Guest #28 Michelle with her Car Caddy....and Riley Blake Giveaway with Book and Presencia Threads

Hello, I’m Michelle from ~Life With Lou~. Today Madame Samm invited me to

show you all the litter bag I made. Of course, I himmed and hawwed, and

got all nervous, but she said I would do fine....(I sure hope sew....) This bag is not

the first one, by a long shot, but one of many. (My friends have all humored me by

letting me put them in their cars too...thanks girls!) Here is how it all came about.

You think it is just a bag....you could be wrong!

(this is what we will be making today)

One day, my husband and I were road trippin’ making a HUGE mess out of the inside

of our van.  Me, being a neat freak, was doing the best I could to collect wrappers, papers,

and whatnot, trying to keep them all contained and neat, and I said to my husband,

‘You KNOW...what we need in here is a litter bag, like my thread catcher/scrap bag,

only without the pincushion, of course!’ As soon as I got those words out of my mouth,

I knew what I was going to do. Ok, so I had to make a few changes from the original

plan, but I finally settled on this method. The hard part was trying to figure out how

to keep the tab of the bag inside the glove compartment so it wouldn’t fall on the floor.

First of all, I chose two pieces of different fabrics, and cut them 9” x 13”. I also cut out

two pieces 4” x 5”

Fold right sides together of the fabric you are choosing for the outside

of the bag, with the long side running left to right. Sew a 1/4”

seam.

Repeat with the fabric you have chosen for the inside of the bag. Sew a 3/8”

seam on that piece. 

Arrange fabric so the seams are laying in the center, like this.

Sew a 1/4” seam across the bottom of each piece.

Turn the piece you plan to use for the outside of the bag inside out, leave the

inner bag the way it is, and turn under the top edges by a 1/4” or 1/2” and

press. (I cheated and finger pressed.)

Sew your two tab pieces around 3 sides (2 long sides and 1 short side.)

Turn inside out and topstitch around 3 sides

Insert inner piece into outer piece until the top edges are even, using the seams

to line up.

Insert tab between the two bags, about 1/2” or so. Pin, pulling the inside

bag as you pin, so there are no puckers.

Sew all around, close to the edges, or using a 1/4” foot, or both. Your preference.

Choose some buttons and floss. Two for the tab and one or two to embellish.

Start sewing the buttons on leaving the tail in the front.

Finish by leaving another tail on the front coming out the other button hole,

tie a knot, then pull the threads to the edge of the button, and snip.

Do the same thing, sewing two buttons on the tab. One on the front, and one on

the back. This is what will hold your bag inside your glove compartment. You

can sew your buttons on wherever you feel is right, either at the top, or down

more, depending on how much tab you want sticking out of the glove compartment.

Tada! Your bag is finished, and ready to hang. 

We love our litter bags, and have found that if we empty it, and

forget to put it back, we really miss it. 

Enjoy! Thank you Madame Samm for having me here today!

What color, style will you make? 

Editors note...Thank you Michelle...and it took some doing
but  I am thrilled  you finally said yes...I love this...
I know exactly what color I am going to make mine..
LOVE THIS..I may even add a ruffle..lol

Our GIVEAWAY today is for our WANTOBES...
I think YOU may like this...

Our Giveaway today is for our WANTOBES


This  new collection is from Samantha Walker
at Riley Blake... all cut in 1/2 yard bundles
I chose contrasting colors..for maybe some bags..
Some Presencia threads  from Colonial Needle to coordinate

You can get some of these threads from Janes Fabrics


and look this delightful book
of Sensational Small Quilts...
from F +W Media.

15 quilt projects in an array of styles and colors,
 in sizes ranging from wallhangings to throws.
Here is one of the...( kinda matches Lou's bag) 




Sew what do you need to do..
Well it would be wonderful for you to  go and be a FOLLOWER 
at Michelles..  blog. 
she would love that..
Be a follower here oh yes... that is a good thing too...


And that's all ! 


Our Blog Sponsor will  win a pair of Applique Scissors from Famore..


and some PRESENCIA  threads.. too. 

 I get sew much mail asking what needles to use with PRESENCIA

these are my favourite, ever since I tried them I have never

used anything else....

