Cookie Cutter Countdown Hanging

On a recent trip to Holmes County (Ohio) Amish Country, I found a panel for a Christmas wall hanging that I couldn’t resist because it reminded me of all the depression-green items I have in my kitchen.  The panel includes a Christmas countdown calendar, 24 cookie cutouts and complete instructions.  It was very easy to make with the fabric folding up and being quilted to form the pockets.  The rest of the quilting was some very simple outline stitching.  The 24 cookie cutouts are fused onto a felt backing and then trimmed.

All that needs to be added are backing, batting and binding.  I also added a label that included a scanned image of the scottie (my favorite of the 24 different cookie cutters).

The idea is to insert a cookie into each of the 24 pockets on the calendar….

…then beginning December 1, one cookie is removed each day and placed in the big green bowl at the top of the wall hanging.

The last cookie is moved on Christmas Eve – and it’s time for Santa Claus!

The piece measures 18-1/2×26-1/2″.  A rod sleeve can be sewn onto the back, but I prefer to use drapery hooks to display the wall hanging.

I googled Cookie Cutter Christmas and Wilmington Prints, and came up with several sources for buying the panel, including eBay.

Now, I’m waiting for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren to come to my house to bake Christmas cookies – and to see the new Cookie Cutter Calendar.

Slip Covers for Oven Mitts

I have two oven mitts and a pot holder that are at least 15 years old, in good shape, but stained and unsightly.

I thought maybe a “slipcover” for each would solve the problem.

I used recycled gift wrap to make a pattern.  Just trace around the mitt and add 1/2″ (1/4″ seam and 1/4″ to allow for thickness) along the sides.  At the top, add 1″ for a hem and for the cover to extend a little above the pad/mitt.

Whenever I have a quilting or sewing project, I collect all of the small pieces of fabric and sew them together in coordinating colors to make a flat piece of material.  Place whatever fabric you are using right sides together and pin the patterns in place.  Cut out the pieces and stitch together using 1/4″ inch seams, leaving the top open.  Turn down the top 1/4″ and again 1/4″ and stitch in place.  Clip in the space where the thumb joins (be careful not to cut into the stitching) so the mitt will be smooth in that area.

Turn the covers, press and place over the mitts and pad, allowing the hanging tab on the originals to protrude.  A good way to get the mitt cover on is to put the original mitt on your hand and then pull the cover over it as you would a mitten.

The covers stay in place very well and can be removed for washing or for replacing with new covers – maybe even with  seasonal or holiday themes.

I love to recycle something and get some extra wear out of it!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for Mother’s Day

I like to cook and my daughters don’t, so I’m the one who fixes dinner for every holiday, including Mother’s Day.  Our traditional meal is Chicken Parmesan with bowtie pasta, homemade garlic bread and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (with apple pie for my son-in-law and grandson).

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE

• Pastry for 9″ two-crust pie (see my Sure-Fire crust recipe)
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 Tblsp. quick cooking tapioca
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• One pound of rhubarb cut into 1/2″ pieces (3 cups)
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 Tblsp. butter
• 1 Tblsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Line a 9″ pie plate with half of the pastry dough.

In a large bowl combine the sugar, tapioca, salt, nutmeg, rhubarb and strawberries.  Mix gently and let rest for about 20 minutes.

Turn the fruit into the pastry-lined pan.

Dot with butter.  Roll out remaining pastry dough for top crust.  Place top crust on fruit, crimp edges and brush with milk.  Place pie pan on a larger sheet to catch spills and bake @ 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes until crust is nicely browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

In 2004, I made an apron to enter in the Warren County Fair (Lebanon, Ohio) and it won a blue ribbon.  It’s a simple cobbler style apron with snowball blocks and vintage fabric showing mothers hard at work.

On the pocket is the old adage … “A mother’s work is never done”.

Every year, I wear the apron to serve Mother’s Day dinner and thank heaven that it’s true a mother’s work is never done, even when all of the children have grown and left home.

Wire Hanger Cover

I’ve had a problem for years of wire hangers alternately fighting each other and multiplying in my closet.  Twenty-five years ago a friend made strong, non-violent hangers by combining three of them and then using some kind of crochet stitch to make a cover.  I’m still using these hangers but could never find the pattern and really don’t want to crochet.  I was hoping to find a sewing pattern for covering multiple hangers but only turned up patterns for covering plastic  or wooden hangers.  I tried a few ideas and came up with a way to simultaneously reduce the quantity of wire hangers and the quantity of fabric scraps.

