August OMG: George and Harriet

Elm Street Quilts OMG Link Up for August

George and Harriet have moved to Seattle to live with Callum and Helen.  Please forward all greetings to the Beacon Hill crew.  

August OMG: No Peeking!

With the due dates of two exchanges looming in the near future, I have 6 mug mats that have been in various stages of completion for several months.  The first set is due out at the end of the month but they have been ready to go since I offered to host the exchange.  The other 4 are waiting for finishing touches.  Since I can't reveal them until the end of September, I must commit to another goal that will be easy to accomplish in the busy days ahead and something that I can allow the blog peeps to view.

A recent family trip to the beach produced an acquisition that is a temptation, a kit for the quilt, Cascading Cubes, from Center Diamond quilt shop in Cannon Beach.  Cascading Cubes will become a baby quilt with the last 2 rows on the back for a smaller and more manageable size for both the new mother and baby.  I don't need to start it until after Christmas so what else is there?

I almost forgot, the other two grands saw the tooth monster pocket pillow I made for the youngest and now they need one as well.  How could I not make two more of this adorable creature?  The embroidery machine will not be idle this month.

Elm Street Quilts August OMG:  Two Requests to Fill

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal August Linkup

July OMG Link-up: A Table Runner Completed

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - July Finish 

With the garden and an extended weekend beach trip presenting distractions from my fiber passions, not much sewing has been done this month except for some progress on 4 table runners using the Fab Five wedge template.  Two are from one version in the Fab Five Table Snacks pattern.  One has been completed.

Except for the fact that the fabric was purchased before the produce in the garden became prolific and was fermenting on the kitchen counter, one might have concluded these pickled veggies were my inspiration for this month's project.

While I think I would prefer to have black strips framing each wedge with the 6 fat quarters I chose for the pair, I am satisfied with the appearance of the completed runner and would make up more using the same technique with or without framing strips.

Also, before I piece my wedges for my second pair of runners, I might reposition, omit, or exchange the bright lime batik.  It appears to have a phosphorescent glow and is a bit too bright amidst the others.

The runner is basically made like the reversible mitered napkins from the Alizida blog.  Since most of my table runners are layered with Pellon fleece, a very thin polyester batting, I thought I might not like just two layers of fabric for a runner but it is flat and smooth and looks attractive.  With the success of this runner, I might even try a Ten Minute Table Runner, a style I have avoided in the past, opting to make WOF versions instead.  

Tooth Monster Pocket Pillow

This little guy was originally my Elm Street July OMG.  He had to be done before July 1st because a week ago my DiL announced our youngest grandson had a loose tooth and she didn't expect him to let the tooth stay in until the end of the week.  Her prediction proved wrong but the pillow was done for our grandson's weekly visit on Friday.

This fun little tooth monster pillow is a freebie from Embroidery Garden's FaceBook page.  Get details from their YouTube video as well:  What's IN THE HOOP with Embroidery Garden / Monster Tooth Fairy Pillow

July OMG: Table Runner

We have busy times ahead.  I am not sure what will be a reasonable July OMG but I can try and see what progress I make with the table runners I promised my DiLs.  It is my intention to make a set of runners that they can use for holidays and year round.  One has most of the year covered except for general winter and fall season runners.  The other only has an all-seasons runner, Valentine's Day, and Halloween.

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal July Linkup

Since I missed getting a patriotic runner done for tomorrow, piecing a fall table runner is my goal.  Since a rather recent acquisition is a tumbler template that will work for tall and short tumblers, there are several runners I would like to try:

Tall Tumbler Runner

And another:

Tumbler Table Runner Pattern

Plus the pattern for the template I purchase:

Back of Fab 5 Table Runner Pattern

Jenny at MSQC has some great videos for tumbler projects and Nancy Zieman has one for a runner with a Dresden plate template.

Jenny's Tumbler Videos

Nancy Zieman's Sew Easy Topsy Turvy Table Runner

Now to decide and make one to accomplish my goal!

June OMG Link Up: Armrest Sewing Station

Before I went to 4-H quilt camp, my June OMG was completed and gifted.  Yes, I know, I said it was for me but the fabric with koala bears was sitting there begging me to be made up and I obliged.

June OMG

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - June Finish Link-up

The only regret I have with the project is that I didn't use more fabrics to make the project sparkle.  If I were to do it again, I would at least use the pincushion fabrics in reverse with the green print on top.

The one change I made was to dangle the thread spool like a bead on the strip that was supposed to hold it on top of the pincushion secured with straight pins.  When the spool was on top of the pincushion, it and the pincushion were very wobbly.  Eventually, the pins would work their way loose.  With a loose knot in the strip, it is easy to change thread colors.

I didn't add any dividers to the pockets.  They can easily hold a pair of small scissors or reading glasses.  The recipient loves it and it replaces an earlier armrest sewing station that I made a few years ago and was used so much it is worn out.  My friend does much hand stitching on the arts and crafts see sells in shows around the Northwest.

June's previous sewing station, known as the Venus Fly Trap

Long Time No See

I have been delinquent.  I have 3 years worth of 4-H quilt camp photos that deserve to be seen.  This entry will cover last week's camp that included 4 boys, a higher than average attendance from previous years.

This camp was comprised mainly with participants who had done little to no sewing on machines.  It is a joy to see them make significant and rewarding project in just 4 hours a day for a week.

Enjoy our show!