More Simple Scrap Fabric Ideas

 Hello Friends! Happy Tuesday!

Specialty Rulers

I love specialty rulers! Yes, they can be expensive and not necessarily needed, but they are my passion/obsession. 

I tend to adapt patterns or purchase patterns that require rulers I already own so I don't feel like I've wasted money.

Creative Grids is my preferred ruler brand because of their exclusive grippers that hold fabric in place while cutting.

Today I'm sharing two more finishes using scraps and specialty rulers.

Basket Quilt Block

The basket quilt block is a simple block using half square triangles and rectangles. After doing a google search I sketched out a basket quilt block I wanted to make using my Creative Grids Half Square 4-in-1 Triangle Quilt Ruler.

I chose this ruler because it allows me to make one at a time half square triangles and it's smaller than my other Creative Grids half square triangle ruler.

I learned to make half square triangles many years ago from Bonnie Hunter using the easy angle ruler and this Creative Grids ruler is based on the same concept of using strips of fabric to make half square triangles.

I made four 8 inch basket blocks, added 3 inch sashing which included a pieced heart quilt block in the center. The first border in white is 1.5 inches wide and the floral second border is 2.5 inches wide, making the finished size 26 x 26 inches.  I'm showcasing it as table topped but did include corner pockets on the back  if the buyer prefers to hang it on a wall.

                        

Scrap Crazy 6 Templates

I was able to create 6 inch finished blocks with the 4 acrylic templates in this set, using odd shaped scraps in my stash.

This set of templates was designed by Karen Montgomery, I was really intrigued with her video introducing the scrap crazy ruler set. It's really one of my favorite tools for making scrappy projects.

The crazy patch 6 inch blocks were used as the center square in my scrappy 12 inch star blocks. Again I used the 4 - in -1 half square triangle ruler to create the  3.5 inch star points.

The fabrics used for both projects are from old Denyse Schmidt collections, I love the vintage and retro looks of the beautiful bright prints.

I loved how both scrappy projects turned out and plan on including them in my 2024 Spring collection for the shop.

Until next time, craft the life you love ❣

More Small Quilting Project Finishes

 Hello Friends!  Happy Thursday!

Now that I'm back home I'm trying to finish up WIP's so I can get them listed in my ETSY shop.

Log Cabin Table Topper

I'm sure you can tell I love log cabin quilt blocks!  I was super happy when a customer wrote and asked if I could make a Christmas log cabin table topper for her in red and green. 

I still had some scraps from two of Kate Spain's old Christmas fabric collections (Joy and Solstice) and made this small topper for her. I used the 10 inch Log Cabin trim tool by Creative Grids to create the 4 quilt blocks.

Log Cabin Placemats

I used the 6 inch log cabin trim tool to create the side panel for this set of 4 placemats. I didn't have a pattern, I made a cutting error in a previous project and decided to incorporate my "oops" into something cute!

Poinsettia Table Runner

I fell in love with this fabric and didn't want to cut it up. I bought enough to make 4 runners in different sizes.  

Until next time craft the life you love ❣

Quilted Mug Rugs

 Hello Friends!  Happy Tuesday!

Quilted mug rugs are a charming way to use up scraps by making something cute and functional!

What is a mug rug?

 A quilted mat that is bigger than a coaster and smaller than a placemat.

Below are a few more mug rugs that I made for the shop. I didn't use a pattern for any of the layouts, I let the size of the scraps and embroidery design dictate my decision making. The mug rug sizes vary between 6 x 9 and 6 x 10 inches.

I hope you enjoy!

Until next time...craft the life you love ❣

Making A Wood Sign with Cricut

 Hello Friends! Happy Thursday!

Wooden Signs

I had a vision to create a wooden sign for our home office. The walls in our office are decorated with pictures of the kids. Hubby and I have been together 23 years and our 5 kids came from previous marriages.  We feel very fortunate and blessed that both families love and respect each other, I wanted a wooden sign that reflected those feelings.

If you've read any of my previous posts you know that I'm a connoisseur of Pinterest and YouTube when I want to try something new 😊!  I'm confident creating my own quilt patterns but DIY crafting is still new to me so I love combining tips and techniques from others into my projects.

Permanent Vinyl On Wood

I love the simple style of beaded wood frames. You can find them in most craft stores in a variety of shapes and sizes and in most cases a hefty price tag.

