Sewing Project - Quilt 5 - IKEA Fabric Panel

I finished the companion quilt from the IKEA cotton panel of kid design.

Finished Size: 38.5" W x 44" T

Front: IKEA fabric panel

Backing: Caramel textured cotton fabric

Batting: Fleece

Binding: Striped cotton fabric

Quilting: Followed the stripes across the quilt.

Applique: Star from warm yellow fabric with ivory thread.





The backing fabric is opaque enough to hide the red color of the fleece inside.

The binding was leftover fabric in bright cheery colors similar to the front fabric.  It was cut to 2.5 inches.  You can check out this video for binding how to. Fool Proof Quilt Binding.

I pinned the layers together with small safety pins before I ran the lines of quilting across the front.  I chose ivory thread to hide it as much as possible.

I then squared it and applied the binding.  It will make a child a nice quilt to help them through a difficult time.

For the batting in between the front and back I used leftover pieces of fleece from this Pot Protector Project.

Lessons Learned: I decided to make my last seam along the binding. I ironed the binding at pinned it before making my last seam thinking I would have a better chance to catch the back layer but I did miss a few spots - more than I expected.  I will work on that.

Sewing Project - Quilt 4 - IKEA Fabric Panel

I finished another small quilt today.

Finished Size: 39" W x 44" T

Front: IKEA fabric panel

Backing: Red Cotton Twill fabric

Batting: Fleece

Binding: Striped cotton fabric
Fool Proof Quilt Binding video

Quilting: Followed the stripes across the quilt.

The backing fabric is heavier than quilting cotton which was really nice.

For the batting in between the front and back I used leftover pieces of fleece from this Pot Protector project.

The binding was leftover fabric in bright cheery colors similar to the front fabric.  It was cut to 2.5 inches.

I pinned the layers together with small safety pins before I ran the lines of quilting across the front.  I chose red thread to hide it as much as possible.

I then squared it and applied the binding.  It will make a child a nice quilt to help them through a difficult time.

Sewing Project - Quilt 3 - Debbie Mum Fabric

I put together this quilt today.  This is another piece I inherited from the lady that passed away.

The fabric is a Debbie Mum pattern with guardian angels saying on it.  I could not find the name of the pattern online.

Finished Size: 43" W x 47" T

Front: Debbie Mum fabric






Backing: Ivory mottled pattern

Batting: Blue Knit Fleece

Binding: Red Mottled Fabric
You can check out the video for details on doing the binding.  Fool Proof Quilt Binding

Quilting: Followed the lines across the quilt but went around the angels and saying.

This was another quilt that I pinned before quilting which was quite large for my space.  I got it done.

I took it to quilting and a friend from quilting added the binding.  This was a collaboration.

It will make a kid in crisis a wonderful warm reminder that someone cares.

We will soon be gathering these quilts to give to a women's shelter.

UpCycled Christmas Card

My friend gave me a bag of commercial cards she has received and asked me up-cycle the card fronts into new cards.

I just loved this beautiful bird with snow on the branches.  It is a Christmas card. 

I trimmed the right hand side and then reassembled to attach the purple foliage which was adhered to a dark purple layer then onto a light blue card base. 

The insert has a Christmas sentiment.

UpCycled Card Fronts

This had a great message to the card so I just trimmed it to leave all the sentiment.

Adhered it to the front of a coordinating pink card.  The birthday sentiment continues on the inside.



This one was trimmed and adhered to a coordinating purple card base.











This one was a Friend Birthday card.  I had to trim it quite a bit and was not happy to trim the flowers on the left.   I decided it was more important to keep the right edge intact.   I chose a warm green card base which worked well with the leaves on the flowers.

If you receive wonderful cards from family and friends - give it a try to up-cycle them into new cards you can send to to family and friends.  I am working on the problem of cards only being used a single time.

I always put inserts in my cards to it can be removed and used again!

These are large cards measuring 5x7.

St. Patrick's Birthday

I have been making a St. Patrick's Happy Birthday card for my friend for a few years.  It is a 5x7 card.

I chose the designer paper by Bo-Bunny Press - Witches Brew.  Cut it to size to leave a small border and glued it to the front of a garden green card base.


I printed the sentiment on light green card stock offset to accommodate the stem. Ripped the top and bottom edges to expose the white core. It was adhered to the card front.

