SewGoCreate

…May flowers. Truly, April 25 it rained, it poured, it was completely dismal while I was trying to bring in loads of quilts and photos for my booth in the Tulotoma Art Trail in Wetumpka, Alabama. Certainly we were delighted to see the sun today for the actual event…and I even grew a few quilted flowers.

Here’s my latest pattern, “Happy to Gladiolus” Platter Pad. What a fun way to use “yo-yos”! Take a peek for more information.

For those of you who weren’t able to see the booth, here are some photos, but come NEXT week–Sat., May 4, 9-1:00. Everything will still be up for the Community Expo. I’ll be inside the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce (rain or shine!)

…for Mother’s Day!   Wouldn’t Mom or Grandma LOVE this one?  The most precious cross with a stunning 3D flower is not nearly as hard as it looks.  It’s “jelly roll” friendly with 2 1/2″ squares, and the bloom is simple if you know the secrets included in the instructions, along with the colored chart and templates.  Just $3 through the end of the month, this one is adaptable to many different colors and fabrics.  Click for more info:

For anyone in the region, it’ll be on display and up for sale at the Tulotoma Art Trail in downtown Wetumpka, Alabama,  11-5, on Sat., April 27.  Not to be missed, there will be more than two dozen artists showing a huge variety of works and even Steampunk metal sculptors at work with an auction of their work at 6 p.m.  I’ll be in the  Chamber of Commerce with quilted items, big and small, and matted and/or framed photos.  Come by!  I’ll be handing out coupons for the website.

While considering the cross above, I thought of this image:

 

more information shortly….

…you, like me, may need a little shut-eye!   Honestly, doing the business taxes wouldn’t be all that bad except for the inventory, which took hours and hours and caused me to lose lots of sleep, meaning I needed some afternoon naps, for sure!  So here’s my contribution in honor of taxes–a Christensen Creations “iComforter” (the word iPad was taken).  It’s a cute little quilted eye mask from 1 pattern piece. using  barely 1/8 yd of fabric and a scrap of batting.  WHAT a wonderful little gift and so quick!  On sale the rest of the month for just a buck!  Click here for more info:

Speaking of shut-eye…or not reminds me of the moon.  I got some more moon photos the other day when the Super Moon was shining.  So beautiful!  (OK, I doctored up the purple one…hmmm, maybe a bargello quilt idea?)

Probably not, because she’s been hanging out in my back yard, building a nest!

Just look what she’s left for me!  Wonderful Easter eggs in a bias tape basket.  How’s that for quick and cute–just the Christensen Creations Platter Pad you need for the ham platter on the Easter table!  There’s still plenty of time to get this miniature quilt/hot pad made, and I happen to know that Jo Ann’s still has Easter fabric left.  So order the pattern for just $1.50 on sale between now and Easter, and get busy.  Click for more info.

TIP–I love to use colorful embroidery thread for satin-stitch appliqué.  Just adjust your zigzag to make it wide yet close together, use tearaway stabilizer underneath the background fabric, and SLOW DOWN.  If you prefer, add seam allowance and hand-appliqué.  Hey, your project, your way!

…and buy me a hot dog or two!  Hot diggity dog!  This new Christensen Creations pattern is on sale just $1.50 for the next month–right in time for the beginning of baseball season.  What a bargain and what a cute gift!  This “Hot Dog Pad” is a miniature quilt, doubling as a Platter Pad, coming in  3 sizes, with the huge 12″ (footlong hot dog?) perfect for a platter or big hot dish.   The cute little weiner dog has his head turned and is licking off the mustard.  Click here for more info:

My family had a dachshund named Putzie (pronounced like POOT—apt!), who might have eaten mustard if slathered on meat.  He once ate strawberries, I know, because we used them to coax him to jump through the hula hoop.  He was no runt, but one of the BIGGEST, strongest dachshunds I’ve ever seen, and man, his hind legs were strong.  He loved to take a flying leap into my bed, stretch out crosswise, and push ME out!  He also had a strong tail, thank goodness.  He rode in the car draped around my mother’s neck like a shawl, and she tells how one time he tried to jump out, but she caught him by the tail and reeled him back in.  To me, though, the cutest time was when we had rescued a robin.  That robin liked to eat dog food and was known to jump on Putzie’s back and ride around, most annoying to the dog, but the robin was surely giggling about it.

