Stitches in Play

very slow but steady...

During these busy days filled with kiddos, chores, errands, sports, pets, school and synagogue volunteering, birthdays and holidays I am adopting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's quote:

“Do not hurry; do not rest.”

I have chosen to do a bit of making as often as I can.  No timeline or finish date because a little bit of sewing or just one row of knitting is so much better than none at all.

Over the last several weeks I sewed together lots of squares...

Then I sewed them between strips of white kona.  Cut them up and sewed them back together again.

Yesterday I added borders.  It's about a 50 inch square and I hope to keep going until it's about 70 x 60 inch throw size.

Also as part of my "Do not hurry; Do not rest" philosophy I have greatly cut down on multi-tasking (I have been doing at least three things at once ever since I can remember) and my days have been so much happier and run much more smoothly. I'm much less stressed and far more productive.  Also, doing just one thing at a time has allowed me to be fully present in my days.  Last week I even decided that I would turn off the music while walking the dog each morning (we usually walk two miles) and I have been able to hear (and see) the birds sing instead.  I have always made it a point to be fully present with my kiddos but there's a difference here too - as I am much calmer these days.

Hope you are doing what you need to be fully present in your days - in life, really.

a funny thing happened on the way to this tutorial

I am so enjoying playing with fabric again. It's been nearly a year since I've cut, sewn, designed, picked colors or quilted anything.  And although I wasn't aware of it - I have missed creating so very much.  This past week I made several star blocks. 

I'm sewing in our kitchen/sunroom area and I don't have a design wall up in our new house so no designing just yet.  For now I'm just making blocks which will hopefully come together into quilts for my kiddos once I can get them off the kitchen table and arrange them with other blocks/fabrics on a vertical surface.

I was in the process of putting together a quick tutorial on how I piece these blocks when I stopped by my friend's quilting group on Thursday.  The group is made up of a bunch of older traditional quilter ladies who showed me the most awesome trick for piecing half square triangles quickly and accurately.  (The above photo is how I have always done it but their method is way cooler!)

I will put together a tutorial next week to share their piecing method.

Also, even though I said I wasn't going to puchase any new fabric and just use what I have I broke down and bought fat quarters of Denyse Schmidt Shelburne Falls fabric line.  I just love this entire line.

I cut into these as soon as they arrived.  I just can't stop making star blocks.

I'll share how I piece these next week.  And because each block measures 2 feet X 2 feet you can make a lap quilt with as few as six blocks!  I'll be back here as soon as the kiddos go back to school and I deliver our taxes to the accountant.

Have a wonderful weekend! 

giveaway in honor of rhythm of the home

For the last three days I have been suffering from the "icks" as we like to call them around here. Basically all the various flu symptoms but in a milder, gentler form because i did get a flu shot back in October.  Greg worked all weekend and my kiddos rose to the occasion and worked together to keep the house from becoming too much of a pigsty. And I even drove them to Taekwondo practice - kiddos received loads of exercise while mama sat in the car and watched though the window so as not to infect the innocent.  I woke up feeling much better this morning and headed right back to volunteer at the very place where I contracted the illness - my kiddos' school.

Enough about me.  The Spring issue of Rhythm of the Home launched yesterday and it is gorgeous and full of wonderful ideas and information.  I could not stop reading this piece on keeping free range bunnies - how awesome is that!  And under the section for 'warmth' you can find my article on using and making lavender drawer liners. 

These are so simple to sew and a great way to encourage kiddos to keep their belongings neat and put away.  

Now about you.  You can have your very own lavender drawer liner along with a heart tea towel for your kitchen.  I am giving away 2 sets  - just leave a comment on this post and I will announce 2 winners on Monday, March 7th.  There is also a giveaway on the Rhythm of the Home blog where you can win items donated by many of the contributors so be sure to leave a comment there too.  I had intended to donate my items to the ROTH giveaway but missed the deadline - enough said.

I hope you sew some of these - they will make your drawers (and clothes) smell wonderful.  My girly (she's six) now smells her underwear each morning before putting it on to "make sure the drawer liner is working properly!"  Quality control at its finest, people. They also make great gifts - my kiddos gifted these to their teachers for Valentine's day.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and don't forget to leave a comment for the giveaway!

 

random making

It's been busy around here. 

But when I have a moment I glance over at the daffodils and smile and breathe deeply.

And when I found  bit of time to 'make' I realized that I didn't have enough light hued solids to finish up my boys' quilts.

So I ordered some of these from here and here they are  - waiting for their turn in the washing machine. (oh, and the circle fabric is here)

So I used my bit of time to make some new pillows for our couch.

They match the quilt that we've been snuggling under.  I wrote about the quilt here.

Here's a pillow close-up:

It's pouring rain here today so I had to prop it right up to the window.  Just some 5" squares I had left over from the quilt and a bit of linen for the bottom.  I did some straight line quilting about a 1/4 inch from the seams.

For this pillow I randomly cut and inserted 3" strips of fabric into the pink background fabric.  It's the same technique I used here.  And some linen for the bottom. 

In between sewing the pillows I took a break with an Italian sandwich cookie - these are filled with the yummiest raspberry jam.

Last night Abigail took a little rest on this pillow and proclaimed it her favorite.  She asked not to be photographed but I snuck one in anyhow - years from now she'll thank me for having taken this.  (Right?)

 

Now all I need is to find some free time to settle down on the couch and sink back into my new pillows!  But with the weekend coming that is a lot easier said than done!

the gift of time - and chocolates

I like to think it happened because Valentine's Day fell on a Monday. 

And because I have absolutely no sewing time on most weekends.  I play with the kiddos all weekend (and drive them around a lot) while my husband's at work.  He returns home minutes before they go to bed, helps out with a few chores, and then wants quality time for us.  Poor me, right?  People, my life is the best - just little time for making.

And it could have happened a little because I took on three big projects, planned my time poorly, and began my making way too late.  However I still think that it's that darn Monday that's to blame!

I did not finish my kiddos' gifts.

I wanted to make them quilts like Erin's but I only got this far...

And i only sewed the D - I - D for David...

And this is Abby's rabbit...

I was feeling defeated - and a bit sad - until I turned to my address book for some sound advice...

And then it came to me ...I would give my family the gift of my time, my undivided attention when they spoke, my help in crafting valentine's for their friends. I would give them the gift of a mama who breathed more deeply and time spent in the kitchen baking brownies.  I also gifted them each a small box of chocolates and a special love note.  Everyone was happy.  Thank goodness for wise quotes in address books.  (Wise address book available here.)

Ezra and David have birthdays coming up in March and April and their quilts will become birthday gifts.  And Abigail will receive her bunny rabbit just in time for spring solstice.  All is well again. 

This is the result of a a girly who grabbed a big pair of scissors and cut through a dozen 'pixy stix'  at once only to make a huge mess on the kitchen table.  When we gathered up all the sugary powder we found a heart.

Wishing that all good things will be yours today!

before i clean

This week has been full of cleaning and clearing out to make room for delivery men.  Last week my oven died and I spent Tuesday waiting for the delivery guys - who then spent three hours banging on my cabinetry to try to get the new oven to fit into my old wall unit.  They managed to make it fit, but not before cracking the cabinet ever so slightly and scratching up the adjacent wall! (time to get out the paint again.)

About this same time I finally admitted defeat over my washing machine and ordered a new washer and dryer set.  Our fifteen year old washer was so cracked and out of balance that I have been washing all our clothes on delicate cycle for months in order to keep the spin cycle from spinning our machine right through the wall!  The washer and dryer arrived yesterday, delivered by two young men with a very deep-rooted fear of dogs.  They refused to unload my new washer and dryer until my dogs were locked inside the house.  It then took a lot of convincing (and some cash) to get these young men to actually bring my appliances into the house!  But it did give me an opportunity to show off how well-trained my doggies are - I demonstrated how both Sally and Remy sit, down, roll over (Sally's really too old and heavy to roll over but she frightened the delivery guys nonetheless!) and come on command.   I did all this wearing an apron (read on...) with nine hens cackling in the background and these Sears (in the big city) delivery guys - who were watching me from the truck platform five feet off the ground - must have thought I was some insane county lady who doesn't get out much.  I am fine with that because they quickly lowered the truck platform and brought in my washer and dryer - if only to get the heck out of the country!  If only they knew how much fun we have around here...

Now that I have all that off my chest, it's time to share some making.  It's January again and January just makes me want to sew aprons. 

This is the month that every magazine and newspaper article tells us we need to clean, organize and declutter our homes.  But before you begin such an undertaking it is important to have the right tools. And because I believe in making my own tools (especially in lieu of cleaning) I sewed some aprons. This is my no seams exposed apron - from last January - with a couple modifications.

Notice the cute bow in front.  I sewed this using four 41 x 8 inch strips described in the tutorial.  This version requires one full yard of fabric for the ties, bottom hem and pocket plus a 26 x 18 piece for the apron body. 

Three of the strips became the ties and the other strip was used for the bottom hem and pocket. 

To sew the pocket:  You will have about 15 inches of the fourth strip left over after you cut a 26 inch length for the bottom hem.  Take this 15 x 8 inch piece and fold it in half, right sides together, and sew around the perimeter, leaving a small opening for turning.  Turn right side out through the opening and press flat.  You will have a 7 x 8 inch reversible rectangle.  Lay this where you want it on the apron and sew down leaving the top open. There you have it - a pocket.

