I *HEART* Large Plastic Cups with Cute Coozies

I have a fun little project for today. It's a cup coozie (cozy, coozy, koozie, etc). I just love those clear plastic tumbler cups that are all the rage now. You know the ones. They look like a fast food drink cup, but are a lot more durable. I (heart) mine and use it all the time. The only down side, they are so boring to look at. I know that with some of the cups you can unscrew the top or bottom and insert pictures, scrapbook paper or cute fabric. Not mine, just a plain old cup. I needed a cup coozie. One big problem: I had a hard time finding a pattern online. It seemed that everyone started with the little paper sleeve as a pattern. I didn't have a Starbucks paper sleeve, but no problem, I would just make my own pattern. Ummmm....there is a reason that everyone uses the sleeve pattern. It took me about an hour to get my paper pattern just like I wanted it. The first pattern the top edge was too sharp and the bottom concave was to deep. The second one: the sleeve was too short and so on for the next hour. Finally, just right.

Above: I sewed strips of fabric together. I like 1 1/2" or 1 1/4" strips, but any size will do. 

Above: Here is the back. It looks very interesting.

Above: I place my pattern on top of the fabric strips and then cut around it, Adding 1/4" seam allowance. I then cut out thin cotton batting and a backing fabric.

Above: Here it is.

Above: I used 2 elastic pony tail rubber bands and 2 big red buttons to keep the coozie wrapped around the cup. If you google quilted cozy cup, there are tons  around. I liked the ones with the elastic loops that hook around the buttons. Have fun!

This particular one was a gift for a special friend. Now I am going to have to make me one. They are so cute.

Have a wonderful night,

Holly

Happy Little Plate

I have always loved the dreamy Dresden plate, but it looks so complicated. I finally couldn't resist it anymore. I have this sweet little ruler, just for making Dresden plates of all sizes. Wouldn't a little 4 1/2" Dresden plate look adorable? Well, actually the spokes are 4 1/2", the plate ends up being 11 1/2".

Above: first step: cut out wedge using ruler, then cut out 19 more using different fabrics.

Above: Then fold the top of the wedge in half and sew (the top is the longer side).

Above: I like to chain piece them, actually I chain piece all the time! It saves thread and time. Chain piecing is just a continuous running of the fabric through the machine without cutting the threads.

Above: Chain piecing. They look like tiny little flags. I then snip them apart.

Above: The one on the left has been ironed (process a) and the one on the right has been inverted and ironed (process b).

 Above: Now, after you have finished both process a and process b, it's time to join them. I started in groups of two, then after all of those were finished, I made them into groups of four and then added the fifth wedge. Now I just have to sew one group together and the other group together. Finally I sew the two groups together to make the plate!!

Above: Here she is almost finished. I am making her for a craft fair that my sis and her sweet friend will have a booth at. I am a partner, but unfortunately I am not going to be attending :( 

 Above: Look what finally arrived. My cute little Singer Featherweight, all the way from England! I finally saved up enough $$ to get her. It took me about a year of saving (not because she was so much $$ but because I was saving pennies! not really dollars, so it took about a year :)

It is very fun to sew on. I can't wait to start making my Jo Morton quilts on it or my Civil War reproduction quilts. I will be sharing all of those projects on my other blog Prims 'n Pins. That blog is sorely neglected. I am going to make a Fall resolution to start blogging on it at least once a week (?).

This weekend has been beautiful. A little cooler, maybe by 5 degrees, but I can tell Fall is in the air!!

Keep those fingers happy, go sew something,

Holly

Back to School = Fun Crafty Stuff!!!!

Wednesday was sweet little D#2's first day of big school. She is now an official kindergartner. She has the most wonderful teachers! We are so excited. Every week they will have to learn a Bible verse and recite it from memory on Friday. In the mornings during general assembly they recite the pledge to the American Flag, to the Bible and to the Christian Flag. This is all stuff that we use to do at church when I was little. They don't really do that in churches now, including ours.
So, of course first day of school = fun crafty things for the teachers. I just love doing this kind of stuff.

Above: Red basket with card, notepad, pin and apple dish scrubby.

Above: Stamped this cute image and colored it with my copic markers.

Above: The apple dish scrubby is crocheted. It was so fun! I haven't crocheted in months. I must start this again. The pattern is from Lion Brand Yarn. They have a lot of free cute patterns.

Above: Made this one with cotton red yarn.

Above: Here they are all wrapped up.

D#2 was so excited today. She said "We have just finished our first week of school! WOOOHOOOO!!!" I believe she likes school.

Have an awesome night and tomorrow we are going to be super busy moving D#1 into her dorm!!

Keep those crafty little fingers busy and out of trouble :)

Holly

Needle and Thread

Update: I am still having trouble leaving a comment on blogger and I know that some of you can't leave a comment on mine. Sorry. Not sure why. I have emailed them and let them know of the problem. They do have a page on their website for trouble shooting. I will have to see if I can some how fix it.

Meanwhile, look at this awesome quilt! It is a Bee In My Bonnet (Lori Holt) pattern called Paper Dolls. It is so adorable. It reminds me a little of the American Dolls Historical series from the 1930s/1940s. This will definitely be a future project. I have purchased a pattern of hers called Remembering Grandma's Aprons. I can't wait to start on that one.

Above: Very cute quilt. Look at the detail! Sure wish I could take her class on it. Lori Holt offers it as a block of the month.

I just finished up some custom order mice for a wonderful lady with an amazing imagination.

Here's the mice.

Above: They are the Four Seasons: Spring (yellow) Summer (red), Fall (orange) and Winter (lt blue).

They were so fun to make and design. The customer had a wonderful idea. She came up with the four seasons theme and I had a blast designing them. They are now on their way to Ohio, along with their sweet little pet. I will show the pet at a later date, as soon as they reach their destination. The pet is a surprise thank you.

We have been busy getting ready for school to start. We had a meeting for D#2's school tonight. We are so excited that she will be starting Kindergarten soon. I can't believe that she is that big! They grow up so fast. D#1 will be moving into her dorm on the 20th of this month. She is so excited! We are excited and a little sad (shhhh....don't tell her) that she is starting this wonderful new chapter in her life.

I will share pictures of her campus after we get her settled in.

That's all I have for tonight, so I'll sign off and say "Goodnight",

Holly