Here in NW PA, things are looking like spring! Punxatawney Phil (the Groundhog) did not see his shadow on February 2nd, which (hopefully) means an early spring. I started seeing some signs of spring even before Groundhog Day — on January 31st, I saw a groundhog awake and out of its hole. Next we started seeing some of our spring birds returning — starlings and bluebirds. We haven’t seen any robins in our yard yet, but other folks in our area have already seen them. Yes, we’ll probably see more snow before spring is completely sprung, but in the meantime I will enjoy winter days filled with sun and warmer temperatures.
Of course, true to living in NW PA, we did have a few weeks of very cold and snowy weather, but right now, we are enjoying the lack of snow and the sunshine with daytime temperatures in the 40’s with a few 50’s thrown in just to tease us. I hope you are just as fortunate as I am in the weather department right now. With all the sun, though, I am wanting to be outside to enjoy it, not down in my dungeon studio/office. Oh, the conundrums of nice weather……
On another note, do you know what day it is today??? It’s the first Thursday after the first Friday of the month which means NEW VRD Rose Card Patterns for February!
NEW VRD February Rose Card Patterns
YAY! Who doesn’t love NEW PATTERNS? Especially new patterns EVERY MONTH? And we’ve got some great new ones just for you this month, including several from our new designers Rachelle Handmade and Creative Sewlutions.
You can grab your set of February Rose Cards HERE for the special price of $8.95.
We also have 2 — count ’em — 2 table runners this month! One from Rachelle Handmade and one from yours truly.
What a great collection of patterns, don’t you think? Lots of variety AND different styles to appeal to just about every quilter. Which one are you going to make first this month?
Quilts of Valor National Sewing Day
As I mentioned last week, I had signed up to attend my local QOV group, PA Stitcher’s of Valor’s National Sew Day event. Our event was actually 2 days, Friday and Saturday, instead of just Saturday. This meant we could get even more sewing in. But with 2 days of sewing, I still didn’t get my project completely finished. I should have looked over the pattern a little bit more and pre-made my almost 200 Half Square Triangles (HSTs) before the actual sew days. Then I probably could have gotten my project finished. Hey, I was just pleased that I got all the pieces cut out. And I did get the 12 blocks sewn together, so now all I have to do is sew the blocks together and add the 2 borders.
I pretty much spent the first day just making HSTs. My cuz and pal, Robin and I switched projects for a while that first day because her machine was giving her some issues and she was having a hard time sewing her blocks together (Yes, Robin made her quilt blocks ahead of time. Good thinking, Robin!). So she worked on my HSTs while I sewed her blocks together. Group effort, definitely! Robin’s top was finished the first sewing day.
Here’s Robin’s top. Very patriotic, isn’t it?
OH NO! I think I switched blocks in the upper right corner….do you think it looks weird???
Here I am with my “cuz crew” — Kim (left front), Lisa (left back), and Robin (right back) laughing and sewing the day away! I am the person on the right in the front — you know, the one with all the mess. LOL! That’s just how I roll, I guess.
Here’s Kim sewing her big HSTs while Lisa is reading her pattern.
Here I am (front) with Robin (back) sewing happily along while we chat and laugh. You can see my cute little gnome sewing buddy on the table beside my machine. Notice my mess isn’t too bad as this was taken on the first day and the photo above was from Saturday (insert eye roll here).
We had a total of 60 quilters in 2 locations over 2 day! Some of the sewers were able to get a project finished, or brought ones to donate that they had already finished. Here are some of the gorgeous quilts and tops turned in over the weekend.
Hats off to Collene, our fearless leader for PA Stitchers, who organized such an amazing sewing event! Lunch was donated both days and there was plenty of snacks to keep us going at full speed. One of the things I loved the best about the event was lending a hand to each other when we needed some help. It wasn’t a race and there was always time to take a break and wander around, seeing what each other were working on. I am smiling while I think about the experience. I look forward to doing it again soon.
Our local PA Stitchers group meets once a month to work on quilts for QOV. Such a worthy cause — I’m so glad I have skills that can help others. Please contact your local QOV group and get involved — there are so many veterans and active military personnel who need to be covered by a special quilt. So get involved!
And don’t forget to grab your own set of our brand new 12 Quilts of Valor collection HERE. These 12 quilts will give a lot of different options for making your Quilts of Valor quilts, including multiple options for your patriotic panels! All the patterns fit the size requirements for a QOV quilt and a portion of the sales will be donated to the QOVF.
Well, I think that’s it for me today. I hope you enjoyed the quilt photos from our National Sew Day weekend for QOV. Don’t forget to find your local organization and get involved.
I hope you are all staying warm and cozy, holed up in your sewing room making beautiful quilts! I am happy to say that I’ve been able to get some quilting in since the beginning of the year and thought I’d share a fun tutorial for a terrific small quilt, perfect as a baby quilt.
But before I get started with the actual tutorial, let me share a little bit about one of my favorite things about my job in the quilt industry. I actually wear many hats (don’t we all?) and one of the coolest ones is making sample quilts for fabric companies. Recently I whipped up this adorable Corners quilt featuring the Love and Learning collection by Hoffman. It’s a really sweet collection featuring a charming alphabet panel in your choice of light or dark background. I saw that darling collection and immediately thought it would look great in Molly Cook’s Corners Rose Card pattern.
Here is what the quilt looked like as a digital image before I actually made it:
Don’t you just love it? Yes, it has a little bit of pink in it, but don’t you think it would work for a boy or a girl? I do!
Anyway, I made a sample of this quilt for Hoffman and as I made it, I photographed the steps so I could create a new tutorial for the blog just for you, our loyal readers.
Do you have Molly’s Corners pattern yet? If not, you can get it as a physical pattern HERE or as a digital pattern HERE.
Let’s get started on our first quilt tutorial for 2024! Yay!
VRD Corners Quilt Tutorial
So the first thing you need to do is gather up your fabrics and your pattern. The first image shows the alphabet panel, the second image is the background and coordinates, and the last photo shows the binding, backing, and accent fabrics. Oh what fun!
After you’ve got your supplies together, then it’s time to cut each alphabet letter out of the panel one at a time. I don’t know if you can see in the first photo above, but each letter includes an item that begins with the specific letter as well as the item’s name.
Time to cut! I used a square ruler the size of the square called for in the pattern (or at least I thought I was). That way all I had to do was center each design and cut around all four sides of the ruler. Unfortunately the letters in the last row of the panel were wider than the rest and I ended up having to cut some of the designs a bit, but made sure the letter was not cut off.
OOPS! Then I realized my ruler wasn’t the right size. Luckily it was a bit bigger, so I could trim those squares down to the correct size.
Whew! Done with trimming down 26 squares. That took me a little while. Make sure you cut your squares to the correct size the first time!
Moving on……….
Next it’s time cut a bunch of strips and sew them together before we cut the units for the half frames. Sewing long strips together is not one of my personal favorite things to do. What’s your least favorite part of quilting?
Okay, the strips are sewn into pairs with a background strip sewn to a colored strip. Next let’s cut all of the units out of the strip sets. To create the corner unit for the block, you will have to sew a rectangle to the squares as in the second photo.
All right, now the hard part — to achieve the same layout as Molly’s sample quilt on the front of the pattern (see above), we will be making 4 versions of the same block.
For most of you, this won’t seem like a big deal, but there will be a few quilters who have trouble getting the right block orientation. Well, I am included in this group, definitely. Blame it on being a lefty for me.
I strongly urge you to use some kind of flannel board. Make one block at a time and place them in their proper order on your flannel board so you can more easily see the orientation of each block as you sew them together.
I did try sewing a group of blocks together using my usual speed sewing method, but that ended up being a disaster. I had to do a lot of ripping out and rearranging the pieces of my blocks. So, after that, I made one block at a time.
Once I had all my blocks up on my flannel board and double checked their orientation, I started sewing the blocks into rows and then sewed the rows together into the quilt center. I was holding my breath the whole time………
Once I knew I had conquered the center, it was time to add borders. I added the side borders first and then sewed the top and bottom borders on last.
Woohoo! The top is done! Time to layer, machine quilt, do binding, and add a label. Oh! My last thing to do will be shipping the quilt to where it needs to go. It will come back eventually…………
Have you made the Corners quilt before? Do you have any tips to share?
Update on Decluttering
Before I go, I wanted to give a little update on my decluttering project. I started with my cutting table first. Lately it’s been more of a storage surface than a cutting surface.
Holy moly! I found several groupings of fabrics paired with patterns as well as yardage and stacks of fat quarters. Some loose patterns, too. Ugh! Now I have to put the fabrics away and figure out where to house the projects. Decisions, decisions! This is why I avoid decluttering — I have way too much stuff and not enough space.
I need to start pulling stuff out I don’t love anymore and finding it all new homes. Time to start purging my stash or I will never ever find an organization system that works for me because you can only stack so many plastic crates. Well, I’m going to keep plugging away, so stop in next week to see what else I’ve accomplished.
I’ve been thinking of some ways I can move forward in 2024 with my goals (Did you miss last week’s post? You can find it HERE). I’ve been seriously thinking about how to get my studio in order, which is definitely part of my 2024 Goals. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have the same thoughts, so let’s brainstorm some ideas together!
For some unknown reason, I never seem to get time to actually clean up, organize, and declutter my space. I truly believe there are little pixies who come to my studio at night and have wild parties because there’s no way that I’m making this mess. LOL!
I think I just need to take a couple days (or years) — maybe a week end — to focus entirely on my studio. Whew! That’s going to be a challenge, though, because I try to cram as much as I can into each day — you know what I mean? To focus completely on one task for a week end would be totally foreign to me. Sigh….I don’t know why 24 hours just isn’t enough time to get everything done every day…….
Now, don”t freak out, but I’m going to show you some pictures of my studio. I’m totally embarrassed to show you any photos of my space, but maybe if I do, then it will motivate me to make improvements. So here goes!
Okay, there it is — my very messy studio. Gulp! I am really embarrassed, but hopefully looking at these photos will motivate me to make some changes because obviously my current organizing system at isn’t working for me. Part of my problem is way too many quilts and way too much fabric — there just isn’t enough room for everything. That means it’s time to purge. Scary……..
Before I dive into this huge undertaking, I think I need a game plan. So here are 11 ideas to help get our sewing spaces ready for a new year of sewing! I bet you can come up with even more ideas so please share your thoughts in the comments.
Fabric and Supplies
1. Look at Your Stash: Take some time to go through your fabric stash and see what you really have. Sort your stuff into categories such as color, material, or project type. Maybe this will give you a better idea of what you have to work with.
2. Donate or Sell: If you come across fabrics that no longer spark joy or that you haven’t used in years, consider donating them to a local charity or selling them online. This way, someone else can put them to good use and that fabric isn’t just collecting dust. If you sell stuff, you will have extra space and extra money. Win-win!
3. Proper Storage: Invest in storage solutions that work for your needs. Clear plastic bins, shelves, or even hanging organizers can help keep everything neat and accessible. Be creative! What do you already have that you can use? Shop second hand. Psst! One of my favorite places to get bins and such is my local Dollar Tree store.
4. Label Everything: When storing your fabrics and supplies, labeling containers can be a lifesaver. It helps avoid the hassle of rummaging through everything when searching for specific items.
5. Streamline Notions: Just like with fabrics, it’s important to go through your sewing notions as well (buttons, zippers, threads, etc. ). Get rid of any duplicates or items that are no longer usable.
6. Keep Favorites Visible: If there are fabrics that inspire you every time you see them, make sure they’re easily visible in your workspace so they don’t get forgotten!
7. Pegboards: Hanging tools on pegboards is a great idea! Not only does it keep everything organized, but it also makes things easy to find whenever you need them. Pegboards come in various sizes and can be customized to fit your specific needs.
Clutter-free Surfaces
1. Clean Your Sewing Table: Start by giving your sewing table a good wipe down. Dust off any debris or lint that might have accumulated, and use some mild cleaning solution to get rid of any stubborn stains or spills.
2. Clutter-Free Work Surface: Take a look at your work surface and remove any unnecessary items that may be cluttering it up. This could include scissors, pins, scrap fabric, or anything else that doesn’t need to be there while you’re working. Yeah, according to my photos, this is definitely something I need to do ASAP!
3. Organize Your Cutting Table: If you have a cutting table, make sure it’s well-organized so you can find what you need when cutting fabrics. Consider using storage bins or containers for keeping your rulers, rotary cutters, and other cutting tools neatly in one place.
4. Tidy Sewing Desk: Keep your sewing desk tidy. Small storage compartments or jars can help keep everything organized while still being easily accessible.
Storage Ideas for Your Thread Collection
1. Wall-Mounted Thread Rack: A wall-mounted thread rack is not only functional but also adds a decorative touch to your sewing room. It keeps your thread spools where you can find them and is even visually appealing (think arranging your thread in rainbow order!).
2. Drawer Dividers: Use drawer dividers to create separate compartments for spools of thread or other sewing sundries.
3. Bobbin Rings or Holders: Keep your bobbins organized by using bobbin rings or holders. These handy accessories prevent tangling and make it easy to see the color of each bobbin at a glance.
4. Clear Plastic Boxes: Invest in clear plastic boxes with compartments specifically designed for storing spools of thread. These boxes are often stackable, making them perfect for maximizing storage space in your sewing room. And we all need that, don’t we???
Sewing Zones
1. Cutting area: This is where you’ll prep your fabrics before diving into the fun part of sewing. Make sure you have enough space for a cutting table or mat where you can spread out your materials comfortably. Consider adding storage for rulers, rotary cutters, and fabric scissors nearby to keep everything within arm’s reach.
2. Sewing stations: These are dedicated spaces where your sewing machines will live. Make sure that each station has enough room for the machine itself along with any additional equipment like sergers or embroidery machines that you may use. I’m hoping to set up a second sewing station in my space so I can have a friend or two sew with me in my studio.
3. Pressing station: Having a designated area for pressing fabrics is crucial in achieving professional-looking results. Set up an ironing board or invest in a sturdy pressing table that suits your needs. Keep essentials like irons, water spray bottles, and pressing tools nearby so that you don’t have to hunt them down every time.
Patterns
1. Purge: Bring all your patterns to the same place and decided which ones to keep and which ones to donate, sell, or discard.
2. Categorize by pattern type: One way to organize your sewing patterns is by grouping them together by topics. For example, you could have sections for bags, jackets, toys, accessories, quilts, pillows, etc. You could even subdivide categories into smaller groups like quilts could be subdivided into bed quilts, throw quilts, wall quilts, runners, etc. Grouping patterns with the same topics together will make finding what you’re looking for a lot easier when starting a new project.
3. Sort by difficulty level: If you have patterns that vary in complexity, maybe organizing them based on their difficulty level would work for you. You can have separate sections for beginner-friendly patterns and more advanced ones.
4. Use binders or folders: To keep your sewing patterns neat and easily accessible, consider storing them in binders or folders with clear sleeves or pockets. This allows you to flip through the pages without damaging the patterns and also makes it simple to locate specific designs. If you use clear sleeves and only put one pattern in each sleeve, you won’t have to pull out the pattern to see the fabric requirements (if they are listed on the back of the pattern).
5. Label everything: Don’t forget to label so that you can quickly identify what’s inside your boxes, baskets, drawers, or binders without having to search through every single one.
Books and Magazines
1. Purge: gather up all your books and magazines in one place and decide what to keep and what to donate, sell, or discard.
2. Alphabetical order: If you have a collection of books related to sewing techniques or reference guides, alphabetizing them can make finding specific information a breeze.
3. Subject-based organization: Another option is to group your books based on their topic such as applique, paper piecing, hand quilting, machine quilting, etc. Once you’ve gathered your books and you start to look through them, you’ll get a good sense of what categories you can divide them into.
4. Get control of your magazines: sort them by year or by magazine name. Or maybe tear out the patterns you want to keep and pass the rest of the magazine onto someone else.
Scrap Fabric 101
1. Scrap Fabric Bins: Transform old shoe boxes or plastic containers into storage bins for your fabric scraps. You can label them by color or sizes/shapes, making it easy to find what you need for future projects.
2. Fabric Scrap Garland: Turn your fabric scraps into a colorful garland by cutting them into strips and tying them onto a string or ribbon. Hang it up as decoration in your craft room or use it to jazz up a plain wall.
3. Scrap Quilts: Need I say more???
4. Fabric Covered Storage Boxes: Give plain cardboard boxes a makeover by wrapping them with scrap fabric using glue or double-sided tape. These stylish storage solutions are perfect for organizing smaller items like buttons, ribbons, and beads. Covered cereal boxes make great magazine and pattern storage!
5. Scrap Fabric Wreaths: Use wire wreath frames as the base and tie on small pieces of fabric all around until the frame is completely covered. This DIY wreath ad
6. Bags and totes: Use your scraps to make bags and totes in a multitude of sizes and shapes. Bags and totes can used to store projects, take on the go, use in place of plastic grocery bags, and much more.
7. Rag Rugs: Cut fabric scraps into strips and weave them together to make colorful rag rugs for your home decor. It’s an eco-friendly way to repurpose those leftover materials!
8. Pincushions: Imagine the possibilities!
Cleaning Habits and Routines
1. Start with a clear workspace: Before you begin sewing, take a few minutes to clear off your work area. Put away any tools or materials that are not in use, so you have plenty of room to work. Sounds like a good habit to start, doesn’t it?
2. Wipe down surfaces: Dust and debris can accumulate quickly in a sewing room, so it’s important to regularly wipe down your surfaces. Use a damp cloth or disinfectant wipes to keep things clean and hygienic.
3. Empty the trash regularly: Don’t let the scraps of fabric or discarded thread pile up next to you as you sew. Make it part of your routine to empty the trash bin frequently, keeping your space neat and tidy.
4. Organize your supplies: Invest in some storage containers or bins for all of your sewing supplies such as thread spools, bobbins, scissors, etc. Having designated spots for everything will make it easier for you to find what you need and to maintain an organized space.
5. Vacuum or sweep the floor: Fabric lint can easily accumulate on the floor around your sewing area, so give it a good vacuum or sweep every now and then to keep things looking fresh.
Better Lighting
1. Natural Light: Place your sewing table near a window to take advantage of natural light during the day.
2. Task Lighting: Invest in good task lighting options, such as adjustable desk lamps or floor lamps with flexible necks. This will help you focus light directly on your sewing machine or work area, reducing eye strain.
3. LED Bulbs: Consider using LED bulbs as they are energy-efficient and provide bright, white light that mimics natural daylight. They also last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
4. Overhead Lighting: Ensure that you have adequate overhead lighting in the room to provide general illumination when needed. Choose fixtures with adjustable brightness settings so you can control the intensity based on your needs.
5. Multiple Light Sources: Use multiple light sources around your sewing room to minimize shadows and ensure even illumination across your work area.
6. Dimmers or Smart Bulbs: Installing dimmers or using smart bulbs that allow easy adjustment of brightness levels.
An Ergonomic Sewing Room
1. Your Sewing Chair: Look for one that provides good back support and has adjustable height options. This way, you can ensure proper posture while you work your creative magic.
2. Adjustable Cutting Table: It’s important to have a surface at a comfortable height so that you don’t strain your back or shoulders while cutting fabric. Look for tables with height-adjustable legs or consider using risers to customize the height according to your needs.
3. Sewing Machine Height: Make sure your sewing machine is set up at the right height for optimal comfort. You don’t want to be hunching over or straining your neck while working. Adjust the table or use additional supports if needed.
Make Your Space Your Space
1. Inspiration boards: These are fantastic for keeping your creative juices flowing. You can pin up fabric swatches, color palettes, sketches, and anything else that inspires you. It’s like having a visual brainstorming session right in front of you! Plus, it adds a lovely touch to your sewing room decor.
2: Artwork: Hang up some beautiful prints or paintings that speak to your soul. Maybe vintage sewing illustrations, artistic photographs of sewing machines, or framed inspirational quotes about quilting. Surrounding yourself with art that speaks to you will definitely lift your spirits while you work.
3. Special Keepsakes: Why not add some special keepsakes to your space? Maybe display a vintage thimble collection passed down from generations of skilled sewists in your family? Or use an antique jar as storage for small notions? Adding these personal touches adds character to your space and keeps those precious family memories alive.
I hope these ideas will help jump-start your journey of taking back your sewing space!Stay tuned and I’ll tell you more about my own journey in future posts.
VRD UPDATES
Just a few quick update on our recent projects:
12 Quilts of Valor Pattern Collection
The Quilts of Valor VRD Collection is finally available — you can get it HERE. You will definitely want to add this pattern collection to your Quilts of Valor patterns because all 12 quilts meet the QOVF size requirements. Additionally, a portion of the sales will be donated to the QOVF. You can visit the QOVF HERE.
12 Quilts of Christmas
I’m sorry we didn’t get this collection out in time for the 2023 Holidays, but you can be sure it’ll be out in plenty of time for Christmas in July 2024! Woohoo!
VRD Blog Hop
You bet we’re still having our 2nd VRD Blog Hop in 2024. We’ve just bumped it a little later in the year to March 2024. Stay tuned…….we’ll have more information coming soon.
I can’t think of any other updates right now, did I forget anything?
Well, that’s it for me this week. Fingers crossed that I squeeze in some time in the next week to begin taking back my studio from those wild partying pixies!
I hope January is off to a good start for you. I’ll bet you have some great quilting plans for this year. Me too! In fact, I am already getting started on some. Yay!
What about New Year’s Resolutions? Do you make any? If you do, how hard is it for you to keep them?
I don’t really make “Resolutions” anymore because they’ve always been so specific and of course, that just set myself up for failure — sigh…….I guess I’m just not disciplined enough. So, instead of Resolutions, I make “Goals” for the New Year. The great thing about Goals over Resolutions for me is that my goals are not carved in stone and can change over time, can become completely irrelevant, or even get carried over into the next year. Know what I mean?
That being said, here are my Goals so far for the New Year:
Eat more healthfully and get more active
De-clutter, downsize, and organize
Finish more projects
Use my stash more efficiently
Save more money
Stick to a regular daily work schedule
Find more time for creativity
Change what I can and accept what I cannot change
Be kind
I find that if I actually write my Goals down and review them once in a while, then I am more likely to accomplish them, or at least break them down into smaller steps so I am working my way towards the finish line. I keep a list of my Goals (written in pencil) in the front of my yearly planner. Sometimes I add more Goals throughout the year, change a Goal completely or even erase it if it no longer makes sense to me. Basically, I think it really all boils down to beginning and maintaining new habits.
Speaking of the New Year, it’s the Thursday after the first Friday of the month, which means NEW Rose Card Quilt Patterns! Yay!
January 2024 VRD Rose Card Quilt Patterns
January’s patterns are awesome, aren’t they? Lucky you, you can get the set of 5 patterns for the special price of $8.95 HERE.
Please join me in warmly welcoming our newest designers, Rachelle of Rachelle Handmade and Deanne of Creative Sewlutions! Welcome Rachelle and Deanne! Hopefully soon, we’ll have Designer Spotlights here on the blog so everyone can get to know the two of you better.
Yep, there’s a new table runner pattern for Janaury, too. It’s called Snowberry and you can get it HERE.
Did you know you can get the New Rose Card patterns delivered right to you mailbox every month? You can sign up to get just the 5 monthly patterns HERE or you can get the 5 monthly patterns plus table runner(s) HERE.
But wait — there’s MORE!
If you missed last week’s blog post, I debuted our very special NEW Collection of patterns in partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF). The collection features 12 Rose Card patterns that meet the size requirements for a QOV quilt. And of course, they are FAST and FUN patterns!
You can get the collection of 12 QOV patterns for the amazing price of $14.95 HERE. AND, a portion of the sales will be donated to the QOVF. It’s a win-win-win for you, for the QOVF, and for Villa Rosa Designs!
This collection of QOV patterns is sew inspiring that I challenge you to get together with a group of your quilty pals and make some quilts to donate to your local QOV organization. You can check HERE to find your closest QOV chapter. Maybe you’ll join and support the QOVF’s mission to get quilts into the hands of veterans and active service members.
Quilting Together
I know I’ve talked about getting together with your quilt posse before, but with a brand new year, it’s time to make some plans to quilt together. Quilting together is not a new idea at all, our grandmothers and their grandmothers gathered together to make quilts as well as to work on hand-sewing projects. Quilting circles were very popular during the Civil War, while women and girls did their part for the war effort by sewing for the soldiers, often their fathers and sons, neighbors and friends. My point is that quilting together is an important part of quilting and sewing and has been for generations.
This vintage photo shows a group of women hand-quilting a Double Wedding Ring quilt in the 1930’s or 1940’s. See the young lady at the end on the left, she’s a lefty like me. Just sayin’!
Here are some great benefits we get when we quilt together:
Social Connection, Community, and Friendship
Sharing and Collaboration
Learning New Skills
Improving Existing Skills
Teaching Others
Self Esteem and Confidence
Stress Relief and Relaxation (for some quilters, anyway)
Quilt Guilds are a continuation of the quilting bees and sewing circles of the past. I’ve been a member of the Free Spirit Quilters for quite some time now. And I know I’ve talked about my Friday Quilt Class/Group here on the blog before and how important those ladies are to me. Additionally, I have several friends (yes, I have friends [eye roll here]) with whom I get together to sew. It might be hand-sewing hexies while watching tennis or mysteries on TV or sewing all day in a friend’s newly set-up quilt room. And as part of my decluttering, downsizing, and organizing goal, I hope to get a second workspace set up in my studio so I can have a friend over to quilt with me in my space, too.
When I was a Girl Scout a long time ago, I can remember singing the song “The More We Get Together.” Do you remember this song?
I hope your New Year is off to a great start! I’m excited about all the cool stuff we’ve got planned for Villa Rosa Designs for 2024. All you need to do is stay tuned here on the blog. :)
Last week we wrapped up our 5 week December Accessory Sew Along (SAL). I hope you enjoyed the series, even if you didn’t get a chance to make your projects yet. As promised, I added links to the SAL along the right side of the blog along with a link to the collection. You can find the December SAL section right under our Quilting Partners. Now you can participate in the 2023 December SAL whenever it works for you. I hope you do because the projects are fast and lots of fun. Feel free to add your own touches to make them your own. I am looking forward to seeing your finished projects on our VRD Facebook page.
We are absolutely thrilled to kick off 2024 with the debut of our 12 Quilts of Valor Rose Card Pattern Collection in partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF)!
It took a little more time to finish the collection than we had originally anticipated, but here it is — a super way to start off the new year! Yay!
We are partnering with the Quilts of Valor Foundation to help get more quilts made and into the hands of veterans and active service members. Each of the 12 quilts in the collection meet the size requirements for a Quilts of Valor quilt. AND, a portion of the sales will be donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation!
If you’re a follower of the blog, then you already know how near and dear my local Quilts of Valor chapter, PA Stitchers of Valor, is to my heart. I’m SEW PROUD to say that the founder and leader of my local group, Collene Munn, was recently honored as a 2023 Difference Maker. You can read the article HERE.
Here is Collene’s overview of the past year on the PA Stitchers of Valor Facebook page:
2023 was a great year for PA Stitchers of Valor, we celebrated our 6th Anniversary with the Quilts of Valor Foundation in April and awarded our 500th Quilt of Valor in May and our 600th Quilt of Valor in November! We have been busy but have been honored to recognize almost 140 Veterans in one year!! We have help[ed] start a new group in Andover/Ashtabula Ohio and have another one looking to join after the first of the year in [the] Franklin/Oil City area. We have lost a few members due to these new groups starting but are happy for both of them. I am excited to see where 2024 takes us! If interested in joining or helping our group in any way please reach out to me. Happy New Year PA Stitchers of Valor thank you for a great year!!!
— Collene Munn, 1 January 2024
Thank you, Collene, for everything that you do!
And thank you to everyone who gives their time, supplies, and skills to recognize and honor our veterans and service members with a Quilt of Valor.
You can get involved!
Here’s How:
Find your local or closest organization HERE. There are 577 chapters in the United States, so chances are there’s one near you. Become a member and volunteer.
Get your VRD 12 Quilts of Valor Collection for an amazing $14.95 HERE. Remember, all 12 quilts meet the size requirements for a Quilt of Valor quilt and a portion of every sale is donated to the QOVF.
Make a quilt and donate it to your local chapter. Make sure you read the quilt requirements are HERE.
REPEAT!
National Sew Day is February 3rd, so ask around your area to find out where you can help make quilts for QOV. My local chapter will have 2 different locations this year for Friday and Saturday. I’m making plans to be there.
3 days after Christmas! How can that be??? Wow! I feel like I’ve been flying on autopilot and all of a sudden I’ve landed and I have no idea where I am. Do you ever feel that way?
Well, it’s Week 5 — our final week — of our December Sew Along. I definitely enjoyed sprinkling a bit of sewing time throughout this crazy month and I think we should do this again next year. What small projects do you think we should do December 2024?
Of course, by then, we’ll probably have even more choices as we hope to add new Accessory Rose Card patterns in 2024. Hmmm…. We’ll have to see what fun new patterns our amazing designers come up with, won’t we?
You can find the December Sew Along Accessory Rose Card collectionHERE.
Even if you didn’t get to sew along in December, I will add the December Sew Along posts to the right side of the blog so you can enjoy sewing along with me whenever you’re ready to join in. There’s no pressure, really. Do it at your own pace. I hope you do, though, because the projects are not only fun, they are functional and achievable!
If you missed the December Sew Along projects so far, you can find them here:
Petula Jane is rather particular so sometimes she has to find creative ways to maintain her high standards. She often has to eat on the go or even at her desk -- horrors -- at the office. However, why should she have to endure paper napkins and plastic silverware like her coworkers do? Adding a little bit of elegance to any meal can make even burgers and fries gourmet, although Petula Jane prefers a nice mixed green salad. So Petula Jane created a collection of these wonderful place mats with proper cloth napkins and her grandmother's silver tucked into the handy pockets. She even rolled a battery-operated candle inside each place mat for a classier ambience! That way, meals away from home can still be considered an event and not just a happening. Petula Jane used fabrics from her favorite designers and added embellishments and embroidery to make her place mats and matching napkins perfectly perfect. You do you, girl!
Your Sew Along Challenge this week is to make your very own Petula Jane Roll & Go Place Mat and Napkin.
That’s right — this week, for Week 5 of our December Sew Along, you need to have your pattern pack in hand. Grab your supplies and create your own one of a kind unique Roll & Go Place Mat and Napkin.
Please make sure to join us on the Villa Rosa Facebook page to share your project this week and to check out the projects of your fellow VRD enthusiasts. The “social connection” is what makes sew alongs SEW much fun! Show us your fabrics! Any tips or hints for construction? Anything you need help with or don’t understand? Did you customize your project? Maybe you’re making 10 of them for gift-giving! Please share because we ALL want to see your Sew Along “sew and tells.”
Villa Rosa Designs Facebook Page — you can use this link to take you to the VRD Facebook page. Make sure you are signed into your Facebook account and on the VRD page you can “like” us to join in the fun. The more folks that join in, the more fun it will be!
Tricia’s Petula Jane Sew Along Project
Here are the wonderful fabrics I chose for this project. I received these fat quarters in a fabric exchange a few years ago and never could find a project I wanted to use them for …. until now. I love that they are blue and tan, but even more I love that they are contemporary and would be appealing for men as well as women.
I made my napkin first. Instead of folding my hems under and pressing, I decided to use my rolled hem foot on my sewing machine. It sort of worked…..I had to repair a few sections and one corner was a bit messy, but it is completed, which is actually more important than perfect to me.
Next I made my pockets and stitched them to the place mat front. I went ahead and stitched the pockets close to the raw edges so that when I sewed the place mat front and back together, the pockets wouldn’t get crazy on me and slide about.
Then I made the strap. I actually folded it down the center lengthwise and pressed, then folded the raw edges into the fold and pressed again, using a few pins to keep things under control before stitching down both sides of the long edges. I folded one short end in as well. I am not a big fan of sewing narrow tubes right sides together and turning them right sides out, especially with one sewn short end. The tubes always get away from me and I end up with some kind of a fabric nightmare. LOL!
I decided not to add the velcro to the strap, either, instead planning to wrap the strap around the place mat and tuck the end under in a more casual way.
The last thing to do was to layer the front and back of the place mat right sides together and sew all the way around the outside edges, leaving an opening for turning it right sides out. I poked out the corners and smoothed the edges, pressing the raw edges of the opening under. Then I sewed around the outside close to the edge.
Yeehaw! Done!
What a great project! Love it! Can’t wait to make some more as gifts….
Okay, now it’s your turn! I hope you will enjoy making your Petula Jane place mat and napkin!
Time to get your Place Mat and Napkin made this week (between Thursday December 28th and Thursday January 4th) and share it on the VRD Facebook page. I’ll see you there and I can’t wait to see what you make and hear your Petula Jane sewing story! Let’s add where you’re from, too! It’s lots of fun to see where all our VRD friends hail from!
Oh My Goodness! It’s 4 days until Christmas Day. Wow! That’s so hard to wrap my head around. I hope you are more ready for the holidays than I am……I am so far behind now, I don’t know how everything is going to get done unless I forgo sleep until the 25th….
Happily, our December Sew Along gives me the chance to slow down a little bit and enjoy sewing something really fun.
I am sorry, but it’s probably a little late to join in the fun of our December Sew Along at this point as we are now on Week 4 out of 5 weeks. However, you can still order the set of 5 Accessory patterns HERE and do the SAL at your own pace as I will add the December SAL along the right side of the blog so you can find the individual posts easily.
If you missed the December Sew Along projects so far, you can find them here:
Olivia Jane is one sassy lady! Variety is the spice of her life. She has too many interests and hobbies to count and makes these cute patchwork totes in multiples just to keep her life organized. They are quick and fun and Olivia Jane can use charm square packs, fat quarters, and even her scraps and stash to whip up these great little totes. Each bag that she makes in truly one of a kind! Olivia Jane keeps a few bags empty so she she can take them shopping, antiquing, to her quilt guild meetings, to knitting club, or to her multiple book clubs. Whew! Trying to keep up with Olivia Jane is a difficult task for all her friends. To thank her besties for everything they do for her, this year Olivia Jane is making these fun bags for everyone. Of course, she started them early in the year so she would be ready for holiday gift-giving. Just one more to go.....
Your Sew Along Challenge this week is to make your very own Olivia Jane tote bag.
That’s right — this week, for Week 4 of our December Sew Along, you need to have your pattern pack in hand. Grab your supplies and create your own one of a kind unique Charm Square Patchwork Tote Bag.
Please make sure to join us on the Villa Rosa Facebook page to share your project this week and to check out the projects of your fellow VRD enthusiasts. The “social connection” is what makes sew alongs SEW much fun! Show us your fabrics! Any tips or hints for construction? Anything you need help with or don’t understand? Did you customize your project? Maybe you’re making 10 of them for Christmas! Please share because we ALL want to see your Sew Along “sew and tells.”
Villa Rosa Designs Facebook Page — you can use this link to take you to the VRD Facebook page. Make sure you are signed into your Facebook account and on the VRD page you can “like” us to join in the fun. The more folks that join in, the more fun it will be!
Before we get to my Olivia Jane tote bag, I wanted to talk a little bit about the pattern. Olivia Jane is a great pattern to add your own touch or to use your own finishing techniques. The pattern even gives you 3 different options for sewing your squares together! The tote works up quickly and it’s fun to play around in your charm squares and stash — we all need a reason to dive back into our own stashes, right? Or, head to your local quilt shop and gather up a beautifully-coordinated collection of fabrics to use for your tote bag. Whatever you do, Olivia Jane will be right by your side.
One of the cool things about bag-making is that there are a lot of different techniques to explore as well as a lot of different ways to get to the same end results. If you’re reading between the lines here, what I’m really saying is that I don’t follow directions very well — Mea Culpa….
Tricia’s Olivia Jane Sew Along Project
Here is my finished Olivia Jane tote! I just love how it turned out. Isn’t it adorable??? This would be a great tote for carrying books to/from the library, going to quilt guild meetings, or whatever. With its open top design, though, I wouldn’t use it as a purse because my wallet and personal items wouldn’t be secure. But beyond that, anything goes!
Here are my fun and sunny fabrics! I looked through my stash of partial charm packs and this blue and yellow one begged to be used. I added the leftover floral print for the lining and the tonal yellow for the strap. Ready to go!
The first thing I did was to sew my charm squares together. I chose to alternate my blue and yellow squares. Do likewise of you want or not. It’s your tote! Don’t forget to read over the pattern because it gives 3 different variations for the charm square arrangement on the front of the tote.
Shhhh, but I deviated from the pattern a little bit. I decided that I wanted a sturdier tote that would hold up to what I usually put in my tote bags like books and sewing projects on the go. I added a layer of Pellon Decor Bond, which is my favorite fusible interfacing for bags and totes. I fused Decor Bond to the back side of my charm square bag front, my lining fabric, and the strap. I really like this product because it gives my bags and totes body so they stand up without wilting. Love that.
Another option would be to add a layer of batting in your tote to give it a little bit more body. But wait — there’s more! Other possibilities include Soft and Stable foam from byAnnie’s, Flex-Foam from Pellon, or Bosal’s In-R-Form Plus fusible foam stabilizer.
Another adaptation I made was to add an inside pocket because you can never have enough pockets!
