Elsa and Anna Quilt for Gracie

Well as promised.... here is the Elsa and Anna Quilt for Gracie's room here at Nana and Papa's house.   She is so happy to have her quilt finally finished and on her bed.   

She watched every step of the sewing process and sometimes tried to help sew the seams and help in any way she could..... now that was an experience to remember!  What memories we will share.... I know there will be many more upcoming sewing projects and memories. 

Disney's Frozen Coronation Fabric

Finding coordinating fabrics to match is always my favorite part of the process.  I wanted to use some batik fabric, since I could probably find 2 or maybe 3 colors in one fabric.  If I'm lucky I might find a fabric that has all the colors.  

Did I say... that I really enjoy this part of the process!

I use these coordinating fabrics below to go with the coronation fabric above for the quilt and pillowcases.

                         

I started by making the coordinating pillowcases, I knew that if I finished the pillowcases first that Gracie would feel like we accomplished our task, without her getting to impatient because I hadn't finished the quilt yet.  Then when we do finish the quilt, she will just be so ecstatic! 

Now for the pillowcases, I decided not to have a raw edge seam, that would unravel over time and then eventuallly seperate as the seam blows out over washing and usage.  

So, I made French Seam Pillowcases.  Look how nice the seam looks!

Below are some pictures of the process.  Choosing the coordinating fabrics for the quilt and pillowcases, and the finshed pillowcases.... Makes for a happy little girl, she is ready to give her Dora bedroom set to a little friend who doesn't have a bedroom set. 

A few pictures below of the finished pillowcases, finished top of the quilt, and the back fabric for the quilt. Then, of course a happy little girl who is enjoying the process of the quilt coming together.

Now all that we need to do is sandwich the batting between the finished top fabric and the back/bottom fabric and then machine quit.

Well after watching a machine quilting youtube video, I realized that I was suppose to allow 4-6 inches extra inches of fabric for the backing and the batting of the quilt.   Ooops.... I barely had enough fabric as it was :( 

What to do... What to do!

When I ordered both of the fabrics online, both companies had less fabric than what was posted on their sites, after they remeasured to see exactly what they had and I recalculated.... I barely had what I needed to do this quilt project.  I took a big gamble and decided to move forwarded with the fabrics that I had choose, knowing that the two fabrics went together so wonderfully.  

We all know that color coordination is key in anything that you do!

I had very little scrap material, but I managed to find enough to add to all 4 edges of the bottom side/back piece of the fabric.  When I'm finished machine quilting this will be cut off of the quilt.

Oh.... let me share the reason the back fabric for the quilt needs to be wider.  Ii is to make sure that you get a firm tight back for your quilt without messing up your fabric because of the clamps that you will be attachiing to the backing fabric so you can machine quilt your quilt.

I know that I'm talking in past tenths, but wanted to show this process.

I'm was so excited about taking this machine quilting class..... I'm waiting for a response from the store to let me know when I can schedule my one on one machine quilting class, to learn how to use their longarm quilting machine, so I will be able to machine quilt my own quilts.

I live here in Riverside, California and there is a quilt shop here called Quilters Cocoon.  They will teach you to machine quilt on their Longarm quilting machine.  Then you can either buy your very own quilting machine from them or you can rent their longarm and machine quilt your project right there in the shop.   The quilting machine that they have in the store is the HandiQuilt Avante Longarm Quilting Machine...... It is very similar to the Babylock Crown Jewel Longarm Quilting Machine that I found on Craigslist here in my area.... that comes with the Babylock Pearl quilting frame.

Definitions:

Longarmmer is one who quilts using a longarm quilting machine.

Longarm quilting is the process by which a longarm sewing machine is used to sew together a quilt top, quilt batting and quilt backing into a finished quilt.

Here is my final decisions that I needed to make...... thread color and the quilting design. 

So Excited....... My date is August 12, 2015 for my longarm quilting class... Now, it has came and gone.    

Here are some pictures from that day.

                    

                 

                       

Voila... The finshed quilt !

I do know a little one that will be so happy when she comes to Nana's and see that her quilt is finished.  She will want to turn this quilt into a fort right in the middle of the family room, she has already hinted about!  Good luck trying to keep it on the bed!

