FREE Yuletide Floral Table Runner Pattern

One of the newer patterns that I have added to my pattern shop on Craftsy.com  is the Yuletide Floral Table Runner.  http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/yuletide-floral-table-runner/117656     This pattern is a free digital download.  A little something to say Thank you for all of your support!

This table runner can be used on your table or as a wall hanging. It is easily made using rotary cutting and quick piecing techniques. This quilt would also look great in colors to match your home or for any season.

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Winter Patterns

I now have 16 patterns on craftsy.com.  I thought that I would feature some of them that would be great for this time of year.

The first one is Winter Wonderland. http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/winter-wonderland/120032

This quilt can be used for a wall hanging or would look lovely in the center of a table. It is easily made using rotary cutting and a simple half-square triangle technique. I also used a fusible web to do the appliques, which helped make this a quick quilt. I used a decorative feather stitch for the center of my holly leaves.  I love how the little shoofly snowflakes just seem to be floating.

Duck & Ducklings and Christmas Duck -http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/duck--ducklings-quilt--christmas-duck-/119891

This quilt is based on the traditional duck & duckling block. The Christmas Duck wall hanging is also based on this block. The looks are different depending on your use of color. It is lots of fun playing with different color variations. The Christmas duck wall hanging also features a mitered border. I decided to try a border stripe and love the way it turned out!  This pattern contains directions for a larger quilt too.

Ribbon Star Table Runner -http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/ribbon-star-tablerunner/113072

This tablerunner is easily made using rotary cutting and quick piecing techniques. It makes up so quickly that a friend of mine made about 10 of them for Christmas gifts. This quilt would also look great in colors to match your home or for any season.

All of these would be great for display during the holidays or winter season.  They also make great gifts!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

How do you pin?

How do you pin when you are piecing?  From the right side or from the left.  That is the question that came to me since I was having issues using a seam guide on my featherweight and my 99-31.  I happen to be searching online and saw that someone put their pins in from the left side when using a seam guide.  Voila the sewing went seamlessly that way!

I used to pin from the left side when I strictly sewed garments.  When I started doing quilts, I noticed that most people pinned from the right and I switched.  Little did I know that I was on to a good thing way back then.  I now have returned to pinning to from the left.  I think perhaps my piecing is even more accurate now.

Give it a try.  The quilt police won't mind!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Zlaty Sews

My DIL, Zlaty now has patterns that she designed on Craftsy!  They are beautiful and easy to sew!  You can go here to see her Easy Christmas Ornament table runner and more info about it.

Don't forget that you can follow her too and then you will see her new patterns as they become ready!

You can also visit her blog here.

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Crocheted Spool Pin Doily

The other night I decided to crochet a spool pin doily for my featherweight.  I first saw them on Bonnie Hunter's blog.  I thought that they were so cute!  I'm not a fan of the red felt that is there, so I thought that I would give it a try.  I used Cheryl's instructions from this post on Bonnie's Quiltville Blog.  I changed the instructions ever so slightly going by my memory of my past crochet experience.  It had been years since I crocheted.

I didn't have crochet cotton, so I decided to try it with cotton yarn.  It is not as delicate, but I like it and it works!  I think it makes my featherweight even cuter!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

It's a Cinch Tote Bag

I made this tote bag as a gift for my DIL, Zlaty's Mother, Rumiana.  She loves to knit and makes such beautiful things.  I really wanted to make her something that she could use to carry her knitting.  I came across this pattern "It's a Cinch" in the Fall 2010 issue of Quilts and More.  It was designed by Laura Jaquinto.  When I saw it, I thought this is it!

One of the things that I really liked about it is the fact that you could close it up some by using the carrying handles.  I also liked the size which is 17 1/2" x 18 3/4" x 4".

The bag that was made for the magazine used a border stripe for the center.  I thought that it would be a perfect spot for featuring an embroidery design.  I am trying to use my embroidery feature wherever I can.