I purchased this bundle of  10 x 20 inch unfinished framed pallet boards from Michaels after Christmas at 60% off. I also purchased half wooden beads from Amazon to make my own beaded frame.

I used wood glue to adhere the half wood beads onto the perimeter of the pallet board. Once the beads were dry I wiped the entire board with a cotton cloth to remove dust and any glue residue. I then painted the entire unit with Waverly Anitque Wax  and added a little distressing around the edges using white acrylic paint.

Once the unit was dry, I didn't like it so I taped off the inside to create a border and added Waverly chalk paint in Ink to the center. 

While the black paint was drying I cut the vinyl decal using my Cricut Joy. I really like using Oracal 651 for my permanent vinyl projects, it comes a variety of colors, it weeds beautifully, and the price is reasonable.

My thoughts -- I'm OK using the sign in my home. I wouldn't use permanent vinyl on a sign that I was going to sell or gift.  In my opinion the vinyl looks like a sticker that can easily be removed or over time lift. 

Heat Transfer Vinyl On Wood

My next attempt at making wood sign I used Siser EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) and my Cricut Heat Press. I used the Cricut Maker to cut out the design.

I gifted this sign to my daughter.

The matte finish of the HTV makes the text look like it was painted on and part of the wood. I was much happier with the results of this sign.

On my to do list is to test making a wood sign using Cricut Stencil Vinyl. Hopefully I'll get to it soon!

Until next time... craft the life you love ❣

Small Quilting Projects and Gifts

Hello Friends! Happy Tuesday!

Small Quilted Gifts

I needed a few last minute gifts before I traveled to Texas to spend time with my daughter and her family.

Pocket Potholder & Kitchen Towel

I made this adorable kitchen towel and potholder set for one my daughter's friends.  I used scrap 10 inch squares from the Pie Making Day Fabric collection. The prints have a vintage/retro vibe to them and thought they'd be perfect for her.

The potholder pocket front is a 6 inch log cabin quilt block with a 1.5 inch border. Pocket potholders are my absolute favorite and using orphan quilt blocks as the pocket is a bonus! I was inspired by this tutorial from Accuquilt.

Sewing together the scraps from the potholders I was able to create the band around the kitchen towel.

Cosmetic Bags

Cosmetic bags are great for keeping small necessities organized while on the go. These were made for the ladies at the hair salon.

Another good friend of my daughter is a member of the AKA sorority whose colors are pink and green. I used pink and green Kaffe Fassett and Amy Butler scraps to make the hexagon shaped trivets/mug rug. The cosmetic bag was made from pink and green batik scraps. 

Tote Bag

This last gift was perfect for the woman who is like a second mom to my daughter and great friend of mine. She's a classy woman and I thought the regal African women in this Michael Miller print was perfect.

The tote bag measures 16 x 14 inches. I used foam instead of batting or fleece and love, love the results.  I added both a zipper pocket and slip pocket on the insides of the tote bag. I originally had planned on adding a recessed zipper but didn't have anything long enough on hand to use. To fasten the bag I used a button and loop. Using the remaining fabric I made a  matching cosmetic bag.

Gifts For Me

3 Piece Toiletry Gift Set

I love taking my favorite quilts on the road! I've been gone for a month on this trip so I had to bring a lot more necessities.

I combined my love of sewing and crafting to create this gift set.

I was inspired by this tutorial by Alanda Craft for the roll up bag. I modified the pattern to fit the scrap fabric I had on hand and adjusted the pocket/slots to fit deodorant, moisturizers, face wash, toothbrush and tooth paste.

I tend to prefer roomier/larger cosmetic bags, this one measures 7.5 x 10.5 inches. I used the remaining scraps from the roll up bag for the bottom portion of the cosmetic bag giving the gift set a more coordinated look.

Using the Cricut Joy and some white glitter iron on vinyl I embellished both sides of the cosmetic bag. The smaller cosmetic bag was made from scrap canvas and measures 5 x 8 inches, I also used glitter vinyl to decorate the bag, which contains make up brushes and beauty sponges.😀

Kindle Cover

After having success using foam in the tote bag I decided to try it again and made a new cover for my Kindle. I'm so in love with using foam! 

Yes, foam is thicker but smooth to sew on, and no difficulty trimming out bulk from the seams.

I have seen others use foam in their bag making and recommend Bosal or Annie's as their brand of choice.  Our local quilt shop carries both but the price was way more than I wanted to spend so I purchased Pellon Flex Foam from JoAnn Fabric Store, and was quite happy with the results.

