Gift Basket Liners

                                                                     

       Fill with quilting thread, hand needles, and coffee for your quilting friends!

Weekends = Coffee and Quilting!

The Gourmet Cupboard

Staying on Track

 I don't know what your workshop looks like, but mine is a mess of started projects.  I get inspired and start something new, but before it gets finished, inspiration hits again!  And a new project gets added.

I realized I needed a way to keep myself on track.  Also, I wanted to have a place to remind myself of new projects I wanted to do, without another pile of papers and fabric cluttering up my workspace.

After some research and prayer, I decided on a corkboard. Because of the shape I wanted, I made my own. I found some cork tiles at a good price, but I didn't want to attach them directly to the wallpaper. I also had a box of promotional yardsticks I could use as a frame.

So Steve got to work bringing my vision into reality.  We cut and spray painted the yardsticks.  He found some heavy cardboard that he cut to the shape we wanted.  Then he glued the cork and frame to the cardboard.  With a couple of screws, he attached it to the wall at the entrance to my studio, under my new banner.  I finished it with a declaration.

The Lord blesses the work of my hands, so everything I set my hands to prospers.

Now, every day when I go into my studio, I see what projects I have going.  Those are the ones I need to finish before I start on another one. I am reminded that there is a purpose for each of these projects and I have the grace I need to finish them.  I also have room to post new and upcoming projects. 

 I have to admit that this little board has helped keep me focused and on track.  I've even finished a few projects just so I could remove them from the board!

The Father has given us creative talents that are meant to be shared with the world.  That means projects have to be completed, so they can be placed in the hands they were intended for.  An incomplete quilt or table runner is not blessing anyone shoved aside in a corner of my studio.

And that is the ultimate goal of any quilter: to bless someone with the work of our hands.  

For me, my new corkboard is a tool to achieve that goal.  What do you use to keep your projects organized?

"You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake." Deuteronomy 15:10

Focus on Finishing

 Every year I choose one word for the year. It is sort of a guiding light, a theme, or a focal point for the year.  This year my word was FOCUS.

Focus on Finishing is my theme for December.

These frogs that live on my porch were the first project.  I made them years ago and they had gotten quite dirty and needed a makeover.

Every morning, as I went out for my coffee and time with Jesus, I would say to myself: I need to clean those up, but I never got to it.

This year as we were decorating the porch for Christmas, Steve commented they needed Christmas outfits, their summer ones were out of place with the other decorating he was doing.

I wholeheartedly agreed and promptly went to my stash to see what I could find. Fortunately, I found the original pattern, so I didn't have to design all their clothes from scratch. I was pleased to find big enough pieces of a red and white stripe with gold accents and some solid red to dress them in.  I used scraps of fur for the hats and her muff.  There was even enough to make a small banner to hang with them.

Steve was very happy with how they turned out and deemed them worthy of a place on our Christmas porch. I think these outfits will be good until Valentine's Day, just need a different banner and a heart or two. And now their summer clothes are washed and ready to go.

So far my Focus on Finishing is going good.  Besides cleaning up these frogs, I've glued a chair back together, finished a sewing project for a friend that had been started at the beginning of the year, and made a plan for finishing other UFOs in the studio.

Finishing up projects or at least having a solid plan to finish them is a great way to end the year.  Facing all those unfinished projects sitting in my studio is a creativity killer.  Seeing those small projects around the house I haven't gotten around to zaps my energy.  By focusing on finishing up those projects, I am making more time and room for new ideas and inspiration.  Finishing them didn't take much time, but the relief of not having them "hanging over my head" was very freeing.

Do you have small, unfinished projects that are zapping your creative energy?   Make December this year is your time to Focus on Finishing.  Let's all start the new year out with room for our imagination and creativity to flow.

Last fall I promised I'd share my pattern for Mug Rugs.  Then I got sick and everything stopped.  I did no writing, no quilting, no cleaning, no cooking- no nothing.  My get up and go had got up and gone

But the good news is I'm back!  I'm writing again and have spent some time in my workshop.

So, mug rug.  What is it and why do I want to make one or use one?.  Well, a mug rug is a quilted mat that is big enough to hold a cup and a snack.  They range in size from 4" x 7" to 8" x 12".  After some experimenting, I found I like the 6" x 9" size the best.  It is a great way to use some of your fabric scraps or practice blooks.

For this pattern, you will need backing, batting, and 2 coordinating prints for the front.  You can use any batting as long as it is not a high loft (may make your mug wobble). This is another place you can use up small pieces.  Just whip stitch together until you have a big enough piece.

Sew around the mug rug using a 1/4" seam, leaving a 2"-3" gap on the side or bottom.  Trim away excess batting in the seam allowance.  trim corner diagonally, being sure not to cut into the seam.

Turn inside out through the opening.  Fold the opening in and press.  Topstitch around the edges, being sure to catch the opening to sew it closed.

Quilt as desired.  I do mine with a diagonal pattern.

These make wonderful, inexpensive gifts.  Making them doesn't take a lot of time, so make a few for your friends while you make your own.

Until next time,

You haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it is running!

Pretty in Pink Quilt

Yea!  I finished a UFO! 

One of my goals is to finish the UFO's (unfinished objects) in my stash.  This one was easy to finish, just needed the binding.  So I took a break from sewing facemasks and finished this beauty.  This pretty quilt has pink flowers and fuchsia roses, framed by wine and pink paisley print.   I really love the colors in this.

As I was sewing on the binding, Isaiah 35:1.-4 came to me.  I think it is a great description of this quilt and my prayer for whoever buys it.

The desert will blossom like a rose and rejoice!

Every dry and barren place will burst forth with abundant blossoms,

Dancing and spinning with delight!

My people will see the awesome glory of Yahweh,

The beautiful grandeur of our God.

Strengthen those who are discouraged, energize those who feel defeated.

Say to the anxious and fearful:

"Be strong and never afraid.  Look, Here comes your God!

He is breaking through to give you victory!"

The backing and binding are in a coordinating dusty pink.  What a wonderful gift for a special lady, even if that special lady is you! It would also make a lovely table topper or a picnic blanket.  Use it as a throw to curl up with a book or watch TV. 

Standard shipping is free!

Size: 52 x 52

Materials used: Cotton face and backing, polyester batting, poly-cotton thread

Machine pieced and quilted

Quilt can be purchased at jodelights.com or my Etsy store.  

Beautiful things come together one stitch at a time.