Random: Check out

the sewing trash bowl is empty!
the sewing table is clean!
the sewing machine is off!
the gas tank is full!
the accommodation is booked!
the luggage is packed!
the gifts are wrapped!
the little busy person got her personal belongs all group together { She has 4 of them}.

we are checking out here till first week of august! it is time for a real trip and vacation!

wish you all busy and sew on and on..

xxC

Lemon Tree Quilt

{ my second post of the day}
I took an advantage of cool temperature last night and hand bounded the Lemon Tree quilt. When I came to the last stitch of the binding it was full of excitement. It is almost like welcome a new family member to join us. This quilt is so summer and so cheerful. Lots blue, green, and yellow. It is just perfect color to describe my summer days.

I used the solid fabric pieces from my stash and scrap pieces from the quilt top fabrics.  The solids are corn yellow and robin egg. They are so well matched together. These are from Kona Cotton solids. This coming fall, I would like to start a stash for solids.  They are nicely balance out the printed prints and also bring the simplicity to the quilt.

 I attempted a different quilting pattern. I don't know what to call it. I did many free hand pencil drawings before I get on the machine. I used total of 6 full bobbins. The pattern does bring out the nice texture of the quilt. I wish the throat of Bernina machine is a little wider, so it would fit this quilt better and my arms can have more room to move around. 

 my busy little helper.. I can't ask for more..

The quilting pattern goes from the top to the bottom. It gives nice tree leaves look.  Now I think I see lots bow ties. Do you?

 This quilt is really fun and easy to make.  It is really a simple patchwork style quilt. I cut each squares in 6"x6" and have total of 154 squares. The backing fabric is about 5 yards. I always give a little room to my quilting edges, but I don't give 4 inches on each side. I think one inch will do the job.

This afternoon I took this quilt with me and found a great place to photograph it. The tree shadows are perfect reflections to the quilt. Do you see my lemon tree growing in this quilt?

 I have a big love of this quilt at this moment!  I used my favorite prints for majority of the quilt.  Most prints are Denyse Schmidt and some other prints that I have been hoarding. saving.

This quilt marks the quilt number 3 for this summer. It is measured 60"x77".  I have been happy with the productive summer and quilts that have turn out. I wish more cool temperature days here, so I can just sew on and on. ..

xxC

Random: w.i.p.

The house is completed quiet! The exception of  fans are kicking, summer crickets are singing by the window and my computer keyboard is making clicking sounds as I type. The busy little person is in bed early tonight and sounded in sleep now!  During the summer, I get a good 4 hours quiet time each night finish up my tasks then headed to bed for a good night sleep. If you have seen the post up early in the day that means I have sat in the chair by the crickets singing window writing the posts during the late night hours. My friend, Julie calls me a night owl. I always laugh at that. When she heard me talking that I gone to bed at 2 a.m. in the morning and left few hours sleep she thinks I am a little too busy.  I found late night working is more productive compared during the day time. I like to be left out and not needed to talk much when I am working. Just the clunking sound from the sewing machine and the conversation from the movie.  I do some self talking as well.. do you?

I couldn't resist the idea of using up my scraps lately. I am trying hard to find different projects to work and combine ideas of simple and easy to make. Thank you for letting me know Christmas in July isn't too early. I began a little holiday sewing here already. Mom has requested a smallish pouch and my sister needs a pencil case, a makeup case, and a bag for her yoga class.  Don't you just love getting these requests from the families?  Whenever I made something and if S loves it, she likely would spin herself around me all day long and keeps telling me how pretty the tote is or how nice the bucket is.  I love this little follower of mine and you all as well!  I am working with linen again and found a nice way to work with it. I try not to stretch much out when I cut or sew. It does get stretch when I pull too hard. A nice way to do is give a gental iron press before you give you measurement cut. It has been helping me out with last few projects.

More scraps were being cut earlier today. I paired these prints with linen and I think they are nice match to each other.

Besides raspberry tea, I also love fresh raspberries on my ice cream. 

This is a new print that I bring home last week. The blue in the back ground just right for me.

 

When we went to the woodshop last week I made the tool box. It is a little heavier than I like. I used 2/3 inch thick scraps wood that I had from my studio. There are only two compartments for this tool boxes. I did all the cuts and assembling, but it is still pretty rough since I have not get the chance to sand it down and stain it.   It is really a nice smallish tool box for all the sewing supplies.  I might try to make another one for fat quarters.

Thank you all for the sweet comments on the {patchwork buckets} and well wish to my eye. My right eye is all better today. I got some eye drops which have been helping out and relief some pinch pain and itchiness. I think I will do another normal glasses day to make sure everything is ok.

enjoy your day

xxC

Patchwork Buckets

My right eye infection is getting better today.  I wasn't able to do much sewing or paying much attention in front of computer screen last couple of days. It seems like today the right eye is back to normal and doesn't have pinch pain.  I am still on my normal glasses and try to be careful.  Do you remember these {scrap patchwork pieces}?  I turned these patchwork pieces into {patchwork buckets}. Do you remember {the first bucket} I made for S' wooden blocks last year .  We really love the roomy spacious of the bucket. It held a lot of things.  stuff.

I tried two different style. For this bucket. I put the ears on the side and this is more for the storage usage. It is 10" tall and the diameter is 9" { really big}.

 Lined with cotton canvas weight fabric.

For these two buckets. I intended to make two longer handles. One is for picnic and one is for road trip. Thanks to Jakie aka {choleandme}. I used most of scraps she sent me for these bucks. Most of these scraps are cotton canvas weight, so it gives nice weight to the pieces. First I did all the patchwork then quilted with just straight lines on 100% cotton batting. The picnic bucket was with small loops. 

  {small loops quilting}

 The picnic bucket is going to be great for our cracker boxes, chip bags, and small bottles of water.

 The road trip bucket is for my cameras, map, and chargers. I though some small sewing projects as well.

 The storage bucket is for S. I am not sure what she has in mind for this bucket. I am sure will full with her {stuff} soon.

These patchwork buckets are flexible and great for carrying anything.  For trip grocery store or farmer's market?  I am just happy to have these buckets finished and ready to use.

Since the eye infection, I have not done much sewing and trying to rest my eyes. It is a little annoying not be able to use both eyes in the normal condition.  Today, I plan to get the Lemon Tree quilt quilted, so I can have one project cross off my list. The weather is comfortable and another full jar of raspberry tea was made yesterday. I could go and about all day with it.  I also started a little Christmas in July sewing. It will be a little crazy to do all the sewing at the month of December.  Have you start your Christmas list/ sewing?  Or it is a little too early?

8/8/2012 edit: The {patchwork bucket} tutorial is up and running !!

xxC

Random: Weekending

{w.i.p}

{dress hair up}

{scraps}

 { summer stories}

{ music}

{log cabin blocks}

{ meet Oliver, the pup}

may your weekend full of colors, joys, and sew on..

xxC

Hexagon Patchwork Wallet

I finished the hexie patchwork wallet last weekend. I love how this wallet turns out and how some of the prints coordinated each other. The texture is great and soft!  I have been using it for a week now. Now, I am feeling a little greedy that I want would like a leather bag to go with this wallet. I think it would be a nice to have a leather bag to go with.

I saved the cut off half hexies, but not sure what to do yet! Maybe rejoin them and made another full hexie for next project? It actually took me a few days to cut the piece. Yes! more than scary.. so many what if questions pop in my head!

I had planned out to write you a tutorial for this wallet, but I needed to let you know the card pouches weren't turned out so great!  The measurement is not off, but I am not satisfy the way how they hold cards. A few other minor process could have been done differently. The day when I was making this wallet I took over 100 photos to capture most of details. My plan is remake one and work on another detail photos, so they will be clear to myself and you as well. 

I plan on writing few posts on how to make this wallet instead of a long post.  So, I can give you clear photos and better description on each post.  Sometimes, I think long post tutorial is a bit much and get lost in the steps. I am thinking divided into making card pouches, how to open a inner zipper, how to attach pieces together, and final how to assemble.

These two prints: Dear Stella and Denyse Schmidt are great together. If you like fuzzy cut I think the little bird cage piece is great for it. 

There is not much wast of the hexie piece, but I had to make extra piece for the closure ear. Although I love this wallet so much, but I am not certain. I might need to cut this hexie out and make something different. Meanwhile, I will keep using it.

It is a great size for a wallet!  Almost identical to the one that I have.  It will take some time to remake it this time. It is a little disappointed and uncertain to post it for you.  I will start basting the little hexies again today and plan out the pieces for you and will come back with the first tutorial post { Hexie Patchwork Wallet Take one}: supplies. 

Meanwhile, we are heading to the wood shop today and will learn to build tool boxes. It would be a great summer learning for myself and S gets to play some scrap wood blocks. My coffee is brewing and S is playing music. I shall close up here and start our day..

xxC

Random: Patchwork

Stay turn...


xxC

Random: Made a quilt top and made a sweet

 

Thank you for the recommendation of the quilting book.  It is in my Amazon shopping cart now! I can't wait to get the book and try something new!   Do you like getting new books?? S and I both love getting new books. I prefer look over the photos before I read, but she prefers reading from the first page to the last!   But at the end, we sign our books with our name and date. We share what we read and show each other the most interest pages.

If you need some tasty summer dessert, try the {Lemon bar}. It is surely delicious. The recipe called a full cup of fresh lemon juice, but we only used a 1/2 cup instead, but we had 3 tbsp of lemon zest. The crust is crispy and the filling is sweet and soft.   We brought some to our friends last night and had dinner together. We all think it would go well with bitter coffee.

The green, blue, and yellow quilt top is finished. I have never finished a quilt top in a day. It is a simple patchwork piece. No fancy blocks, but what I really like about this quilt is the simplicity of it.  I named it Lemon Tree Quilt!

xxC 

Random: quilts, quilts, quilts

My mind gets a little full when I have many projects that I {wanted} to attempt or projects that have been waiting for me to finish up. Today I try to map out which project that I need to take priority and which project I {wanted} to start. The {patchwork sampler} has been done for a few weeks now. Originally, I plan on hand-quilting, but later on decided to work with machine quilting instead. The loop pattern is simple and fits well with this sampler.  Lately, I  have been searching some good machine quilting books. If you have any, please recommended to me. I'd like to take a step forward on machine quilting.

Finally, finally.. I cut into {these fabric}. It is crazy and scary at the same time! Lots my favorite prints are being cut into 1.5" wide strips. I might need some more blue print that Kerry swap with me, but I hope I can get some similar color to sub.  One of my large fabric order was the low contrast prints.

The traditional log cabin quilt is one of the quilt that I wanted to make ever since I started to quilt. When I visited my friend's house duirng this spring. She has a w.i.p log cabin quilt and I kept asking her how to make one. As you can tell, I admire this old pattern very much!  I love many layout possibilities when there are many blocks being made.  I love the idea of building up the block by added different prints.

It took me 15 minutes to make one block. The center piece is always going to be red, but then I will go with different prints after that. It might be something new and fun afterwards? The light shine through the block and really reflected on the sewing seam.

{Big book of Scrap quilts} is an excellent quilting book! It has many quilt patterns and clear diagrams. I love the idea of using scraps. Did you see the old school house pattern on the right? Another wish to make quilt. I would like to make a old school house with only red and cream/white prints. 

So far, I have three blocks made and the rest of strips are hanging around the basket.  I hope to get this quilt made in October, so I will have a new quilt to snuggle with in the Fall .  When I finished this quilt it will be time for S' 9th birthday quilt. She hasn't talked her quilt, but I am sure it will not be confirm until Christmas time. I will wait!

Another quilt! I really am loving quilts that made with green, yellow and blue lately. After seeing Svetla's quilt I started to pull out fabrics and getting fabric stash together. Some of prints are only fat quarters. I know I will be feeling sad to let go some of these print from my stash, but it is time for a new summer kind of quilt. Simple patchwork quilt is what I really am looking for.   Let's keep quilting!

xxC