Show, Share, and Tell

Some time ago Paulette from Sweet P Quilting and Creations  shared a sewing machine mat she made.  I met Paulette last year as we were on the Oregon coast in a quilt shop.  I told her I also had made one and on Friday I went to sew with friends and took these pictures of mine.  I used a purchased panel that I added blocks to make it wide enough to accommodate my acrylic sewing table.

 I also designed a sewing machine cover from the same panel.  I store my sewing machine cord in the right pocket of the cover and the sewing machine manual and reference book in the left pocket.  The mat has five pockets that I keep all sorts of things, machine needles, masking tape, seam ripper, larger fabric remnants, tea bags.

 I love this panel and still have a few blocks left to make a couple more sewing related items.

 Here is my mat all rolled up and ready to pack, I got the pink grid gripper at Daiso, a Japanese dollar store in Richmond.

 Paulette also shared a bow tie quilt and I dug mine out today to take some pictures and share.  This first one is hand pieced and hand quilted with garbage shopping at a retreat I went to.  I managed to get scraps from everyone to make a bow tie and used my own background fabrics.  I added a few fabrics to make this 5 by 5 hanging.

 This second one was actually made before the first one as I used scraps from the backing fabric in the 3" blocks.  This second one is 6" and utility quilted with DMC perle cotton.  I call it Dalmatians and plaid bow ties, as the backing has Dalmatians on a plaid print and all the bow ties and backgrounds are home spun plaids.

 A closer look at the utility quilting.

 This third bow tie quilt is done with the fast 45 corner block and is all machine pieced.  I need to sandwich and quilt it, I think I'll machine quilt this one.  Here is the left side.

 And the right side, reds, blues, browns and greens with neutral backgrounds.

 This table runner was made from two patterns, the base was a purchased pattern and the turkeys were from a magazine.  I love that Debbie Mumm star border fabric.

 This one was also utility quilted with perle 8 cotton.

 Same base pattern but with a Spring basket and flower design I drew.  I used to do a lot of fusible applique with button hole stitching.  I've gotten away from the fusible but still love the buttonhole stitching.

 A closer look.

 Several years ago at a quilt show I demonstrated button hole stitch fusible applique and this was my demo block.  I used a magazine subscription card to draw a daisy shape as a pattern.  I traced it onto the fusible and when cutting out the fabric varied the number of petals and cut some skinnier and some fatter to change it up a bit.

 I used quilting thread around the flowers to stitch and then used perle 8 to stitch the stems and stitch the flowers onto the block.

 I started the Dresden plates in June 2000, I cut out all the blades the night before having foot surgery and was non weight bearing for 12 weeks.  I had a variety of projects on the go to keep me occupied.

 I fussy cut some of the motif, love that Scottie Dog motif.

 Puppy chasing rabbit and cat around the block.

 Bunny running away.

 Hand quilted and pieced Take Along Plates...took awhile, started 2000, finished 2005.

I found my Strutter project a bit ago.  I had cut out the pieces, appliqued the hounds tooth base on had stitched the pairs of large back feather together, stitched on the eyes, bead and waddle and then put it away...someplace safe as usual.  Over the past few days I've added all the double feathers, the gold and blue feathers and the body along with the head and neck.  I just need to do the corner stones and applique the frame and it is ready to quilt.  Should be done in time for Thanksgiving this year.                                      

 A closer look at the head and feathers.

 I also got my April block finished but hadn't posted a picture.

 Along with the spool block.

 Have the May applique done. But need to do the spool companion block.

 Love the mauve nose, will add a button eye later.

 Mika pinwheel block is done, love the combination of the piecing and applique.

Thursday I get my next Mika block I think it is the large star block with flower appliques, wait and see if I guess correctly.