Split Squares Quilt

Started this "crazy split squares quilt" and now I am going bananas, I am having problem what color would be the backing, I placed the batting 2" bigger than the top quilt and the backing will be at least 5" than the top quilt....so the size would be 50X70" but I do not have a fabric for the backing....perhaps I will mix 2 color of fabrics for the backing...any suggestions?

This is how I started, dark to medium color 35 squares of 11X11", 35 squares of 7 1/2 X 7 1/2", 35 squares of 5 1/2X5 1/2", 35 squares of - 3 1/2X3 1/2".  I fused them by zigzag stitch on the machine........

PILLOW CUSHIONS

Pillow cushions are easy to make....scrap fabrics or whole yard fabrics....neutral colors or pastel colors, you name it....these are the latest cushions I had made for our chairs out in our deck and zippered ruffled pillow cushions for inside use...........these zippered ruffled cushions can be washed.....see images below....

 

 

Fabrics on Sale............

Making pillow cushions are easy, you have to have an idea what kind of fabrics you would like to use for these cushions....I was at the Hancock Fabric Store yesterday as they have a "sale" on quilting fabrics, drapery and upholstery fabrics for 40 to 50% off....I had seen a lot of quilting materials or fabrics, bright colors, solid colors or batiks.....some were applique for the 4th of July.......here are some of the fabrics that I bought....

 

Garage Sales

That being said about garage sales, here are some of the few items that I purchased for minimal amount.....the English Style Bowl with cover and 2 Wooden Bowls

 

 

 

made in Hawaii....see images below....

"Yard or Garage Sales"

I am really enthused and excited when summer comes, I get the chance of looking for bargains.  The best days to look for bargains at a garage sale would be either Friday and Sunday....Saturday would be the day when a lot of people comes out, look for bargains at a yard sale.  I was driving along to purchase some fabrics when I came across a quiet and beautiful area just west of where I live....this area I believe were mostly family oriented ~  something caught my eyes when I was passing a yard full of beautiful furniture and some knick-knacks...I stopped and parked about 2 houses down under an old oak tree.....walked to check out what they have to sell for.......seen beautiful dining chairs, made of maple wood with synthetic cushion on it for $25 a set (4 chairs), if I am not mistaken perhaps made in the early 80's or late 70's...they're old style but for me this is classic that I can re-upholster and re-polish the color of the varnish....then I saw 2 end tables also made of maple wood for $5 a piece....thought this is a real bargain....then I moved towards the garage saw an antique English bowl with a cover....thought that this might have been bought way back in the 60's (remember these are retired couple selling their stuffs).  I asked the "wife" if they're moving out, she smiled at me and said, "we're trying to get rid of some of our old stuff as our son and daughter had moved out and had their own family...."  I said, "oh, can I look around?"  Then told her that I would like to take 2 corner tables, an old English bowl, and wooden bowls made in Hawaii...one of the corner table was made by Broyhill......some has scratches, but that can be easily polish and re-varnish.............see images below

 

My Mini Flower Garden, "Bed of Roses"

Gardening is my passion, I love to be outdoor in the summer time, I love to have a flower bed or garden and a vegetable garden.  I built my own mini garden in our backyard, which obviously you had seen some of the vegetables I planted.  Some were planted in containers the reason behind this was because I looked after the backyard last year, took out all the weeds, fertilized and conditioned the lawn and, I don't really want to ruin it.  My hard work paid off, the lawn in the backyard is as green as the front lawn...I wish I could make a bigger "garden bed".....these are my flowers I have been looking after since spring....

Red Roses

These are double impatient plants located in our deck.

Double white mini roses.

 





Table Runner Maybe?

I had started to cut up these 5 fabrics into 2 1/2 " X 42" and stitching them all but don't know yet what to make out on them.....here they are...any suggestions?

 

I LOVE GARDENING

What I have here for you are my vegetables that I had planted last month, some were planted in containers and some were on the ground....the ichiban eggplant is growing on the ground...the sweet potatoes are growing in a container.  The lettuce is on the ground too plus the green beans, sweet peas, some potatoes, and green onions...by the way I gathered some green onions the other day...I will also post the image in here....the image below are the sweet potatoes...

 

My one and only ichiban eggplant....:-) in the garden......

There are more peas in this mini garden that I

Stitching Fabrics Together

Hello everyone!  I haven't been on for the last couple of days as I was busy with the yard (gardening) and busy cutting materials or fabrics so that I can make a table runner for my daughter in Toronto....I was thinking of making a quilted table cover for her dinner table...but I am not done yet....I am still trying to make out whether it would be log cabin blocks or spring blossom blocks...or I probably will make my own creativity, cut them into 2 1/2" X 42" and stitch them all together.....I had started the "log cabin" blocks...see the image below...I run out of fabrics on this one...:-)  Actually, I have 3 different colors of center squares....white, polka dots green and another polka dots in different colors...the center square is 2 1/2" and the sides were 2 1/2 and 3 inches ...I also stitch together a modern log cabin blocks which I think I will make as a pillow cushion.

Below is the modern "log cabin" I stitched together for pillow cushion.

Quilted Table Runner

I posted couple of blocks lately in my Facebook webpage regarding these project which was started as blocks of squares.  Definitely no idea what to make out of them, so I decided to continue adding more fabrics in different shapes and forms.  As you know I am not in any competition or selling my finished projects as these are just hobbies that I love to do while at home and would like to learn steadfastly regarding quilting, applique, and patchwork.  Learning is not easy, I am still a novice as far as I am concern....

Bought these fabrics cut up in a 9 1/2 " width and 21" length. There were 8 fabrics with matching colors in one package.  I cut them up into squares 4 1/2 inches on each sides....I began piecing them together, the above image was the outcome of the blocks created from 4 1/2 inch square.  So one evening, I thought of why not make a table runner.......this time I will do quilting hand free motion so that I could practice in my new sewing machine that Bob gave me for Christmas.  It was very late last night when I completed this project.  However, this morning I started to machine quilt the blocks that I had finished last night...I kept changing my mind what will be simple and easier for me..............................................the images below was the finished product of the table runner I created.  I did not use binding, I want the easiest way....perhaps a bit lazy. 

Green and Red Bell Peppers growing in containers

Due to not enough room in my mini garden, although I love to have a huge garden, I can only plant several vegetables in it so I decided to start growing some of these vegetables in containers.  Like I said, I had several blogs and pages that any kind of vegetables can grow in containers....I can't wait to see some red or green bell peppers, they're blooming and hopefully there will be peppers in them...Yay! The bottom image are my green/red peppers.

These are my green beans, blooming and there are some beans out already.  Yey!  I do not have many bean plants as some rabbits came in to devour themselves and ate at least 3 of my bean plants. There are only 2 left in my mini garden....

 

Pea Pods

Really excited to see my peas are blooming, perhaps in a week or so, I will be harvesting some fresh peas from the garden....here is an image that shows that my peas are coming out!

 

Sweet Potato Plant growing in a plastic container

I had seen so many ideas of planting veggies and fruits if you don't have enough space or garden.  I am trying to grow a sweet potato in a bin with straw bales, waited for many weeks, I am getting excited to see if this works or not.  Finally I can see some leaves sprouting and growing...here is my sweet potato growing in container.....

 

Quilted placemat for teapots and teacups

I am practicing my skills in quilting again, as I mentioned on my last blog that I stayed away quilting for awhile since my daughter was born.  I put more of my energy in crocheting and sewing after my daughter was born.  I made her several dresses, short pants, and to top of it all, I made her an "environmentally friendly diapers" which I don't have to spend enormous amount of money buying "ready made diapers"-these were only use at night time.  However, what I have here for you is what I have done today, simple placemat;

 

 

 

practicing my skills in quilting.  I am amazed and impressed that I could still do it.  Images shown above  Perhaps I will start to make a quilted table runner and a quilted spread for the sofa.

Squared Machine Quilted Handmade Handbag

I am trying to be familiar with my new "Go Accuquilt" cutter and die cutters.  I am not familiar with them as I use rotary cutter when cutting materials.  However, this cutter is so easy to use if you have all the necessary die cutters (quite expensive if you would like to have all the different shapes and forms of die cutters).  I began sewing when I was 10 years old, my mother taught us all how to sew and crochet, we also have "Home Economics" at school (elementary school).  Quilting was one of the crafts that I learned from when I was pregnant with daughter, I made her crib set, i.e. pillows, spread, crib borders, and crib organizers.  Made quilted spread to give whenever someone among my friends has "baby showers".  Then I stopped quilting, did not pursue more of making them, now I am beginning to make them again, I did more of sewing than quilting then.   

This is what I had done to those squares that I cut from my new cutter.  I made a quilted summer hand bag, used a light batting and light fusible interfacing material.  The lining and the handles were made of a broadcloth material.  I love the color of the lining, it is more vivid and vibrant.  It is almost finished I still have to run it through in the sewing machine for the edges.  There are 3 pockets outside the hand bag, not visible on this images, no pockets inside. 

 

 

Polka Dots Summer Hand Bag

 

I made this polka dots hand bag on "spur moment", I have no idea what to do with the fabric, whether make a pillow cushion or something else.  After all, it was already cut in fat squares when I bought it from Hancock Fabrics.  So I decided to make it as a "summer bag".  I embroidered the front of the pocket, it has 2 pockets in the front, and 2 pockets inside.  A light fusible interface used for this bag, so the bag is pliable, the lining was made of white broadcloth material, Velcro was added to closed the pockets and the bag.