It's Like Magic!

My mind works kinda weird sometimes and here lately it's been bonkers!  I've been cutting a lot of fabrics! 

How many of you remember Joan Rivers and her famous comedy line....."Can we talk?"  

Well, let's talk a bit about the progression of the quilting and sewing industry. 

When I stop to think and reflect on how many years I've been sewing it rattles my poor little pea-sized brain.  (yes...I think my brain has been shrinking a size or two.  Remember, I'm still on my new eating plan for losing weight).

Let's talk!   What that's you say??   you want pictures??   

Ok, ok, don't nag me.......we'll get to that.   You can go ahead and skip all "this talk" if you want to and just look at pictures....it doesn't matter to me.  You might learn something if you read all of this.  I didn't just type to keep my fingers limber, ya know!  (Boy, I'm feeling a bit sassy today!)

1.  Fabrics - oh my how they've changed; the fiber content, the colors, the prints, the manufactures, artistic designers, fabrics made from recycled plastic, organic??    I remember sewing with cotton (organic)  fabrics that weren't color fast and they faded when you washed them.  Also used left over feed sack scraps for my dolls. 

2.  Patterns - did you know that tissue paper patterns were not always "printed" and there were little holes in them for your markings?  Clothing sizes....you had to really measure and adjust the patterns a lot.  Quilt patterns that were simple compared to what's available for today's busy sewers?  That was yesteryear....for sure! 

3.  Sewing machines - we all know about the treadle machines, right?  I loved sitting on the floor watching my Mom work that floor pedal with her feet.  Yes, I learned to sew on a treadle machine.  Now, we have machines that embroider, cut your threads, have built-in fancy stitches, thread your needles for you....just push a button. (I like my modern sewing machines!)

4.  Threads -  wooden spools, mercerized cotton, boilfast.  mmmmh! now we have every color, kind, fiber, size....even invisible and wash away thread, and we have to have special storage racks and thread bins to hold it all.  (When I used to shorten a store bought skirt or dress, I remember saving the thread from the hem seam to re-sew the shorter hemline....what?)


Do you ever stop and take a look at all your tools and gadgets we have today for our sewing and quilting?   How about your rulers? 

I've been on a "cutting frenzy" the last couple weeks.  I think there needs to be a number 5 on my list up there; rulers and templates.    I don't even use 90% of those rulers in that picture anymore, and forget templates.....yikes!   

Talk about progress in the quilting world?  How about this for Magic? 

Me and my AccuQuilt GO cutter......cranking out 6 fabric strips at a time.... magical progress at its finest!   And it doesn't even use any electricity.

Here's a peek into the Magic my GO cutter does for me.  It can turn yards and yards of fabrics ......

into this..................

Time Saver Kits for  my Etsy Shop.

or this.....

or this........

Or even this......

and this.......

Sorry, I can't "talk with you" anymore.   Gotta GO cut some more fabrics!

Thanks for visiting.

More FUN To Share!

Are you always in a time crunch and wish  a magic genie would help you out so you had more time to sew?   "Well, my friend.....(yes...I know that sounds like a used car salesman...but I'm really not!)  that's why my Etsy shop is known for its Time Saver Kits".

To me, there's nothing more FUN  than cutting & sewing.   "Yup!  Right On!"  (as she hold up her hand &  tries to get the Cat Supervisors to high five with her and they just look away.)

Check out this easy way to do some FUN sewing with pre-cut quilt squares from...............(yes......that's why my shop is called
SEW FUN QUILTS.)


Make a quilt sandwich.....("hold the mayo, add some lettuce") ....sew the squares on it and do some fancy stuff in between the rows. 

Add the binding......... (would you like fries with that?)

Ta .......Da........(your order's ready.)

After it's washed, it gets that soft, cuddly  wrinkled look.  Now GO take a nap with your new quilt.   (After you leave me a nice comment....ok?)

FUN! FUN! FUN!   That's what sewing and quilting should be about. 


Thanks for visiting.

Hey...wanna win a FREE Giveaway??

Since I didn't do a FREE giveaway last month, there will be 3 separate prizes this month.  Why 3?  I don't know........guess I just like that number better.

1.  30 Lime Green Fabrics 5" Squares - (one of the many sets/colors for sale in my ETSY Shop) - These are die cut with my GO cutter.  What??  you didn't think I'd  mention my ETSY Shop??? or my AccuQuilt GO cutter??.....(you gotta be kiddin' me!) 

2.    4 Coordinated Fat Quarters, one with a sewing theme.  I've just got a small amount of this sewing theme fabric left in my stash, so thought I'd share.  I made a lot of different things with it for my sewing buddies as Christmas gifts several years ago and it's no longer available.

