"What 2do B4 your Bobbin runs out of AURIfil thread"

Hey Quilters...we all dread the "Bobbin Running Out of Thread Syndrome", much less thinking of wasting a strand of AURIfil makes me sick. Well, it happens to be July and I was trying for once to get a head of Christmas gifts this year. So I came up with this sweet gift idea you actually can do all year round and you will have gifts ready to go when needed for that special someone. Plus, here it goes....the best "Stash Buster" ever due to the small scale of the project. "You can't get any better then this,Not wasting AURIFIL thread, gift idea all year plus Stash Buster"................

                                                         .....The sweatiest "Mug Rug"
Here's what to do....I had scraps from a gift that I was using on...the scraps had the fused backing on them plus they were bright batiks from Hoffman fabrics so I definitely wanted to use them again somehow. I am also determined to make some sweet gifts for Christmas this year and what a sweet gift, a "Mug Rug". So before my bobbin runs out, when I am at the point of possibly messing up my sewing/quilting line, I will STOP and grab a ":MUG RUG" and applique or quilt until the bobbin runs "TOTALLY OUT". I am not wasting a bit of my thread plus I am not sewing "4ever" until I finally realize my bobbin actually did run out. Oh my gosh...forty years later and that still happens to me! I'm working on a Christmas gift or gift for any occasion and have to admit taking a break from a large project and doing a small one makes you feel you accomplished something! Anyway, give it a try...they are easy and a lot of fun. Enjoy!
"Blessed Quilting from our Home to Yours"
Cat
cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Before you begin...sketch/design your project. I love Hexes so I cut two 6x6" green Batik squares.
Place squares w/right sides together.
Trace your Hexagon with pencil on fabric
(mark about a inch opening for ease when turning fabric inside out)
Sew on line leaving opening
(I back stich at beginning and end fore reinforcement when turning fabric inside out)
Carefully cut access fabric away (about an eighth inch up to sewing line
Turn inside out with right sides facing you & using a the eraser part of a pencil carefully form the corners of the Hexagon shape and finger press smooth.
CUT about an eighth smaller of your shape you are using of "INSUL-BRIGHT" insulated lining and insert into opening (use pencil eraser to maneuver into corners)
Finger press smooth (trust me on these small projects...your fingers & pencil eraser will be your go to TOOLS ;-)
Fuse your design of scrap fabrics and it's ready to use when needed. I use double sided fusible web a lot on my projects so must of my "SCRAPS" are good to go!
*This project I used 6 leaves....fused and appliqued around each one and then added 6 more leaves for the layered look on design.
When finished you can applique around edges and that will close your opening that you still have.. You can see that is my next step on mine!
*This design roughly finishes out to a 5x5" Hexagon Mug Rug
Again....sweet gift...not wasting any thread....using up those scraps/stash and if you're like me, practicing quilting stitches or continuous line quilting on a small project for expertise on larger ones.
Get creative...endless possibilities for these sweet gifts. Plus, I have to say this is a fun gift to do with a child as well. I will be posting other designs and Christmas gifts a long the way. Christmas will be here before we know it :-) Enjoy!

Lights On...No Action!...."Thank God I don't have a Parrott in my sewing room\"

Hey quilters....hope all is going well with everyone. It's not everyday that I share a "red moment" but feel my costly mistake may be a time-saver for someone else. And needless to say...officially old when you share moments like this and absolutely don't mind humiliating myself while doing so. Reminds me of my sweet Gramma Stetson always saying "learn by my mistakes". Well.....yesterday while working on a very important project, I go to my quilting machine to do the very detailed part of the quilting. Needless to say....two days earlier this week I had just switched out one of my machines on the same "sewing table". Yes, I am sure that I am not the only one that has more then one sewing machine and perhaps has a favorite sewing desk and shifts machines around in the sewing room depending on project...right??? Well, here is where I am so thankful that I don't have a Parrott in my sewing room...

I plug in all the cords...everything fits and lights come on my Husqvarna...all the "lights come on" and I go to start quilting and NOTHING HAPPENDS! What!...I just used you and you were fine...no not now...this can't be happening to me...well and yes a few other words kind a sorta "slipped" out of my mouth. Oh my goodness....I checked everything...cords fine.....actually cleaned out bobbin area thinking something might be in the way causing needle not to move. I did not understand...my sewing machine in on....all lit up...no action. I kept pressing on the "foot control"...nothing! Yes, maybe some of you are already going..."I know what Cat did...that's hilarious! No it's not....thirty minutes later...yes, I realized that I plugged in the wrong foot control to my machine. Seriously....my Janome foot control prong fit my Husqvarna machine. Although it may not have worked that stupid thing fit! Needless to say....all my cords are now labeled per machine! I have 3 sewing desks and several machines so I don't want to ever go through this again! Oh my goodness...I have been sewing sense I was 9 and have never had such a stupid moment like this while sewing. Well...maybe sewing my pockets on the right side instead of the inside may come close :-) Needless to say, a few minutes of labeling foot controls will be a "time-saver" in the long run! But here's the thing.... pondering why it fit in the first place....so yes... I did explore...a lot of my machines have the same prong attachment....go figure! #neveradullmomentinthequiltingworld! :-)

"Blessed Quilting from our Home to Yours"
Cat
Facebook...Ihearditthroughthequilt-vine