You can get them from Colonial Needle..

no more searching for the perfect needle here it is...

Colonial Needle ( Pebble for embroidery)

link here it won't let me link to this page however look at sidebar

under needles and hand needles and go to pebble page..

Pebble - Embroidery Needles - JJP13550 John JamesFine Quality Needles in a "Pebble" -The John James Pebbles are designed to store your hand needles safely, making them instantly visible and easily accessible in your sewing box, craft bag, top drawer or even your handbag. Each needle style comes in its own elegant and distinctive color for quick identification.

Big thanks goes out to Michelle, Riley Blake, Colonial Needles,
F+ W Media, Famore, Great Gerberas
and YOU of course, for being sew
 nice about your comments
following along and  sharing your
love of quilting with just one more person...


Imagine what I would be doing 
if I had known about quilting  before last june 2010..?
 ON the other hand..
no -don't think about it that would scare me..

#27 Winner of NEW LONDON Fabric Collection, Presencia Trread and MY China MUG

Congrats
Margaret..
( known as maggie)

this is a brand new collection

not even available anywhere 

from Marcus Fabrics

( will be out in the fall)
is YOURS...

It is called New London by

FAYE BURGOS

 7 .5 yards of this collection

cut into 1/2 yard bundles.

I am loving this myself....oh my it is striking..makes me think of coffee...lol

YOU all have won some coordinating Presencia threads

from Colonial Needle.

( you can purchase these threads

at Jane's Fabrics

and my CHINA  COFFEE MUG

it just goes sew nicely...

Big thanks goes out to Dorian, 

Marcus Fabrics, Colonial Needle,

Great Gerberas for my roses  and gerberas...

and YOU for sharing with your family-

friends- about this most amazing

passion of ours -Quilting! 

Guest #27 Dorian with playing with strips and and a striking collection giveaway called NEW LONDON

(giveaway today) 

Hello everyone, I'm Dorian from RidgeTopQuilts. So happy to be included in this Wantobe Quilters Campaign, thank you Samm.

I want to talk today about using strips for making certain blocks. I'm sure those who are 'old hands' at quilting know these tricks. So this is more for you new quilters.

When I learned to quilt, 17 yrs ago, one of the first books I bought was "Quilters Complete Guide" By Fons and Porter. I learned how to use strips to make 4-patches, 9-patches and HST's (half square triangles). And have preferred this way every since. It's quicker than cutting your pieces into squares or triangles, then sewing them back together. It's also easier as you aren't dealing with cuts on the bias (which is more stretchy than with the grain).

The 4-patch is a very simple, easy pattern. You can make a whole quilt just with these 4-patches, if you wish. Or they make great setting blocks, adding a different block in between, to make other patterns. It's one of the most basic blocks, and you use it as a basis for more complicated ones.

Take two strips, cut the same width and length. Lay them with the right sides together, and pin along one long edge.

Sew all down that long edge, with a ¼” seam allowance. Press open (don't saw back and forth with the iron, just press it down all along the seam line). Then you want to cut all along the strips, the cuts being the same width apart as the original strip (I used a 2” strip, so I cut every 2” ).

When your whole strip is cut. Take two units, flip one unit around so the colors are opposite, put them right sides together, pin and sew with a 1/4” seam allowance.

You can make these any size you want to, just making sure your strips are all cut all the same width.

Then next up is the 9-patch block-variation. Jane told us how to do a regular 9 patch last week, here. So I will show you a variation. This one you will need to make two different strip sets. I am only going to use two colors for this example, but you can use more, depending on how you want your block to look.

You will need one strip from both Fabrics A and B that are twice the width of the 2 smaller strips on either side. So for my example, my small strips are 1 3/4" wide, and the larger strips are 3.5" wide. Sew two fabric A 1 3/4" strips, to either side of fabric B 3.5" strip. And sew two fabric B 1 3/4" strips, to either side of fabric A 3.5".

Now you have two different strip units. Press open. Making your seams go the same way on strip set 1, and opposite of that on strip set 2. Cut 2 strips per block from strip set 1, at 1 3/4" (the same width as your small strips). If you are going to make ten 9-patch blocks, then cut 20 of these smaller strips.

