Backs Don'tCount...Right?

We stitchers are our own worst enemy. We look at everything we make and think, "there's a mistake there, I should have stitched straighter here, the corners don't match there, I cut off a point here...you get the picture. But I'm here to tell you if you come to my house Do Not Turn This Spring Wallhanging Over! The front is decent, maybe even a little better than decent...cute. But the back, not so much. I made several mistakes - big ones. I ironed the front to fusible fleece. It wrinkled. I blanket stitched the back onto the front. The back stretched and wrinkled. I wanted the rickrack to just cover the white fabric but rickrack wiggles all over the place and stitching it on is a nightmare. I think somebody out there ought to have a tutorial for the best way to put rickrack on the outer edge of something. Anyone know how? I got it on...barely...but in the back it didn't always catch the fabric. And everywhere I trimmed the white fabric or the red rickrack I got fuzzy threads that migrated to the front or stuck out the sides. Doggone it just once I want to make something that's perfect! Perfectly perfect in every way and in every stitch. I've never done it. I probably never will. But I want it. You ever done it? Even now in this picture I can see a little piece sticking out that needs trimming! Now here's another cute thing - a flippy little red and black apron. My friend, Sylvia, made one for her niece and it was so cute that I wanted to try it. Sylvia even cut me out a pattern and brought it to me. It was a simple pattern really. But have you ever tried to turn a quarter inch and then another quarter inch to make a hem on a circle skirt? The whole hem is bias! Can you say nightmare? Not because it was hard; because it twists and stretches! And then when you stitch it that's a curve you're stitching and do you think I could stay just shy of a quarter inch away from the edge? Sure I could....when I wasn't a half inch away or an eight inch away! Thank goodness on black nothing shows...I love black. :)

A Few New Things

The pattern for the Easter Sampler is free at The Painted Quilt - doesn't she do a wonderful job! And she's so generous to give one away each month. I didn't do mine in typical Easter colors because I wanted something more in keeping with my color scheme in my kitchen so I used khaki Kona cotton and turkey red embroidery floss. This quilt is one I made for the Downey Quilts For Kids program. If you aren't familiar with the program go to the website (I linked to it) and read what they do. When you sign up they send you the pattern and the fabric for one quilt. You supply the batting, piece and quilt it, and mail it back. They are all given to children's hospitals. The focus fabric I got has Valentine heart candy on it. I outlined a heart on the four patch and then "scribbled" inside the heart like a child might do. Then I used the embroidery module on my sewing machine and embroidered a butterfly on the focus fabric. I stitched in the ditch of the borders. I named it Butterfly Love.

This is the other Easter piece I've completed - much more the typical spring colors. I had this wonderful package of teal fat quarters I got at our quilt retreat last year so I used those to piece the background. The bunny and flowers are made from wool and are hand appliqued with a blanket stitch. Doesn't he have the sweetest little face?

It's Stitching Time!

Hancock's was having a sale today so I went to check it out. Christmas fabric was marked 70% (or maybe 75%, can't remember now) off so I bought enough to make 8 pillowcases. I had already made three so that made an even dozen. Yes I know that doesn't add up! One of these is a pillowcase that was made for my now 32 year old son when he was five years old and is destined for his son who will be born New Year's Eve. Six are for some of my grandchildren and six are for the children of a friend. I also got enough Christmas fleece to make three throws and three panels for aprons, all of which will be gifts. One throw is done (all I do is do an overlock stitch on the outside edges) and two are cut and ready to work on tomorrow or Monday. And I got all of that for $45! (The "antique" pillowcase is on the bottom right in the second picture.

Yesterday I used two Moda charm packs to make these doll quilts and pillows for my three youngest granddaughters. Are they not the cutest things?

Just a few more days to stitch before we celebrate Jesus' birthday but that's enough time to get those other two throws done, the three aprons made, a wallhanging quilted, and mabe the six placemats I want to make on the sewing machine. Are you doing last minute stitching?