May NewFO

My biggest May ventures were May For Me and a birthday hitting the BIG 60 - and sharing it all with so many friends.  But I did Sew......

I shared my second Hands 2 Help quilt, String Challenge Quilt, Project Quilting Challenge, Favorite Block QAL, and the little bear with tutorial.  And there were several other large quilts (like queen size) done that I can't show yet - BUT I photo'ed the thread!  I showed replacing my cone thread I use for piecing on March 11 - 5,00 yrds of thread on that cone and almost empty!  Plus I used up one of my 350 yrd spools - other thread came out to play too.  And my new Iron has gotten quite a work out - love it.

This is one of the quilts being worked on for the Oklahoma Teachers - rather than send the blocks to Tonya - it is easier to just assemble it all here and we will mail the finished quilts on.  I have aother  pile of blocks ready for today's  'to-do' list - then these two quilts will be finished up over the weekend so they can be mailed out on Monday.

And I heard from Mary that the little doll quilt arrived - wow, that took a very long time, so glad I mailed it early in the month.  The theme for May was 'Shape Shifters' - a challenge with quilting shapes.  Of course, the little dollie has to accompany the quilt - and the buttons are always used!

And the special label.  Not sure what this technique is called as I learned this from my great gran - two cirlces right sides together, a thin batt (she used flannel), sew together leaving opening to turn.  Press - make a cardboard square to mark sewing lines and stitch together, press your 'melons' back and stitch down.

I want to make June a month of just small items - yes, those two donation quilts will be finished - but I got a little burnt out with all the large quilts in May, so going back to small projects to catch my breath.

**linking up with Cat Patches for NewFO**

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon 

Thursday May For Me

I would like to thank you all for spending my May For Me with ME.  I hope you found some time for yourself, whether it was managing some sewing time, organization, cooking, or a get away.

For the end to a great May, I would like to share a turorial and pattern with you.  I saw a number of bloggers struggling to make teddy bears to use their scrap batt as a stuffing - yes, let's use all our scraps.  So I have made up a little bear that is FQ and scrap friendly.

Bear Back

Bear Front

Supplies:

  Print front and back of bear - all supplies and instructions are on both printouts (no you don't need the velcro that is in the photo - didn't remove it from the table so it just popped right in there) 

The patterns will fit a 5" x 10" piece of fabric - FQs work well, left over layer cakes, or scraps.  Place your fabrics right sides together, pin patterns in place and cut out. **I used 4 different layer cakes for some fun** 

Either use a pressing sheet - I use an old dryer sheet - under the pattern pieces while pressing the fuseable batt in place on the ears.  Then trim to pattern.

Stitch the back center seam, leaving opening for turning.  Stitch the front center seam.

Open up the back and front, with right sides facing pin together - matching the center seams first and then work one side and then the other.  When stittchin, GO SLOW, lift pressure foot to turn around outer and inner areas if need rather than pulling the fabric.

After stitching all the way around, clip all seams.  Turn right side out thru the back seam opening.

I have some left over poly-fill, poly-cotton batt that I shred by hand, and the cotton batt I snip into little bits (other wise they make big lumps) - use those left overs and stuff your little bear.  I usually do the arms, legs, head, and then the body. ** make sure you stuff the neck firmly or his head will flop**

Stitch your opeing closed with prefered method.

I left the arm and legs lite so I could do a stitch with floss to make him a little dimensional - but you can stuff him full - this is your bear.  Either embroider eyes and nose - or little beads and buttons - a bow - he is yours to embellish as desired. **if this is for a baby gift, I don't recommend buttons**

If you don't like little bears, an easy way to increase size - print the pattern and draw a wide dark line half way thru him (just under the arms).  Cut  in half on that dark line.

Using you printer settings - enlarge one half at a time - I was able to enlarge 160% which when you tape the two pieces (using your dark line as guide) I can get a 14" finished bear.

Enjoy and thank you for sharing May For Me.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

String Fever

Remember I gave you some tips on sorting and using those scraps - there was a pile of strings in that photo mix.  Well they have been used in various projects from small ........

those tiny rainbow log cabin blocks with 1/2 inch logs - paper pieced of course.  To medium.......

more scrappy log cabin blocks with 3/4 inch logs which I am free sewing.  To large .......

scrappy half log cabin blocks set in a 'magestic mountains' pattern.  This is my entry into the String Fever challenge over at Stitched in Color .  It is a good size couch quilt - 60" x 72" for my son's cabin.