I use the Stampin Up Sweetheart Punch with the same light green card stock and punched 3 of them. I cut the stem by hand.  I chalked the edges with 2 colors of green.  I glued the stem with Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive then aligned the 3 hearts to make a shamrock.  I added 3 small darker hearts onto the large ones.

Happy with how it turned out.

Sympathy Cards

I made a few cards for my cousins whose Dad passed away in December.  The Celebration of Life service is today.

This is a left over kit from Tuesday's class.  A DSP Split.  The designer paper was split and reassembled by flipping the smaller top piece.  I added a taupe grosgrain ribbon over the join.  It was adhered to a kraft card base.

I added a white silk flower, an aqua flower, a white sequin all held in place with a light blue tiny brad.

The greeting is a Stampin Up Modern Label in kraft with a Word Window sentiment layered and adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

The card on the right features a sunflower cut with a Cuttlebug die and a 1" circle of brown in the center.

I drew the stem and leaf with a couple of green markers.  I added some yellow to the deckle edge with marker.


The greeting is a Stampin Up Modern Label in garden green with a Word Window sentiment layered and adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

The next couple of cards were discovered during my de-cluttering. They were many years ago and stored in cellophane were still in great shape.

The flowers were stamped with a Magenta stamp and watercolored.  I added a Stampin Up Word Window sentiment mounted with 3D foam tape. The edges of the white layer were ripped then mounted to a small sheet of my own handmade paper.


One with blue tones and the other with purple tones.




On the left, another card featuring a small handmade paper sheet in white onto which I hand painted a blue daisy. I mounted it to a brilliant blue  card base .


I added a Stampin Up Modern Label in bright green with a Word Window sentiment mounted with 3D foam tape.

I loved making these type of cards.

This is design I call Angled Rectangle.  I angled a piece of designer paper onto the green card front, adhered it and trimmed it to the card edge.

I used a trimmed piece, turned it over and adhered it aligned the long edge.  I added a white silk flower, an aqua flower and a white sequin held in place with a tiny blue brad.






I added a Stampin Up Modern Label greeting in the bottom right hand corner adhered with 3D foam tape.

It is a versatile design as it will do wide/landscape or tall/portrait orientation.

The one on the left has a 1.25 inch yellow circle with a navy Sizzix Winged Beauties butterfly in navy.

I added a Stampin Up Modern Label sentiment with an offset navy layer mounted with 3D foam tape.

Recent Photos

It has been a whole month that I have kept my dining room table clear of clutter!

I can actually sit at the tables for meals but rarely do.  I should work on that habit.

I worked on the process when I got a lot of company before the holidays. 

I quilted recently and that requires the wooden table so it was messy for a few days but I put all the quilting stuff away and it's back to looking good.

Aren't DVDs great!  When you are ready to get back into the routine they still provide their programming as they did the last time you started down this road.

I love the Leslie Sansone program because I can customize the work out to my available time, works the important muscle groups and provides 5 aerobic programs.  Going on 3 weeks now of 5 days a week.  It contributed to my better response to the 10 days of -30 weather we had recently.  Last year, I hid under the blanket on the couch for most of the cold snap.

I bought this wreath on sale after Christmas.  I was looking for a smaller one with more elegant lines than this one which I have used since 2015.

I will refurbish it for next Christmas. First, the greenery it makes it hang crooked because the weight is only on one side and it is not the most elegant fake greens.

I just love this geometric one that I bought a couple of years ago and just don't what to take the chance of losing it by hanging it on the outside of the door.  I enjoy it all year round in my place.

I finished this book last week - Father Melancholy's Daughter by Gail Godwin.  It was a tough read for me.  The idea of a mother abandoning her child did not sit well with me.  Then the father suffers depression episodes which leaves this girl fending for herself often.

The book is about an Episcopalian priest so church life is very prominent in the story.  Living in a rectory, saying mass, and the meeting of the vestry.  His social life which bring in parishioners of every temperament.  

The book has a surprise ending but for me it did not redeem the book that much. 

I had a new deadbolt installed this week as well.  The old one has been sticking for a while then the cold made it worse.  I put WD40 in which made it much worse.  Just eventually nearly refused to turn and I did not want to break my key.

