Everyday Napkins

I am setting aside my Farm Girl Vintage blocks today to sew a few much-needed everyday napkins.

The stack above was getting pretty worn - I thought it was about time.

I like larger napkins - around 18  to 20 inches.

My everyday napkins usually come from leftover fabrics from another project or older fabrics I purchased and never found a use for.

As you see, I am not too worried that my everyday napkins don't always match.

 While I do try to make at least four matching napkins, there are many times I don't have enough leftover fabric for four large ones so I work with what I have.

To be honest, I fold them as I pull them out of the dryer and stack them in a basket. 

I don't worry that all the matching ones are folded together.

No one in my family really cares if the napkins match at a meal.

We just grab one off the top and sit down.

I have sewn cloth napkins many times in many different ways.

For our everyday napkins, I find using a serger is the quickest solution.

While I do find using a serger is the very quickest I still love a nice neat hem.

  I recently found this YouTube video that looked interesting and thought I would give it a try.
They looked super easy and pretty quick to make. 

I found this border fabric in my stash and thought it would make really pretty napkins.

 I had just enough to make four 18 inch napkins.

Just look how nice the mitered corners come out.

Because they came out so pretty, I decided to make a little tag and give them as a gift.

I have never thought about using border fabrics for napkins until now.
I will definitely be on the hunt now for more border fabric.

Back to MY everyday napkins...

As you can see, for every day they don't need to match or even be the same size.

Just use what you have.

Speaking of napkins, be sure to come back tomorrow...

I have a yummy recipe I am going to share.

Farm Girl Vintage Baking Day

These blocks come together so quickly, I had to make another right away.

I'm thinking of adding buttons to each block and outlining the bowl below the mixing spoon with a decorative stitch to make it show up a bit better.

As you can see, I didn't think my fabric choice through very well.

The white background on the cherry fabric blends way too much with the actual background of the block.

I'm hoping a decorative outline stitch in maybe red or green may make it stand out a bit better.

Can these little blocks get any cuter?

Farm Girl Vintage

When Mr. Fisherman asked me last month what I wanted for my birthday

 I said...      

AMAZON GIFT CARD, PLEEEEEZZZ..................

I have had my eye on a few Lori Holt books for some time, so I knew just what I wanted.

It took me approximately 3 minutes after receiving my Amazon gift card to sign in to Amazon, go to my wish list, and spend that baby. 

And the very next day...

...they were at my front door.

I knew the very first block I wanted to make was the cute little

  Pie Cherries Block.

I have seen so many variations of this block - ALL cute. 

Here is my version...

Both Farm Girl Vintage and Farm Girl Vintage 2 give instructions for small (6") and larger (12") blocks.

 Still reeling from the frustration with the Patio Picnic, I chose the much simpler 12" block.

I LOVE these books. 

Lori has made it so easy to mix and match blocks from both books.

You can choose to make an entire quilt, a small wall hanging, table runner, potholder, etc.

She leaves it up to you and your imagination.

My imagination???

I imagined it would be much easier than piecing the Patio Picnic Quilt.

It was...

😉

A clean cutting table...

 Has it really been a year?

Yep. One year since I posted.

Geeezzzz.....

What have I been doing?

Lots.

Just haven't had the mojo to blog about it.

After a year of staring at this thing taking up all the space on my cutting table, I decided it was time.... time to bite the bullet and finish it.

I did get a small push from Lea Anne at Podunk Pretties after reading her "Fudging It" post.

Lea Anne made me feel so much better about all the "fudging" I had to do to make this thing come together.

 Lea Anne is a quilter and pattern maker who is brave enough to admit she and most quilters do "fudge" to get their quilts to come together. 

The top is finally pieced. 

Whew!

These pieces were so tiny.

It's pretty wonky, and a lot of points don't exactly match up, but if you look at it from really far away it's not all that bad.

😊

 Right now I haven't any fabric for the back or binding. 
Until this pandemic calms down and I'm finally able to shop, it will be folded, put away and finally off my cutting table.

