Potholders Swap

 

Hello, I hope everyone is doing fine. It's the end of October already. The past few weeks, I have not done much sewing, cos my spondylitis is giving me trouble again. The therapist told me to stop working for a couple of weeks and exercise more regularly. The latter I'm still struggling with. Ha! 

But I managed to finish the potholders swap for our Desi Quilters Pot of Gratitude Swap. It's now received with so much love. Thank you, partner!! Well, working with the mood board assigned to you is pretty challenging. I was assigned this cool mood board by Kuppulakhsmi.  

It took me a couple of days to think about what would be the best fit. I browse Pinterest and Instagram and even made a couple of blocks that I thought would work out, but it was not. So I add those blocks to my PHD bin. I decided to make mini granny square blocks, using 1.5" squares and the color palette in the photos. Well, some shades and added green to brighten it. I found the blue bird print in my stash that is perfect for backing. 

WATCH NOW: HOW TO MAKE SCRAPPY POTHOLDER

And I also got my swap package from Preetha. When she posted the pineapple potholders in the group, I sort of know it's for me but I was not sure. So I'm very happy when they arrived with all the other goodies she sent. The color thread cones are fantastic. I've been searching for one but did not find it in my regular shop. And don't miss the pretty keyring, my initial!! The potholders are so cute that  I put them up in my sewing room now. I don't have the heart to use them. Thank you so much Preetha for the thoughtful gifts! She told me the lady who made the beautiful keyring is battling cancer. If you happen to read up to this part, please send a prayer to her.

As I said, making these potholders is pretty challenging. Besides we have to make according to the mood board, we also learn to make a small block that fits the idea. You can choose, either color or shape from the mood board or a mix of those. I was thinking of different ideas, including making flower appliques, but decided to make a simple one, a granny square block, but using smaller pieces so that I can fit in more colors. Now that reminds me of my UFO Granny Square quilt. 

ALSO READ: How to make a granny square pillow with zipper

All in all, swap is a great learning process and the feeling of receiving gifts of love from our online friends is really warms my heart. 

Thank you for stopping by,

Take care & happy sewing!

Elvira

I love Mug Rugs

Hello,

Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. Pele

I finally finished a couple of mug rugs. I've been making these in between doing my wallet orders. I really love making these small quilts and it's a quick gift to make.

Yellow  Mug Rugs

I used Indian fabrics in this one. They are so soft and the colors are bright. A perfect companion to brighten your day.

Green Fabric Mug Rugs

I do love using these tea mats when I am reading or watching my drama. Sometimes I use it as a mouse pad too. 

Red Quilted Mug Rugs

I used cotton batting and quilted them on my new Jack F4 sewing machine. I am not very fond of FMQ and always prefer quilting using my walking foot. The best thing of using industrial machine for quilting is I don't need to change the foot at all!! The foot works wonderfully from piecing the mulmul fabric to quilting it! 

And one big news is I start listing my small quilts in Etsy. I opened another Etsy Shop (it's called Chezvies Quilts) since it is completely different product line than my Handmade wallet, it is always wiser to have a separate shop. The price is reasonable and it's free shipping for India! Please take a look at my new shop. I hope I will be able to share my love for quilting with you all!  

Thank you so much for your supports! 

Happy Sewing

Linky Party:

Handmade Monday
Show Off Saturday
Finish it up Friday

Learning few things

FMQ is always a challenge to me. I never get it right no matter how much free tutorial I read/saw on the web. That's how I decided to these 2 kindle books. I find reading books give  more detail information and if I forget something I can easily go back to it :)

First book I bought was Free-Motion Quilting for Beginners: And Those Who Think They Can't by Molly Hanson

The book is quite informative with picture guidance and also easy small projects for beginners.

The second one is First Steps of Free Motion quilting by Christina Cameli

This book  is more thorough in a sense that it gives more detail illustration on fmq design, how to set your machine even if your machine does't have option to drop your feed dogs, etc.  She gives few samples of design for you to practice doodling in your pad. 

After reading the two books, I immediately got down to work. I took a blank paper and start practice doodling for few mins and then took out my scraps and started the real work ^___^

  

and I turned it into this double side mug rug

It is amazing how much information you can get if you only look.  I learned the other day that apparently I should put my come thread in line with the original thread holder. I used to put my come thread on the side and it always give so much problem that I put it aside. But I like the cotton come thread. So I look up on Google and found the information. 

so, what did you learn today?

Until then

Happy quilting

Few finish and WIP

I just recovered from cold and cough. It's getting very dusty and dry here since winter is approaching. It's quite cool in the morning and evening and pleasant throughout the day. Though sometimes I still need the fan. 

Since I can't have cough syrup { I am allergic to certain medicines}, so I usually made ginger lemonade when I have cough. It works wonder for me. I add ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks and pepper corn in 1,5 cup of water and boil it for 3-4 minutes till the water reduced and add lemon juice + honey. I have this drink 3 times a day. It helps with the sore throat and body ache too.

Picture source: HERE

Click the link for the recipe too

❤❤❤❤❤

After three days, I get back to my list of stuff I have to do {sewing wise}. House works can always wait when I'm in the mood to sew. Ha!

First I finished this 2 cute mug rugs or mini mats or candle mats

They will be available in the shop 

I did simple diagonal quilting there. It's really good for small quilts, isn't it?

and second one, I finished sewing up the sailor blocks.

I'm so excited, I hope I can finish it soonest

and since I can't get my mind off of this charm packs

I simply had to make something 

and table runner it is !

it's nice and bright!

there,there, finally I found a way to attach my label. 

I quilted using decorative stitches Row 2 #13 in my HV Designer Topaz 20

I love love how it turned out

I use this fancy foot. Simply love it!

and made this mango print bias binding! 

The mango fabric is available HERE

it comes in 4 yummy colors 

So, that's how my last week went

I hope next week will be better

I have a long list of WIPs and UFOs I want to finish

Until then,

Happy Quilting

Shops Link:

Fabrics

Runner and Mats

Lots of brightness

I've been making mug rugs and coasters for the past 2 days

I love making mug rug and coasters

mostly, I made for gift and for home

I love using these folded coasters as candle mats

the handmade candle I bought from one lady I met when I was having local craft show

And who doesn't love mug rug? 

I used a lot of mug rug. Some of them are gift 

 I have one in my room which I use to cover my mini chest drawer

one next to my laptop as mouse pad

One I use as a mat to put my study lamp

Now, I started listing them in the SHOP

 I'll be making a lot more 

since I love gifting them to my customers too

and they always love it

once more shot of the mug rug

the denim blue fabric is shot cotton or we call it handloom here in India

Ah, nothing like India when it comes to fabrics

unique prints and vibrant colors

even after 12 years, I still go mad whenever I visited fabric market

I have 7 mug rugs but only listed 6 of them

 I'll be keeping one

since the same fabric is no longer available

Until then

Happy Quilting