Lots of different size strings used up in this.  Usually the 'chimney' of cabin blocks are red, but I chose to use black chimneys as this is to be a 'manly' quilt.  I kept to just a simple random straight line quilting with black thread on top and bottom.

I used a textured black for the back -'Compliments' by SSI.  This will make for a great snuggle quilt by the fireplace at the cabin. - hey, they had 3 feet of snow at Whiteface Mt. on Memorial Weekend!

Please be sure to visit  Stitched in Color  with the link ups May 28th-30th.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Monday May For Me

Hard to believe that we are into the last week of May!  And that we had snow in our area over the weekend!  But, good news, it is to start warming back up with a few dry days before we start to get drenched again. 

My ME time was a lot of 'un-plugged' time - thanks to mother nature.  But I did enjoy some fabric catalogs - yes new fabric will be arriving for some June fun.  As well as I browsed some quilting books off the shelf - marking pages.  I think 2014 will be a year to grab a book and make at least ONE quilt from it - instead of sitting gathering dust on the shelf.

And I finished my 'Favorite Quilt Blocks QAL' with Persimon Dreams.  If you finished your quilt top by May 25 and added to the flicker group, you were entered into some winnings - I won a $50 certificate toward a longarm quilting with Marcia's Crafy Sewing .  This quilt will actually be sent off to a local longarmer to be completed and I will wait til' the fall to hook up with Marcia on another project.

No tip today, but I would like to remind you that Tonya of HillBilly Handiworks is collecting 12.5" unfinished blocks in school colors for quilts for the teachers of Oklahoma - visit Tonya for full information as well as where to send your block(s). There is a time frame as blocks need to get to those putting them into tops and off to the quilters for finishing for a timely presentation of the quilts.

GIVEAWAY 

First - the winner of last week's giveaway - had my SIL pick a number between 1-30.  SO ------- number 6 come on down.  Ooops, gotta go check who that is -------

Belinda of The Seam Rippers  is the winner of the 'Baby Cakes' quilt kit.

Congratulations Belinda and I will send off an e-mail for information.

This being the last May For Me week and ALSO this is my 500th post - I am giving away FOUR 'double the charm' - I need to clear that box off the shelf to make room for the new fabrics coming.  Two for within the USA and Two for International.  Just let me know in your comment if you are US or INT and what your first and second choice is - I will try my best to fill requests.  OH the Morris Apprentis packs have been given away earlier - reusing the photo of the group :

Duck Duck Goose - flannels
Kasuri
Avalon/Happy Go Lucky (they only had one Avalon,so sent the Happy with it)
Lario
Pheasant Hill
Collection for a Cause - 1835 prints
PB & J 

Comments open until midnight Sunday June 2 - I will announce the winners (and personally contact them so be sure I have a way to reach you) next Monday - June 3

CLOSING THOUGHT FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

May For Me in the Blue

It has been a bad week - our storms have not compared to some other areas, but they have kept me off my feet.  I am a real chicken when it comes to thunderstorms.  I have been 'un-plugged' several times to protect devices and myself.  The metal in my body (and I have a lot) reacts to the electrical storms, so I am not only hiding, I am hurting.

The furries are a comfort while curled on the couch - but I also have drooled over these several times.  I really don't need more fabric!  BUT they are so enticing!!

I did manage to get some BLUE sewing done.  I just love these log cabin blocks - especially in BLUE!

And the three little 'starlet' blocks - they look on the green side, but they are BLUE.

TIP

I am sure a lot of you know this, but for  those who are a little new to this whole game of 'quilting' - if you are having trouble chosing color/fabrics - use those color dots on the selvedge.  Use a focus fabric and then pull from all those lovely color dots.  AND if you can at your LQS (local quilt shop), take those fabrics to the window or outside into natural lighting to get the true value of the color.

RECIPE

ICE CREAM COOKIE CUPS

You can use your favorite chocolate chip or sugar cookie recipe, but I am not a baker and want quick and easy so use Pillsbury ready roll dough.


Heat the oven to 375º. Turn two 12-cup muffin tins bottom side up and cover 10 of the cup bottoms with squares of aluminum foil (use every other cup so there's some space between them). Grease the foil with shortening and set it aside.

