Free Pattern: Circle of Friends Challenge Quilt for Modern Quilts Unlimited

Here are some pictures of a little quilt I quilted for Victoria Findlay Wolfe back in 2015. I recently saw pictures of it hanging in a EZ Simplicity booth at QuiltCon which reminded me I have never shared the pictures.

Tutorial: No Sew Hanging Tent for $20

We took our basic $20 hanging tent (tutorial below) and jazzed it up into a Frozen Hanging Tent with another whopping $6!

 What you will need
- 1 hula hoop (mine is 65")  - purchased from the Dollar Tree $1
- 3 packets of Ikea Lill curtains - $12
- Ribbon (not too thin) - two lengths of around 54" - mine are from my recycled ribbon bucket - but lets assume you can find something at the dollar store or JoAnn's bargain bucket $1
- 1 yard of fabric - $6
TOTAL = $20
(In this price I am assuming you have a small amount of some sort of glue in the house at hand.)



Variations on a theme ....  
Any curtain panels with a rod pocket can be used for this project. I really wanted to use some pink & purple sparkly sheer panels I had spied on JCPenny.com. But the budget won out. I think there could be a million ways you could take this tent with different fabrics and different panels. We also used one of our play silks we had dyed with red cabbage and baking soda as the canopy fabric. It was the perfect icy color our tent needed.

1) Fold your two ribbon lengths in half and make a knotted loop in the middle. (I knotted my lengths at 5" from the middle which yeilded an approx 3" loop.) Knot both lengths and put them aside.  NOTE: I used two 54" lengths but if your hula hoop is wider you will probably want to use a longer length. 

2) Open your hula hoop at the join and thread on all your curtains - secure the hula hoop back together again once you have the panels on the hoop.

3) Tie the lengths on ribbon onto the hula hoop. Make sure all the lengths of ribbon are equal in length. You can tie between panels or thread the ribbon through the curtains. Totally up to you - I did both. 

4) Turn your yard of fabric into a square (36"x36") and make a small hole in the center. Thread the knotted ends of ribbon through the center of the fabric. NOTE if your hoola hoop is bigger than mine you might need to use a bigger piece of fabric. 

5) Use dots of glue (glue dots, fabric, glue gun, super glue etc) to secure the canopy to the top of the curtains/hula hoop - creating any folds/draping etc as you go if you wish.

6) Ways to embellish your tent:
 - Glue lengths of ribbon to the outside of the curtains. I used 4 packets of 50 cent ribbon from JoAnn's - ($2) & some blue recycled ribbon from my stash.

 - Add flowers, butterflies, snowflakes etc to 'theme' your tent. I used 4 packets of plastic snowflakes from the Dollar Tree ($4) to make a 'Frozen tent'.

 
- Fairy or other novelty lights - I used some from our Christmas tree box.

We had a full on Frozen reenactment. In case you wondered how Anna really found Elsa's castle - she came on a pink scooter ....

Let it go, let it go .....

Snow is falling everywhere ....

Stay away Anna .....

 

Sisterly love can conquer anything ..... after all we all like warm hugs!

And when the daylight fades - the warm hugs continue.

Tutorial: Four Simple Hooded Capes for under $15

This Hooded Cape (and the variations you will see below) is a really really easy & quick project to make. It is a fabulous addition to your kids dress up box. You can make this cape to any size (even for adults) in under an hour.



Before you purchase your fabric measure the height of the person this cape is for.  For example:
Bunny#1 is 42" = approx 1.25 yards
Bunny #2 is 39" = approx 1.125 yards
Bunny#3 is 36" = 1 yard

You will need:

• Material the same length as the height of the person the cape is for. I trimmed all my fabrics to a standard 42" width.
• Thread
• Ribbon (I used recycled ribbon from Christmas/presents past)
• Big sharp needle for threading ribbon.
• Knitting needle - or something similar - for making holes in fabric

 Optional

• Tulle or Organza same length as the height of the person the cape is for
• Glittery beads

Basic Pattern Outline

Instructions
1. Hem your fabric on 3 edges - left edge, right edge & bottom edge. I like to use a skinny rolled hem - but you could just use a zig zag or overlocking stitch if you prefer.

TIP: When I make a rolled hem I use my embroidery foot which has a handy space in the middle - using this as a guide - it helps me keep the rolled hem consistent in size - I roll as I go - which strangely I find less problematic than pinning first.

 Optional: Add your tulle or organza at this point if you want. Tulle shouldn't fray - but organza will need a zigzag or overlocking stitch along the edges. Include the tulle or organza along the hem/edges of your capes fabric for the top 14" on the left and right sides only. This will ensure that the tulle will be neatly attached to/included the hood but free flowing on the rest of the cape.

2.  Fold your fabric in two (right side of fabric up) and mark down the folded side at the 14" point. Make an arc from the 14" point to the top right hand corner. I have drawn mine with a pen so you can see the line - but I would suggest perhaps using a removable fabric marker. (Whats the plate for? - For some reason putting the big plate in the middle of the folded fabric helps me draw an arc freehand.)

3.  Pin & sew along your marked line. 

TIP: When working with shiny, furry or silky fabrics I like to use a walking foot. This prevents the fabric from sliding around underneath the foot while you are sewing.

4. Cut the arc 1/8" away from the seam.  Turn the seam inside out - so the right sides are now together - pin and sew - this is what is called a French seam. You can find a great tutorial on french seams here on Craftsy. Don't be intimidated - a 'french seam' sounds more complicated than it is.
Optional: If the idea of a french seam fills you with dread. Fold your fabric and mark your arc on the wrong side of the fabric - make a traditional seam & use a zigzag or overlocking stitch to prevent the seam from fraying. 