Thank you Lea Anne.

The hardest part is done.  

A Stylish Guide to CLASSIC SEWING

For my birthday in August, Mr. Fisherman gave me an Amazon gift card.

Oh, how I love those Amazon gift cards.

😊

One of my favorite things to buy is sewing books of any kind.

I've been eyeing A Stylish Guide to CLASSIC SEWING by Sarah Gunn and Julie Starr since it first came out.

From all the reviews I read, I knew it wasn't an actual how-to sewing book before I purchased it.

 Having said that, they do include one pattern and instructions for The Modern Classic Pencil Skirt in the back of the book.

I loved this book.

I can read it over and over.

Just as the cover says, the book explores timeless garments with history and includes many modern styling tips for ready-to-wear results.

It includes the history, characteristics, sewing tips, fabric suggestions, how to style, and who wore these classic pieces.

The artwork is beautiful on every page.

 I read several reviews from people that gave this book only two or three stars.

I am thinking they were expecting a book of sewing instructions on classic patterns and were disappointed.

 I was not. 

The book is lovely.

I am really happy I purchased it.

Seriously, I can read it over and over....

Thanks Sara and Julie for such a beautiful book and allowing me to include a few pic's of the beautiful artwork inside.

Sew Sampler August 2020

 I'm a bit late in posting. 

My August Sew Sampler actually came in Saturday's mail.

I just have a few minutes to snap a few photos and write this post so I will run through it quickly.

Lots of fun stuff.

First, of course, is the cute little box :)

It's so much fun to open your mailbox and see this...

The theme this month is Rise and Shine.

I will start with the pattern this month and then show you all the goodie's included to make it.

 

It's called the Crazy Daisy Quilt Pattern.

Valued at $9.98.

The pattern comes in two sizes; a lap version and a twin.

The Crazy Daisy Quilt Pattern is exclusive to Fat Quarter Shop for the Sew Sampler Box.

Because the patterns are exclusive to your Sew Sampler Box most all of the contents in your box each month are used to make the pattern included.

How fun is that?

The crazy units in this pattern are made using the 5" Crazy Quilt Paper included in the box.

A value of $4.48.

The Crazy Quilt Paper by Lori Holt is designed to be used with 5" charm squares.

And guess what?

Fat Quarter Shop has included not one, but two charm packs in the box this month!

The Backyard Blooms by Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew.

Each charm pack includes pretty blossoms, dots, ginghams, and even chickens.

The two charm packs are valued at $19.96.

I was super excited when I saw the next item in the box.

The Kimberly Cuts 5 1/2" square rotating cutting mat.

I have been wanting to try a rotating cutting mat forever.

Even though it's only 5 1/2" square, it will allow me to try out a rotating mat.

It also has the lines marked in 1" increments for cutting smaller pieces.

The Kimberly Cuts mat is valued at $14.98.

And who can't use a few extra quilting needles?

This is a pack of 20 Dritz needles in sizes 3/9.

Value $1.48.

 

Last but not least...

The block of the month pattern for the Greatest Hits Album Quilt - Track #5 and a Promo Code for 30% off It's Sew Emma Foundation Paper Pads.

Valued at $4.98.

Grand total for all included in the August 2020 Sew Sampler Box. 

 $55.86

Again, great value for only $24.95.

Thanks, Fat Quater Shop for another fun box this month.

Am I the only crazy person?

 I have tried Google, YouTube, Instagram, Bing, Pinterest, and many other ways to find ANYONE who has made or is working on the Patio Picnic Pattern from the July 2020 Sew Sampler Box.

I have searched for Patio Picnic quilt pattern, Sew Sampler Patio Picnic, July 2020 Patio Picnic, Fat Quarter Shop Patio Picnic, and many other combos of the Patio Picnic Pattern.

Nothing.

I thought maybe I could find someone who could offer a few tips or suggestions.

At the very least, I thought maybe there was someone out there having the very same issues and I would then realize - I'm not alone. 

