Ahh For The Love Of Fat Quarters!

I'm just stopped in my tracks, by colorful fat quarter bundles in beautifully coordinated collections in stacks, folded so neatly and tied with a ribbon. I love them, the hard work of matching prints is already done and I can already see how pretty they look together, and imagine ALL the things I could make with them! 

But a fat quarter isn't a matter of presentation. It' really all about the way it's cut. My friends ask what IS a fat quarter anyway, and what makes it so great? 

The simple answer is it's a square-ish block, as opposed to narrow strip of fabric, so there's more ways to use it.

Most cotton is 44" wide. It comes doubled over on the bolt. So if you cut a regular yard (.25), you cut 9" which is 1/4 of 36". So a regular quarter is 9" wide, by 44" long.

To cut a fat quarter, you start by cutting 18" (instead of 9") off the bolt, then cut that piece in half along the fold. Now you have 2 square-ish fat quarters, each one is 18' x 22'. It's a better size for projects. 

Oops A Daisy collection by Moda . 42 - 5" squares in this one. Sweet huh?

DIY Doggie Sleeping Bags

I recycled my old comforter to make some dog beds for the girls. I'm putting a drawstring on them so I can cinch them up like little bowls. My chihuahuas like to snuggle down under something, and I thought this would be perfect, like little round sleeping bags. I put a little extra stuffing in the bottom, but wish now I had added a whole thick layer to make it more 'poofy'. But as you see the girls were fighting over the first one I got done this evening. I'm supposed to be making aprons.... but had this brainstorm.

I cut three 24" inch circles

Cut and pressed some strips to make a band to run a rope thru, and sewed around the circle. 

  

Maggie got in it as soon as she saw it.

She knew exactly what it was for, curled up and went to sleep. 

 She eventually had to go get a drink of water, and look what happened.

Now Dixie won't get out of it!

Ahh well it's nice to have my handy-work appreciated. Tomorrow I put together the other two. 

Simple Denim Apron

Here's the apron I made in less than an hour for my Step-mother's birthday which was yesterday. We don't usually do much or exchange gifts for birthdays in our family these days (it's gotten too big to afford), but I'd noticed her old favorite denim apron had seen it's better days, so I had planned to make her one anyway. Her birthday 9/11, it's such a solemn day now.... She's never complained or even mentioned it, but I thought it would be nice to do something a little more special this year. So me and my sisters and family's met them for lunch after church. I'm glad we did it was nice. She was surprised and really sweet about it.

There are free apron patterns all over the internet, but I just used my own favorite apron. I folded my denim fabric in half, then positioned my folded apron on top,traced out the pattern, and cut it with a rotary wheel cutter. The pocket, neck and waist ties were leftovers from quilting projects.

I just left the fringe, sewing a tiny crease in the edge to keep it from unraveling

Yes those are curtain ring hooks.... She's short-waisted and I was concerned that the bib would be too loose, the neck hole would be too small. I did't want her to mess up her hair-do just to get it on and off, so I  used what I had on hand! What I wanted was those buckles like on suspenders, since it was after all, denim, but I didn't have any.

Now I've got it on my mind to make some more aprons for Christmas gifts, but I think I'll put a band around the waist so I can add a fuller skirt made of lightweight cotton. I'd like to be able to pick it up and use it to dry my hands and such, almost like a dish towel. Ooh, I could make them reversible! Ooh ooh ooh, what if I made the bibs removable, AND reversible? Hmmm maybe I could use buttons to attach them. Okay, back to the sewing machine.

Barn Wood Wainscoting

I love the idea of using rustic barnwood as wainscotting. 

I really like this one, I think it's the ledge along the top I like the most.

Maybe the ceiling is too much? I always thought if I paneled the vaulted ceiling in my kitchen, it would make it feel like a ships galley.

I wouldn't have thought this would look so good together but I love it.

 

I think scrapwood wall is fun, I definately like it!