The instructions called for using grommets, but I am not a huge fan of grommets.  I have had a number of them pull out of my item, so I decided to do buttonholes instead.  This was the first time that I did buttonholes using my Pfaff Creative Performance.  They are beautiful!

The instructions also used ribbon for the back of the strap and for the binding.  I didn't have ribbon, so I just used all fabric and it worked out fine.  I am finding that I really enjoy being a little creative and using whatever I have on hand.

When I got to the lining, I discovered that I had gotten confused on the amount of fabric that was needed.  So I went to my stash and picked out some coordinating fabrics that would work and altered the pattern to work with what I had.  I made the pocket a different fabric and added a different fabric for the lower half of the lining.  I actually like the look of it instead of it being all the same.

This bag was so much fun to make and it made up rather quickly.  I think I see one of these in my future!  I actually did a test design many years ago when I was at a Pfaff dealer class.  It will be perfect for the center of the front of the bag and it would be great to finally use it!

Wishing you many hours of happy sewing!

Jean

Katy's Pumpkin

This is another one of my favorite Fall patterns.  It was designed by my daughter which makes it even more special to me.  I love the addition of the soft tendril and leaf.  You could use this on your table or as a wall hanging. You could also make the pumpkin into an apple using a red or golden yellow fabric and put apple fabric in the border. It is easily made using rotary cutting and quick piecing techniques. I used a feather stitch on the sewing machine to embellish the leaf. It is fun to experiment with some decorative stitches on your sewing machine.

This pattern is now available on Craftsy!

Happy Sewing,

Jean

Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin Spice was one of my favorite designs.  I love the Fall season and this design represented fall to me.  It makes me happy just to look at it!

It sews up very quickly using an easy half-square triangle method and fusible applique.

It finishes to 16" square.  A great size to hang in a small space or use a centerpiece for your table.

This pattern is now available on Craftsy!

I hope you are enjoying this Fall season!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Country Bowtie Stars Pattern

My second pattern is now on Craftsy.  It is Country Bowtie Stars.  This is a very scrappy lap size quilt.  I made mine in country colors, but would look great in balis, reproductions or colors of the season.  I loved how it helps use up stash!  Of course it only used a little, but that's a step in the right direction!  :-)  I just love scrappy!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Source: Country Bowtie Stars via Jean A. Boyd on Craftsy

My Patterns are now on Craftsy!

I am so excited to have my patterns in the Craftsy store!  I hope to get more of them posted soon!  I will also be adding new patterns besides the one's that I sold in the shop.  I hope you like them!

Source: Autumn Star via Jean A. Boyd on Craftsy

Happy Sewing,
Jean

My Singer 99-31

Last week my hubby brought up my Singer 99-31 sewing machine from the basement.  It had been stored for a number of years there.  I told him that I wasn't sure what shape it was in since it had gotten wet at one time.  The cover is not real good, but the machine looked great!  The rubber belt was drying out and it slipped when we tried it.  So that afternoon we replaced the belt and got it cleaned up and oiled.  It runs beautifully!  I am so excited!  It's like having a new machine!

This sewing machine had originally belonged to my MIL.  She didn't do much sewing, so it was in very good condition.  When I first got married, I used this for all of my sewing.  I even made my hubby a suit!  After hubby got me a new sewing machine,  I gave this machine to my Mom.  She had it for years and when she moved in with me, it came with her.  I actually had forgotten about it until hubby brought it upstairs.  I am so glad he did!

I have mainly been playing with it and getting my quarter inch seam set up so that it is ready for a project.  I can't wait to really sew something with it!  I think I may try one of Bonnie K. Hunter's patterns from Quiltville . Since she sews almost everything on vintage machines, it would be the perfect project.

As I sit at this machine, I am enjoying many wonderful memories.  It somehow makes me feel an even stronger tie to both my MIL and my Mom.