Now tie on your apron, pour yourself a cup of tea, and sit down with a good book while you ponder which room to tackle first.  If you are expecting an appliance delivery I suggest you don some pearls to complete the look!  (I had actually just returned from an awards assembly at my kiddos' school but I'm sure the pearls made me look that much more "loony lady".)

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone!

the long weekend

Today marks the end of a long, long weekend.  Due to Tuesday elections and countywide budget cuts the kiddos were home for a five day weekend.  We had a great time beginning with a huge taekwondo fundraiser for St. Jude chidlren's hospital in which our school broke 2,500 boards in three hours! (there were many soar arms and feet but nobody seemed to mind - or complain too much.)  The kids had a blast with all the excitement of breaking boards, moon walk bounce attractions, and a dunk-the- instructor tank - plus some much needed early Halloween candy.  On Sunday we played at a meet the new rabbi picnic followed by some trick or treating with friends in a new-to-us neighborhood.  For much of the remainder of our long, long weekend we stayed close to home and savored the fact that we did not have to be anywhere or do anything in particular.

The weather was gorgeous but chilly.  And although this mama usually opts to stay indoors and knit when the highs are in the 50's, we spend most of our days outside.  I often wish that I enjoyed being outdoors more than I do and I am immensely grateful for doggies, kiddos and (now) chickens that force me to get out and breathe in the fresh air!

We had time to revisit our veggie garden and collected its bounty.

Lots of new sweet peppers and ...

grape tomatoes.  Yum.

 Of course some knitting was done.  (more on this later in the week)

Pumpkins were painted.  (using paint markers)

 We were focused.

We were silly.

We were serious.  We had a blast.

 

Today, on the fifth and final day of our break, Abigail decided it was time to sew something out of her "favorite fabric."  We opted for a skirt because it's a quick project and simple enough where a six year old can actually help.  We used the super simple selvage method to sew the skirt.  (Simply sew desired length of fabric selvage to selvage and then make an elastic casing for the top edge and hem the bottom edge with ribbon. Done.)

This skirt took us thirty minutes to sew.  But I had the most fun following the girlie around for the next two hours as she twirled in her new skirt...

and picked flowers (weeds actually - but pretty weeds) in her new skirt...

 
and ran through the woods in her new skirt...

and engaged in conversations with her doggies in her new skirt.

I will honestly be sad to see them go off to school tomorrow.  Good thing the weekend is only two days away! 

 

kitty, curtains and quinoa

I noticed that kitty is having trouble getting a good day's rest in my bed.  I figured it may be due to all the light that's streaming though the nearby window.

So I sewed curtains for our bedroom out of this great fabric adorned with orange birdies.  (Fabric is Dolce by Tanya Whelan)

Kitty loves his new curtains.  Photos coming as soon as the sun comes out.  In the meantime, It's Monday so my kiddos are home and we're off to our favorite hiking trail in the park.

On an unrelated note, for the past year I have cut down on my meat consumption by not eating meat for breakfast or lunch.  I've been trying to come up with quick, healthy and yummy meat free meals.  We eat lots of beans and rice + roasted veggies.  I also eat eggs on whole wheat toast + salad.  I recently discovered (quite by accident) that a thinned down hummus makes a thick and creamy salad dressing full of fiber and protein.  Just blend a can of garbanzo beans with its liquid, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove + salt and pepper until smooth and pour over your favorite salad.

Above is our lunch of quinoa cooked in chicken broth + stir fried napa cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, onions and garlic.  Quinoa is a healthy substitute for rice and the cabbage mixture is my version of a deconstructed egg roll - all the filling without any of the wrapping or frying.  I'd love to hear about your quick and meat free go-to lunches.

Happy Monday to you!

i sewed a table runner

This Sunday Dad and the boys went to a nearby field to meet up with some other boys and fly their remote controlled planes.  While they were away the girls set the table in anticipation of the yummy Chinese food that said boys would bring home upon their return.

But setting the table for such a feast is no simple task.  First mama and the girl had the clean up the Monopoly game that was occupying the entire table.  They joked about how it had become their favorite game since the girl learned to count money, give change, and purchase the properties that had eluded her brothers so that she could sell those same properties back to them for far more than their true worth.  They then fetched the "chicken plates" that they purchased at tjmaxx over the summer.  (Mama and the girl are aware that these plates do, in fact, depict roosters but around here it's all about the girls and hence they are referred to as the chicken plates.)  Then the girl set out the John Derian insect tumblers that she insisted mama get the moment she spied them at target.  Because she was convinced that simple milk and juice would taste magical when consumed from a cup bearing the image of a ladybug and butterfly. This proved to be true.

Once the table was set, mama and the girl felt it was a bit bear.  So they sewed a table runner.  Out of some fun fabric that mama has had on a shelf for a year - maybe two.  And they made it reversible because the girl found that the yellow fabric would compliment the gourds and mini pumpkins on the table that she loved to arrange and rearrange over and over until they were just so.

The girl also thought that some felt leaves would add the perfect touch to the fall table awaiting Chinese food.  So she and mama cut leaf shapes out of felt and the girl arranged them on the runner, just as she had her pumpkins.  Mama considered sewing down the leaves but decided that doing so would make the table runner more difficult to launder.  And in the world of accidents, spills and mishaps in which this mama resides, easy laundering is of utmost importance. 

After all, beauty is in the simple things.  And in quick projects, crafted with eager kiddos that create lasting memories.  And that is why I sewed a table runner. 

giving away my cover

Remember this fall cover from serveral posts back?

Well turns out that, in my excitement over a new fall sewing project, I cut way too many fabric squares. 

So the other night I sewed all those squares together into rows.  Then I sewed the rows into three more fall covers.

And it just so happens that, while the rest are spoken for, I have one cover to give away.

So just leave a comment on this post by midnight on Tuesday October 12 for a chance to win. 

And to mix things up a bit please include in your comment the name of a crafty/decorating blog that you find inspiring.  This does not have to be your favorite blog of all time - just one that you enjoy and would like to share.  The goal is to create a small reference list of inspirational goodness that we can all enjoy.

I will start this list off by sharing a new-to-me blog that I have found very inspiring.  Go check out Made by Joel to see why.

Have a wonderful weekend!

And look at all this goodness that spilled out of my trader joe's bag today...

Happy Fall to you all!

the fall cover

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about fall.  I love the colors of fall and the crispness in the air that it brings and I love snuggling under a cover with a good book.  (Side note: I recently finished this beautiful book and have started this book - i read his book The Corrections a while ago and loved it.

Back to the snuggling under the covers part...  I've also been thinking about covers and how they can be similar to - and different from - quilts.  For one thing, covers do not have to be quilted and this one is not.  

Here's my version of the fall cover:

So easy to make you could be napping under it in no time at all. (also great for pretend napping)

Cut a whole bunch of home decor weight fabric into 13" squares.  To compensate for the lack of quilting and batting I used home decor weight fabric - this cover is substantial and heavy.  I also decided on large squares to reduce the number of seams - again because there is no quilting to hold the layers together.   

Sew sixteen squares together creating a 4 x 4 foot cover.  Press seams to one side.

Sew another sixteen squares together for the back. 

Lay the front and back pieces right sides together and pin all four sides. (around the perimeter)

Machine stitch on all four sides with a 1/2" seam allowance - leaving a 12 inch opening for turning. 

Clip all four corners.  Turn cover right side out through the opening.

Press all four sides.  Topstitch around perimeter of the cover about 1/2 inch from the edge.

Here's a poor photo of the top stitching on the corners but you get the idea.

And there you have it - an easy, reversible cover perfect for fall snuggling.

Thank you fall!  You are my favorite season.

inspired

Although the temperatures are still in the mid 80's around here, there is a definite crispness in the air and obvious signs of fall cover the ground.  And of course, I am thinking of all that I can make to use in this impending season.

 

I always begin my "making" process with some color inspiration.

I bought these books over the summer and the kiddos and I have had so much fun selecting colors and coloring famous works of art.  This is also a great way to learn about how colors work together.

Next I cut up some home decor weight fabric for a very simple - yet gift worthy - project.

This 'inspired by fall' making is nearly complete and I will be back to share very soon.

How is this change of seasons inspiring you?

thankful on memorial day

Feeling so very thankful for the chain of events that brought these girls into our family. 

 

 

We ordered 30 day-old chicks to split with two other people.  One passed hours after arrival last Thursday and the other 29 are in two brooders in my laundry room.  I absolutely adore having them and playing with them and caring for them and just plain watching them grow - and these girls grow quickly.  They are seven days old and already testing out their wings!  We love our pets around here and we can already tell that these girls are going to fit in beautifully.
 

A big thank you to Abi Gayle of SpiderWomanKnits for all the wonderful information and advice on selecting chicks and constructing a brooder.  Blogger friends are the best!

And thank you so much to Kristyn for these awesome handmade + personalized note cards.  I love them.

Our taste buds are thankful for the garden that provides us with fresh green onions and dill to serve on  buttered potatoes at dinner.  (These are the green tops of our onion plants because I couldn't find chives this year.)
 

And grateful for bits of sewing time here and there that allowed me to finish up this large 6' x 6' quilt top.  I'll share more once I get some pictures of the completed quilt.

It goes without saying (however saying is often important) but I am most thankful for my family and friends and my home and dinner time with my family.  My favorite part of the day is during dinner when we go around the table and ask each of the kiddos to tell "What was the best part of your day?" and "What was the worst part of your day?"  Their answers often spark wonderful family discussions and other times we all laugh at how good we have it because the "worst part" wasn't that bad all.  Yes, I am very thankful for dinner time.