 

3.   Paper Backed Fusible Appliques cut with my GO cutter - Fall theme; leaves, acorns, pumpkins & one black cat.  (FYI - in case you don't win this set of appliques, they are available in my ETSY shop too.)

To get a chance to win one of these Giveaway Freebies all you have to do is become a new follower of my blog and leave a comment.   If you are already a follower, then GO tell someone come back here, leave your comment then tell me you did that.  You're on your honor here.....I'm not your mother, ya know? 

Want more than one chance??  GO  (I love my AccuQuilt GO cutter and love to capitalize the word when I use it in my blog!)  tell another person to follow my blog for a chance to win a freebie, then tell another person, another person, AND another person, etc.  Each time you tell someone, come back here and leave a separate comment.  (Posting this on facebook, twitter or on your blog will count too.....just leave a separate comment each time.)  

This giveaway will end at midnight on Tuesday (8/16/11) and the winners will be randomly chosen by number and announced here on Wednesday, August 17th.   Have fun with it and good luck.

Thanks for visiting.

The Giveaway is now closed.  Thanks everyone.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.....just a GIVEAWAY!

Let's get right to it....short and sweet.   Here's all about my FREE Giveaway for April.

I love to make watercolor quilts and here's one  I made many years ago using  pre-cut 2 inch fabric squares.   I added 3 machine embroidered butterflies  fluttering around in the flowers, with the sun shining brightly over the garden.

Have you ever wanted to 'play' around with doing something like this?    Here's your chance with my Giveaway.


Here's  an example of some of the lighter two inch fabric squares that could be used to make your own watercolor quilt. 

And here's some of the darker ones.....

For my giveaway one lucky winner will receive  200 of these pre-cut 2 inch fabric squares....both light and dark.

Here's the scoop for 5 chances to win:

1.   Become a follower of my blog, and leave a comment on this post.  If you already are a follower, tell me.

2.  For another entry, tell a friend about this giveaway and leave a comment that you did so and you gave them the link to this post.

3.  For another entry, post about this Giveaway on your blog, then leave your comment telling me.

4.  For another entry, post about this giveaway on Facebook, then come back and leave another comment telling me you did.

5.  For another entry, post about this on Twitter adding @sewfunquilts in your post, then come back here and leave another comment.

You have until tomorrow, 4/22/11 at midnight CDT to enter.  The winner will be randomly drawn and announced here on my blog on Saturday 4/23/11.  (Please make sure I have a way to contact you via email in case you're the lucky winner.)

Have fun and thanks for visiting!


P.S.  Just in case you don't win, I'm now offering these same squares in sets of 100  in my Etsy Store here

Quiltsy Team with Etsy!

I'm a member of a special Team on Etsy called Quiltsy.  March is National Quilt Month and there has been lots of Etsy Treasuries featuring quilts and quilted art this month to honor our special celebration.   We love to help promote each other's work and Etsy shops too.   One of  the Quiltsy team special events for this celebration is the Sisterhood Traveling Quilt on the team blog.
Here's some of the items featured in this Red Hot  Etsy Treasury, including the table runner I shared with you in yesterday's post.  You can click here to see all of the items and be sure to leave a comment. 

        


     


          


The information about joining the Quiltsy team is on our team blog above.  I hope you'll visit these other color Quiltsy Team Treasuries too.  Have fun.

My lime green Seaweed bag was featured in this Green Team Treasury.

And if you like blues, this Blue Treasury is for you.

Beautiful quilts in this  Purple color one.



Thanks for visiting.

Have You Joined SJA Yet? ...and My New One!

Sewing junkie!  Yeah! that's what I am!    I just can't seem to get enough of it.  Guess that's why my embroidery machine is always clicking away while my Janome 6500 and I are having another bonding session.   

Believe me, if there was some way I could run my embroidery machine and both of my Janome sewing machines and use my GO cutter to cut the next project, all at the same time,  I would.  Just haven't been able to figure out how to do that ........YET!    

There's always SJA ...(Sewing Junkies Anonymous) but, I just can't bring myself to join and GO to those meetings.  They'd probably make me give my stash away!   Oh No!...my goodness.....what a thought!

Pictures on a post are always more fun, than just talking, so......

The sewing progress of my latest quilt.   And...Yes, the squares and binding were cut on my GO cutter.

Here's one of my faithful "helpers" hanging out with me and my Janome while I sew on the binding.

Sassy Chocolate and Bright Pinks...shabby chic...ahhh!    (oops..picture is a bit blurry!)

Close up, that's better.    This one is now for sale in my Etsy store.