Nope.

I think I'm alone.

Even though this darn thing is a mess, I am not giving up.

I love the colors and the pattern is really cute, but there are just too many tiny little pieces to match up.

If you are even a 16th of an inch off on one piece it throws EVERYTHING off.

Right now, I don't have enough matching fabric in my stash for the backing or the binding to complete it. My plan is to at least finish piecing the top so that when I do find fabric for the back and binding the top will be ready to quilt and bind. 

The Post Office tracking says I should receive my August 2020 Sew Sampler Box tomorrow.

WhooHoo!

I'm losing my marbles...

 ...or what's left of them anyway. 

This adorable Patio Picnic Pattern is starting to not look so adorable to me anymore.

It's driving me crazy!

I consider myself an intermediate quilter, but now I am beginning to question even those skills.

After finally getting in a groove and not using my seam ripper on every single block I was able to complete six of the nine pieced blocks so far.

The pieced blocks should measure 7 1/2" x 7 1/2".

ALL my blocks measured 7 1/4" x 7 1/4".

At least I was consistently off by 1/4".

I'm not sure if it's me or if I need to adjust my 1/4" foot on my machine. Either way, I'm leaving it and finishing the last three the same way so they will be the same size as the others.

My problem now is that it makes all the blocks 1/4" off.

I will be doing a lot of "fudging" to bring this quilt top together, but I am bound and determined to finish it. 

Also, I'm seeing that not many of my points are meeting exactly as they should. I'm hoping, in the end, this is such a busy little quilt that no one will even notice.

 I will just be happy to finish the darn thing.

I am begging Fat Quarter Shop to give me a break on the next Sew Sampler Box and make it something for a total beginner.

😊

Taking a break from my Patio Picnic Pattern

For a little Christmas in July!

Just a couple Christmas mug rugs for my friends Roy and Teresa.

Anyone else working on Christmas yet?

What I have learned so far...

The instructions for the Patio Picnic quilt have this nice little page in the back where you can write notes and things you have learned while making this quilt.

I like that idea. 

That way, should you make it again, you will have your notes to help with the next one.

I have started piecing a few blocks.

Even using a design board (baking pan and batting 😉) it is so easy to get confused about which direction these tiny little squares are sewn together.

You may think you have them all lined up correctly, sew them together, and THEN find out you have one upside down and must take the entire thing apart and resew it.

Not once, not twice but several times.

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.....

😖

So, here's what I have learned so far.

If I can ever step away from my seam ripper long enough, I will try to keep you updated on my progress.

No, seriously...

My seam ripper and I have now become one.

Instructions

They are there for a reason.

The person who took the time to write the instructions assumes you are going to actually read and FOLLOW them.

Again, they are there for a reason.

My mother taught me the art of quilting many years ago.

 My mother always pressed her seams open and taught me to do the same.

I have found many quilters press to the dark.

The instructions for this pattern say to press seams open unless otherwise indicated.

Since I chose a white background for my Patio Picnic quilt I decided it might be best to press the seams to the dark side.

I WAS WRONG.

I found after stitching my first block it was way too bulky in all the tiny little intersections.

 Rather than fighting with it, I decided to go back and press the seams open on each and every tiny little 1 1/2" square.

It took me an hour.

The moral of the story...

Save yourself an hour and 

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

They are there for a reason.

Moving right along...

I am really loving the 1" half square triangle paper I received in my Sew Sampler Box.

It's super easy to use.

Just follow the arrows and sew on the dashed lines.

The pattern calls for 5 eighteen square sections.

 

Once they are sewn, cut apart, the paper peeled off and pressed you will end up with five adorable little stacks of 1 1/2" squares.

Yep.

Cute, aren't they?

Theses are so tiny.

I would never have been able to sew these without the triangle paper.

I will have to say if you are someone who likes a clean, neat sewing table,

these might not be for you.

 

What a mess!

But, worth the mess in the end.

Don't you think?