Halloween Make-a-Palooza Day 1 with Sew What Alicia

Sep 18, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Welcome to this years Halloween Make-a-Palooza! Where I host a full week of Halloween related sewing tutorials from some of your favorite bloggers. I always love seeing what these crafty ladies come up with! Last year I hosted the Halloween Bag-a-Palooza where I shared an Easy DIY Drawstring Bag Tutorial plus 10 Halloween Trick or Treat Bag Tutorials from some great friends. It was a ton of fun, so I decided to do it again this year, but make it anything Halloween related!

Today Alicia from Sew What Alicia made an adorable Black Cat Small Pouch Tutorial. I love that it is felt and a perfect little Halloween pouch for the kiddos. Hop on over to check out more details on the Black Cat Small Pouch Tutorial.

Halloween Make-a-Palooza

Monday 9/18 Sew What Alicia

Tuesday 9/19 The Sweet Red Poppy

Wednesday 9/20 Coral + Co.

Thursday 9/21 Beatnik Kids

Friday 9/22 Swoodson Says

Friday 9/22 Paisley Roots

10 Best Sewing Machine Features for Quilting + Quilting on the Sapphire 965Q

Aug 31, 2017 · 5 Comments

quilting-with-husqvarna-viking-sapphire-965q

Today I am going to share with you 10 of my must-have best sewing machine features for quilting. There are definitely some sewing machine features that can really make quilting SOOO much easier! You may already know that I am a brand ambassador for Viking Husqvarna (YAY! They make totally amazing machines), so some of these features will be specific to my Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 965Q that I am sewing on. But let me tell you, this machine is really a quilter’s dream. They have thought of everything. I really can’t gush enough. Sewing on the Sapphire 965Q has really upped my sewing game. So here are 10 sewing machine features for quilting that will make sewing a dream for you! You can also check out my all-time favorites of the Sapphire 965Q here.

10 Best Sewing Machine Features For Quilting

1/4″ Piecing Foot – This is the foot that is used when piecing quilt blocks. What makes this foot so useful is that it has guidelines that are marked 1/4″ and 1/8″ from the needle, which helps you piece your quilt blocks accurately.
Walking Foot – One of my very favorite accessories is the walking foot. This foot allows you to feed several layers through the machine at one time without them shifting and getting wonky. This usually happens because when sewing with several layers the bottom layer will feed faster through the machine because the feed dogs are pushing it while the top layer is being fed slower.
Straight Stitch Plate – I am new to having a straight stitch plate, but this is a total game changer. The straight stitch plate allows me to be much more accurate with my 1/4″ piecing since the hole for the needle is so narrow and doesn’t allow the fabric to shift side to side in a bigger hole like the standard plate.
Sensor Foot Up/Down and Extra Lift – Simply tap the foot pedal and you can raise or lower the presser foot. And if you need a little more room you can tap the sensor foot up button and it will raise the presser foot up even further. This frees up my hands to be able to keep them on the fabric instead of constantly needing to put the presser foot up and down, which is great for tricky projects. I also love the extra lift of the sensor foot which makes it much easier to move bulky items under the presser foot. This feature definitely makes it one of the best sewing machine features for quilting!
Extra Large Throat Space – This is a huge one for quilters. Quilting uses A LOT of fabric. And most sewing machines don’t have enough room between the needle and the inside of the machine or throat space to allow for a bigger quilt to be moved through the sewing machine. With extra space, you can fit a much larger quilt while quilting.Photo courtesy of Viking Husqvarna
Extension Table with Guide – The extension table is a must-have if you are a quilter because yes, quilts are LARGE! The extension table allows you to have a larger space to sew on and with the adjustable guide, you can accurately sew borders and hems by simply moving the guide back and forth. The extension table also has no legs underneath so you can sew circular items. You can see how large it is in the photo above.
Stippling Stitch – I have written about how the stippling stitch is one of my favorite stitches on the Viking Sapphire 965Q, but what is so great about this stitch is that it does the quilting for you! How cool is that?! This definitely makes it one of the best sewing machine features for quilting You can see what the stippling stitch looks like below.
Exclusive Sensor System – With this feature, the presser foot automatically and continuously senses the thickness of the fabric when stitching and sews over it smoothly and evenly with perfect fabric feeding. This is such a cool thing because it really helps with how your fabric is fed through the machine which is great for bulky seams.
Exclusive Sewing Adviser – I LOVE this feature! It makes choosing the right settings SO easy!!! Located right on the touch screen the Sewing Advisor sets the best stitch, stitch length, sewing speed, thread tension, and sensor foot pressure for your project. Totally UH-MAZING! All you have to do is select the fabric type and what sewing technique or stitch type you would like and you have the correct settings! Super easy.
Two different free motion techniques – Free motion quilting is what allows you to sew beautiful designs on your quilt top. There are two different ways that you can free motion on the Viking Sapphire 965Q.

