Hawaii!

My Christmas present to my dh was a trip to Hawaii. We just got back. Here are a few pics of 2 of the 3 fabric shops we stopped at. The first one was more like the shops on the mainland. I bought the pattern for the quilt in the second pic. The other 2 shops had rolls and rolls of Hawaiian fabric for very reasonable prices. Ladies were there buying whole rolls. I didn't even think of asking what they do with it. Fun, fun trip! If I get time, I will post some pics of the island.

 

 

 

 

Pressing Sheets

I have been sewing for awhile now and one of the things I love to do is applique. See one of my wallhangings below...
What I just found out is what a "pressing sheet" is and what you use it for. I can't believe no one told me about this little jewel! Cost is not cheap (about $15 but if you have a coupon for JoAnn's or somewhere you can get it cheaper.)
Here's step by step easy directions on how to use it:
1. Cut out your applique pieces that you will be working with.

 

2. Here is the sheet I am using today. Bought at my LQS.

 

3. Another pressing sheet from Fons and Porter that you can buy at JoAnns.

 

4. Peel off the back of your Heat & Bond from your fabric.

 

5. Now the fun part! Place your pressing sheet over your fabric. You will be able to see it quite clearly. If you have a pattern that is sized correctly for your applique, you can place it under your pressing sheet and place your applique pieces in the correct spots. Since my pattern is small, I am just using my block to make sure I place my pieces not too close to the edge of the fabric so I will have a good seam allowance.

 

6. Place your applique pieces onto the pressing sheet how you want them.

 

7. Iron your applique pieces together.

 

8. Let cool and then peel your applique off your pressing sheet. Since it is now one piece, it should stay just how you want it!

 

9 Put the appliqued piece on your fabric and then press with the iron like you would any applique. With it now being just one piece it is so much easier to iron!

 

I wish I would have known about pressing sheets when I was making this quilt a couple of years ago!

 

Blog of the Week!

Imagine my surprise when I read my inbox today and found a comment from Marilyn saying that she picked my blog to put on her sidebar as "Blog of the Week"! Thanks Marilyn! Check out her blog---she has some great pics of beautiful quilts!

BOM-traditional quilt

I am taking part in a mystery bom at my LQS this year. I tried to do one last year but for me, Saturdays are family days and I am not always in town. I am going to try again this year. The LQS has two blocks to choose from. One is an original applique and the other is traditional piecing. I am making both but doing my own color scheme. Maybe (maybe) the traditional quilt can be for my bed. The applique quilt is a Noah's Ark. I haven't finished that one yet. My dil is going to make that one too and so I am waiting to get together with her in case she needs help. My middle child (daughter) is making the traditional quilt. I am hoping that with all 3 of us working on them this year that it will help us all be at the LQS every 2nd Saturday of each month to pick up our next block. It's really a deal if we can do it! We pay $6 for block 1 and then if we bring it back the next month finished, the next block is free. So. We could have quilts by the end of the year that only cost us $6 to make, minus finishing costs. Not bad, eh?!

 

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!

Is It Monday Yet???

What a weekend! Lots of driving and LOTS of snow! Usually you try to stay home on days where the snow is coming down all day long, where there are white-out conditions and where the snowplows can't push the snow off the roads fast enough before it piles right back up and it looks like you are the first vehicle to drive on that road. Not us though. We had some very important events happening and wanted to be at all of them! (and I was glad Honey was driving for all of it!)

First off, middle child graduated from college! Oh yea! No more huge chunks of change going to a higher institution...at least for that child. We are proud of her graduating magna cum laude. And we are happy that she has already been offered her dream job. (notice the cameraman's smile???? what's up with that???? hmmmm...)



We spent Friday night at the cabin with some of the kids. Had a great time pretending we were pool sharks or playing air hockey or foos ball. I love being there with all the family. I opened the curtains in the middle of the night since not many people are up there at this time of the year and I wanted to awake looking at the mountain. When I opened the curtain, I noticed blizzard like conditions happening outside. It worried me enough that I awoke every hour after that checking on how much snow had accumulated throughout the night. I knew we had to make it to middle child's graduation and the roads could be hazardous since we had to travel over a mountain and through a canyon. Why this weekend for the biggest snowfall yet for the season?! This is one of the sights we saw as we traveled back through the canyon. Notice how heavy the snow is on the trees and snow was still falling.

The other big event was attending the baby's fiance's baptism. Here's a pic of the happy couple. Wedding won't be for awhile so I am not even going to begin to think of things that have to be done for it!