Simple little handmade gifts, they just make me smile!

As I write this post from my comfy chair, I'm looking about my great room and my eyes drift to all the handmade items in the room.  The quilts, pillow, wool table toppers and stitched pictures....it just makes me smile.  

Those hand made items warm up the room and make me think back to when they were made or received with a smile.  Now more than ever, a simple project can spread those smiles and let someone know you were thinking of them.  It's like a virtual hug!

Over the years I have taught, I shared some simple little projects.  Not all projects shared were mine, so with credit was provided to the designer.  

Today I thought I would re-share some of these simple projects so you too could make someone smile this year.  

And when you deliver them, be safe and don't forget to "Ding and Dash"!  (Thanks to Michelle Peters of Watergirl Quilt Company for this catchy delivery method!)

From December 2017 - A simple Circle Mug Rug

Whilst I had seen this design on Pinterest, the link was missing so, giving full credit to the original designer, I drafted the instructions.

Download your copy of the instructions here:

Circle Mug Rug

From June 2016 - Raccoon Case

One of the easiest zippers to insert into a practical eyeglass case, pencil case or a case for small scissors.  You'll never want to sew in a two sided zipper into a small case!

http://blogg.pinkponydesign.com/2015/10/keep-your-sunglasses-safe-raccoon-case.html

From April 2016 - Quilt Block Design Board

We all have done it, laid out a block on our cutting mat and in the process of carrying it to our sewing machine, we flipped a piece, sewed a seam on the wrong side or....

Lori Holt had a solution for this in her Quilt Block Design Board

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO-fosn6Yfs

Inset Circles Tips and Tricks

I was carried away, I just kept making circles for my “Circle Sampler”

My current demo project is a block of the month project focussing on curved piecing.  There are curved strips, inset circles and inset ovals.

One circle technique does not “fit” all!  

The size of the circle will dictate the method to use.  For the 6” finished inset circles - a simple sewn in method can be used.  


Success with the simple sewn is method in part comes down to correct sizing of the circle and the frame and pressing peaks and valleys.  

For my 6” finished circle I cut a 6 1/2” diameter circle and a 5 1/2” circle out of an 8” square frame.  There should be a 1” difference in the size of the circle to be inset when compared to the size of the circle cut out of the frame.  Once the circle has been sewn into the frame, the block was trimmed to 6 1/2” square.

Make it easy on yourself and press peaks and valleys!  Press your inset circle in quarters wrong sides together.  Press again into eighths with wrong sides together.  You will have eight press marks in total.  

Then press the “frame” in quarters right sides together, the wrong side of the fabric will be on the outside.  Press the frame in eighths again right sides together.  When you align the press marks a peak on the inset circle should align with a valley on the frame all around the circle with no repressing!  

The peaks and valley alignment will make it easier to match up the circle and frame accurately!  Try this and let me know how it works!