Cozy Christmas Sew Along

Hello, I'm back with blocks 7 and 8, but block 8 is not all complete. I can't believe I ran out of white embroidery floss, so I couldn't finish the embroidered steam coming from the hot cocoa. You would think I would have white floss somewhere in this house between two crafters. So looks like another trip to Joann's.

Cozy Gingerbread Man

Cozy Cocoa

I continued with hand applique for the Gingerbread Man, he was difficult to get perfectly flat. Plus I didn't have matching thread to machine applique. The Cozy Cocoa block I machine appliqued and it went by quickly. I'll probably machine applique all the blocks, because I'm getting a little concerned that they will fall apart. I'm still working on getting my triangles and flying geese to match up, I think that it's just luck, because that seems to be the most difficult part for me.

Okay, I'm off to make the next block, Cozy Holly. Here's a link to Lori Holt's Cozy Christmas Sew Along with the pattern and supply list if you think you would like to make this quilt.

Happy sewing!

August Sewing and some cards

I hope you are doing well. I've been busy working on my Cozy Christmas blocks from Lori Holt's Cozy Christmas Sew Along from 2016. I started this year, but I should have been a lot further along, I'm just finishing block 8. I'm getting a little nervous when I start to put these blocks together, though. My earlier blocks don't seem to be the same size as the current ones. I have a funny feeling I will have adjust them some how.

Block 4

Block 5

Block 6

I'll post Blocks 7 and 8 tomorrow, I just need to do a little embroidery and they will be done. Yay!

I also made a few cards, which I had already posted on facebook, but I also made a stack of bookmarks for my etsy customers. Oh yeah, handmade note cards, too. These cards are a "one sheet wonder" from a 6x6 paperstack, Garden Impressions DSP paperstack and Petal Palette stamp set from Stampin' UP!. Here's the link to the video from a SU demonstrator, great tutorial!

In the meantime, I've been interested in sewing clothes (again!). After looking at sewing blogs and watching youtube videos, I have been inspired to sew a few tops/blouses. I used to sew for myself and my daughter many, many years ago and thought I would never do that again. Well, never say never! It's not that I didn't enjoy it, just that it was so much easier to buy your own clothes. Well, my attitude is different now and my overall situation is different, too, that it seems it would be nice to sew for myself again. Anyway, I picked up some patterns at Joann's and we'll see. I do have to learn how to do some fitting adjustments, because that is what my problem was before. It will be fun to make a few simple tops and casual wear. No pressure on myself, we'll just see what works.

Happy sewing, happy crafting!

Hello, I'm Back

and no longer a Stampin' UP! demonstrator. It's a good thing, as much as I like sharing papercrafting and products, I found it hard to keep up and acquired a lot of stamp sets that I wasn't able to use. Plus I have other projects and hobbies I like and my personal blog is the perfect place to share what I've been making, sewing and cooking, like I use to when I first started this blog. I hope you stick around. Plus I still have cards to make!

My Cozy Christmas blocks

So far I've completed the first three blocks from the Cozy Christmas Sew-a-long, which started a few years ago, but I just started this year. I'm a little slow, I figure that I was going to do a block a month, but life is a little crazy, so I'll be making this quilt at my own pace.

I started with machine applique on the first block, but I decided that hand applique looks better. So I may redo the first block or just leave it as is. Hand applique isn't as hard as it seems, plus its good practice for me to do something new and very relaxing.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Cupcake applique quilt update

still sewing when I get an hour here or there ....



those little corners are tricky. This is the last of my blocks. So now I'm sewing them together and getting close to having the top done. As soon as the sun comes up I'll take photos.

Have a wonderful day!

~Billie

WIP - cupcake applique

Hello again, well if I can post every other day then I'm doing pretty good. Actually, I'm not sewing as much as I would like to be, work just gets in the way. I've been wanting to make a quilt as pictured on the cover of Feb 2009 Quick Quilts, (see the quilt below)


but thought I would practice my applique skills first. It's been a long time, I use to either applique by hand or machine. On machine I would use the satin stitch, because that's what that old machine did and I wasn't too thrilled with the outcome. The by-hand method would never get finished! Now with my new Brother (still consider it new), I have many options. I've always liked the blanket stitch.




As you can see, I need a lot more practice. Egads! Oh well, a few more blocks to go.

~Billie

Too Hot!

It's just too hot to sew or do anything else for that matter. I have a bag that I'm working on, but I just can't get myself near the machine to finish it. It would be nice to have a/c, maybe next year. Excuse the dark photo, but the blinds are closed to keep the sun and heat out. That idea is not working well and the fans seemed to just blow hot air around. (sigh) I think it's 92 degrees, but it feels alot warmer than that.

Also pictured is an applique quilt block I found in my unfinished stash of past projects. I'm looking at it and wondering what I can make out of it . . another totebag??

I'm suppose to meet my daughter at the mall today, there we'll be able to cool off. In the meantime, I'll go swimming and get a little exercise. Have a great Labor Day weekend!