, i think i'd be happy making 16 of that same block.... as everyone in the VMQG knows, Terry's pretty amazing.

or maybe you'd rather focus on colour for your theme? Pantone released their official colour of the year, and it's "Tangerine Tango" Ali from a²(w) and Erin from Two More Seconds are hosting a Tangerine Tango Quilt Challenge, complete with two categories and awesome prizes! the flickr group is already starting to look pretty fabulous... and i'm not even an orange fan!

and if you're thinking that your freemotion could use some help,
Leah from the Free Motion Quilting Project has started a new project for 2012

and Sew Cal Gal is also doing a year-long Free Motion Quilt Challenge, with monthly prizes!

or how about something completely superfluous? QuiltJane is hosting a "Dress up your Roll" contest. Yes, THAT roll! it is possible to make toilet paper covers that don't involve ruffled dresses and half barbies - just think of them as mug rugs in tube form! you can enter as many times as you like, and the international prize is pretty damn fine. my toilet paper roll might be needing an outfit...



so. feeling motivated? you've got lots to start with!




apparently Fat Quarterly blogged about some of these the other day.... i'd say that this will be a lesson to me on getting my ass in gear and not leaving drafts in blogger for weeks at a time while i add to them - and on keeping up with other blogs - but frankly, i haven't learned anything! it just means that great minds think alike, that's all. right? ;)

Hexie Coaster Tutorial

(are you looking for my birthday giveaway? you still have time to enter!)


i promised you a tutorial!



here, it is, finally! wanna make some coasters?

they're easy, they're quick and they're cute, perfect for last minute hostess gifts! or maybe you're one of those always prepared people? whip some up for next christmas, while you're still in a festive mood - imagine that, having presents for next year before 2011 even ends!


you'll need:
- your main fabric
- accent fabric for the centre hexies
- fabric for the backs of the coasters, either a single piece or scraps to piece together
- cotton batting
- 505 spray adhesive
- thread to match the main fabric (optional)
- thread to match the accent fabric
- sewing machine with a walking foot



Step One:
- Print out the hexie templates available HERE and HERE. (right click on the original sized template to save it) You'll only need one coaster template, no matter how many coasters you make, but you need one hexie template for each coaster. i think 6 is a good set, but if you're a small family, you might only make two or three. or if things tend to get lost at your house, you might want to make more!
- Cut them out so that they're ready to use. note that the seam allowance is included on the coaster piece, but not on the applique piece - but don't worry, if you follow the directions, you'll be fine!
- Pin the coaster template onto your main fabric and cut out as many coasters as you'd like to make.


if you're using a directional or geometric print, you'll need to cut them carefully to ensure that they're all straight.


but if it's an all over print, feel free to fold your fabric and cut multiple layers at once.

Step 2:
- Pin the small hexie templates onto your accent fabric, spacing them out so you'll have enough seam allowance for each one.



Step 3:
- Cut out your hexies, leaving at least 1/4" around each template.


depending on your fabric, you might want to leave more than 1/4" for seam allowance. for these, i weas using a linen that is a bit looser weave than regular cotton, so i left a bit larger seam allowance. better safe than sorry, right?

Step 4:
- thread a hand sewing needle with any colour of thread, because you're only basting here, and knot the end of your thread. (it's the perfect time to use up the ends of bobbins!)
- baste the seam allowance to the back of each hexie. i leave the pins in from cutting them out, and start on an edge where i can fold the allowance over without having to remove the pins until i've basted at least 2 sides.


you don't need to do a ton of basting stitches, usually just the corners will suffice.


once you've basted all of the sides, make a small knot, clip the thread, and move onto the next one!

Step 4:
- press the crap out of them, and set them aside. if you're worried about scorching your fabric, use a press cloth, but make sure that you press them well.


i should note that this is just how i make hexies. if you google "english paper piecing tutorial", there are TONS of them out there, including videos.

Step 5:
- Grab your 505 spray (or some other brand, but honestly, i haven't found any others that compare), a piece of newspaper or something else to protect your table, your cut out main fabric pieces, and your scraps of cotton batting.



Step 6:
- Spray a portion of the batting, and smooth one of the coaster pieces onto it. Move on to the next piece, protecting the one you just glued down with another piece of newsprint or scrap paper as you spray. Continue spray basting until all of the pieces are adhered.



Step 7:
- Cut out the pieces that you spray basted onto the batting.



Step 8:
- Take the basted hexies that you set aside after step 4. carefully remove your basting stitches and slip the paper template out.




because you pressed the hell out of it, the folds should stay when you remove the paper template.

Step 9:
- Line a hexie up on the front of each batting and main fabric piece. you can eyeball it, but i use a quilting ruler to make sure that it's an equal difference from each edge.


once you're happy with the positioning, pin the hexie in place.

Step 10:
- Thread your sewing machine with thread to match the applique hexie. using a moderate stitch length, stitch the hexie onto the main fabric/batting piece. stitch close to the edge of the applique hexie, and backstitch a few stitches at the beginning and end. if you'd prefer to not backstitch, just pull your threads to the backside and knot them off, but i hate doing that unless i really really have to! repeat until all of the hexies have been appliqued onto all of the coasters.


i found it easiest to adjust the needle position on my machine so that the edge of the hexie lined up with an edge of the walking foot.

Step 11:
- Using the same template pattern that you used for the main fabric, cut out a back piece for each coaster. you can use a single piece of fabric for your backing, or you can stitch together strips of coordinating fabrics and cut your pieces out of that.



Step 12:
- Place a back piece face down on the appliqued front and pin around the edges.


see the yellow pin? pay attention that that!

Step 13:
- If you'd like, set up your machine with thread that matches your main fabric. since my backs were also red, i just stuck with the colour i used for the appliques. start stitching at least 1/4" away from a corner (start where the yellow pin is on the photo above!), and stop a similar distance from the other corner, leaving a space to turn the coaster right side out. use a seam allowance of aproximately 1/4", but it's not the end of the world if it's not exact. i lined mine up with the edge of the walking foot.



Step 14:
- Once all of the fronts and backs are sewn together, clip the corners of each coaster. we're doing this to reduce bulk within the seam allowance once the coaster is turned, but be careful that you don't cut your stitching.



Step 15:
- Turn your coasters right side out. i use a pair of scissors with rounded tips to push the corners out.


to stop myself from pushing the tip through the fabric, i only push from the front, where there's batting to help cushion it.

Step 16:
- Finger press the coaster flat, and turn in the edges of the opening you left. pin the opening closed, and add a pin to each edge to keep the coasters flat and even.



Step 17:
- Using the thread that matches your applique and that contrasts with your main fabric, sew all the way around each coaster. try to sew close to the edge, to make sure that you catch the seam allowances of the opening and stitch it shut.


once again, i've adjusted the needle position on my machine so that the edge of the coaster lines up with the edge of the walking foot.

Step 18:
- After you've stitched the edge of the coaster, move to the middle of the coaster and stitch around the appliqued hexie, about 1/4" away from the hexie.



Step 19:
- Now we're going to fill in the remaining two lines of quilting. you might want to test this on one coaster, maybe even machine baste a few lines, because i really just spaced out my lines of quilting based on needle position. if you're really worried, you could use chalk to mark your quilting lines, but then you'll have to wash it out.


i did one line based on the outside line of stitching, and then centred the last line between the one i just did and the line that echos the applique.


(that sounds confusing to say, but i think it's pretty straightforward when you look at the photo.)

Step 20:
- Pour yourself a drink, cause you're DONE! Didn't i tell you that they're easy-peasy?



whew! did you follow all of that? it's been a while since i've written a tutorial, and technical writing is definately not my forte - which i'm a-ok with, cause technical writing is always a bit boring, don't you think?



let me know if you have ANY questions, and if you make a set of coasters, show me! i wanna see!

Summery Teeny Blocks!

i'm currently in the midst of a massive clean up effort - my sewing area has been completely out of control for months, and i can't handle it. i live in a 1bedroom apartment, and my studio is my living/dining room, so when it's messy, i can't just shut the door like some people can! i went out and bought some rubbermaid containers and started sorting, and it's sooooo much better. ideally, i'll be destashing as well, and i'll just use the extra rubbermaids for storage at my parent's house, but for now, it's showing me how much i have of specific things, and i'm finding things i didn't even know that i had.

like this fabric! i found it in a bag of scraps that i'd thrifted, and i wanted to sew with it immediately. i loved how vibrant the colours were, and the green stripe is exactly the same shade as my favourite green kona solid.

