Easy Quilting

This is a re-post from waaay back in September 2008. That was the month I first started blogging.
According to my stat counter, this post gets many, many visits. Surprisingly many of the visits are from Turkey! It seems someone on a blog over there found my post and posted it on her site. I wish I could read their language so I could read her post and the comments it generated.

I don't have the time to sew like I used to, so I hope you enjoy this re-post about my quilt and Teddy Bears.

By the way, I have a winner from my last post. FOLKWAYS NOTEBOOK. I haven't heard from her yet, so Barbara, please let me have your address so I can send your apron to you.

Gather pieces
Watch it grow
Piece together
In long rows.

Make it useful
Make it bright
Start it right now
Start tonight.

The jeans and dress
Are now gone
They made a quilt
To lay on.

When I have time, usually in late fall and early winter, I like to quilt, craft and sew.

The winter of 2007 I made a blue and pink blue jean quilt. This is the 5th blue jean quilt I have made. The other ones were different shades of blue and the blocks were smaller. I back them with flannel and you don't have to put batting between the layers. I knot them with embroidery thread. They're easy to make and durable. I like the bigger blocks, because I am impatient!

The leading character in my Middle Grade story Family Treasure (which I have received numerous rejection letters on) made a quilt just like this.

Here is a detailed picture of some of the blocks. The pink block with butterflies on it came from a jumper and the small flowers were on the leg of a pair of blue jeans. I also left the pockets on some of the blocks.



Here is another picture. The large flowered blocks came from a large skirted dress. The pink blocks came from pink blue jeans!




I also had enough material from that flowered dress to make a matching teddy bear.

The teddy bears are another story. I have been sewing since I was young. I made my clothing when I was a teenager, my wedding gown, and Halloween costumes for my children when they were young. But the hardest thing I ever learned how to make were teddy bears! When I first started making them I made many mistakes until I finally got the knack of it. Needless to say, I don't make them any more. Below is what they look like. The one on the far left was the flowered one from the left over material I sewed in the quilt. The others were made out of an old tablecloth, a chenille bedspread and a very old quilt which was too tore up to save.


As I stated above, the quilts are easy to make. They are an easy way to get rid of the old blue jeans that the kids (or you) have outgrown. Or if you don't have any you can buy them at a yard sale or thrift store. Cut out the squares, sew together, put flannel on the back, then knot them together and put on the binding. Voila! You're done.

Happy sewing!

Have you ever made a blue jean quilt before? Or maybe a Teddy Bear or two?

Posted by Janet Smart on Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

WRITING WEDNESDAY IV

Writing stories is kind of like quilting. We piece together our story much like we piece together a quilt.
The blending together of different patches of cloth creates the quilt and the blending together of the characters, the setting and the story creates the manuscript.

We need to hook our reader. We need to open with a great sentence or paragraph to grab their attention.

The middle needs to keep the reader interested. It needs to be able to keep the reader turning the pages to see what happens next. Each chapter ending should make them want to go on to read the next chapter.
If we accomplish this, we are on your way to writing a great book.

However,  don't disappoint your readers with the ending. Try to make it as satisfying as the rest of the story.

All this is easier said than done, though. As writers, we need to keep trying until we get it right.
That is what molds an amateur into a professional.
They don't quit!

Now help me get it right. Which opening do you like best? Which one has the best hook?
These are two alternate openings to one of my manuscripts.

#1 OPENING

“Lucy!”

            “Yes, Ma.”

            “Get away from the window, you’ll look too anxious!”

            “I am anxious, Ma,” I confessed as I continued to stare out the window. “I’m getting married today.”

“Go fetch me some water and it’ll get your mind off the waitin’.”

“Yes, Ma,” I said as I hurried outside.          

It was a fall day in 1908. The golden yellow and russet brown leaves blew in the wind and rustled beneath my feet as I carried a bucket of cold well water back into the kitchen. I laid down the bucket, placed the long handled dipper inside and smoothed my hair in place with my hands. I always wore my hair flowing down and tied back with a simple white ribbon.  However, this morning I secured my light brown hair in a bun, hoping this grown up style would make me look older than my 16 years.

I glanced down and saw the rabbit’s foot hanging around my neck. When my little brother, Robert, gave it to me this morning, he said, “It’ll protect you from witches.”

I knew I should not believe in such things. What if James saw it? What would he think? I grabbed it and quickly tucked it inside my white blouse.

#2 OPENING

Only my parents watched me get married that Saturday afternoon in 1908.  It was a cool crisp autumn day, the leaves a golden yellow and russet brown.  They blew in the wind and rustled beneath my feet as I carried a bucket of cold well water into the kitchen. I laid down the bucket, placed the long handled dipper inside and smoothed my hair in place with my hands. I always wore my hair flowing down, tied back with a simple white ribbon.  However, this morning I secured my light brown hair in a bun, hoping this grown up style would make me look older than my 16 years. I glanced down and saw the rabbit’s foot hanging around my neck. When my little brother, Robert, gave it to me this morning, he said, “It’ll protect you from witches.” I knew I should not wear it. However, just in case, I grabbed it and quickly tucked it inside my white blouse.

Okay, is #1 or #2 your favorite? Which one grabs your interest?

