Virtual Cookie Exchange and Gnomies for the Holidays!

Gnomies Pincushions and Soft Ginger Cookies

It's my turn to highlight some of my favorite Christmas Cookies on Carol's annual Virtual Cookie Exchange!

"From the Heart" Blog Hop ~ A New Batch of "Snippets"!

Carol@JustLetMeQuilt has organized such a fun hop this week!  We're sharing our favorite small hand-made gift ideas.  I immediately thought of making a batch of my favorite little "Snippets"!  Perfect little gifts "from the heart".  

Hello Fall! A fun Blog Hop!

Carla over at Creatin' in the Sticks has put together a super-fun blog hop this week!

What a fun way to welcome Fall!  I seem to be short of Autumn decorations, and this hop gave me the chance to add to my decor using some of Sandy Gervais' "Give Thanks" fabric scraps from my latest quilt (see previous POST).  

A Sweet Sunbonnet Sue Needle Keep with Penny Rose Wool!

Welcome to my stop on the Penny Rose Wool L♥ve Blog Tour!  I am thrilled to share my little project today!

I've been wanting to re-do a little needle-keep I found stashed behind the drawer of an old treadle sewing machine cabinet my husband purchased a couple of years ago.  It's a tiny little 4" x 5" Susie.  

Stitchin' Kitchen Blog Tour

Hello, and welcome to my stop on the Riley Blake Designs' Stitch'n Kitchen Christmas Blog Tour!  There's always room for hand-made toppers in my kitchen, especially for delicious cookies like these.

A new arrival, prize-winners, a little music; other random stuff.

Our family is growing!  We are thrilled to announce our new arrival!  Meet "MO"!

photo courtesy of Sue McCarty

Little "Mo", as his previous owner called him, has arrived and we are busy setting him up in the studio, complete with his Statler computerized system.  I'll need to familiarize myself with all his bells, buttons and whistles, (and hundreds of pre-loaded patterns) then we'll get busy after the holidays.  My husband and daughters at home will also be learning to operate little Mo, too!  So stinkin' excited!!  Meanwhile, Bertha is still busy stitching up custom quilts - one more to go before Christmas.

~~~

And, Congratulations to my winners from three recent blog hops, whew!!

Kathy won a pattern bundle sponsored by Jacquelynne Steves on the "Sew Sweet Simplicity" hop.  Such darling patterns!  Love those cheery cherries.  Next week will feature a new block and a new pattern bundle giveaway.

Vicki won a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks vol 10, plus a happy little stack of charm squares and supplies to make my "Spring" quilt block featured in the magazine.  The applique' pieces are cut with my AccuQuilt cutting system.

Robin won a little Cardinal pincushion/ornament #littlebirdiepincushion from my "Twas the Night..." hop with the SewWeQuilt online guild.

And did you notice?  Her name is ROBIN!!  OK, so I couldn't resist making this one for her as well.  

Want to make your own Little Birdie pincushion?  

Here's the link → Little Birdie FREE Tutorial

For the robin, I pieced the head strip and used the same print for the rest.

For the Cardinal ornament, I used a black pigma pen to color in around the beak, 

then I used a large needle to add a ribbon through the seam for hanging.

Then I made a few more.  You know, for Christmas. 

~~~

And if that weren't enough excitement for one post, it was concert week last week!  I sing in the biggest backup group in the world, and it was such a delightful week as we sang with our guest artist Santino Fontana (voice of Prince Hans from Frozen, and a darling!), along with the Muppets!  That's right, from Sesame Street!  Big Bird, the Count, Grover, Bert & Ernie, Rosita, a new-to-me little sweetie--Abby Cadabby, and of course, my favorite little Elmo!  Here's a highlight:

2014 Christ2014 Christmas Concert highlights

It was a great concert! ♫♪ Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street? ♫♪ ♥♥♥

Sweet Tweets...

My latest little mini Snippet for the sewing room...

You know you want to make one!!

Join me at >> Quiltscapes Studio (that's just a fancy way to say, "Come on over to the house and we'll make stuff!") Wednesdays, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

>> Tutorial with a downloadable free pattern is now available!!

Below is a little photo shoot with my cute friend Ruth @ Ruthie Quilts during the Utah Quilt Festival last month. Ruth taught a class on her adorable covered retractible tape measure... what a cute little snippet!  She even paper-pieced the little house!

...then she tested my instructions for this sweet little tweet (or is it twit?... one of us has an attitude, lol!...)

Davidene's Quilt Shoppe kindly allowed us to use their little table topper (<<pattern by Nancy Halvorsen) for our photo shoot.

Birdie Buddies...

Stinkin' cute...

... the birds too.

#littlebirdiepincushion

Remember, you're always welcome to subscribe/follow/cyber-stalk or send a note.  And if you're in the area, stop by for a visit!  Sew Days @ Quiltscapes ( or is it "Quiltscapades"?) on Wednesdays.

Happy Sewing!

Mini-Snippets: Pincushion Ring

Sometimes I just need a tiny place to stick some pins.

Supplies:

1-inch 2-hole button

1/2-inch (1.5cm) felted wool ball (source)

(Make your own from wool roving:  TUTORIAL)

2" covered elastic hairband

1)  From the top of the button, push one end of the elastic through
a hole in the button to form a loop.

2)  Push the second end through the other hole.

3)  Use a little hot glue to adhere the wool ball to the button.

Slip the elastic loops over your index finger or thumb and get sewing!

Like this quick little project?  Click to see more >> tutorials <<.  Don't want to miss more mini-snippets from my sewing room?   You're welcome to subscribe:

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Happy Stitching!

Snippets ~ Sewing Kit!

Day II of Snippets Week:

Today's tutorial is for this adorable little Sewing Kit.

SUPPLIES:

2  ~  7-1/2" panels, squares or quilt blocks

1  ~  7-1/2" x 14-1/2" lining

1  ~  7-1/2" x 13" pocket

1  7-1/2" x 15" fusible fleece

2/3 yard ribbon

1/3 yard Velcro sew-in hook & loop tape

Elastic hair band

1" button

Needlenook << See TUTORIAL

STITCH 7-1/2" panels or squares together using 1/4" seam.  PRESS seam open.

Following manufacturer's instructions, FUSE the fleece

to the wrong side of the stitched cover.

PIN two lengths of ribbon (10" to 12") at seams.

BASTE elastic band loop at top of back cover.  Give it about a 1"  loop.

Pocket.  FOLD 7-1/2" x 13" rectangle in half right sides together to form pocket.  

STITCH a length of Velcro hook and loop tape along the folded edge of the pocket.
(Trust me, it's easier to do it now than add it later...)

ALIGN raw edges of pocket along outer edge of back cover, Velcro side up.  PIN in place.

STITCH  a strip of Velcro (hooks) to right side of lining where Needlenook will be,

about 2-1/2" from top edge.  Stitch the other half (loops) to the back of the Needlenook.
Stitch a length of Velcro to correspond with Velcro strip on pocket.

PIN lining right sides together over pocket and cover.
Leave lower pocket edge un-pinned and open .

STITCH three sides using 1/4" seam allowance.  

CLIP corners and TURN right side out as pictured below.
(You may have to tug a bit to un-stick the velcro on the pocket)
Use a chopstick if necessary to get the corners square.
PIN across bottom edge of pocket and STITCH through all layers.
Backstitch over elastic if necessary.

CLIP corners

FLIP pocket to the inside and PRESS.  Use a chopstick on the corners if necessary.
 Velcro should line up.  EDGE-STITCH sewing kit around outside edges.

STITCH a button to front cover.

Attach the Needlenook, lace up spools of thread...

...Load the pockets with supplies!

More "She Who Sews" projects:
Mary's Boot Pincushion
Dishtowel Apron
Needlenook Tutorial
UFO to Go (Portable Design Wall)
Memory Board Tutorial (Wednesday's Post)
Cut & Press Booklet (Check for this on Thursday)
Quilted Nametag (Friday's Bonus)

Happy Sewing!