A friend is a precious thing indeed!

I have this friend. Her name is Evi Nemeth and she did me a HUGE favour earlier this year. I racked my brains to try and think of something I could give her to say thank you and finally I came up with this.

It's a Quilted Table Topper. :^D

The centre piece was created by me. I dyed the fabric and painted the bird. There are some other strips of the yellow that I cut and added to the design. The strips of fabric that look like Batik crackle are exactly that. I made those too. 

The quilting was fun too and I learned a lot while I was stitching away.. lots of unpicking was done in the process. My Mum says she never feels that the job has been done correctly when she hasn't done any unpicking during it.. ha ha 

The backing fabric was hand dyed by me too and I also designed and actually printed the label out on my regular printer! I ironed it well before I sewed it onto the quilt. It's washable, believe it or not. 

It was fun and I'm happy the way it turned out. It's been a while since I did any creative sewing and Evi was really pleased with her gift..whew :^D 

It's not too early for Christmas

Not only is Christmas a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it brings back so many fond memories of my childhood. I become a child again. Many years ago I sewed Christmas stockings for my husband and three children. Then a couple of years ago I designed a reversible stocking pattern. In this blog, I will guide you through the steps so you can create a masterpiece yourself.

1. Using cardstock or heavyweight paper (a paper bag works well), draw a stocking in the size and shape that suits you. Remember to allow approximately ½ inch for seam allowances and add to the top for the foldover portion. This will be your template.

2. Choose two coordinating fabrics. For EACH fabric, fold over so you have two layers. Place the template on top of one fabric and cut out (2 pieces). Place the template on top of the second fabric and cut out (2 pieces).

3. Cut 2 lengths of ribbon for the hangers. I used a narrow satin ribbon and cut each one 7 inches long.

4. Measure down 3 inches from the top and along the back side of stocking. Pin the ribbon to the right side of fabric with ribbon ends aligning with fabric edge. Pin one fabric right sides together and sew with a ¼ to ½ inch seam allowance. Do not sew along top edge. Repeat for other fabric.

5. Clip seam allowance around curves (inside and outside curves) being very careful not to cut through the seam. Press gently.

6. With 1 stocking turned inside out and the other right side out, place the right side out stocking inside the inside out stocking, matching top edges. Sew along top edge matching seams and leave an opening for turning right side out.

7. Pull each stocking through the opening so they are right side out. Tuck one stocking inside the other. Press top edge of stocking (just stitched) folding under the edges along the opening not yet sewn. Topstitch close to the top edge of stocking to complete. Fold over top edge to show coordinating fabric.
   

Now, the hard part is deciding which side of the stocking to display. Merry Christmas!

Lorri D.