May Zoo Animal and a Birthday Needlebook

I finished my giraffe for the Zoo Animal Quilt Along at Quiet Play just in time.

The parrot or maybe it's a blue macaw will be next for June and Kristy has the pattern out!

Here's the menagerie so far!  Just 4 blocks left!

I put together a little birthday needlebook for a friend.

As I've done before, I stamped the little center block, coloring the stamp with fabric marker and then coloring in  with sharpie colors.

Inside a pocket and some stamped labels for happiness.

The back

Linking up with Kristy at Quiet Play.  Drop by and see all the pretty giraffes!
Also linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts

Christmas Corner May 2015 -- Christmas Patterns-- UPDATE and request for pattern testers

Welcome to Christmas Corner!  A Place to Share Christmas Projects throughout the year on the 25th of each month!

UPDATE:  After completing the Christmas Star Stained Glass block, I wondered what to do with it?  Then it hit me.... it really looks like stained glass, so why not frame it and hang it in the window?

But how -- hang it between two pieces of glass with a metal frame?  Here it is tacked to the back of an open frame and set it on an easel.  Another drawback -- the sun will suck out the color!  I wonder if the right glass might protect it?

Pattern Testers Requested

I would love to have some pattern testers make it up in their own colors.  If interested, leave a comment and I'll send you the link to the PDF pattern.  And please link up so everyone can see the creativity!

Here is the original post from the 25th...
For May I'm trying out designing some Christmas Patterns.  

I love stained glass and am designing a Christmas Star stained glass paper pieced block.  One of my goals for this year is to make a PDF pattern to share on my blog.  So this is in process.

Here's the first test block but still need to add the borders.

And here is the beginning of a design for a pieced deer block (watch for free pattern next month) which will eventually be a pillow.

I was traveling quite a bit this month and don't have much to show.  But I finished the Dala Horse block for the Not So Last Minute Quilt Along with A Quilting Chick.

I have 4 blocks done for the Quilt Along but still need to complete the Star of Bethlehem for May.  (I have the pattern printed out, so that's a start.)

Thanks for stopping by and see you next month!
Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts -- check out her wonderful rag rug
And linking up with Quilt Art Designs

Scrappy Back Pack

I needed a new back pack and wanted to work with some scraps and dived right in to make this new pack.

The new pack is fairly small (like the old one) because our work lockers are very narrow.  (Pack is modeled by Stubs -- we got her at Christmas time.)

The old Back Pack has been very useful (light weight and compact, perfect for biking) -- but it's fraying at the top area where the draw string pulls through.

Here's the back.  But I think I prefer the patchwork, so it could also be the front!

I added pockets inside to accommodate sunglasses, reading glasses, cell phone, and keys.  And there's still enough room for a lunch bag.  I should sew a matching lunch bag!

I ran down to Wal-Mart and got some eyelets, which were pretty easy to apply.  Then went ahead and removed the cording from the old pack and inserted it to complete the back pack!

  

There is just one small problem though.... my commuter bike is green!

Well it's as good a reason as any other to make another one!

And I just remembered I have some fabric with bicycles on it!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Entries

Are you entering the Blogger's Quilt Festival?  You can enter up to two quilts and/or it's fun to go to the festival and look around too!  There are all sorts of categories.  I'm entering the rainbow and mini categories.

 Rainbow Heart Quilt

I took this off my daughter's bed and outside to photograph since the photos in the original blog post weren't adequate.

There is a little story that goes with this quilt.  When my middle daughter was little, I made her a rainbow heart cake for her birthday and it was a favorite and we had it off and on throughout the years.   

So when I asked what kind of quilt she wanted, she said, "A rainbow heart quilt."

 Cupcake Wall Hanging for Culinary Graduation

This one also has a story.  My coworkers daughter started baking at 3 and even entered many baking contests so when she got a scholarship to Culinary School, no one was surprised.

   I've had many opportunities to sample her tasty delights in the last 10 years.

The wall hanging doubles as a pillow too!

I thought of entering my "Night Before Christmas" pillow in the original design category, but it's put away and too much trouble to dig out and photograph.  Maybe next year.

Linking up with Amy at Amy's Creative Side and Crazy Mom Quilts.