Free Motion Floating – When free motion sewing at a lower speed (like me! ha.) the foot will raise and lower with each stitch to hold the fabric on the stitch plate while the stitch is being formed. If you increase the speed, the foot floats over the fabric while sewing.
Free Motion Spring Action – This is for use with the free motion spring foot and allows the foot to follow the up and down movement with the help of the spring and the arm on the presser foot.

Tell me what you think of my Sapphire 965Q Review!

New to Quilting? Check out these posts:

Do you need a new table for your new sewing machine? Check out this list of best sewing machine tables.

Cricut Mountain Makeathon 2017 and the new Cricut Maker

Aug 8, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Kelley from Coastal Kelder, Me, and Karly from Paisley Roots

I just got back from attending the first ever Cricut Mountain Makeathon in Salt Lake City, Utah and let me tell you, boy was it a blast! If you remember I recently partnered with Cricut and made a fun DIY Trolls sewing project incorporating Iron On. And getting to attend the Cricut Mountain Makeathon was truly amazing. There were so many exciting things that happened (if you follow on Instagram you might have seen all sorts of shenanigans) there that I wanted to share it all with you. First let me start with the real reason that over 250 (!) Cricut enthusiasts and bloggers gathered in Salt Lake City for a 3 day conference. It was actually a HUGE surprise which made it even more exciting. Can you guess what the reason is?

Yes, it was to unveil the NEW Cricut Maker!!! You are totally going to want one! It is a totally new and revolutionizing type of cutter that can cut fabric, chip board, leather, and so much more! It truly is UH-Mazing! There are so many new features that it will take me a really long time to share them all, so I will share my very favorites! If you want to see more you can check out my facebook live from Salt Lake with Karly from Paisley Roots.

First is that is cuts fabric!!!!!! Like for real. No bonding, no restrictions on the type of fabric, it cuts them all! Yes, for real!

The new machine has an incredible rotary blade that can make small and super precise cuts. Which is fantastic for so many things. How many times have you been slightly off from cutting and that has made a huge difference in the end product? I’m raising my own hand here because it happens to me all the time, especially when quilting. Speaking of quilting, there will be lots of ready to cut quilt blocks in the Cricut library. How cool is that?!

And if your a fussy cutter or just want to cut a particular part of the fabric, no problem! Easy peasy, just line it up on the screen and press go. Again, how cool!

I thought I would try to pose with the new machine but apparently I like to make funny faces.

There are so many other really cool new things about the Cricut maker that I want to share but I will never get to the rest of the fun part of the Makeathon, so I will save the rest of the run down on the Cricut Maker for another post. The next cool thing that Cricut revealed is the new Easy Press, which is like an iron but only better. It has a square shape for heating a wider area and you simple choose the type of transfer that you are using, iron on for instance and it will automatically pick the temperature and length of time needed to press. So easy!

Salt Lake City is such a beautiful city and the views of the mountains were spectacular.

There were two days of classes and maker sessions where we got to learn all about using the new Cricut Maker and the Cricut Design Space software. It was seriously a crafter’s paradise. You might have seen my friend Katie from Simple Life Pattern Company and I making some dresses cut from the new Maker from her sewing patterns. I even made a doll dress cut entirely by the Maker. What?!!!

There were also the most beautiful display boxes made by Cricut. My favorite was the party one below.

It was also super fun getting to hang out with some sewing friends and of course meeting some new ones! And of course I have to throw in a few unflattering selfies! Ha!

Kate from See Kate Sew, Sara from Riley Blake Designs, Karly from Paisley Roots, Melissa from The Polka Dot Chair, and Me. I finally got to meet Kim from Sweet Red Poppy in person which was awesome because she truly is as sweet as she is adorable. Katie from Simple Life Pattern Company Angel from Fleece Fun

It was truly such an amazing experience and Cricut could not have made me feel more welcome and appreciated. I was blown away by their love, spirit, and generousity and am so happy to be able to share this all with you!

