"Fabric Scrap Humor"

 Hey quilter's....hope your day is off to a great start. I'm working on my next "scrap" project to share and having fun using those "tiny" pieces of fabric that we sometimes throw away. The technique is very theraputic for me anyway so I'm hoping to get this technique down to a "scrappy technique" to share soon. :-) In the meantime...here's some "fabric scrap humor" to get us through the week.

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Pinterest & Facebook & www.cookinganddecorwithcat.blogspot.com

Quilt Series...Scrapin' w/Cat..."Farmhouse Trivet"

 Hey quilter's....happy Monday! Here's the reason why I was so sentimenatal in yesterday's post. My dear friend back in Indiana daughter is getting married. Her decor is "Modern Farmhouse" and that does not suprise me due to she comes from a large cattle ranching family. I wanted to so something "handmade" for her...something she can alway's use but mostly something sweet 'cause that's how she alway's was to me. It's so hard seeing your friends children grow up and get married. I know it's a part of life. But time does go by fast & that's why we have that "mushy" word called "memories." 

Anyway, with this trivet design you'll be doing raw edge applique with AURIFIL 50 weight #1126. I chose that hue do to how it compliments the "blue fabric scraps" :-) You will be using a "cookie cutter" for your leaf pattern & learning my easy technique to make your own letters for monograming. Sure you can buy your letters but why would you when you have "scraps." :-) These trivets are easy and sweet gifts to give or just make a few for yourself using "your scraps" :-) Hope you enjoy!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's...cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Facebook & Pinterest or my cooking blog @ www.cookinganddecorwithcat.blogspot.com

Here's all you need...

AURIFIL 50 weight thread # 1126

Leaf Cookie Cutter 

Blue scrap fabric for leaves

Coordinating fabric for front & back

Heat n bond Lite

Insul-Bright

Lightweight batting 

Lightweight stabilizer for applique

Cup of Coffee :-) or two :-) :-) 

Here's all you do...

Fuse heat n bond lite to the wrong side of your "blue scrap" following manurfacorer's directions.

On Paper side of fabric....trace around leaf cookie cutter...carefully cut out ( see pic)

*Cut front & back piece of fabric "scraps",  batting, Insul bright all 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 or to your desired size (easily enlarge)

*"Audition" or leaves on front side of fabric to get your desired design.

*Tear backing of leaves & carefully fuse in place (I use a pressing sheet so I don't get my iron sticky)

*Rotaty cut your "Border/Backing" strips as followed...

*For the Monogram Letter...do same method as above for the leaves but rotary cut 1/4" strips and trim strips to your desired letter. ( so easy...used your scrap fabric & saved money not buying letters) :-)

2 x 7 1/2...2 x 8 1/4...2 X 8 1/4...2 x 9 1/4

Using the Log Cabin Method....sew strips (right sides together) starting at bottom...then left side...top...then right side....pressing & squaring up after each strip.

Tip...you can cut strips a bit longer in length then square up as you go so you don't have to be so precise :-) Or cut your strips to your desired width.

*Rotary cut your Lightweight stabilizer and position behind front of trivet.

* Raw edge Applique using your choice aroind Leaves & Letters.

*Place batting, insul-bright then fabric back piece....pin in place with your front piece of fabric

* Using "Log Cabin Method" again fold front binding piece to back (fold over about a 1/4 inch or so) and pin in place and sew on front edge using satin stich carefully catching both front and back edge.

(don't sew over pins like I did on previous post) :-( it happends!

Tip...I use this "Border/Backing" method a lot...very easy and still gives you a clean edge.

Press if needed. 

That's it....your trivet will roughly be a 7 3/4 square or your desired size.

 Again...add more borders to enlarge your trivet using the "Log Cabin Method" :-)

Tip...using Insul-Bright gives the protection for a Hot or Cold Trivet. Read manufacturer's directions for all the warranty directions.

*To wash....spot clean & lay flat to dry.

 *Quilt it forward this summer....teach a child or adult to quilt using these fun & easy techniques!

