Embroider A Cute Free Santa Design - Happy Ho*Ho Holiday Tea Towel

Embroider A Cute Free Santa Design - Happy Ho*Ho Holiday Tea Towel

Knitted mini Christmas stockings

 Aren't they cute these knitted mini Christmas stockings from Little Cotton Rabbits? The pattern is here.

Tutorial from Sew, Mama, Sew!

 

 Download your free Amy Butler Blossom Bag PDF pattern here! 

The pattern offers fabulous handbag and shoulder bag options…

Quilt Fabric Delights Creative; "Fleur's Boudoir Set"

 

Aren't they pretty? 

Free tutorial from Quilt Fabric Delights Creative is available here. Thanks for the opportunity to create this beautiful set Sarah :-)

Perfect Box Pouch Tutorial from Modern Quilt Love

 

Great tutorial from Modern Quilt Love! Thanks for taking the time to make it and share it with us :-). 

I can’t wait to give it a try! Tomorrow maybe...... Sunday is my best sewing-day............ And perhaps Kristrun is joining me, I hope so!

Free BOS from Ellie's Quiltplace

How does it work?

Every season you can download a new pattern and, if necessary, further information: 

- June 21: releasing the first block. You'll get the pattern, a list of requirements and instructions on how to make the stitcheries. 

See picture below......

- September 23: the second block will be released together with the instructions for the corner blocks
- 3 months later, December 21, the 3th block will be released together with instructions for making the patchwork blocks
- And finally, March 21, the 4th pattern will be released as well as the final instructions to assemble the quilt.

Happy stitching and quilting! 

My cat Mira got her first kitten on Friday, so I think I will make this catquilt for her :-) Mjaaauuuuu.....

Early Birds

I have joined Judith in her group of "Early Birds". If you go to her blog and read the posts further down you will see how this Early Birds Christmas Crafting Club is working. There are some "Challenges" to participate in; so I hope to do the Sewing Challenge this weekend; “Make anything you like from 2 Fat Eight’s of fabric- any embellishments or trims are allowed and any essential background material like cream or white are also allowed…..easy peasy!

And I got this original free pattern "Kris Kringle" by email from lovely Judith.

Anyone can join in at any time; so why wait.....?

Sew Along with Kelly

 Drop over to Kelly's blog and read what you will need to make a great set of bags and accessories. She has listed what you need to get together to start sewing along with her over the next eight weeks.

Great how-to-do at Noodlehead

Noodlehead has a really nice Gathered Clutch Tutorial. I'm planning to make one of these for sure. Go here to see or print her great wallet.

Playing with Double Diamond Ruler

On our last meeting in Vestre Toten Lappelag we had a little "show-and-tell" first.

Wenche has sewn this modern Easter-tablerunner from a kit made by ????

Close-up of the tablerunner.

Don't fall apart! Wenche NEVER sew stitchery, but look here..... A cute little girl!!

Wenche has been on the annual meeting of Norwegian Quilting Association and she bought a pattern for these two purses there.

Embellished with two sweet buttons :-)

And at last her bag made from a Peggy-Pattern (?). Wenche is going to sell this beautiful bag!

Inger Lise with a baby-quilt. The baby buggy is black; therefore a grey/black blanket. Click on the picture if you want to resize it and look at the beautiful fabrics used in this quilt :-)

Kristrun has sewn two of these bags; one in black and one in brown. She is really clever! Perhaps she will bring the other one to our next meeting in Gjøvik Quiltelag, hehehehehe.

Table runner made of scraps (I). I don't know who has created them, but they are brighten the meetingroom, that's for sure.

Table runner made of scraps (II).

Playing with Double Diamond Ruler!

Picture of my fabric after precutting, ironing, folding, cutting and unfolding :-)

Curious?

Mine and Kristrun's pieces.

How to do it? I will try to explain it to you..... Follow!

The biggest of the two Double Diamonds Rulers.

The package contains two rulers for two different sizes of Doble Diamonds: 1 1/2" wide 3 1/2" wide.

Astrid was in a Christmas-spirit-mood I think :-)

Picture of Wenche while she cut slits in her fabric. She was the only one who tryed the smallest ruler. First we cut two chosen fabrics twice as wide as the ruler. These were glued together with a new powder, ironed backside to backside, folded lengthwise with the main fabric on the outside and pressed well. Slits were then cut in the fabrics from the folded side of the fabrics. The fused piece were unfolded and lightly pressed. Each diamond flap could then be tuck under the diamond below it. See picture below....

Sweetheart Pin Cushion Tutorial from Jessica at Happy Together

Go here to visit her website and download the pattern.

Kristrun is sewing at my place and a little "How-to-do" free motion quilting

Kristrun in action :-)

She had made two pillow frontsides for her mother. The fabrics are bought in Iceland. Kristrun is born in Iceland but she lives in Norway and is a co-worker of mine.

Not bad for a beginner...

Here are some tips for free motion quilting:

• Start with paper and pencil. Draw the line you want to sew. You practise until you get the motion into your hand! This I do only to get the curves into my head and hand :-)
• Remember to fill your bobbin.
• Don't worry about stitch length or width -- it doesn't matter! You create the stitch length with how fast or slow you move the fabric under the needle, so don't push and pull the fabric. Just steer it.
• If your machine has a speed control, use mid-speed if your stitches aren't coming out even.
• The faster the speed, the smoother and easier it is to stitch. Remember trying driving manouvers in your car and finding it easier and smoother to make a lane change going fast on the highway than it was going slow in the parking lot? Same thing applies here.
• Breathe. I can't emphasize that enough! My free-motion went from scribbles to stars when I began to relax while I sewed. Breathe! And keep your shoulders loose or your work will reflect your tension. Look ahead; don't look down where the needle is but look where you are going to sew.
• Use good quality thread so it doesn't keep breaking. Don't try to learn on metallics, but if you insist, at least use a metallics needle.
• In this method you are allowed to cross your previous stitch lines, so don't worry about changes in direction or getting stuck in a corner. Play!
• Never, ever, turn your fabric while you are stitching. You make direction changes and shapes by dancing your fabric under the needle, not by swinging your fabric around.
• Use variegated thread for a spectacular look on a wall hanging quilt.
• Work with the design already on the fabric to practice. Sew around the leaves and vine stems on the printed material you already have. Practice on pre-printed fabric to learn to follow curves and lines.
• Stop with the needle in the down position so momentum doesn't shoot you across the fabric when you stop.
• Don't beat yourself the first couple of years you try this. You can always re-stitch heavily over an area you are unhappy with.
• Breathe! Have fun!
• Good luck with your free motion quilting :-)