The amazing Melissa Allen from Cricut who truly made this experience outstanding!

…

Read On →

DIY Trolls Shirt and Shorts Sunshine In My Pocket Cut Files with Cricut

Jul 26, 2017 · Leave a Comment

What can you sew and make using your Cricut Explorer Air 2? How about this totally fun DIY Trolls Sunshine In My Pocket T-shirt and Shorts! I will show you how using an existing pattern and Iron On from Cricut!

I am beyond super excited to be part of the Cricut Sewing Blogger tour where a group of fantastic sewing bloggers are sharing what they can make with Cricut Explore Air 2. When I was asked if I would be interested in participating on this tour it was a resounding YES! Getting a Cricut has been on my to do list for awhile and getting the chance to work with the latest model Cricut was a no-brainer.

DIY Trolls Shirt and Shorts Sunshine In My Pocket Cut Files with Cricut Tutorial

What you will need –

T-shirt
Shorts Pattern of your choice (I used the shorts from the Oliver + S Badminton Skort Pattern, but the Kids Shorts would be a good one as well.)
Got Some Sunshine In My Pocket SVG Cut File
Pocket Template
Cricut Machine
Iron On (I used Aqua and Yellow).

New to Cricut? Here is a great intro class to show you the basics.

In Design Space –

Upload the Got Some Sunshine In My Pocket SVG Cut File. Choose Basic, and Save. Resize image if needed. I choose mine to fit a size 7 girls T-shirt and the 2.25-inch pocket.

Select the entire Image and click Ungroup (circled in red).

Select the sun image.

And click Weld (circled in red), this will allow the image to be cut as one object.

The sun layers will now look like this below (circled in red).

Select the entire text and click Ungroup.

Select Sunshine and weld.

Select Got Some text and weld.

Select In My Pocket text and weld.

The layers panel should now look like this. If you would like the text to be 3 different colors simply change the color of the text group below and it will make a third color cut. Select Make It.

To Cut –

Unroll and place vinyl on cutting mat.
Select cutting material on the cricut machine (iron on was my setting).
Make sure to select MIRROR Image so that the image will be facing the correct direction when you iron it on.
Load the mat and press the flashing cricut button to start cutting.

Repeat above for cut two.

When finished press load button to unload. Proceed to weed your iron on. Katie has a good tutorial here on how to weed intricate designs.

Sunshine Shorts Tutorial

Cut your shorts pattern pieces and pocket template. I drew on my pocket where you will want to fold using an iron away pen. Also, draw a 2.25in line across the left back shorts piece where you will want to place your pocket.

Fold top raw edge over 1/4in and iron. Starch will help keep the folds stay.

Fold over 1/4in once more and stitch into place using a 1/8in seam allowance.

Fold the sides and bottom raw edges as pictured below and press.

You can choose to sew the front piece leg seam together now or wait until after you have made the pocket. Just be sure you have made a 2.25in mark to place your iron on.

Prepare fabric according to the materials instructions. Then place sunshine on pocket guide and press with iron using the guidelines given on your iron on the packaging.

The sun will now look like this.

Pin your pocket below the sunshine.

Sew the pocket into place using a 1/8in seam allowance.

Sunshine In My Pocket T-Shirt Instructions

Place the Sunshine text first and then iron on according to instructions.

Then arrange the rest of the text above and below sunshine and press. And now you are ready to rock some sunshine in your pocket!

AND THERE IS A GIVEAWAY!

You can win a Cricut Explore Air 2 of your own! Woohoo!

Enter to Win a Cricut Explore Air 2 HERE

Week One: July 19th

The Simple Life Company

Riva La Diva

My Sweet Sunshine Studio

SewSophieLyn

Week Two: July 26th

I was invited to participate in the Cricut Party Blogger Program Kickoff.

This experience is based strictly on my opinion. Others may have a different opinion or experience with the product listed above. I was provided the sample free of charge by the company or PR agency and I have given my honest opinion.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

[inlinkz_linkup id=780380 mode=1]

Free Coaster Sewing Pattern and Tutorial

Jul 19, 2017 · Leave a Comment

easy-coaster-sewing-pattern-and-tutorial

More Patterns You Might Like:

DIY Pom Pom Coaster Tutorial

You will need:

1 fat quarter or scrap fabric

Batting scraps

Pom pom trim

Coaster template

Cut 2 of coaster template from fabric

Cut 1 of coaster template from batting

Pin pom pom trim on the Right Side of fabric, with the pom pom facing inward and the flat edge on the raw edge of the fabric Sew 1/8in to 1/4in around the edge on the flat part of the trim.