From strip 2, cut all down the length every 3.5" (the same size as your larger strip).

Now sew a smaller strip set to either side of the larger strip set.

Always press open your blocks when done, and trim the edges up so they are even and all the same size.

And there is your simple 9-patch variation. You can make these in a variety of different colors. Using only 9-patches in your quilt, or using them as setting blocks.

The next one is the half square triangle (HST) blocks. These are very popular to use, in a variety of different settings.

When cutting strips for HST blocks, you need to ADD an extra 5/8" to the width of your strips. To allow for the seam allowances. My blocks unfinished (meaning sewn together, but not sewn to other blocks yet) are 3.5". So I want to add 5/8" to that, meaning I want to cut my strips at 4 1/8".

Put two strips right sides together. On the lighter fabric, you need to mark lines going down the strip, the same width apart as the original strip (4 1/8" in my example).

Then mark zig-zag lines going from corner to corner.

Now you want to sew 1/4” on BOTH sides of your diagonal line.Following the red arrow.

Now cut on all the solid lines.

Press your blocks open, and trim off the dog ears (the little triangles sticking out). When trimming HST blocks, put your rulers 45 degree mark along your seam, line up the corner with the width you want (3.5" in my example) and trim. Rotating and trimming all four edges.

This way makes a lot of HST blocks quickly and accurately, without having to deal with the stretchy triangles.

One of my favorite patterns is the Irish Chain. It's so simple, yet very elegent. There is a single chain, double or triple chain, and many different variations.

It looks complicated, but it isn't. These all use strip piecing, so something complicated is actually easy.

Images and free patterns for these can be found at
http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/irish-chain-quilt-pattern.html

You can do a lot with strips. Making all kinds of different variations, and interspersing this blocks in with different blocks.

A block using  HST's and 4 patches is called Jacob's Ladder. Another great block to play with different color variations.

image found at http://quilting.about.com/od/blockofthemonth/ss/jacobs_ladder.htm

Another of my favorites is the Lone Star. Sew and press your strips, and cut them on the diagonal (usually at a 45 degree angle). Then sew your strips together to make the Lone star.

Tutorial and quilt along can be found at my blog.

I hope you've enjoyed my tips on using strips!

I have made a special lap quilt just for you, to practice the 4-patch, 9-patch and HST blocks.

Thank you so much for having me here, it was indeed my pleasure to share this tut with you!

Dorian

Giveaway today is for our QUILTERS

this is a brand new collection

not even available anywhere 

from Marcus Fabrics

( will be out in the fall)

It is called New London by

FAYE BURGOS

 7 .5 yards of this collection

cut into 1/2 yard bundles.

I am loving this myself....oh my it is striking..makes me think of coffee...lol

We also have some coordinating Presencia threads

from Colonial Needle.

( you can purchase these threads

at Jane's Fabrics

I am even going to throw in my COFFEE MUG

it just goes sew nicely...

Sew what can you do to win..

OH please follow Dorian..she would love that sew much....

Be a follower here, you are aren't you?  

Tell us what you would like to make with this collection..

Big thanks goes out to Dorian, 

Marcus Fabrics, Colonial Needle,

Great Gerberas for my roses  and gerberas...

and YOU for sharing with your family-

friends- about this most amazing

passion of ours -Quilting! 

#26 Winner of the I Heart Collection, 90 minute Quilts and Presencia threads..

Congrats to our winners...

Tonni who is our Wantobe 

and her blog sponsor Kathy..

A fat quarter bundle of Rashida's I HEART

collection...from Timeless Treasure

Some Presencia threads from Colonial Needle

You can find these threads over at Jane's Fabrics

YOU will also receive this pattern book

More 90 Minute Quilts..

from F + W media

insert on how to make a four patch

Kaleidoscope ( fussy cut - loved this)

And our Blog Sponsor winner is ...

Kathy 

you  also win a book- ( more advanced  copy for you...)

 Presencia threads and some of Rashida's collection..

Sew what do you to win..?

A Monday thank you 

to Rashida, Colonial Needles, F+W Media

and Great Gerberas.com for my Gerberas

for our photo shoot...and YOU

for being part of this campaign, encouraging

Wantobe Quilters to come on board

and win some great tools to get them started

in our  pretty amazing Quilt NET world. 