Wishing you many wonderful sewing memories!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

New Sewing Room

Well, I now have a new sewing room.  We moved again.  So I am now set up in the basement.  I have a larger work area and it is working out nicely.  I thought I would share some pics with you.

My Thimble Collection

Here is a peek at my latest project!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Allie Beane

I just finished a table runner made from blocks that I had for a sample in the shop years ago.  The blocks were made using the Allie Beane pattern by Carol Hopkins Designs.  I never was able to complete the wall hanging and when I closed the shop I saved the blocks.

You may notice in the pic that I had large pinwheels and small ones.  I actually made the pinwheels larger and then cut them down to the size that I needed for the centers of the blocks.  These small pinwheels measured 1 1/2" finished!

We had bought a shelf unit for our cottage and I wanted to make a runner that would fit on the lower shelf.  I wanted to use fabric that I had on hand and I remembered the blocks.  Since the shelf was narrow, I needed smaller blocks in order to accomplish the size of the runner.  I couldn't remember how many of the blocks were sewn, so I took out my box and to my surprise I had sewn all of them!  I was so happy!  Imagine seeing Snoopy dancing away!  That was me!

I was able to use all but 4 of the blocks.  The runner turned out to be the perfect size!

Finished runner

To decide on the quilting I decided to try drawing on a pic that I took of the pieced runner on my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone.  I remembered that you could do that and I thought it was a great way to see how my quilting will look when I'm finished.

Quilting design drawn on my blocks.

I used a 3 step zigzag on my Pfaff Creative Performance sewing machine and altered it to a look that I liked and it was perfect.  Hopefully you can see in the closeups how the stitch looked.

I'm not sure what my next project will be.  I certainly have lots to finish and lots that I want to start!

Until next time.

Happy Sewing,
Jean

"Sew Simple"

I made a small spool wall hanging to go with my larger spool quilt.  I just love spools, don't you!

I purchased this pattern from https://prairiestitchesquiltshop.com/index.html  Prairie Stitches Quilt Shoppe is located in Oswego IL.  It is a wonderful shop with many treasures on shelves and in nooks.  The pattern is designed by Buttermilk Basin and is from their "Sew" Simple BOM collection.  The block finished to about 6" square and is very quickly sewn together.  They designed it to use wool for the applique, but since I am allergic to wool, I used a cotton fabric for my scissors.  You can choose to finish this small block as a wall hanging, as I did, or as a pin cushion.  I think it would work well for a coaster too.

I had "sew" much fun making this cute little spool.  My spools are perfect hanging over my cutting table!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Got Thread?

I had lots of fun sewing this little spools wall hanging.  I bought this kit from Stitching on State in Hampshire IL.www.stitchingonstate.com  All of the fabric was included in a paper bag, along with a pattern by Snap Sack.  I really liked the colors and also that it was a small project.  It is approx. 16" x 18" finished.  It is the perfect size to put over my cutting table.

Of course, I needed to change it up a little bit.  Instead of a plain border, I decided to add cornerstones with embroideries of sewing notions.  Such fun!  I had to make the sewing machine purple since I have a purple Pfaff Creative Performance which I love!

I wanted to show you a close up of my quilting.  I used a 3 step zigzag stitch and adjusted it until I got a serpentine looking stitch.  I really like it.  It adds some soft curves to an otherwise very geometric quilt.

This quilt just makes me smile!  Hope you get a chance to make something that makes you smile too!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

My Design Wall

I really wanted some kind of design wall in my sewing room.  However, I do not have much wall space, so I thought something small would work for the majority of my projects, since I do mainly small things.  I did a search online and came across a really neat blog that featured great ideas.  Here is the link: http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/?p=378  She made a small design wall using a large frame from Ikea.  She wrapped the batting around the plexiglass and put it back in the frame and it was finished.  Sounded good to me!  I used my pink duct tape to fasten the batting in place.  It worked perfectly.

Thank you Faith from freshlemonsquilt.com.