Make a sandwich with the three circles, placing the batting on the bottom, then back side right side up, and front with the trim facing down. So the fabrics will be right sides together with the batting on the bottom.

Sew 1/8in seam around the edge leaving 1 and 1/2in to 2 inches open.

Turn right side out. Tuck open edges in and pin shut. Topstitch 1/8in around the entire circle.

DIY Sew a Fishy Cat Food Mat Tutorial with Meow Mix

Jul 19, 2017 · 3 Comments

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

I am partnering with Meow Mix this week for a little pet love and am sharing a free fishy cat mat tutorial pattern. It is easy to sew in under an hour and is perfect for keeping little kitty nibbles off the floor.

We moved houses a couple of months ago and have been getting into the new routine of the house. One of the things we have still been working out is where to put the cat food where it won’t get kicked or knocked over. The kitchen seems to be working out but sometimes their bowls slide when they are eating, so I thought that making a pet food mat would be the perfect answer!

I just happened to be thinking about this when I got the chance to partner with Meow Mix which seemed like perfect timing to be able to show my little kitties some love. We have two sweet cats, one that is eight years old, that we got when McKenna was born, and one that we got last year when the girls spied kittens at the shelter.

They begged and begged and I finally caved. We found a sweet little boy named Simba that was a few months old and loved being held. We brought him home and the next morning I found him lying on his back in the arms of McKenna my older daughter, who really has an affection for cats. It was instant love.

The past year my girls have really put this little cat to the test, chasing him, picking him up and carrying him EVERYWHERE, dressing him up, it goes on and on. But he is more than happy to play with them chasing balls, going on walks, being carried around like a baby, and they have found companionship with one another and are friends for life.

Any cat person knows that their love language is food. I love how gentle and playful our cats are with the girls and they deserve a food they love just as much in return. Meow Mix has great taste and is high quality, made with wholesome ingredients and irresistible taste. The brand offers a great selection among different textures and flavors.

This was the first time I had bought Meow Mix from Walmart and will definitely be buying it again. My cats absolutely loved it! They really liked the Meow Mix Bistro Rotisserie Chicken Flavor Dry Food but especially loved the Meow Mix Tuna & Shrimp Lovers Wet Food. And I’m pretty sure they would have eaten the whole bag of Brushing Bites – Made with Chicken Treats if I had let my kids keep feeding them to them.

I ordered Meow Mix online at Walmart and it arrived two days later! It was super-fast and easy.

Right now you can save when purchasing Meow Mix through Walmart with rebates from Ibotta.

Earn $1.50 when purchasing Meow Mix Dry, $1.00 when purchasing Meow Mix Wet, $0.25 when purchasing Meow Mix Treats

Earn an additional $1.00 when you redeem two or more of the Meow Mix rebates

DIY Fishy Cat Food Mat Tutorial

Step 1: Cut two pieces of the fish pattern with coordinating cotton fabrics. Cut 1 fish pattern piece from batting.

Place two coordinating fabric pieces right sides together. Place the batting piece on top of the top piece of fabric.

Step 2 – Starting at the front point of the fish sew a 1/4in seam around the perimeter of the fish fabric sandwich. Stop 4 – 6 inches from the starting point.

Step 3 – Snip off ends of points. Where the tail indents snip a straight line to the seam being sure not to cut through the seam.

Step 4 – Turn fish right side out. Fold the open seam inward and pin. Topstitch 1/8 in around the entire fish to close.

Pin it to make later!

10 Favorite Features of the Viking Sapphire 965Q

Jul 18, 2017 · 8 Comments

I recently shared that I am now a brand ambassador for the Husqvarna Viking, and am now sewing on the Sapphire 965Q. I have been sewing on the Sappire 965Q for about a month now and am absolutely in love. This is definitely my dream machine. The tiny details that were thought of to make sewing more intuitive are UH-mazing. I just can’t say enough good things about this machine. And when you sew on it, it has a hefty feel to it. The parts don’t feel plastic-y like they might give out while sewing thick layers or break a needle. You know that this machine is going to get the job done. So today I thought I would share with you my 10 most favorite features of the Sapphire 965Q.