       

Now onto my next quilt project,

I already have some ideas... Of course  I'll post when finished!

         

     

Meditation on the Past ~ Down Memory Land

Down Memory Lane

by George Krokos

I went for a trip one day down memory lane

and everything at first seemed to be quite plain

but as I paid more attention there began to see

certain things that I thought no longer could be.

Whatever good or bad experiences happened there in the past

were looming now before my minds eye and I became aghast.

So many vague images appeared all like an illusion

one after another or together causing some confusion.

In a matter of a few moments I witnessed so much

more than one could normally ever want to as such.

These memories of events and images appeared quite fast

that it was difficult telling how long in my vision did last.

Some demanded more attention than many others it seemed

yet there were those that all faded just when being gleamed.

Like a fast moving motion picture showing in between

they all paraded on the center stage of my mental screen.

Good and bad played themselves out against light and dark

reminding me that they’re both aspects of life that’s stark.

Particularly where judgement of a case has been too extreme

which leaves behind a feeling of justice not being supreme.

Those unpleasant memories buried deep within our mind

can all be replaced by better ones of a much happier kind.

When anyone responds favorably to an adverse situation

that reaction is more conducive to our happiness in relation.

One of my favorite places to meditate and reminise!

Gracie's Birthday Surprise

Birthday's are always a special time, especially for children.  

I had a request from my soon to be 4 year old grand daughter. she asked me if I would make her a Elsa and Anna Comforter/Blanket and Pillowcases for her room at Nana's house.  But that's not all.... the clincher is if I make this for her birthday she will want to take them home, which is fine.  But I will not have fulfilled her request...... for her bedroom at Nana's.  Oh what to do, what to do?

We'll I have came up with a solution to my dilemma!  I decided to buy her a plush mink style blanket, of course it has Disney's Frozen Elsa and Anna on the front.  I also found some fabric to make some pillowcases.

                                  

                  

                                                Plush Mink Style Blanket above.

                           

                      

                  

Above is two of the three fabrics used for the pillowcases.  The third fabric that was used is a bright green tone on tone snowflake patterned fabric.

I found this tutorial on Youtube from The Fat Quarter Shop, on how to make a french seam pillowcase.  It was so easy to make these french seam pillowcases.   

Click here for Pillowcase Pattern and Directions

Here is my finished pillowcases.... below!

 One set down..... one more set to go!

Well.... this set she will take home for her bedroom....... after all it is her birthday!

*****

Now for the second set of Comforter/Blanket for Gracie's room at Nana's house.  She really likes this coronation fabric.  So I purchased it and will make her a quilt and two pillowcases to match.

I just love these jewels tone colors, and can not wait to go shopping for coordinating color fabrics for pillowcases and the quilt top.

            

                              

When I complete this second Disney Frozen Elsa and Anna Quilt/Blanket..... I will do a separate post. 

Peter Rabbit & Friends Rag Quilt and Diaper Owls and Babies

We'll once again I'm making a baby blanket as a gift with my favorite story characters.   Who doesn't just love these little characters?  I'm sure most of us have heard these stories or watched the movies they now have on dvd. 

I also tried something new..... I decided to make another gift for the mom to be. At the baby shower the theme was owls... so I had found directions on how to make diaper owls and gave it to the mom of the expectant mommy and they made these beautiful two sided diaper owls for center pieces for the tables at the baby shower.   

They did such a great job!

I decided to take and make a diaper baby and another friend made one also.  Now my favorite color is purple so.... you all now what color I made. :)

Okay, after I made this..... I just wanted to pick it up and cuddle :) So Adorable!

And last but not least.... the Peter Rabbit and Friends Quilt.

I just enjoy these little whimsical characters.  Every child should be introduced to them.

I'm thinking for my next quilt I'm going to do hummingbirds or maybe even horses.  I really like them both.... it's hard to choose.  I want to make a quilt for myself.  This will be a first, a quilt for myself! Maybe I will make both! 

Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes

PREP: 20 MINS  TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINS YIELD: MAKES 12

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

1 zucchini (10 ounces), coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in nuts.

In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely. Meanwhile, make frosting. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

Cream Cheese Frosting

YIELD: MAKES ENOUGH FOR 12 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter

4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.