Forward Progress Happening Here :)

So happy to have some positive progress here this week to share at Kathy’s.. for Slow Stitching Sunday 🙂  And this is where you will find me today too!!!

Yep… I rolled the quilt on the frame again… now on row #7 of 15 rows total to do so ALMOST HALFWAY y’all!!!

I am sooo excited with this progress… here is a close up of the beginnings of row 7…

I am really enjoying the border and planning out the motifs for the charm blocks too… it is all quite fun for me 😀  Linking this post to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching come SEE!!!  HERE <<< and praying this is gifted by Christmas!!!

I can’t stitch all the time though… I am not as handy with thimbles as I could be so my fingernails break off frequently… thus I have also been working on some machined projects while increasing my use and ability to stitch with thimbles! lol

I completed this cool table topper…

If you are interested in my thoughts on the pattern I purchased and the overall construction of it in more detail look at my post from yesterday right HERE!

Earlier this week my kids met up in Tennessee and I got these photos sent to me…

 Above is James and his wife Heather with my son Mike… and below is Mike with my dd Brandi 🙂  So nice that they all keep in contact with each other!! 💗

Meanwhile I have been thinking of upcoming holidays and treated myself to an early Christmas present in the form of the new Quiltfolk magazine… focusing on middle and eastern Tennessee!!!

This is a completely ad FREE magazine that is 170 pages of vintage and historic quilts in pics.. plus a few newly constructed too… but the focus is on quilt history in each state.. this quarter it was focused in Tennessee … where I am from!!  They cost $22/each or $75/year subscription and there is no postage fees and it came well wrapped for safe transport via USPS… I hope to order more interesting ones in the future as I find them quite pleasing to enjoy on my back porch as the weather cools a bit.

Also on the Countdown to Christmas in my mind has been making some placemats for our dinner table… and I found a youtube tutorial I felt inspired by… here is the photo that inspired me…

And here is my fabric choices for MY placemats…

 Here I am actually doing it.. see the negative fussy cutting template I made at the top of this pic below??  A first for me … just made from cardstock though 🙂  I got 4 of these 6″ x 10″ hexi images from a fat quarter!!! PERFECT 😀

 Then I had the inner border on…

 Then the outer border and a good pressing was had!! lol

 Finally a look at my completed idea after re-auditioning bindings… not sure about the backing yet… should I go with plain fabric or make them multi seasonal with some print on the back that would also look nice with a black binding…

Well I made 2 of the 4 I need so far and now will ponder this quandary as I slow stitch this Sunday away 😀  These measure now 12″ x 17″ so that is a good size for us.. we use smaller sized lunch plates anyway 🙂

Are you making any crafts for your home for Christmas??

Finally… my honey has been making me a built in office in our bedroom… and he has painted the wall a soft gray color!!!

 Now here it is once all had dried well and I could move back in to this space 😀  I LOVE IT!!!

 I especially like the little shelves above… holding my overflow, a pic of my bestie and me from last summer’s visit and some decore items…

 We continue to ponder a move in the springtime… please keep us in your thoughts and prayers… anyone near Graham, NC?  This is in the center of the state … would love to get some pics from you if you live near this part of the world!!

Thanks for stopping by to see what I am up to… I would LOVE to hear from you as well!  Please leave a comment and have a blessed day my friend!  And don’t forget to follow the link I left for you to see what all hand work others are up to on this fine Sunday!!

Make sure to also ….

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Leaf Table Topper DONE :)

Last year about this time I bought some Bosal Leaf shapes from MSQC to make a Fold N Stitch Leaf Topper…

But there were NO INSTRUCTIONS on how to make the topper with the precut pieces… so I had to buy a pattern by Poorhouse Quilt Designs…

This blog post will tell you what you REALLY need to know to make this and YES … you need their pattern to make it I think!  Although the directions make it harder than it has to be AND the directions tell you this is a beginner project… I am an intermediate level quilter and found it quite a challenge at some places… thus this blog post!

First I read ALL the directions several times through…. then I decided on my dark and light greens and my 8 different colors… I used some prints and some batiks… but mostly small prints…

 This was also my first go at machine applique and using any type of adhesive product… I had been told by friends that Steam a Seam Lite 2 was the best for a project you wanted to stay light … so I tried it.. I did have another brand of product but this was handy and I was dying to try it 🙂  I was NOT disappointed just so you know!

Here is everything now cut and ready …

 The pattern tells you to lay the Bosal foam shape on top of your pinned together pieces and using a regular foot or recommended zipper foot adjusted for narrow fit to then stitch your leaf shapes.  Well that didn’t work well for me… so I traced the leaf shape and followed the line … with the pieces pinned so they didn’t shift… MUCH EASIER!!!!

 Once turned … using their directions leaving a slit… I laid out my version of patchwork …

 Soon I had 4 laid out.. paper is still attached to the patchwork areas though…

 After I got all 8 done… and there was some creative exchanging done as well! lol  I took off the paper and specifically fitted each leaf…

 I ironed my Steam a Seam 2 per the manufacturers directs and never found it a mess as all to deal with.

Then I followed the suggestion of how to sew down the fabric edges but I chose to use a zig zag narrowly done on all my leaves..

I used dark green Aurifil 28/2 for a bit of leafy fun shape to my leaf applique process…

Here you can see some leaves front and back 🙂

Finally it was time to sew all the leaves together… I saw this trick on a video I looked up on YouTube… and instead of cutting out the big leaf shape I cut out the smaller section and marked my leaves.. you can see here my cardstock copy from the pattern…

Above are 4 sewn together… and more challenging… is the whole circle of them!!!

 The secret behind this shot is to make sure you don’t sew your last join together until you iron it with steam and adjust it… then sew it by that measurement not the template as you have sewn the rest together by!  I had to resew the last join 3 times before I got a flat lying table topper y’all!!

Sooo… now that I have given you some tips… anyone want to buy my pattern for $7 includes shipping in the USA?  Comment below and I will email you back to get verification of your paypal email address before invoicing if you are interested!

If you buy this pattern from me above… you will get all the original parts of the pattern that have been gently viewed only.. as well as any assist from me that you like or need in making this with your fabrics and bosal… you can buy the bosal single sided foam in a sheet or buy the leaves as I did your choice..  I used all stash for the fabric to make mine though and LOVE it!!! 💗

Tune in tomorrow to see where I use it  for now 😀

So until I catch you up tomorrow >>>make time today to…