I sewed 4 leftover charm squares together into a Four Patch block. Then I sewed the pieced pocket front right sides together with a same-size square of leftover lining fabric. I sewed around both sides and the bottom, leaving the top open. Then I turned my pocket right sides out and pushed out the corners. I pressed it well, folded the top edge down, and folded it down again to encase the raw edges. This little trick gives you a sassy little strip of fabric at the top of your pocket.
Next I measured about 2″ up from the center bottom of the lining fabric and centered my pocket on the lining. (Yup, that’s a friction pen I’m using to mark my lines on the lining fabric. With a quick press of my iron, the lines will disappear!) Finally, I sewed around both sides and the bottom of the pocket. Done! Now I have a place for a bottle of water or my keys or a small notebook…or whatever fits. LOL!
I also added a little fun to my strap by using one of the gazillion fancy stitches on my sewing machine. I stitched this really cute spiral design down the center of my strap. It actually helps to keep the strap from stretching; however, it looks like a fancy-shmancy embellishment.
Adding little details like this to any bag or tote raises the bar for its uniqueness. Little details like this are also the difference between a 2nd place and a first place finish at your local fair or show. Just sayin’……
The last thing I did to change up Olivia Jane was to box the corners of the bottom of my bag. This gave my bag a flat base so it could stand up, which works better for me and my stuff.
Boxed corners aren’t hard to do. First you make sure the inside of the lining or bag is on the outside and then fold the bottom of your bag so that the side seams create a point like you see in the first photo above. I decided to use 1.5″ as my measurement for making my boxed corners because I didn’t want to make the bag much smaller in size. In the second photo you see my Frixion pen line, which is measured 1.5″ from the point. Then simply sew on the line, back-stitching at each end. Repeat for both sides of the lining fabric as well as the the corners of the charm square bag front. Some people trim away the waste triangle at each side, but I leave them there to add a little extra support to the bottom of my bag.
There are actually lots of other things you can do or add to your Olivia Jane tote to make yours individual to you. You could add a flap and magnetic snap, velcro, or a button to secure the top of the bag. You could add more pockets — even on the front and back of the tote. Make 2 straps instead of just one or use ready-made bag handles as another option. Make the strap(s) longer or shorter to suit your needs. Make the bag bigger by adding more charm squares — just remember to make the lining fabric the same size. Another idea would be to use batting on the inside of your bag and practice your free motion quilting to quilt the front of the bag and the batting together. All of these options make bag-making really fun because you can start with the same pattern and end up with totally different bags.
My sewing partner….Griffin. He’s the studio supervisor, of course!
Okay, now it’s your turn! I hope you will enjoy making your Olivia Jane tote!
Time to get your Patchwork Tote made this week (between Thursday December 21at and Thursday December 28th) and share it on the VRD Facebook page. I’ll see you there and I can’t wait to see what you make and hear your Olivia Jane sewing story! Let’s add where you’re from, too! It’s lots of fun to see where all our VRD friends hail from!
See you next Thursday for Week 5 of our December Sew Along.
(PSST! If you’re one of those work ahead kind of folks — our Week 5 project is Petula Jane which will officially begin next Thursday, December 28th. Feel free to have at it, but please don’t post any of your photos or progress on Petula Jane until after next week’s blog post. Between now and then, let’s focus on Olivia Jane. Thank you!)
Are you ready for another fun Accessory pattern project for Week 3 of our December Sew Along? I really hope that you are sewing along with me. These accessory Rose Card patterns are not only fun, but fast, too! Of course, I’ve only picked 5 for this Sew Along, but there are more. You can find all of our current Accessory patterns HERE. Don’t forget that we are planning to add more Accessory patterns in 2024, so you’ll have to stay tuned….
Did you order your set of 5 patterns for the December Sew Along yet? There’s still time for you to jump in (you’d better get cracking,though!) and sew along with me.
Or you can save the projects for when you’re ready to do a little fun sewing after the hustle and bustle of December. I will add the December Sew Along to the right side of the blog so you can find the posts whenever you’re ready to sew. That’s definitely one of the cool things about an online Sew Along, you can do it anytime you’re ready, even in the middle of the night wearing your pajamas and eating a bowl of ice cream.
Catrina Jane is a scrap saver, but more importantly, she is a scrap user.Quilts are just not complete until you use at least 100 different prints in them.One background fabric???Absolutely not -- when 57 are better!Catrina Jane dove into her stash of scraps and small pieces and whipped up a dozen of these delightful little Pattern Card Holders!Now to decide which quilty pal gets which one.Decisions....Decisions.... And of course, Catrina Jane plans to slip a few Villa Rosa Designs Rose Cards into her cute little Pattern Holders before gifting them.
Your Sew Along Challenge this week is to make your very own Catrina Jane Pattern Card Holder.
That’s right — this week, for Week 3 of our December Sew Along, you need to have your pattern pack in hand. Grab your supplies and create your own one of a kind unique 2 Pocket Pattern Holder.
Please make sure to join us on the Villa Rosa Facebook page to share your project this week and to check out the projects of your fellow VRD enthusiasts. The “social connection” is what makes sew alongs SEW much fun! Show us your fabrics! Any tips or hints for construction? Anything you need help with or don’t understand? Did you customize your project? Maybe you’re making 10 of them for Christmas! Please share because we ALL want to see your Sew Along “sew and tells.”
Villa Rosa Designs Facebook Page — you can use this link to take you to the VRD Facebook page. Make sure you are signed into your Facebook account and on the VRD page you can “like” us to join in the fun. The more folks that join in, the more fun it will be!
Tricia’s Catrina Jane Sew Along Project
Like Catrina Jane, I perused my own oversized stash and settled on these fun fabrics. The red and blue floral is an older Minnick and Simpson print. Then I added a tonal red and a creamy white to the mix. Yes, you can make a Pattern Holder out of a single fabric, but also like Catrina Jane, I love a scrappy but coordinated look.
Now to cut out all the pieces and get sewing!
After I made my tab, I centered it on the left side of the main print. Nope, I didn’t measure a thing! My secret to finding the center of pretty much anything is to fold it in half and make a crease at the center. Then I just line up the creases and done. Easy Piezy!
Once I centered the tab on the main print, I placed the pocket fabric right sides together on top on both sides of the main print. If needed, go ahead and add a couple pins to hold things in place. Then I stitched the sides. I pressed my seams towards the main print on the back and voila! My tab ended up in the right place. Whew!
Now let’s place the lining fabric right sides together with the main print/side pockets. I learned a great little tip a while back at my quilt guild — at the corners, instead of trying to make them 90 degrees, pivot and stitch a couple stitches at the corner to gently round the corner instead of making a sharp corner. It makes a much nicer, smoother, and sharper corner than turning 90 degrees! Try it sometime. Don’t forget to leave an opening for turning your Pattern Holder right sides out.
I turned my Holder right sides out and used my handy dandy chopstick to gently push out the corners. I also like to run my chopstick along all the seams on the inside to help the seams to behave.
Time to fold over the pockets and sew. The directions called for using a zig zag stitch, but I chose to use a straight stitch on mine. Do the same if you like, or maybe you’ll explore some of the million embroidery and fancy stitches on your machine.
Instead of velco, I decided to put a cute little red snap to secure my Pattern Holder. Fun, fun, fun!
The very last thing to do is to fill up the pockets with cards!
Wouldn’t this be a great little gift for your favorite quilting friends? Add a couple Rose Card patterns inside and instant swoon-worthy gift. The Pattern Holder takes around an hour to make, depending on your finishing options, so it truly is a great last-minute gift idea.
