Hand scrub

 

Sure have needed a lot of gifts lately.  This was for a high school graduation.  I made her a whole basket, but forgot to take pics.  This is handmade scrubs.  Don't you love the cute little spoons.  I got them from Krogers of all  places. 

This is how I make my scrubs,
 in the jar put desired amount of sea salt, sugar, or brown sugar.
Put in desired oil little at a time. 
Let it soak in. 
Put in a little lemon juice and scented oil.

I found they do best if you don't stir, it breaks up the sugar or salt and makes it watery.

Easy peasy.  My daughter paid $20 for a jar this size for a store bought one.  We made a bunch for Christmas Presents this year, and everyone seemed to love them.

Small finishes

Here's 2 purple washrags I made for a gift basket.  I sure seem to be making a lot of washrags lately.  It may be small, but a finish is a finish and I'm happy with it.  Just can't seem to find time to sew lately.

Gift Basket - Handmade Goodies

I found this basket at CareHelp.   It was a good thing, because the same day hubby  told me we had a housewarming party to go to that day.  Yikes, So we went to the party, then went straight to WalMart to find yarn that matched their bedroom and kitchen.  The brown matches their kitchen.  The purple matches the bathroom.  I have never seen purple in a bathroom, it was really very nice.  They were really excited with the thick towels.  I couldn't remember the exact purple in the bathroom, so we went with beige towels and washrags.  I was pleased with the way the basket looked.

Working on flismies

Here is another border for several scrappy quilts.  This is a neutral fabric I like using. 

So do you give neutral quilts as gifts, or do you like give bold, brighter quilts as gifts?

Small finishes - baby present

I have been making more crocheted gifts then sewing lately.  hmmmm.  Handmade washrags are the big, new gift.  So I use 100 percent cotton, try to find thread made in American.  Yes, I do still think that is important.  I got this in a big cone at Wal Mart.  Love the shading.

The little sack actually has a bar of baby soap in it.  You wash up, rinse the bag, then hang to dry.  I wasn't sure that was a good ideal, but supriseling, it dries fine, and always looks clean.  My girls love using them.  I need to whip some up for Christmas gifts.

Working on finishes

I love working with scraps.  It is always so fun to pick borders for these scrappy quilts.  But borders is where my project usually stops, and then the expense starts.  So I have a new plan.  When I buy a border, I now buy enough for several quilts.  This will cut down on the time it takes me to find a border, and it will also save money, because I won't just be putting the leftovers in with my scraps.  It will go to finish at least 3 quilts.  I am kinda doubting my color now.  I usually use a brown or green for borders so that it is fairly neutral quilt.  I do this as most quilts are given to people I really don't know.  Red is a little bold.  It went with the quilt I am working on, and I didn't think of it at the time that it is not a neutral color to put in the quilt. 

So would you give a quilt to someone that is really bold, or would you make it neutral to fit in with there home colors?

Another Scrappy FLimsy

Here's another all scrap quilt.  The blue is from a quilt I made for a wedding present.  The nine patch is 2 1/2 inch squares.  A lot of the scraps are from friends who don't work with small pieces. 

I love this type of mindless sewing.  This makes nine flimsies on a hanger to iron and sandwhich.  This is a small quilt for a newborn.  I always make large baby quilts, but my daughter mentioned when the baby was newborn, she would have used a smaller quilt more oftern.  So I am making a few smaller ones.  I love making them, as they are a lot faster.

These nine patches are from when I was doing a block a day,  I do love whipping out a tip with all the pieces sitting in a box.

This quilt is already sandwhiched.  I will try to quilt it tomorrow on my day off.

Scrappy Baby Boy quilt

I am trying to finish several baby quilts to have on hand when there is a cute baby to give one to.  Before I went back to work I always had 5 or 6 baby quilts ready at all times.  I would like to build up another stash.  For this one, I did something I always wanted to, I used pieces to make a a main block.  This one is really a free quilt.  All the blocks are leftover from other quilts.

These nine patches were made when I was doing one block a day.  I need to get back to sewing at least one block a day, I really want to spend more time sewing.

Duck tape

It's actually duct tape, the brand is Duck Tape.  I thought that was cute.  My hubby broke the corner off his lunch box.  He was quiet disappointed, because it is his favorite one.  My daughter found this bacon tape for me.  Isn't it funny.  So now its not waterproof, and but the little containers that fit in there will keep the food from touching the tape.  I have been wanting to try the cute tapes, so was quite excited that it worked well.

Well off to find binding for a quilt that I need to finish soon for a present.

Cutting, organizing

I am still trying to get organized.  I went through my scraps from recent trimming of blocks and quilts, and cut them all down in my system. 

I am doing 1 1/2 for Lego quilts, the rest was cut into center blocks for a baby quilt and strips for the baby quilt.  I am working on a crayon quilt using the  Bonnie Hunter pattern.  Love that one to use  up scraps.

I now have 8 flimsies ready for ironing and sandwhiching.  I no longer iron before I have up, because I always fell I should reiron the whole top.

Lego quilt

I am still working on sewing up my processed scraps.  I sew until I use all of that size scrap.  Then I put the piece in a basket to iron later.  I am very behind in my ironing.  Maybe one day I will feel like ironing, but not this week.  I really do like doing this quilt. 

