10 Minute Table Runner

My gifts to my friends and neighbors this past Christmas were these 10 minute table runners.  The link takes you to the directions but you can make your runners any size or width you like.  The inside fabric should be about 4" smaller than the outside fabric.  I just cut to the width of my fabric but if you want it longer, you can add to that.  They do literally take about 10 minutes.  Hardest and longest part is sewing on the button.  I take that back.....if you are like me, the hardest part was picking out what fabric I wanted to use.


I wrapped a battery operated candle inside the rolled up runner and tied a bow and whoola, I was finished!  I ended up making about 14 of these quick gifts!

Floor Cushions

Sorry for the blurry pictures!  I'm not that great with a camera but I also have some wild and crazy grandchildren!  Sometimes they just can't sit still!  I should show the "bloopers".....nothing but blur in most of the pictures of these cuties!

A pattern was introduced several months ago at my local quilt shop for a child's floor cushion.  I thought it was very cute but did not want to pay the $12 for the pattern.  You would be or not be surprised as to what you can find online!  I did a search for a floor cushion and found a great tutorial here.  So many people have made these that this girl started a flickr page to show off their creations.  You can see that page here.
There is also another pattern here.  I like the patchwork top on this one.

One thing I did change with the cushions I made was that I filled them with bean bag pellets.  You can find them at Wal-Mart.  I was told that some of the pellets stick together and go all over if you buy the cheap brand.  Mine were pellets from Bag of Beans.  Surprisingly enough, they played nice as we (it's a 2 man operation filling these things) poured them into the cushions.


I was a bit afraid of sewing with piping but it really wasn't hard to sew on.  I made my own piping by using Nancy Zimmerman's Wrap n' Fuse Piping.  Can I say I LOVE that stuff?!!!!  It can be hard to find but so worth it if you make your own piping.

I also used just regular cotton fabric.  Directions said to use upholstery or other canvas but I decided to use what I had.  I also made the pattern as big as I could so the kids could hopefully grow into them.  The original pattern I saw is quite small compared to what I made!  I plan on making a couple more but maybe a bit higher so I can use them for footstools.

The kids seem to like them.  Another success on Christmas Day from Grammie!

What I've Been Up To...

Couldn't show a lot of things I have been doing before Christmas.  I know it is already the middle of January but having been gone so long from the blog I had to really decide if I wanted to come back.

Christmas was the year of the grandchildren.  I bought the Ellie Doll Bed pattern (Kwik Sew) several months ago but it just sat in the pile of "maybe I will get around to making that one day".  Finally at the first of December I decided to open the pattern and see if I could follow the directions.  It was actually quite easy.   Especially since I didn't put the zipper into the bottom of the bed so it could be taken off to wash.  It was easy enough that I made 3 of them for our little granddaughters for Christmas.

I really loved finding the fabric for each bed.  This one was made for our 3 year old in Denver (soon to be Iowa).


We visited her a couple of weeks before Christmas.  I couldn't stand not being able to watch her open up her gifts we gave her so I let her open a few while we were there.  She loved the bed.

In fact, she loved the bed so much she wanted to sleep in it!

When I got home from our trip to Colorado I knew I needed to get going on the other two so they would be ready by Christmas.  It was hard not sharing with the mommy's what I was making.

 

So happy I was able to capture this one's face!  

This baby is a bit too young yet but she loved throwing the pillows around!  I knew if I didn't make it now along with the other two, I wouldn't ever make it so her mommy has it on a shelf until baby is a bit older.

 

All in all a successful project for 3 cute lil' girls!

Excitement is in the air!

The stockings are now hung by the chimney with care.....

 

Today I am picking up the out of state kids (who am I kidding?!) grandbaby today from the airport! I can hardly wait to see how the lil' princess has grown!

Going to have a houseful this Christmas with all the kids here and I wouldn't want it any other way!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year from my family to yours!

Christmas and Block of the Month

Here is one of my Christmas presents this year! I wasn't too sure about it when I opened the box since I didn't think I needed it but I put it up today (just like a tent--so very easy) and middle child and I have been playing with it today while we sewed. It's so much easier seeing your blocks on a wall than on the floor! I am going to love this, I think. (We'll see when I have to take it apart) These are middle child's BOM that we made through our LQS.

 

Here are some of the versions of the pieced BOM finished by some of the ladies that work at Valley Fabric. We were able to choose either the "peach" or the "chocolate" fabric to make our blocks. I choose chocolate and middle child chose the peach.

 

 

 

And here is the appliqued BOM. One of my daughter-in-law's is making this one.

 

In January, Valley Fabric will begin another year of BOM's. We had fun this past year going each month. Now to sew my last block and then get my quilt blocks put together.

Merry Christmas 2009

All the presents are wrapped and I am getting ready to head to Utah to pick up youngest child so she can come home for a few days. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

 

A new version of a Christmas tree

Last year middle child's inlaws gave her a tree that shed and shed it's needles, even though it had been cut fresh and delivered soon after cutting it. (I think they gave up on watering it) This is what she and her hubby decided to use this year.....

 

Purse class

Last night I took a class at my LQS. They are going to be having a monthly purse class this year. January's class was to make "The Angel Bag". You can find the pattern on the sidebar here. My fabric was from Timeless Treasures "Daisy-C". I had never attempted making a bag before so I was glad I went to the class. Now I know how to put in magnetic snaps to close a purse. I also learned how to make a stiffer handle with webbing. All in all, I was quite pleased with the results. I just wished I would have brought my camera...each purse turned out so cute and different!

Here's the treat we got at class. A little purse with chocolate!

Inside of bag. I have to say, I love love LOVE this fabric!

The finished purse. Not sure if I want a fabric flower on it or not.

 

I don't think I showed anyone my Christmas present. The Honey outdid himself this year! I would have never guessed that he would buy this for me AND get me the embroidery module that goes with it too! I am frustrated with the embroidery software since my laptop has Vista and I am having trouble with my computer not recognizing everything is plugged in but I have used Honey's laptop to play with it and I have to admit, I can see this becoming a fun toy to have! I love that man!

Merry Christmas Elder A!