I had to wait 2 days to get service but I had a great locksmith come to help me in the cold last week who worked beyond his schedule to get mine done.  He was able to provide a brushed nickel finish which was great.  Now I need to replace the door knob so it will match.  I have brushed nickel knobs on all the doors on the inside of my place.

I will be purchasing a tube of graphite lubricant which is what locks need.






I have been enjoying aroma therapy every day.  Using a wax warmer makes it really easy.  I don't burn candles anymore.  This model is from Febreze and I chose it for it's simple elegant lines, neutral color palette and no light bulbs to replace.

My favorite scent is Cinnamon Vanilla from Scentsy.  I will have to find a rep so I can purchase more.  I tried over Christmas but was not successful in getting a response from the rep I contacted.

I have the warmer on a timer so I don't have to remember to turn it off.

2020 Cardmaking - CH - Class 1

I am back to doing card making session at Compassion House.

I have availed myself of a couple of stack kits but I needed a few more kits because I have more than average number of ladies registered.

I started with designer paper by Fancy Pants Designs - Sidewalk.  I cut it to 4.00 x 5.25 inches then cut again at 3.5 inches.  Flipped the small piece over and taped the pieces back together.

Added an aqua grosgrain ribbon across the join  of the designer paper and taped the ends to the back.  This layer was adhered to the front of a pink card.

I added am accent made with a white silk flower, an aqua handmade paper flower, a white sequin and an aqua brad.  I created a hole in through the card front with a push pin and push the prongs through and spread the prongs apart on the inside of the card.

I added a full half sheet blank insert.  The paper with it's great colors allowed for a variety of card base colors.

The card on the right uses designer paper by My Mind's Eye - Kate & Co - Cambridge Court - Medallion Paper.

This one was paired with hot pink grosgrain ribbon and a medium teal card base.

The same flower accent.  With no greeting makes an all occasion card.

Sewing Project - Quilt 2 - Blue Green Squares

I finished another quilt today in time to share with the ladies at Quilting tonight.

This is another inheritance from the lady that passed away.  There was a stash of fabric and our leader took all the pieces home and cut 5" squares.  She packaged these together and we were each given a set of 40 squares at our Christmas social get together on Dec 9th.

I worked a lot on trying combine the patterns and eventually just reassembled them into larger squares.  I needed 48 5" squares so I dug into my stash to find what I needed.  Worked out pretty well.

Final Size: 41.50W x 54.00T inches

Colors: Blue, Green and Navy

Squares: 9.5 inches

Backing: A small print green patterned fabric in 100% cotton. 

Sashing: 4" strips of Navy in between the printed squares and rows between the patterned squares.

 Technique: QAYG Mom Style


I pinned my flannelette batting and my green backing together then using QAYG sewed the rows across.  I laid the navy top strip first then added the first wide patterned row and sewed that down and ironed it.  I then added the next narrow navy strip before quilting the first patterned row which gave me a line for my quilting of the patterned squares.


Binding: Navy at 2.5 inches.  Sewn to the back, folded to the front and finished from the back to make sure I did  not get navy thread on the green backing fabric.  I used a wide zig zag stitch to make sure I caught the fold over on the front.

Quilting: I just outlined the printed squares at a .25 inch.

Lessons learned:
Sewing down the navy strip below the patterned row helped me align my quilting on the patterned squares easily.
I used white thread to assemble the quilt and then switched to navy when I got to the binding.

It will make a great quilt for a boy!

Sewing Project - Quilt 1 - Red, White & Ivory

I have started quilting again following the holidays.  

I inherited this quilt top, backer and binding fabric following the death of a member of our quilting group.  I received the material in October about a year after her death.  She volunteered with Grandmothers in Alberta for a New Generation who organizes "Fabric Frenzy" every year in the spring.  This is a fundraiser for grandmothers raising grandchildren in Africa due to the HIV epidemic. 

The finished quilt measures 48.5 inches wide and 56.5 inches tall.

The topper is designed with 4 inch squares.  There are two different 4 patch squares with red ones and ivory ones with patterned deep red squares.  The fabric is 100% cotton.

The backer fabric is created by Marcus Fabrics - American Pastimes by the New England Quilt Museum.


The same fabric was used for the binding.

The batting on the inside is a heavy flannel fabric.

I cut the backer fabric and the flannel with extra to allow space to trim it once the quilting was done.

I then pinned the 3 layers together and quilting it by sewing on the diagonal on the single deep red squares.  I only had very small pins but it seemed to do the trick.


