Do you use foam in your bag making? Do you have a preference?

Until next time....craft the life you love ❣

Empty Liquor Bottle Vase Ideas

 Hello Friends! Happy Thursday!

Liquor Bottle Vases

We are a family that enjoys a good drink on a regular basis and save many of the bottles so that the recycling guy doesn't judge us 😉  I love all the shapes and sizes that are used to make liquor bottles special and really enjoy giving new life to the empty bottles as vases to decorate our home.

Sometimes it can be time consuming and frustrating removing labels from the bottles but the beauty of the finished item makes the removal journey so worth it. I don't have a secret method for label removal - I start with soaking in hot soapy water and then go from there! If you have a tried and true method please feel free to share!

I like to spray paint the liquor bottles and pair them with floral and greenery to add a bit of cheer in my home especially for holiday and seasonal decorating. I use Rust-O-Leum 2X Ultra Cover Spray Paint, it provides great coverage, smooth finish, dries quickly, and comes in a variety of colors. Although it is not specified for glass, I find it sticks well and I haven't had any peeling issues.

Today I am sharing a few examples of how I gave new life to empty liquor bottles from our recycling bin.

Halloween - Jack O Lantern

Bottles used here were originally Tequila and Whiskey. I used Rust -O-Leum 2X Ultra Cover Gloss in Real Orange for these and added Jack O Lantern faces cut from adhesive vinyl using my Cricut Joy machine. Flower picks were purchased on clearance at JoAnn Fabrics.

Personalized Vase

This bottle was originally Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey - my personal favorite!

I used Rust-O-Leum 2X Ultra Cover Metallic in Oil Rubbed Bronze for this vase. I cut the letter G out of metallic adhesive foil vinyl in gold with my Cricut Joy and wrapped the neck of the bottle with twine. The floral bundle was purchased from Hobby Lobby. I made the lovely mat under the bottle using nautical rope and bamboo wood rings. I was inspired by something I saw while shopping and decided to create my own version.

JOY Wine Bottle Decor

I used Rust-O-Leum 2X Ultra Cover Gloss Spray Paint in white for these larger wine bottle vases. I wrapped red black gingham plaid ribbon near the bottom of each wine bottle securing with hot glue. The J & Y were cut on my Cricut Joy using red adhesive vinyl, and I glued a small wooden snowflake representing the letter O to the middle bottle.  The red glitter branches were purchased from JoAnn Fabrics.

Wine Bottle - Cutting

This was originally a wine bottle  -- I was teaching myself how to use a glass cutter. I definitely need more practice. I decided not to paint the vase fearing that the paint would show the imperfections in my cutting. I stuffed the glass vase with ornament filler, pine cones, and fairy lights. I made the riser out of scrap wood with a matching wreath ring using the same vase filler items.

Bourbon Bottle Vases

These were originally bourbon bottles I spray painted using the Rust-O-leum 2X Ultra Cover Satin Spray in Blossom White and Heirloom White. I was going for a more rustic look so I used lace, burlap, and twine to dress up the vases. I made the rustic wooden candle holders shown in the photo, I plan to write how I made them in a future post. The eucalyptus stems were also from my clearance haul from JoAnn Fabrics.

The last vase I have to share was originally a flavor infused Olive Oil bottle.

I used black Rust-O-Leum American Accents 2X Ultra Cover Matte Spray paint on this vase.

If you were planning to up-cycle your old liquor bottles into something beautiful and functional, I hope I have inspired you with these vases!

Until next time, craft the life you love❣

Quick and Easy Honey Bun Quilt Projects

 Hello Friends! Happy Tuesday!

Honey Buns another Moda Fabric precut are like mini jelly rolls, they too contain 40 strips of an entire fabric collection but measure a thinner width of 1.5 inches.

Today I'd like to share a couple of projects I made using the Winter White honey bun by Holly Taylor.

Easy DIY Quilted Placemats

One of my favorite bloggers is Connie Kresin of Freemotion by the River. She offers a wealth of quilting information on her site - all kinds of patterns both free and available for purchase.

I used her Quilted Log Cabin Placemat tutorial to make a set of Christmas placemats for my Etsy shop.

Connie used 1.5 inch wide scraps in her tutorial which is why I thought this would be a great project for the honey bun. Her tutorial included the exact cutting measurements making this project a breeze to create. I made a set of 4 placemats, each in a different colorway from the honey bun bundle.