What are you thankful for this week?

brick pattern quilt and preping for chicks

Spring has kept me super busy.  We live on five acres and have tons of weeding, mowing, cleaning and gardening to do.  And we have been reading all we can and preparing for our chicks.  They shipped from here today are will be arriving very soon - we are so excited!  

Now on to some sewing and quilting.  In the last post I said I'd share some quick instructions on how to make a random brick pattern quilt like the one I pieced for Abigail.  This is a great beginner pattern because none of the seams have to match. 

 

First, Cut fabric, selvage to selvage, into 6 inch strips.  (The strips can be wider if you'd like  - just make sure they are all the same width)

 

Second, Cut strips into random sized rectangles.  I just lay the strips horizontally on my cutting mat, randomly position my ruler across the strip at any length between 5 to 14 inches and cut using a rotary cutter - no measuring.

 

Third, randomly sew rectangles together end to end into super long strips.  I place all my rectangles in a bowl, randomly pick up two rectangles and sew them together - I only throw them back in if they are the same fabric.

 

Fourth, cut pieced strip into desired lengths and sew these strips side by side to create the quilt top.  For instance, if you want a 5 X 4 foot quilt top, cut strips into eight 5 foot lengths and sew them together side to side. (you will need 8 strips because eight 6 inch strips make about 4 feet)

I'll illustrate this final step in my next post as I only had enough time to piece half my rectangles into one super-long strip.  We spent the rest of the time reading about chicks, watching you tube videos on raising chicks, shopping at Tractor Supply and Southern States and preparing a brooder.  Fun Stuff!

Happy Wednesday to you!

 

quick projects

My girlie asked for a "cover" to wrap her bear in.  You see Berry ("spelled like the berry in strawberry, mama - and not like the beary in brown bear.") doesn't have pajamas and is cold at night.  How could this mama possibly say no to keeping sweet Berry warm?

So we picked some fabric, cut it into strips, and pieced together a cover.

 

Even the kitty likes how it turned out.
 

This design is so simple and super quick to sew because it is pieced randomly and none of the points match.  I'll be back in the next couple days with some quick instructions on how to make one of these random brick pattern quilts.
 

 

The best part about this cover is that it also doubles as a super hero cape!

 

My husband was home today because he will be working all weekend and we spent a few minutes cleaning up the garden and "picking" our lunch.  This is our lunch at 11:45 am.

 

Lunch at 11:50 am.
 

Lunch at 12 noon.

(Arugula sauteed with olive oil and garlic served over leftover quinoa and corn.)  

Hope you find some quick, easy and satisfying projects today!

going green

My kiddos have decided to help save the earth by reusing, recycling, and saving water and energy.  Today my five year old daughter even used the bathroom in the dark to save electricity!  We are also trying to use fewer paper products and to do my part I sewed some "paper" towels. 

 

Just cotton fabric sewn, right sides together, with an old towel.  Then turn right side out and topstitch along the edges.

These are much more absorbent than the dishtowels we are currently using.  But if we are going to stop using paper towels all together I'm going to need to make some more of these.

 
And speaking of green, my sweater/shrug is almost done blocking.

  

For dinner I added some green to our pasta with clam sauce.

Saute lots of garlic and basil in olive oil for several minutes.  Add two cans chopped clams (with liquid), chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, and baby spinach leaves. Saute for five minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste and toss with whole wheat angel hair pasta.  (I also added 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water) Enjoy.

 

And mustn't forget all the green outdoors.  We added some fresh mulch and I set out the 'shine' stone that Lisa sent me last year.  All this green sure is making me smile.

Hope you are finding lots to smile about today!

what i've been up to and a few sewing tips

I've sewn the nine-patch blocks into seven rows consisting of eight blocks each.  I worked into the night because I cannot wait to have this all assembled and quilted.

But I took a break to share a few tips for piecing the strips into nine-patch blocks:

1.  Use a 1/4" sewing foot on your machine.  This foot ensures a 1/4" seam allowance when you line your fabric up with the edge of the foot.  If you don't have a quarter inch foot, order one from your sewing machine manufacturer.  You will be so glad you did.

2. Chain-piece the strips rather then sew one block at a time.  I have a tutorial on chain piecing quilt squares here and the same idea applies.

Bring your two fabric stacks to the sewing machine and chain piece first two strips together.  Then cut those apart and chain piece a third strip onto each set of 2 to complete the nine-patch block.

Once you have eight blocks, cut them apart and press them all at once.  This method saves a lot of time.

And I absolutely love seeing the blocks puddle on the floor.  If your sewing table is up against the wall, it is definitely worth moving it out a bit in order to witness this puddling phenomena. 

And I had so much fun finishing my napkins for the napkin swap hosted by Lisa.

My swap partner mentioned a flower print and decorative stitching so I came up with this simple decorative border around the perimeter.  I hope she likes them.

 

Happy Friday to you all!  And what have you been up to this week?

nine-patch out of strips

I'm finally mentally back from Spring break.  My house is somewhat in order and I'm ready to pick up where we left off. 

So remember when I cut these 14 different flower print fabrics, selvage to selvage, into 3" strips?

 

And said that I would use them to make another simple nine-patch quilt like this one?

And that I would let you in on the simplest and quickest way that I have found to piece all those 3" strips into nine-patch blocks?

Well here goes:

1.  Choose your favorite coordinating fabrics.  I have 14 different fabrics here for a large twin-sized quilt but you can make this with as few as 8 for a baby-sized one. (an even number of fabrics is best so that you can match them up later)

2.  Cut Three 3" strips, selvage to selvage, out of each fabric.  If you're doing the math here, you only need 9 inches, selvage to selvage, of any one fabric which is not a lot so you can use up all the ends of yardage you have lying around.  Tutorial for cutting strips here.

3.  Pair the fabrics up into sets of 2.  For example, if you have 14 different fabrics you will have 7 sets of 2.  This is the fun part because any way you pair them they will look great. 

4.  Sew the 2 sets of three 3" strips, selvage to selvage, as shown in photo above.  Now you have 2 panels, each made up of three strips.

5.  Press.

Note:  I don't want to confuse anyone but for those who want a scrappier nine-patch block or simply don't have enough fabric to cut three strips (like yours truly) you can substitute a similar fabric for one of the strip sets.  See how the green flowers are two different fabrics.  If you do this make sure to keep the second fabric constant else you will lose the nine-patch form.

6.  Cut the strip sets across into 3" strips.  You will have about 13 strips out of each selvage to selvage set, which is enough to make 8 nine-patch blocks.

Cutting Tip:  Because the top & bottom edges may be a bit uneven or stretch a bit during pressing... Always align your measuring ruler (right) with a sewn seam rather than the top or bottom edge.  This will give you perfectly straight 3" strips.

7.  Sew half the strips into nine-patch blocks like so.  (you'll have enough for 4 blocks)

 

And sew the other half of the strips like so.  (you'll have enough for 4 of these blocks)

8.  Press.

 

The scrappy blocks will look like this...

 

And this.

 

My blocks are all done.  Because I had 7 sets of fabrics and each selvage to selvage strip yields 8 blocks I have 56 eight-inch blocks which will make a large twin size quilt for Spring.  Promise you will be the first to see it once I get it all assembled.  

Even if you never make this particular quilt, I hope you found something here that you can use to simplify the sewing and quilting process.  Making is fun and exciting and should not feel intimidating or, dare I say, like work.

quilt + play

We're heading to the beach for a few days and the kiddos are packed and ready and giddy with excitement.

I started to put together a tutorial on piecing nine-patch blocks out of strips but life got in the way.

I'll have this quick and ever-so-simple tutorial all ready to go early next week. 

Hope you take the time to enjoy every moment that is Spring!

Spring fever

"It's Spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

Mark Twain

I've spent the last several days with my family, enjoying the first days of spring.  Not much making going on.  Just wanted to share my Spring Fever quilt top.  Made up of 64 nine-inch squares sewn together randomly. So quick and simple and big - this thing is 68" x 68".

I love the way the breeze and sunshine passes through quilt tops.  I'm glad I have this photo because once this top is backed and quilted it will no longer have this ethereal quality.  A big thanks to my sweet (and tall) husband for helping.

Oh, I feel even the furry members of this family have Spring fever - and just want to run around outdoors willy-nilly.

 

See you back here real soon.  Have a beautiful weekend!

breaking for Spring

We've been enjoying spring.  Greg had several days off and we spent them playing with good friends, eating yummy food, and enjoying a lovely Passover sedar.  

Today I finally found a bit of sewing time. 

One flowered quilt top done.

I used this method to piece the squares and tried not to over think the fabric placement too much.  I basically divided all the flowery squares into two piles - one with predominately greens and blues and one with more pinks and oranges and then I grabbed one from each pile and chain pieced them together.  It's all done now and I'll take photos tomorrow, once the sun comes out.

And I've been trying to capture all the beauty that seems to be popping up everywhere this week.

Welcome Spring!

Spring quilting

It's rainy and gray outside.

But indoors it truly feels like Spring because I'm...

Picking flowers,

Cutting flowers,

Pressing flowers, and

 

Arranging flowers.

 

All these strips will become a nine-patch quilt like this one.  I'll share how to make quick and easy nine-patch blocks next week.  And the squares will be pieced together like this.  But for now I want to focus on play - we have lots planned for this weekend including taekwondo practice, swimming with friends, and a birthday at the park.   Have a wonderful weekend!