"A Handmade Gift Mends the Soul"

 Hey quilter's....hope y'all are having a Blessed Sunday. While I was finishing a gift this weekend, it really brought me to tears but in a good way. This gift triggered so many memories. Sometimes I get "wrapped up" in the everyday chaos & just need to remember the sweet things...memories. So I'm hoping the gift that I made will trigger happy memories to come. I know it made me happy while making it :-)

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Pinterest & Facebook

also...

 www.cookinganddecorwithcat.blogspot.com

Cat's Tip of the Day!..."Why I sew with AURIFIL thread."

 Hey quilter's....hope your week is going well. Yesterday I had a "little incident" that I alway's preach about..."don't sew over your needles." Oh my gosh...well if it happens, don't panic. I will admit this was the worse one yet & I've been sewing sense the age of 7. I was sewing the border to my latest "scrap trivet"....design coming soon :-)....and I heard this horrible "crunch" sound. First...I immediately counted all my fingers :-) then realized what I did :-( yes it happens! What I was amazed with is how my AURIFIL thread did not break! Honestly, words can't express how I'm in love with this thread. Every project that I've used with 50# AURIFIL thread has turned out amazing. I've used this thread from hand mending (previous post) to my Stain Glass Windows for the Frankston Depot Library & Museum (previous post). I had to take a quick pick of how the needle was still attached to the thread to show that my thread didn't break. Then had to laugh at myself when I noticed how bad I had sewn over the plastic top of my needle (hence the crunch noise). First for me...normally it's me just sewing over the actual needle :-) Oh yes....I do use "SCHMETZ" needles. My needle didn't break either but I did change out to another needle just to be safe. Anyway, hope this doesn't happen to you but if it does...don't panic :-)

NOTE: To really prevent this from happening you should pin your needle facing out...not in (pic one)...especially pinning on back side like I do quite a bit....there's a reason why you see those bright colored tips on needles :-) :-) :-)

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Pinterest & Facebook

www.cookinganddecorwithcat.blogspot.com

Cat's Tip of the Day! "What's in your Scrap Basket?"

 Hey quilter's.....I hope your weekend is off to a great start. I'm enjoying a calm morning. I will admit that "I will never wish I had a "breeze" again." I'm totally find now with my "Florida quilting rm" aka "sauna" :-) The storms lately sure made me be thankful! I wanted to share my "scrap basket" with you on how I "organize my fabric scraps & AURIFIL threads." This inexpensive tip is so useful especially if you need to go back & repair an item. :-( I purchased the plastic ziplock bags & write on the Fabric brand & thread hues with a permanent marker. I know certain machines have an "automatic thread cutter" but some domestic machines don't so you end up cutting away threads. You'll be surprised of how much thread you will accumulate even just trimming away threads from projects.  Don't know about you but throwing away threads kills me. You'll see why this "tip" of saving your AURIFIL threads is especially important real soon! :-) Hope you enjoy!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Pinterest & Facebook

www.cookinganddecorwithcat.blogspot.com

Quilt Series...Scrapin' w/ Cat "Sea Turtle Trivet"

 Hey quilter's...hope all is going well. Calm morning here in Florida but prayer's still go out to everone going through the storm or recovering. I learned not to take any "tropical storm" lightly. Well....I hope everyone has their "scraps" ready??? :-) If not....maybe this fun & cute "Sea Turtle Trivet" will inspire you. I will admit, had a blast with this tiny little project....the color hues of AURIFIL threads & my scraps of Hoffman Batiks really inspired me for this design. Again, it's not fancy, just fun. When I finished appliqueing the "sea turtles," I had to laugh. One of my turtles looks liked he "ate" more then the others. Oh well...as I love to say "being imperfect is perfect," for me anyway :-) The AURIFIL thread hues mimick the waters as they go from light to dark along the sand. The light fabric for the sand is just a scrap piece of "muslin." If you're like me you have tons and what a great way to use it for a "Coastal" design. Finished out roughly is 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 depending on how you do the borders. I love trivets for myself or especially giving as a gift. Using insulbright it allows you to place a hot or cold dish on to protect your table surface. Plus it's a "functional decor", win win!The trivet can be easily enlarged by adding on more border strips. One reason why I do the "log cabin" methof of piecing borders. Sometimes the design "speaks to you" while sewing/piecing and this methold allows you to add on if needed. Sometimes it just looks like it was designed that way :-) Anyway...hope you enjoy!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Pinterest & Facebook

Here's all you need...

