Monday, December 22, 2014

"In the meadow"- Snowman Christmas Stocking

Our littlest Grandchild needed a Christmas stocking this year. Last Christmas he was only 3 weeks old and he had a store bought "Baby's First Christmas" stocking.



I saw a snowman block that I liked on a pattern for a table runner and decided to make one block and create a stocking out of it. Next year I'm planning on making that whole table runner to use here at Christmas time.

Pattern:   "In the Meadow- Snowman"
Quilter's World  "Quilting for the Holidays"  Nov. 2014  pg. 139

It starts out with a 5 1/2" snowball white fabric block (1 1/2" blue corners) for the body, along with a 2 1/2" X 3 1/2" rectangle for the head. The hat is 2 black rectangles: 1 1/2" X 5 1/2" and 1 1/2" X 3 1/2" from black fabric.  Then I added two 1 1/2"X 2 1/2" rectangles next to the head and then blue fabric strips ( 2 1/2" X 9 1/2") on each side.   It creates a 9 1/2" snowman block.

I also sewed 3 smaller snowball blocks 3 X 3" which I incorporated into the stocking below the snowman. The rest of the stocking front is made of strips of Xmas scraps cut in various widths.  The back of the stocking is made out of Christmas fabric printed with cute little birdhouses and other Christmasy things on it.

I used the same template to cut out this stocking as I did for the Star stockings Which I made last Christmas for the twins.
( Xmas stocking template: Fons and Porter magazine Nov. 2013  page 52-55)

Lining: All 3 stockings are lined with Christmas fabric.
Top edge Binding:  The trickiest part was attaching the binding to the top of the stocking and making the loop. (  I cut 2 1/4" strips of fabric, sewed them together end to end, then pressed them in half, right sides out. I used a few dabs of "Speed Sew" glue to attach the binding to the stocking in a few spots, then stitched the binding on securely on my machine. I then flipped the binding over the raw edge to the inside of the stocking and then sewed it in by hand.)

The snowman stocking is quite large, 19 1/2" long X 6 1/2 " wide.  Our little guy seemed to like it quite a bit after he had unwrapped it at his first birthday party on Dec. 3 (2014).

Star stockings made last Christmas for the twins' 2nd Christmas
The star stocking are about 18" long and also 6 1/2" wide.


Let it Snow, Let it Snow- Snowman Placemats

Let it Snow, Let it Snow- Snowman Placemats

Claire's placemat has regular binding made of 2 1/4 inch strips of pink star fabric matching the back and scarf.

The Hallowe'en Jack-o-lantern Placemats were such a hit, I decided to make our 4 little grandchildren a snowman placemat to use over Christmas and the winter.
I found a cute pattern for snowman face block on a wall hanging featuring 3 little snowman faces with different accessories, either a hat, a scarf or earmuffs.  
(Quilter's World magazine-  "Quilting for the Holidays" fall 2014 Page 130)

It starts out as a 10 1/2 inch snowball block made out of white fabric, ( 3 1/2" blue squares for the corners)  then 1 1/2 inch strips of median blue fabric for the sashing.

I added 3 1/2" X 12 1/2" rectangles of pale blue hearts, mitts and evergreen print fabric to the sides, then 1 3/4" strips of the same fabric to the top and bottom.

Tanner's Mat-  Dark green Christmas tree fabric backing and mock binding on edges.

After that chose some fabric to use for the hat, scarf and earmuffs.  Than I tried to scan the templates for the accessories and blow them up 150%. Had a bit of trouble with our scanner so I ended up drawing them bigger, then tracing them onto the back of the Steam-a-Seam webbing. Next I pressed them lightly onto the back of the fabrics, cut them out and arranged them on each snowman block in correct oder. (the scarf has 4 separate pieces, the hat and earmuffs have 3 each.)  I chose a blanket stitch on my Janome and sewed around the outsides of the appliqués accessories in their respective colours. I also appliquéd orange carrot shaped noses on the faces and used my "disappearing ink" pen to draw the eyes, and mouths.

