MORE "TaDa!!!! Jackets" pictured!

Talk about creative! These ladies really pulled out all the stops!

Wisteria Pillow construction continued

Putting cording on a pillow makes it so much more professional looking. It is very easy to do.
Look at the picture where I am using a zipper foot and quarter inch cording and strips of fabric cut 1 1/2" long. Measure the distance around your pillow top to get the measurement that you need to use for the fabric strips.
Fold them in half, and insert the cording. Stitch as closely as possible to the cording.
With raw edges together, begin about 1/3 of the way down on one side, leaving 2" not sewn down, begin sewing the cording to the pillow top, using a 1/4" seam. Once you come to the corner, make about 3 small snips in the cording seam allowance to be sure that it will turn the corner nicely. To join ends, open the stitching at both ends of piping, exposing the cord. Trim only the cord so ends meet. Fold 1/2" of one end of opened seam to the inside. Lap raw end over turned end of the piping and encase the cord; pin and baste along the seamline.
Lapping the closing on the back lining: Cut two pieces 10"X14" for the back of the pillow. Turn under 1/4" and then turn under again an inch. pin and stitch.
Repeat on other piece of lining. THen lap one hemmed edge about 3" over the other hemmed edge. Pin across the lining so it will stay in place while you sew the lining onto the top.
After finishing the lining, with right sides together, pin pillow back to top. With cording side up, stitch around the pieces using a zipper foot to get close to the cording.
Flip and turn right side out. Insert Pillow form. See all pictures to help in doing each step.

Hello, new bloggers!

Welcome to my blog. For you who got my blog address out of a newspaper, just want you to know that this is a blog that you need to check daily! I put so many new ideas for quiltes on here, that you can't afford to miss. Also, there are ideas for knitters............wow, go back to some of my ideas that are listed on the right hand side of the blog.. Some people don't realize that a blog is kept almost daily. It is archived into a "secret place" that even I don't know where it is. ha. But, everything that I have put on this blog for the past couple of years, is still here to be used! Amazing!
If you like to find the beginning of a project, such as the wisteria pillow that I am making as we speak, just scroll down to the beginning of the project and then scroll UP as the directios go backwards. As I post the pictures and instructions, they become the last thing that is on the blog. That was so confusing to me, as I wanted it to be in some order...........but, now, I know how it works!
If you are not a member of a quilt guild, you should certainly join our guild, Ocean Wave Quilters Guild in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida. WE MEET THE 2ND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT THE TPC SENIORS COMMUNITY CENTER ON LANDRUM ST. JUST OFF HWY 210 BEHIND THE SHELL STATION AND AT THE RED LIGHT. WE MEET AT 9:30 FOR FUN CHAT, AND THEN 10:00 FOR A MEETING WITH A PROGRAM. DON'T HESITATE TO COME. YOU WILL BE MOST WELCOME. I STARTED THIS GUILD IN 2003, AND THEY ARE A WONDERFUL GROUP.
BE SURE TO CHECK THIS SITE DAILY, OR YOU'LL MISS SOMETHING WONDERFUL! :)B

Wisteria Pillow Construction continues

Wow, the pillow top is all sewn on and ready to add a little layer of polyester batting, a piece of muslin for a lining and a little machine free motion quilting to be done. Today I got all of the little pods sewn together, most of them are just little circles cut into a pod shape. I chain sewed them, then stuffed each one while I had a cup of tea. I use a new pencil that hasn't been sharpened, and the eraser is new and clean to stuff the polyfil into the little pods. Remember to stuff them very loosely, as you don't want hard knots to lean back on when you use it as a throw pillow. I then pinned the pods onto the stem putting the open end at the top of the pod. That is the part I sewed down using invisible thread in bobbin and on top. Each pod is just sewn down where the opening is.
I cut out a piece of gray tree limb fabric for a limb across the top, and free hand cut three so called oak leaves to just add a little color and have something else on the pillow top. I had a bottle of irridescent glue, and just used a paint brush to add little highlights where the light might be shining on the wisteria. This adds a nice effect.
Tomorrow I shall machine quilt the top and be ready to start construction of the pillow, complete with cording. That's the easy part. Mr. Whoozy said the top would make a pretty picture, and it would, really.