Learn How to Quilt Series

Free Quilt Patterns

10 Favorite Features of the Sapphire 965Q

Needle Stop Up and Down. There are so many cool features but this simple one is probably my favorite. If you haven’t heard of this, this features allows the needle to stop in either the up or down position every time you stop sewing. And although many sewing machines have this feature, what makes this one the coolest is that when you set the needle to the down position the presser foot will automatically lift ever so slightly to allow you to pivot. Which is just totally genius to me.
Bobbin Winding Through the Needle. Many people may say that this is the best feature and really it was a toss up between numbers one and two. You know how you are in the groove of sewing and your bobbin runs out of thread and you have to stop and unthread the needle and wind the bobbin? Well you don’t have to do that with this machine. All you have to do is pull the thread from the needle through thread guide on the top of the machine thread the bobbin and push the bobbin winder into place to spin. That’s it! When you are done, cut the thread and your needle is still threaded ready to continue. Amazing.
Raise and Lower Presser Foot with Foot Control. No more hands. You can raise and lower the presser foot simply by tapping the foot control. This is so cool. How many times are you sewing and you really need to keep your hands on the project but need to raise or lower the presser foot? This feature is totally helpful, amiright?
Fix Button. You can set your machine to automatically take a reverse stitch every time it starts to secure your stitches. Don’t need it? Then turn it off. Way cool, no more pressing reverse (or forgetting too!) every time you start sewing.
Presser/Sensor Foot Extra Lift. Sometimes you need to slide something big and bulky under the presser foot and it is near impossible because there is just not enough room. Problem solved. Simply touch the sensor foot up button to raise the foot and tap again for extra lift. This is perfect for quilts and big bulky items.
Exclusive Sensor System. This feature is simply a WINNER. With the Exclusive Sensor System, the presser foot will automatically sens the thickness of the fabric when stitching and sew over it smoothly and evenly. It feeds the fabric perfectly and adjusts the presser foot pressure.
Selective Thread Cutter. Just by touching the button you can automatically trim the top and bobbin threads, raise the presser foot and needle, and turns on the fix stitch for when you start sewing again. If you press it while you sew it will do a backstitch or fix stitch before it cuts the threads as well. All you have to do is sew and go.
Exclusive Sewing Advisor. Not sure which fabrics need which settings on the machine? Sometimes neither am I. Most of the time when I sew with a new fabric type I am guessing the settings until I find one that works. The exclusive sewing advisor feature makes it super simple to get the correct settings with any fabric type. It sets the best stitch, stitch length, stitch width, sewing speed, thread tension, and sensor foot pressure for your project. Which totally takes out all the guess work! All you have to do is choose the fabric type and the stitch type. Easy peasy.
Stippling Stitch. There are so many stitch types to choose from on the Sapphire 965Q but seriously this one just makes me happy. I am not a great free motion quilter. I usually just choose to quilt in straight lines. But the Sapphire 965Q has several different quilting stitches that you can adjust in length and width to make it look like you totally have your free motion game together. My favorite is the meandering stippling stitch. All you do is sew in a straight line and it will do the stippling for you! Magic!
Perfectly Balanced Sensor One-Step Buttonhole. In the past, I have not had the best luck making pretty buttonholes even with my auto-buttonhole feet. But the One-Step Buttonhole on this machine is divine. Like seriously. One of the first stitches I tried out when I took the machine out of the box was the buttonhole foot. It was soooo smooth, like making a buttonhole in buttah! Haha just kidding. Not really in butter. But it was so smooth and super easy to adjust the size of the buttonhole. Which is another complaint I previously had. The buttonholes never seemed to be the size they were supposed to be. And with the Sewing Advisor and the Sensor System, my buttonholes will feed smoothly and not get caught on the fabric seam because it’s too thick for the buttonhole foot. Win!

girl-sewing-on-viking-sapphire-965q-sewing-machine

As you can see I have had lots of fun trying out all of the features on my new Viking Sapphire 965Q, It was seriously so hard to narrow them down. You may notice that quite a few of them are simple features, but Viking really constructed their sewing machines to make sewing as intuitive as possible and let us concentrate on beautiful projects. If you have a chance to take a Husqvarna Viking machine for a test run at your local sewing machine shop I know you will fall in love like I did. What are your favorite sewing machine features?

Do you need a new table for your new sewing machine? Check out this list of best sewing machine tables.