Thanks and Happy Writing!

Remember Our Veterans

Tomorrow is Veterans Day 2008.

We should all remember and honor our veterans.

Many of my ancestors have served their country.

I have a copy of
7 Regiment (Saunders')
Virginia Militia
(War of 1812)

Henry McMillion was listed as a private.
On the company pay roll it stated they were paid $8 per month.

Henry McMillion was my grgrgrgrandpa on my mother's side.

In West Virginia families fought on both sides during the Civil War. My ancestors served on both sides.

The McMillion's served with the Confederates.

My Grandma McMillion's grandpa Homer Taylor served for the Union Army.
He was enlisted in the 7th WV Calvary Co. A

My father was in the Army. He boarded the troop ship USS General Mann and traveled to Japan after the bombs were dropped. Among other things, we have Japanese swords, Japanese money and his little translation book given to all the GIs. Dad still vividly remembers his time in Japan.

This picture of Dad is dated July 6, 1946 Fukuoka, Japan

My husband was in the Navy during the Vietnam Conflict. He was stationed at the naval base in Puerto Rico and for 2 years was on the guided missile destroyer USS Leahy DLG-16.

His home port was Norfolk, VA.

Charley at Kanawha Airport going back after being home on leave.

A few years ago I made a throw. I put on it pictures and patches from his time in the Navy.



Take a few minutes tomorrow and remember our veterans.

Quilting a Maple Leaf

I was sorting through my fall pot holders a few days ago and got an inspiration for a small autumn throw to put on the back of my chair.

Here is a picture of the potholder:


It looked like a simple enough pattern to make and I needed a small autumn throw. There are many sites on the internet that tell you how to make the maple leaf quilt block. I made this without consulting them, that was my first mistake.

I cut my blocks all the same size (that was my second mistake) and then cut some diagonally for the two toned pieces.

Please don't make the same mistakes! If you are going to make this throw go to this site (or the many other sites for maple leaf quilt blocks) for measurements and I would probably double the measurements they give on this site for a large one like the one I made. I also put a 4" border around mine. My entire project is approximately 31" square. You can make yours any size you want, just be sure to make the solid squares smaller than the ones which will be cut in half diagonally.

Here is my material. I got it at WalMart. I thought the gold would be pretty for the leaf and the dark green for the border, it matched the green in the leaves. You can use muslin or any material you want for the backing.


Here is one strip of blocks sewed together. I made a stem out of the green material and sewed it on top of the block.


And here it is all sewed together, layered on the backing and batting, and pinned for quilting.


The finished product hanging over the back of my rocking chair. Not perfect, but pretty. I'm thinking the throw would be nice on an end table or table top, too.


This would be a breeze for those of you who quilt. I finished it in one day (even with the mistakes I had to fix along the way). I put it in a large embroidery hoop and I hand quilted it. I am not a good hand quilter, but I made it and it is quilted with love, uneven stitches and all. I like small and quick projects, and this fit the bill.

I plan to make another one for my other chair and a double one to put on the back of my couch. Maybe if I follow instructions this time, it will be easier and turn out better.

Hope you liked my feeble attempt at quilting. This is to show you that even a novice can sew a simple and easy quilt for your fall decorating. I'm not good at instructions, but I thought this would give you an idea or inspiration for an easy project you could make.

Anyone going to give it a try?

EASY QUILTING IN THE WINTER

Gather pieces
Watch it grow
Piece together
In a row.

Make it useful
Make it bright
Start it right now
Start tonight.

The jeans and dress
Are now gone
They made a quilt
To lay on.

When I have time, usually in late fall and early winter, I like to quilt, craft and sew.

The winter of 2007 I made a blue and pink blue jean quilt. This is the 5th blue jean quilt I have made. The other ones were different shades of blue and the blocks were smaller. I back them with flannel and you don't have to put batting between the layers. I knot them with embroidery thread. They're easy to make and durable. I like the bigger blocks, because I am impatient!

The leading character in my Middle Grade story Family Treasure (which I have received numerous rejection letters on) had a quilt just like this.

Here is a detailed picture of some of the blocks. The pink block with butterflies on it came from a jumper and the small flowers were on the leg of a pair of blue jeans. I also left the pockets on some of the blocks.



Here is another picture. The large flowered blocks came from a large skirted dress. The pink blocks came from pink blue jeans!




I also had enough material from that flowered dress to make a matching teddy bear.

The teddy bears are another story. I have been sewing since I was young. I made my clothing when I was a teenager, my wedding gown, and Halloween costumes for my children when they were young. But the hardest thing I ever learned how to make were teddy bears! When I first started making them I made many mistakes until I finally got the knack of it. Needless to say, I don't make them any more. Below is what they look like. The one on the far left was the flowered one from the left over material I sewed in the quilt. The others were made out of an old tablecloth, a chenille bedspread and a very old quilt which was too tore up to save.


As I stated above, the quilts are easy to make. They are an easy way to get rid of the old blue jeans that the kids (or you) have outgrown. Or if you don't have any you can buy them at a yard sale or thrift store. Cut out the squares, sew together, put flannel on the back, then knot them together and put on the binding. Voila! You're done.

Happy sewing!