last week's iron craft challenge was the Summer Challenge, and the pinks with the orange stripe in this fabric practically screamed summer to me, so it was the perfect excuse to use it.

in addition, i came across this tutorial from Sew Lux Fabric & Gifts for a mini whirligig block the other day, and immediately fell in love. even though i have a million projects in progress, i wanted to make something little, just for the hell of it, and actually FINISH something!

i made three mini blocks, and joined them together with 1/2" sashing made from the same green kona. the blocks are supposed to be 3.5", but my blocks ended up being about 3 7/8". not sure how that worked, i think the fabric stretched a bit, because they were 3.5" when i added the sashing! i added a row of 1.25" sashing in the stripe, and ended up with a cute little wallhanging.





the entire wallhanging ended up 13.25" tall and 6.5" wide. i quilted in the ditch around the whirligigs, and then visibly on the outer border. the back is the same green, and i added a hanging sleeve made of the stripe.

i couldn't make up my mind how to quilt it at first, so i tried a few things. at first i wanted to hand quilt it - what was i thinking? ha! first, hand quilting is hard. i don't know WHY, considering that i have no problem with much fancier embroidery, but trying to keep the stitches even while hand quilting is entirely different. and it took forever. plus, hand quilting on the patterned fabric made it look too busy, in my mind.



after i ripped out the hand piecing, i machine quilted the same way i had hand quilted - on top of the whirligigs. i used a larger stitch length, which i was glad of when i decided to rip that out too!



i'm really happy with the stitching in the ditch quilting, and that just goes to show that it's not always bad/boring/plain/traditional to stick with the basics.



the deadline for entering the Iron Craft Summer Challenge was 8pm EST. thanks to the time i wasted on the quilting, i posted the picture in the flickr group at about 4:59 PST! i machine sewed the binding on, but there are a few spots that need to be hand stitched down, and i have to hand stitch the bottom edge of the hanging sleeve. just a teensy bit of work left, and nothing that masking tape couldn't hold for the photos!

did you check out the prize for the Summer Challenge? yummy gnome fabric!

Tutorial - Mending a Sweater Snag - easiest thing ever!

EDIT: hi craftzine readers! welcome!

i promised another mending tutorial, didn't i!

this is barely tutorial worthy, because it's SO easy. i thought everyone knew how to do this, but when i fixed a sweater of my little brother's, he and his girlfriend were AMAZED! it's funny how some things just seem like second nature to you because you can't remember not knowing it, but it's completely foreign to others.

anyway! onto the tutorial!

start with a sweater that's snagged, obviously! this sweater wasn't the best for photos, because it's so thin and see through, but it was the only i hadn't already fixed!


now haul out your needle threader. i have a fancy clover one, because i'm obsessed with their sewing notions (really), but the cheapies work fine too! needle threaders can be bought at a craft store, or even at a dollar store, and they're often found in basic sewing kits if you can't find them individually to buy.

from the inside of the sweater, poke the needle threader wire through the hole where the snag is.


this is the tricky part! guide the threads of the sweater, the snag, into the little diamond wires. once they're in, gently pull the needle threader back to the inside of the sweater.

you're done! if the snag really pulled your sweater, you might need to gently tug it a bit, just to get the fibers straightened out.

there will still be a small hole on most sweaters, but trust me, no one will notice it except you!

super simple, right? i told you!

but wait! there's more tutorial!

some people find getting the snag into the needle threader to be a bit of a hassle, and i'm definitely one of them. depending on the weight of your sweater, it can be pretty darn fussy!

instead of a needle threader, you can also use dental floss threaders. i LOVE these, they're such a great invention. of course, i don't have braces, and i can floss using regular floss, but it's fabulous for crafty purposes! (i use them a lot to string beads on yarn for crocheting)


again, start with a snag (aren't i lucky that my sweater had enough snags to do this twice?!)


the floss threaders are easier to use because instead of trying to push the needle threader through from the inside, hoping you're in the right spot, you're going to push the hard end of the floss threader through the sweater from the outside. gently slide the end of the floss threader through right where the snag started.


again, fiddle with the snag and push it into the opening of the floss threader. it's a still a little bit fiddly, but since the floss threader had a much bigger opening, it's less fiddly than the needle threader.

done! again, you might need to gently tug the sweater fabric.



can you see where the snag was? it's practically invisible!