Wisteria Pillow Top construction

I'm putting step by step directions for making a 14" pillow top using the Wisteria pattern on this blog. Scroll down to see it and a picture of a wisteria up close! I had never taken the time to really look at a wisteria blossom! Amazing!
As you who blog all of the time, you know that you have to scroll down to the beginning of a project, and then scroll up to see the steps in order ......kinda weird, but it works that way:) Tomorrow I shall add how to finish the blossoms. They are so pretty when finished.
Silk ribbon is used for the tiny stems for each individual pod on the blossom. It is 4mm wide. I used a bright green. I stitched the ribbon and the long green stem on with invisible thread in the bobbin and on top, using a tiny zigzag stitch for the "applique" process. Easy as pie! I am using crayolas to make the pods and flowers to look more realistic. You know how I love to use crayolas! Be sure to buy the real CRAYOLAS, as they have more wax in them......:)

Wisteria pillow top

Wow, finally got my camera working! I am lost without it! I measured out 14" of a dark check.....turquoise and green very dark......for background of my pillow top.
I placed all of the fabrics that I shall use on top of the background fabric, choosing from light blue to med. purple at the bottom. I had several shades of lavender to choose from. The more the better.
I found a piece of hand dyed lime green fabric that goes from light to dark green for the stem. I used a quarter inch bias bar to make the stem. (see picture or check Jan 8th 2010 blog for directions for using bias bars. Tomorrow I'll start making the petals of the wisteria. Keep a check on my blog for further pictures.

Wisteria flower blossom for a pillow top

I think you'll love doing this pillow top. Start with a 12" block of any background fabric you wish. The lighter the fabric, the easier it is to see the pattern through it to trace the lines. If you have a light box (that they have at some fabric shops and also craft stores, you'll be able to see the lines nicely. Enlarge the pattern to fit inside the 12" block.
Trace the pattern using a light pencil or a washable pen.
Make a center stem using a bias bar and a pretty shade of green fabric. I shall make my at least 14". (Directions for using a bias bar are on my blog Jan. 8, 2010.)
Choose shades of lavender, pale blue, and light purple for the blossoms.
Next week I'll put pictures of my project, so you can watch me do this project. My camera is on the fritz or I would show you today! MERCY!
Just get all of your supplies ready, and we'll get this done very soon.

Signature Quilts

Yesterday, we gave our "Signature quilt" to our retiring President of the Quilt Guild here in Florida. She was overwhelmed by it all. It turned out so pretty once we got the machine quilting done on it. The squares were not all perfect, but, neither are we! The sentiments were written with Pigma pens, and that means it will last forever.
One bit of advice for anyone wishing to make one for a friend, be sure that you use the Pigma Pens that state: Archival ink, acid free. Otherwise, some inks will eat right through the fabric. The usual black pens that you pick up at the stores, usually ARE NOT filled with ARCHIVAL INK. Steer away from them!
Another very important thing is to have all of the squares measure exactly the same size. It is wise to give each person a pattern that has the 1/4" seam allowance added, and then request them to use only a 1/4" seam.
Ironing "freezer paper" to the back of the area that people are going to write their sentiments on, will also help the penmanship to be much more readable.
Using the pattern that I put in the newspaper or the one that is on this blog, the center piece, MUST BE the same size, or the points will not match up. Have someone cut out ALL OF THE CENTERS out of the same fabric and iron the freezer paper on them BEFORE giving them to the others to add the triangles to each side. This will certainly make a nicer square and a nicer quilt.
Time was of essence when we were making our signature quilt, and we didn't have time to get this last step done for them. I'll save you a lot of trouble when making yours by heeding my advice!