5. Iron your fabric - it will be easier to do this now before the ribbon has gathered the fabric. While ironing fold the top part of the hood over and make a crease vertically along the 14" mark of the fabric.

6. Thread a ribbon along this 14" mark/fold. If your big sharp needle won't do the job - makes holes with a sharp knitting needle first. Make the holes about every 2 inches.
Optional: Add some bling/beads to your ribbon.

We got all of our materials at JoAnn's. Cost of capes are shown below.

Mermaid Cape
- 1.125 yd of Satin in Violet $3.36
- 1.125yd of Glitter wave organza in jade $5.36
- Thread - from stash
- Recycled Ribbon from stash
- Beads $3.99 (with lots left over)
TOTAL COST: $12.71

 Can you guess who is under the cape?

 

 Jewels from the bottom of the sea?

It is Ariel!!!

Little Red Riding Hood Cape
- 1.25 yds of Glitter Satin in Tango Red $7.49
- Thread - from stash
- Recycled Ribbon from stash
TOTAL COST: $2.99

 Little Red Riding Hood off into the woods - lets hope she stays safe.

Here is what she selected for her Grandmother. 

This was the most coveted out of all of the cloaks we made. How adorable does Bunny #2 look!

Batman or Pirate Cape
- 1yd of Satin in Black $2.99
- Thread - from stash
- Recycled Ribbon from stash
TOTAL COST: $2.99

Frozen or Cinderella Cape
- 1.25yd of Glitter Satin in Powder Blue $3.75
- 1.25yd of Teardrop White Tulle $6.24
- Thread - from stash
- Recycled Ribbon from stash
- Beads $3.99 (with lots left over)
TOTAL COST: $13.98

 This cape was inspired by my girls love of Elsa from Frozen. We don't have a Frozen dress in our dress up box (yet I suspect) so we used Cinderella's dress instead. 

I think the cape could work for Elsa or Cinderella.

 Some bling. 

 And some singing and dancing of 'Let it Go' .....

I really hope this tutorial helps you and your little ones make some capes to have fun in.

Free Motion Quilting Pattern: Octopus Flower

This is a quick guide on how to make the Octopus Flower pattern that I used on this Memorial Quilt made from a ladies shirts. My apologies in advance for such poor quality in the following photos.



1) Make a medium/large swirl.

2) Travel back between the lines of the swirl.

3) Make smaller swirls (approx 8) around the outside of your bigger central swirl.

4) Echo around the outside of the smaller swirls & echo travel to a place where you can start your next big swirl for the next octopus flower.

 5) Keep swirling & echoing. It doesn't matter if each Octopus Flower has 8 swirls or not.

Have fun. It is a really easy pattern to use and travel around the quilt with. 

Nana's Memory Quilt

Back back in what seems like many years ago I was asked to help make a memory quilt that would be used as a chuppah for a wedding. It was such a great project to be a part of - I've been dying to do another memory quilt ever since.

Nana turned 90 this year - and it seemed like a perfect occasion to put together a memory quilt as a gift for her. Nana makes every grandchild a quilt when they are born (to remind you here is what she made for Bunny #1!). She is quite the dedicated sewer as well as a loving mother to four children, grand mother to 13 and great grandmother to an additional 21!!

Back at the beginning of this year I sent a letter to everyone in the family asking them to create a square that would be sewn together into a quilt to celebrate Nana's 90th birthday. Here is the form letter that I used in case you wanted to put together a similar project:

A Memory Quilt for Nana

In addition to all the heart felt things that are being planned for Nana's 90th birthday we thought it would be a nice idea to create a memory quilt for Nana. Nana over the years has made us all so many lovely things - lets make her a quilt packed with memories and love.

Memory quilts are quilts pieced together from squares depicting thoughts/mementos for a special loved one. They can be made from clothes, T-shirts, ties, direct printed photos - almost anything that might hold a special meaning.

If you would like to participate you will need to return any finished patch(es) or materials for the quilt BY - any squares/materials received after this date might not be able to be included in the finished quilt.

You will find in this package:

-       a square of material 14 x 14". (There should be enough pieces of material for everyone in your family plus some spare.)

-       Ziploc bag to protect your patch/material during return mailing

-       an addressed envelope for returning your squares

You can decorate your patch in anyway you wish with what ever method you wish – here are some ideas:

NOTE: you do not have to fill all of the square provided

-       write out your message with a permanent fabric marker, or perhaps penning a favorite quote or lyric that is meaningful to you and Nana

-       embroider a message or image on the square

-       use iron-on letters or pictures

-       appliqué or patchwork your own patch

-       fabric pens, paints or dye – used freehand, stenciled or stamped

-       transfer photos/drawings with heat transfer paper or printable fabric sheets.

-       buttons, beads, ribbon, lace

You do not have to fill the square provided - you do not have to use the provided square of fabric - you can:

-       use any other fabric you might prefer

-       return a piece of fabric/clothing that has meaning to you that you would like to be included

Please feel free to be as imaginative as possible and take your square any direction you want. Thank you so much for your participation in this project.

Any questions please contact me @


It was such a fun project - I really enjoyed putting it all together.

I quilted the huge beast on my Bernia which was quite an undertaking - it isn't perfect - but I think Nana was pleased with her gift. 

 Here are some of my favorite squares ...