A Seasonal Note

May the Eternal Light of Lights illuminate your heart and home!

December Elm Street Quilts OMG: More Please!

December Elm Street Quilts OMG:  Two More Bowl Cozies

Nearly two years ago, my neighbor gave me one bowl cozy to see if I liked using them.  Now, with a new chef in the kitchen we are eating more soup and we needed another bowl cozy. 

Yesterday, while roaming around Craft Warehouse with a 40% off coupon, I spotted kits for four bowl cozies.  The bright fall veggie print went so well with my near vintage set of Corelle Wild Flower dinnerware that I made that my discounted purchase and promptly came home and stitched up two along with three pillowcases that were kits on the clearance rack.

My Elm Street Quilts December OMG is to make up the other two bowl cozies from the kit and gift them for Christmas. 

Oh, BTW, my new chef, as of our 45th wedding anniversary on November 18th, is an Instant Pot Duo 8.  I thought I didn't need one but I am running the pot at least once if not 2 or 3 times a day.  We are vegan and cooking healthy soups with fresh ingredients is amazingly quick and easy and non-dairy yogurt is a cinch.  I don't know how I have survived without a pressure cooker of some sort all these years.  The fact that the Instant Pot series come with various programs, has made it the star over my other pots like the rice cooker and slow cooker.

Elm Street Quilts November OMG: Nothing Extraordinary

Elm Street Quilts OMG: Binding Done

There are more exciting completed projects but this is the one I committed to for Elm Street Quilts OMG.  The rest are in hiding until Christmas and there are no sneak peeks.  If you are interested in the binding technique, Jenny has a video:  Flange Binding (aka Two Color Binding)

Folding Crystal's Grocery Bag

I obsess about bags and collect more patterns than I will ever make.  One of my favorites for groceries is this one from Stitched by Crystal.

An oops that made this bag mine.  Careful with one way designs on the fabric.  😉  

This bag looks like this when stuffed full of groceries:

If you make one of Crystal's bag, consider using the continuous facing method for the handles.  They will look very professional.  Here are clear instructions for that method:  https://www.salmesewingpatterns.com/blogs/salme-blog/all-in-one-facing-method-2

Another thing I do differently is leave off the elastic and just fold the bag and wrap one of the handles around it to keep it neat and tidy in the side pocket of the car door.

1. Start with the bag flat.
   
2. Fold the bag in half and then again.  Note that the right half is folded under the left half so the handles remain on top.
   
   
   
   
3. The next fold is not quite in half again.  The handles extend above about an inch so there will be some ease to wrap around easily.  Note that the bottom half was folded under.  
   
4. Next make another fold.  The handles must remain on top.
   
5. Next insert your finger at the top and between the loop of the top handle.
   
6. Take the top section of the loop and flip it to the back of the folded bag to enclose it and expose your finger that stabilized the handle.
   
7. Now your folded bag should be in a tidy little packet.
   

That's it.  Use and enjoy!

November Elmstreet Quilts OMG: What's Up Next

My Elmstreet Quilts November OMG (one monthly goal) is to make some small bit of progress on the baby quilt that was on Patience, my HandiQuilter 16, last month.  Making the binding ought to be enough among getting a few gifts done and Thanksgiving.

The binding will be two fabrics with one making a narrow flange or the appearance of faux piping.  This type of binding is all sewn by machine and very sturdy for a baby quilt.  I am better at traditional binding and prefer it because handwork is a good reason to curl up in my favorite chair with a good book playing on my phone or a favorite movie from my DVD collection or Netflix.  However, I need practice sewing the two color binding for baby and charity quilts that will receive much wear and laundering.  

There are some great tutorials for the two color binding.  Here are a couple:
Flanged Binding Tutorial
Tuesday Tutorial: Susie's Magic Binding

October OMG: Up to the Finish Line

October Elm Street OMG Finish

Yes, I finished.  Quilting a baby quilt was a small goal but around producing two slide shows for my mother-in-laws memorial service, it was just enough.  Now to think about getting binding made and on along with making Christmas gifts.

October Elm Street Quilts OMG

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal October Linkup

Last Sunday, I made this baby quilt top and back.  The top is made quickly and easily, with 5 inch WOF strips and no tedious sewing of charm squares.  I used to layer and pin baste baby quilts like this on my dining room table and quilt them on my regular sewing machine.  I would do a narrow multi-stitch zigzag over the seams to quilt the layers because quilting over the seam lines is stronger than straight stitching in the ditch but my long-arm machine will do the honors, instead.  Meandering loops and flowers should work well with the fabrics and simple checkered blocks.