What I'm Working On

I thought that I would share with you a couple projects that I am working on right now.  I just finished sewing a casing to a throw that I had made a while back as a shop sample.  Hubby wanted to hang it at the office at work.  So now that is ready.

I am busy putting the binding on a wall hanging that I made for a guild and club challenge.  Since my time was limited at the time,  I decided to combine the challenges and that way I only had to make one. For the guild we needed to use 1 1/2" strips in our challenge that were given to us at the Christmas meeting.  For the club challenge, we needed to use the navy reproduction print in our quilt.  I was fortunate enough to have reproduction 1 1/2" strips in my roll, so I thought it would work out perfectly with the navy reproduction fabric.

I love stars, especially the evening star pattern.  I decided to make 4" finished stars using the 1 1/2" strips for the star points and some for the backgrounds of the stars.  The navy fabric I used for the rest of the stars and border and binding.  I used the same cream fabric for the centers, but I embroidered little designs in the center of the navy stars.  I used my embroidery machine also for the quilting designs in the centers of the other stars.  Unfortunately, I was not able to finish it by the meeting, but I am very happy with it.

While I had my embroidery machine ready, I thought that I would embroider a design that I am going to use in the center of another wall hanging.  This is the embroidery:

Interesting that while I was working on my projects the birds were really singing outside my window.  Here is one of my feathered friends!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Ironing Board

I decided that I could make better use of my space by making my own ironing board that would fit on top of one of my shelf units.  I wanted something firmer than a regular ironing board for better pressing.

I bought a piece of wood 16" x 36".  I believe it was roughly 1/2" thick, possibly 3/4".  I took 2 layers of cotton batting (about 2" larger on each side), and wrapped it around the top of the board to the back.  Most directions that I found online used staples to fasten it, but since I didn't have any, I thought I would be creative and use some pink duct tape that my hubby bought for me.  It worked perfectly for the job!

Next I chose a piece of fabric that I would like for the cover.  I knew that I would like a neutral print since I was a little worried about colors on some prints possibly rubbing off on whatever I would be pressing.  I was a little limited since I really collect a lot of fat quarters rather than yardage.  I found the perfect piece with enough yardage, with some to spare.  I wrapped the fabric around the board tautly and folded the edge of the fabric in at the end and overlapped the beginning of the fabric where I had started from.  Clear as mud?!  That way I had no raw edges.  Now since I had no staples, I decided to use my quilt basting safety pins to fasten the edge of the back in place.  I actually laid awake the night before planning how I would do this!  I brought the sides around to the back and pinned them in place too.

Voila!  A wonderful new ironing surface that fits perfectly on the top of my shelf!  And I used what I had on hand except for the board!

Happy Sewing,
Jean