Tree Trimming Kitchen Towels

Greetings friends! It is new project tutorial day - time to share my November project created for the Therm O Web blog with you. I always enjoy putting on my Fabric Education Designer hat and creating new projects/tutorials to share with you. For the month of November, the blog is focused on fall home decor, quick holiday gifts, fusible applique, fabric ornaments and wall art. I created a brand new project that was posted yesterday - it is a complete project tutorial for my Tree Trimming Kitchen Towel. My comprehensive tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with appliqué templates, and step-by-step directions with color photos. 

This fast and easy gift idea is perfect for those wanting to get a start on their homemade holiday gift list.  This simple project uses minimal supplies and can be paired with a kitchen gadget, cookbook, cookie cutter(s), or potholder(s) for a seasonal gift from the heart. The machine appliqué is great for beginners and I show you how to easily add rick rack without it slipping when sewing it down.  I hope you will stop by the Therm O Web blog and check out my project and tutorial...

This is an easy, holiday project that can definitely be a scrap buster...go through that scrap basket! It combines easy appliqué shapes and rick rack on a standard kitchen towel available in any home or discount department store. For this post, I used HeatnBond Lite EZ-Print Iron-On Adhesive Sheets and HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive Tape. I also used some coordinating rick rack (the green is the color Emerald from Wrights...and the white is Snow from - my favorite - Lady Dot Creates). The towels are basic tea towels that measure 20" W x 30" W, but use your favorite. I used fabric scraps from the Oh What Fun collection by Elea Lutz for Poppie Cotton. To find the products I used in the tutorial, visit my Tree Trimming Kitchen Towel Supply List on Amazon (full disclosure, as an influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases).

If you have questions on any Therm O Web or HeatnBond/SpraynBond products or would like to see a specific type of product in one of my projects, drop me a comment or email.

You will have to visit the Therm O Web blog for my complete tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...

Here is a direct link to the project tutorial:
https://blog.thermoweb.com/tree-trimming-kitchen-towel/

I hope this project inspires you to create something special and unique...

I am creating monthly projects for the Therm O Web Blog and I will be sure to post here when I have a new tutorial available. My next project is scheduled to be on the Therm O Web blog on December 16th and I am working on a winter project idea. There will not be a Poppie Cotton Fabric Tour in December, but we will have one for the Serenity Blooms collection (it's a BEAUTY!) in January and I am scheduled for January 15th.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Have a great week and make time to work on something creative...

Pick of the Patch Kitchen Towels

Greetings friends - happy Tuesday! It is new project tutorial day - time to share my October post for the Therm O Web Blog with you! As a Fabric Education Designer for Therm O Web (they are the makers of all those wonderful HeatnBond and SpraynBond products), I create projects and tutorials for their very popular blog each month. I share a fun, new project and give you my tips and tricks for using their products. For the month of October, the blog is focused on fall and Halloween designs. I created a brand new project that was posted yesterday - it is a complete project tutorial for my "Pick of the Patch Kitchen Towel." This quick and easy fall project contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with templates, and step-by-step directions with color photos. The model uses a standard cotton dish/kitchen towel found in home or discount department stores and cotton quilting fabric (autumn and solid prints); as always, I encourage you to use fabrics/scraps you have on hand, to make this kitchen towel your own. I hope you will stop by the Therm O Web blog and check out my project and tutorial...

About this design:
The base towel is a standard cotton kitchen towel found pretty much any place you can purchase home goods (mine measure approximately 20" W x 28" H, but directions work for the size you have on hand). It is embellished with a focal fabric print across the bottom and several autumn appliqué motifs. This project can easily be completed in an afternoon and is suitable for a beginner. It also makes the perfect hostess gift - simply use a pretty ribbon to tie it up with a cookie cutter and/or potholder and a wooden spoon - you can even add a favorite recipe card.

This seasonal sewing project is perfect for fat quarters or scraps. I used HeatnBond FeatherLite EZ-Print Iron-On Adhesive Sheets and SpraynBond Basting Adhesive Fabric Spray...plus, I give you tips for using each item! I also used a Pressing Paper Fabric and Craft Sheet to protect my work area. Visit the tutorial post for a complete and detailed supply list.