Place dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper, and roll it out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough and place each one over a cup bottom, smoothing out any cracks. 

Bake the cookie cups for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cookies together from the muffin pan. Peel off the foil and let the cups cool completely on a rack. Just before serving, fill each cookie cup with a scoop of ice cream. 

**I like to use the mini muffin cups and a melon baller to scoop small rounds of ice cream - you get to have many little treats then**

I hope you all have a safe and fun Memorial weekend

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

**linking up with SoScrappy and Marcia's May For Me

Project Quilting - Tradition Times Three Challenge

The rules of the Tradition Times Three Challenge were to use this FQ bundle - and must use at least 10 of the 12 FQs in the bundle.  You could add two other fabrics.   Any size or type of project- your choice.  But must use a traditional block in three different sizes within your project.

My two added fabrics were Kona White and 'Coast Line' by P&B Textiles - the Challenge bundle had a nautical feel to me.

I decided to omit the two soft browns - a Windham and FreeSpirit print that were more Civil War - the little piles of scraps are actually what is left from my project finish.

I chose the traditional block - Dutchman's Puzzle - one, because it is  a family heritage block and two, I felt it had the nautical flag look.  This is also an easy block to do 'quilt math' with for changing sizes.  I started with a 12" block and saved the cuttings.

The saved corners made the perfect size HSTs for the 8" block, plus using a FQ  to frame up to size.

I saved every little scrap - which turned into the 4" blocks with I set with fussy cuts from the lighthouse panel.  And these were framed up to size with a FQ.

And I needed a few 'filler' blocks so set fussy cut 4-patches, framed with FQ.

I set it with sashing and cornerstones (one of the bundle FQs).  I used a Connection Threads Pro-Line for the top and Supior bottom line in robins egg blue and quilted simple 'waves' using my home machine.

I used a Connection Threads pale blue 'wave' print for the back and pieced the lighthouse border and bit of the 'seashell' print.  The Binding is a Nancy Halvorsen for Benartex.

Finished size is 44.5" x 58.5".  Created by Sharon Vrooman, VroomansQuilts, Schoharie NY.

Hands 2 Help Update

I finished my second H2H quilt which will be going to Quilts Without Boundries.  This is a very quick pattern from Mary Quilts called "Boxed Squares".  I like that it uses the entire jelly roll strip - no waste.

Without the furry - a close up of this fun fabric 'Apple Jacks' by Tim & Beck for Moda.

And I used Lori Holts 'Happy Cottage' ovals for the backing.  I will be shipping this quilt and the postage stamp quilt (Happy Chemo) out in the early morning as the storm fronts will be in our area the next three days - I plan to hide.

**  If anyone knows of events to take place for those in the wake of the last few days of horrific storms - please - let me know as I will gladly post them to help out **
 **  Also - check on your bloggers you follow who may be in those areas - be safe everyone **
  current - Tonya at HillBilly Handiworks and her fabric girls are organizing a block drive


** linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict ** 

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Monday May For Me

I hope you have found some ME time.  Myself, almost burnt out with a lot of big quilts that all needed a deadline by the end of this month.  The last one is under the 'needle' as we speak.  

I did get some flowers/plants in the ground during the week, but my big ME time was to attend this:

A celebration of one year active in putting Schoharie County on the National Quilt Barn Trail.

Twenty are completed and another twenty are 'in-progress' with more sign-ups waiting for approval.

A lovely set-up and venue for the evening.

 This huge quilt was sent by Donna Sue Groves, Quilt Barn Trails Founder.

And this lovely crazy quilt was used as an introduction to another venture of recreating an 1830's community crazy quilt.  It was made by Betty Pillsbury who is internationally known for her work and lives in our valley - and she is spearheading this project.  So this will be some of my ME June/July time to go play with this.  

The winner of their choice of panel w/fat quarter bundle is

Stone Fence Farm - I will get in touch with Amy to pass on her winnings.
Thank you all for your comments - some lovely books were mentioned - a lot of good reads and maybe some that need a re-visit.

Since this week is my birthday week and what's a birthday with out a cake - how about a quilt kit from Connecting Threads 'Baby Cakes'.  This is a flannel quilt 58" square and all the fabrics are in here - you just add batt and backing.  I will ship internationally - Just leave me a comment on what is your favorite cake. 

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon