Memorial Day!

Can you believe it is almost Memorial Day weekend? Where has the beginning of the year gone to? I had so much to get done before June (well, certainly by the end of summer). So far I have started crocheting various styles of granny squares (never knew so many!). I have up to #12 done - out of 75. Getting there......wonder how large this quilt will be with 75 blocks of varying sizes?

Also started a small hand appliqued quilt. Cute Sunbonnet Sues. Love using vintage fabric to it! Will be a miniature quilt (weren't they to be done quickly??? hmmmm....why taking me so long then).

Also have cut out fabric pieces for a large and small bear, and a small bunny. They are all from vintage fabric and love them! The bears are cut out, but not sewn together yet.

What else???? I am beginning to sew together a quilt to represent my book, The Sewing Machine Classroom. All the fabric samples you see in the book will become one quilt! What better way to keep them all together! I am constantly using my Attachment Quilt, made from samples of the first book - The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook. When I finish this one, I will have two quilts depicting what the books are all about. So easy to use for presentations.

I still have one more idea for my organization. I have separated scraps into bins for my full size Sunbonnet Sue and another bin for vinyls, leather, fur scraps. Now I have a bin full of just good scraps of all colors! Will separate these into about 4 more bins, sorted by color.

Besides all the quilts in the to-do and finish list, I read sewing books at night! Reading:

• Crazy for Quilts, a nice celebration and historical of the "quilter's art". Many photos of old, old quilts!
• Threads magazine, the July/August issue, 
• One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns, by Ruby Short McKim, one of the first to put patterns into print, love! love! love it!
• Century of Quilts, by Better Homes and Gardens, another mag of quilt history
• Skeleton Canyon, by J. A. Jance, have to have some down time and just read

You will have to join me on Pinterest  So much fun to find things on the web and pin to my board. Love to see the pins of those I follow. Give me a "follow" and I will follow you! Then I can see your interests. So much fun!

Still on FaceBook so join in the fun! Want to hear what YOU are doing! What are some problems that you solved (sewers are so creative!).

Also continuing the 50% SALE at The Sew Box.   Type in   mothersday   for the discount code. Loads of craft books! Even the SALE section is 50% off the sale prices.

Happy Memorial Day to you and yours!

Charlene

Elly Sienkiewicz

Wonderful news for all Elly Sienkiewicz fans! She printed a fabulous book in 1983, self-published, and has been out of print for many years. If you (like me) have seen this book for very, very high prices - then time to rejoice! A new one will be reprinted! We only have to wait until early 2013 but it is truly worth it. 

Her book is called, Spoken Without a Word. I have been on the hunt for several years. Just recently had one slip away at a reasonable price, so now will look toward 2013. I will keep looking though!! Never give up the hunt!

If unknown to you, Elly is the absolute expert behind Baltimore Quilts. Just love her work.

Head to her website to pre-order your copy. 

Happy Stitchery!

Charlene

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. I hope you have a special day and spend time with family and friends. I am blessed to have a houseful of my children and grandchildren PLUS my father and step-mother! Will be a wonderful day.

My special gift to you is saving money! I am offering 50% off your entire order at www.thesewbox.com. Just type in the discount code    mothersday    upon check-out.

My gift to you.

Happy Stitchery,

Charlene

The Sewing Machine Classroom

It feels very good to read all the great reviews about my new book, The Sewing Machine Classroom. I just hope everyone gets at least a few new nuggets of information from it. 

I keep referring to it myself! Right now, I am browsing all the techniques in the last section. So many can be used in our everyday sewing and quilting. I am looking at the various ways to applique and the cutwork to jazz up a miniature quilt. Just in the designing stage, but the process is just as much fun as enjoying the finished product!

Here are some of the excerpts from the book - shirring, cutwork, and ruching. I hope to never stop learning! Now that I have my favorite techniques in book form (and easy to read), I can continue to master the techniques and incorporate them into my sewing and quilting.

Kuddos to my editor for choosing the spiral bound format. Sooooo... easy to keep right beside the machine!

Love to work one-on-one with you! We can do the attachments or have fun with some embellishing! Bring a friend!

 Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Miniature Quilts and Crochet

What have you been working on lately? With summer almost here (finally we have a day in the 80s and not raining - yet), there is still plenty of time in the day to sew. I admit my sewing room is the coolest in the house so on hot summer days, it is perfect!

I have been working on miniature quilts. They sew together fast and help use up many fabric scraps. Their small size is wonderful for machine quilting - or even hand quilting. Right now I am working on a lovely daisy miniature. I needed something to work on in the evening. It is relaxing and the challenging part is to keep your stitches from showing. Not doing too bad right now. Hand work is much slower, but sometimes it is just nice to slow things down a bit. Our lives are so fast paced!

I am working from an easy to understand book, make mine mini, by Christine Carlson. 

Years ago I made a miniature wall hanging for my mother. No pattern used but I did go from a pic in a book. So many years ago I can't remember the name. This would have been the first miniature I made. If you don't count the blankets I made for my Barbie years ago!

Not sure why I didn't add "Mrs. Cardinal". They are always together!

I am also crocheting. Found a book that has about 75 different granny squares! I only have about 10 done so far, but if I can make it to the last one - maybe a quilt?

So, what are you working on? No matter what it is - just have fun!

Happy Stitching!

Charlene

My Blog on Stitch Craft Create

Hope you take a few minutes to check out my blog on the fab website of Stitch Craft Create. The publisher is also offering my book, The Sewing Machine Classroom, at 50% off today and tomorrow (March 30, 31). I do hope you enjoy it. It is a nice reference book to keep by the sewing machine AND learn some new sewing techniques, such as hemstitching, entredeux, thread painting, reverse applique, and so much more!

They also have a free download of a technique from the book - Battenburg Lace. Once you see how easy and fun to do, you will find so many ways to use it.

Happy Stitchery!

Charlene

New looks for Spring

Although I am STILL sorting fabric (yes, I am seeing just how much I have), I am thinking of finding time to make at least one new outfit. Like some of the new patterns and especially the colors - tangerine!

Found a pattern from Threads that Simplicity has made. Maybe that will be one I pick up (along with several of the Kwik-Sew!).

Think I should first take a look at the patterns I already have? I have a nice assortment of vintage and do love the look. Will take a look tomorrow, but any fabric/sewing shopping trip should never be postponed, right?!!

Happy Stitchery!

Charlene

Storing fabric

I am making progress organizing all my fabric. Almost finished one new bin received from my sister. Now on to the other ones! Thanks for suggestions. I started rethinking just how I could do it. Have some retros and keeping them together, gathering plaids together for a plaid quilt - will keep them with the pattern I found. 

Nice to multi-task in the sewing room. While sorting fabric, the embroidery machine can just keep going!

Love my new Brother machine. It is the PE770. Not quite the newest but it has the USB port and that is so helpful. Thanks to my sister (again!) I also have a computer now set up in the sewing room just for my embroidery. Thanks Sis!

Now to gather more frog fabric! Then I will decide the quilt pattern. Frogs are hard to find!

 

Happy Stitchery!

Charlene

How do you store your fabric?

For a while my fabric was pretty organized. Then I worked on the second book, The Sewing Machine Classroom, and got a little disorganized. Almost immediately I began the third book, Simply Serging, and the chaos grew! Now I am working on several quilts, and some embroidery and NOW it is ready for total do-over. I almost forgot, I came home with over 2 large bins of fabric from my sister.

I started sorting things out and thought "piece-of-cake" BUT the more fabric I got out of the bins, the more I couldn't decide just how I wanted to put it all together. Do I match up for new quilts, totes, and accessories OR do I match by color OR do I match by design such as butterflies, frogs, paisleys, etc.

How do you organize your fabric? Share your tips and we will ALL benefit from your ideas!

I already had my scrap bins, and my bin for fat quarters, and the shelf held some by color - which all needs redone now. Sooooooo...... what are your tips?

I love to use open bins, open shelves, and baskets. I get inspiration from just seeing the colors and designs. I have plenty of places, spots, and baskets. Now I just have to decide just how to sort.

The one thing I do know - placing the lovely scraps I gathered for my Sunbonnet Sue quilt.

Happy Stitchery,

Charlene

Bobbin Work

Sewing upside down can produce some interesting results, adding texture to your projects. This is called Bobbin Work. Do the stitching with heavy thread, metallics, pearl cotton, yarns, along with some ribbons. Whatever you use will produce a very different end result.

The bobbin actually is the right side when you are finished. Remember - the looser the tension, the loopier the stitches. Do some trial samples and adjust accordingly. What you are using in the bobbin is so much heavier than regular sewing or bobbin thread. 

I wind the bobbin slowly by hand. The thicker thread does take up more space on the bobbin, so you are getting less thread to work with. Plan on several bobbin changes.

I tend to use the open toe foot or free-motion. This gives me ample viewing area.

I choose a straight or even decorative stitch, and begin with a stitch length of 3mm and can go clear up to 5mm. The stitch width is 0 for straight stitch.

Enjoy the process!

Happy stitchery,

Charlene