DIY Toothbrush Case – Easy Travel Toothbrush Case Tutorial

Jul 10, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Super simple DIY Toothbrush case is the perfect travel pouch. Make it with this easy DIY Toothbrush Case Tutorial!

This week I have partnered with Tom’s of Maine to bring you a super quick DIY Toothbrush Case Tutorial which is perfect diy travel case throw in your overnight bag or carry in your purse as part of your everyday dental hygiene routine. I was really excited to have the chance to try Tom’s of Maine’s new Luminous White Toothpaste.

You may have noticed in the past that I love to use organic fabrics and eco-friendly products, I think that most of us in the handmade movement do . As a mother of two girls, it is also important to me to use products that are not harmful, and Tom’s of Maine Luminous White whitening toothpaste contains no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives and no animal testing. Plus, it’s gluten free.

And while I love using natural products, I don’t want to give up being able to use a whitening toothpaste on my teeth. As I become more conscious about what we put in and on our bodies, I am thankful that Tom’s of Maine Luminous White whitening toothpaste offers safe, effective whitening with only naturally-derived ingredients that work to remove surface stains for whiter teeth in two weeks.

DIY Toothbrush Case Tutorial

Supplies needed for the DIY Travel Pouch : ¼ yard pleather, 1 9” zipper, leather needles, washaway wonder tape

Step 1 – Cut 2 4.5” x 9.5” pleather rectangles

Step 2 – With fabric right side up place zipper right side down along the long edge of the rectangle. Pin or clip into place.

I prefer to use washaway wonder tape to hold the zipper to fabric. It makes it much easier to keep the zipper from moving while sewing it.

Step 3 – Starting at the zipper top, straight stitch using 1/4in seam allowance from the beginning of the zipper to the end of the zipper. Backstitch and secure the zipper in place, sew a few stitches. You will then need to move the zipper pull to the bottom of the zipper to be able to continue sewing without it getting in the way of the presser foot. I like to safety pin the top of the zipper to hold the pieces together. Backstitch and continue where you left off and sew all the way to the end of the zipper. You will have to pull the zipper foot back up to the top to sew the end of the zipper.

Step 4 – Repeat this step for the other half of the zipper, so both pieces will be facing right sides together.

It should now look as pictured above.

Step 5 – Place the bottom edges of the rectangles right sides together and pin or clip in place.

Step 6 – Sew 1/4in from one side to the other on the bottom edge of the rectangle.

Step 7 – Line up the zipper and the bottom seam so they meet in the middle. Pin or clip in place.

Step 8 – Sew the short ends on both sides using a 1/4in seam on both sides of the pouch.

Step 9 – Trim the zipper ends so the zipper is even with the raw edge.

Step 10 – Turn bag right side out and you are done!

Now you have an adorable and easy to clean travel toothbrush and toothpaste bag.

You can check out all my favorite Organic Makes here

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Plus Baby Quilt Block Pattern Coming Soon!

Jul 6, 2017 · Leave a Comment

This week I have a sneak peak of my new Plus Baby Quilt Block Pattern. Since it was a holiday weekend I decided not to post any tutorials, although I have been working on some that will be coming up in the next few weeks.

I know most of us were out enjoying the 4th of July this week and had to leave the sewing machine all by its lonesome. We spent our marching in the parade, jumping in the pool with friends, grilling out of course, and enjoying the fireworks with family. It was fun this year because my kids really got into the fireworks and all the different colors and sizes that they come in.

Okay on to the upcoming quilt pattern. I have actually been working on this pattern since March but had to put it aside while we moved and had some unexpected issues come up. So I am glad to finally finish it and give you all a sneak peek at the free quilt pattern that I will have available soon.

I love the jumbo oversized plus blocks, which makes it come together a little quicker. It also helped to show off some of the beautiful artwork of Miriam Bos on the fabric. I added a few little squares that give a little more visual interest. The fabric is a custom bundle from Fabricworm. I love the beautifully coordinated bundles of their amazing organic fabric.

I have been a huge fan of Birch Fabrics for several years now, you can see some of my favorites using their fabric including the knot bow romper pattern, aster cardigan, and strawberry legging and headband.

Now I just have to decide how to quilt it. Any suggestions?

5 Must Have Supplies To Start Sewing For Beginners

Jun 29, 2017 · Leave a Comment

This week I’m sharing 5 must have sewing supplies to get started sewing. Last week I showed how to get started sewing by learning how to thread a sewing machine. This week I am sharing the must have notions that any beginner will need to start their first project.

