Finished blanket on top of wrong side of blue backing.
This is where I folded over the edge of crochet to create binding
How I trimmed the edge of blue fabric and the corners.
Stitching
More stitching
Completed blanket
Ready for shipping
HAPPY CREATING!!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – “Commissions Earned”If you are like me, I do a TON of sewing especially this time of the year!! One thing that always seems to happen to me is that I am forever chasing my sewing machine foot pedal all around because it is ALWAYS moving out of my comfort zone for sewing!! I have tried placing self-adhesive felt pads on the bottom of my pedal without much success and have even used sandpaper stickers on the underneath side of the pedal and I am still always having to move it back into place. However, these sandpaper stickers work super on your quilting rulers to help keep them from sliding around!! Sorry, I digress. Anyways, I have designed a platform that I place my sewing machine foot pedal on and it really seems to help keep it from moving all around. Believe you me it is nothing fancy and you probably have these items around your house so NO COST which is right up my alley. This is what I presently use: 
See I told you it is nothing fancy ~ ooooh and pardon all my thread explosions LOL!! I have taken a couple of card board mailing boxes and covered them in the rubberized shelf lining material with some extra-large rubber bands to hold it all together. The boxes I used are about 16″ wide by 11″ long and I covered three of them for some thickness and height. You see I am also vertically challenged so it works better for me to have my foot pedal raised up a little bit. My foot pedal will still move around ever so slightly but it doesn’t travel way out of reach. This works for me and keeps me from getting frustrated 🙂 It would be great if you could share your ideas that you use to help with this issue!!
HAPPY CREATING!!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – “Commissions Earned”
Now I didn’t actually go and buy anything at this point just used a couple of pedicure forms that I had on hand. Voila, it seems to work nicely and threads are all tucked away neatly but not sure if it is the way to go for me. As I mentioned earlier, I tend to grab and replace my bobbins using only one hand (probably why my threads get unruly but is a timesaving process for me and my sewing needs). This solution needs two hands to replace the bobbin back into the pedicure form. Also, my bobbins seem to make the form curve a bit ~~ not sure if my bobbins are larger/smaller or my forms are not new and maybe too soft and flexible. Brand new forms are probably a little sturdier and might not curve.
For me I’m not sure if I will change my current bobbin storage system, however, I still think this is a grand idea worth looking into and maybe will work for you and how you sew with your tools.
Hmm ~~ probably next time I am shopping I just might have to pick up a couple of new pedicure forms though!! Let me know if you have success with this idea 🙂
HAPPY CREATING!!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – “Commissions Earned”
Working on ideas for updating my blog to include guest bloggers/guest ravelers and maybe setting up some type of give away program. Still working on these ideas but feel confident that new things are heading this way.
As always, crocheted more donation beanies for the Headhugger organizer and our local hospital’s maternity ward. Actually, designed a beanie which I really love to crochet beginning at the bottom edge and working your way to the crown. Planning to share that as a free pattern soon. Also created a pretty cool looking loopy embellishment for beanies that will be available soon as a purchased item from my mysticmeems profile on Ravelry.
Found a super fun crochet bootie (free pattern) from crochethooksyou.com that makes a lovely little gift item. I tweaked the pattern a little but works up fast and is also perfect for baby dolls and/or stuffed animals too. Little ones always love to put booties on their favorite animals!! Take a moment and visit Paula Daniele’s blog (click on above link) to see her other items too. Here’s a few pairs that I have done and now trying to decide how I want to embellish them.
Enjoy the remaining “dog days” of summer — grilling yummy brats, hamburgers, corn on the cob, munching watermelon (I miss seed spitting contests, since seedless watermelons arrived on the scene), and preparing fresh tomatoes and green beans from the garden. Don’t forget about those prolific zucchinis too that I’m always trying to find different ways of using them!!
Take time to enjoy the warmth and friendship of family and neighbors. Squeeze a ball of yarn or run your fingers down a new bolt of fabric (something to add to your holiday “wish list”) and let your creative juices flow.
HAPPY CREATING!!!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – “Commissions Earned”
Now that the Christmas holidays have past, I again looked at that remnant and imagined a very nice large toy tote bag, PERFECT! So here are my directions for sewing the tote bag.
PART ONE:
What I needed to do first was make the burlap fabric wide enough so I added a 3 inch wide strip of black cotton fabric from my stash to each side of the burlap. I only sewed a 1/4 inch seam allowance because I wanted a maximum width of about 17 or 18 inches. After stitching on both strips, I then serged them and pressed the seam towards the black fabric. Next I sewed a decorative fagoting stitch as a top stitch to keep that seam permanently in place. Now my finished piece of fabric is approximately 19″ wide by 45″ long. Sorry, lots of shedding from the burlap!!
Now I took that piece of fabric and laid it on top of another cotton fabric (right sides together) that I used as my guide to cut out a lining for the tote – so now I have 2 pieces of fabric 19″ wide x 45″ long.
Next I made the straps, using the same black cotton fabric for them. I cut my straps 3 inches wide by 21 inches long. I folded the straps in half (wrong sides together) and pressed with the iron. This is for a registration/reference line. Open up your strap and with wrong sides facing you, fold each side in to the pressed line. Iron in place, then fold so that your two non-raw side edges meet and press again. Sew close to the edge, turn and stitch along the narrow edge, turn and stitch close to the opposite edge to create a nice top stitching effect for your strap.
Now your straps are ready to be sewn onto your main fabric tote. Strap placement is a personal option but you want to make sure they will provide good balance and support for whatever you put inside your tote. For this toy tote, I placed my straps 3 1/2 inches in from the side seam on the right side of the main fabric. Do a baste stitch to hold the straps in place. Make 2 straps and attach at each end of your long fabric piece.
Continue by going to Sewing a Tote Bag PART TWO blog. I know this is a long post but wanted to describe thoroughly.
HAPPY CREATING!!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – “Commissions Earned”