Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Crafting for health?

There are so many different aspects to crafting.  I think we all need some kind of creative outlet.  Whether we are good at something, or just enjoy the process.


Are you a sensitive person?  Do you notice fine scents, sounds, tastes or works of art? I tend to notice sensory changes. 


 For so many years I would stuff it down, and try to conform to what everyone else was doing. 

When I recently read an article on how crafting can actually advance healthy living along with  joy and creative satisfaction, I stopped to ponder about this.

Whether it is cooking, gardening, knitting or sewing, crafts have become a proven way to bring sanity and calmness in a sometimes hectic world. You see apparently the brain cannot dwell on stress when it is engaged by the repetitive movement of your chosen craft. 

 Sometimes you come up with a solution to a problem when you give your brain a break.

So is that the reason we should cook, garden, knit, or quilt??  No I think the reason is that we enjoy it. And in turn that becomes our "therapy". 

Crafting makes us happy, and we can also make other people happy, by making gifts for our family, friends and charity.  

So let's think of it this way.  The quality may not be perfect, but in the end, you have gained a healthy attitude and you have not wasted your time :-)

To find out if you are a highly senstive person, you can do the self test at this website Highly Sensitive Person.   I found this self test on Hooked on Houses blog. 

(Subject matter was inspired by an article in Living magazine November issue)

Monday, October 15, 2012

Weekend projects

Over the weekend I put together the extra blocks and made this little Pinwheel quilt.  Yes I love boring Pinwheels too.  And these went together so well.

 I have not quite decided if I want to add another border. 
It is only a table topper size, so I think adding one more border, maybe in red, would give it a little more dimension.

And I also came across these 4 1/2" floral blocks and put them together as well.

It's  not very big.  But it would make a cute doll quilt.  I ran out of blue and pink fabric, so I'm digging through the stash to see if I have anything that would frame this little quilt.

What did you work on this weekend??

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Chevron Quilt

Here it is!! The Chevron quilt put together.

I think this type of quilt will look better without a border.

So now I have a question for YOU.  I had many HST left over, enough to probably make a little baby type quilt.  Here is what I would normally do with HST's. 

Nice boring Pinwheel.  But what happens if we cut the HST again.  Here are the possibilities.




So what do you think??  Which block design (whirlagig or ribbon) and color (scrappy or solid)  would you vote for??

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Want to help?



Have you seen THIS post??  What a great way to support charities.  I have some partially completed tops, and orphan fabric that I will be packaging up and sending out to Margaret's Hope Chest.

How about you?  Can you lend a hand??

Monday, October 8, 2012

Chev..... Chev......Chev.....

Ron............

I recently watched a Youtube on making a Chevron quilt.  The demo was using a Layer Cake, but I thought I would try to make my own with 6" squares.

I picked out an assortment of fabrics.  Plus white background fabric.

Cut 6" strips and then again into 6" squares.

 

Pair up a white square with one of the color fabric squares.  Sew all the way around.

With your trusty rotary, cut the sewn square in an X.

Press your seams to the dark fabric.
 

Line up the Chevrons and start sewing the blocks together.

 
 

I will work on these blocks and see how large this quilt will turn out.  I cut two yards of white background, and various amounts of the red and blue.  

This looked like an easy and fun quilt to put together. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Happy Quilting!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Scrappy neighborhood

Finishing this quilt top was such a delight.  Even piecing the borders was a fun addition.  I really love how this Scrappy neighborhood turned out.

There is a little guy peeking from this window!

The pattern is in  McCalls Quilting October 2009
The original pattern is larger, but mine turned out to be about a twin size.  

woo-hoo, Welcome to the Neighborhood!  Happy Quilting!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Fall Quilts

I've been feeling a tad under the weather the last couple of days.  So there has not been much sewing or creating going on here.  But to whet your Fall appetite, I thought I would share some of my fall quilts.





Happy Quilting!