Sewing supplies like any hobby can be really intimidating. There are so many, where do you start? Even now, after sewing for years and years, I still come across notions that I have no clue about. Plus, like most hobbies, it is really easy to plunk down a large chunk of change on supplies before you even know if you really like it yet.

So I gathered a list of

5 MUST HAVE SUPPLIES TO START SEWING

1. Dritz Deluxe Seam Ripper – like it or not ripping out seams is just part of the learning process and without one of these, you will be super frustrated trying to pick the seam out.

2. Euro-Notions Universal Machine Needles, 10-Piece – Schmetz makes great quality needles (these are the only kind I buy) and help reduce skip stitches and funky needle issues. The 10 pack has a variety of needle sizes to work with all different kinds of fabrics.

3. Gutterman Sew-All Thread 547 Yards-Nu White or Black – Gutterman is a great poly blend of thread that can be used for just about any project. I prefer to use Gutterman over less expensive brands because I find that I have less thread breakage, skipped stitches, and thread nests (those nasty balls of thread under your fabric when you try to sew but it won’t move forward and just keeps stitching in place). And honestly, I use white thread for just about everything unless I really need to have a matching color.

4. Gingher 8-Inch Knife Edge Dressmaker’s Shears – A good pair of scissors will make your sewing life a happy place. Gingher has long been the industry standard of quality shears. Your grandmother probably still has her first pair. They come in several different sizes but 8 inches is a great size to start with.

5. Dritz 1-3/8-Inch Extra Fine Glass Head Pins, 250 Count – I prefer to use extra fine glass head pins because the extra fine pin shaft easily slides in and out of medium and lightweight fabrics without leaving big holes (however it does tend to bend heavier weight fabrics, so if you are sewing with something thick like fleece I would buy a thicker pin size). The glass head allows you to iron with the needles in your fabrics without worrying about melting the plastic pinhead all over your fabric and iron.

BONUS ITEM – ***Dritz Tomato Pin Cushion – Although not on the MUST HAVE list, tomato pin cushions make a nice place to store your needles as well as having the handy little strawberry attached that actually sharpens your pins!

How To Thread A Sewing Machine For Beginners

Jun 22, 2017 · 2 Comments

When you start sewing the most intimidating part is the sewing machine! Or more specifically how to thread your sewing machine for beginners. I hear from my non-sewing friends all the time that they have no idea where to start and are scared to take their machine out of the box or that they just couldn’t figure out how to set it up. Sometimes when you have been doing something for so long you forget about all the things you need to know to get started. I remember when I sewed as a child how confusing the sewing machine could be. But is actually very easy to thread your sewing machine and get started! So I have both a picture and video tutorial showing all my beginner friends how to thread a sewing machine.

How To Thread A Sewing Machine For Beginners

Step 1 – Place your thread on the spool pin with the thread facing the correct way according to your machine.

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Step 2 – Place the spool cap on the spool.

***I used a pink line so you are able to see where to thread goes more clearly.

Step 3 – bring the thread over and behind the pre-tension guide and then under the thread guide as shown in the picture above.

Step 4 -Then bring the thread down through the tension disks. Make sure your presser foot is in the UP position so the tension disks are not closed.

Step 5 – Following the arrows continue to pull the thread. Bring up to the take-up lever and pull through.

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Step 6 – Then bring the thread down to the last guide which will be right above the needle.

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Step 7 – Pull through this guide.

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Step 8 – Pull the thread through the eye of the needle or use my favorite thing: the automatic needle threader! My eyesight is still good but really I can’t stand trying to fight the thread through the needle. Who’s got time for all that?!

Sometimes its easier to watch a video so I made a short one for you as well!

Pin How To Thread A Sewing Machine For Beginners for later —->>>

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Made Modern – My New Quilt Pattern in Love and Patchwork Magazine Issue 48

Jun 12, 2017 · Leave a Comment

I just wanted to pop in with a quick post to introduce my new quilt pattern – Made Modern in this month’s issue of Love and Patchwork Magazine. It is a bright and colorful baby quilt pattern that is a modern take on the traditional old maid’s block. The bright colors and over sized blocks of this quilt are so cheery and scream summer to me.

The pictures of the quilt in the magazine are just delightful. They capture the vibrancy of the quilt and the Uh-mazing quilting done by a local named Elizabeth Lee from Golden Isles Quilting. She is truly a phenomenal longarmer and quilted the most gorgeous geometric pattern which is absolutely stunning. It incorporates circles, squares, and pebbles that flow from one shape to another.