Some Fun Ideas to Personalize Catrina Jane:
Add ric rac, buttons, or other embellishments.
Add a monogram or initials to the front cover if your machine can do that.
Try a fun button as a closure instead of velcro or a snap.
Add a few small pockets to the front cover and/or inside to stash cash, a credit card, or even more Rose Card patterns.
Make it bigger to hold more cards — with 4 pockets instead of 2. You would need to basically double the width of the lining and main fabric while keeping the length the same. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll try this idea sometime.
Shrink it down and use it to hold business cards.
What else could you stash inside the pockets? How about handmade note cards? Wouldn’t that be a sweet gift to yourself or someone else?
Add a layer of fleece or batting to make a firmer Pattern Holder.
Okay, now it’s your turn!
Time to get your Pattern Holder made this week (between Thursday December 14th and Thursday December 21st) and share it on the VRD Facebook page. I’ll see you there and I can’t wait to see what you make and hear your Catrina Jane sewing story! Let’s add where you’re from, too! It’s lots of fun to see where all our VRD friends hail from!
See you next Thursday for Week 4 of our December Sew Along.
(PSST! If you’re one of those work ahead kind of folks — our Week 4 project is Olivia Jane which will officially begin next Thursday, December 21st. Feel free to have at it, but please don’t post any of your photos or progress on Olivia Jane until after next week’s blog post. Between now and then, let’s focus on Catrina Jane. Thank you!)
Are you ready for another fun Accessory pattern project for Week 2 of our December Sew Along? Of course, I also have the NEW December Rose Card patterns to share with you, too. Lots of great fun this week.
So, how’s your holiday shopping and preparations coming along? I am happy to say that I’ve gotten started a bit this last week. I put up the outside Christmas decorations and lights (not that I do a lot of decorating, but at least we’re not a dark house for December). I don’t have that much more Christmas shopping to do, but I do still have some Christmas sewing and makes to get done. I haven’t started decorating inside yet nor have I started baking or wrapping gifts. Guess I’d better get to it, huh?
Speaking of gift gifting, I think you’re going to love Savannah Jane, our wonderful and quick Week 2 Sew Along project.
Did you order your set of 5 patterns for the December Sew Along yet? There’s still time for you to jump in and sew along with me.
Or you can save the projects for when you’re ready to do a little fun sewing after the hustle and bustle of December. I will add the December Sew Along to the right side of the blog so you can find the posts whenever you’re ready to sew. That’s definitely one of the cool things about an online Sew Along, you can do it anytime you’re ready, even in the middle of the night wearing your pajamas and eating a bowl of ice cream.
If you missed it, you can find the December Sew Along Week 1 — Amanda Jane — HERE.
Here’s Molly’s version of Amanda Jane! Don’t you just love her mod fabric choices??? isn’t she just rockin’ this Amanda Jane apron with style?
Thanks for sharing your project, Molly!
Savannah Jane
VRD December Sew Along Week 2
Savannah Jane is a sophisticated gal with an artsy streak. She just loves this wonderful and versatile pieced scarf -- she can add an artsy touch to her wardrobe without breaking the bank. Savannah Jane can make this scarf in about an hour, so it's a snap to whip up a new scarf for any occasion or outfit. Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but she's made at least a dozen already. And when she meets her gal pals for lunch, they ooohhh and aaahhh over her latest scarf creation. Savannah Jane just smiles because she knows something they don't -- they are all getting their own one of a kind scarf for Christmas.
Your Sew Along Challenge this week is to make your very own Savannah Jane pieced scarf!
That’s right — this week, for Week 2 of our December Sew Along, you need to have your pattern pack in hand. Grab your supplies and create your own one of a kind totally you Savannah Jane pieced scarf. Bet you can’t make just 1 (wink, wink)….
Please make sure to join us on the Villa Rosa Facebook page to share your project this week and to check out the projects of your fellow VRD enthusiasts. The “social connection” is what makes sew alongs SEW much fun! Show us your fabrics! Any tips or hints for construction? Anything you need help with or don’t understand? Did you customize your project? Maybe you’re making 10 of them for Christmas! Please share because we ALL want to see your Sew Along “sew and tells.”
Villa Rosa Designs Facebook Page — you can use this link to take you to the VRD Facebook page. Make sure you are signed into your Facebook account and on the VRD page you can “like” us to join in the fun. The more folks that join in, the more fun it will be!
Now, I’ve never made a pieced scarf before, so I was pretty excited to give Savannah Jane a whirl. And guess what??? If you like Savannah Jane, you’re going to LOVE her sister, Inessa Jane. Inessa Jane is an Infinity scarf!
Let me show you my Savannah Jane pieced scarf! Or should I say scarves??? I’ve already made 2 and have plans to make a couple more for holiday gifts. And maybe even one for myself. LOL!
I chose this charm pack for my Savannah Jane scarf. Don’t you just love the yummy colors? I have a special someone in mind for this one already!
The instructions are simple to follow and Savannah Jane goes together in about an hour! Nice — my kind of project!
Here you can see my squares all sewn together into 2 long long strips! I sewed them together randomly, just making sure not to put two like colors together.
I pressed all my seams in the same direction, pressing first on the back and then also on the front so those seams would stay as flat as possible. Who wants a lumpy scarf??? I even used a little of my favorite Best Press.
Are you familiar with Best Press? My favorite scent is Peaches and Cream, it’s so yummy (No, I don’t drink it, silly you for wondering that!). Of course, if Peach isn’t your scent, there are lots to chose from, including an unscented one which is perfect if you’re sensitive to scents. I’ve personally tried most of them and found Peach to be the scent for me.
Anyway, after my seams were all nice and flat, I was ready to sew my 2 long long strips together on both sides — basically making a long tube with both ends open. I layered them right sides together, offsetting the ends.
Yay! Here it is all ready to turn right side out.
Ta Da! Here’s my scarf partially turned right side out. It reminds me of a snake shedding its skin — ick — not my favorite image, I can assure you.
Whew! All turned right side out now. Time to flatten the tube with the long seams centered on the front and back of the scarf so you see the offset piecing effect. Isn’t that the coolest thing? Sew clever! Sew easy! Sew beautiful! Especially with these batik fabrics!
Let’s finish the ends now. I folded them under about 1/4″ or so and tried to make each end as straight as possible, which meant I had to do a little fiddling as I pressed the ends flat.
At this point you could hand-sew the openings closed if you didn’t want to see any stitching, but I opted for simple and quick, sewing a straight line across the ends about 1/4″ in from the edge, back-stitching at each end.
Another thought would be to try out some of the wonderful fancy stitches on your sewing machine to finish your edges — that would add a little bit extra something something to your scarves. Or maybe just a edgy modern serged effect? Bet you can come up with even more finishing ideas for your scarves!
Done! In about an hour, no less. LOVE IT!
It was such a fun and quick project, I knew I had to make another one. Like I said, bet you can’t make just one….
Hmmm…..I’m thinking I might need to make 2 or 3 more for Christmas, too. Now that I have this great go-to pattern, it’s going to be loads of fun to personalize my fabric choices for each recipient.
It’s also easy to customize if you need a shorter or longer scarf. Use a charm square pack or cut your own squares from your stash — it’s all up to you.
I’m thinking a flannel charm pack might just be the ticket for my own scarf for this winter. Now to hunt down some squares! Where did I put that flannel charm pack???
VRD NEW December Rose Card Patterns
Now that we’ve had some fun with Week 2 of our December Sew Along, it’s time to show off our newest patterns!
Aren’t they awesome! Every month just gets better and better. Our designers are simply the best! You can get the set of 5 new patterns HERE.
