Love Those Hearts

Just love those guest towels! It's February & the heart guest towel makes its appearance here.  Just like clockwork! Best part about this guest towel is that it's totally FuN to make, if you have a sewing machine & enjoy sewing, like I do!  It's usually paired with my "Starry Night" guest towel (which reminds me of van Gogh).  I'm building up a collection.  And yes, definitely they are used!

They're easy to make!  To start, purchase good quality hand towels.  Then, either go to your stash pile or visit your fabric store & purchase some whimsical seasonal fabric.  Both items are purchased either on sale or using a coupon (of course)!

My heart towel was created using the decorative stitches on my Janome sewing machine.  I was learning how to use that feature.  To learn, one needs a project!  These decorative stitches are another option rather than use a piece of whimsical fabric!

***When & if using the decorative stitch design, use a much larger piece of fabric than needed.  After the design is stitched, then cut out the carefully measured strip to sew onto the hand towel.  A little more planning is needed here, but it's a great result! 

Follow my easy directions (click here) & before you know it your decorative hand towels will be ready!  It's a FuN project!

***I always wash & dry any fabric before sewing.  There is a shrinkage issue that does not occur when I take the extra time to wash/dry the fabric.  Yes, this does include the new hand towels.

Enjoy!
Happy Sewing!

The Bugs/ Turkeys Table Runner

"Buggy" Table Runner

Whenever I stop into my local Jo-Ann Fabric Store for a specific sewing notion, the vast choice of colorful seasonal whimsical fabric always catches my eye.  One time last summer 1 yard of comical bugs fabric on the bolt was added to my purchase.   Into my stash pile it went.  Now, the bugs fabric and also 1 yard of comical turkey fabric have been combined for a very handy table runner! 

Whenever our young grandsons "bring" their parents over (as our son phrases it), one of my many whimsical table runners cover our coffee table.  My African Violets and other treasures find a spot on the mantle and our coffee table becomes a workstation.  One must be realistic... African Violets do not rate as high as Thomas the Train and Percy or Duplos do...to a toddler.  Last Saturday "the bugs" table runner covered our coffee table.  During Thanksgiving time, the flip side of "comical turkeys" will be used! 

Reversible!

The pattern for a table runner was simple to make.  It was made to order.  Newspaper, scissors, a tape measure and scotch/ masking tape was used.  My Janome was ready!  Now, I use the newspaper pattern over & over again whenever I sew another whimsical table runner.

Coffee Table Runner

To make Pattern:

1. Measure table dimensions.
2. Subtract 1 and 1/2 inches on each side.
3. Make pattern from old newspaper using those dimensions.
4. Fold newspaper pattern in half lengthwise.
5. Fold in half, again.  There will be 4 quarters.
6. Cut desired triangle from corners. (This gives the table runner an interesting shape rather than a rectangular shape.)
7. Place paper pattern on table and re-size, if needed.
8. Cut two pieces from desired fabric.  *I always wash/dry fabric first.
9. After cutting out, pin "right" sides of fabric together.  Leave 3" opening for turning fabric right side out.  Stitch using 1/4" seam.  (I also zigzag raw edges.)
10. Turn right side out and press.  Also press raw edges of opening in, to get ready to finish off. 
11. Stitch small opening closed.
12. For extra body, I mark/ pin & topstitch 3" from edges on all sides.  
13. Optional:  Topstitch again 2" or 3" from first topstitching.
14. Press when finished.

***With the Bugs/Turkeys Table Runner, I wanted the comical characters to be visible to the little guys on the two long sides of the coffee table - it would always be facing them.  For that reason, I cut the 1 yard of fabric in half and then sewed the two halves together, with the 2 halves facing opposite directions.  Other wise, it would be upside down on one side of the coffee table, if left as one large piece.  This was done before Step 8.  I prepared the turkeys fabric in the same way before cutting the pattern out.

Last weekend the Bugs were out!  The Turkeys are on the flip side of the table runner.  They will be used in November!  As time goes on, I see Math & Spelling lessons happening!  Once a teacher, always a teacher!  :)

Now, I'm back to working on my Envelope Pillows!

Do you enjoy sewing for special occasions?  

My Janome has been humming!

Touch O' the Green

This month is all about green!  St. Patrick's Day is approaching!  I glanced over to my fabric stash (that had been previously washed) and located the shamrock fabric.  On another "project pile" a newly purchased (previously washed) hand towel was easily found.  Now, that combination could only mean one thing...a new decorative guest towel for our bathroom was in the planning stages.

Decorative Hand Towels look wonderful!  I've purchased them in the past...only to be disappointed when the terry cloth or the decorations do not hold up well after washing.  My solution has been simple!  I enjoy sewing.  Why not make them for holidays and special occasions using better quality towels?  Now, that's exactly what I do!

My directions are quite simple:

A strip of fabric is cut to fit into the towel's recessed area near the bottom edge.  The strip is 2" longer than the towel's width.  That way I have an extra 1" on each side to play with when doing the finishing work and sewing. 

The height of the desired strip is measured and 1/2" more is added to the measurement, so both the top and the bottom edges may be turned in 1/4" and pressed.  The raw edges on each side of the strip are also turned in, pressed and then turned in again and sewn in place. 

Sewing decorative strip in place.

When sewing the strip in place:  I like to wrap a very small portion of the colorful decorative strip around the backside of the towel when attaching, so I allow for an extra 1/2" on each side.  Pin the strip onto the plain recessed portion of the towel's front and sew in place.  Really easy!

If you enjoy sewing, as I do, a quick trip to nearby Jo-Ann's works into a routine, quite often.  Fabric that catches my eye is purchased to be used in the future.  Usually 1 yard will be purchased using a 40% or 50% coupon.  Amazing what can be made with 1 yard added to another yard.

Enjoy!

   

~Winter~

Achoo! Achoo!  That was definitely a signal to me that an "inside" day was on my agenda, today.  This past week  has been filled with fam & friends and FuN, so now it's time to chill and remember the orange juice is in the fridge!  :) 

This afternoon snowflakes started to cover the ground.  I always enjoy the view from our window - during each of the four seasons here in New England.  The appearance changes, but that also allows time to plan for the next seasons.

Right now, our snow blower is ready, so we are good to go!

Enjoy!

~Festive Guest Towels~

I had been glancing over at the decorative stitch panel on my Janome sewing machine whenever I walked into my sewing/computer room.  Plans were in the works.  It took little time to locate the two new, fluffy, hand towels that had been purchased from Kohl's.  They had been washed/dried and were ready to use. 

During the Christmas holiday season our guest towels were quite festive whenever we walked into our bathroom.  They have been cleaned and packed away.  Ahh!  Valentine's Day is approaching!  It was time to sit down and use my Janome!

The needed directions were recalled quickly.  The recessed areas near the towels' bottom edges are a different size than my "Christmas Guest Towels", but the area should be measured each time, anyway.  My scrap stash is always nearby, so I had fun!  This is a wonderful way to learn more about and to use the decorative stitches on my sewing machine!  Now, what is the next holiday???  Mmmm! 

It's the "little" things we do and learn to do that add zest to life.  :)

Enjoy!