Gandmother's Choice Week 2

Barbara Brackman posted her 2nd block in her new Civil War series, Grandmother's Choice. She offers so much interesting info along with options for the new block for this week.

Amythst Quilt Block

I still think I will do this quilt in a two color way---maybe gold and white since those are symbolic colors in the suffrage movement.  But now I plan on doing some "catch up". Sewing, laundry, and some DVR!

National Sewing Month & Civil War Blocks

I almost forgot. It's September and that brings thoughts of cooler weather, falling leaves, and sewing time.  More time to sew for many of us with the hustle-bustle of summer officially over and shorter days.  It's National Sewing Month, too!

Go to http://www.nationalsewingmonth.org/  to find free projects and info on the history of National Sewing Month.

And if you are interested in civil war repro quilting then Barbara Brackman's new Block of the Week just started. She posted the first block yesterday and it will continue for 49 weeks. Each block will be accompanied by a story associated with the fight for women's rights.  

 

Go  http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/  to find info on her first block below.

I plan to participate but since civil war fabrics are just not my thing I plan to use just two contrasting fabrics similar to the one on her webpage:

So long for now.

Check back this week for my big announcement!

Cheryl

 

 

Meet the Girls!

The "Grunge" Sisters, that is!  A new pattern, new fabrics, and a few hours.  I love these--so fun! Use them as extra large pincushions or display your jewelry.  They are eye-candy on the counter in my sewing room for now.  Want to know more? 

Here's the supplies.  The pattern, Large Mannequin Dress Form, a couple of old candlesticks, a fat quarter for each "girl", tracing wheel and paper.  Oh, oh, I have a tendency change things up a bit---so I didn't use the tracing paper.  And that is spray paint in the Rubbed Bronze color I had on hand.  It worked great on both the wooden candlestick ($.50 at local thrift) and the two glass ones I had on hand.

I opted for 3 colors of Moda's Grunge line--lots of texture from the color.  The fabric looks like it was dry brushed in a secondary color.  So I traced around the pattern with a pencil and then I marked the darts.  I just stuck a pin at the top and bottom of each dart and then carefuly raised the pattern.  I marked the spot where each pin entered the fabric with a small dot.  I was working on wrong side of the fabric.

Then I traced the dart on a piece of freezer paper and used it to trace the dart directly on the wrong side of the fabric.  Here is a pic for you.

 The lines are faint enough not to show through.  Then I folded and pinned each dart with a pin at each end and one in the middle to hold it in place.  Then I sewed the 4 darts.  Here is a pic!

Yes, I did tremove the pin before sewing!  Next the front to the back, clip and stuff firmly.
The pattern says you can insert a dowel for stability.  Well, no dowels at my house but I found pencils.  They worked great but they don't exactly fit into the well of a candlestick! I trimmed some florist foam and got my glue gun. With a hot glue gun the girls are perched on their pedestals.

 Here they are!  Interested in the pattern?  It will be in the new online shop in just a few days.  Check out whiteflowerquiltshop.com to find the fabric as well. 

Talk to you soon,