{Updated on 3/28: Most of the above fabrics are from Garden Party by Anna Maria Horner, Midwest Modern by Amy Butler, and Pop Garden by Heather Bailey.  The strips are 3" cut selvage to selvage and the squares are 9" square.  Plus - I'm offering two sets of fabric bundles for my Stashing Treasures Play Apron as part of Rhythm of the Home's sponsorship giveaway on SouleMama - head on over and check it out for a chance to win!}

wash, press, fold, cut, repeat

The question that I am asked most frequently, especially from my knitter friends, is "where do I begin to make a quilt."  So I've put together a little tutorial of the steps I take and the tools I use to begin the process.  

1. Wash all quilting fabric in cold water and a small amount of laundry detergent (about 1/2 of what you would use to wash dirty laundry).  Washing removes the sizing and printing chemicals in the fabric and allows the fabric to shrink to it's final size.

2. Press the fabric once it comes out of the dryer.

 

3.  Fold fabric in half, selvage to selvage.  The above photo shows a half yard of fabric folded in half selvage to selvage.

Then bring bottom folded edge up to selvage (top) and fold in half again.  The fabric is now 4 layers thick and ready for cutting.

4.  Lay the bottom edge of the folded fabric flush against a horizontal line on the self healing cutting mat. 

Note about Materials:  Purchase the best quality materials you can afford.  You only need a few basics so spend your money on those.  Save by not buying all the quilting "gadgets" that claim to make everything easier but only end up collecting dust.  A good cutting mat and rulers last forever - all of the materials I am using were purchased eight years ago and are in wonderful condition after much use. 

You will need:

a good quality self healing cutting mat - 24" x 36" is best

2 acrylic cutting rulers.  At least one should be 6 1/2" x 24".   The smaller ruler pictured above is 5" x 18" and has a black plastic lip "gadget" on the bottom edge that is supposed to make cutting fabric easier but it makes such a mess of the folded edge that I only use this ruler for measuring (see below) and never for cutting.  See what I mean about buying "gadgets" - I bought this ruler eight years ago when I didn't know better.

a 45mm rotary cutter. 

I have these sandpaper dot stickers on the back of my cutting ruler.  They help keep the ruler from slipping while I cut and have held up amazingly well after all these years.  I think they're from lowe's.

Back to cutting the fabric.

5.  Trim the right side edge to get a straight clean edge before beginning to cut.  In step 4 you lay the fabric flush along a horizontal line on the cutting mat.  Now place ruler close to the right side edge of the fabric - you do not want to trim off any more than you have to.  Place bottom edge of folded fabric flush with any horizontal line on the acrylic ruler  - this assures a perfectly straight cut - and trim.

Now there's a straight edge on the right hand side of the fabric.  I will begin cutting the fabric into 3" strips.

6.  Use 2 rulers - right one placed horizontally for measuring and left ruler placed vertically for cutting - to cut fabric into strips.  Note how the bottom edge of the ruler on the right and the horizontal line of the cutting ruler on the left line up with the bottom edge of the fabric.  Position the measuring ruler first and then butt the cutting ruler up against it - making sure that the bottom edge of the fabric is even with a horizontal line on the cutting ruler (left).

7.  Place your left hand on the cutting ruler like so, slide the measuring ruler out of the way, and cut.

One 3" strip cut selvage to selvage. 

Repeat for desired number of strips.

8.  Unfold strips and press.  These are ready for sewing.

To cut squares, use the same 2 ruler cutting method to cut the strips into squares.

I mainly use squares to piece triangles.  Triangle tutorial here.  

And I use strips to piece squares.  The nine patch quilt below was made out of 3" strips.

I am making another nine patch quilt and I will show you how easy it is to make nine patches out of strips.

 

I will leave you with a little "mama lesson" that I learned today.  Remember when I posted that I cut a whole bunch of our daffodils to bring inside?  Well a certain five year old happened to be paying close attention to what mama does when new flowers come up.

And here is the result. 

I have learned to be mindful of the actions that I model for my kiddos and my girlie told me she picked them for me, because "I love you, mama" - now what mama could be upset about that!

 

spring cover

My oldest kiddo will be eleven on March 20th, the first day of Spring.  And, of course, he asked for a mama-made cover.  He already sleeps under two of the quilts that I made and uses pillowcases sewn by me but he wants a "new cover" and this mama is quite happy to oblige. 

I wanted this Spring cover to be simple and fresh, with clean lines and little fuss.  I chose sturdy home decor weight cottons with prints that reminded me of the colors found in Spring veggie and flower gardens with some crawly creature prints thrown in for fun.

 

I simply cut twenty-five 13 inch squares and assembled them into a 5x5 grid.

 

Here's the quilt top on my guy's full-size bed.  It's a bit larger that 5 x 5 feet.  I may add another row to the bottom to make it a foot longer.

Tomorrow I plan to back and very lightly quilt this top.  Then I'll attach the binding and have it all ready by Saturday.  Sounds ambitious but I don't mind losing a bit of sleep for my kiddo.  I also have squares cut for a Spring cover for David and Abigail  - but they will have to wait until next week.  Choosing, cutting, and arranging the fabrics took some time but sewing these together took exactly one hour.

 

I love how it compliments the colors already in his room.

 

And speaking of Spring, I cut a whole bunch of the daffodils from the garden and brought them inside - feels like spring in our kitchen.

 

And I'll leave you with this photo of Shadow looking all sweet and innocent behind my computer.  But the minute I look away he turns into a cord chewing machine.  Good thing all the sunshine we've been having puts me in a good mood.

still here

The weather is warm.  The sun is out.  And I have barely seen the inside of my house this week.

Outside there has been chalk.

 

And more chalk.

Rock skipping.

Car climbing.

Chasing through the woods.

And many, many walks.

Inside it's been quiet.  I've been running errands, attending meetings, volunteering at school, driving to the orthodontist, preparing taxes, planning two birthday parties, and shopping for groceries - twice.   The highlight of my morning was the thirty minutes I spent knitting with one of the mama's that I volunteer with - she's a new knitter but she's fast and her stitches are so even that I will be helping her cast on for her first sweater next week.   So very exciting. 
 
Then home for a quick lunch (I had toast and avocado too) and off to assess the damage in my abandoned sewing space.

I cut the fabric for another apron.

And I browsed through my favorite quilt books for inspiration on piecing this fabric. 

Finally, I cut lots of this yummy home decor weight fabric in preparation for sewing birthday gifts for my boys.  If all goes as planned I will be sharing a tutorial for this super easy and quick project soon. 

Just to let you know, Kathy of Pink Chalk Fabrics is offering 50% off many home decor fabrics. 

giveaway winner and some q & a

The random number generator said #16 so the winner of the giveaway is Dodi of the lovely new-to-me blog live, laugh, food, craft.  Congratulations Dodi and please email me your address so I can get the apron and wool out to you!   Thanks to everyone for playing along - I am truly touched by all the kind comments you left.

And Tracy of Bits of Everything please email me your address and I will send you something - not sure what yet but I was blown away by this comment you left on yesterday's post.  Tracy wrote:

"YEAH!!!! I was so excited when I saw this post. I have been working on this and wondered what the finished product would look like. Here is a pic of my strips. http://bellaandmolly.blogspot.com/2010/02/here-project-there-project-everywhere.html
I will have to let know when I get it done."

Yes, that's right, this woman trusted me enough to begin piecing even though I neglected to post what the finished quilt would actually look like until yesterday - how awesome is that!

And now for some answers to your questions...

1.  How do you prepare your chai tea?

First, it's important to use a good quality chai tea bag.  My favorite teas (that are available out here in the country) are Good Earth Chai, Tazo Chai, and Twinings Chai.  Fill cup 1/3-1/2 full of milk and microwave for one minute to warm.  Then place tea bag in the cup and fill to top with boiling water from kettle.  Let steep several minutes and sweeten with honey.  Enjoy!

2.  What fabric did you use for this apron?

This is a home decor weight Free Spirit fabric.  It's from the Prairie Gothic line by Jane Sassaman. 

 

What size is your deputy tote and will it fit standard sized notebooks?

Well, I totally forgot to mention that the finished size of this tote is about 13" x 13 inches and that it will fit numerous 8 1/2" x 11" notebooks. (see photo above)  I took this photo several weeks ago and since then I have finished reading the book Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson.  Nobody asked but just in case you were wondering it's a beautiful book and I really enjoyed it.

 

How do you get your sweaters to drape so well?

While the correct size is important, sweaters need to drape well in order to look good.  My favorite way to achieve drape is to use a thinner yarn paired with slightly larger than recommended needle size.  If gauge is too tight the resulting fabric will be stiff and even a perfectly fitting sweater will not drape well or look as good.  Having said that, I do the opposite for cardis.

Updated to answer yet another wonderful question I just received:  

- even though I use a one size larger needle, I still try to obtain stitch gauge so that the sweater fits.  But I do not worry about getting the row gauge perfect - mine is usually a bit bigger than stated in the pattern but I don't worry too much about this because I usually like my sweaters to be about 15 inches from the bottom to armhole shaping so I just knit until I get that length.  If I'm knitting top down, I just stop when I reach desired length.  If you are a very lose knitter you will not need to go up a needle size because then you may have holes in your sweater.

- I also usually go down one needle size for the ribbing.  This pulls the bottom, neckline and cuffs in a bit and creates a more tailored look. I did this with the Francis sweater above.

- another tip is to knit sweaters a bit shorter so that they don't drape way over the belly giving me that 'bump.'  Shorter sweaters visually "cut" the midsection in half making the not-so-flat-belly less noticeable.  If you do not know what I am talking about here - disregard this advice completely. 