Happy Sewing,
Jean

Lady Liberty

I just finished the Lady Liberty flag that I have been working on for my hubby.  I started it around the beginning of December hoping to have it finished for Christmas and then when that didn't happen, I figured I could do it for his birthday in January.  However, I became ill for almost 2 months and did not get back to it until February.  I will say that an advantage to not having a deadline was that I was able to enjoy every part of making this project.  It was nice not to feel hurried and to enjoy the process as it was intended.

Last year we stopped in at Mary Koval's Quilt Shop in Bedford PA.  Mary has a lovely shop and if you love reproductions, this is a place you must see.  We were lucky enough to find her there and visit a little bit with her.  My hubby saw a sample of this flag on her wall and just loved it.  Mary told us that her son had designed it and that the lady liberty was actually original fabric from the 1800's.  She had everything for the quilt top included in a kit.  Hubby said that he would really like the kit and he was planning on sewing it himself.  For those of you that know me, you know that Rick (DH) does actually do quilting.  So we purchased the kit, along with a number of must have fabrics for myself!  Here is a link to Mary's website:  www.Marykovalantiquequilts.com

This is a close up of Lady Liberty.

Most of you know that Rick got a new job, which is why the shop closed and we moved to the Chicago area.  Due to the change in jobs, Rick doesn't have much time to quilt.  So I thought that I would surprise him and make it for him.

I did grid quilting on my machine and did hand quilting around the stars.

I decided that I would embroider a label for the back of the quilt.  I had gotten a 5D quilt design creator program last year and had yet to open the box.  Now was my opportunity.  I really wanted to make a special label for it.  Overall the process was pretty easy, except that the label was a lot larger than I had expected.  It was too large to fit my largest embroidery hoop.  So I went back into my program and redesigned it.  Guess what?  It was still too large!  So then I thought, well, my embroidery machine can shrink the design down 25% and that should just be enough to fit in my hoop.  So I loaded it up into the machine and guess what?!!!  It only could shrink it 20%.  Not quite enough!  So it was back to the drawing board!  I went into my program and really tweaked it until I got a manageable size.  It worked!  Success!

Now I just had to sew it out.  I got the idea, that I would stitch out the label using cotton thread, so that it would be more in line with the reproduction fabric.  However, it made so much lint!  I am surprised that I had any thread left!  Then I ran out of the blue thread and had to substitute something similar from my stash.  Ok, I was ready to go again.  Then when I was 21,000 stitches into the design, my machine just quit!  Lights were on, but nothing was functional.  Luckily I remembered to write down what stitch it stopped at, so that I could go back to it after the machine worked again.  I had to turn it off and back on in order to proceed.  I'm not sure if it overheated due to the lint or what happened, but it was fine the rest of the way.  Let me just say that I could have written a label and sewed it on the quilt in a quarter of the time it took me to make this.  However, I would not have learned as much or had the pleasure of knowing that I could do it!  I'm very happy with how it turned out and I will definitely try it again.

I thought that I would share a picture of the back of this project too.  Since I try to use whatever I have on hand, I thought that I would see what fabric I have for the backing.  I love scrappy quilts and because of that I mainly collect small pieces.  I knew that the chances of having a large enough piece would be slim.  So sometimes, you just need to be a little creative.  I pieces a different fabric in the corners and used a different fabric for the casing and Voila!  It works.

I hope that you are all enjoying your process of making a wonderful project!

Happy Sewing,
Jean

O Christmas Tree

I know that I am a little late on this post, but I figured better late than never!

This is the project that I was working on when I did my last post.  I had to wait to show you since it was a surprise for my Grandson.  The Christmas a year ago he had designed a Christmas tree block for me.  I really wanted to make it into a small wall hanging for him.  He has really challenged me with some of his designs, but I knew I had to make it work.  I love how it turned out.  I tried to keep everything as true to his design as much as I could, including the colors.

I think he is a wonderful designer!

I found the perfect fabric for on the back.

I really enjoyed making this special gift.

Happy Sewing,

Jean