You will need for each set:

• 3 wire hangers of the same general size and shape
• Masking tape
• Transparent tape
• One inch wide strip of ribbon or fabric
• Two pieces of fabric approximately 9-1/2″ x 18″ each

Take one of the three matching hangers and place on a piece of tissue paper.  Trace on the outside of the hanger, leaving a space where the handle comes down.  Draw another line 1/2″ from the outside of the first line.  At the space add a tab about 1/2″ long.  Draw a line along the bottom about 3″  from the bottom edge of the hanger.

Put the three hangers together and tape at various spots with masking tape, being especially careful to cover the tips of the wire handles.

Wrap the handles with ribbon or fabric.  Fabric should be cut into strips with pinking shears to avoid fraying.  Start with covering the handle tips and then wrap the ribbon/fabric around the handle down to the base of the handle.  Tie and then secure with clear tape.  A bow or other embellisment could be added after the cover is on the hanger.

Place two pieces of 9-1/2″ x 18″ fabric right sides together and pin the tissue pattern to it.  Cut the fabric and sew around the sides using 1/4″ seams and leaving the tab area open.

Turn under bottom edge of fabric 1/4″ twice and stitch hem.  Turn cover and press, leaving the tabs on the inside of the cover.

Place the cover over the taped three hangers and add a bow or other embellishment if desired.

This pattern is good for using up small remnants of fabric but can also be used on old knit tops, T-shirts, flannel shirts, etc., which offer a nice soft base for your clothes.

I made up 15 of these hanger sets in all kinds of fabric, greatly reducing my stash of hangers, fabric scrap and old clothes – also reducing my frustration at ill-behaving wire hangers.

Quilted Hospital Cape

When I was in the hospital a couple of months ago, I was surprised at how chilly it could get at times, particularly when I was sitting in a chair or doing my laps down the hall hanging onto my IV pole on wheels.  I had my daughter bring over my favorite warm sweater but I couldn’t cover up the IV tubes with the sleeves and it kept slipping when I put it over my shoulders.

I had plenty of time to think and started designing something in my mind that would be pretty,  lightweight yet warm, easy to put on and take off, and would leave my arms and hands free.  I thought a short quilted cape might be the answer.

When I got home and felt better, I got out some nice pastel fabric and found a relatively simple block I liked called Good Luck Token on my quilting software.

I used a very easy Halloween cape pattern and cut it so that the bottom edge ended at my wrists.  I pieced the blocks and sewed them together to be the right size to cut out the pattern (two front sections and one back) and seamed them together.

I made another cape of plain fabric for the lining, added low-loft batting, fitted the layers together and did simple stitch-in-the-ditch quilting.  A binding around the edges finished it off.  I used Velcro for the closing so it would be easy to remove.

I hope I won’t have to take my cape to the hospital soon, but meanwhile it’s nice to wear when I’m sitting in the front of the fireplace, watching television.

A Tree Skirt from a Square Dance Skirt

Thirty years ago (in 1978), I was very much involved in square and round dancing.  For my Christmas gift that year, I asked my oldest daughter to work her magic with needle and thread on a skirt I could wear to all the Christmas dances.  She helped me choose a heavy cotton fabric in Christmas green and I made a 12-panel full-circle skirt.  She decorated each of the panels with a different design in embroidery and fabric paint.

My favorite designs were the little folk girl and the angel, although each image was unique and charming.

I wore the skirt for many years at dances and various Christmas parties.  Each time, I would have to stand still while other women made a circle around me, picking up the panels and admiring my daughter’s handiwork.  After my husband became too ill to dance and after the waistband became a little too snug, I hated to think of storing the skirt away and never seeing it again at Christmas time.  That’s when I decided to just cut it apart up the back and use it as a tree skirt.  It’s wonderful and makes an appearance every year encircling my Christmas tree.

I’m so glad to be able to sit and look at the skirt each year, remembering all of the happy dances and parties from so many years ago.

Another Pattern from Amish Country

My favorite vacation destination and my favorite place for buying quilting items is the Amish country of Holmes County, Ohio.

I bought this pattern a couple of years ago at one of the area’s many quilting shops and thought it would make a nice Thanksgiving wall hanging.

The pattern#97010 is called Grandma’s Kitchen by Pine Meadows Designs, Connie D. Roys, 975 Hickory Grove, Medina, OH 44256. It’s all done in fusible applique with invisible zigzag stitching.  I changed the views a little bit to personalize the piece.  It’s not difficult to make up your own applique pieces.  I added a potholder and calendar, a pumpkin pie with cream and some pumpkin cutouts, printed out the actual recipe for my pumpkin pie to go in the cookbook, etc.

It was a fun piece to do and makes a nice holiday wall hanging – another happy reminder of time spent in Holmes County!

Springtime Hoodie

When we visited Holmes County (Ohio) Amish Country last September, I saw some delicious Moda fabric that I couldn’t resist. 