 

Drape is not so good for a cardi because it causes the bottom corners to sag and pull.  For a cardi,especially this shalom cardi where the bottom edges are not supported by buttons, I achieved a tighter gauge by using thicker wool + thinner than recommended needles to get a thicker fabric with very little drape that kinda holds its own shape.  I use this as a general rule but remember there are exceptions to every rule - when in doubt, follow the pattern recommendations. 

 

What music do your kiddos like to make up dances to?

We listen to a lot of music but our favorite music to sing along with and make up silly dances to has been the Groove to the Music Backyardigans CD.  This disk covers all types of music including swing, jig, hip hop, salsa, country, zydeco and rock and is our family's favorite CD to dance to - silly or not.  Go take a listen for yourself.

Please remember that I am not a sewing, knitting, tea brewing, or silly dancing expert.  (hmmm,  well maybe I am a silly dancing expert!  I'll have to get back to you on that one.)  Anyhow this is just how I do things so take what you want and leave the rest - or better yet tell me how you do things differently.

Have a wonderful weekend!

new pattern and a giveaway

Just stopping by to let you know that my Stashing Treasures Play Apron pattern is featured in the spring issue of the beautiful Rhythm of the Home magazine. 

And now for the fun part:

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the Play Apron for the girlie in your life + 2 skeins of malabrigo chunky in the color paris night for mom.  Use it to knit a yummy cowl or hat in just a matter of hours.  I will pick a winner on Friday - good luck!

 

a bit of time + some fabric

Today I had a bit of time to play with fabric. 

I spent it:

Washing fabric...not to be confused with doing laundry.

Piecing fabric... because I really want to finish this quilt.

 

Cutting fabric... because my boy asked.  And because he also picked out the fabrics.

It was the perfect way to spend several hours.  And speaking of a nice way to spend several hours, last night my husband and I watched the film Transsiberian (2008).  Lots of mystery, suspense, drama, great acting - just thought I'd let you know if you're looking for something to add to your netflix queue for when the Olympics are done.

recap

Valentine's day recap. 

Each of my kiddos received a mama-made message in a heart pillow.  These smell so yummy because they are stuffed with buckwheat hulls and lavender. 

I ended up writing each of the kiddos a larger love letter that didn't quite fit into this heart pocket.  But I intend to use the pockets for shorter and more frequent "i love you's" throughout the year.  

If you'd like to make one for your sweet, the tutorial for this pillow can be found in my circle of stones interview on Heather's lovely blog.

 

The boys loved their pillows.

 

The girl loved her pillow.  (apparently, they make excellent dance partners) 

I even spotted the pillows in use during a private brother conversation.

And then lovingly placed in a special spot.

 

It was a beautiful day filled with cooking and baking and the writing of many very special love notes.  My kiddos peppered their notes to one another with phrases such as "i love you with all my heart"  and "even though we fight I love you each and every single day."  What more could this mama ask for?  

The tulips were from my very special valentine - we later realized that this was our twentieth valentine's together.  Hope you had a beautiful weekend.

Happy Tuesday every one! (feels like a Monday to me because of President's day)

xo

What do you get when you put some of this...

into a whole bunch of these?

These, of course.

Then pretty those up with these...

 

and add in some stitching.

And you get a whole bunch of Valentines.

That smell so very yummy...

yet are quite functional.

XO

 

finding beauty

I would like to thank my dear friend, Heather, for including me in her beautiful Circle of Stones Interview series today.  Heather shares her thoughts in the inspiring blog, Shivaya Naturals, and I am honored to be interviewed by her.  Head on over to her space and check it out.

It's Friday!  We had an awesome week. 

We danced....

We followed trails...

We shoveled...

 

We tossed...

We 'made' friends....

We found treasures...

We searched for inspiration...

 

We found the sun...

 

We received packages....

(all this amazing goodness from Tonya at Natural Earth Farm.  find more goodness here.)

 

We prepared...

 

We found beauty in our messes...

We put down our thoughts...

 

I LOVE Fridays!

Where do you plan to find beauty this weekend?

deputy tote tutorial

It's Monday and my kiddos are home from school.  They are currently sipping hot chocolate trying to warm up from a morning of doing things like this...

 and this...

While I take a few minutes to publish this tote bag tutorial.

You will need: 

2 15" x 15" squares of fabric for the lining

2  30" x 6" pieces for the handles

2  15" x 15" squares of fabric for the body of the tote (I used home decor weight cotton fabric)

Note:  You can piece the outside fabric any way you like.  If you want to make it just like mine I used two 15" x 5" pieces for the top band (red) and two 15" x 11" pieces for the bottom portion of the tote. 

 

For the handles:

 

Fold fabric for the tote handles in half lengthwise.  Press.  Open and fold in and press one inch from each side.

Topstitch along both edges of each handle with a 1/8" seam allowance.

 

Place fabric for the body of the bag, right sides together, and sew along the sides and bottom with a 1/2" seam allowance. 

Note:  I used home decor weight fabric and this tote is pretty sturdy but if you're using quilting cotton you may want to iron fusible interfacing to the backside of the fabric before sewing it together.

To create the flat bottom of the tote you need to square off the corners.  Do this by pulling the bottom and side seams open.  Pinch the corner and match the bottom and side seams.  Mark off 1 1/2" from the point and pin.  Stitch straight down.  This bottom seam will be perpendicular to the side seams.

Mark off 1 1/2" from the point and pin. (close-up)

 

Stitch straight down.  The bottom seam will be perpendicular to the side seams.

 

Repeat for the other corner.

Trim off corners, leaving a 1/2" seam allowance.

  

Turn bag right side out.  The bottom will look like this.  Easy-peasy.

 

Now we're working on the lining.  Place the two pieces of lining fabric right sides together and stitch down both sides and bottom - leaving a three inch opening in the bottom seam for turning the bag later.  (see photo)

 

To create the flat bottom of the lining you need to square off the corners just like you did for the outside of the bag.  Do this by pulling the bottom and side seams open.  Pinch the corner and match the bottom and side seams.  Mark off 1 1/2" from the point and pin.  Stitch straight down.  The bottom seam will be perpendicular to the side seams.  Repeat for the other corner.  Trim off corners, leaving a 1/2" seam allowance.

You lining will look like above photo.

Now place the bag handles where you want them on the right side of the tote.  I like to measure in about 3" from either side.  Do the same with the handles on the other side of the bag.  Pin the handles in place.

Place the bag lining (wrong side out) over the bag (right side out) with the handles tucked in between the two layers.  Make sure the fabrics are right sides together and the top raw edges are even.  Check to make sure the side seams of the lining fabric match up with the side seams of the  tote fabric.  Pin the layers together.  Take out the pins you used to pin the handles in place earlier and reposition them with the lining on top and the handles in between.  (see photo)

Sew all around along the top edge with a 1/2 seam allowance.  Go back and reinforce all four handle ends by stitching over the seam several times.

 

Now it's time to turn your tote!  Do this by pulling the tote out through the opening at the bottom on the lining.

It will look like this.  Next sew up the opening in the bottom of the lining by hand with a blind stitch.  Push the lining back down into the bag.  Press the bag with a hot iron, paying special attention to the top edge. 

 

All done!  Enjoy you new tote.

 Ribbon bow (simply tied around handle) optional but so much fun.

I must go because my kiddos are done with their hot chocolate and I believe I just heard the words pillow + fight coming from the other room.  Oh, Mondays!  Have a wonderful (mon)day everyone!

making for others = making fun

I made a basic tote bag.  It's for the super cool police officer who led and taught the fifth grade D.A.R.E. program at our school.  It will be filled with one hundred seven thank-you letters written by the fifth graders.  And presented to her at Wednesday's D.A.R.E. graduation.

I put together a quick tutorial because Jodi asked.  I suggested that she google instructions for a tote with a flat bottom - there are about a hundred out there.  But Jodi said she likes my tutorials best - blog friends say the kindest things.  So stop back here soon for yet another tote tutorial - the main focus will be on creating the bottom and adding a lining. 

I loved piecing these blocks for the 12 squared quilting bee.  These are for Chawne.  She requested one "intentional mistake"  but my blocks have two. One is not so intentional because I accidentally used one of the neutral blocks to piece the mistake block causing me to have to piece one of the background blocks because I didn't have enough to finish.  Makes perfect sense, right?  I still like them and I hope Chawne does too.  She is a quilting + stitching + knitting + crocheting + math genius and a total inspiration to me.

Aren't these the coolest fabrics?  I so need to work with neutrals more.

 

Happy Weekend Everyone!  I'm off to join my family for a romp in the snow - if I can find my hand in front of my face - it's coming down pretty hard out there!

making me happy

"I know well that happiness is in the little things..." John Ruskin

Some little things that are making me very happy today include...

 

receiving a package of goodness from here, in preparation for some Valentine's day making,

 gathering supplies for a very special card,

getting to knit this cardi alongside a friend,

and seeing my kiddos faces as they rush home.

What "little things" are making you happy today?

Edited to add:  Several hours after I wrote this post I saw these photos and read this post.  And they are making me very happy.  And being part of this community of brilliantly talented women is causing me to be seriously giddy.  Words cannot express how happy you all make me each day.  And for that I thank you.

apron - no seams exposed

I love to sew and wear aprons.  Most days I just wear jeans and a t-shirt and nothing brightens this 'mama uniform' like a colorful apron.  Plus it has the added benefit of giving others the impression that you spend your days baking, tidying up the house, and folding laundry! (I dare you to read that last sentence out loud without laughing.)

