Brideget's Bagetts

I sewed up three of these Bagetts from Atkinson Designs for the Sew Suite Studio over the summer.    I used up remnants of Paisley print from the graduation towel projects. I was tempted to use up an old vinyl table cloth for the vinyl scraps but in the end I went with a vinyl remnant.  If you do go the old vinyl table cloth route make sure (Are you listening? This is important!)  make sure you use tissue paper to cover the vinyl when sewing.  No matter how good your walking foot is vinyl will not run smoothly under it, ever.

These little pouches are TOTALLY scrap worthy.  They require only minimal fabric, 2 fat quarters if you are saving up your scraps.  They are a fast finish so they are high on the instant gratification list!  Because sometimes it is good just get one project finished!

The smallish size bags are the perfect size for buttons, bead, safety pins, wonder clips (LOVE THEM). Small sewing instruments such as scissors, rotary cutter or seam ripper can be kept in the larger bag-etts. Whether you are looking for a quick gift for a friend or a just a quick sew for yourself these bags to the trick.

How Sweet!

Can I just be honest?  Oh! How I love cupcakes.  Pillow of frosting on a mattress of cake. What's not to love? In one bite, a bit of frosting and a bit of cake.  They are neatly packaged it the perfect pleated wrapper.  Cute, sweet and require only a minimum of bites.  Face it.  They are the perfect little dessert.  

Over the summer I made the cutest cupcakes.  Why, you ask are they cute?  These, my fellow sew-ists were no ordinary cupcakes.  These were Cupcake pincushions.

Four in total. Some with solid frosting tops and others with prints.  I followed the Cupcake Pincushion Pattern by Cindy Taylor Oates

Having never made fabric pincushions that look like cupcakes, I can tell you that it was a bit of a challenge.  I say this only because these cupcake liners were filled with sand.  The sand makes them nice and sturdy. These little beauties are not going to roll off your sewing table.

I know you are probably thinking the exact same thing I thought, "What if the sand escapes and gets all over my sewing table?"  I can tell you now that would NOT be a good scenario.  The pattern even states, "Do not use these near your sewing machine." I can only imagine the horror of having sand inside your machine.   So if you do plan on making one or more of these little gems, be sure to leave it on your cutting table.

 The frosting layer I filled with fiberfill.  I suppose you could fill the entire cupcake with fiberfill if you wanted to fore go the sand.  I even contemplated rice in the bottom as this would give it weight without the worry of sand everywhere.  

In the end I followed the pattern. After I whipstitched the seam on the bottom closed I used a bit of hot glue to (hopefully) seal the seam. Take that Sand!

These little sweets whip up in no time.  They are great for all the cute little scraps that we all save and swear one day we will use.  They are simple enough to put together (minus the sand) and you can custom decorate your confection creation however you like.  I topped off my little sweets with a fabric flower rosette and little ribbon leaves.  How Sweet is that?

do.good.stitches

I cannot believe I started this blog post last week.  Well, today it will be finished! (maybe).

You may have heard that here in South Carolina we had a little rain. yeah.  (like 14.5 inches in my neck of the woods)  My family and I are very fortunate that we had no flooding, loss of power or water during the flood.  Many of our neighbors have not been so fortunate.

The most wonderful thing happened after disaster struck.  The people of the community pulled together and helped one another.  Volunteers of all ages came out to help clean, organize and cook for the community.  It is truly wonderful to witness everyone working together.  There have been times when volunteers have been turned away from one organization and sent to another just because there are so many people wanting to help.

As you may or may not remember this year I joined a group of ladies within do.good.stitiches who sew quilts for charities. Since January of this year the group has chosen some wonderful and creative blocks.  Here are some of the blocks we have made.


April block
Improv quilt block tutorial found here at City House Studios

May
Shoo-fly block variation found here at Generations-Quilt-Patterns

June
Modified X and + block found here at Kbcreative

July and August (I forgot to take a picture of mine) 

 Rectangle Log Cabin Block found here. on Bonjourquilts.

September
Breeze Blossoms Quilt Patterns - Here at Violet Craft

Never has the need for this been more evident.  When people who have lost so much are your friends and neighbors you see first hand the good that comes from just a single quilt block.  One block sewn by 12 caring people, put together into a quilt and given freely can bring warmth and joy to one who has lost it all.