One more thing before 2012

I coupon.  I'll admit it - I do.  I am able to save my family 65-80% on groceries, household, and health and beauty products.  Everyone coupons for different reasons - for me . . . it leaves me with extra money to BUY FABRIC!!! :)  So anyway, I saw this coupon clutch which is a cover/bag for your binder - it sells for $29.95, which I'm not spending.  There are velcro flaps along both sides, coming around to the front which makes it look more like a purse than a binder.  I saw they also sold a pattern for it, and I have plenty (and I do mean plenty) of fabric on hand, so why not? So yesterday I spent 4 hours putting this together, on what would be my last sewing day of the year.  Have to say the pattern was not great, and I probably would've spent less time if I wasn't so lazy and just went ahead and drafted one myself!

Okay, so the first thing was the instructions were for a 2" binder, and my binder was 1 1/2", but I just figured I would sew up whatever slack there was - after cutting according to instruction measurements . . . um - too short!  It would not wrap around my binder, so I added an inch-and-a-half of contrasting fabric on each side - now it works.

I proceeded along, checking, measuring, and top stitching as I went.  The instructions were not thorough, but more-or-less general.  I did not like the big 1 patch pocket configuration, so I made my own to fit what I wanted, and to include my shopping cards.  There were no real "finishing" instructions for the inside flaps of the binder covers so I just turned under and hemmed before assembling.  Also there was no binding the ends/edges of the spine portion of the cover.  Just to zig zag stitch before assembling and turn so I added these 1" strips on each side before assembling - kind of like a self-binding for a neater appearance.  I don't know if this is how the ones sold are assembled, but I wouldn't want to pay for anything with zig zag showing. :(
Now, mine is done, and I'm very happy with it.  With the few adjustments I made, I will make one for my best friend - now we can shop in style!

A very happy new year to you!!!

Some Holiday Baking

Squeezing some baking into my schedule.  The recipe I'm making today is my grandmother's Orange Slice Cookies, one of my favorite.  I can't do everything at one shot, so I'm making the dough this afternoon, and will be baking cookies tomorrow and Friday.  Recipe is pretty simple - just a little time needed to cut the orange slice candies - dipping my scissors into flour to keep things moving along :).

this dough is very thick and stiff - after mixing most of the ingredients I have to switch over to a dough hook . . .

Now a quick roll up to make for easy storage and a quick "slice n' bake" :).

I'll just slip these in the freezer right next to the candy cane cookie dough I prepared over the weekend! :)

Some Quick Holiday Gifties!

I've been busy gettin' ALL kinds of stuff done - REALLY!  I have!  I'm just terrible at stopping to take pictures, and post updates and info on it :( ...  LOL!  Anyway, it's a great time to make a resolution to get better at it!  :)   So, since there's still 7 sewing days 'til Christmas, I was looking to get a couple of holiday goodies done (just in time!), so a BIG THANKS to Rachel at "Not-so-Plan Jane for this too cute Snowman Mug Rug tutorial! Today (with camera by my side) I started these adorable mug rugs.  I'm making 16 to give as gifts - 4 sets of 4.  Something that doesn't require too much fussing, and I will be able to get them done between today and tomorrow.  Today I gathered my holiday type scraps and cut out my blocks, strips, and some assorted leftovers for a backings.


... now, everybody line up - it's assembly time!

Apparently I can't count - during this prestigious procession I ended up missing some of my 2" squares - back to the cutting board! LOL!


... all my my snowmen are clipped - now on to the next two assembly rounds - the sides and backs . . .

Again, thanking the Lord for my never-ending stash (hoard) of fabric, I quickly retrieve some orange, and after applying wonder under, I cut out the noses.  They're starting to come to life :)

Now, I have the batting cut, and with all 16 mug rug tops done, I'm calling it quits for the day - I'm ready to - it has nothing to do with the fact that my husband and kids are complaining about fending for themselves for breakfast and lunch . . . or that they're starting to ask if I will be fixing dinner today.  Honest!


Tomorrow I will put my mug rugs together, quilt, and machine bind.  [Note to self - put dinner in the crock pot in the morning!] 

Progress . . .

and so the pile grows!  I hope to at least get 20 of these done this week.  Next week I'll try another hexagon pattern - looking at the other hex-a-long-er's progress is giving me TOO many choices!

Hex-A-Long

A Hex-a-long! Oh Hex! Why not?  Lily's Quilts is having a Hex-a-Long, and I think that would be a marvelous use of all my sraps.  After looking (drooling) over some of the hexies - I can't wait to get started!  These hexies over on Gayle's blog are lovely, and I'm nuts about the QAYG hexies on Pings and Needles post, and these yummie beauties over at Freshly Pieced!  Hmmmm!  I'm definitely in!

I quick sketched my first two patterns, and pulled together my scraps . . .

 My Hexies will have a scrappy look cuz I'm goin' through every draw, box, and bag and I'm gonna throw every scrap I have at it!

I've really been wanting to experiment with QAYG and sewing directly to the batting, like I've seen over on the Quilted Edge, so this is it.  I started out my test block here with an oversized piece of batting . . .

after pressing and trimming, my test block - I'm happy with the dimensions, so I'm off and running!  I'll make more of this block this week, and I'll try my second sketch pattern next week.   Happy Hex-ing!

What's it gonna be?

I've been itchin' to find time to sew for a while - but have put myself on a strict "stash only" diet for the remainder of the year.  Hmmm.  Not interested in too much on the shelves, but I did pull out these two dish towels, they are each 33" x 38", and also this leftover lawn chair webbing I snatched from my mother's shed.  I have a couple ideas I'm going to play with, and hopefully will have some progress to share in a day or two.  What do you see when you look at it?  What would you make?