Scrap Batiks "Hoffman Fabrics"

AURIL thread 50# numbersin order as shown.. 2710, 4093, 4663, 1126, 2780

Lightweight tear-away stabilizer

Lightweight batting

Heat n Bond Lite

Insulbright

Here's all you do...

*Rotary cut your muslin, backing, light weight tear away stabilizer, batting & Insulbright all to 71/2 x 7 1/2

*Place your light weight stabilizer to wrong side of muslin (funny here cause I seriously can't tell the difference)...one reason why I love batiks :-) Secure in place with a quilting pin at top if desiered. Set your machine to your desired stitch & width & start "making waves" with your AURIFIL threads. Your stabilizer will make your stitches so pretty & secure and I used my pressure foot as a guide for my width between stitches. Do the same if you wish. 

Next I used a scrap Batik to make the corner wedge by sewing wrong sides together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance....finger press back and trim away extra fabric the square up! You can do this method or just continue accenting the dark waves with your AURIFIL thread.

Now fuse Heat n Bond lite to wrong side of batiks (following maufactorer's directions)...cut out and place on front of trivet as desired. I like to "audition" my design first before fusing just incase I need to add or delete anything. 

 Applique around turtles with your coordinating AURIFIL thread as desired. 

Border...Rotary cut strip1 1/2 x 7 1/2 using "log cabin method) with right sides together, sew to bottom of block, press open & square up.

Left side...rotary cut 1/2 x 8 1/2, sew with right sides together, press open & square up. 

Top...rotary cut 1 1/2 x 8 1/2  & do same method as above.

Right side...Rotary cut 1 1/2 x 9 1/4 & do same method as above.

Tip...you can at this time enlarge your trivet if desired but just remember your batting, insul bright & back fabric need to be adjusted to your desired trivet size. 

Now layer block then batting, insulbright & batting together. 

Your "Border strips" will now become your binding  when you fold your strips to back side of fabric (again using log cabin method) I did a 1/4" fold which allowed me to use a decorative stitch around the edges, catching front and back seams while sewing. Do the same if you wish. 

Tip...if you are a beginner to sewing borders this way, you can cut your strips a bit "wider" ex 2" width to allow a larger "fold" and sewing might be a bit easier for you. 

This method is easier for me anyway when piecing a binding strip on small projects. 

Tip: I did not "tear away" my stabilizer after appliqueing. I liked how it made the trivet a bit extra sturdy. Do the same as you wish.

That's it...you now have a sweet gift to give or keep for yourself & your "scrap pile" might be a little smaller ??? :-)

More designs coming soon :-)

QUILT SERIES..."Scrapin' w/Cat"...

 Hey quilter's....hope all is well. My prayer's go out for everyone during these horrible storms. Not much sleep last night but no damage so not gonna gripe! I'm starting a new quilting series..."Scrapin' w/Cat." These designs came about through our "being stranded" last year and being forced to use what you have due to several stores temporarily closed and also being safe and not shopping. It also made me realize how much "scrap fabric" I have and need to use. I'm not a "fabric horder" but I do have a "healthy scrap stash" or what I like to call my "little pretties." Oh and while I'm being honest, I mind as well share the truth of how I named my scraps "little pretties." Yes...I was sorting my scraps and for some "odd reason" my voice went into "the wizard of OZ witch" when I was saying "come here my little pretties." I know creepy....but it goes without saying....I have never seen a "ugly...weird....piece of scrap fabric." To me...all fabrics are beautiful....the thought process that goes behind every pattern design is amazing! Anyway, throughout this series you'll see "1 Design...SEW Many Ways" & "1 Pillow...SEW Many Ways!" Pattern designs from Country to Coastal to Christmas! You'll learn fun easy techniques, space-saving tips & great gift ideas plus doing the new trend of quilting art enhanced with Aurifil thread. All using your scraps! Of course I'm not gonna judge if you go buy some new fabric :-) But do try and get creative with your scraps. It's been challenging but I'm pleased of what I've accompolished so far! 

So grab your scraps & AURIFIL thread & let's have some fun 2gether!

Blessed Quilting from My Home to Yours,

Cat

email q's...cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com

Follow on Pinterest & Facebook

Fabric Stash humor....love this but we can do this 2gether :-)