Forget Me Not Spring Petals Table Topper

The Crafty Quilter is having a Spring Petals Quilt Along (PDF here).  

I love the cheerful design and made mine in scrappy blues I had on hand.

I usually avoid applique and wondered if I could use another method because my applique efforts disappoint me.

I found a free Orange Peel quilt pattern.

The orange peel blocks turned out to be a good substitute for the appliqued petals.  When squared up, they are 4 1/2" so the topper turns out a bit smaller than Julie's.

After following Julie's tutorial, I decided to quilt it with FMQ feathers around each petal.

For the corners, I wanted to do a cross hatch pattern.  I printed one out and then trimmed out a little above each line so I could mark the fabric with my frixion pen (then flipped it over to mark the opposite lines) and then proceeded to sew, following the marked lines, using a walking foot.

All bound and as usual, I added the two triangles to the upper corners so it could be a wall hanging as well as a topper and added some labeling info. to the triangles.

As a Wall Hanging.

Still I like it as a topper best!

Linking up with The Crafty Quilter (the link up will go on through June 30th --whoops, I mean the 5th! -- you may want to stop by to see the variety of spring petals so far!)  Also linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

Dala Horse and Mother's Day Cards

The Dala Horse for the Not So Last Minute Quilt Along.

Here is a photo and explanation of a Dala horse from Wikipedia.

A Dalecarlian horse or Dala horse (Swedish: Dalahäst) is a traditional carved, painted wooden horse statuette originating in Swedish province Dalarna. In the old days the Dala horsewas mostly used as a toy for children; in modern times it has become a symbol of Dalarna, as well as Sweden in general.

 Now onto the Star of Bethlehem

I was going to buy some Mother's Day cards but then remembered that I'm sometimes asked why I didn't make them, if that's the case, so decided to hand craft them after all.

 I stamped images (filling in the lines with a sharpie or micron pen as needed) on white fabric and then colored them with fabric markers.

I pinked the edge of the fabric and then sewed it onto card stock, which I also cut a decorative edge. If interested, see envelope instructions bottom of page. 

 The envelopes are made by sealing an envelope and then cutting it in half, then you take one side (actually don't cut it in half but cut it so one side is bigger) -- then you feed the bigger half into a crimping device, which makes it a little smaller so now the other side fits over it.  You can then decorate the "lid" part with stamping and scalloping the bottom edge (or however you want).  I used two envelopes (that I made using an existing envelope as a template) so that's why I have different colors for the two parts.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts

Mickey Needle Book

A good friend is going to Disney World and her birthday is coming up.  Wouldn't a Mickey Mouse needle book be a nice gift to tuck away into her suitcase?

I had a scrap of Mickey fabric and knew black polka dots would be darling.

A Gingham ribbon to hold the scissors and a bit to decorate the page, plus a stamped label.

Inside back cover with another stamped label, although I don't have a Mickey stamp so free handed it.

And Mickey's signature for the back cover.

Snowflake from the Not So Last Minute Quilt Along.  Starting to catch up.  Love those sparkles!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts

This Week's Projects: Puppy Needle Book and More

A Finished Puppy Dog Needle Book

I stamped some puppy foot prints for alternating 2" blocks(unfinished) in this 9 patch.

 Machine Quilting in Red.

For the back, stamped "for you with love" on center of the 9 patch.

Another stamped label inside and a strip of red gingham ribbon.

Working on the Snowflake block for the Not So Last Minute Quilt Along with A Quilting Chick.  I'm quite a bit behind.  Still need to finish this one for March, the Dala Horse for April and now the Star of Bethlehem for May.

I spent quite a bit of time designing and sewing a little bag.  It has lining pockets specially sewn to hold glasses, keys, and cell phone.  The only problems are it is turning out smaller than expected and it's crooked so I'm going to try and straighten it.   I'm enjoying the machine embroidered quilting along each stripped seam.

I added some hand quilting to the mini Christmas needle book I showed last week on Christmas Corner.

And a little piece of gingham ribbon to hold the scissors.  This has already become a birthday gift for my quilting buddy/teacher, Nancy!

Thanks for stopping by!  Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.  Stop by to see Amanda's beautiful fabric designs that will be available through Connecting Threads this fall.  (I'm not compensated but just love Amanda's style and designs and Connecting Threads also.)