Shaggy, ruffly, tshirty scarf

I found this amazing scarf idea on Pinterest. The moment I saw it, I needed to make one that worked for my team (maybe teams)!  The idea came from this webpage. 

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/other/oh-for-the-love-of-scarf-make-a-t-shirt-scarf.html#_a5y_p=849828

I didn't follow her instructions exactly though...

Here's what you need:

-3 tshirts

-sewing thread

-stich-wich and heat n' bond.

Here's what I did:

Bottom: cut tshirts into 8" strips across (this makes circles, but then you trim the ends and it made for 23" sections). I cut 2 strips of white, 2 strips of white, and 8 strips of black.

Tops: sewing the strips together with a backstitch at the ends. I sewed 2 sections of blue in the center (approx. 40") then on each end of that, I sewed white sections (23") and then black sections on those ends (18")--so altogether it measures 140" x 8". I like my scarves long! Especially when the fabric is thin, like tshirt fabric. This way, I can wrap it multiple times!

Once the strips are sewn together into really ling strips, you can start to decorate them!

Above: cut out the paw print (or any mascot symbol) using heat n' bond. Adhere. Cut around the pieces and adhere to the scarf pieces by peeling off the paper backing and pressingg with an iron. I sewed around the edges of each piece as well so that a.) it looks cool, and b.) they won't fall off!

After that, I cut 1" strips to sew onto scarf end portions. I spaced them out about an inch apart. Then I zig-zag stitched them on making sure to get through all the layers. Lastly, I sewed all the way around the perimeter with a regular stitch. 

I just LOVE it! I am so excited to get my team spirit on! Go Cougs!

Special Someone Quilt

In honor of valentine's Day...and how much I love making quilts, I present a Someone Special quilt.  But I don't have anymore space in my house, so now I get to make them for other people! This one will be for a sweet friend that I miss everyday! I know she has mainly reds and browns in her living room and my favorite colors are green and turquoise, so it's a little piece of her with a little twist of me! I'm excited about how fast it is coming together!

This is the finished quilt on her couch! Awesome!

Pieced by Christina Konrad

Backed with twin sheet!

Quilted by Jennifer McCrea

Finished 2015

Casual Saturday Fun

Today started with my leaping out of bed at 7:32 needing to be at a class at 8 o'clock.  It was an interesting start.  Apparently, Monroe isn't as far away as I thought, because I was on time!

I showed my tree quilt as "show and tell" and got a lot of compliments.  I love that I am learning new techniques!

When I got home, I was inspired to work on something in my sewing room.  I have a lot of projects started, so I thought I should work to finish them.  Makes sense, right?

Well, the first thing was to make pillow cases for throw pillows for the guest room to go with Bird Quilt. (See April 2013, Bird Brained Bizarre).

This is how they turned out!  I am pretty stoked for this guest room to come together completely.  It's going to be SO CUTE!  Right now, I have pillows and new curtains.  The quilt is at the quilter.  It's the little things that make me :)!!!

May's Block

Mosaic Star

This one was a little more of a challenge...although, if you read the directions correctly and cut the pieces correctly, it might save you time! :)

I also learned that pinning REALLY can help align corners!  What took me so long?!?!

June Block!

Our class this month was so interesting to this history nerd!  The Block we are doing is called "Churn Dash" to some, but to others it is "Shoo Fly".  When I was making my birdy quilt a couple months ago, I used "Churn Dash" which I found amongst a line of blocks called "Farmer's Wife" Blocks.  They are bocks that were traditionally made by farmers' wives and there is a book that accompanies the blocks telling the story of each block--this one resembling the perimeter or a butter church. 

Well, this month, our teacher, did some research about the history of the block and she ended up giving us an entire history lesson on the Underground Railroad--the plight of runaway slaves and abolitionists helping them.  I guess I knew all along, as a history teacher, that abolitionists helped slaves escape their persecution through signs, symbols and song, but I never connected that that could have been by hanging a quilt on the fence.  Amazing!  So, this block is also one of many that when slaves saw a quilt hanging out on someone's laundry line or fence they knew to go in a certain direction or to stay in hiding or that certain farms were safe, etc.!  You can read more about other blocks used in the Underground Railroad at http://ses.westport.k12.ct.us/squire/idivsquares.htm.  Enjoy!

Here is my block!  The colors are strange, but I think once the whole quilt comes together, it will look ok!

"pillow case/ table cloth/ whatever fabric you have laying around" shirt

I have seen so many options on Pinterest for altering old ts or making cute tanks...however, for us big girls, it is hard to find stuff that fits.  I decided to try the traditional pillowcase shirt, but I just used fabric that I had lying around.  I've made three!  They are a little funky, but they fit and I like 'em!

Here's what you need:

about a yard of fabric

thread

ribbon

sewing machine

scissors and cutting utensils.

Here's what I did:

1. Take the yard or fabric and fold it in half...the other direction than the direction it is already folded.

2. Then sew up the sides. (at this point it is like you have a pillow case, but my opening is on one of the long ends) 

 3. Then cut at a diagonal the corners. (to make an opening for the arms)

 4. On the other open end, hem all the way around the bottom. 

  5. Fold in the edges in the arm holes, where you cut on the diagonal and sew a "hem".

 6.  Sew along the bottom of slit, to ensure the fabric will not fray, and double up at the bottom of each side of the arm area of the fabric.

7. Cut a small triangle out of one of the sides. (This will form an eyelet opening for the ribbon to be strung through)

 8. Fold in and sew and then fold down about an inch and a half around the entire top and sew all the way around. (this is to form your tube that the ribbon will be threaded through.) 

  9. Thread a safety pin with your ribbon/ sash and thread through the opening around the top.

  10. This is what it looks like when it's done!

They are pretty baggy, But I wanted something that didn't hug my mid-section like everything off the rack.  I put pleats in the front of the shirt along the bottom hem to make it a little more fitted, but I left the back alone so that it hangs and covers my bottom well!  I think it looks cute and I got some compliments that they would have never known it was home-made.