Thanks GO to Sew Cal Gal and Accuquilt for this next picture.  I was one of four lucky winners on her recent blog giveaway and chose the Rose of Sharon die, designed by Sharon Pederson.  Can hardly wait to use it and create something with it....maybe a couple new pillows for my sofa.   Sew Cal Gal is one of my favorite blogs to visit and she is constantly informing everyone about the latest happenings in the sewing world.  You should definitely GO visit her blog and become a follower.

Thanks for visiting......and come back soon.

Happy New Year Giveaway!

Happy New Year everyone!  


As I reflect on 2010, it has been a good year for me with all the Free Giveaways I've won.  AND.....winning the AccuQuilt GO cutter and EQ7 were the absolute best!  So, I decided I'd have a Free Giveaway just for the fun of it.

Hey.....it's my FREE Giveaway, so guess I'll make you work for it a bit.  Get to reading!

If you haven't seen or heard about the AccuQuilt GO cutter go read about it here.   It is the greatest tool/accessory for quilting that has come along since the introduction of the rotary cutter.  It has made my cutting for my quilt projects and my ETSY Store so much easier.  I sell charm squares for quilts and jelly rolls and I've doubled my charm squares & jelly roll colorways since I won the GO.




 

Here's a few of them I've cut with my GO CUTTER.

Okay.....I know you want to know about my FREE Giveaway.  Well, since I won the GO cutter I've been cutting a lot of things and with Valentine's Day coming up soon I thought I'd cut some hearts.  Here's a bunch of LOVE for you;  fabric heart applique's  ranging in size from 2 1/2" to 4 1/2"  already fused with iron on fusible and cut with my GO cutter.  There's 20 of 'em for one lucky winner!  

This one is Easy - Peasy....no hoops to jump through, no websites to visit (although it would be nice if you'd go check out my ETSY store to see if there's anything you'd like to buy..tee hee), no pasting on your blog, no shout out on Facebook (I already did that.) no tweeting to do (I already did that one too.).

All you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment here.  A winner will be chosen 1/1/2011 at 4pm and posted here.  Good Luck.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!  

Thanks for visiting.

Giveaway has ended.  Comments are closed.

Love Those Charm Pack Totes!

I love using  this pattern and  Charm Squares for making totes.   I've made many of them in the past and sold them in my Etsy store.    There's two large pockets in the inside and I attach velcro to them, so your "stuff" stays put.  The little outside pocket is perfect for your keys or cell phone and is  sew handy.

Here's 3 of them I made for a custom order, using different Moda charm packs.  It's interesting how they all look different using the different Charm Pack fabrics.

I enjoyed making these so much, I just might have to make some more of them......come January!  

How about you?  Do you like to make totes/bags/purses?

Thanks for visiting.

GIVEAWAY WINNER! 2 1/2" squares - 100 of 'em!

We have a winner from my giveaway for the AccuQuilt Bloggers Blog Hop! 

Whoa!  Wait a minute.....you won't find out so fast and as easy as me just saying who won.   You ought to know me by now and know that I'm GOing to share about my GO cutter and what I do with it..right?  So, you have to look at all these pictures and read all this chatter before you find out who won my giveaway.  Hey......Oops...now,  no peeking ahead of time.

I do not like to waste one little bit of fabric as you see by my two huge boxes of scraps.  Well, what to do with them?

I like to cut some of them into strips for string quilt blocks ....(a never ending on-GOing project)

And all of the little, little pieces are cut with my GO using the Value Die 2 1/2" square.

What fun it is to see all the different prints, colors, styles all stacked up and ready to be used for a new  special little dolly quilt!

My two Kitty models love this red one I made for them...it GOes with their pretty little red satin hairbows!  These different small dolly quilts are always available for sale in my ETSY store and I have several different ones.

Ahhhhhhh....but you're still waiting to hear who won the big pile of 100 of these little 2 1/2" squares......right?

Ok....ok...stop twisting my arm....that hurts.  "Uncle".  My niece picked #35 and it is.......

  Marilyn who said  "I'm following already and I love the GO! baby.  It is definitely on my Christmas list.  The little squares would come in handy as my son came home yesterday with a wish list for his class and I got the idea to make little doll quilts to donate to his class store.  How fun to have the fabric already cut out for them.  I know what I'll be doing this weekend :)  Thanks for the great blog hop.  I've learned a lot."

Marilyn has a blog  Stash Manicure .   Her latest blog talked about what do you do with all of that "ugly" fabric.  It's a fun read.  GO follow her.

Thanks to everyone who entered  and be sure to stay tuned and keep checking everyday.........there's GOing to be another one this week.