Let's talk about the HeatnBond FeatherLite EZ-Print Iron-On Adhesive Sheets. HeatnBond EZ Print FeatherLite is a paper backed, iron-on, sewable, double-sided adhesive for bonding fabric without extra weight or stiffness. This lightweight formula is great for this particular project, as it gets even softer after laundering. It comes in 8.5" x 11" paperbacked sheets that fit an inkjet printer - simply load a sheet into your printer to print the applique templates provided in my tutorial - no tracing necessary!! 

If you have questions on any Therm O Web products or would like to see a specific type of product in one of my projects, drop me a comment or email.

You will have to visit the Therm O Web blog for my complete tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...

Here is a direct link to the project tutorial:

https://blog.thermoweb.com/pick-of-the-patch-kitchen-towel-featuring-heatnbond/

I hope this project gets you excited to create something special and unique...

I am creating monthly projects for the Therm O Web blog and will be sure to post here, when I do...my project for November is scheduled to be posted on November 16th...and, as always, I am working on a very fun, seasonal idea!

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Enjoy the rest of your week and make time to work on something creative...

Snowman Saturday...

The start of this new year has been a bit of a whirlwind - I am knee deep in a several large projects with fast approaching deadlines (some things I can't wait to share with you!) and I have barely come up for air...but I realized I have a handful of blog posts to do, so I thought I would take a quick break and share some creativity with you!

Like many of you, here in Iowa, we are experiencing below zero temperatures, terrible winds, and lots of snow...and it doesn't seem to improving any time soon....which is fine when I can stay inside and stitch or sew, but not so much fun when walking the dogs each day. I was just thinking it would be fun to go out and play in the snow and  make snow angels or build a snowman, but it is just too darn cold and windy...so here is the next best thing, some snowmen I can share from my warm and cozy studio. These snowmen were all gifts from my very dear friend Terri, who sent me a wonderful themed Christmas package...and I just had to share them with you! She sent a wool snowman pincushion (upper right) that uses the cutest single mini bundt mold for a base (see photo inset)...I just think this is ADORABLE! I just had to find more to give as gifts.

She also sent this very fun snowman cookie platter...well actually, most of you would call it a plate...but I envision it covered with tasty treats from the kitchen...in fact, I think I need to make time for some baking!

And, if all that wasn't enough, how about these fabulous machine embroidered kitchen towels?? - I think I need to make some of these with my machine for gifts next year...they definitely brighten up my kitchen!!

So how's that for a snow day??...and I didn't even have to brave the winter cold!

I will be quilting up a storm this afternoon...and I will be nice and toasty warm. I hope you can find some time to be creative this weekend - and for those of you experiencing the same weather, stay safe and be sure to bundle up if you head outside...have a happy weekend!

From The Studio...

Today's post will be a short one...just a few photos to show you what I have been creating for Christmas...these gifts have all been delivered, so I thought I would share them with you. Although my sewing machine is still waiting to be fixed, I managed to get quite a few pieces quilted and sewn before it broke down (or I used my old machine). Each year, I try to make the majority of my gifts - and this year was no exception...

Pincushion Tuffet and Needlebook Scissor Case
My own patterns.
Fabrics: Polka Dot Stitches by Lori Holt of Bee In My Bonnet for Riley Blake
Wee Play by American Jane Patterns Sandy Klop for Moda

Strippy Table Runner
Pattern: "Strippy Table Set" by Patterns by Jean Boyd
Fabric: Sent With Love by Deb Strain for Moda

Machine Embroidered Flour Sack Kitchen Towels
Machine Embroidery:  Vintage Kitchen Set, digitized by Splinters and Threads

Quartered Nines Table Topper
Pattern: Quartered Nines - my own variation...
Fabric: Wiscasset by Minick & Simpson for Moda

Willow Tree Candle Mat
Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop pattern by Debbie Lazarski
Fabrics: Unknown - Kitted Scraps

Of course I made a few other presents...and purchased some special things too - this is just a sampling of the personalized gifts I have been creating in the studio....

I hope your holidays have been filled with handmade and heartfelt gifts!

