Quilt Finish





It is finally finished! I made it my goal to finish my Jacob's Ladder quilt this weekend. I had been working on   this quilt on and off for several weeks already and I was so anxious to finish it. I'm so pleased with the results... The quilt measures about 65X65 inches, perfect for a lap quilt. I was going to use plain white cotton for the backing, but then I decided to add some color. I added a wonky star right in the center (the first one I ever made) and I love it! I think I want to make a quilt  using just one large wonky star (maybe that should be my next project...). To finish it off, I used yellow and white polka dot fabric for the binding; as I mentioned before, I have a soft spot for polka dots. 
As the weather cools down it will come in handy to snuggle by the fireplace or to keep us warm while watching TV.
I hope you have a lovely week

Martha.

Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop

 
Hello fellow Blog Hoppers and welcome to my Weekend Doings. I have been looking forward to this day for a few months and it is finally here! My name is Martha.  I live in California with my husband and our two beloved dogs. I am an accountant and  currently work full time as a business administrator for a construction company On my free time (on the weekends) I enjoy cooking, baking, gardening, taking photos, and my new found love: quilting. I'm so glad you are here, please look around and I hope you visit again.
Thank you so much to Beth from Plum and June for organizing the Blog Hop it is such fun event. And for giving us these questions to make it easier for us to get acquainted: 

How long you have been quilting?
Not long. My husband bought me my first sewing machine on January of this year. I was looking for a new hobby to keep my mind occupied to help me overcome the loss of my mother (she passed away last year just two months after been diagnosed with breast cancer). So I decided to venture into sewing which then led to quilting. I learned to embroider and hand stitch from my mom. She was a very talented tailor. Growing up I spent many afternoons sitting by her side looking at her do wonders with fabric, playing with the scraps and rearranging the pins on her pincushion. But I never asked her to teach me how to sew; I guess I figured I had time, and I now regret it... I think it would had been wonderful if we had discovered quilting together.

Favorite quilting tips?
I still have a lot of things to learn, but in my short experience sewing I have learned that is important not to stress out if a project doesn't turn out "perfect" the fact that it is handmade is what makes it perfect and more precious.

Favorite blogging tips?
Be yourself and enjoy the process. 

Favorite fabric?
Oh there are so many... Linen is a must have and right now on my wish list are Aneela Hoey's So Stitchy, Denyse Schmidt and Liberty of London Fabrics. 

Favorite craft book?
I love collecting books and it is hard to pick a favorite, but right now I have been using a lot Pretty in Patchwork: Doll Quilts

Favorite quilting tool?
My rotary cutter. It just makes cutting fabric so easy!

Favorite music while quilting?
I like to listen to a mix of country music, soft rock and  love songs

Favorite TV show while hand stitching?
Re-runs of Gilmore Girls and Friends. The Big Bang Theory and the Mentalist.

Binding - by hand or by machine?
Both, I first attach the binding to the front of the quilt by machine and finish it off by hand.

If I'd had known -  what you wish you knew before you started your blog?
If I had known how embracing the blogging community would be I would had started my blog a lot sooner. I'm amazed everyday at how friendly and talented everyone is.

I prepared a tutorial to make this fabric covered tin can. You can find it here


Thank you so much for stopping by and please visit these blogs that are participating with me this week:
October 2: Melissa from Sew Bitter Sweet Designs 
October 4: Catherine from My Life in Binding and Patricia from Quilting Lines

Martha


Tutorial: Fabric Covered Tin Can

Fabric Covered Can


I have been obsessed about covering tin cans lately. It all started about a month ago when I was looking for affordable yet beautiful containers to organize my sewing room. When I blogged about my fabric covered tin cans I got such very lovely comments that I decided to write a tutorial on how to make them.

This is what you need:
  • 1 tin can rinsed and all labels removed. Make sure it has no sharp edges on the rim
  • A piece of linen fabric at least 10X6 inches
  • Fabric scraps
  • Batting
  • Embroidery floss

Measure the circumference and height of you can. The can I used is a 16 oz can and it measures 9 1/4 inches around and 3 5/8 inches high so all the measurements will be based on that.

Cutting fabric:
Background: Cut 1 piece 10X3.5 inches of the linen.
Closing End: Cut 1 piece 4.5X2 inches of the linen
Binding: Cut 2 pieces 10X1.5 inches of a contrasting fabric
Hexies; Fussy cut 4 pieces from your fabric scraps and make 4 2 inches hexies
Batting: Cut 1 piece 10X3 inches 
Trace the bottom of your can on the felt to cut a circle



Assembling the pieces together:




  • Lay your batting on our table, then place the background fabric on top, then place a piece of of your binding fabric right side facing down and align  to the edge. Sew all pieces together using a 1/2 inch seam. Repeat on the other side. Fold the binding fabric outwards and iron the seams. You are going to have bout 1/2 inch of fabric overhang: fold over the back of the panel and iron. Now your binding is complete.




    • Now we are going to attach the closing end. Fold your fabric that you cut for the closing end in half and iron. Attach to one end of the panel using a 1/4 inch seam, fold over the seam and iron. Then fold the overhangs from each side underneath the panel, iron and hand stitch to the back to secure.




      • Arrange your hexies the way you would like them on your panel. Hand-applique them to the background fabric. Optional; using embroidery floss quilt around the hexies using a running stitch.


        • Almost done... Warp your finished panel around the tin can making sure the the side where you sewed the closing end sits on top of the unfinished side. Using a blind stitch, sew the edge of the closing end to the panel. Then place the felt circle that you cut earlier in the bottom of the can.

          Fabric Covered Can


          And there you have it a beautiful container to keep things organized.

          Martha

          Dresden Mini Quilt




          I finished my Dresden Mini Quilt today. It is a tiny one... it only measures 10X10 inches. But I have never done a Dresden before, so I wanted to start small. The Dresden is hand applique to the background fabric and I used Perle cotton thread for the hand quilting. I really like the way it turned out. It makes me think of a sunny summer day every time I look at it. I am going to hang it in my sewing room to add some cheer to my wall. 
          I hope you are having a great week!

          Martha 

          Work in Progress


          Some of the things I started to work on this weekend: a dresden mini-quilt and a scarf. I had not done any knitting for a while and last Friday I visited my local Jo-Ann store and I couldn't resit this yarn. It feels so soft and cozy I immediately thought it will make a great scarf to keep me warm this winter. I just hope I can finish it in time!

          Martha

          Sunday: Out and About


          Today was a good day. My husband and I went to IKEA; that is always fun. I bought some fun fabric there. I still don't know what I'm going to do with with... maybe some pillows or a skirt for my cutting table. On our way back we took a different route home and drove through a neighborhood near the mountains and this is what we saw. Deer hanging out in people's yards. This little guy was strolling around with such ease and was not bother at all by me taking a picture.
          I hope you had a good weekend, too.

          Martha. 

          New In My Sewing Room



          I want to introduce you to the new addition in my sewing room. A coworker was giving it away, his wife is not much into sewing and they both insisted I should have it (a free sewing machine I will take it!). It is a Kenmore 12 Ultra Stitch; I took it for a test run and all the stitches work and it sews beautifully on heavy fabrics and bulky seams. I don't know how old it is, but what it is for sure is that its previous owners took really good care or it: it even came with its original box of presser feet and attachments. I'm a lucky girl! I think it will make a good companion to my Janome.

          Martha.