I used machine stitches for sewing the eyes and mouths next:  After a couple of bad attempts which were rectified with the seam ripper, I ended up using stitch #  139 twice to make each eye (once on the right and once upside down to the left). Then Quilt stitch # 93 for the mouths, going over the mouth lines twice (and even 3 times in one case) to make the mouths stand out more.

Hayden's Mat -Red snowflake back fabric and mock binding matching the pom pom

Each placemat has a different back, either pink, red or green print, depending on the colour of the accessory on the front.
Quilting: I machine quilted with white thread around the snowman faces, then with blue thread around the sashing, and coloured thread around the hats, scarf or ear muffs. I free- motion quilted loops and squiggles on the sides and bottom fabric.  Next I trimmed the excess batting off the edges using scissors, and then trimmed the back fabric to 1 1/2" width all around the edges of the mats.

Adelynn's Mat: Pink/white polka dot back fabric and mock binding matching the hat


To make the mock binding:
I pressed in each corner of the extra back fabric, then pressed the rest of the fabric in half towards the edges of each mat.  Then I turned in the edge fabric once more, pinning it to the placemat on all 4 sides. (It should meet nicely in each corner. Then carefully trim off the excess corner fabric parts that are sticking out.)
Last I sewed all around the 4 sides about 1/16 from the inside fabric edge.
Placemat done!  Finished mats:  15" X 18"




Sunday, December 14, 2014

Wacky Jack Hallowe'en Table Runner 2014

Wacky Jack Hallowe'en Table Runner
This table runner matches the placemats that I had made for my 4 grandchildren and also the Hallowe'en wallhanging that I had made last year.  It ended up being  22 1/2" X 53" quite a good size.

I made 2 foundation pieced blocks, each one 12 1/2 inches square; one is a black cat and the other is a witch on a broomstick. These were 2 free foundation piecing patterns from this website: www.artisania.wordpress.com.  


These were the most difficult foundation piecing I have ever made! There were no directions as to how to start or anything. It looked like you had to cut the patterns into 4 or 5 pieces and make each one separately, then sew them together.   That was more tricky than it sounds. Lining them up was really difficult.


The black cat wasn't too bad, but the witch was a real b..tc to do!  I took that block apart and sewed it back together three times! I  finally had to add an extra piece of fabric to one piece in the centre around the broomstick just so it would match up to the rest.  :(

(Note to self: throw this witch pattern away and never make it again.)










The Jack-o-lantern block was easy as I have made them so many times now. :) It is also 12 1/2 square when completed.  Next I sewed  the 3 big blocks together with 1 1/2" strips of sashing (black spiderweb/ pumpkin fabric). I fussy cut 2 rectangles 4 X 12 1/2" from a black hallowe'en print and sewed one on each end.



Next I added 2" strips of the web/ pumpkin fabric to the top and bottom of the runner.

 I appliquéd eyes, nose and mouth (solid black fabric) and a green stem on the Jack-o-lantern.  I used Heat bond thermo web and machine stitched the appliqués with stitch #45 on my Janome.


The back fabric is a cute orange and black eyeball print.  I did not add batting to the middle, instead I used up the rest of my roll of "Whisper web". After that I made a mock binding around the edge (flipping over the extra back fabric to use.)
 Last  I lightly machine quilted it to keep the Whisper Web from shifting around.

I like how it turned out!


Saturday, December 13, 2014

Tricia's BD Placemats Sept/2014


Fall Scrappy Birthday Placemats



Worked on a set of fall placemats in September as  a birthday gift for my step-daughter.  It was a last minute thing so I only got 2 done in time for her birthday. Worked on 4 more later in September which our son-in-law brought back to BC for her. I have the blocks ready to create the last two, hopefully before the end of the year…  :)



Placing blocks for placemat

Pinned and waiting for quilting