Christmas Hand Towels

 

Here are the three Christmas hand towels I made from the upcycled linen table cloth I mentioned yesterday.  This design is also from the Anita Goodesign CHRISTMAS CURLS.  I decided to use the same design and embroider it in red, green, and gold.  I love the stitching along the hem line.  So glad I found that little tablecloth at Goodwill.  I was able to make these linen hand towels from less than a $1.00 each.  These will be a Christmas gift for a family member (can't say who).

 

I purchased an apron at WalMart today to make an apron to go with the bar towel I made this week.  I think I'll make three of the towels and the apron.  Gift for our family's party animals.  Maybe I'll finish this weekend since we aren't going anywhere for the holiday. 

 

Completed my second class with my new machine today.  Can't wait to use some of the features we learned today.  What a wonderful machine it is. 

Upcycled Linen Hand Towel

 

As many of you know, I love visiting the thrift stores.  I'm always thrilled when I can upcycle an item and give it new life.  That's what I did with this lovely little hand towel.  Last week I found a square linen tablecloth with a lovely border.  I think it is what's called a twin-needle stitch around the border.  It looked as if it had never been used.  Probably sat in someone linen closet for years.  I immediately thought it would make beautiful hand towels if I added machine embroidery designs.

So I purchased it, brought it home and threw it in the washer.  Today I cut out four hand towels and added machine embroidery.  This design is another Anita Goodesign called Christmas Curls.  The linen is a little tricky to sew but I'm very pleased with my first towel.  I think this one is staying with me for the holidays.  Maybe the other three will become gifts.  My goal is to experiment with my new machine on a variety of fabrics before I go to my second class on Friday.  This week I've tried the bar towels and now linen.   Not sure what's next. 

Bar Towel

 

Bar towel is completed.  This has been a week of technology challenges.  Scanner died.  It was a Canon and I had it for years.  Loved it.  Searched on line found a HP and ordered from WalMart.  Picked it up and brought it home.  When I hooked it up, everything was in Chinese (or something similar).  After hours of frustration trying to fix issue with help from customer support, it went back to WalMart.  I purchased a Canon, which I should have done in the first place.  Now I'm back in action.

 

Love the little bar towel.  Will make a few more a Christmas gifts.  Its another Anita Goodesign.  Love all their designa.

Halloween Quilt Top finished

I finished my Halloween Quilt top to day.  I love it.  My new Janomee 12000 is such a wonderful machine.  Worth the money I spent.  The embroidery is perfect and I like the built in dual feed system.  Tomorrow I begin my 2 part class to learn "All About the Features" of my new machine.  So many features, it will take two 6 hour classes to learn them all.  I'm sure I will never use all the features but it will be fun to see what the machine can do.

Now to choose my next project.  I'm thinking bar towels with these cute Happy Hour designs.  I bought some bar towels last week at Walmart.  These will be Christmas gifts for the partiers in the family.   

Halloween Quilt and a new Janome 12000

After much thought and research, I am now the owner of a new Janome 12000.  It is a wonderful machine with many upgrades from my Janome 11000.  I still love my Janome 11000 but the hoop size limited me in the designs I was able to embroider.  My new machine has huge hoops that will allow me to embroider any design on the market today.  I really debated this purchase.  It is lots of money to invest in a sewing machine but I finally convenienced myself that it was an investment in my "mental well being".  My sewing studio and my fabric art have been a blessing throughout my life and its challenges.  So I went to Mulqueen's Sewing Center and made the big purchase.  I LOVE IT. 

Here are my first two Halloween quilt squares using my new machine.  These blocks are 8" blocks (something my Janome 11000 can't do).  I did keep my Janome 11000 and it will go to our vacation home in Kentucky.  So I'll be able to do machine embroidery both places.  So exciting!!!!

Dress for Doll Ministry

In one of the many emails from vendors that I recieve each day, I saw an article about a doll ministry.  I contacted the lady in charge and offered to make some clothes for the ministry.  It just happened that the ministry is sponsored by a church in Louisville, Ky.  They have someone that makes the dolls but need volunteers to make the dresses.

I received the pattern last month and so far have completed one of the dresses.  I have some butterfly fabric waiting to made into the second dress.  This is a great way to use some of my stash for a worthy project.  I've made quilts for charities but this allows me to be a little more creative.  I loved making doll clothes when I was a child. 

New Tablerunner

I added the binding to this tablerunner yesterday.  I completed the quilt top and quilting while in Kentucky a few weeks ago.  The runner is from a fatquartershop.com kit.  A couple of years ago I signed up for a Tablerunner of the Month Club and am still making some of the tablerunners. 

The kits are perfect for my Ky projects.  All I need is batting and thread to complete the projects.

 I keep my little Viking Lily and a few quilting supplies in Kentucky for these projects.  I love to sit at the sewing machine and watch the squirrels and birds out the window as I sew.  So peaceful and quiet in the country.  But then I'm glad to get back to the big city with all that's happening here.  Especially spending time with my two beautiful granddaughters.  They began school yesterday and my pick-up after school routine has begun. 

Homestead Mini-Quilt

I finished the Homestead mini-quilt.  Just in time for breakfast on Wednesday.  I'm very pleased with this little mini.  Each block is time consuming with all the cutting of applique pieces but the result is stunning.  The blocks are 7" finished.

Now to put the binding on a tablerunner that I completed while in Kentucky.  Pics later this week.  Great to be back in the studio. 

Most Homestead Embroidery Blocks

I have now completed the other blocks of the Homestead sampler that I am making for a friend.  I plan to make the borders today.  This is a gift for a friend.  We're meeting for lunch on Wednesday so I must get my act together.  I've decided on a blue border similar to the one on the little quilt above.

Homestead Machine Embroidery Blocks

I am home from my trip to Kentucky, Ohio, and the Antique Roadshow.  Unfortunately, my cousin and I aren't rich but we are rich with good memories of the day spent in Cincy at the Roadshow.

I began working on some Homestead machine embroidery blocks today.  This is one of Anita Goodesign's new Special Editions.  It includes tree, animal, quilt, and building blocks.  I plan to do one of each and make a small sampler for a friend.  Later this evening I hope to begin the block with a hanging quilt.   My fabrics are brighter than the sample from Anita Goodesigns.  As many of you know, I am using up my stash and these were the colors I selected.  I'm liking it.  Blocks are 7" when finished.  It's good to be back in the studio after dealing with health issues and vacation.  I do have a few medical procedures scheduled this month but I'm hoping the end is near.