I hope to get inspired to iron soon.  I have probably 15 scrap centers of quilts to iron, then see if I have scraps for borders.  I am trying to sew all the fabric I have before I buy any more.

Can you guess?

Can you guess which one of these sweethearts are keeping me from finishes?  Ahhh, so worth it.  Yes, this is how most pictures looks, can you tell he is teething.

Small finishes, pickled peppers

I had been wanting to make peppers for when we have guests over for salad.  These were on sale, so I picked up a bag.  I added garlic to the jar.  These have been a great hit with the guys.  They do taste different then banana peppers, so they are a nice suprise.  My daughters has a couple of jalapeno plants, we are hoping to be able to pickle some soon.  Actually, we are like vultures waiting for them to ripen.

Lego quiltm making progress

This is my second lego quilt.  I love doing them in long strips.  I considered doing the 12 inch blocks, but they kinda made me dizzy.  I do love the long thin strips.  I haven't picked a border, need to iron first.  Who's least favorite part of sewing in IRONING, not my favorite thing.  I have been know to pay teenagers to iron my quilts, but I don't have any teenagers who need mad money these days. 

Small Finish

 

 

 

Well, its a start.  I haven't posted in so long.  Work, family, grandbaby, dr appts.  We all know the drill.  I hav been able to sew a little. 

 

I have worked on organizing a little.  I want to get everything in order so I can spend less time cleaning and more time sewing blankets for babies.  I love, love, love, sewing tiny little blankets for sew little ones. 

 

This is actually a tiny baby washrag crocheted out of 100 percent cotton, American made.  I love American made.  Use it when I can.  Actually its wonderful for babies to hold, and chew on while mommie has the one with the soap.  I love this thread.  Crochet seems to be coming back.

Cheez it - gluten free

As you all know, I can't eat gluten, sad face here.  Well, the other nite, it was bothering me that I couldn't eat anything easy.  I did find a cracker recipe, and tried it with gluten free flour.  yum  was worth the little bit of time it too.

Even the family liked them.  Well the little I was willing to share.
 
1/2 soft butter
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup gluten free flour mix, all purpose
1 teaspoon salt

Mix, roll, bake.  

Rag rug

Well I have been looking at rag rugs on Pinterest.  I was looking at the base to make one.  I decided to just buy an old rug kit at Carehelp.  I found a nice sealed box in great condition.  I was very excited until I opened the box.  Yup, it had been started.  It will take me forever to unpick it.  I think I will just try to find another one.

Lego quilt

 Change stitching scrap quilts.  I have boxes of scraps cut, ready for stitching.  My goal was to sew through my boxes until I had not enough variety to keep sewing.  I did make that goal.  Yeah.

Here I am chain stitching for a lego quilt.  It will be my second lego quilt.  I usually don't sew with such small pieces, but I found this a fun challenge.

I used up all my cut fabric for the lego quilt, so I met that goal, next months goal is to iron the sewn pieces.  Where has the month gone.  

Organic gardening

Ok, I love gimmics.  This is a pot that allows you to grow fresh potatoes, and pic some as they grow.  The pot slides out of the out pot, and you can see the potatoes growing.  I hope it grow a few.

boys bow ties

My daughter wanted some of the popular bow ties that are all the rage.  We went to Carehelp and found some really cute silk ties. The hardest part was taking them apart.  They were really easy, and he looks precious.

Cloth diaper

Don't you love this fabric?

Cloth diaper

Another cutie.

Cloth diaper

Here is a close up of the cute diapers I am making.  I started with the Babyvile Boutique pattern.  Diaper really didn't fit just right.  I used there velcro.  Not a big fan, it shredded, and we had a lot of problems getting them to stay closed.  Also, added about $1.50 to the cost of diapers.  Yikes.  I shortned the diaper, that took care of most of the leaking problem.  I also switched to Sewology velcro.  Love it, stays hooked even in washer.  Lasts, and lasts.  And best of all I got it half price, so it only adds about 20 cents to a diaper.  I also redesigned how the velcro was attached.  These look more like the G diapers everyone loves.  Mommy is much happier with these.

Small Finish

I like this edging a lot.  Love the purple.  Fixing to give this as a gift.  Love having made presents in the gift box.  What kind of gifts do you like to make ahead of time.

Small Finishes

My daughter and I are making these cute little blankets together.  I buy a yard of fleece, cut it down the fold, then I punch the holes around one both.  I get one, and she gets the other one.  When finished we have a cute little blanket all ready for when we need a gift.  More on how I punch the holes later.

Fleece blankets.

Here's a little pile I made for Christmas.  Cute, super easy, and everyone seems to always need just one more fleece blanket.  A lot of these go to dog owners for their puppies.

Block a day

 Chain sewing, working on a block each day.  Does everyone else's desk look so messy when they sew?

Block a day - Goals

 I have been reading about groups that are making a list of what they want to do each month.  February will be my ironing month for blocks.  So I am trying to finish up small blocks, potholders, and blanket tops that I can pop in a good movie and iron for hours.

I am still working on a block a day.  So I will have quite a bit to iron