Circles Runner

 I recently had occasion to create another wedding table runner, so I thought I'd try my hand at a new design.  I've never used circles in my quilting designs, so I was excited to experiment with them.  In the end, I think it ended up simple, modern, and lovely.  I hope the couple likes it!

 I quilted random circles all over - a first for me - so I marked them in chalk rather than doing them free form.  It took a bit longer to accomplish than my usual method.  

 Here's the back.

 I used white thread for the quilting so it would pop on the back.

 And I had to make some coasters to go with it.  I think it rounds out the gift nicely.  Here's the front of them.

And the back.

And that's it!

Wedding Table Runner

I've been trying my hand at pattern-making recently and it's a challenge I really enjoy.  One difficulty in writing sewing patterns is that my style is so improvisational I have to take meticulous notes on what I'm doing as I go.  I'd rather just be diving in, so it goes a bit against the grain.  Another challenge is that sometimes (more often than I like), things just don't work out.  I usually have a clear picture in my head of the general feel of a piece.  Often I even make a sketch, but if something isn't working as I go, I change it.

This project is one of those cases.  I was going to make two pillows for my cousin and her new husband as a wedding present, but somewhere along the way, I was derailed.  What I came up with instead is this Wedding Table Runner.

 Because it was so improvised, I really couldn't write a pattern for it, but if you'd like to see more, check it out after the jump.

Plastic Bag Holder Tutorial

Here's a super-easy, super-quick project you could complete in an afternoon:

Plastic Bag Holder

 Materials:

Cotton fabric, pieced or solid, 20" x 25"

1/4" Elastic, cut to 10" and 6"

3/4" Ribbon, cut to 12"

Thread

 As you can see, I took some scraps from a previous project and pieced them into a design I liked.  I used a heavy cotton which kept the holder from looking lumpy once the bags were inside.  You could design any pattern you like, and a solid piece of fabric would work just as well.

This holder is a bit over-sized because I had a large space on my wall I wanted to fill.  You could easily change the height of the fabric to fit a smaller or larger space.  Keep the 20" width, and adjust height however you like.  No other measurements (for elastic or ribbon) need change.

Once you have your rectangle, lay it right side up and measure 2.5" down and 5" in from the left edge.  Mark this point with chalk or disappearing fabric pen.  Repeat with the right edge.  You will sew the ribbon to these points later.

Next fold over the bottom edge of your rectangle 1/4" and press.  Fold again 1/2" and press to make a casing for the elastic.  Repeat with the top edge of your rectangle.  Sew along the very outer edge of these folds.

Attache a safety pin to the end of your 6" elastic.

 Insert the pin into the casing at the bottom of your fabric.

 Thread the pin through the casing, taking care to stop just before the end of the elastic disappears.

 Sew over this end a few times to secure the elastic.   Keep threading the safety pin through the casing until you reach the other side, then sew over that end as well.

 The bottom of your holder will now look like this.  Repeat these steps with the 10" elastic and the top of your holder.  (This elastic is longer to allow for stuffing lots of bags into a larger opening.)

 Here's how the holder will look with the elastic in both ends.

 Next, attach the ribbon to the points you previously marked. Fold the ribbon under and sew over a few times to secure.

 Fold the bag in half length-wise with right sides together and sew ends with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Turn your bag out, and voilà!  

You're Done!

Chalkboard nook

I don't know about you, but I struggle keeping track of to do lists.  Either they're on teeny scraps of paper scattered throughout the house, or on some document on my computer that I never look at.

I particularly need a good - visible - place for my list of around-the-house chores that are perfect to tackle during the weekend.  (How it works now is I live with a vague sense that I wanted to accomplish something, but instead spend hours playing Plants vs. Zombies while I wait for inspiration to strike.)

So I decided to take an uninspired corner of the kitchen and turn it into a much more attractive, much more functional To Do nook.

 First, I cleared out the space.  I removed the sad little hook holding way too many things, moved the artwork, and set the broom aside.

 I taped off a large rectangle to delineate where the chalk wall would be.  I used a yard stick and level to draw a straight line in pencil, then ran 2" painters tape along the line.

