My housekeeper rocks.

This is her newest creation...

 I ♥ it.

My kids ♥ it.

The beautify your tank tutorial HERE. 

Fabric Carrot Tutorial

Quilted Fabric Carrots

I have been totally wanting to make some more Eastery decor items.

 Since quilting is my main love I decided to quilt some carrots!

Supplies for 1 carrot:

Batting scrap atleast 20" X 8.5"

Orange fabric atleast 20" X 8.5"

Green fabric atleast  6" X 12"

coordinating thread 

Creative Grid 60 Triangle Ruler

polyfil

sewing needle

Here are samples of oranges I used.

layer the batting and the orange fabric together and quilt a random pattern of "almost" straight lines.

take your Creative Grid Ruler and line it up with the---- side of the quilted fabric and cut out a triangle.

I found there are 2 ways to attach the carrot tops.

The first option I folded the right sides of the triangle together as shown.

pin the edge and sew.

then turn right side out and flatten.

using a

square ruler....trim off the excess 'ear'

stuff the carrot with polyfil.

Using a double stranded thread gather the open edge of the carrot and pull opening closed.

Finish with a double knot.

I made several carrots.

I was able to gather this nearly closed,

the leafy fringe will cover this up.

In addition, I made 4 types of green leaves.

First I used Make Life fabric 6" X 12" and batting.

Layered them and stitched lines as shown across the bottom.

Trim about 1/4 inch from the sewn lines.

Then cut down in between the lines to form the leaves.

Roll up the leaves and sewn to the top of the carrot.

Second style is homespun.

Take a piece of homespun about 4" X 8".

Pin and sew to the top of the carrot before gathering.

gather the orange carrot fabric/green leaves

then sew across the opening

should look like this.

I took an extra strip to cover the opening of the top.

I cut the fabric from the raw edge toward the sewn edge of the homespun. This created 'leaves'.

Third option is again to sew the 'leave' fabric before you sew the carrot closed as shown.

I took a green 6" X 12" and folded it in half. Sew across the top with raw edge to the bottom. 

Then sew carrot, turn right side out.

The raw leave edge is now 'up'.

Gather inner fabric and hand sew closed.

 

Next gather the carrot an leaves with sewing thread.

This is how I 'closed' the top of this carrot style.

Carrot will look like this.

Trim from the raw edge of the leaves to the sewn edge to create the 'leaves'.

This shows the leaves in batik fabric.

I would say I like the look of the homespun the best, but the batik was easier to sew and gather.

The result is a basket of fabric carrots, super fun Eastery decor.

I was really pleased that I was able to use only my stash for this project.

I hope you are inspired to create some carrots for your Easter decor.

Sneakier peek

Here's a sneakier peek at my next Moda Bakeshop quilt.

I ♥ it.

It's the orange...totally lovin' the orange.

Friday report etc.

Now many of you are probably wondering what in the world happened at the Sewing and Quilting Expo.

Well Rachel and I went with my mother in law.

We talked A LOT.

We shopped a bit {no way compares to market}

Tried to take pictures and were yelled at....

oops should have asked first...

Guess what it was?  Natalia's quilt from Moda Bakeshop. yep.

There were kits. AND the shop wouldn't let us take a pic {legally}!!

however I did snap a pic on my Blackberry {illegally??}

We ate. We talked A LOT. 

It was fun. 

I did make a couple of purchases.

Mainly a layer cake of Figgy Pudding and a couple yard cuts.

Figgy Pudding is getting increasingly harder to find and so I wanted just a bit more before it's gone.

Yes I am a Moda manic and totally proud of it.
So the rest of this week is up in the air. My mother in law is going on Monday and my brother is coming at the same time (literally...same airport and all). Then my brother is leaving the next day (long story).
Tuesday we are off to spring break. Spring break could/should  mean MORE sewing,more pictures, more relaxing. Oh and yes my laptop and camera are coming with me....I hope to have something to blog about...since I will have a bit more time :)

fun friday..

So the plan is that Rachel and I are heading off to the I-X Center today for the Sewing and Quilting Expo.  Will we take awesome pictures?? not sure. 

 Will the PG Rachel let me take her picture? not sure.
I will report tomorrow :)

Petit Lace Table Runner Tutorial

I have been sewing and sewing here...with nearly nothing to show for it.

Some things simply can't be shown yet.

However, this little number can. 

Way back in September 2009  I made a special quilt for fall quilt market using Mill House Inn fabric. 

I am like most quilters in that I keep ALL my scraps.

 You just never know when you'll need them.

With the Mill House Inn scraps I made this quick table runner. It was intended to be a compliment to the lap quilt that might lay on my couch near my sewing area.

I still can't show you that lap quilt...but as I said, I can share this with you.

Petit Lace Table Runner

Ingredients:

Scraps/ Strips atleast 8" X 1.75" ( I used Mill House Inn Layer Cake scraps)

1 yard backing and binding

batting atleast  14" X 30"

4 yards crocheted lace trim 

Chose 22  1.75" X 8" strips {some of my strips were a bit narrower}

sew them together on the 8 inch side....

you may want to arrange them..or pick them out of a brown paper bag for a really scrappy look.

continue to sew them end to end.

create a strip 8" X ~ 24"

create the border

take 6 darker strips

 sew 2 sets of  3 - 1.75" strips end  to end.

I pin ALL my seams

here are the 2 strips of 'border'

sew these strips to the 32" side of the runner.

layer with batting and backing

machine or hand quilt the runner

chose your crocheted lace trim

pin and sew along the darker border with a matching thread.

Add binding,

trim excess batting and finish binding.

Yield:

A lovely Petit Lace Table Runner

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. It's also what inspired part of my Skinny Verna Modabakeshop tutorial.