The Sewing Mom

I created this Advent Calendar wall hanging using pre-printed cotton fabric. The finished size is approx. 28″ long x 21″ wide. Each of the 24 pockets is trimmed in metallic gold thread and are ready for small surprises to be stashed inside. The entire calendar is machine quilted with a polyester batting in between the fabric layers.

This Advent Calendar is for sale for $20 plus shipping.  If you are interested in the hanging rod, it is priced at $18.

If interested, please leave a comment and we will go from there. 

I really have no idea why this project is taking me so dang long, but it is. I had planned on finishing this last week, but just didn’t get it done. This is my Countdown to Christmas project, designed by Nancy Halverson. I have been working on it for several weeks and hope to finish it this week, for sure! I must admit, I did create 4 tote bags during the last few weeks as well and had to set this project aside while I was doing that.

Last week I managed to get all but one of the hanging loops sewn onto each individual block, I was one short and need to make that loop. I also have the backs sewn on all but 5 of the 13 blocks. So, once I make the last loop, I can get it sewn on and finish sewing the backs on the remaining blocks. Finally, I’ll be able to quilt around all of the applique and these will be done, just in time to begin counting down the days until Christmas.

So, if you don’t see me here, you’ll know I’m at my sewing machine.

As many of you all ready know, I’ve been learning to piece fabrics together to make a quilt. I’ve been doing piece work for several years, but I’ve always done smaller projects such as purses and tote bags which are much more forgiving if my pieces don’t match up quite right. With a quilt though, things can really look bad if not done properly, it may not even lay flat if the seams aren’t correct.  Who wants a quilt that won’t lay flat?  In other words, it’s important to actually know what you’re doing, if you want to make a quilt!

Quilting is becoming a family tradition for us. My mom is an avid and phenomenal quilter. Both of my sisters have been making quilts and wall hanging much longer than I have and I am the newbie, but enjoying it. The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that when it comes to taking on projects like quilts, it can be so helpful to be a part of a quilters group, a group of people doing the same type of work, who can help with questions and directions. Before taking my beginning piecing class last month, I couldn’t even understand the directions for cutting the fabric, it made absolutely no sense to me. Since taking the class, I’ve not only completed the quilt top we made in class, but I ventured out on my own, bought fabric and a pattern, and completed a quilt top for my granddaughter too! I feel like I’ve made so much progress in the last few months and am very pleased with the results.

My mom and sister belong to a local quilt guild, a group of women who get together on a regular basis to work on projects and to teach each other new techniques or patterns. They have really been enjoying both the quilting aspect of it as well as the friendships they’ve formed. As a beginner, I’m not sure I’m ready to join a guild, but I recently found a great online quilting forum where I can go, as a member, and ask questions and get answers. This is a great place where other individuals, with the same (or greater) level of enthusiasm for quilting, can come together, much like in a guild, and share ideas. It’s also a great place to showcase projects I am working on or will complete (once I get my quilt tops turned into finished quilts!).

MyQuiltPatch.com is a subscription based quilting website that is loaded with quilting articles, patterns, projects and many other resources for quilters of all levels. Similar to a magazine subscription, there is an annual membership fee, or, fees can be paid monthly. This really is a great time to join because the site is offering a discounted “Founder Member” rate of only $7 per month, a savings of over $12 per month off the regular subscription rate. A few of the features include a forum, private messaging between members, web video chat, photo galleries and links to members personal websites. One of my favorite features is the video tutorials, I can actually learn quilting techniques from this site! Anyone with a passion for quilting should check out www.MyQuiltPatch.com and take advantage of their one month free trial they currently have available.

The biggest benefit for me is the easy online access when I’m in the middle of a project and need help. It’s an interactive community of quilters, what better place to go to with my questions?  Even if I were in a guild, this is a great forum to be a member of, with 24 hour access, 7 days a week.  After all, you just never know when I’m going to need project help!

I’ve had this fabric for several months and knew I wanted to make a tote bag, I just couldn’t decide which one to make. I became inspired Saturday morning, perhaps it was because I had just completed my last blood test for the year, and because it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to make this one special.

The tote bag measures approximately 18″ x 19″ and has a magnetic snap closure at the top. The fabric is all 100% quilt quality, and most of the fabric is from the Breast Cancer collection. The exterior of the bag is machine pieced and quilted, all by me. There are 2 exterior pockets, one on each side of the bag, and 3 interior pockets.

The size of this tote bag makes it perfect for carrying just about anything, whether it’s sewing supplies, exercise gear, or diapers, it’s got plenty of room.

Thirteen steps I took to create this quilt top:

1.  Choose fabrics, 1 “focus” fabric that will be used in between the pieced strips, 5 coordinating fabrics to use for pieced strips and 1 background fabric.
2. Cut all pieces except focus fabric and store in labeled baggies.
3. Draw diagonal lines on 18 background squares and 36 color squares for use on bow ties and flying geese.
4. Stitch together piano keys (2nd multi-colored row in picture)
5. Stitch together the confetti stripe.  The directions say to stitch to long rows and then seam them together.  I chose to piece together smaller blocks and then piece the blocks together.  The end result is the same, but I found it easier to match the seams.  (4th multi-colored strip in photo)
6. Piece and stitch together the 9-patch blocks.  This was done by first piecing strips together and then cutting them in to 2 1/2 inch segments.   3 of the smaller segments were then pieced together to form each block.  (top multi-colored strip in photo)
7. Using the squares that have diagonal lines on the (drawn earlier) piece together the bow tie blocks.  Piece each block together.  (bottom multi-colored strip in photo)
8. using rectangles and squares, piece together the flying geese.  This was probably the most interesting because it requires using squares to make triangles.  I did enjoy this one the most.
9. Stitch all of the geese together making sure not to cut off their noses.   (middle mult-colored row in photo)
10. measure all multi-colored rows and add or take away to make them the same length.  I did add one piano key.  Pressing the rest made them all pretty equal.
11. Cut focus fabric to same length as all multi-colored strips
12. Cut 6 strips of focus fabric to be 6 1/2″ x width of fabric (determined in previous step)
13. Sew alternating strips together to get a finished quilt top.