 Two inches in, I drew another rectangle and taped it off in 1" painters tape to create a border for visual interest.

 I made sure to keep the corners of the inner rectangle nice and clean.  Cutting the tape with scissors helped.

 Then I painted over the whole shebang in black chalkboard paint.  It took me two coats to get a nice clean surface.  After it dried I removed the tape.

 I hung a coat rack that was leftover from a previous project, and since the paint was also leftover and I had all the paint supplies on hand, this project cost me exactly $0!

 Tip: make sure to press the edges of the painters tape down firmly or you'll be doing some touch-up like me.

 And here's the finished look!  Now I have a place for art smocks, aprons, the broom, and a great visual reminder or all those little projects I want to take care of.

 Another view

 The added bonus is a fun new art space for the kids.  (Of course I've been warned they'll soon take over the whole wall, but until they grow a bit, I still have the top to myself.)

 A little plastic cup screwed into the wall makes a great place to hold chalk.  I placed it high enough for my 4-year-old to reach, but too high for the 1-year-old.  Since she thinks chalk is pretty tasty, it's best that she can't get into it on her own, for now.

As you can see, they're big fans.

sewing room: paint and furniture

We moved my sewing table and shelves upstairs this week, and while the kids were napping or at school I worked on hanging cabinets and organizing my supplies.  All of the basic elements are in place and it's a functional room now.

Here's a reminder of what this room looked like just a few short weeks ago.  Those wall decals were incredibly difficult to get off and left huge un-painted patches in the wall.

 Big difference, huh?  Here you can see the wall color - a refresh of the yellow paint that was already in there - and the new chair.  We had these bronze curtains already, and I hung them because the windows needed something.  But with the faux leather chair it's feeling very masculine to me, so I'm sure I'll switch them out for something softer.

 Sewing table set up nicely and cabinets hung level (!) and even.  I added some more lighting under the cabinets, so I don't need to keep a lamp on my workspace.  The ironing table is to the right with it's fabric makeover.

And another angle.  You'll notice my ball chair - for anyone who sits at a desk for long stretches, I can't recommend the it highly enough.  It's a huge relief for my back.

I have so much more I'd love to do to add some color and personality.  But it's not going to happen anytime soon.  Thom surprised me with tickets to Vegas, so I'll be escaping the snow with the kids for a week!  (In case you didn't know, we have family there, so no, we won't be spending any time in the casinos.)

See you after my mini vacation!

baby steps

It's been a busy couple weeks with three redecorating projects in the works.  The latest is the move of my sewing space from the basement to a room upstairs.  I'm so excited to have the light, the door I can close (!), and the opportunity to do a little design work just for me.

A trip to Ikea this weekend yielded a few necessary new items for the room plus a frivolous thing or two.  Here are two of my finds:

My husband's one request was a comfy chair he can use on the occasions he needs the room for a work space.  I love the (unfortunately named) klappsta chair  for its sleek design and small footprint.  It's definitely comfortable, but even more so with a pillow in the back.

I bought a little over a yard of the patricia fabric without having too much of a plan for it.  I thought it might work for curtains in Lila's new room, but once I saw it in there, I knew it was a no go. However, it goes fantastically with the butter yellow walls in my sewing room, so my ironing table is going to get a refreshed cover and I'll have just enough left over for a small pillow.  Perfect!

 I also bought some shelving for the closet to hold my bins and bins of fabric.  I can see fabric hoarding becoming a serious problem in the future.  This is what the closet looked like before.

And here's after.  (Cute baby sells it, doesn't she?)  I love the versatility of these ekby jarpen shelves.  We've used them in our library downstairs, in the "mud room" (or "mud corner" to be more accurate), and now here.  They're sturdy, don't have a ton of ugly hardware, and can be placed any distance apart.  I am amazed I actually worked the math correctly and got them hung with exactly enough space for my bins.  There's still a little room to grow, but probably I should just do a big purge.

So it's a start.  I'll be excited to reveal the whole room when it's finished - should be sometime this year. ;)

Once I can get the basics set up, I'll be able to work at my machine again, which will make me infinitely happier and should provide some fun posts here.

Wish me luck!