Great Giveaway at Tea Rose Home

Folks, there is a great give away at Tea Rose Home. Sachiko is giving away a kit for her project featured on Ucreate. Check out the great tutorial for this nice looking bag. It is a great spring project or gift.

Disappearing 4-Patch or the 4 to 9-Patch

The Disappearing 4-Patch or 4 to 9-Patch starts with a 4-patch block with good contrast in colors or shades and tones. The one below was made with 5 inch squares and it will finish to a 8.5 inch block from raw edge to raw edge if accurate scant 1/4 inch seams are used.
Next, make 4 cuts without moving the block or the cut pieces. Use a small mat so you can turn the block without disturbing it. Using the center seams as the reference point, measure out 1 inch and make a cut; then make a cut on the other side of the seam. Rotate and repeat, measuring 1 inch from the center seam for each cut.
Next, rotate only the center outside sections 180 degrees as shown in the photo below.

Sew the sections together as shown in the next two photos to complete the block.

There you have your new 9-patch block. You can vary the look by the width of the cut. This block makes a great charity quilt because it is fast to sew and looks complicated.

This block can be done starting with a 9-patch but using a 4-patch allows one more freedom to get the look desired by varying the width of the measurement from the center seam.

Finally!

In May of '09, I posted a picture of the quilt I made for my mom:

http://sewwonderful.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html

Well, the time wasn't right to give it. Mom was packing up a whole house to make a major move. Now, my parents are finally getting comfortable in their new home and it just seems like the right time to present the quilt as a sort of house warming gift.

Wednesday, I embroidered a label for the quilt on my Janome MC10K. Yesterday, I made it into a framed block, and this morning while doing laundry, I stitched it on. I am glad to have the quilt ready to give and my Mom will have to keep the quilt because the label makes it hers! ;)

Carving an Antique Singer

This slide show demonstrates an incredible eye for detail in miniature. Enjoy!

It's Called Christmas!

Just had to post this video here. I love popular Christian music with a strong beat. This is fun and so appropriate for the season! Enjoy and share!

Apron Strings

This cute apron is from Cindy Taylor Oates' Retro Aprons booklet. It goes together fast and looks fabulous! This is the fourth one I have made of that style. This one is going to our favorite waitress at a local Chinese restaurant. Brianna loves to cook and she keeps asking us if we are coming in on the 18th. She said she is making cookies for us.

I am making the rest of the wait staff Christmas pillowcases and one for the owner's daughter, too. You'd think I would have enough fabric in my stash but I just might have to go get some more, always a good excuse to go to the fabric store!

Janome Cover ProCP 1000

Cool machine! Check out Janome's website for the details on the latest model with new design features and included accessories (extension table, clearview foot, and wide elastic applicator foot).