They will thank you...you know they will!

Guest #26 Rashida and her Patchwork binding Tape and Giveaways of her Collection..

Hello all! I'm Rashida Coleman-Hale coming over to visit from I Heart Linen land! I'm so super excited to be a Guest for the Wantobe Quilter campaign! Thank you to Madame Samm for inviting me over to play. ^_^

So what do I have up my sleeve for today? A patchwork binding tutorial that's what! (I'm not going to call this bias tape because it's not cut on the bias, so we'll just call it binding.) I'm going to show you a super, super easy and super fast way to make lots of pretty patchwork double-fold binding to use right away or just to keep in your stash for later. Ready? Alrighty, here we go!

editors note..:It was my error in adding bias to the subject line..been changed
I knew it was not a bias...sorry Rashida..

Patchwork Binding Tape Tutorial

Finished Size: 2.5" x 52.5"

Supplies:

- 5 various Cotton print strips - each 1.5" w x 20" l (Feel free to vary the width of your strips if you'd like your binding to be less uniform.)

- Acrylic ruler

- Rotary Cutter

- Cutting Mat

Note: All seam allowances are 1/4"

1. Lay out your strips in the order you desire.

2. Stitch the strips together along the longest edge until you have a unit measuring 7.5" x 20". (My strips are shorter than 20" in the photo so yours will appear longer.^_~)

3. Turn the unit over to the wrong side and press the seams open.

4. Turn the unit back over to the right side and turn it 90-degrees clockwise so that the strips are now horizontal. Take your ruler and measure 2 1/2" from the left edge.

5. Cut the unit into several 2 1/2" strips .

6. Sew your newly made strips end to end until you have one long lovely pile of unfinished binding. (52 1/2" to be exact!) Press each of the seams open.

Now if you want to make this next step even faster, in steps 3 & 6 you'll press the seams all in one direction. Next, run the binding through a bias tape maker with an iron and zip you're all done!

But if you're persnickety like I am and like to have your seams nice and flat in the finished binding, proceed to the next step.

7. Take your binding and fold each of the sides in towards the wrong side 1/2" and press.

8. Fold in half towards the wrong side and press. All done honey bun! Hooray for pretty patchwork binding!

Want to learn to make this on the bias? No worries... I'll have a tutorial up for how to do this on the bias on my blog later this month! Yippee!)

Look for some old wooden spools, don't they look nice?

Today's giveaway is from this collection

And if you would like to see how you could use this collection

here are some patterns I have made..

This will link you to some of my patterns such as

Zippered Tissue Purse

Or how about this wraparound pot holder?

I'd love to see your binding if you make some. Drop me a line at my blog or follow me on Twitter and say, "Hola!". ^_^ This was so fun! Thanks again, Madame Samm for inviting me over to play and for organizing this wonderful event!

Editors note: OH my Rashida...what a delight you are..

and your collection is very vibrant and bright and a bright pick me up 

to show on this Monday morning...

Love your patterns...I can see both of these patterns in your

collection. 

Our Giveaway today I HEART too

will be for our Wantobes...

A fat quarter bundle of Rashida's I HEART

collection...from Timeless Treasure

Some Presencia threads from Colonial Needle

You can find these threads over at Jane's Fabrics

YOU will also receive this pattern book

More 90 Minute Quilts..

from F + W media

insert on how to make a four patch

Kaleidoscope ( fussy cut - loved this)

Our blog Sponsor will also win a book-

 Presencia threads and some of Rashida's collection..

Sew what do you to win..?

Please go and visit Rashida  Leave her a comment

on her blog..she does not have a Follower Gadget

to follow... but I am sure she will be 

pleased to hear from you...

Be a follower here, it's a good thing!

and leave a comment here to win of course...

A Monday thank you ( labor day and all)

to Rashida, Colonial Needles, F+W Media

and Great Gerberas.com for my Gerberas

for our photo shoot...and YOU

for being part of this campaign, encouraging

Wantobe Quilters to come on board

and win some great tools to get them started

in our  pretty amazing Quilt NET world. 

They will thank you...you know they will!