Storing A Favorite Quilting Tool

I've got many favorite quilting and sewing tools. This one is my current favorite! I like to press seams open and my flat iron does an excellent job pressing seams as I go along. I first talked about it in this post, http://rosecoloredquilts.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-new-favorite-tool.html

Today I wanted to show how I store and use it at my sewing table.

The iron is long and the metal bucket from the $1 bin kept tipping over. So I use a mug inside of the bucket for weight. I think a crock or pitcher would work too. Didn't want to scorch my table.

The flat iron heats up very quickly. Great temperature control too for more delicate fabrics. With this size iron I'm able to press up to 12" block. I've been using it for half square triangles, sewing squares, rectangles, and even more free form pieces. Today I'm using it for another WIP. 

Ahoy there! Here comes another babe.

I never get tired of making baby quilts. Making a nautical one is just icing on the cake! Baby Will was on the way and I jumped at the chance to make a signal flag quilt with his name front and center. With only four letters needed, it would be a synch to design.

Sarah Jane Studios has some of the best children's fabrics. Out To Sea map fabric? Perfect! Found some Going Coastal Bottle Caps in my stash to add as well.

Marking my quilting lines with an Omnigrid ruler. Since Will has two L's, I framed each letter some chevron.

My handy dandy wavy edge ruler for more quilting lines.

Ready for binding! Picked Castle Peeps by Lizzy House and some more Out To Sea for the back.

Now, let's go paddle!

raren2sew's photostream

raren2sew's photostream on Flickr.

Tee-Niny

Being tee-niny is an old southern expression. It's all about being small, tiny, and usually cute. At least that's the way I think of it. And the way I remember my mother and grandmother using here in the sweet south. I've always been drawn to creating and collecting tee-niny art pieces and quilts. This one is for my sister. She's battling breast cancer and is beating it down with courage and strength and plenty of laughter!! I would hope to be that brave if that's where my life took me. I made her a lap quilt in the hopes it would wrap her in love and comfort during her treatments. Called it Save the Hooters and here's a miniature version, framed for keeps! 

Hang in there Sis. We're all still praying and hootin' for you! XOXO, Rose

Mom sent me two of these foundation pieces she never used. They came in the mail on a day I could really use a quick project like this one! She must have bought them while visiting us out on the Oregon coast. That was our second duty station for this Coast Guard family. What a beautiful place!

Of course I knew exactly what I wanted to use one of them for. Thanks for keeping them Mother! :) And muslin, you're so much better than paper piecing. Have to remember that. You can see the larger lap quilt on my Flikr page.

The green of the gulf meets the sky of blue.

I'm making progress on a new fave! Just some machine quilting left to do for the wide border. Would really rather be back enjoying the Emerald Coast today...

Button up your...

shower curtain! 

Time for a new look for the bathroom. For the fabric obsessed like me that means using fabric and why not some from one of my favorite turquoise and green fabric. I had originally covered these buttons with Hometown fabric. This 2" size isn't cheap! I had to find a way to reuse them. Turns out changing the fabric was much easier than I thought it would be. 

My favorite seam ripper to the rescue.

I cut a large X on front and pulled the fabric to the back. Next I grabbed the fabric and slowly tugged all the way around while holding on to the metal button in my other hand. Bingo! Naked buttons, good as new. :)

Next I used the circle guide on the button package and my favorite pinking shears to cut out the new circles. 

The button kit makes every thing super easy. The small brass safety pin is what  attaches the button to my shower curtain hooks. To me they were a little more flexible and easier to use than larger safety pins.

Quick, easy, and beautiful thanks to my stash of the Kaffe Fassett fabric.

This fabric needs no fussy cutting. Love the way it dances along.

Work in Progress

Finally got back to hand quilting a half square triangle lap quilt. Fandango charm pack and lots of scraps in this one. The perle 8 thread is still wonderful, but not as easy to pull through the Warm & Natural batting as a poly/cotton blend.