For a while now I've wanted to sew an apron without any exposed seams on the reverse side - mainly because I don't like the way the back looks after several washings.  I made a reversible apron a while ago but it was too thick for my liking.  Well, this week I finally took the time to figure out how to construct an apron with all the seams enclosed.  And should you be interested in making such an apron, I put together a little tutorial for you - you knew I would.

One caveat:  I miscalculated the length of the ties and they are too short to tie into a bow in front.  The instructions below include the modifications you will need to make if you would like the extra length.

See?  All the seams on the back are enclosed.  For some reason this makes me very happy.

Two rules to live by:  (or at least sew by):

1.  Always choose fabrics you love - and you will love the end result.

2.  Make sure all fabric is prewashed.  You wouldn't want to go through all the trouble of sewing a garment only to have it shrink unevenly and wrinkle after washing.

 

You will need:

26 x 18 inch rectangle for the apron

3 - 41 x 8 inch strips for the trim and sash.  Just cut 8 inch strips selvage to selvage. (4- 41 x 8 inch strips if you would like the extra length to make a bow in the front.)

 

Take your three (or four) 41 x 8 inch strips and iron each strip in half lengthwise.

Then open up each strip and iron in 1" on each of the long sides.  (see photo)

 

Lay one 41 x 8 inch strip along the 26 inch side of the apron rectangle.  Cut off a 26" length to sew along the bottom edge.  Reserve the rest of the strip for the ties. (If you are using 4 strips for the longer ties you will not need this extra piece.  Just save it for your next scrappy quilt.)

Open up the now 26" x 8" strip that you cut and align the apron fabric along the 1" fold of the trim.

Fold the trim around the apron fabric and pin in place.  Make sure you have pinned through both sides of the trim with the apron fabric sandwiched in the center.

Sew along the top edge with a 1/8" seam allowance - be sure you match your thread color to the trim fabric. 

Next, fold and press in 1" on each side of the apron body.  Then fold over and press another inch on each side to hide all exposed edges.  Pin along both sides.  (see photo)

Sew along both edges with a 1/8" seam allowance.

 

The front side will look like this.
 
 

Take the 2 - 41" x 8" strips you prepared earlier plus the piece of strip remaining from the bottom trim. (If you are making the longer ties, simply use the 3 remaining strips - do not use the short strip.)

 

Sew the three strips together like so, right sides together, with a 1/4" seam allowance.  For the shorter ties be sure the short strip is in the middle.  Press seam allowances open.  (For the longer ties, it won't matter which is in the center because all 3 strips will be the same size.)

 

The right side of the strip will look like this.

 

Re-fold the strips in half along the center.  It's a good idea to press again here to be sure that this long strip is flat and folded in half evenly.

Now tuck in the 2 short edges of the strip about 1" to conceal the raw edges.  Press.

 

You are now ready to attach the sash strip to the apron rectangle.  Stay with me here - we're almost done. 

Center the apron fabric on the sash strip.

Align the top of the apron fabric with the 1" fold in the strip.

 

Fold the strip in half with the apron fabric sandwich in between and pin.  Make sure you have pinned through both sides of the sash strip with the apron fabric sandwiched in the center.

 

Starting at one end (where the apron body fabric meets the sash) sew along the bottom edge with a 1/8" seam allowance. Continue sewing along the edge of the sash strip until you are 1/8" from the end.  Stop with the needle in the down position, pivot the fabric sash and sew along the 3" end edge.

Turn the apron to sew the other half of the sash strip closed.  Begin sewing exactly where you began the previous seam - this time sew in the opposite direction.  Sew along the length of the sash with a 1/8" seam allowance until you are 1/8" from the end.  Stop with the needle in the down position, pivot the fabric sash and sew along the 3" end edge.  All done!

 

Here's the back.  Notice the absence of any exposed seams.

Now put on your super-cute new apron and dance around the living room. (Or take pictures of yourself in the bedroom mirror) 

Be Warned:  Partaking in household activities such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry is not required in order to fully enjoy this apron. 

Have a wonderful weekend friends!

random thoughts

We had a great, although somewhat rainy, three day weekend.

We played dress-up and counted lollipops. Abigail came to me and said, "Mama, I can't remember if a poodle skirt means I'm a 40's girl or an 80's girl."  I took one look at her outfit and assured her she had both decades covered.

We baked these brownies and they were a hit.  Yummy, chocolaty, and low fat, plus a whole can of pumpkin.  I did add one egg to the brownie pumpkin mixture - just in case.

 

But this morning it was nice to see that there was still a kitchen table under all the craft projects and play dough.

  

And I may have found my next knitting project.  I say "may have" because I really want to knit Lucy's gorgeous Adeline coat but I'm trying to use up stash yarn and I really don't have enough of any one yarn.  I even thought about making it shorter because long coats aren't that flattering on me.  Either way, I must cast on for something soon.  I haven't had anything on the needles for a week and the indecision is making me anxious.

  

I did manage to steal an hour away to design a little pattern.  I will be sharing it later this week.

Tomorrow I have volunteering at school followed by orthodontist appointments in the big city and taekwondo in the afternoon but I hope to be back in this space on Thursday.

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your week!

serious busy-ness

We've been busy playing...

together...

and enjoying the fact that temps have finally hit 50 degrees!

playsilk from Suzy of  Hip Mountain Mama.  I bought abigail three for Hanukkah and all three kiddos play with they all the time.

I also finished the baby quilt and burp clothes for the little boy with the big name.  His mama, Elinor, has been such an inspiration to me in so many ways.

Here's the front.

 

And back. 

And I love the stripy binding.

I also made these 5-minute burp clothes.

Out of prefold cloth diapers. (these are gerber brand from walmart) 

Instructions:  Pre-shrink diapers by washing them in hot water.  The padded center part will measure about 17 x 7 inches.  I cut a fabric to 19 x 9 inches and then ironed in an inch on each side.  Then sew along the perimeter with a quarter inch seam allowance.

 

 It's that simple. 

I used burp cloths like these when my kiddos were little and women would stop me all the time to ask where I bought them.  You can easily make a whole stack of these in an hour and have them ready for all those new mamas out there. 

 

I'm off to take some more bad photos with my new lens.  My husband totally surprised me with it last week - he is amazing in so many ways but I love how he supports and encourages all my serious busy-ness out here in blog land.  He says he just abides by the saying, "happy wife, happy life."

Hope you find the time to engage in some busy-ness this weekend!

 

Welcome 2010

Welcome 2010! 

 

We welcome you with sweets.

 A few special gifts.

And a New Year's Tree. 

(Putting up a tree on New Year's Eve is a special tradition in our family.  My parents, and my husband's parents, grew up in the former Soviet Union where New Year's was the dominant winter holiday.   I have special childhood memories of going to pick out a tree the day after Christmas - often we got it for free! We have continued this tradition with our own children.  On New Year's Eve we decorate the tree and sip sparkling cider while remembering all that was special about the outgoing year - and all that we wish for the year to come.)

And speaking of things to come...

An organized sewing space.  (only half complete)

 
 

A generous stack of wool felt.

A brand new pair of applique scissors.

 

And some reproduction fabric I bought over a year ago. 

I found this stack while cleaning out my space the other day.  I bought it on line and was disappointed by the colors and patterns when it arrived.  But today, by the light and inspiration and promise of a new year I kinda like it.  Or maybe it's just that I can't wait to get back to my space to sew something - anything really.

On this first day of 2010 I wish each of you much love, good health, time spent with family and friends, and a wealth of making.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I've been...

Making... Hanukkah 'gelt' coins out of semi-sweet chocolate and this. Yum.

Baking...this cherry cake.  I used a mixture of frozen cherries and blueberries and substituted whole wheat flour for the all purpose. 

Knitting... yet another Mustard scarf because they look great and only take about three hours to complete.

Sewing... reversible scarves for all the guys on my list out of this fabric.

Shopping...for this soft and wool-y scarf from  Sarah's shop over at smashing darling.  I bought this scarf for myself several months ago and wear it all the time - it's soft, warm, light and it matches everything.

I've missed this space - and all of your spaces - so much.  We have been super busy making, baking, celebrating Hanukkah, preparing for a Taekwondo tournament on Friday, and my husband's birthday tomorrow.  I'm also in charge of two of the kiddos' class holiday parties this Friday... 

But all is great - all the Hanukkah gifts have been made and gifted or mailed and nearly all the teachers' gifts are complete.  I'm almost done with gifts for my friends who are celebrating Christmas - although I did have a small panic attack last night when I realized that Friday may be too late to mail gifts in time for Christmas.  Then I remembered my motto for this holiday season was 'slow and steady wins the race' and went back to playing this game with my kiddos. 

Wishing you and yours a lovely Wednesday!

 

preping, making, buying - and playing

People Hanukkah is nearly here and only a fraction of the gifts have been completed....  So today I cleaned my house.  Because nothing reduces stress like a shiny countertops, vacuumed rugs and folded laundry.   Then I cut out these dolls.  Pattern by Emily Martin of Inside a Black Apple.

I have no idea how long it will take me to sew and stuff these but selecting the fabrics and cutting these girls out was so much fun.  They are adorable and the pattern is free.

And I finally got around to binding this  quilt.  I know what you're thinking, but I really dislike sewing the binding on - so I did it by machine.  It looks pretty good but best of all it's done - and these days I'm all about completing unfinished projects.  I used my binding-by-machine tutorial but cut the binding strips to 4" rather than the 4 1/2" that I recommend in the tutorial.  I think 4" looks better so I'll edit the tutorial as soon as I get a chance.

