Quilting tips and hacks

Do you use tutorials for your quilting projects? Sometimes I find I need a little insight from other great quilters. So here are a few that I have found.

Angela Walters shares 5 Cutting Hacks. about cutting.

Sewing the ends together Quilting Daily

Leah Day shares quilting with a walking foot. If you have never used a walking foot before, this is a good tutorial to learn the basics.  Walking Foot Quilting.

Quilt Addicts Anonymous also has a tutorial if you want to use a walking foot for curvy stitiches.  Walking Foot Quilting - Straight and curvy 

Jenny Doan from Missouri Star has a You Tube  for binding that is easy to follow. The Ultimate Quilt Binding

 Perfect Quilt Binding by Jay Bird Quilts

The Quilt Skipper had a tutorial on making a hanging sleeve. 

I've never been good at installing zippers but if you want to add them to a pillow, s.o.t.a.k. has an easy method to try. Installing zipper closure. 

Diane Harris from National Quilting Circle shares quilting tips she wishes someone had told her when she first started quilting. Tips we can all learn from.  5 Quilting Tips

A sweet gift

 

Isn't this adorable? A gift from a relative while I was convalescing. Can you make out what it is?

No it isn't an antique machine.  It's a bird feeder!  But I am not putting it outside for the birds. I will probably hang it in my sewing room :-)

Love and the Dream ComeTrue

 

Country music star Cameron Lee returns to his hometown of Midlothian Texas for his sister's wedding. Filled with disappointment and self-pity for his failure to succeed. He meets Morgan, the daughter of energetic, positive thinking Lexi at the wedding.  The attraction between Cam and Lexie is electric. But knowing he will be leaving after the first of the year, Cam tries to resist the draw he feels for Lexie.

Lexie has had a crush on Cameron ever since she was 13. She was Cassie's (Cam's sister) best friend and always dreamed of Cameron. When Cameron returns to Midlothian he is shocked at how beautiful Lexis has become over the last 10 years.

This is a romance with a lot of complex twists and turns. Lexie's total acceptance of Cam, drives him out of his self absorption and tries to find his music again,  

Tammy L. Gray is an excellent writer. She brings life to her characters in a way that you are drawn in and want to know what is going to happen next. There is a lot of heart in her writing. This is a good clean read.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A camping we will go

I've been working on these kitchen towels.

Missouri Star had a camper pattern, but I modified it a bit. I am not very good doing the machine blind stitch as it's kind of hard to see where to go.  I think they make cute little gifts. And I had a lot of kitchen towels that I had planned on using for a different kind of applique. It has been fun to work with the different color combinations. What do you think?

My Quilt Infatuation 

Stitch Sew and Show

Peacock Party

Wile away the hours

Thank you for all the well wishes for the recovery from my recent fall. I've had a lot of time on my hands since then. Besides going to Physical Therapy, I have cleaned out closets, did some sorting of things to go to Goodwill, and some reading. I do things as I am able, as I don't have the endurance as before. Plus there is still the pain to deal with. But I have tried to fill my days profitably. 

Before my accident, I had started a small vegetable garden, but I have tried to maintain that. I don't have a green thumb so success has been hit or miss. I did get some tomatoes and cucumbers.

I also finished two puzzles. I find that is good to keep my mind busy.

I forgot to take a picture of the first one before I put it all away. I enjoy these little puzzles. I bought two more to work on.

Doing some reading but I find that it is hard to keep interest. Many stories are so much the same. In the evenings I go to YouTube and watch movies. The hardest thing to deal with is not being about to sleep. Some nights I fall asleep only to wake up a couple of hours later and can't go back.  I'm still not driving but have been trying to walk a bit in the evenings. Maybe when I start driving again I won't feel so isolated.

How are things going with you? What projects are you working on? 

All People Quilt

 All People Quilt always has patterns to share. Have you ever made anything from their website?

A couple of years ago I had this wild fabric that was waiting for a great project, and this tote was perfect. The pattern is so easy. I changed my mind on the straps and had to rip out what was sewn and audition other fabrics.

 A great FREE pattern that works up into a really cute little tote.

The joys of therapy

 Ten weeks ago, I slipped and fell in our pond, breaking my shoulder. My hubby said I could have drown if I had hit my head. But I am thankful and blessed that it did not happen that way. So, for the last four weeks this is where I have been spending my time.

Physical Therapy and I have been pretty close. It has been painful to try to regain mobility to my left arm. 

This is a really nice place. Very clean, spacious, and therapists are really nice. It's been slow going. My Orthopedic Dr did not see enough bone growth, so PT has stayed the same. But I can see that I have made some inroads in improvement. I'm just praying that I can regain enough movement to get back to life. It has been a bit discouraging because you know how it is. You want to do things and just can't. Trying to gain enough courage to start driving again. 

I've been trying to figure out what I can do, as I have been cooped up and isolated. I know it takes time, and I'm trying to be patient, 

I am hoping you all are enjoying some happy quilting :-)