"Flurry Friends"

Several months ago, I designed a pair of winter season kitchen towels for Cross-Stitch & Needlework magazine. The editor asked me to design for two 15" x 25" White Showcase Huck towels (made by Charles Craft) - each with a
4 1/8" x 5 1/2" 14-count insert panel for cross stitching...they wanted a winter design for the January 2103 issue. I had fun designing these two kitchen towel inserts with a country winter scene...and I just had to add a snowman on each (hence the title "Flurry Friends"). I got my first look at this brand new issue this evening - my designs appear on pages 10 - 11...and the magazine re-titled them "Country Winter" without my knowledge...not really a typical Blue Ribbon title, but I guess I have to roll with it. Of course each design would look GREAT framed on their own - the stitch count for each is 58W x 78H - in fact, they would look fabulous on hand-dyed linen (maybe in a wintery blue or gray) and would be perfect for a weekend stitching project! The models are stitched with DMC 6-strand cotton embroidery floss - but they could be easily converted to your favorite hand-dyed floss. I could see them matted together (sided by side) and placed in the same frame...hmm...if there were more hours in the day, I would have to stitch them again. This issue is hitting mailboxes, needlework shops, and newsstands now...so be sure to add it to your collection...

My "Flurry Friends" designs (aka "Country Winter")
Photo credit: Cross-Stitch & Needlework Magazine (January 2013)

Sewing For The Kitchen

I have one final handmade gift to share with you - it is a kitchen set. One side of the apron and the center of the pot holders came from a fabric panel (Potpourri by Grace Pullen licensed to South Sea Imports)...and with a little help from my friend Merry, I was able to pick a great coordinating fabric for the other side of the apron, the border and back of the pot holders, and the hanging tabs for the kitchen towels (Saltbox Harvest by Deb Strain for Moda). The fabric panel started the ideas flowing and when finished I had this fabulous kitchen gift set. I like a heavier apron, so I oped to make the apron reversible, with the printed panel on one side and the coordinating fabric on the other - I like that you can choose the side you want to wear on any particular day. I also added a border and hanging loops to the printed panel fabric for the pot holders - it made them a much better size at 10" square (plus I thought the added border gave them a more professional finished look). Finally, my mother-in-law has been wanting a good set of hanging kitchen towels for quite some time - she has mentioned it to me on multiple occasions...so I decided to make a matching set. I tried to find a close matching kitchen towel, cut it in half to make two finished towels, and made hang tabs...I opted for a button and buttonhole to make them easy to hang up and take down for laundering - I was very pleased with the results and now need to make some for my own kitchen.

This last gift is being delivered this afternoon - we are having dinner with my in-laws at a local restaurant to celebrate Christmas....it should be a nice relaxing evening. I really enjoyed making my Christmas gifts this year - I found joy in the creating and even more joy in the giving. I hope you are on the giving or receiving end of some handmade holiday gifts - they seem to make the season just a little more special....

Holiday Sewing Projects - Patchwork Table Runner & Towels

I did it - I finally finished my last handmade gift of the season! I am actually shocked I reached my goal...a month ago I had no idea how I was going to get it all done, but a little time management, a specific prioritized list, and a few late nights helped me accomplish my lofty goals.

Last night, after a couple shots of DayQuil cold medicine (yes, my head cold is in full force - just in time for Christmas), I felt well enough to quilt and bind this table runner and add the finishing touches to some matching kitchen towels. The table runner is a Pieced Tree Pattern called "Scrappy -Do" (Tiny One #21) and was much easier than it looks! Even feeling under the weather, I loved every minute of this project - maybe it is the floral fabrics - they just seem bright and cheery to me. If you are a beginner quilter or want a good starting project, these little Pieced Tree Patterns "tiny" laminated card projects are perfect - they are inexpensive and have easy diagrams and instructions. This table runner is a nice size at 12"w x 32.5" long and will be a good addition to the recipient's kitchen. When I cut the fabric for this project, I had a small pile of 2.5" x 2.5" squares left over, so I decided to use them to embellish a couple matching kitchen towels...then I added some cheerful medium-sized yellow rick rack. I was so thrilled with how these turned out that I want to do a set for my kitchen! I will be pairing the table runner and kitchen towels with a special cookbook...and all I have left to do is foof (wrap) it!

As the snow continues to fall here in Iowa, I am going to enjoy my Christmas Eve day. I already have a big pot of homemade chili simmering in the crock pot and plan to do a little baking this afternoon. Once the house is tidy, the last couple gifts are foofed, and my fun in the kitchen is done, I plan to relax this evening with my husband (who will be home on Christmas Eve for a change!)...a nice fire in the fireplace, maybe a good movie...and of course I get to unwrap my mystery gift...

Wishing you a white Christmas filled with laughter and love - Happy Holidays!