I didn’t know what I was going to do with it until I started thinking about a hoodie for spring similar to the one I made for fall which I liked very much.  I had only bought one yard of each of the Moda fabrics and got enough additional Kona off-white fabric to make the jacket.  I used a pattern I found in my local quilt shop, A QUILTER’S HOODIE #0351 by A Little More Effect Pattern Company, 10736-125 Street, Edmonton T5M 0H1.  The pattern is for an unlined jacket, but I wanted to make mine reversible and basically made the jacket twice and then put it together with a reversible separating zipper.   It turned out to be very comfortable, the right weight for our Southwest Ohio spring weather, and with the colors of April.  This is one view of the hoodie.

This is the reverse side of the jacket.  I like the deep pockets.

Whenever I make a jacket, I use the scraps to make a small purse to carry in quilt shops, antique stores, malls, etc., to avoid lugging around a heavy purse.  This purse has a flip-out section for credit cards/cash and a holder for my sunglasses.

 

Gift Bags from Orphan Blocks

Most quilters seem to have a big stash of “orphan” blocks – blocks they made that turned out too big, too small, too difficult, too simple, the wrong color, pieced wrong – you get the picture.  I’ve made a few quilts and throws from blocks like these but don’t really enjoy putting together a lot of misfits.  My youngest daughter who has been a recycler, “go green” person since she was a child, had come up with a plan to make all of her gift bags which could be recycled rather than using throwaway paper.  She doesn’t like to sew and came up with an easy bag that is basically a piece of fabric folded in half, sewn along two sides, edge-stitched along the top and with a tie of some sort sewn to the back of the bag so it’s readily available for the next gift opporunity.  In our family, it’s understood that the bag can be kept by the recipient or given along with a gift on the next holiday.

I thought this might be a way to use up some of the unwanted and unappreciated quilt blocks.  The first step is to wrap a tape measure loosely around the largest part of the item to be wrapped and add 1/2″ (two 1/4″ seams) plus another 1″ for a little leeway in the bag. 

Example:  A typical American CD measures 12-1/2″ in width.  Using a 9-1/2″ unfinished block, cut a coordinating strip of fabric 4-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ (3″ plus 1/2″ for two 1/4″ seams plus 1″ for some extra leeway).  

Stitch a 1/4″ seam joining the strip to one side of the block.  Press.

Cut a 20″ piece of ribbon, rickrack, seam tape, cording – anything you might have in your sewing basket.  Place the center of the ribbon on the center of the 4-1/2 x 9-1/2″ strip, about 3-1/2″ down from the top and sew a few stitches to secure it for the tie.

Stitch the other side of the strip to the other side of the block, using a 1/4″ seam.  Press.

Keeping the pieces right-sides together, fold the strip in half lengthwise, centering the strip in the back so there is a nice view of the block on the front, and stitch along the bottom edge, using a 1/4″ seam.

Press the top edge down 1/4″ and zigzag a close stitch along the raw edge (.90 x 3.1 stitch).

Turn the bag and press.  Bag is ready to pack with the CD and tie with the ribbon.

Of course, any block can be used with strips  added to make the correct size.  Also, blocks can be sewn together to make the size you need.

Example:  Two 12-1/2″ unfinished blocks can be used to make a bag big enough for a book, a small toy or small pieces of clothing.  In this case no extra strip is needed. 

Cut a 20-22″ piece of trim for the tie, and stitch it to the center of the block that is to be the back of the bag, about 3-1/2″ down from the top. 

Place the two blocks right sides together, being careful to keep the tie out of the way and stitch along the sides and the bottom edge with a 1/4″ seam. 

Press the top edge under 1/4″ and zigzag along the raw edge (.90 x 3.1 stitch). 

Turn bag and press and another bag is ready to pack with a gift…..two less blocks in the stash and no big piece of wrapping paper in the trash.

A Red Linus Quilt

 

Each year I donate at least 3 quilts to our local Linus Project, which distributes quilts to hospitals to give to seriously ill children.  My first one this year is made with red scraps using the Economy 2 block in my EQ6 software.   Because these quilts have to be laundered frequently, we’re encouraged to use simple blocks and I notice what my 4-year-old granddaughter likes in my quilts and use those ideas in the Linus projects.  This one has bright colors and a variety of block themes.   The quilt is 45×70 inches and I was thinking about an older girl – maybe 8 to 10 years old – as I made the quilt.  The nurses at the hospitals choose the quilt to go to a particular child.  The first row contains scottie fabric….

The second row has different kinds of fruit….

The third row shows some funny ladies doing housework….

The fourth row contains cute cats….

The fifth row has some miscellaneous blocks.

The backing is a red print.

When I take this quilt to our distribution center, I’ll also be taking along three beautiful crocheted afghans my daughter made.  In each case she used a heart pattern.

We like to think that four children will enjoy snuggling with our pieces.