Slow Sunday Stitching 10/23/16

Today I will be joining KATHY in some much needed slow down.  A blog buddy made me look back on all the things I have done already thru the month with a reminder that I was very ill at the time, too.  There have been some real inspirational, get on fire projects - some frustrating ones - some 'squirrel' captivations - and things that just had to get done.  I need to sit back and just breath today.

I used the pdf pattern found under my tutorial tab (last one in the list).  It is just the paper piecing pattern, but easy to figure out - just use the same fabric on the back as used in the hat.  You can keep them just fabric, or add some lightweight fuseable interfacing, or even some fuseable batt.  Just if you are using batt, they do turn out a bit smaller and I kept about an inch of the top of the hat without batt to make them easier to turn and poke.  These have all been stitched (the pink faces don't show in the photo), but a lot of them need their turning holes stitched up .  AND if I can find my little black beads, the eyes will go on.  I need to get some jingle bells for the hat tips though.

I have a few more hexies to add to this rosette and then there will be 18 done for a quilt I have yet to figure out the layout or pattern.

I need to add buttons to these crayon roll-ups - pattern found HERE.  These are always popular at Christmas.  Great scrap project too.

QuiltShopGal asked about a Zirkel - do you know what a Zirkel is?  Go see.  And then I was asked to share my method (I don't call it a tip) of controlling my pins.  No pincushions for me - my cats think they are marvelous toys and I don't want to fish pins or needles out of a cats mouth.

Magnets - good old kitchen fridge magnets.  The little one was on one of those clip things that I dropped and broke, but saved the magnet.  I use this one for my sewing needles while working a project - never lose track of where I put that darn thing now.  

My fine glass head pins are a pain to flip into that cute little plastic case while at the machine, so I use a flat advertisement magnet.  And you can keep the magnet right with the box after as they 'stick' right to the bottom.

My 'harpoon' large pins for heavier fabrics or for pin basting a quilt get one of my larger fridge flat ad magnets.  I can just flick those pins as I go and that magnet catches them.  And I store it after by 'sticking' it to the bottom of the plastic container.  That helps too in if you have difficulty removing the lid or drop the box - yes, I have done that -  the pins stay stuck to the bottom of the container.

And even a better reason to enjoy a slow day inside today.......

SNOW - on 10/22/16!!!  They say the NorEast is to have a long, cold, snowy winter - hey, it's FALL!!

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon