Tutorial: Ric Rac Burp Cloths

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A good friend is having a baby today!  The quilt I made for her is still at the quilters (it's a scheduled c-section and I still couldn't get it done on time!)... so I decided to whip up some cute burp cloths to take to the hospital.  They're so cute and easy.... I think you'll want to give one (or two...) a try!

MATERIALS:

cloth diapers

1 - 4 1/2" square fabric for each diaper you plan to embellish

5/8 yd. ric rack to match

thread coordinating with rac rac

fusible web


DIRECTIONS:

1.  To begin, grab your diapers and fabric.  I decided to upcycle some of the old cloth diapers I have in my stash - these my mom gave me, and they were mine from 30+ years ago.  Eeek!  I guess that means you can actually call them "vintage"....

There are so many cute fabrics you can pick to embellish these burp cloths.....whether you pick something trendy from your stash, a novelty print, charm pack or a children's panel.  I had this panel in my stash and picked 3 squares out for the burp cloths.

2.  Cut the fabric into a 4 1/2" square.  I cut 3 squares, one for each burp cloth.  See my little "water" theme?

3.  Press the diapers to prepare them for the applique.

4.  Following the manufacturer's instructions, use fusible web to secure the applique 4 1/2" squares to the diaper.

5.  Stitch around the applique 1/8" from the edge to secure it to the fabric.  I used  a dark thread so you could see my stitching, but I would normally try to blend the thread color better.

6.  Next, we'll add the ric rac.  Prior to stitching in place, fold the edge of the ric rac under to prevent fraying.

7.  Starting on one side of the square, stitch the ric rac in place.  When you come to the corner, end the ric rac by tucking it under.  Start a new piece of folded under ric rac on the next side.  Continue in this manner around all 4 sides of the square.

  And it's done!  No need for anything more complicated!

After all, these are supposed to have spit up all over them, right?  But what a cute, quick and easy baby gift!

Those are NOT strategically placed legos to add color to the shot.  That is simply the reality of my living room these days!

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Reminder: Ho-Ho-Holiday Swap Sign-ups end Friday!

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Don't forget!  If you haven't signed up for the Ho-Ho-Holiday Swap, Friday (October 1st) is the last day!  After that I will be making up the groups and letting everyone know who they are partnered up with.  We already have 23 people signed up!  I think that is fantastic!!  SO glad that a lot of newbie swappers are joining in too.  Great time for all!

(Pictured above is a little teaser..... I've recently discovered Michael Miller.  Anybody wanna be my partner??)

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Nobody's lookin'.....

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So...if you see fabric on Monday, and you think about it every day for a week......even checking on it several times to see if anyone has bought it.....it's meant to be yours, right?  I caved.  It's before 6am, the whole house is dark and quiet.  Nobody's lookin'....

5 one-half yard pieces (2 1/2 yards total) from the Meadowsweet 2 Collection, Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller Fabrics

@ Fresh Squeezed Fabrics

Feels like it's gonna be a good day already!

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Follower Friday: Meet Cecily @ Craftopotamus

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Happy Friday everyone!  This week's feature is Cecily of Craftopotamus.  I first discovered her through a linky party.  Now I love to see what she's coming up with next.  She has a great funky style, designs her own patterns and has a flair for upcycling.  Check her out!

Cecily of Aurora, IL

Occupation: Full-time mom and wife, full-time grad student, part-time blogger

Significant Other/Kids/Pets: I am married to hard-working and super-amazing man, we have one beautiful 21 month old son, a dog named Maggie and a cat named Violet

# Years Quilting: 5 years - I got my first sewing machine right after we got married and jumped pretty much straight into quilting.

Hand or machine piecing/quilting: All machine piecing, mostly machine quilting, including free motion (on my basic little Husquvarna - I do not own a long-arm), and sometimes hand quilting

How you learned to quilt: My mother had wanted to learn to quilt forever and she always said that she would learn to do it after she retired. She has a tendency to stall on these sorts of things so I learned so I could get her jump started. The year before she retired, I taught myself to quilt using a book from JoAnn Fabrics, called Your Guide to Quilting, and lots of trial and error. I still find myself referring to the book on occasion. I have stayed away from classes because I don't like the idea of being told there is a "right" or "wrong" way to create anything, although I think at this point a class or two would probably do me some good. I've been interested in a class that can teach me how to machine applique like a pro.

Favorite project:

Other interests: crochet and knitting, painting, jewelry making, sewing, decoupage, upcycling

Workstation setup:

Part of my love of quilting stems from having a heavy math background. I was on math team for years and geometry was always my strongest subject. I think that is part of why I tend to shy away from patterns - I'd rather come up with something totally unique and the dreaming it up part is often my favorite step in the process. Basically I figured out that as long as you keep a 1/4" seam I can do anything. Another reason quilting is such a good fit for me is that I usually love most anything I can create that is not only pretty, but that I or someone else can get a lot of use out of.

To learn more about Cecily and her adventures, visit her blog Craftopotamus.

If you would like to be featured on Gen X Quilter's Follower Friday, send your information (listed under the Follower Friday page at the top) to genxquilter@gmail.com. I'll put you in the que! Have a great weekend!

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Cookie Monster Stocking: Cookie is ready for Christmas!

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Here is the Cookie Monster....  ready for Christmas..... and munching on Santa's cookies no doubt!!

I am happy with the way this stocking turned out.  I had no plan, only a vision of the Cookie Monster portraying my son's appetite to start.  I photocopied part of Cookie from a book and sketched the rest.  Thanks for your comments which brought the final accessories to the stocking - bites out of a cookie and the toe piece!!

I have to admit the appliques on this piece were tough.  There were many small turns I found difficult - but hopefully, no one will look too closely at the stitching.  I did the blanket stitch by hand around the cookies on the tray and hand stitched his name (which I have pixelated in these pics).  Cookie is made complete with a pom pom on his hat and one black sequin and bead for each eye.

In hindsight, I would have made the red stocking foundation a little bigger to accomodate all of Cookie Monster, but I had already made my older son's stocking this size.  And we all know that one child's stocking can't be bigger than the other!

Can't wait to hang them up in December!



This stocking is partying @

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Operation Snowman, A UFO and A Winner!

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Meet Sophet.  The UFO Snowman.  My son named him Sophet.  I have no idea why.  Every time I ask him the name of a certain item {bear, train, fireman, etc.}, he always answers "Sophet".  There must be some episode of Caillou that has a pet Sophet or something....  Anyway, I digress....

It feels like forever since I stitched up this snowman and sent him off to the LAQ.  He's been back a while, sitting neglected in the corner of the basement that holds quilts that need binding.  Sophet is going to get a handful of embellishments too.  Buttons, a pom-pom, beads, etc!  He needs his goodies before xmas, so hopefully, I'll muster up some steam to finish him.  Don't want to disappoint the kiddos!

Congratulations Marcia!!  You are the winner of the Delightful Tweets pattern from Crafty Gemini!  I will let Vanessa know and you will receive the new pattern soon!  Thank you to all who participated! Pin It

Tip: Applique Placement while Stitching

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I'm working on stitching the many intricate appliques on the Cookie Monster stocking today.  I didn't realize I typically always place the applique shape on the left side {of where I plan to zigzag} and the foundation on the right side.  I never consciously knew this until I accidentally switched it up and then struggled with keeping the needle placed on the shape correctly. 

Maybe I like the applique on the left because I'm left-handed?

TIP:  Make a mental note of which side you like the applique to be on... Consistency here makes stitching easier!

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Follower Friday: Meet Vanessa of The Crafty Gemini... and a GiveAway!!

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Well, well.  Do I have an exciting Follower Friday for you today!  Today's spotlight is on Vanessa of the Crafty Gemini. 

She is a very busy lady teaching classes, video tutorials, blogging, you name it!  She just released a brand new e-pattern this week, an adorable baby quilt called Delightful Tweets!  She has graciously agreed to GiveAway one pattern to a lucky reader!

Vanessa of Gainesville, FL

Occupation: Stay-at-home mama by day, law professor by night, and quilt designer

Significant Other/Kids/Pets: Married to Mr. Crafty Gemini, have a 12 mo old son (nicknamed) Juice, and a big friendly dog, Onyx.

# Years Quilting: almost 4 yrs

Hand or machine piecing or quilting: Machine piecing, and longarm machine quilting. I've done some hand quilting but only to embellish small art quilts. I don't have the time or patience to hand piece a big but I DEFINITELY appreciate it!

How you learned to quilt: I was a 2nd year law student in need of a creative outlet. I begged my mom to teach me how to sew. Soon after I was making all kinds of projects. A few weeks later, I stumbled across a sewing shop in town and signed up for a pillow sham class and loved it! While there an employee suggested I sign up for a beginner quilting class. I had never heard of "quilting" or a "quilt" before. LOL. It's pretty crazy when I think back to those days! (My family is from the Dominican Republic and we have no need for the traditional version of a quilt... it's pretty hot in the Caribbean!) My curiosity was piqued and after my first nine-patch quilt, I was hooked!

Favorite Completed Project: Definitely my first queen size quilt. I designed, pieced, and longarm quilted it all myself. It took almost 2 months to make and was made up of over 400 half-square triangles! The sad part was it was a commissioned project and I didn't even get to keep it.

Quilting workstation setup: We live in a 3bd house and when I was pregnant my husband tried to convince me that my then sewing room should be the baby's room and the third room should remain his office. According to him, "people sew in the garage all the time!" LOL. Obviously that was a joke. His stuff now lives in the garage and baby Juice and I each have our own "play" room. :o) I'm not ashamed to show my messy sewing room. This is what it looks like today... and now at least you know I am busy! I have a ton of projects going on at once... what quilter doesn't, right?! Those red bins on the left are all my scrap baskets. I have them separated into color combinations- greens/blues, pinks/purples, yellows/oranges/reds, blacks/whites/grays/browns), etc. I don't throw anything away! Those scraps come in really handy for small projects, applique, and art quilts! Also, I lower my regular old ironing board to the level of my sewing table and sit it parallel to me so I can sew and press in the same station. :o)

The Crafty Gemini YouTube Channel: I have dozens of video tutorials on my YouTube channel for beginning sewists and quilters. I cover tons of topics from how to stitch a blind hem to free-motion longarm quilting. Check my channel out HERE and if you like what you see subscribe for email notifications of any new free videos I add.

New Patterns @ Crafty Gemini:  I am very proud to announce my first two baby quilt/wall hanging quilt e-patterns: 1) Delightful Tweets and 2) Up, Up and Away. The quilts are almost identical in the way they come together using a ridiculously easy fusible applique technique (I have a video tutorial on this) and simple strip borders. They were designed to be for a girl (Delightful Tweets) and a boy (Up, Up and Away). They are darling little quilts that would look great as a play mat for young baby or as a wall hanging in a toddler's room! Come check 'em out. 

To keep up with Vanessa and all she's up to visit her blog or flickr photostream.



NOW - for the GiveAway part!!!

One Delightful Tweets Pattern!

Here’s how to enter:


1. Become a follower of GXQ and leave me a comment (or let me know if you already are one). (1 entry)

2. Blog about this giveaway and Crafty Gemini's new pattern, and leave me a comment. (1 entry)

3. Hop on over to Crafty Gemini and become a follower and leave me a comment. (1 entry)

4. Volunteer to be profiled on Follower Friday. Go to the Follower Friday page, then send me an email containing the required information. Leave a comment on this post.*** (1 entry)

5.  Sign up for the Crafty Gemini newsletter here and leave me a comment.

***You must be a quilter in either Gen X or Gen Y to be featured for Follower Friday. ***
There are no restrictions on the other entry items.


Leave a separate comment for each entry on this post. Entries will be accepted until Monday, September 20, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.

The winner will be chosen by a Random Number Generator and announced on Tuesday, September 21, 2010.



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Getting the ball rolling: Columbus Modern Quilt Guild

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Today I went to meet with Sue (the owner) and Rita of Quilt Trends to discuss the kickoff meeting for the brand spanking new branch of the Modern Quilt Guild - Columbus Modern Quilt Guild!!  Until this point, CMQG has basically been me and a website just trying to feel out if there is any interest in the area for a group like this.  The response we've been getting so far is great....and we were able to set a meeting date (Thurs. 10/21)!

Thanks to those bloggy friends who encouraged me to look into this group.  A few months ago, it didn't exist.  Now, we have a place to meet and a wide open canvas to make this new guild fun and trendy!  If you know anyone in the Columbus, Ohio area, be sure to tell them to look us up!

I had never been to visit Quilt Trends before....it's huge!  So many wonderful COLORFUL modern fabrics! 

So many samples and patterns to look at.....if I didn't have my boys with me, I could've spent hours looking....

Here is the classroom space where we will have our CMQG meetings...

This quilt may have inspired me to purchase some fun fat quarters for a certain Ho-Ho-Holiday Swap!!


Many thanks to Sue and Rita who are SO enthusiastic about starting this group in Columbus.  Their advice and promotion is certain to help CMQG get off on the right foot!

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Ho-Ho-Holiday Swap with Gen X Quilters!

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I thought maybe we could try a little swapping fun here at Gen X Quilters.  Can you tell I've been getting into the holiday mood with the stocking? 

Gen X Quilters' Ho-Ho-Holiday Swap

This swap will consist of:

1.  Three (3) Fat Quarters
2.  One (1) Handmade Holiday ornament

Won't it be fun to get something new in the mail?  Who doesn't love getting presents?  Sign up before October 1, 2010 to be included!



Here are the specifics:

Fat Quarters Fabric Swap
-Quilt shop quality fabric only
-Fat Quarter must be 18" x 22"
-"Holiday" colors: fabric must be shades of red, green, or white.  It doesn't necessarily have to be holiday fabric, but should keep to the seasonal colors

Fabric Swaps must be mailed by:  November 1, 2010



Holiday Ornament Swap
-Using at least one (1) of the fabrics received in the swap, make an ornament to send to your partner.  Try to get to know your partner through email and visiting their blog (if they have one) so you can make something they really like (and make a friend too)!

Ornament Swaps must be mailed by: December 1, 2010


Pictures of  the ornaments received from the swap will be posted on GXQs' flickr so we can all see the fun creations of other swap members.


Fine print:
If you think you may not be able to complete the swap, please don't sign up.  Your group members are counting on you!

Since this is my first time hosting a swap, I'm going to keep it just within the U.S. for right now.  Sorry!



If you would like to participate, send me an email (genxquilter@gmail.com) with your name and address by October 1, 2010.  You will be put in a group of four and partnered up.  You will send a fat quarter to the other 3 members of your group and one ornament to your partner.  I will get the information sent out within a week (by 10/08/10). 

Also, please leave a comment so others can view who is participating.  I have no idea how many swappers to expect, so please bear with me.  Hopefully, we will have a bunch of fun ornaments to share in December!

Grab a button to spread the word!  This will be fun....thanks for playing!




<a href="http://genxquilters.blogspot.com/2010/09/ho-ho-holiday-swap-with-gen-x-quilters.html"><img_proxy src="http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad268/amli77/Ho-Ho-HolidaySwap.jpg" border="0" alt="Gen X Quilters Holiday Swap" /></a> Pin It

Follower Friday: Meet of Amy of Diary of a Quilter

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Well, Happy Friday everyone!  This week's Follower Friday spotlight is on Amy of Diary of a Quilter.  We all know her, she's done SO much all over crafty blogland - now let's see what she's all about!

Amy of Orem, Utah

Occupation:  Domestic Engineer and CEO Smart Family Management (my husband is the CFO) - aka Stay at Home Mom :)

Significant Other/Kids/Pets:

One handsome, busy, smart husband and four busy, and mostly happy kids

# Years Quilting:

I started quilting when I was about 11 and my mom taught me some basic hand-quilting skills, but it wasn't until I had my first baby that I really took off. I needed something in my life that stayed done so I started taking a couple of quilting classes. Quilting continues to be that aspect of my life that "stays done" and a fulfilling creative outlet.

Hand or machine piecing or quilting:

I am now a machine piecer because I like to get things finished fast. Same with machine quilting. Although I need to work on my machine quilting skills, so if I want something to look nice I have a friend with a long-arm do the quilting for me. All that said, I love having a handwork project to carry with me so this summer I joined the hexagon craze and I am thoroughly enjoying the hand piecing process.

How you learned to quilt:

My mom gave me my first introduction. After watching her I decided I could figure it out and try it for myself. I then took a couple of classes where I learned great short cuts and improved my skills. Even though I've been quilting in earnest for about 10 years now, I still love taking classes when I can find the time. I always learn something new and I love the opportunity to hang out with other quilters!

Favorite Completed Project:

I don't know if I can pick a favorite completed project - kind of like trying to pick a favorite child. :) But I have a few that I have really loved recently. This quilt is probably one of the most emotional for me. A good friend of mine passed away about 9 months ago due to complications while delivering her first baby. I was so grieved that she was gone, but especially that her healthy baby boy would never know his mom in this life. She is Irish, so I decided to make a quilt covered with Irish flags to honor his mother's heritage. You can read more about the quilt here. 

Quilting workstation setup:

We moved to a new house last year and I was so excited to have a permanent space to set up my sewing machine. But this summer, I relocated to the kitchen table because that is where I could actually be productive. So here is my current work place in all it's glory. :)

To learn more about Amy and her adventures, check out her blog Diary of a Quilter and flickr photostream.





If you would like to be featured on Gen X Quilter's Follower Friday, send your information (listed under the Follower Friday page at the top) to genxquilter@gmail.com. I'll put you in the que! Have a great weekend!

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Cookie Monster Stocking: Votes are in!

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Thanks so much everyone for offering your opinions.  You guys are awesome!  Well, the votes are in....  The toe piece slightly edged out presents in a close race.  A BIG thank you to Becky who came up with the great idea of taking a bite out the toe piece.  I LOVE IT!!  Maybe I'll add in a few more cookies too!  Now to start stitching all those applique....

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Cookie Monster Stocking: Accessorizing the Stocking = HELP!

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Ok ok.... I need your opinion!  The Cookie Monster is set, but I am having trouble deciding which other appliques I should put onto the stocking.  Have a look and let me know what you think!  At the end, I'll go tally the votes (insert Jeff Probst serious tone)...

#1 Plain

#2 With Presents

#3 With Toe Piece

#4 With Xmas Tree

Your help is much appreciated!

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Cookie Monster Stocking: Developing the Applique

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Happy Labor Day!  Today is actually our 8th wedding anniversary....how nice to have my hubby home for a long weekend!

My first step in making the stocking was a trip to the library to make copies of my favorite pages.  There were 2 pages I thought may be a possibility.  I made a couple copies of each just to be safe.

In each picture, Cookie Monster is holding a tray of cookies.  I liked this image in conjunction with leaving cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve.  I chose to use the bottom picture because I liked the angle Cookie is facing considering which way the toe will point on my stocking (to the right).

So!  Now I just cut out the top half of Cookie Monster's body and sketched the bottom half free hand on paper before transferring the shapes onto my blue monster fabric.

Add some Cookie Monster accessories....and wha-la!

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