Summer Stuff

It's still summer! I must emphasize this, because with all the back to school hoopla and strangely cool weather we've been having it's easy to forget that it is still, in fact, summer. How is it that in the past three weeks, typically the hottest of the season, we've only turned our air conditioner on once?? I'm not complaining, I love this weather!

We've done a lot of fun summery things the past week (taking advantage while the windows are (literally) wide open and before fall actually does get here). We had swimming lessons, lots of time outside on the swings and playing pretend picnic on the porch, and we went to the fair. She wanted to go so badly and we finally got a chance on Friday afternoon.

Beyond that, we're just trying to enjoy this last month of summer while we can. That means plenty of bike rides, more than enough ice cream, lots of time at the beach and playground, and the opportunity to watch the sunset (unlike in winter, where it sets before we're even finished eating dinner. Dumb.).

I hope you're enjoying your August :)

~Stacy

Sewing for Home, Kitchen Series: Table Topper

I haven't decided if this will be the last project in the Kitchen Sewing Series (see the other posts here and here), since I'm having fun with this. But it will probably be the last of this week, since I'm running low on time and I have a little girl who desperately wants me to take her to the fair :)

Like the coasters, I used all Happy Go Lucky fabrics (by Bonnie & Camille for Moda) to make this. I didn't use a pattern--I just did my own thing with a mix of charm squares and larger strips of fabric. I used a half yard for the backing and cut the binding strips from a fat quarter. The finished table topper is about 16"X40".

I didn't do a tutorial for this since I just wanted to get it done and I wasn't sure I would like the finished product enough. But, I do. So hopefully soon I'll get time to make another and include a full tutorial/pattern.

I went with this bright red floral for the backing, so if I want less pattern going on I can just flip it over:

I love the pops of navy...it really has all of my favorite colors in one fabric line. And I have a confession: the binding isn't actually sewn on yet--it's just pinned. I had a small window of time to take photos and write this post, so I cheated. You caught me :)

Happy Sewing!

August

With one week of August down I'm noticing tons of fall stuff in stores. I love fall, but I'm definitely still firmly planted in summer. Maybe it's because this past winter was so atrociously long and depressing, but I'm enjoying the warmth, sunshine and having the sunset after 6PM.

Today is rainy--thunderstormy rainy, too, so we're pretty much stuck inside. Charlotte and I started swim lessons this week and she was all excited to go back today (despite some drama at Monday's lesson where she lost her footing and ended up underwater for a second. Displeased, she was.) Class was cancelled, so we ended up at the nature center. I love the nature center, but being in there on a rainy summer day with 950 rambunctious children is not my idea of a good time. Ever.

So here we are, watching Elmo's World and reading books, pulling out every toy we own and playing dress up (with my entire jewelry box and shoe collection). I look forward to our regularly scheduled summer weather and activities tomorrow!

~Stacy

Sewing for Home, Kitchen Series: Fabric Coasters

Continuing with the kitchen theme (read all about how to make your own fabric napkins here), today we're making fabric coasters!

I love this project because it's incredibly quick and easy, gives a good intro to basic quilting if you're new, and is perfect for small scraps or my favorite precut of them all: the charm pack.

Enter, the charm pack:

 This is the newest line by Bonnie & Camille for Moda and I looove it--though I've seen some previews of their Scrumptious line that's coming out soon and I think I love that one even more! But anyway, using charm squares made this project extra fast and easy since I had very little cutting to do.

To make four coasters you'll need:

• 8 charm squares (or 8 fabric scraps measuring 5"x5" each)


• 4 pieces of non-fusible batting, also measuring 5"x5" each

Put the two fabric pieces on top of each other with right sides together.

Then place the batting on top of both pieces.

Sew around all four sides with a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving about 1.5" open for turning. Clip corners.

Turn right side out and press, then stitch the opening closed by sewing as close to the edge as possible (or hand stitch closed).

Next, I quilted by simply stitching two squares (one inside the other). I used my presser foot as a guide and stitched the larger square by lining the outside edge of the coaster up with the outer edge of the presser foot. I followed the same pattern for the smaller square, and lined the stitching of the large square up with the outer edge of the presser foot.

Press again after you quilt and voila! Coasters: complete.

Happy Sewing!

Sewing for Home, Kitchen Series: Fabric Napkins

In an effort to find something to sew that was a much needed break from sewing clothing, I turned my attention to the most used room in the house: the kitchen. This week's posts (and maybe next week's too) will be all about sewing things for your kitchen/dining room.

About few years ago I made a bunch of fabric napkins and stopped using paper napkins altogether. I made a bunch of them so we aren't constantly running out and I just toss them in with the laundry a few times a week. Lately we've been running low (which maybe speaks to my procrastination with doing laundry, but for the sake of this post let's pretend that is not the case). I've had to throw a few of them out because of stains so it it was time to replenish.

If you're interested in making your own stash of fabric napkins, here's how:

I make mine out of squares of fabric 11"X11" each. After sewing, each finished napkin ends up being about 10" square.

So grab as many fabric pieces as you want and let's get cutting! (but make sure you press all those fabrics first, of course).

Cut each piece 11"X11".

Lay the fabric on your ironing board, right side down. Fold each edge down about 1/4" and press in place.

Now fold over again on all four sides and press down, and this time pin in place.

Next, remove fabric from "helper":

Sigh.

After you've pinned all four edges, sew them all close to the folded edge.

Now press, and you're done! Wasn't that easy? No go make a bunch! It's a great way to use up larger fabric scraps (and clear room for more fabric).