Scrap Happy for November 15, 2019

November 15, 201925 Comments

It’s a bit melancholy for me this round, but I will share with you what I began several months back. 🙂

Each month we took Buddy in to be groomed because he was too big and too HaiRy for us to keep him looking and smelling nice. And each month the groomer sent him home in a cute kerchief tied about his neck. I couldn’t throw them out.

hey! it’s fabric after all! ok?

So I began making quilt blocks out of them

Some were bones and some were balls

and I didn’t get the Buddy Quilt done in time…

I am going to finish it and will include a blank block in the middle to put our dog’s names on it. I feel it is a great save of what otherwise would be landfill fodder. It will be a good memory quilt to honor Buddy and all the other pups past and present.

And now go see what other’s have made this past month for Scrap Happy!

~*~

Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda (me),
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen and Connie

Scrap Happy for September 15th

September 14, 2018February 16, 202220 Comments

When I can, I enjoy participating in Scrap Happy which is sponsored via Kate and Gun. There are a few of us who like to use it all up and not make waste with our scraps. I am not certain this counts, or should I say should be counted twice (in two categories) but it is made entirely of scraps.

I have participated in the Ovarian Cancer quilt through my friend Kate in Australia and have several teal fabric scraps left from the process. I volunteered for two blocks in the quilt this year entitled: “Go Teal it on the Mountain”. You will have to wait for the other one to post after I put them into the mail. 😉

Specimen One follows…

There is a bit of back story on this design. It was inspired by a Tattoo I spotted on a young woman’s arm. I did a Google search for “Delectable Mountain quilt block pattern” and voila! Her arm popped up in the findings. Generally speaking, I am not interested in tattoos, but this one is so different it caught my eye and was the inspiration for my quilt block.

This tattoo brought to you by *Tattoo People G.No

To test the design I wanted to use for couching onto the surface I used a bit of clear cellophane gift wrapping medium to lay over the quilt block and then traced out my pattern.

You will note the finished couched design was not exactly like the trial version I had mapped out. I decided I didn’t want to have so many starts and stops to weave back into the stitching on the back of the block. I think two back woven ends are better than five.

Please do visit these other lovely scrap users to see what they’ve created this month

Kate , Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda (me),
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley and Dawn

A last note: As mentioned above, I am not a tattoo person, but… were I ever to consider it G. No at Tattoo People would be my artist. And artist is a true description of the person behind this work! Florals and birds in colors that are amazing are the signature of her watercolor skin art. Following the link under the sample tattoo (above) will allow you to see some of some or her previous beauties.

ScrapHappy – for July 15th

July 14, 2018July 14, 201825 Comments

I just found out today is the anniversary of the ScrapHappy group of creative people who use it up and make something wonderful from what is left for scrap. We have also grown by four new members too! Please be sure to follow the links below to see what all the others have created this month!

Today’s item is in my estimation a prototype. I read a lot and get most of my books through my local library using Overdrive. The books are chosen from those available digitally through my library, and then I download them from Amazon onto my Fire tablet.

(I must mention this service is available for free, and that even if you don’t have a fire tablet, or other reading device you can also use your computer.)

Anyway, back to this month’s effort for scrap happy. I recently made some box valances for the windows in my new studio…

and there was about 1/2 yard of fabric left. So, I layered it with batting scraps,

quilted it, trimmed it, sewed it into a tube, then sewed the ends in opposing directions at top and bottom after stuffing it well. All to make a little pillow for my Fire!

It holds the tablet at the right angle for reading and saves my hands from holding it for hours. (arthritis) It also prevents neck strain from rolling my head forward to get a good angle to read when it is flat in my lap.

So, is it perfect? No.
Does it do the job I created it to do? Yes.
Is it more comfortable on my lap than the lint roller I had been getting by with to hold it up and keep it from sliding away on my lap? Absolutely.
Has it offered some free motion quilting practice? Yes! Again not perfect, but I think the random stitching works OK with the loud, large print of the fabric.

All in all it was a fun project, used up total trash from my quilting closet, and I can now read comfortably. Mission accomplished!

Please do visit these other lovely scrap users to see what they’ve created this month

Kate , Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda (me),
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley and Dawn

NOTE: Overdrive is available for every platform and device for free HERE

Scrap Happy: needful things

June 14, 201828 Comments

Posted a day early for June 15, 2015

It is that time of the month for using up scraps and making something fun and/or usable!

It is Scrap Happy Time

These fabric scraps were strip pieced and the resulting new cloth was then cut on the diagonal. Next I used it to practice my free motion machine quilting… I have no skill so there will be many more small items made in my future (pot holders, mug rugs, coasters and more). I want to get this talent mastered! However, I was frustrated when I got my mini quilt assembled, and then had to let it sit for two months til I could find my sewing machine. It actually wasn’t lost, but it definitely was not set up for me to use and I surely didn’t have the time. Today I made the time to turn the little mini quilt into a case…

Not a glasses case but the contents certainly help me to see!

This case holds a magnifying lens so I can read the fine print when shopping without blowing my vision out. Close work and fine print cause my eyes to go fuzzy and as time goes by it happens more quickly and lasts much longer.

So, the case holds the lens in my purse and prevents it from getting scratched. My magnifier is at the ready for price tags, product contents and instructions, etc.

That strange reflection is only one light, but oddly it is triplicated on the lens surface.

Now I don’t have to be embarrassed by asking other shoppers to read for me. 😉

At home I have two very powerful magnifying ring lights, one stationed at the machine and the other on my cutting table. For reading my Kindle tablet enlarges the text quite nicely to avoid eye strain. My eye Doctor doesn’t seem to find anything to worry about in this situation, but I truly do worry about it. What if it becomes permanent?