I don’t have any hot dog photos to share and alas, none of my dog from decades ago, so I’ll settle for  mustard-color flowers.  Happy beginning of spring!  Here in Alabama, it’s about time to put out petunias.   These are from the famous Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs at the foot of Pike’s Peak.

If so, it might be time to kick it up a notch with this sassy Christensen Creations “Log Cabin Band Denim Skirt.”  Here in sunny Alabama, the dogwood and forsythia are in full bloom, and it’s time to get the skirts out, but even if you’re in a rainy or snowy area, this skirt looks GREAT with BOOTS!!  This really creative pattern uses the fold for the waist, allowing it to be made easily for absolutely ANY SIZE.  Good directions for paper-piecing the colorful 8″ band of blocks, too.   On sale next few weeks for just $3.50, so click here for details!

Log cabin blocks are popular with quilters, but here in Wetumpka, Alabama,  with its huge pine forests, they were also popular with settlers in the early 1800’s.  This cute little log cabin sits by the river behind our library.  Imagine a whole trading town of these structures!

 

…GREEN MONSTER, that is!  “My Little Monster” is the latest Christensen Creation.  Is he a monster, an alien, or even maybe a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day?  Who knows–it’s up to the designer, and if you know a “Wild Child,” you know there are those out there who will relish making the head or neck wider, choosing number of horns, eyes, teeth, and funky skin color.  This 4’x5′ quilt is so easy and perfect for a child or even as a child’s first quilt project because it’s easy with really good instructions, diagrams and a colored grid to follow.  It’s on sale for $3.50 until the end of March.

For more info, click here:
Sewing tip–for funky quilts, quilt in variegated thread.  I confess to using cheap serger thread for this one.  It works!  I did simple child-like zigzags for the “hairy” skin.  Hey, you gotta let loose sometimes!

Since the subject is green aliens…or whatever, what do you think of THIS one I found?

 

…in the form of destructive and evil tornadoes here in Alabama.  Dedicated to the victims of the recent tornadoes, I designed this wall hanging called “Wicked Twister.”  I started with a central black and gray, but ended up mixing in other colors because tornadoes are fascinating as well as destructive.  It occurred to me that a twisted log cabin-derivative block is actually extremely versatile.  It can be any size and pieced with any colors.   For the rest of March, it’ll be on sale for just $1.50, complete with graphs and instructions, including how to do a little paper-piecing.   A quick project–  Click for more info:

I don’t have a photo of a real tornado because I hide when they come through, but I do have a picture of some of the destruction. This is called “Snapped Like a Toothpick,” depicting one of the church buildings that was recently lost in Wetumpka.

How about  “Running for Color,” a Christensen Creations table runner?  SEW simple, this is a great project for a beginner or for an expert who wants to use up scraps, and it’s on sale for just $1.50 through March 15.    If you love color, this is one for you, but you don’t have to love jewel tones like this–when you CLICK ON THE WEBSITE, you’ll see it imagined in spring, fall, blue (batiks would be lovely) and even black/white for the stark modernist.  What a great gift idea, especially as it comes in FOUR different lengths and can be simply backed if you don’t want to quilt it.

OK, NOT nagging, but seriously, it’s time to start working on Christmas projects (or Mother’s Day or birthday), and this one you can really personalize to fit the specific decor.  It sews up so easily but packs a punch of color.

Speaking of gray days, I have to share my photo.  It includes the Wetumpka Presbyterian church that we lost in the recent tornado.  It’s called “Crossing for Hope in a New World” and was published in a Best of Photography Annual 2009–such a shame to lose a historic building and what an ironic name.  (© 2009 by Libby J. Christensen)  By the way, I DO sell my photos, too.  Email me with questions (libbychr@sewgocreate.com) .