I normally do Quilt as you Go which works better with my space and sewing machine.   It was a bit of challenge to do the quilting with my machine and small table but perseverance provides success in the end.

This quilt will be donated to the children who find themselves in crisis.

I was honored to be asked to complete this project for our friend.   She enjoyed quilting and working with the group of women who work all year long to organize this popular fundraiser.

Of course, working with fabric was right up alley and many members of our group support the fundraiser which add to our fabric stash.

The fundraiser separates the quilting fabric from the other types of fabrics like fleece, upholstery, knits, etc.  That is very convenient for us quilters.

I will bring it to quilting before it is donated so the girls can see the finished quilt.

Sewing Project - Mop Pads

I bought a new to me mop at the thrift shop last week because I have more hard surface cleaning than I used to and getting down on my knees is not working so much for me anymore.  This is a Mr. Clean Magic Reach Mop.  It has a telescoping handle and the head itself is sturdy foam.

I decided that I would make reusable and washable mop pads for it.  I chose some dark green microfiber fabric and some flannelette.  The 3 layers of the white flannelette was cut to the exact size of the mop head.  The green fabric was cut 1 inch larger than the flannelette and I cut 2 of them.

I sewed the flannelette to the back side of one of the green pieces going all around and making about 5 seams crisscrossing the elliptical shape.

I placed 2 lines of tight zigzag down the center of the other green piece (like a button hole) then cut in the middle, which will allow me to turn it over when it the greens are sewn together.  Once sewn I trimmed the pointy ends of excess fabric.

I turned it inside out with the slit allowing it to be installed onto the blue foam mop head.

The zig zag will prevent the ravelling of the green fabric.

It's a really nice snug fit.

I had made a DIY solution a while back with this recipe.  I put it in a spray bottle, sprayed the floor and wiped it with the mop.




It worked really well on both the lino and vinyl flooring.
The head is detachable so I can scrub a spot with more pressure. 






The mop is well made with a hanger.

I am really happy with this mop and the price of $3 was terrific!   I will be able to quickly do the hard surface floors in a few minutes.

Card for a Friend

I made this card for a friend who is facing uncertainty in her health.

I chose the designer paper with waterolor in green and yellows.  It is glued to a dark green textured card base.

I cut the Memory Box Row of Poppies from an olive green card stock.   I then cut another from a deep yellow card stock.  I the trimmed the flowers from the stems on the yellow and glued them to the corresponding ones on the green layer.

I ripped a piece of brown card stock and glued it to the bottom of the card then trimmed it to the edges of the card.

I added a greeting punched with SU Word Window punch which was layered onto a SU Modern Label punched from the same card stock as the stems of the poppies.  It was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Old Gift Card Holders - Added to my card box

More cards found during the clean up.  These cards were designed as tri-fold gift card holders.  I was able to cut off the gift card flap and make them into regular cards.

This is Stampin Up supplies.  The textured card stock is Groovy Guava. I have not been able to determine the name of the designer paper.

I created a flower accent by cutting scallop circles in various size with the Spell Binder Nestabilities. All held together with a blue brad in the center.  The leaves were hand cut and placed behind the flower.

I color printed greeting in the bottom right hand corner layered with blue.  Adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

This bumble bee card is made with a circle of seed paper.  I made a lot of handmade paper in those days.  Love the deep yellow color which was formed with a round cookie cutter. I added the bands of black with a marker.

I designed the wings in a drawing software package and printed several onto a clear transparency.  They were cut out by hand with scissors and adhered to the body of the bee with 2 black brads.

A 1.25 inch circle punchie in black forms the head and I added the antennae and tail with the same black marker.

I color printed the flower layer and adhered it to a white spattered red card base.  The bee was adhered to the flower layer along with a Stampin Up Word Window punchie greeting in deep yellow in the top right hand corner.

This was designed as a wedding card. 

I started with a Sundance ivory card stock layer for the card base.  It has a felt finish and was my favorite card stock for years! 

I added a layer of ivory card stock which was embossed with the Cuttlebug d'Vine Swirls folder.  It was trimmed to leave a medium border.

I wrapped a length of gold organza ribbon to the layer before adhering it the card front. 

I then pinned a small gold charm to the knot in the ribbon.

It was great to find these cards and add them to my card box.