I promised a new table runner pattern for December, too. Sorry we didn’t have enough time to get one out for last month, but I think you’ll like my December runner. It’s fun and very fast. I chose a background fabric with metallic stars and assorted grey fabrics for the strips.
Before I close this post, I wanted to take a moment and update you on the projects we’ve been feverishly trying to get done for you.
Quilts of Honor (Quilts of Valor) Collection — this wonderful set of 12 VRD patterns sized just right for your Quilts of Valor donation quilts will be out very soon. You’re going to want this collection! And a portion of each purchase will be donated to the QOVF.
12 Quilts of Christmas — Sadly, we’re a little bit behind schedule with this one, but it should be out soon as well, just in time for Christmas. This collection features 12 brand new Christmas-themed quilts designed just for you by our talented VRD designers.
2024 Blog Hop — The 2024 Blog Hop is going to be pushed back a little bit to February/March as we’ve been working so hard on the other projects.
Okay, now it’s your turn!
Time to get your pieced scarf made this week (between Thursday December 7th and Thursday December 14th) and share it on the VRD Facebook page. I’ll see you there and I can’t wait to see what you make and hear your Savannah Jane sewing story! Let’s add where you’re from, too! It’s lots of fun to see where all our VRD friends hail from!
See you next Thursday for Week 3 of our December Sew Along.
(PSST! If you’re one of those work ahead kind of folks — our Week 3 project is Catrina Jane which will officially begin next Thursday, December 14th. Feel free to have at it, but please don’t post any of your photos or progress on Catrina Jane until after next week’s blog post. Between now and then, let’s focus on our Week 1 project Amanda Jane and our Week 2 project Savannah Jane. Thank you!)
Are you all geared up and ready for our fun December Sew Along? It’s not too late to join us if you haven’t gotten your Sew Along pattern set yet. You can get the set of 5 patternsHERE for the special price of $8.95.
This week, we are kicking off Week 1 of our December Sew Along with our Amanda Jane pattern.
Amanda Jane
VRD December Sew Along Week 1
Amanda Jane is a super busy and hard-working gal. It's hard enough to find time in her crazy life to spend some quality time doing her favorite hobbies and interests, so losing important items like her scissors and measuring tape are totally out of the question! Amanda Jane has it all covered in her cute and sensible work apron featuring 7 pockets! Hello supplies! And good bye wasted time looking for notions. Amanda Jane loves her work apron sew much, she just might make a different one for each day of the week, just because she can! And one for each of her crafty besties for the holidays, too!
Your Sew Along Challenge this week is to make your very own Amanda Jane work apron.
That’s right — this week, for Week 1 of our December Sew Along, you need to have your pattern pack in hand. Grab your supplies and create your own one of a kind totally you Amanda Jane apron.
Please make sure to join us on the Villa Rosa Facebook page to share your project this week and to check out the projects of your fellow VRD enthusiasts. The “social connection” is what makes sew alongs SEW much fun! Show us your fabrics! Any tips or hints for construction? Anything you need help with or don’t understand? Did you customize your project? Maybe you’re making 10 of them for Christmas! Please share because we ALL want to see your Sew Along “sew and tells.”
Villa Rosa Designs Facebook Page — you can use this link to take you to the VRD Facebook page. Make sure you are signed into your Facebook account and on the VRD page you can “like” us to join in the fun. The more folks that join in, the more fun it will be!
Tricia’s Amanda Jane Sew Along Project
I’m really excited to show off my Amanda Jane apron!
I had this adorable gnome Christmas fabric in my stash — it’s been begging to be made into something fun — and I thought it would be an awesome starting point for my apron! Not sure where it came from originally, but it is totally too cute NOT to use.
Who’s gonna rock Christmas in her apron this year, yeah??!!
Next I paired some coordinates straight outta my stash. What do you think? I wasn’t sure about the green, but I tried some other greens and this was the one that looked the best. Besides, I’m going to use the green on the back, so it really doesn’t have to be perfect. The teal was a complete no-brainer. And it had to have red polka dots, am I right here?
Hmm. I think I’ll use the red as the main fabric instead of the gnomes. And the gnomes as the big pocket so I’ll get to see more of the gnome fabric, because it really is all about the gnomes. The green definitely works as the back. Finally, the teal would make a great strap. What do you think? Oh! Then I’ll have a red pocket and a green pocket on the front. Cute. Let’s do this!
Well, I’d better stop chit chatting and starting cutting out my pieces.
Okay, I’m back. I got everything cut out, which wasn’t too hard, but I did have to dig out my really big square ruler to rotary cut my large pieces.
Here’s my gnome pocket, folded and ready to go. I’ve got the smaller pockets cut from leftovers of the red and green pinned and ready to stitch onto the gnomes.
You know, if you wanted even more color and fun, you could raid your scraps to find some coordinating fabrics for the smaller front pockets. Wink, wink. Just sayin’……
I know, I know…..I’d better get back to work. Can’t wait until I have a fun apron to use soon.
I think it would be great for wrapping gifts this holiday season. I’m always losing my scissors and tape in piles of paper…. What are you going to do with your apron?
Now I’ve got my big gnome pocket layered on my red dot fabric. I don’t know if you can see in the photo, but I’ve already got my sewing lines marked to create the large large pockets. I think it’s cool that one of the sewing lines goes right through the middle of my little red polka dot pocket to divide it into 2 smaller pockets. Nice! Now all the stuff I cram into the red pocket is less-likely to fall out when I bend over while wrapping.
Tags! Tags, anyone? I’ll know exactly where to find ’em when I need them. And I can tuck a pen or two in my handy dandy apron, too. Wow! I’m going to be the Inspector Gadget of Gift Wrapping this year!
Next I layered my apron front and back Right Sides Together (RST) and sewed along the bottom and the sides. Fingers crossed, I sewed relatively straight…. The I turned it right side out, smoothed and pressed the edges. And for a nice finish, I stitched about an 1/8″ inside the outside edge on both sides and the bottom of the apron.
Moving on to the strap — my goodness, that is a lot of strap. I think I could wrap my little house up in this strap. Wow! This step took me some time, but I nailed it!
AHA! Here I pinned my layers together with the apron sandwiched in between the long folded edges of the strap. To find the center of the apron, I folded it in half and marked the center top. Then I folded that long long strap in half and found the center, too. Finally, I matched up the centers and pinned that crazy strap into submission.
That strap seemed to have a mind of its own, though — it kept slithering away from me. Ugh! I think I need MORE PINS!
Huh! It worked! I got the apron pinned into the strap folds, sewed it, and it all worked. And it looks so so cute. Really! And it wasn’t difficult, once I got the hang of it. Take that, you crazy strap!
The final test — does it fit???
It fits! It actually fits me AND the strap wraps around my body back to the front just like in the photo on the front of the pattern — I won’t have to be a contortionist to tie it in the back, like most aprons! Awesome! I’m no skinny Minnie either — I’m a plus-size kind of gal and it fits me perfectly! I am thrilled.
Okay, now it’s your turn!
Time to get your apron made this week (between Thursday November 30th and Thursday December 7th) and share it on the VRD Facebook page. I’ll see you there and I can’t wait to see what you make and hear your Amanda Jane sewing story! Let’s add where you’re from, too! It’s lots of fun to see where all our VRD friends hail from!
See you next Thursday for Week 2 of our December Sew Along.
(PSST! If you’re one of those work ahead kind of folks — our Week 2 project is Savannah Jane which will officially begin next Thursday, December 7th. Feel free to have at it, but please don’t post any of your photos or progress on Savannah Jane until after next week’s blog post. Between now and then, let’s focus on Amanda Jane. Thank you!)
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