Creating Cupcakes - Holly Brooke Jones: My ABC Book Giveaway: Enter to win!

http://creatingcupcakes.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-abc-book-giveaway-enter-to-win.html
I can't not blog about this giveaway. You have to go check out the link and look at how cute this abc book is. I think my boys would love it! (and of course I think it would be absolutely prefect made out of fabric... But then when am I not thinking about fabric?! :) )

Made It: Pineapple Seat Cushion

I've been in need of a seat cushion for my sewing chair for a while now. It's just a fold up chair, so long sessions of sewing aren't the most comfortable. ;) When I saw this AWESOME pillow that Splendorfalls made for the pillow blog party I knew I wanted to try the pattern.

I haven't ever done paper piecing before, so I googled how to do it and found some patterns that I could print out to use for the pattern. (She also includes the pattern she used if you want one a little smaller.) Here's a few How-to links if you are new to paper piecing too:

I think this one is the simplest to follow: http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQuiltingPages/startquiltingthree.html

This one has some real pictures that help if you're more visual (like me):
http://www.stitchersneedle.com/article1009.html


And here is the link where I found the pineapple pattern that I used:
http://quilting.about.com/od/blockofthemonth/ss/pineapple_quilt.htm

{The first page has the template, and also a link to basic foundation piecing. The third page has the how-to piece it.}

I changed up my colors a little, so I wasn't totally copying Splendorfalls but I still wanted to do a rainbow scheme to match my new pincushion. I bound it using the same fabric as in my new scrap basket. I feel like my sewing area really is becoming so coordinated. ;)

Since I found the binding tutorial at Crazy Mom Quilts, I've used it ever since. But there is one change that I found that I am now always going to do as well. I really LOVE how Anita from Bloomin' Workshop does the beginning and end of the binding... it's so smooth, and at least for me, is a LOT easier to get the two ends to match up length wise.

For the back I used some of the leftover scraps to make a little strip for an accent so the back wasn't too plane. This was also the first time I've ever pieced scraps like this before too. I quilted four layers of batting to the back, and added two more when I bound the entire quilt. It's still a little thin, but works well and is comfy. ;)

{don't pay attention to the binding that is coming unstitched in the top left corner. I didn't reinforce the straps on the outside at first, so when I tied them too tight to the chair it kind of pulled the binding off. I just need to restitch that. Oops. ;)} 

Pretty much everything about this project was new to me, but boy did I enjoy it!!! The paper piecing took a while, but it was so much fun! I am definitely going to do more of this, and maybe learn how to do my own designs. Wouldn't that be fun?! I definitely recommend trying it out if you haven't yet! :)

W.i.P. Wednesday #5

I'm sure I thought of new projects to do this week, but I don't remember what they are. Though I do need to make a sewing machine cover, so I guess that's new. Otherwise I want to just finish up as many projects as I can before this little baby comes! I'm getting so anxious!!! :)

Ongoing Projects:
This last week I did have some new projects, but I finished one and am almost done with the other. It's a seat cushion! And it matches awesome with my pincushion and new scrap bucket. :) It's fun having coordinating accessories!

 I decided to try my hand at paper piecing (though I used muslin instead of paper - so it's permanent, but I figure more bulk the better for a seat cushion). It was seriously so much fun putting it together! It's a pineapple pattern and I love how it turned out. Though my pictures aren't very good. I will post more about it when I'm finished with all the links I used. Oh, and I tried out a decorative stitch on my machine... I need to practice a little, but didn't feel like taking out my mistakes. I still like it anyway.

For the back I decided to also try some random piecing for a little strip. I haven't really pieced like that before either. I only used the scraps I had from the front, which was fun too! I feel like I'm entering new territory with all of these "quilting" endeavors. Ok, I've made quilts, but the techniques are all new, but I love them! I think I'm going to be addicted. :) I then just did wavy lines to quilt the back to four layers of batting. Anyway, more details and pictures to come when it's finished...

Mabel's Quilt: I don't have any updated pictures right now, but I am getting so close! I just need to finish sewing on the white sashing, and then the outer border that is already finished and I'm done with the top! I think I'll try and finish it up today! Yippy! I'm so excited! Though I am not at all ready to quilt it. I need to finish up my picnic blanket first so I can get some more practice FMQ.

Picnic Blanket: Sadly I haven't touched it... except to move it from one spot to another. BUT that's on my list to do next too, so we'll see. ;)


Finished projects:
My new little scrap basket! I love it. :) Thanks for all the nice comments you've left about it too! :)

This week's stats:
New projects - 1 (sewing machine cover?)
Completed projects - 1 (scrap basket)
Currently in progress -  5 (up one from last week)

Made It: Fabric Basket (+ Tutorial conversion)

I really love these cute baskets from vligtig (she's from the netherlands), but all the measurements are in cm. I decided that since I want to make one and am going to convert all the measurements anyway, I might as well post them to share for anyone else who wants to try them out. You'll still have to go to her blog for the instructions, but I'll put any changes here. :)

I think this will be the perfect thing to put all of my sewing scraps in until I have enough to sort. I really don't want to put scraps away every time I get one or two, so now I'll be able to get a good collection and just do a bunch at once, but still have some kind of order to my craft area. :) Looks like it's already time to sort my scraps.

Here we go:
seams are 3/8"

1. you need three fabrics (two for the outside (A &B), one for the inside (C))
1. Fabric A, 2 - 8 1/4" by 2 1/4"
2. Fabric B, 8 1/4" by 7 1/2"
3. Fabric C, 8 1/4" by 10 1/2"
4. Iron on Interfacing, 8 1/4" by 10 1/2"
5. two ribbons (or fabric for handles), each 2 1/4" long
2. making the bottom (step 5): line should be 3"

instead of ribbon I made two straps out of fabric. I cut them 1" wide and about 4" long. I folded it in half, then folded the edges into the middle and sewed along each edge. I've had bad experiences with ribbon breaking and ripping, so I thought this would be a longer lasting solution.

Can I just say that seeing the numbers 22 by 20, even though they are cm, made me think these were going to be really big. It turned out a LOT smaller than I was expecting, but I really like it. :) Plus... it was SO FAST! Always a bonus. ;)

I'm kind of on a role with using gray with all of my "sewing room" accessories. (I don't really have a sewing room. Really it's a corner in our bedroom.) This will match perfectly with my new pincushion, plus another project I'm just about done with. :) Love it!