Honey Bun Table Topper

One of the ladies in the template group I belong to recommended the Slide and Trim Hexagon Log Cabin tool for our September 2023 project.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun using this ruler turned out to be! OMG the potential for making scrappy goodies is amazing! I did use the Winter White honey bun for a coordinated look, but was able to use scraps from the placemats for the beginning rounds in the table topper.

I still have several strips from the honey bun remaining to make a set of matching mug rugs!

Until next time....craft the life you love❣

Scrap Project Ideas

 Hello Friends!  Happy Thursday!

Scrap Project Ideas

I'm sure many of you are like me trying to decide what to do with fabric scraps.

Today I am sharing three recent finishes using scraps.  Although the fabric shown are Christmas themed, each of the project ideas can be easily adapted to scrap fabrics you have in your stash.

Bench Pillow

You can turn any quilt block into a pillow. Leslie at the Seasoned Homemaker offers a free foundation paper piecing Christmas Tree pattern that I used to create a bench pillow for our entryway.

I used the Hustle Bustle Jolly Bar to create these table runners and this table topper below,

 which left me several small pieces of fabric for my scrap bags. Most would consider throwing away such small pieces but I love paper piecing so slivers of fabric I save for those projects.

The free pattern has you use one piece of fabric for the tree portion. I chose to strip/crumb piece my trees. Because I was using so many small pieces of fabric I traced her pattern onto muslin to have a sturdier foundation.  BEST decision ever - it really made the piecing less stressful!

I made 6 tree blocks joined them together and added borders to the top and bottom.

Of course its not perfect, but it is finished!  I enjoyed the process and it looks great on our entryway bench.

What do you think - are you a fan of foundation paper piecing?

Wonky Waves Table Runner

The template quilt club I belong to chose the Wonky Waves table runner pattern by Cut Loose Press for our November 2023 project.

I used Christmas scraps to make my version of the wonky waves table runner. Leftover jelly roll strips would be great for this pattern. The pattern was easy to make once we figured out the instructions. Each of us had our runner quilt tops pieced and basted before the two hour class was over.

Christmas Tree Table Runner

Missouri Star large wedge tool  Christmas Tree runner pattern, an oldie but goodie, is another one of my go to patterns for gift items in my Etsy shop.

I used scraps from Farmhouse Christmas, a Riley Blake fabric collection for my 2023 version.

That's all for today....until next time craft the life that you love❣

Happy New Year

Hello Friends! Happy 2024 to you and yours!

So much has happened in life since my last post, good and bad, that I've decided to take my mothers old saying " pull up your britches and get moving "as my 2024 mantra and try not to dwell so much on things I can't control.

In between life interruptions I did stay busy sewing new items for my Etsy shop.

Turkey Feathers Table Runner

I used several fall colored fabrics from Lori Holt's Shabby collection from my stash to make this table runner. I cut the colored scraps into 2.5 inch squares and the background scraps into 2.5 x 4.5 inch rectangles to make 2 x 4 finished flying geese units using the stitch-n-flip method.

I was able to make 42 units and arranged them in a 3 x 4 layout, adding 1.5 inch borders surrounding the flying geese.

I love adding embroidery to my quilt projects and believed the turkey feather applique design from Hug-A-Bug was the perfect design to complement the flying geese unit. 

The finished table runner measures 15 x 51 inches.

Strippy Forest

One of my favorite Christmas Tree quilt patterns is Strippy Forest from Gudron Erla (G E Designs) book Stripology Mixology.  The book is full of cute patterns and awesome cocktail drink recipes.

Strippy Forest is a quick and easy pattern, perfect for Honey Bun precut fabric bundles. I've made several table runners using this pattern over the past couple of years. It's a great design when you want a blank center with patchwork so that you can easily add a floral arrangement or other decor as a centerpiece for your table.

For my 2023 version I used Jolly Good Holiday Christmas fabric by Basic Grey for Moda Fabrics.

T is for Tree

I made a quilted table topper/wall hanging similar to the Strippy Forest table runner using machine embroidery. The topper layout was inspired by Primrose Cottage "T is for Tree" quilt pattern.  I used scraps from the Farmhouse Christmas fabric collection for Riley Blake.The tree design was purchased from Hug-a-Bug applique.

Happy New Year and blessing to all!

Until next time...craft the life you love❣