A Little Birdy Told Me

Here is a very quick and sweet project to make as a gift or a door knob hanger or for a Christmas tree ornament. The bird can also be a valentines gift. It is very easy to make and I hope you enjoy this tutorial.

Supplies: 2 fat quarters, decorative beads, and ribbon.

Follow the pictures and place ribbon inside and sew, try to tuck the ribbon in as you sew around the bird body. Leave opening between dots. Make sure to clip curves after sewing around the bird.

Make sure to iron openings closed and try to smooth out with fingers so there are no bumps. Use iron to sculpt in place. Slip stitch opening closed on bird body, and both wings.

String thread through the tiny bead and back through the larger beads. Also through both wings with buttons to anchor both wings.

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE!

2 HOUR BAG TUTORIAL! (Quick and easy)

Bag made with Art Gallery Fabrics Modernology warm and oval elements.
The fabrics are amazing to sew with! I love this fabric so much. I would love to make a million things out of this and I would love every color in the Oval elements! My sister -in-law Theresa, helped me take this photo and she might take the bag!

                                      SEWING PATTERN Simplicity 1823
1. Cut out bag ---- 2 pieces MAIN print ---- 2 pieces LINING (about 1 yard of fabric for both lining and Main print)

 2.  I was a little bit short on fabric for my main print so I left the selvage. I will hide it when I sew it.

 3. Cut out Pocket 6 1/2 ' x 7 1/2 '  * (this is not in the pattern)  from left over lining pieces .

 4. Stitch pocket (right sides together) like this:  see graphic above leave hole for flipping open

 Stitching the pocket in this way will make a perfect fold in when you turn it right side out.

 5. top stitch pocket with 2 rows or use decoritve stitch.

 6. pin pocket to lining and stitch pocket see graphic above for reinforcement. (See HERE.

7. Sew Main print RIGHT Sides together then stitch Lining the same way but leave a hole on the side of lining about 6.5 inches to turn bag out through the lining hole.

8. press seams open on LINING and MAIN 

9. Turn MAIN Right side out and place inside LINING. Pin very well all the way around. Stitch them together leaving 2 inches open from handle.

 (leave open 2 inches away both LINING AND MAIN away from handle) makes sure to back stitch here.

 10. Clip curves and pull bag through opening in the side LINING to turn RIGHT side out. Use a chopstick if necessary to pull handle through.

 11. Turn handles in this way RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.

 PIN well matching seams.

 12. Handle should look like this , turn opening in and Press well.

 13. Press well all the way around.

 14. Top stitch all the way around, I opened my stitch length for this.

 15. OPTION sew in velcro for closure. I cut my velcro 2 inches and stitched it after the top stitch line in the center inside of the bag. (It is good to use a velcro color that compliments the bag. I think tan, pink white and black are the available colors.)

  
Congratulations YOU ARE DONE!!!!!!!! Hopefully it only took a couple hours. Now time to fly!
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Love, Frances

Fabrics are AMY BUTLER - "Nigela"and "Its A chick thing" Designed exclusively for Wilmington Prints by Design Trends.

Making Flowers

Using the Kanzahi Clover flower maker was great fun. I truely got addicted!

You can make them while watching tv. The directions say to link them as you go but I found that making each pettel seperatly, pinching the bottom then sewing it. was a bit easier.

Here are some ideas I made using the flower maker...

1. small pincushion filled with rice and batting 

2. Little flower quilt adding the flowers and cute buttons.

 3. Supplies: Needle thread, scissors, fabric piece, and flower maker.

 4. Make sure to start at the back in position #1 then turn the flower maker over and continue to follow      the numbers.

 5. Strawberry pincushion filled with rice and polyfill stuffing.

6. 99 cents store head band with flower and fabric covered button.

Valentine's Scrappy Hearts Tutorial

I made these sweet hearts, (no pun intended with some left over scraps. I was wanting to make a valentines project that I thought I would share. These scrappy hearts would be great appliques to use on anything. Here are some ideas: A potholder, a pocket on an apron, a mini quilt for a teapot to rest on, a candle to sit on or just lay them around the house. Instructions on how to are given below.


For how to instructions and pattern click here.