You can find it in Issue 48 of Love and Patchwork Quilting along with other fabulous modern quilts.

Girls Valentine’s Day Dresses – Patterns From The Simple Life Pattern Company

Jun 5, 2017 · Leave a Comment

This last year I began to notice the most beautiful dresses for girls showing up in my instagram feed. They had some really fun details and were made in the most beautiful fabrics, and some had gorgeous flowing skirts that just begged for the prettiest fabric in your stash. And they weren’t just popping up from one maker, but from lots of makers all over instagram. I instantly fell in love and became totally obsessed with these dresses and had to find out who this pattern maker was. That’s how I came to know Katie Skoog and The Simple Life Pattern Company. She stormed onto the sewing scene and in the last few years has become a beloved pattern designer for so many growing her company to include a several designers.

She has a crazy eye for stylish designs and can really pick some great fabrics. If I sound like a total fan girl, that’s because I am. It’s not that often that a designer makes me want to sew almost all their patterns, but The Simple Life Pattern Company is really THAT good!

I sewed an earlier version of these dresses for my girls and they are literally their favorite dresses, which hardly happens for me anymore. We have now reached the stage where they have to approve the whole design process (pattern picking an all) or they just won’t wear it. Which is totally frustrating after you just spent 4 hours sewing them a new dress. I know I am preaching to to choir hear 😉 Can I get an amen?!

Anyways, one day I will get some pics of those dresses, but in the mean time I have two cutest pink dresses that I made for Valentine’s Day. I actually took these pictures before Valentines Day, would you believe that I’m just getting around to posting them?! Well, obviously yes.

My kiddos were particularly happy about the fabric choice; Unicorns for Ava my younger one who is obsessed right now.

And the Magical Parade border print with dragons, crown, unicorns and everything magical. Plus pink, they are both totally girly and love pink.

For the McKenna’s dress with the magical border print I used this awesome love text fabric. It was just so Valentines that I had to. I liked the contrast of the pink with the black and white. I also added that last of some vintage lace trim to the hem.

The pattern is the super popular Molly Scoop Collar Dress. I just love the back of this dress.

For Ava’s unicorn dress I used Sophie’s V and Scoop back pattern and added flutter sleeves instead of ruffle sleeves.

Ava decided she would rather have a scoop back instead of the V back this time to be like her sister. They are so sweet when they are getting along.

She also wanted ruffles! So I went with the ruffle hem making it a twirly dress.

I added a little metallic houndstooth that I had left over in my stash from this dress, for some bling.

And of course the dresses need heart buttons, right?! I scored a huge pack of them in a variety of shades on Amazon.

When I was at the grocery store that day I saw so many pretty tulips and knew that they would be perfect for the the photo shoot. Plus, what girl doesn’t love flowers. And they didn’t even fight over who got which color. Phew.

I also added some heart buttons right under the collar for a little sweetness.

It was about near impossible to get any good pictures of them together. The bugs that day were awful and just about every other picture some one had their eyes closed or was swatting a bug. Ugh. But they totally toughed it out (okay I bribed them with $5) and the pictures turned out adorable. I plan to add these to my calendar project at the end of the year. I still need to take some for May, but it is a great way to push myself to document the year since these girls change so fast. I love seeing them in mommy made dresses and hope they will treasure these pictures one day.

DIY Mother’s Day Mason Jar Planter and a Free Printable Gift Tag

May 3, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Mother’s Day sneaks up on me most every year. I usually end up rushing out to buy some quick gift without putting much thought into it. But this year I am slightly ahead of the game! So I am sharing my quick DIY Mother’s Day Mason Jar Planters and including a Free Printable Gift Tag.

DIY Mother’s Day Mason Jar Planter and a Free Printable Gift Tag

I often keep jars that food has come it from the store because I find them so useful for around the house. But if you need some, Amazon has got you covered, just like everything else in our lives 😉 I also painted a few different shades of chalk paint on the outside of the jar. I didn’t bother putting any wax over it because I like the rustic look it gives with the rough finish.

I bought a few different varieties of succulents from my local nursery and planted them in the jars. Add a little twine and the Free Printable Mother’s Day Gift Tag and there you go. I love how simple but trendy this is. And it is any easy last minute gift idea for Mother’s Day!