Date Planner/Journal Cover Tutorial

I was looking at various blogs on the net and found a blog called Totally Tutorials. This blog hosts exchanges between suppliers and crafters. I was choosen to receive this fat quarter of fabric from Sasha from Fabric Fusion to create a project from it. This fabric is called Dance with Me by Jennifer Paganelli.

I am pleased to share this tutorial for this Date Planner/Journal Cover

A Finish and A Start

I started this Boxy Stars quilt from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville last spring. I wanted to use up some of my scrap fabric but somehow ended up with more scraps than I started with.

I was looking at various blogs on the net and found the Totally Tutorial blog. (See link in sidebar.) This blog hosts an exchange program for suppliers and crafters. I applied for one of the exchanges and was accepted. I have to create a project and write a tutorial with pictures using the fabric "Dance With Me" by Jennifer Paganelli. The supplier for this wonderful fabric is Sasha of Fabric Fusion. Stay tuned for the finished project.

Binding Tutorial

These instructions are for making binding on the straight of the grain of the fabric.

Cut 2.5 inch strips from the fabric you have chosen for your binding. To determine the number of strips you need measure your project vertically and horizontally through the middle, multiply that number by 2 and add 12. Take this number and divide by 42 (or the width of your fabric). This will tell you how many width of fabric strips you will need.

Sew your strips end to end using a 1/4 " seam allowance.

Press your sewn strips in half horizontally.

Starting half way down one side leave approximately a 6 " tail machine sew the pressed binding around the edges of the front side of your project using 1/4" seam allowance. Miter the corners by stopping 1/4" away from the corner with the needle down, turn project, back stitch off project, fold binding at a 45 degree angle up, then fold binding straight down and continue down next side. Repeat for each corner.

When you are approaching your starting point stop approximately 8" from the beginning tail. Remove project from machine, lay project flat and measure binding so it overlaps the beginning tail 1/4". Sew loose ends together as illustrated. Then continue sewing binding as before until you reach the beginning stitches.

Trim the edges even to the binding.

Pin the binding to the back of the project.

Hand sew in place using a blind hem stitch.

Post Card

I wanted to send my husband's aunt something unique for her birthday. She likes foxes so I thought this would make a cute birthday card.

Getting a start on Christmas

I know some people are well into Christmas preparations but for me this is early. I have never made a quilted Christmas stocking. A friend asked if I could make one for her to give as a gift. After some Internet research and looking through my existing patterns this is what I came up with.

Pumpkin Patch Give Away

I was looking around on the net this afternoon and came across this fantastic giveaway. Check it out for yourself at http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-happy-halloween-giveaway.html

Quilt Repair

A friend from work told me about her quilt. It was a wedding gift from her husband's grandmother and it was in need of some repair. She asked me if I had ever repaired a quilt before. I said no but I would do some research and see if I could figure it out and if I could I would try to fix up hers. I came home and went online and found a few sites that showed quilt repair. I went back and told her I would try but no promises. I couldn't match up the damaged fabric so I bought a colour similar. Then I cut strips of fabric the correct size adding seam allowances. I then proceeded to hand stitch them to the damaged areas also replacing batting as I went. After all the torn strips were replaced I requilted the areas I repaired. This took a bit of time as I don't hand stitch very quickly. I finally finished the repair this weekend.