I also purchased three of these wood trays at walmart yesterday for the kiddos.  I'm hoping that not only will these make well received Hanukkah gifts but that they will also serve to keep their various collections in check and visually appealing.  I find rocks, crystals, seeds, shells, and pine cones everywhere  and I'm hoping this tray will encourage some organization - the old a place for everything and everything in its place.

And here are said kiddos looking through craft books for just the right gift to make for dad. 

Once they selected the gift that mom should "help" them make for dad they went back to what they normally do - act silly and scale furniture.  That's how we roll around here. 

Happy holiday prep everyone.  And check out this fun Hanukkah song written by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch.

the start of holiday making - and shopping

It's December 2nd and the holidays are fast approaching.  Hanukkah is only ten days away and there's lots to do and make.  I've come to the realization that I will not be able to complete all the holiday projects on my list because I would rather spend more of this special time with my family.  So I'm taking it slow, focusing mainly on quick, simple and useful gifts which I will be sharing my here. 

Today I made this pillow out of a thrifted wool sweater.  The sweater was already felted so I just ran it through the washer and dryer with my regular laundry. 

 

Felted sweaters are very easy to cut and sew using the sewing machine.  Two things that I leaned along the way:

1.  It's much easier to cut the wool using a rotary cutter (rather than scissors). AND

2.  The seams will lay straighter if you use a large seam allowance (1/2 inch seemed to work best) and then press all the seam allowances open.

Envelope closure on the back.

The best part is that I used only the front and sleeves so I can still make another gift out of the sweater back!

I'm knitting a simple seed stitch scarf using some yummy Malabrigo chunky wool.

Cast on 15 sts.

knit in seed stitch:  row 1:  K1 (P1, K1).  Repeat row 1 until scarf measures 55 inches. 

Over the Thanksgiving weekend I knit this very simple garter/stockinette stitch scarf out of Wool-ease chunky.

And because we all could use a little help over the holidays, I purchased these absolutely gorgeous gifts from Tonya at Natural Earth Farm.  Visit her family's etsy shop here.  I cannot say enough about the impeccable craftsmanship of these items.  The memory matching game comes in the coolest crocheted bag and the coasters are so beautiful my husband asked if we could keep them for ourselves.  We purchased our first branch pencil holder several months ago and we love it so much that I bought one for each of the kiddos' rooms. 

  

Happy making everyone!  And remember to practice moderation during this time of year - we're trying to keep decorations and gifts simple so that we can spend more time playing.

tidbit tuesday - answering your questions

Thank you sooo very much for all the beautiful comments and neighborly love on yesterday's post.   You all truly made my day!

Now for today's post:  In the comments and via e-mail you have asked.  I'm more than happy to provide the answers - plus it saves me the trouble of coming up with something to write about - you all are the best.  So here goes:

1.  How do you miter the corners on your napkins?

Answer:  No mitering of corners here.  These are reversible.

Cut 2 eighteen inch squares of fabric.

Place squares right sides together and sew around the edges - leaving a 4 inch opening for turning.

Snip off all four corners.  Turn right side out.  Press napkin, folding in the opening.

Topstitch around the perimeter, closing the opening as you go.  Be sure to stop at the corners with the needle in the down position when you rotate the napkin.

And you get a reversible and durable napkin - no mitering required.

2.  Where did you purchase this ruler?

Answer:  here at Joann Fabric.

3. More info on these boots please.

Answer:  They are Sporto Demi boots, purchased last year at TJMaxx (I paid $24.99).  They are super comfortable, lined in warm flannel, and perfect for wearing in the snow. I think they are waterproof - they are not leather.  I wear a size 6 1/2 shoe and these would look cute in all sizes...nuff said.

4.  How did you close up the bottom of these stuffies?

Answer:  I used my sewing machine - just plain old running stitch with regular sewing foot.  The bottom edge that you see in this photo is the actual cuff of the sleeve from the sweater that I used.

5.  Care to share the cutlet recipe?

Answer: Of course.

3 pounds ground beef (very lean - 3% fat)

1cup matzah meal (or plain bread crumbs)

1 small onion diced

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup milk

3 eggs

1 T garlic powder

1 T paprika

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Form into small cutlet shape using palm of your hand - wetting hands first helps. Fry in canola oil - about 3 minutes per side.  Makes about 25.  I usually have 2 pans going at once.  Leftover are great for sandwiches the next day.  You can also bake them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

 
This was fun!  So keep those questions coming.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! 

different but equal

I must confess that on some days we reuse our napkins.  Is this weird or do you do this too?  For instance, on many mornings the kiddos' napkins will be clean but for some crumbs - so I shake them out and have them use it again at dinnertime.  The problem is that they no longer trust me to keep the napkins separate and with cold and flu season going around who came blame them.   So yesterday I used this fabric to sew some different but equal napkins.  Now everyone can easily find his or her napkin at dinnertime.

Another dinner time dilemma averted.

Don't you just love it when you can resolve family issues and have an excuse to sew?

And speaking of sewing, I finally finished my October blocks for my 12 squared quilting bee.  These are for quilter extraordinaire Melanie of swim notes.  I really enjoy working with fabrics and designs that others have chosen.
 

The pattern for the big girl neighborly is written up and the sweater is all dry and ready for photos - hopefully the weather will be nice tomorrow.  I'm off to clean my house now - we have company coming for dinner tonight.  Have a great weekend everyone!

we have power, we made a stuffie, and we snuggled

A nor'easter storm hit our area on Thursday.  School was canceled, streets flooded, trees toppled and power lines came down.  Our house is on a hill so we were fine but we did lose power which makes for long days with three kiddos home for an impromptu four-day weekend.  The storm kept us indoors all of Thursday so we painted and Abigail came up with this clever idea for stationary - perfect for our next letter to grandma.

We ate well because we managed to bake two pies early Wednesday before the power went out for good.

Then we saw this post about making stuffies on Hip Mountain Mama's blog and knew that some handsewing was in order.  Ezra worked on a relief map for school while David and Abigail sorted through hundreds of buttons, dozens of ribbon scraps and just the right color felt for their "sweater stuffie."  Yes, these are made from the sleeves of an old sweater.  After a good hour of planning and design we began to sew - constructing 'Sam' and 'Lizzy."

Here they are - having survived two days of non-stop play and love.  (It was way to dark to take photos indoors)

On Friday the storm broke and we ventured out for a walk.

Even Shadow the kitty was feeling restless and decided to join us.

He checked out the neighbors' mailbox...

While the canine members of our family stopped for refreshments. 

Ezra and David stopped to shoot some baskets - but abandoned the game once their ball rolled into the muddy woods. 

 

And I got to air out my no-nonsense "there's mud everywhere" boots.

Finally, on Friday evening the power came back on, everyone took a warm bath, and dad came home with Chinese food.  We stuffed our bellies and spent the rest of the evening snuggling on the sofa and recalling all that we were able to do without electricity.  After the kiddos went to bed, Greg and I went right back to snuggling on the sofa while watching The Namesake.  We absolutely loved this film about finding one's place in the world.

We concluded that huge storms are not so much fun, but two extra days of rest and play are not so bad.  Not bad at all.    

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I am so glad it's Friday!

This week I learned that one kiddo has a cavity, another needs braces, that Ezra's new glasses fly off during taekwondo, that I have high cholesterol, that I love helping to chaperone Abigail's field trip, that bringing two guinea pigs to David's class requires much preparation, that I hate it when my server goes down every time the wind blows, and that I miss this space (and checking in with all your spaces) so very much.  I am so glad to see this week come to an end and to spending a quiet weekend with my family.  I will also carve out a bit of time to see what you all have been up to - because reading your blogs never fails to put a smile on my face and always leaves me so inspired.

On a crafty note, I love my milkweed shawl and I have worn it everywhere for the past two days.  I love the way it looks, the color, and how soft it feels.  This may have something to do with the gorgeous yarn from Shivaya Naturals with which it is knit.  Thank you so much Heather.  Most of all I love how perfectly it stays on - I really don't have to fix or rearrange it for hours. Who knew this little shawl would become the perfect fall accessory? 

And last night I sewed two pillowcases for David's room because he's determined to sleep in a "pillow mom made" and has slept on this quilted sham for the past month.   I really don't like washing the quilted sham all the time and when I saw this pillowcase post on Lisa's blog I knew that mama made pillowcases were in order.  Thank you so much for the inspiration Lisa, because while I've sewn decorative shams for my kiddos' beds I have never sewn pillowcases because I always thought it was easier to buy them and that "no one would see the anyways."  But it took Lisa's beautiful words about her family sleeping on, and traveling with, pillows they'd made to help me realize that it's not what others see that's important.  What's important is that my guy wants to bury his little face in a pillow made just for him - by mom.  See what I mean when I say your blogs inspire me and make me better?

I made the pillowcases using an envelope back closure because I only had 1 yard of each of these 2 prints and I wanted to get 2 matching pillowcases.  I cut both yards in half and used the orange print for the back of the blue print fabric and the blue print for the back of the orange print fabric - making them kindda reversible. 

I still ran out of fabric so I had to add yet another fabric for the second flap.  I made this flap small because I didn't want it to become too busy with all the prints.  I think they look pretty good - now fingers crossed that the kiddo approves! 

Have a super weekend everybody!

i'm feeling very neighborly (and immensely grateful)

Dearest Blog Readers,

For the first time ever I won a blog giveaway!  Jennifer at JCasa Handmade offered up these gorgeous skeins of yarn to knit her new girls vest pattern, the Neighborly.  The pattern is available for free here.

The crazy part is that I won this giveaway on Monday but failed to even realize it until last night (wed) when I went to Jennifer's blog to get some fabric ideas for her girls skirt pattern - field day.  You see Jennifer is an extremely talented knitter, sewer and designer.  What I love most about her work is that she is able to rework traditional patterns in novel and modern ways and to simplify complex patterns into easy basic steps.  In the Field Day skirt pattern she was able to redesign the traditional cheerleader skirt into a simple and wearable pattern with an elastic waist (Abigail will so appreciate that)!

 

I'm also touched by Jennifer's sentiments behind the Neighborly pattern.  She has made the pattern available for free to encourage... well, neighborliness... among bloggers and knitters and invites other knitters to do the same.  This idea of crafters helping by sharing ideas with one another and giving to the community so rings true for me.  I try to pass on any knowledge and ideas I may have to all of you and to donate much of what I make for the tutorials to our school auction.  And I reap the rewards of anything I give tenfold when I visit your blogs and see that you've used my tutorial or sewing technique to create something all your own.  Thank you for stopping by, for leaving comments, sending e-mails and inspiring me with all the amazing creations and ideas that you post on your blogs. 

I am so grateful to be part of this community of ours - of women, moms, sewers, knitters, quilters, thinkers, designers of our families' lives.  You all are the best (and most neighborly) and, for that, I thank you.

I have my pattern all printed out and needles ready.  But I am not sitting idly waiting for my yarn to arrive.  I have many exciting and beautiful projects to work on - and for that I am immensely grateful.

I just popped over to Jennifer's blog to get these links and read that her cable version of the Neighborly vest did not go as planned - and so I offer the above the photo of a block that didn't come together as planned.  Oops. Probably because I was engrossed in this very good movie at the time.  The plan for tonight includes sewing and seam ripping while watching the next episode of Project Runway. 

I have to run to an assembly now where my children have assured me that I will witness them win awards for highest sol score, and most accelerated reader points - what kind of mother would be late for this?

Thank you so much for stopping by my little space here,

Larissa

some questions and answers

What am I doing with this paintbrush?  Why cleaning my sewing machine, of course.  Quilting produces A LOT of lint.  Most of the lint pictured was found under the bobbin mechanism. 

How did I back Abigail's birthday pillow?  asked  Heather.  With a simple envelope backing made out of two pieces of fabric that overlap. To keep everything nice and neat, i like to do a 5 inch overlap.

How I sew an envelope pillow cover:

1.  Calculate the size to which you'll cut the fabric for a 5 inch overlap.  My formula for this is length of the pillow divided by 2 + 8 inches. (8 inches because you'll need 5 for overlap + 2 inches for the hem + 1 inch for seam allowance)  My pillow is 24 inches square so I cut my backing fabric to 20 inches (24/2 = 12 +8 = 20)  You'll need TWO of these.  Mine were cut 20 x 25 inches.  (25" because the pillow is 24"+1" for seam allowance)

2. Hem the edges.  Fold the edge over 1 inch; press.  Fold over one inch again, press again and top stitch the hem in place.  Do the same on the second flap.

3.  Arrange the two back pieces on the pillow top with hemmed edges overlapping towards the center.  They will both be right sides together with the pillow top.  Pin in place and stitch all the way around (all 4 sides) with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

4.  Reinforce the flaps by back stitching over the spot where the flaps end.  (see photo below)

5.  Snip the corners.  Turn right side out.  Enjoy.

Why did I pull out this quilt?  I've been thinking a lot about color and value and how I love playing with both when creating a quilt.  I was inspired by posts here and here.   I see more 'value quilts' in my future.  And soon.

What did the kiddos and I do in our down time this weekend while dad was at work?   Built a Lego Monster Dino.  This thing has a lot of pieces that make up the many parts but so worth it when you hear him roar and watch him walk - forwards and backwards - around the room!

Why is there a Lego dragonfly in our geraniums?  We were inspired by this super cool website.  Thanks to a link on Blair's blog.

So much fun!

Why are we eating apples and honey?  For a sweet new year.

And whether or not you celebrate Rosh Hashanah, I wish you and your family much health, joy and sweetness.

wednesday update

knitting update:

I am knitting the milkweed shawl pattern by cosmicpluto knits.  I finally decided i had to knit something - anything really - with the gorgeous yarn I got from Heather of Shivaya Naturals.   And then I came across this photo on flickr the other night and I knew I had the perfect pairing of pattern and yarn. 

A few words about the pattern:  this pattern is every quick and easy (all the stitches are knit).  The pattern itself is beautifully written with 6 charts in addition to row by row written directions for each of the charts, making it super easy to follow. 

And it knits up super fast.  This bottom photo was taken yesterday!

sewing update:

I whipped this pillow up for Abigail for her birthday last week.

This was a quick (and late at night) project.   I was too tired to find a quilting pen so I stitched the '5' freehand.

 

And I couldn't go wrong with ric rac ribbon in pink.

 

Yay!  She loves it.

But now that she's five this kiddo has places to go, and books to read, and games to play - leaving very little time for impromptu photo shoots.  

Quilting this pillow gave me some much need free motion practice so today I began quilting my log cabin quilt.  More on that, and a fun quilting pattern surprise, coming soon.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

headed out

We're headed to the beach tomorrow morning.  One last hurrah before school begins next Tuesday. 

I've packed everything we could possibly need - and many things that we won't use at all. 

Then I took a minute to straighten my sewing space...

and found these vintage Bakelite buttons that I bought at a quilt show nearly two years ago.  I paid a whopping $30 for these so I wanted to 'save them' for the perfect project -  but I think the time has come to use and enjoy them.  I will try and find a fun cardi pattern in which to showcase these when I return.  Any suggestions?

I also dug up these spools of silk embroidery ribbon in various shades of green.  I can no longer recall what they were intended for when I bought them, but I cannot wait to finally try them out.  Any suggestions on how to stitch with these?

Next, I unearthed these fruit and veggie prints that I purchased several years ago - having every intention of sewing then into napkins.  Hmm, I'm not sure I like these any more.  What do you think?

Before saying good bye to my sewing space for the week I snapped this photo of a quick (read poor) sketch that I made the other day while drawing with my kiddos.  I absolutely love these Pitt pens and will definitely spend more time doodling in the coming months.  And if you never take the time to doodle, please purchase and read this book - I love this book (and his follow up book) so much that one year I gave a copy to everyone on my holiday list. 

I'm off to munch on this gorgeous pepper that my son picked for me this evening before climbing into bed - we have a full day planned for tomorrow.

I'll see you back in this space on Friday.  Have a great week!

the belt-scarf

The other night, while watching this movie, I sewed the first belt-scarf.  It all started when I bought some very cute but kinda long t-shirts on sale at old navy. 

I figured they could use a belt.  So I made one.  Then I realized that the belt can also be worn as a scarf.  And so the belt-scarf was born.

The belt came together very quickly and the movie was pretty good (especially if you read the books) so I decided to try a belt with rounded edges using a linen blend fabric.

I wore it to a birthday party yesterday and received lots of compliments so I wrote up a quick tutorial.  I feel a little silly providing instructions for sewing together two pieces of fabric but I'm hoping that the measurements I used will help you decide what length and width you'd like to make and spare you some trial and error. 

This is a super easy beginner sewing project so I'm hoping that you will pull out your favorite fabric and whip up a new belt-scarf for fall.

You will need 1/2 yard of your favorite fabric. 

Cut the fabric into 4 strips, selvedge to selvedge.  The strips should be between 4" - 5" wide. 

For the lotus print belt above, the fabric was cut 4 inches wide, resulting in a 3 1/2 inch wide belt.  For the linen belt, fabric was cut 5 inches wide, resulting in a 4 1/2 wide belt.

Sew two of the strips together along the short edge to make one longer strip. 
Sew the other two strips together. 
Press the seams open.

Next decide on the length you'd like for your belt. 
Use a length of scrap yarn (I know you have some!) or an existing belt to gauge your ideal length.  Keep in mind that most cotton fabric is 42" selvage to selvage making your strip about 80" long.
Cut fabric 4 inches longer than desired length.  

Cutting is not necessary - you can choose to use the whole length.

The lotus fabric belt above is 70" long and the linen belt measures 77".

Sew the 2 strips together along one long edge, right sides together.

At this point, decide whether you would like 45 degree angle or rounded ends.

If you'd like the angled edge, use a pencil to draw a line on an angle and sew along that line.  Cut off the excess fabric.  Snip points for turning.

If you choose a rounded edge, use a compass or a large round bowl to draw a curve at each end.

Sew along the curve.

Cut off the excess fabric.

Use scissors to cut notches along the seam so that you get a smooth curve when you turn your belt-scarf right side out.

Next, sew along the other long side.
You will have to leave a large (12 inch) opening in the middle of this side for turning the belt.  To do this begin on one end and sew 'til you reach the middle of the belt, backstitch to secure your thread, and cut the thread.  Turn your belt and begin sewing from the opposite side.  Sew until you have a 12-14 inch opening in the center of the belt, and backstich to secure thread.

Turn belt right side out.  Take your time and use a chopstick or above pictured poke-y tool to help turn the points. 
Press well with steam - it will be wrinkled. 
Whip stitch the opening closed by hand.

Enjoy! 

 

This is how abigail watches Sunday morning cartoons.  Yes, I let my kiddos watch tv.  Do I think it will turn them into couch potatoes?  Umm... no.  But there's no telling what their tv viewing will turn my couch into!  Have a great Sunday!